From Idea to Launch: Our Creative Process and why it matters

Imagine investing hours of your time and energy creating something, going through rounds of iteration and quality review, and finally getting it right—only to have someone else steal and claim it as their own.

A few weeks ago, as we were planning for the weeks ahead at Zanete Knits, my calendar reminded me it was World Intellectual Property Day on April 26. For the first time, I took notice. 

The feeling of being stolen from is a feeling many creators experience too often. Despite our best efforts, it's a feeling we've felt at Zanete Knits. During our monthly strategy call, we asked ourselves, "Should we say something about what we are experiencing as a small business?" Resoundingly, we said yes. 

As a knitwear pattern designer, I pour my creativity and effort into each design, striving to create something that inspires and delights knitters of all levels. So much goes into developing, refining, and producing a new pattern. It's so much more than just my work. Many individuals contribute their time, creativity and thoughtfulness to each project. For Intellectual Property Day, I want to shed some light on what takes place behind the scenes at Zanete Knits to bring you patterns designed to WOW you every time. 

For every pattern, we go through six stages: (1) Development, (2) Technical Editing, (3) Testing, (4) Photography, (5) Pattern Layout, and (6) Distribution.

The Development Stage is all about bringing the idea to life. Within a month, I put the idea down on paper to translate the sketch into a written pattern and grade for multiple sizes. Once that's done, it's time to get my hands on needles and yarn, knit a sample, and adjust the pattern based on the process. 

The Technical Editing Stage is when we begin slowly inviting the community into the creative process. At this stage, we have a technical editor to review the pattern and process, incorporating their corrections/suggestions into the pattern to provide the best knitting experience to our customers. For a small business, this is a costly undertaking.

This process is followed by testing, which typically takes eight weeks. At this stage, we release a test knit announcement into our community to create a group of volunteer test knitters. This is where our community shows up and shines bright. Our volunteers are foundational to our work. We guide testers throughout the process of testing the pattern, request and review their feedback, and incorporate the changes into the final product. 

If you think the heavy lifting is over, you're wrong. Photography and pattern layout come next, and it can take up to a month, and the cost depends on the complexity and length of the pattern but is never trivial. We want to present our designs in the best possible light, so we invest time and resources in getting models, finding beautiful locations, and working with a graphic designer to ensure everything looks perfect. And finally, we launch the pattern and share it with our community of knitters.

But all of this hard work can be undone in an instant when someone copies our designs without permission. It undermines the efforts of everyone involved in the process, and it undervalues our creativity and dedication. That's why we're passionate about protecting our art and encouraging others to do the same. When you purchase a Zanete Knits design directly from our website or authorized sellers, you can feel confident that you're getting a unique, high-quality product that represents the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.

Not everyone may know the impact of copyright infringement or the importance of supporting independent designers. That's why we encourage you to spread the word about this issue and share this article with others interested in learning more.

I want to thank our customers and volunteers for their ongoing support and encouragement. We couldn't do what we do without you. We're grateful for every purchase, positive review, and word-of-mouth recommendation. Together, we can build a community that values and respects creators' hard work and dedication. 

I am eager to share more beautiful knitwear patterns that allow you moments of wonder, solitude, reflection, and joy.