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Ep 15: Trish Hernacki
181 Plays3 years ago
Tiffany and Denise talk with Trish Hernacki, a new knit designer from Indiana and get a unique view on entering the design field.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:15
Speaker
Hello and welcome to Knit, Design, Edit, Sleep, Repeat of Lisa Conway, Denise Finley and Tiffany Wooten. Let's listen in and see what's happening, who's happening and what's new and new.
00:00:37
Speaker
Please join Tiffany and Denise as they talk with Trish Hernacki, knit designer from Indiana. Well, good morning, Ms. Sparkle Coordinator. How are you? Well, it's not morning here, sweetie, but it is afternoon. I'm good. Well, it's not morning here either, but I say morning all the time. It's a horrible, icky, humid, non-Portland-like day. It's muggy. Oh, so you have my weather. Yes, and you can take it back, OK?
00:01:09
Speaker
I don't want it. We had we actually had 90 degrees something two days this week. We don't know what to do with ourselves. Like everything has been triple digits for the last like three weeks. And we actually walked outside and went relief. See, and we have 90s and we're like, Oh my god, this is so hot. So
00:01:30
Speaker
Sounds accurate. All right. Okay. Well, welcome back aboard the chaos train to our wonderful listeners. Lisa still out for a little while. Um, I know we both talked to her this week. I talked to her. She looked great. She was, you know, restless, ready to get back to work, ready to do all the things. So she appreciates all of the love and support. Please keep sending it to her. Cause you know, and I've talked to Lisa a couple of times, at least three or four times this week. And every time I spoke to her, she looked better each time.
00:01:58
Speaker
you know, brighter, or seemed more, you know, excited about things. Her color was great. And like, she was very energetic when I talked to her the other night. And very upbeat about getting ready to go to therapy and getting all things done. And yeah, happy, happy kind of chomping at the bit to get back doing this. But yeah, she's very much ready to get back into the swing of things. But
00:02:20
Speaker
Until then, y'all are still stuck on the chaos train. So buckle up your seat belts, put your tray tables in your upright positions and hold on tight buttercoats because we're getting ready to go. That's right. So today is an interview and we have
00:02:33
Speaker
The lovely Miss Trish with us. Trish, I'm not even going to try and pronounce your last name. I should have gotten a clarification, but I'm going to screw it up. It's her naki. It is Polish in origin. You're not the first one to do that. No, I'm not. And I won't be the last one either. So Trish her naki. There you go,
Trish's Dual Career and Passion for Knitting
00:02:50
Speaker
y'all. You're welcome. She's an optometrist by day and a knit and crochet designer by nights and on the weekends, just like most of the rest of us. She brings 2020 visions to your
00:03:01
Speaker
to your yarn craft and she has a special passion for size inclusive. She makes me so happy with those words. Me too. Engaging garment designers. Engaging garment designs. My apologies y'all. I can't read today. She's based in Indiana. She resides with her three rescue dogs that she was filling us in on. They're full of energy. She enjoys lifting weights in her spare time and we will apologize now if the dogs decide to be mom's vocal moral support.
00:03:31
Speaker
they're uh they're playing with their own little chewies right now so hopefully they'll be just a little bit of real life correct so miss Denise is actually the the connection here with Trish and I'm going to turn it over to her so she can give you all the personal whereas I just read the paper
00:03:49
Speaker
Well, I don't know too much personal, but it's a funny story that starts a couple of years ago, actually, or last year. I can't remember. We were on another site. I'm not sure. It was some time. It was a year in the hospital.
00:04:04
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, it was sometime during the pandemic. Yes, exactly. Because we were all meeting on a zoom. Doing a knit group thing on a zoom and you were, you know, looking for some outlet to knit and some groups and stuff and yes, I just learned that there was
00:04:21
Speaker
It wasn't something that people just do in their house by themselves while they watch TV. I had no idea that there was other people that actually knitted with each other. There was a community. I didn't know that. Well, it's a great thing to find. It's so exciting when you find other people. You don't feel like such an odd man out kind of thing, you know, right? But I am going to put a little
00:04:47
Speaker
Just a minute. Let me do this. I'm going to put a little plug in for Keenan, who is kind of my mentor slash hero slash a lot of other things. Keenan runs knitting bartender on Facebook and a couple of other places Instagram. He has a lot of things going on. He's done some videos for Michaels and a couple other big name places, but he was doing the zoom.
00:05:09
Speaker
and he had big rooms, you know, and you're only in it for 30 minutes or 20 minutes and then you're, boom, you're changed into another room and you're, hello, new people. It was so much fun. Right? I loved it. But I injured my back.
00:05:23
Speaker
shortly after I connected you with my friend that lives in Columbus, Indiana, Sue. And I couldn't sit. I was literally in tears for two months. I had a really bad back injury. So I wasn't connected to that anymore. And my life just took a turn. And I'm just so glad that you found a group of people that have skin on. Not just a picture on the screen. And once Keenan took those acting gigs, the group kind of
00:05:53
Speaker
yeah fell apart well and good for him he's got he's got a lot of he's got some good work going so yes I know that was a huge struggle for him during the pandemic because he was he lost his job yeah yeah so so he's got this new thing going on and that's really really great for him
00:06:10
Speaker
But yeah, I met Denise in one of the rooms. And our mutual friend Sue happened to also be in the room. And we were all kind of going around the circle saying where we were from. And I said, and Sue said she's in Columbus, Indiana. I'm like, hold the phone. I'm in Columbus, Indiana. Are you sure Columbus, Indiana?
