That Designer Fear
Every time I publish a new pattern, there’s a moment – okay, several moments – when I spiral. What if someone thinks I’ve copied their work? What if there’s already a nearly identical stitch pattern out there and I just never saw it? What if the internet decides it’s plagiarism and I wake up cancelled?
Yes, welcome to the delightful little nightmares of a knitwear designer.
The thing is – can anyone truly invent a completely new stitch pattern anymore? There are millions of them floating around. Books, blogs, Pinterest boards, Japanese magazines from the 80s, blurry old charts saved in someone’s Dropbox folder in 2009… And rarely do these charts come with clear authorship or credits.
You knit a swatch, fall in love and then realize the stitch you thought you discovered has been printed in five books and used in twelve patterns already. Not the same sock, not the same approach, not the same heel – but still.
Or say you find a beautiful stitch chart online. No source. You search. Nothing. You assume it’s free for use – and then weeks later someone tells you it was leaked from a paid pattern. True story. Happened to a designer friend of mine.
And sometimes you just really want to use a particular stitch. It’s been around forever. Other designers have used it, sure. But you want to give it your own twist, your own shaping, structure, context. Is that okay? Is that ethical? Where’s the line?
So yes, I overthink things. Maybe too much. But I’d rather question than claim. This is what being a responsible (and slightly paranoid) designer looks like 🫣
Luckily, I’ve never had someone message me to say, “Hey, that’s my stitch pattern.” Not once. Only kindness, support and the occasional “Can’t wait to knit these!” – which honestly feels like a miracle.
But that doesn’t stop me from double-checking. And triple-checking. And spiraling into one of my classic late-night detective sessions – digging through Pinterest, old Ravelry pages, Instagram tags and my own archive of stitch dictionaries. Just to be sure I haven’t accidentally reinvented the wheel.
I spend a frankly ridiculous amount of time on this. If I ever tracked my hours, most of them would be filed under “Paranoia disguised as research.” 🙂
And I know – stitch patterns aren’t copyrighted. But I care. I care about being fair. I care about not stepping on anyone’s toes. And yes, I care about not waking up one morning to a DM that makes my stomach drop.
I don’t invent stitch patterns. That’s not really my thing – and honestly, I wouldn’t even know where to start. What I do is scroll, compare, swatch, mix and match. I see a chart I like, I test how it looks in the round, maybe tweak a detail or two – and then I start building the sock around it.
The structure, the shaping, the feel – that’s where my work happens. But the stitches? They usually existed long before me. I just try to use them thoughtfully (and triple-check that no one already turned them into a bestseller).
Sometimes I wish I could be a bit more chill. Just pick a chart and go. But that’s not me. I need to know that when I press publish, I’ve done everything I could to respect the craft and the community around it. Even if that means I’ve now memorized 62 different ways to knit a tiny lace leaf.
(And yes, they’re all slightly different. Don’t ask.)
P.S.
Yes, there’s a comment section below. Yes, you’re welcome to use it. Always happy to hear your thoughts – knitting-related or otherwise.
