You’ll first need to find somewhere to submit your design idea. Many companies use the Designers forum on Ravelry to post their calls for submission. They will give you detailed information about what they are looking for in their posts, as well as links to mood boards and forms you may need to fill out. I check the Designers forum about once a week for calls I think I’d like to submit to. You can also visit the websites of your favorite magazines or yarn companies. Many of them have a link where you can sign up to receive emails for their calls for submissions.
So you’ve got the call for submissions, now it’s time to put together the proposal. Again, some companies might have a template to follow, but many just want a 1-page PDF explaining your design submission. Here’s the information you need to always include:
- Clear photos of your swatch
- A sketch of your design (even if you can’t draw….please see my pretty terrible drawing of a fingerless mitt below)
- Details about your pattern – design features, sizing, what makes it unique, etc.
- Yarn Requirements/Suggestions
- Materials Needed
- Contact Information
With your professional proposal and killer design idea, you’ll be getting accepted to that magazine or yarn company in no time! And, as I’ve written about before, if you get rejected, don’t worry. It happens to all of us. Now you have your proposal ready to go and you’ll be ready to submit it to another call when the time is right.