00:06:29
Speaker
Not Ohio look it really is a small and it's so crazy when you get to see how small it is. Yes. Yeah, so I know That sues group meets at our local Panera Friday nights and then a couple other nights a week, but Friday nights are the night that I usually go and I we all knit together at Panera and have dinner and it's wonderful. Yeah
00:06:52
Speaker
Isn't that cool? That sounds like an amazing way to spend a Friday night. I'm not going to lie. I'm jealous. I know. Oh, I am too. So jealous. I wish I did them back in the Midwest. I'm out here stranded where nobody goes anywhere or does anything because they're terrified of everything. But that's just my opinion.
00:07:07
Speaker
So anyway, let me ask you a quick question and I'll let you take this for as long as you want to.
Journey into Knit Design
00:07:13
Speaker
We have about an hour and we have several other questions, but to begin with Trish, we would love to hear your design story, like when and why did you start designing?
00:07:28
Speaker
Okay and that's a question I get a lot because obviously I have a career. I'm an optometrist and I actually as of right now working extra hours because we lost a doctor at my office so I'm now seeing two doctors worth of patients
00:07:50
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's a little bit rough right now, but I'm hoping it's gonna be short-lived So a lot of a lot of people wonder like why why did you take that on? I mean you don't you have enough going on in your life?
00:08:03
Speaker
Well, yes and no. So I've always had, ever since I was a kid, I've always had a creative side, even though I've been very, as far as everything else I do is very scientific minded, very left brained. Right. But I've always, always, always, always had a passion for arts and crafts and creativity. I mean, from friendship bracelets to latch hooking to I did all the things when I was a kid, all the all the things.
00:08:29
Speaker
And when I got into my higher education college and optometry school, I kind of lost touch with that side of me because I didn't have time anymore. Same. Same. Exactly. Look, it's amazing how higher education just like sucks all of your time. That and kids. And you're either in school or you're at home sleeping. Yep. Exactly. Yeah. And yeah. Or eating. Yeah.
00:08:55
Speaker
If you sit in the car for eating while I was studying. So. Yes. Yeah. So, I mean, gosh, yeah, it was stressful enough. I remember one day I left my coffee on the hood of my car when I went to walk to class and I, I started crying when I got back and saw it there. I did that actually. No, mine wasn't in the car of my life. I left mine in the car.
00:09:19
Speaker
But yeah, like you run on so much caffeine in school that you just like when you don't have it, you fall apart. You're just like, I don't know what to do with life. I actually got a rash from stress. I went to the health center and everything and they
00:09:35
Speaker
I already rash from stress. I had two kids and a cranky father. So I mean, does that work? Yeah, it was crazy. Oh man. Yeah. So did you, had you always been a knitter?
00:09:53
Speaker
No, no, not at all. So, um, so once I got to my fourth year of optometry school, it's entirely clinically based, clinical based. So I'm not, I was out of the classroom. I wasn't having to study for tests. I mean boards, but that's more, that was more casual study on your own time kind of thing. But I all of a sudden had this free time again. And I was like, well,
00:10:17
Speaker
I could just binge eat while I binge watch and then not fit into any of my clothes anymore. Or I could actually find something productive to do with my time. Oh, that's cool. And so at that point in time, I didn't do any yarn anything and I ended up teaching myself how to crochet. I love it. And so I taught myself a couple stitches and
00:10:42
Speaker
I'm one of those people when I end up finding a skill I love, I just get so absorbed in it that I wanna learn everything, do everything about it. And I tend to, I've never been someone who's a pattern follower, never ever. Like recipes, for example, when I cook, I never follow the recipe. I use the recipe as a guideline, but then I always take it and I add my own little twist to it
00:11:09
Speaker
to make it mine. I never, I always experimented even from high school. I date that back to trying to make a pancake with the syrup in the batter. Cool. And then McDonald's went and did it, right? McGriddles. Well, yeah, the ones that I did did not turn out well. They tasted okay, but they look like one of those elderly ladies that spends way too much time in the tanning bed. Oh no.
00:11:37
Speaker
Did it taste good though? Did it taste good? That's the question. Yeah, it tasted good. Just as long as you didn't look at it. I mean, look, tasting is like taste is the important part right there. Let's just be clear. It just looked like this wrinkly leathery. That's funny. So you started off with crochet.
00:11:54
Speaker
Yes, and so actually within the first like few months I started crocheting I Needed a thing to put my tools in so I designed my own Case little rolly case with the pie on it and everything It was completely custom to me by my second year I put together
00:12:20
Speaker
I melded two different patterns for a pair of glittens. Glittens. A pair of what? Glittens. So those are the fingerless gloves. Yeah. Okay. I got you. The mint and glove combination thing. I got you. And I combined two patterns to make those. And that was actually my first taste of good quality yarn as well. That was my first... I bought some Malabrigo and... Ooh.
00:12:47
Speaker
Oh, and you were hooked. That's a good one to start with. It is, right? Yes. And so then I would go on Pinterest. I hadn't discovered Ravelry yet, but I would find all these patterns and I'd be like, gosh, dang it. That's a knit pattern. Shoot. I don't know how to do that.
00:13:08
Speaker
That's the story of my life. That's part of how I got into it, too. So what did you do? Why is it knit? Why is it knit? I want to do this. It's so cute. So what did you end up doing? What did you end up doing? Eventually, I made a couple attempts to teach myself. And it was epic fail. Epic fail. Oh. But that's not the end of that story. OK.
