creative coven online design course
ready to see your patterns in the real world?
with the 3 pillars of creation | publication | administration, you’ll:
🧶 learn how to take your ideas out of your brain and turn them into actual patterns
✍️ gain confidence in your designing so that you never worry about whether you’ve missed an important step
📌 get and stay organized so that you spend more time creating and less time looking around for those damn notes you scribbled on that post-it…or was it in your notes app??
🧠 work on your mindset so that you say “goodbye, overwhelm and scarcity bullshit!”
🙌 embrace the mantra keep your eyes on your own paper while enjoying community over competition!
🎉 make your fledgling biz fit into your life and grow it on your terms rather than feeling stuck and at the mercy of what used to be your favourite hobby
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welcome to the creative pillar.
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yarn, what’s important, and what’s not important when it comes to design.
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we’re talking about the right needles for you.
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pretty self-explanatory, no?
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we’re covering 5 different shawl shapes in this course.
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we’re covering the crescent shawl.
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learn the basic shaping of triangle shawls
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learn how to design a centre-out shawl in this lesson.
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asymmetric triangle shawl
one of my most favourite shawl shapes to knit and one of the most tricky to write patterns for.
one of my most favourite shawl shapes to knit and one of the most tricky to write patterns for.
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elizabeth zimmermann would be so pleased.
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let’s review what we’ve learned while making shawls.
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we’re designing in the round now!
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writing for & making socks
the differences between writing shawl patterns and sock patterns are highlighted here.
the differences between writing shawl patterns and sock patterns are highlighted here.
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i promise it’s not as scary as it seems.
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yes, you have to block your knits. no, it’s not the end of the world.
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yes, you do need to block your socks too.
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arguably the most important tool for any designer.
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i love pinterest, and so should you!
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truly, it is magic. and also mandatory if you’re a designer.
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time to recap all the important stuff.
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no, but seriously, watch this first.
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it is, after all, why we’re here.
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software recommendations
you don’t have to spend all the monies to run your online biz. in fact, i’d encourage you not to jump on the latest shiny thing.
you don’t have to spend all the monies to run your online biz. in fact, i’d encourage you not to jump on the latest shiny thing.
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the nitty-gritty of both.
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plagiarism & eyes on your own paper
we’re starting by assuming you’re not a terrible person and going from there, because this is more attached to mental health that you might expect.
we’re starting by assuming you’re not a terrible person and going from there, because this is more attached to mental health that you might expect.
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whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, you need to include them.
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tech editors vs. test knitters
both important, both very different in how to navigate professionally.
both important, both very different in how to navigate professionally.
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photography
another key tool in the designer’s belt, and also totally something you can hire out if you prefer that option.
another key tool in the designer’s belt, and also totally something you can hire out if you prefer that option.
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time to be brave
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going live on ravelry
a step-by-step lesson with all you need to include whether you’re selling on ravelry or any other online platform.
a step-by-step lesson with all you need to include whether you’re selling on ravelry or any other online platform.
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yes, you can sell patterns on your very own website!
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the good, the bad, and the logistics.
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time to recap all the important stuff.
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are you running a business or an expensive hobby?
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navigating mental health as a small biz owner.
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time to get specific.
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you got this, sweet pea.
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for all of us without marketing degrees, and even those who do.
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we’re using pinterest again!
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no matter what platforms you use, the boundaries remain essential.
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capitalism sucks. and also it’s our current reality, so let’s talk about it.
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diversifying income
aka how to make enough money to actually do something with your life, or at least your design career.
aka how to make enough money to actually do something with your life, or at least your design career.
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how small businesses can sink or swim.
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sign up to get started
meet your team
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meet your team ✳
willow
the furry assistant
ash
knitting designer, fibre witch
i’m the creator and designer behind sunflower knit. you may have seen me teaching with the likes of vogue knitting live and knit city, and in the pages of publications like laine, making stories, and amirisu. my mum taught me how to knit when i was a kid, my nan knit every grandkid the same blanket, and my gramma was the kind of polish knitter who had no idea what “K2” meant but could take one look at you and make you the perfect-fitting vest. i’m obsessed with all-natural yarns, have fallen prey to the sweater curse on multiple occasions, and i’m a non-monogamous knitter unless i have a hard deadline .
