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Your Stories: Tian Connaughton

April 25, 2018 Leave a Comment

Okemo Shawl by Tian Connaughton from Vacation Knits, Vol. 1

Okemo Shawl by Tian Connaughton from Vacation Knits, Vol. 1

A lot goes in to creating a knitting or crochet pattern from scratch. In honor of our Read Along Crochet Along this month, I thought it would be fun to give you guys some insight into how the pattern sausage gets made. So I sat down (ok, emailed) with my Technical Editor, Tian Connaughton, about her yarn craft journey, starting from learning to crochet in a corporate break room and leading to a full time knit and crochet business.

This interview is the first in a series of interviews we’re calling Your Stories. This series will feature folks from all over the Hands Occupied community. Whether that’s a chat with someone who helps keep Hands Occupied ticking like Tian or an interview with an interesting member of one of our social media-based groups like Instagram or Ravlery, hopefully this series will help us get to know each other and the yarn craft world a little better! 

Get to know Tian Connaughton, a Knit and Crochet Designer, Technical Editor of patterns, Blogger at KnitDesigns by Tian, and an all around yarn craft entrepreneur. Tian Connaughton is a Knit and Crochet Designer, Technical Editor of patterns, Blogger at KnitDesigns by Tian, and an all around yarn craft entrepreneur. I got to know Tian through her work as a Technical Editor on I Like Knitting magazine, and when I was in the market for a new go-to Editor, she was the first person I thought of. If you don’t know what the heck a Technical Editor/Tech Editor is in the yarn world, read on – I’ll let Tian explain all about it. :) 


Heidi/Hands Occupied (H): Let’s start at the very beginning – what got you in to yarn crafting?
Tian (T): Unlike many designers, I did not learn to crochet and knit as a child at my grandmother’s knees – I don’t even think either of my grandmothers knew how. I started crochet just after 9/11, after returning to work from my honeymoon. Those first days after the attack were pretty dark. I remember sitting in the break room every day at lunchtime watching all the developing news. I needed a creative outlet, so when a co-worker brought in her crochet and volunteered to teach a few of us I jumped at the opportunity to do something constructive during my break time; it was the perfect distraction we needed.

Pretty quickly I got completely obsessed with crochet and shortly after that learned to knit. Then, not too long after learning to knit, I started to design – I hated following patterns and was constantly modifying existing patterns to my own taste. The design bug bit fast and it completely blew up. While at my corporate job, I submitted to magazines and yarn companies. I was always dreaming of the day I’d have time to be able to design full-time. I remember thinking up design ideas during my hour+ commute to work and planning during that hour+ drive home what I’d be knitting and crocheting – between work and family and home there was never enough time to knit and crochet.

Ansonia Shawl pattern by Tian Connaughton from Vacation Knits Vol. 2

Ansonia Shawl by Tian Connaughton from Vacation Knits Vol. 2 (photo: Valley Yarns)

H: Tell us about your work/business. :)
T: My dreams of working in the fiber industry became a reality 6 years ago. Today my business looks a bit different. It’s now a multi-faceted business that is a balance of working on my own business and teaching other designers to traverse some of those beginner issues.

At the heart of everything I do, I’m a teacher. I love learning and finding ways to teach people in the fiber industry to think differently and bigger, drawing from my experience in corporate finance and accounting. In the beginning, my business focused mainly on designing, where I was submitting a lot of design proposals for publication while developing relationships as a Technical Editor. Now my business is more diversified. These days I do a bit less designing as I focus on marketing my current catalog of designs and getting those designs to new knitters and crocheters, while working on more technical editing, mainly for 3rd party publications such as magazines, yarn companies, and print books.

In addition to designing and technical editing, I write books and create courses to help crochet and knitwear designers with strategies to achieve their own success in the industry; playing the role of a mentor and advocate that I wish I had when I started out. My greatest thrill is working with a new designer, either one-on-one or through a course, to understand the process of designing, from coming up with the idea, creating the sample, grading the pattern for multiple sizes, developing a style guide and pattern writing, to marketing their designs. This past mid-March I released my newest e-book, Pattern Launch Plan: Sell more patterns consistently without being sleazy. This book is geared at marketing for knit and crochet designers so they can maximize their existing catalog of patterns to generate consistent revenue without having to publish new patterns every few weeks in order to see sales. The ultimate goal of my business (KnitDesigns by Tian) is to help knitters, crocheters, and designers achieve their dreams.