00:13:29
Speaker
I ended up deciding on one Saturday afternoon to get back to it when I was scrolling on Pinterest and I came across this blog and here's a this is a plug for any crocheter who's struggling to learn how to knit. Oh here we go let's go because we need we need all the tips because I am a baby knitter so I will take it. Perfect okay so this is by Mama in a Stitch. The blog was titled very simply how to knit if you're a crocheter.
00:13:59
Speaker
piece of cake. I like it. And I read it and I watched the videos and suddenly I'm like, oh my gosh, this makes so much sense. She spoke your language. Good for that. And I picked up I picked up the little needle kit that I had bought at Joanne's and I started playing. And then
00:14:18
Speaker
This, this dumb dumb decided to knit her very first scarf in fingering weight yarn. Of course you did. Why did I do that? Don't ask. It was all stockinette. Oh my. I mean, I could answer that for you. Lack of knowledge would be my guess because, you know, it's pretty. And yeah, it was pretty. It was soft. It was just really teeny tiny yarn. I'm like, why did I do this to myself? It's pretty, it's soft and you don't know any better until you get into it. And then you're just like, Oh my God.
00:14:43
Speaker
Yeah, now I look back. I'm like, that was a terrible decision. But you know what, you can see when I started that scarf, how messy the stitches were. But by the time I finished it, the stitches were gorgeous. I had my that's, that's the fun thing about pieces like that is where you can see your progression. And you can see how it just starts clicking with you. But do you still have that scarf?
00:15:05
Speaker
I do. I love those stories. Not really, because it's not really. It's not a very big scarf. And if I'm going to make a scarf, I like those big old squishy things that I do. Yeah, I can get down with that. Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's a little small. But I do still have it. I do still keep it as a fond memory.
00:15:33
Speaker
And this was- Hey, you know what? That's the progress and the reminder of how far you've come. Well, and how far I've come in a very short time, because guess what year that was? 2019. Oh, short time? Well, let's go with 17. 2019. What year? 2019. 2019. Oh, wow. Okay. So I was off. Yeah. So that was just 2019. So that was only a few years ago. And then, of course, like the second I finished that scarf, I had found my real yarn love.
00:16:00
Speaker
Koshay will always be my first love, but knitting is my true love. When did you do that headband that has the little barbell thing on it or whatever it is? Yes. So that was the beginning of 2021. That's my very first design. So that was a whole big learning experience for me because
00:16:25
Speaker
As an optometrist, I don't really know a lot about business at all. I know how to treat eye diseases and diagnose and prescribe glasses and contacts. That's my jam. And I live in a small town that had a very well-established patient base, so I never once had to advertise to fill my schedule.
00:16:51
Speaker
Oh, wow. Wow. So I know absolutely nothing about any of the traditional business.
00:17:01
Speaker
Yeah, that sounds accurate. I'm in that vote, too. I'm just like, Oh, what am I supposed to see? And I've had my own business since my 20s, and Raina County and did a bunch of stuff like that. So I know all about that kind of stuff. And that's exactly that's exactly how it was. I knew nothing about anything knitting. And that was right after I first even entered into the found out there was a knitting community.
Building Online Presence and Design Quality
00:17:24
Speaker
Oh, wow. Wow.
00:17:27
Speaker
So it was a huge, like I started my knitting Instagram with zero followers and. How many do you have now? Grew it from there. I have almost 500. Look at you! So for just over a year, that's pretty good. That's pretty amazing for just a year. That's huge, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's huge. Oh look. Teddy is coming to say hello. Hi baby. Hello puppy.
00:17:54
Speaker
We have the video on y'all, so I'm sorry you don't get to see her adorable puppy come up and give moral support to mom. So we can describe the beautiful black and tan that is loving on mom. She's a Belgian-Mallinois mix. She's one year old. Yes, there you go. She's so pretty. Well, that's cool. So you've actually just like, you hit the rabbit hole hard and didn't just learn the yarn and learn the skills.
00:18:19
Speaker
Yeah, yarn skills and designing. So just like crocheting, the next logical step after I learned how to knit was to gain all the knowledge and to and I had so many friends tell me like you are so good at this, you should really do your own stuff. And I had 1000 ideas in my head just ready to jump out. And
00:18:39
Speaker
I love supportive friends, so cheers to them. And those friends were like, yeah, you should totally do that. And I'm like, OK, cool. So like, do I just make something and write the pattern and then put it in Ravelry and all of a sudden the world knows about me? Is that how that works?
00:18:54
Speaker
I mean, that's how it feels like it should work, isn't it? Yeah. Wouldn't it be nice though? Oh, that'd be fantastic. Do you know how many of us would be like over the moon if it actually worked like that? Yeah. So that's when I ended up getting into these knitting Facebook groups and I actually started testing patterns because that's where I learned about tech editing.
00:19:22
Speaker
We've talked about that. And that's where I ended up meeting Fiverr friends is through test net, test knitting. And then that was also a great way to figure out what my pattern writing style was like, what I liked, what I didn't like. Yes. So when was it like trying to find your own style is so hard. So I commend you on finding a way to learn that without putting your head through the wall.
00:19:49
Speaker
We're coming back to the whole testing and tech editing again. And then there's, it's, it's something that's still evolving. I'm still working on it. I'm still learning it. Cause I'm always going to be evolving. You're always going to be evolving. You're going to get settled. And then there's going to be some point time. You're just going to be like,
00:20:04
Speaker
I think it's time to start doing something else. Right. Or I'll see something in someone else's pattern. I'm like, this is genius. Why am I not doing it this way? So when did you finally jump off the leap, whatever, and use a tech editor? Publish.
