It’s 2022. I’m writing this on January 1st, and it still feels like a hugely futuristic date to type out. The last couple of years have really done a number on my internal clock; I think, for the first time in my life, I have finally learned to slow down. I don’t feel the need to rush and hurry all the time any more. I don’t want things done NOW; I want them done RIGHT.
When I started designing, I set myself the goal of releasing one pattern every month. I wanted to build up a catalogue quickly, so that when people came to see what I was about, there were some things to look at. I met that goal – exceeded it, even – but it was hard work. Stolen time at the computer when I could have been spending it with my family. An extra hour at the end of the day that should really have been sleep. Standard hustle culture.
It needed to be done, and I don’t regret it. I’m extremely proud of what I’ve achieved and, most importantly, I feel like I have found my footing. I know what I’m about, how I work, what I value. I can work a bit more efficiently now, and I’m ready to focus on and follow through with what I’ve already started while I take on some bigger, more complex projects.
But that’s going to need a little breathing space. So, starting now, there are going to be a few changes.
Firstly, no more one pattern per month. Each pattern will be ready when it’s ready. This will allow me the time to take a little breather between designs and make sure that I choose the next one with consideration, rather than working out what I can fit in to the time I have left.
Secondly, you’ll be seeing more of what I’m doing in real time. Previously I’ve been working months ahead of what gets shared on social media and to put it bluntly, I hate it. I hate having to wait before raving about something I’m excited about. I hate having to write blog posts and social content moths after that excitement has passed. I hate having to think about whether my photos look appropriate for the season they’ll be shared in, not the season they’re taken in. I hate feeling so out of sync with what’s being shared. It’s not in my nature to be so carefully constructed, and it feels almost dishonest. I want to show you what I’m doing when I’m doing it, or at least very soon after, when all the feelings are actually there.
Thirdly, I want to focus more on accessibility and inclusivity in this industry, particularly financial accessibility and size inclusivity. Having a Pay it Forward scheme is great, but it’s not enough. I’m going to put my money where my mouth is and design using some big box yarns. Garments are coming, and not only will they be size inclusive, but they’ll be designed with bodies like mine in mind – which means not just larger, but with specific shape and fit challenges taken into consideration.
Lastly, I’m only going to design things that really speak to me. So far on my design journey I’ve been a bit experimental, trying things that aren’t quite “me” to see how they feel and how you all like them. You know what I learned? If I wasn’t 100% feeling a design, I could tell – and so could you. So no more. I’m going to create things that feel like me, informed by my life experiences. I don’t know how to distill the essence of me into a nice tidy brand, but I know it when I feel it, and that’s what’s going to guide me through 2022.
More authentic. More inclusive. More intentional. No resolutions, just a doubling down on what matters to me, what feels like home, what makes my tummy twinge and say mmmmmmyes, that one.
Because if these last two years have taught me anything, it’s that all I can really choose in life is how I navigate it. So I’m going to choose well.