Lenox Shawl by Tian Connaughton - Aura: 2016 Spring Collection from Knit Picks

Lenox Shawl by Tian Connaughton – Aura Spring Collection from Knit Picks

H: When did you decide to make knit & crochet your job? Was it an easy decision to come to?
T: Like many designers, for a long time, I dreamt of the day when I would design full time, where I could sit and knit all day. For a long time, I played it out in my mind the day I would turn in my letter of resignation. That day never really happened. Instead, the opportunity came 6 years ago when my corporate finance job was outsourced overseas. That made the decision easy because I had been planning what I would do for a long time and the opportunity presented itself. I think if I hadn’t been laid off I probably would have stayed in that job much longer than my heart was in it. Now I am thrilled to be able to do the things I enjoy and have time to spend with my family. Don’t get me wrong. I am not sitting watching Netflix and knitting every day. There are days that go by without me working a single stitch, but it’s a decision I wouldn’t change.

H: What is Tech Editing, why is it so important?
T: When I started designing and self-publishing I didn’t know about technical editing. It wasn’t until I started designing for publications and having my designs tech edited that I came to understand what it was and its importance.

A tech editor does more than just read over the pattern for punctuation. A Tech Editor checks your math, grading, and schematics. She can help you develop your style guide so every pattern is consistent. But beyond that, a Tech Editor checks for pattern clarity and consistency so that the pattern says what you mean to say in a way that maintains your individual voice as a designer while making your pattern clear and approachable for a wide range of knitters and crocheters.

Sure, you might get away without a Tech Editor when you’re first starting out. A lot of designers do at the beginning because they don’t have the funds to support the expense, but if you want to take your design to the next level, a Tech Editor is crucial. If you’re looking for a Tech Editor, don’t shop around for one based on price, but rather on how well she understands your style and design aesthetic, as well as someone that can help you as you grow. If you want to take your designing to the next level, a Tech Editor is a crucial partner.

Beacham Cardigan by Tian Connaughton from the Swish Collection from Knit Picks

Beacham Cardigan by Tian Connaughton – from Universal Yarn Cotton Supreme Book 5

H: What do you like to design and why?
T: My taste in projects to design varies and has changed over time. I used to love designing garments. While I still enjoy designing sweaters, now I’m a bit obsessed with shawls, particularly crochet shawls, because of all the different and fun construction I see in knitting that I don’t see reflected in crochet. Also, I’m enjoying shawls because it’s so easy to pick up one or two skeins of fingering weight yarn at a show or on vacation and know I can create something fabulous. With designing a garment, I have to plan ahead of time how much yarn I’ll need and make sure to get the same dye lot, etc. Right now, those one or two skeins projects are very appealing.

H: As a Tech Editor, you see a LOT of patterns. What gets you most excited in a knit or crochet design?
T: As a tech editor, I do see a lot of patterns. The thing that gets me excited is seeing interesting construction and the growth of designers over time; seeing how their designing and pattern writing has evolved and matured. But I think the thing that gets me most excited is when I’m Tech Editing for magazine. There is typically a mood the Editor is going for, and I’m always thrilled to see how different designers interpret the same theme.

H: What are you working on now?
T: Surprisingly, I am working quite a few knit and crochet projects for myself. One project I’m working on is a 2 color pullover using some vintage stash yarn. I can’t even remember where I got it. This project will be set aside soon as the number of warmer spring days increases to await the return of colder temperatures again. Beyond the selfish knitting and crochet projects, I have a design for a book I’m finishing up, I am writing up some patterns to send off to my sample knitters, tech editing projects for the next issues of I Like Knitting and I Like Crochet magazines, and getting ready to launch my Pattern Writing 101 e-course for May 2018. Summer is a slow period for designers so while my calendar is full right now, I plan to take full advantage of the upcoming downtime to have some fun.


Thank you so much, Tian! 

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: crochet design, knit design, knit designs by tian, tech editing, technical editing, tian connaughton, your stories

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

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Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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