00:20:21
Speaker
Oh, so I used a tech editor for my very first pattern. Did you? Good for you. Everybody listening. I was one of those people that I wanted to, I went and asked all the questions. I'm like, who can tell me what are the steps I need to take before I can publish a pattern?
00:20:40
Speaker
Good for you. Good for you. Because there's so many out there that's weighed around for a while because they're afraid to take that leap and call that tech editor. And they're afraid it's going to cost a gazillion dollars. And we're just, you know, they're just people. And it's something that if you don't do it, a lot of people won't invest in your patterns.
00:20:59
Speaker
Absolutely. And I ended up using, I think I tried to get on the tech editor hub, but I think that was when they were going through their transitional period. So like my request to join didn't, it just like got sat on for several months.
00:21:18
Speaker
Oh my. Wow. But that's all changed. That's different now. It's very active group now. They've had huge transitions through all of that. Yes. I just caught them at a bad time. Unfortunately, that timing happens and it sucks. It does. There's nothing you can do about it. So I ended up using, I think it was an Instagram hashtag
00:21:38
Speaker
Facebook's hashtag search to find that tech editor. I actually don't I don't work with that that particular tech editor anymore. I think it's she, she, my style on her just didn't end up ultimately meshing. You have to you have to gel with your person. She felt the need that you had at the time, right?
00:21:59
Speaker
She did. She did. And that's, that's an important thing. And hopefully she, she was able to assist and you, you know, maybe you learned something from her. Oh, a hundred percent. Absolutely. Beyond the, I need to gel with my person. Yes. Oh yeah. It was a wonderful experience. It was a great jumping off point.
00:22:18
Speaker
So I believe that would have been February of 2021 is when I finally hit that first publish button. So nice. I've been in for about a year and a half. That's exciting. I love to hear about the new ones. Consider myself fledgling. Hey, you know what? The fledglings have great ideas too. And that's all that matters is as long as it fuels your spark, fledgling or not, you have the you have the
00:22:46
Speaker
Audacity is not the right word, but the bravery to hit the publish button and put yourself out there because I, I've actually talked to a couple of my beginners and they were like, it takes so much just to hit the button. It was scary. And that's part of, and this is going to be something that I do. I don't, you know, I don't think Lisa does. Well, Lisa started doing it, but.
00:23:06
Speaker
Um, I celebrate my designers when they actually hit publish because it's a huge deal. Like you put all this work and all this thought, all this love and all this creativity. And then you take all of the constructive feedback, whether it's from me or testers or whomever, and you finally hit the publish button and.
00:23:22
Speaker
I'm behind on my celebrations at this point in time, but I celebrate the crap out of my designers because... That's wonderful. That's fun. You guys deserve to be celebrated for being brave and hitting the publish button and putting that little piece of your bid, that little piece of you out there. Right. Because I know they tell us not to take sales or not to take...
00:23:40
Speaker
that kind of stuff personally, but still, it's hard not to. This is something that I created.
Balancing Careers and Size-Inclusivity
00:23:46
Speaker
Why don't you like it? Exactly. Why did I not appeal to you? Yeah. This is me showing you my bare naked heart. Right? So in the last year and a half.
00:24:01
Speaker
how many published, how many patterns have you published to date? So as of right now, I have six. Now, and again, this, this will actually
00:24:13
Speaker
So my journey's been a little bit what you, what you might call slower paced. And again, that's because I have a full, I have a full-time job. You have a career. I have to pay off my student loan somehow. So, um, right. So you have to fulfill the right brain and the left brain. And I love that you recognize that. And that's, it's valid.
00:24:36
Speaker
Yeah, so and I don't exactly have one of those jobs where I'm on conference calls and I can just knit all day. Oh, yeah, a lot of contact. Seeing patients. If I get lucky, I get bathroom break and snack time at my job.
00:24:52
Speaker
Unfortunately, that's valid, especially if you're seeing two doctors worth of patients. Right, right. Yeah. So it's not one of those jobs where I have downtime at all. So when I'm at work, I'm at work. Occasionally, I get a chance to answer an email. So I really only have, even when I wasn't seeing two doctors worth of patients, I really at best have, on a really good week, 15 hours to dedicate to this.
00:25:19
Speaker
So do you sleep? No, I do. I do. I mean, it seems like she doesn't, right? She sounds like Superwoman with the right she's doing. I'm really, really insistent about getting my eight hours to know. Good for you. Good for you. My body here is a thing. Yes, it is. It is just a quick question of myself cares. Quick little question before Tiffany goes into a couple for you. I'm very interested in the name of your business. How did you come on that name?
00:25:45
Speaker
Yes. Oh, absolutely. So and that's a question I get a lot. I was gonna throw that one in towards the end. So yes, I'm glad you got that one up up the top. So my my knitting alias is fiber optics knits. And that is fiber with a pH. So my full name is Patricia hernaki. Oh, there you go. initials. Look at that pH for you. I'm like optics, of course, for the optics for the eye.
00:26:16
Speaker
That's actually a really good way to pay homage to your entire being and your entire life. Your left brain and your right brain. I really like that. Yes. I really like that. I had a friend of mine who I work out with at my gym.
