How to Design Your First Knitting Pattern Without Feeling Overwhelmed
I recently shared a post on Instagram about how to start designing your first knitting pattern if you're feeling stuck. I gave some tips to help, and one of the comments really struck me. Someone said:
"I strongly believe this is the difference between designers and the rest of us-overwhelmed by the whole thing."
That hit home for me. I know what it feels like to be completely overwhelmed by a big process. Designing, especially when you’re just starting out, can seem like too much to handle. But I’ve found that focusing on just one task at a time, instead of trying to plan and understand everything at once, can help you move forward without feeling stuck.
Image description: Photo of women with her face in her hands with a text overlay saying, How to Design Your First Knitting Pattern Without Feeling Overwhelmed.
Why We Overthink the Knitwear Design Process
You know when you’re knitting a pattern, and you read the whole thing before starting? You read a bit near the end and think, How on earth am I going to do that? It feels impossible. But when you actually get there, it makes sense because of everything you’ve already done.
Designing your first knitting pattern often works the same way. If you try to figure out the whole design process upfront, it can feel like too much, and you don’t end up starting. But when you focus on just one step at a time, it’s not nearly as daunting.
How to Shift Your Mindset
Instead of asking, “How do I design a knitting pattern?” narrow it down to these two questions:
What is the very first thing I need to figure out?
What specific questions do I need to answer before I can move forward?
For many aspiring designers, the first step is deciding what to design. You don’t need to worry about writing the pattern, creating a chart, or knitting a sample yet—those come later. Right now, it’s all about inspiration.
The Power of Just-in-Time Learning
Image description: A pile of sweaters with a variety of textures in shades of beige.
When I was studying fashion knitwear design at university, our early classes focused on just one thing: learning how to use the knitting machine. We’d experiment with stitches and fabrics, exploring what was possible. If we’d tried to worry about how to cut patterns or construct garments at the same time, we wouldn’t have been able to focus or make progress.
Like most good syllabuses, the process was designed to introduce new concepts as we needed them—just in time to use them.
This approach works just as well when you’re teaching yourself something new. If you’re learning how to design knitting patterns, give yourself a “syllabus”. Focus on one step at a time, learn only what you need for that step, and trust that the later steps will make more sense when you get there.
For example:
When designing the fabric, focus on stitch textures and fibre properties.
Don’t worry about grading or writing the instructions until you’ve finalised your design idea.
When you break it down, you’ll find that the process feels much more manageable, and you’re far less likely to psych yourself out before you’ve even started.
A Mini-Exercise to Get You Started
The first step in designing a knitting pattern is developing the design itself. But even that’s a big step, so let’s break it down:
Find Inspiration
What excites you? Mood boards are my go-to—I love gathering images, textures, and colours that spark ideas. I share more about my mood board creation process here. If mood boards don’t work for you, maybe it’s exploring your stash or flipping through stitch dictionaries.Sketch Ideas
Don’t worry about perfection, and sketch as many rough ideas as possible. If you’re stuck, my blog post, How to Come Up with 15+ Sweater Design Ideas in 15 Minutes, can help.Swatch
Experiment with stitch patterns and yarns to see what works. If you’re unsure how to start, check out How to Design a Sweater Using Swatching for tips.Choose Your Yarns
Once you have a clearer idea of your design, pick yarns that complement it.
Each of these steps builds on the last.
Image Description: A woman in an orange tshirt sits on the floor with her back against a white brick wall brainstorming ideas. The text says, How to Design Your First Knitting Pattern Without Feeling Overwhelmed.
Practical Tips for Staying Focused
Break It Down
If it helps, write out all the steps of the design process, but then highlight just one—the next step. Fold the rest of the list away or put it in a drawer. You don’t need it yet.Ask Smaller Questions
If “What inspires me?” feels too broad, break it down further.What types of garments or accessories do I love to wear?
What stitch patterns or textures excite me?
What yarn am I keen to use?
Start answering one small question at a time, and your idea will begin to take shape.
Learn Just Enough
Research only what you need to complete the current step. For example:
If you’re figuring out your design idea, focus on gathering inspiration or exploring stitch patterns.
If you’re ready to grade the design, learn how to do it in a spreadsheet.
Save the rest for later—your future self will thank you.
A Free Resource to Help You Start
If you’re feeling hesitant about jumping into sweater design, I’ve created a free, on-demand video that tackles some of the most common fears and challenges aspiring sweater designers face.
In the video, I share:
How to create sweaters that stand out, even if you feel your ideas aren’t original enough.
Why you don’t need years of experience to design beautiful patterns—and how being a beginner can actually be an advantage.
Information about a simple, size-inclusive grading system that even new designers can use to avoid sizing mishaps.
If you’ve ever considered taking my Sweater Design School course, this is an excellent introduction to my teaching. You can sign up to watch it for free here.
Conclusion: What’s Your Next Step?
Designing a knitting pattern can sometimes feel impossible, but it doesn’t have to. By breaking things down, focusing on one small step at a time, and learning what you need as you go, you’ll finally reach the finish line!
So, what’s the next thing you need to do? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear what you’re working on!