i’m convinced that you can never have too many handknit socks, which therefore makes them the best thing to knit. except when i’m knitting myself a new sweater, or hat, or shawl, or… i’m equally in love with lace and cables. oh, and fingerless mitts are actually handshoes. autocorrect be damned! i also swear a lot unless there are kids around, my dog is the one who really calls the shots, and i run a 6-figure business built around my passion for all things knitting and yarn 🧶
what you’ll learn in your fully captioned video lessons
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WALK AWAY WITH: how to create your own shawl or sock design from scratch
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WALK AWAY WITH: how to write & publish your pattern
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WALK AWAY WITH: how to run your small business with confidence from day one
you’ll also get
IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO:
the coven library including:
a comprehensive workbook to help you refine your designs AND your brand
templates for some of the best design software out there, including indesign
reference patterns & zines to help guide your own writing
exclusive tarot spreads created specifically for your design and business journey
RESOURCE LIST INCLUDING:
the top-rated tools in the knitting industry, from free to you're-the-big-boss-now budgets, so you can take the guesswork out of what tools to invest in as you grow your business
links to reliable sizing and grading data so that you can be sure you're designing for the broader knitting community with math you can trust
access to the most well-loved stitch dictionaries in the industry so you can expand your knitting knowledge and pattern offerings
PLUS:
monthly co-work sessions via zoom for extra support, accountability, and encouragement - bring whatever you’re currently working on and receive live support from ash. whether you’re starting your first lesson, working on your budget, or just want moral support while you binge knit the final rows on your latest pattern sample, we’re here for you (on the 4th thursday of every month)!
lifetime access to your course material and resources list - there's no monthly subscription fee or expiry date, so once you've paid in full you have full access to your material forever!
peace of mind that if life gets in the way, you'll be ok - this course is self-paced so you can go as quickly or as slowly through the material as you want, and revisit it any time you need
course FAQ
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no, you need to be willing to do the work to build a long-term sustainable career, which takes time and dedication. also, going viral doesn't guarantee you a long career or an audience who cares about you and wants to support you in your success. our goal is to play the long game, not the 15-minutes-of-fame game.
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maybe, but if you want to go the figure-shit-out-as-you-go route, i can tell you from experience that it will take you 3+ years before you start seeing regular passive income and probably wasted money along the way.
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cool beans, this is not the right class for you. all the material is hosted via fully-captioned pre-recorded video classes and the homework assignments and resources are also all hosted online. plus, this course is about building an online biz. if you're uncomfortable online, this is probably the wrong fit across the board for you.
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they make me anxious too! that's why there is no facebook group - or any "forum" - built into this course. with the rise of unsafe spaces and the increasing loss of our rights to control and moderate content on different online platforms, i've removed the worry about interacting with thumbnail images and weirdly passive-aggressive (or are they just being sarcastic?) comment threads. we’ve got monthly co-work sessions via zoom that you’re welcome to join whenever you need some extra guidance or support, and you can always book more 1:1 time with me if you need help with something a little bigger (like maybe your first book??).
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you'll be working through the actual design exercises and math lessons with shawl and sock designs so that you can learn all about the tricks of shaping without the added complexity of grading across different sizes. when you're ready, there are resources provided for you to take the skills you've honed through the design process and apply them to other knitted items. (you're probably going to want to branch out at least a bit if you're going to make enough money to pay all your bills and feed your fur babies/not-so-furry babies.)
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100%. in fact, i would highly recommend you not quit your day job until you've looked at your finances, determined how much risk you're willing to take (without putting yourself/your family in financial danger), and ideally started to see at least some consistency in your pattern income. we'll go over how to figure those things out in the money stuff lesson.
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we have a 4-month payment plan available that can help take some of the pressure off! if that still doesn’t work for your budget, no worries. the course is open for enrolment 24/7, and while we might do live “open door” events that come with extra bonuses every once in a while, you’ll never get the false scarcity bullshit from this course. join when you’re able to - while i know you’ll get incredible momentum once you’re actively doing the work inside the course, if your biggest barrier to signing up is that you don’t have the money, that’s totally legit and it’s ok for you to wait until you can afford to sign up without worrying about groceries or paying your house bills.
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failure to complete all four payments will result in access to your class material being revoked. that being said, life happens, so if something major comes up for you, please reach out and we’ll discuss alternative payment schedules.
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probably not. there are scattered swear words throughout your video classes and if you truly care more about that than the transformation you'll see if you do the work, this isn't the right fit for you.