00:26:33
Speaker
and knits, I have to give her credit for coming up with the, at least the fiber optics part, and I'm the one that changed the pH. Oh, that is so cool. I like it my own. That is a great suggestion. You know, funny, I thought you just changed it to pH because you didn't want people to think you were dying, roving, or just into spinning or something. Right. But that's even more special. Those are my initials. I love it. That's even better. I like that. Perfect. OK, Tiff.
00:27:02
Speaker
Fabulous, brava. All right, so who do you actually design for? So a lot of us designers, we are told to pick our ideal customer. So I will say without a doubt, most designers, we have ourselves in the back of our minds as our ideal customer. So the reason I got into
00:27:28
Speaker
developed a passion for garment design, especially garment designs that fit all bodies, is because I am a petite individual, but because I lift weights, my shoulders are big. And I have a really hard time. For my scrubs, I have to buy women's pants, but men's tops. Oh my. That sounds an accurate problem that a lot of people have. I have the opposite shape problems.
00:27:58
Speaker
Yes, and I understand that I'm not alone, that I have problems finding things that fit me. Yeah.
00:28:05
Speaker
right because my body she'll tell you she's got the shoulders of a linebacker shape I am shaped my upper body is shaped like an upside down triangle yeah well like an athlete yep like an athlete so and you know what you lift and that's that's a valid that's a valid thing and you know and so I wanted to use that as my passion for what I design
00:28:32
Speaker
is I wanted to design things that not only fit me, but that can be customized to fit other bodies. Gorgeous. Yeah. And that's a lot of, I like hearing the why as to why people design, especially with garments and when they go into the size inclusive thing. And actually that's an interesting point because a lot of people, when we say size inclusive, we think of people like,
00:28:59
Speaker
Denise and I were, we're on the higher end and that more size inclusive, but the, unfortunately the petite frames, especially with the, the odd otter shapes, I don't want to say that you're wrong. We kind of get forgotten about in that conversation. Different shapes. We get forgotten about in that conversation. Correct. Yeah. It's, it's definitely the differently shaped. That's a better way to put it for sure.
00:29:20
Speaker
But the differently shaped for the petite end is definitely something that's overlooked. So I like that Absolutely. Yeah, because because just because other parts of me petite doesn't are doesn't mean the rest of me is So as but actually let's let's tie it into a tech editing here a little bit and what this show is kind of about at times
00:29:42
Speaker
So you also have your tech editor do the grading? Because like, no, I do my own grading. You're amazing. You're a math person. Oh, wow. Well, I mean, yeah, it's that left brain right brain thing. And that's a way to engage both sides. And I know I know I had lots of people just blown away that my fourth pattern ever was a garment. And I graded it to 10 sizes.
00:30:08
Speaker
Wow. Wow. Like immediately went out of my way to learn how to grade. So that, and it was my very first experience with Microsoft Excel at 33 years old. Did you throw it through a wall? You didn't learn it in school? Wow.
00:30:25
Speaker
No, I never, I have a doctor. I didn't learn that in school. Well, I mean, you know, I didn't know. Like, that was one of the basic courses when I went to school was, you know, Microsoft something and I was like, oh, well, you know what? I was a business degree. So that would be why. Yeah. No, no, because I had secretaries that did that. I had geometric optics and, um,
00:30:49
Speaker
Yeah, so you got a crash course then. Yeah. Yeah. So and it was really, really nice. I'll give another shameless plug. I used Tien Canatin's grading course. I love her. So her grading course, while you do have to pay for it, I also kind of went back and forth with Sister Mountain's grading blog. But Sister Mountain implied that you had a knowledge of how to use Excel.
00:31:15
Speaker
I did not. Not at all. That would be a problem for me. But Tien's course actually went in. It was like a combination of how to grade plus Excel for dummies. I like it. It was so great.
00:31:29
Speaker
That's amazing. Yeah, I hope she's a big proponent for size inclusivity. And so I was able to use the knowledge that I gained from her course and be able to make grade my designs to as many sizes as I darn well please. Right, right. We're talking about the one that she has this like a beyond what is it like 40
00:31:51
Speaker
48 or 50 inches or something. Is that the course we're talking about? Yes. Yes. I've seen it, and I haven't taken it yet, but it's on my wish list of once I have a little bit of extra funds, that's definitely on my I want to do thing. So my tech editor will check my grading worksheet just to make sure I didn't make any errors. And that's a good thing, because that's what, yeah. And to make sure that my swatch math translates to correct. Right.
00:32:21
Speaker
What do you, how do you feel about, while we're talking about this, how do you feel about the way it looks when you grade it out bigger? Are you ever discouraged by that? Or do you think it's like, oh, maybe it looks better on a different style form than a different size? Do you understand what I'm saying? Particularly, I've had a couple like their, um,
00:32:46
Speaker
There was one I had to kind of go out of my way to finagle. It's actually a design I'll be releasing here next week. Nice. So it is a top down set in shoulder sleeveless top.
00:33:03
Speaker
And I had to rework some of the larger sizes so that you weren't picking up like a thousand stitches underneath the armpit. Right. Definitely. That is appreciated. Definitely. Because that that's just not that that doesn't make sense. And that won't even fit well.
00:33:19
Speaker
Well, it's just like what Lisa and Tiffany and I have talked about. You can't just take a pattern and just keep making it bigger by increments. It doesn't work that way. You know, our bodies aren't that way. So I just wondered how you felt about your designs that way. Very good. Now, of course, I do have to start with standards. Yeah. So I use I bounce back and forth and sometimes combine the craft yarn council.
00:33:46
Speaker
and Isolda's sizing. Which one? Isolda. Okay. She has a grading worksheet that includes a few additional measurements to CYC. Nice. I'm going to have to get that link from you so that we can put that in the show notes and so that I have it. Yes. Yes. She has a free spreadsheet of women's sizing. Love free. Free is always the best for me. If it's free, it's for me. All right.
00:34:16
Speaker
So here's a funny question. Oh, go ahead. Yes. Those resources have just been invaluable. Yes, for sure. I'm glad you found them. That's amazing. Yeah, it's very important. And I hope all the listeners out there will be able to access the show notes and see all the different links, because your journey has been exceedingly helpful for someone who is a novice. Let's use that word. Absolutely, absolutely, because I am still in that, like,
00:34:43
Speaker
End of novice stage I can still remember how fresh that was And how fresh the frustration is yes, so speaking of fresh Do you ever knit or crochet anybody else's designs? And if you do or don't tell us why
00:35:04
Speaker
I think this is probably going to be a unique answer from what you guys have gotten. Yes, all the time. All the time. Excellent. Number one, since I've only been knitting since 2019.
00:35:22
Speaker
I will actively admit I do not know all the things. I really don't. I'm proud of you for knowing that and admitting it out loud. I don't know all the things at all. One of my patterns is a brioche cowl. That was literally my first brioche.
00:35:40
Speaker
Look at you. So, so I'm definitely a like learn as I go kind of person, but I love using other people's patterns as I'll call it continuing education. Right? That's a very good way to look at it. Excellent.
00:35:56
Speaker
It's it is my it is my knitting continuing education I'm required to get 40 credits of continuing education every two years to keep my optometric license to keep right relevant So I treat knitting other people's patterns the same way this is my continuing education I'm really great. I'm learning how to write their patterns I am
00:36:20
Speaker
How smart are you? I'm expanding my knowledge in my own field. And sometimes even if I'm just find a pattern that I'm like, Ooh, pretty. But what if I try it in a different yarn than they intended it to? How cool would that be? I like it. And then you can start because you started doing the greeting and you started doing
00:36:40
Speaker
all of the designing and everything, you know how to start. I can modify the swatch. I can modify the stitch if I need to. So I will. And because you're using a different yarn, you notice how to modify your gauge and all that. So I love it. So that's a really, I think that's my been my favorite answers. I love that. I love that.
00:36:59
Speaker
And also here's here's something that's been for every designer we've spoken to it's been a different answer each time. So can you tell us what kinds of things inspire your designs? Where do you get your inspiration from?
Inspiration and Design Process
00:37:15
Speaker
Oh my gosh. Well, the barbell headband is pretty obvious. It's adorable. I pull most of my inspiration just from my everyday life. So my barbell came from my weightlifting passion. There's the running joke. So I do CrossFit. Of course, I cannot not bring it up because the running joke about CrossFit is how do you know someone does CrossFit? Because they told you within the first five minutes of meeting them.
00:37:44
Speaker
Most people I know that do CrossFit or HIIT are the same way. Within the first 10 minutes, you know everything about their workout journey. So my little tagline on the headband is, what's a great way to tell everyone you lift weights without telling them? I like it. I like it.
00:38:03
Speaker
That way you don't have to tell them, they know. That's great. That's exactly right. So that was an everyday life. My second pattern actually was designed based on my patients descriptions of their visual auras with their migraines. Okay.
00:38:20
Speaker
Is it the, the light, the expanding light, the static and the zigzags. Yeah. So I actually, cause I don't get them. So I imagined what they described and turned it into a pattern for a pattern of what? Tell me I'm jealous. You don't get them. Yeah. What's that? What?
00:38:40
Speaker
I said I'm jealous that you don't get them because I get them just enough that they're annoying. I used to. I have yet to have one. So that was my visual aura cowl. And other patterns have come from like
00:38:53
Speaker
My mood swing top, which releases next week, was inspired by a tank top I bought a thousand years ago at a yoga studio. And I really wanted to see it as a knit design, but then I had a way to take it and modify it to make it reversible. There you go. That works. All right. I'm going to have to watch for that one because I'm always in line for a good tank top.
00:39:23
Speaker
I'm down for it. So it is a tank top and a vest. All right, I'm in. Let's go. And this is the one you were talking about with the set in sleeves, right? Yes. Okay. Interesting. So really, it's just everything, everything. But it's very cool.
00:39:47
Speaker
that you take it from your life and your life experiences. You know, other designers have told us they take it from light and shapes and architecture and stuff like that. But I've never I don't think we've ever had that answer before. Also memories. Oh, that's a good answer. So memories. So my coke emotional. Oh,
00:40:07
Speaker
which was probably, that's probably my biggest seller. So it was designed specifically for my local yarn shop for box kits originally, and now it's available on Ravelry for everyone. So my Kokomo shawl was designed based on my memory of what I did to beat my winter blues.
00:40:30
Speaker
So when I was in high school, I lived in Spokane, Washington, which would get pretty cold and snowy.
00:40:40
Speaker
I would get in my car in my summer clothes and as soon as I get my car I take off my big winter coat, I blast the heat, drive around and blast the Beach Boys. I love it. And I would pretend that the weather was better than it was. Yes. I hear that. And so the Kokomo shawl named for the Beach Boys song Kokomo. Yeah, yeah.
00:41:02
Speaker
Not Kokomo, Indiana, huh? Not Kokomo, Indiana. No, no, no, no, no. Oh, there's a Kokomo indeed. Yes, there is. It's not worth visiting, I promise. That's why I asked. Yes. So that was inspired by my memory of car singing and dancing with the heat on full blast. That is so cool.
00:41:25
Speaker
I love it. I absolutely love it. I think, I think new designers need to get such inspiration from that or should not need you must, but I think that's wonderful. Wonderful. Yeah. So memories are a powerful, one of the, one of the more powerful inspirations for me. Excellent. I like it. I like it. Okay. Tiffany. Very cool. So, um, have you ever felt like designing wasn't worth it?
00:41:53
Speaker
Or maybe you should quit or give up. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I love how she's emphatically sitting here shaking her head. Yes. Oh my God. Yes. So so even right after my first pattern, I hit the publish button crickets.
00:42:13
Speaker
That first, that first, that first publish is hard, especially when you don't get a response. I didn't get any sales, none. And I was so sad. I can't believe it. I was so broken hearted. But then once I got past my sadness, I tried to think about like, let's see if you can figure out why you didn't get any sales. Right?
00:42:36
Speaker
You didn't advertise it at all. You didn't let anyone know it existed. You idiot. Of course you had no sales.
00:42:52
Speaker
I mean, you know, it's that business thing that you may or may not know about. Yes. And so that's what began my journey on learning what marketing was and how to market. And even that stuff is still a huge struggle for me because it doesn't come naturally to me. Let me ask you a quick question. Sue was just telling me and I saw it on your Instagram yesterday. I think you had a live. Yes. How are you utilizing those?
00:43:18
Speaker
So that was actually my first one. Really? Congratulations for being that brave. Yeah. So that was my very first one. And I actually did. I promoted it for a few days before. And I'm probably going to promote them when they happen again. So this is something new I'm starting. And it actually is an idea I've had in the past. But I decided to pull the trigger on it now because of my stress levels. Oh, OK. Stress is a thing. I am calling this Trish's Stish and Bish.
00:43:48
Speaker
I like it. Little alliteration. I get it. So it is a live session where, so I tend to gaslight myself whenever I'm stressed out or have problems by telling myself, you know what? You can have it a lot worse. Just be grateful. Your problems are like, you have a roof over your head, your air conditioning works, calm down, you're fine. And then I have now convinced myself that my feelings are valid.
00:44:19
Speaker
I've done that way more than I want to admit. My feelings are valid. They should be valid, and they should be acknowledged and given presence. Yes. Because if you don't give them presence, you can't let it go. True. True. So I created Trisha Stischenvish for that. I like it. So bring a project. Bring your problems. Let's talk about them. Oh, cool. And then at the end, I let everyone through a let it go breath work.
00:44:50
Speaker
And I say breathwork like it was really fancy. No, I just kind of let everyone through some inhale exhales with some keywords to kind of like yoga stuff, inhaling confidence and happiness and exhaling stress and pushing it away from you. But you know what, Trish, you're, you're probably answering a question that a lot of people have. You're addressing that issue that so many people are afraid to talk about.
00:45:16
Speaker
and you brought it right out there in Instagram. Good for you, girl. You go. Talk about our problems. I don't care how big or small they are. It could be you lost your job or it could be you stubbed your toe and man, it really hurt. Right. Good for you. And it's funny how even just that toe stub can make like the whole day seem completely awful. It can totally change your attitude. So that's what we're doing. Things that we talked about, we talked about my work situation and how that's been absolute hell lately.
00:45:46
Speaker
We acknowledged that. We also talked about terrible heat. I've got a designer friend that's in the UK and they're having a heat wave and she doesn't have AC in her house. Oh, we don't even have no idea how to handle this. Yeah, we don't either. That's another, that's another, that's a problem. I had another friend who's getting over COVID and we talked about recovering from COVID brain. Wow. So well, I just think it's like that.
00:46:14
Speaker
I think it's stupendous. You're amazing for putting that out there. That's a great thing for our listeners to know about. And if they want to come join you, join me on Instagram. I haven't decided if they'll be monthly or biweekly, but they're definitely going to be a semi reg. Good. I like it.
Advice and Community Involvement
00:46:29
Speaker
Yeah. And we'll definitely have your Instagram handle and everything on the show notes. Yeah. Super cool. So, so you mentioned, um, that your, your release for next week.
00:46:44
Speaker
This is kind of a two or three part question. So what do you have past that that's waiting in the wings? But also, do you have any kind of a plan? Do you have like, oh, I think I want to do 10 designs a year and skip Christmas and Thanksgiving? Or do you have a, I think I only want to do it in the summer? Or do you have any kind of a thing going on in your head like that?
00:47:04
Speaker
And what's next? So I had a plan. I did. That sounds like a best of intentions kind of thing. I had a plan. And then we lost, as of July 1st, we lost that other doctor in my office. Oh, right. And so all of my plans have kind of gone out the window until we get another doctor because I just don't have the ability to make the time commitment that it takes to produce designs. I guess that's true. So I'm going to be playing it by ear.
00:47:34
Speaker
going forward. However, however, I do have actually three designs that we'll be releasing before the end of the year that were already in the wings and are in works. So I at least have something that will at least keep me active that I can promote and advertise and keep talking about as the year goes on. So I have my boot swing top, which is a reversible wear anyway, tie back tank top, vest,
00:48:03
Speaker
pattern that releases next week, that is a self published collaboration with Queen City Yarns. And then my next two are third party publish patterns that are coming out. I've got one in the fall and then I've got one in November. Excellent. Are you able to talk about the third party?
00:48:21
Speaker
Nope. Top secret. I respect it. I respect it, but I was hoping to, you know, be able to plug somebody. I promise I'll be heavily advertising when I'm allowed to.
00:48:37
Speaker
I'm glad you still got designs coming out and that you've managed to work by far forward. I'm hoping even if this turns into a more long-term situation than I'm thinking that I might be able to do a low-key self-publish that's really not on any kind of crazy timeline like 12-week testing period or something crazy like that.
00:48:59
Speaker
Um, but that it just means I, any goals that I had for how many designs I was going to put out next year are just out the window because I'm just going to have to play it by year. Let me just say this and it's, we've all heard it a different way, but here's how I say it now. You know what we plan and the universe laughs at us.
00:49:19
Speaker
I say something to that effect all the time. Someone told me that a long time ago when something didn't go my way, and it was the only thing that made me feel better. It's true. I usually say God has a sense of humor. I made so many plans based on getting this and I didn't get it. Right? I hear you. I totally hear you. I usually say God has a sense of humor, so yeah, I get it.
00:49:45
Speaker
Help out our budding designers out there, our listeners who are just tuning in and hearing us for the first time or some of our listeners who've been with us since episode zero. Do you have any advice for budding designers? How would they go about it? What's the fast and dirty on that? My best advice that I can give any budding designer is don't compare your journey to anybody else's.
00:50:11
Speaker
Perfect. That is a hard thing to do. It's so hard. And that's something I've struggled with a lot, specifically because I don't design full time. And a lot of my friends and acquaintances, they do. And I mean, they're putting out patterns. Their social media is super polished.
00:50:31
Speaker
They have everything planned out to a T and that's just not me. That's not me at all. I don't have that kind of time. And so I get myself caught up in this spiral of like, man, I wish my, I wish everything could be like so-and-so, or I wish I could be like blah, blah, blah. But you really can't. That's not your journey. Your journey is your own and it's your own for a reason.
00:50:56
Speaker
Yeah, and that's that's the that's the truth. And it's and like, it's hard to, it's hard to remember that other people have been through the steps that you've been through, or they're going through a different version of the steps. And, you know, comparing yourself is, you know, I think to Trish, you've talked about a community of knitters. And we've talked about the community that we've created here. Time
00:51:22
Speaker
So I'm really glad that you're sharing all these resources with the budding designers. Are there any other specific resources that you want to make sure that they are aware of that are available? Because you've already put out some really great ones with Tiana and all of that. But there are so many resources that people don't know about. So what do you have anything else?
00:51:43
Speaker
Yes, so here's another shameless plug. One of the other things that I have found extraordinarily helpful is a network of other designers where if you have a question, guarantee someone else has done it or screwed it up before. They've made that mistake already and they can walk you through it.
00:52:04
Speaker
I love that. They've screwed it up before. That's a really honest answer. So true. It's a lot of trial and error. If it doesn't work the first time, you try to get a different way. I am part of a group called the Design Circle. It was started by Jessica Brist. She's known as
00:52:27
Speaker
love her she's wonderful wonderful wonderful human being um she has brought this group of designers together and we have we have a blast we have a discord forum where we chit chat all day long about all the things
00:52:44
Speaker
um we keep each other accountable for our goals we have small groups that we break out with and meet um from time to time and those small groups are really great because usually we just meet to kind of blow off steam and chat about life and um but yeah it's it's it's been
00:53:03
Speaker
I've been a part of, I was one of the founding members last September and it has been the most valuable resource to me. Nice. I saw her, I saw her start that last year and I was really excited for her to start that journey. And I've got one more shameless plug. I was unfortunately not in a place where I could join. So what's the next shameless plug? Next shameless plug is I have another designer friend and she's actually working, she's doing signups right now for her, for her, um,
00:53:32
Speaker
be your own designer course and learn how to design. Her name is Jill. Her Instagram handle is KnitSisu. So that is Knit and then the word Sisu, which is S-I-S-U. So she is starting an intro to design course, which I really loved as kind of a get my feet wet. It's very, very beginner.
00:53:56
Speaker
It's geared towards someone who's been thinking about design, but maybe hasn't found the courage or found all the information to get going. But I thought I did that actually right before I joined the design circle. And it was it was a wonderful jumping off point. So it's kind of a hold your hand and explanations. This is what this is what it's all about kind of thing. Yep. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. That's kind of she takes you from how to find inspiration to
00:54:27
Speaker
how to actually put together the pattern. And she's got a lot of really good resources for shaping and for the things you need to think about before you put together a design. So head and heart, both, both of it. Good, excellent, excellent. So one more- For mentorship program, is that what you're talking about? Yes, design mentorship program. Thank you, I couldn't- I was getting nosy and looking while you're talking, and I want to know what these amazing things are. So yeah, I'm totally looking while you're talking.
00:54:57
Speaker
So quick, quick question. Do you teach at all? Do you teach at all? So I was planning on doing some teaching at my local yard shop, but I was getting the curriculum for all the classes going when all this stuff happened at my work. So it's on hold. As of right now, I honestly just don't have the time. I know. Now I have made YouTube tutorials for several of my patterns. Oh, good. Those are so helpful. So in a way, that's teaching and it is.
00:55:27
Speaker
Definitely. It is. It's completely still teaching and I've gotten really good feedback on Good I mean it's passive teaching but it's still teaching so that's all that matters. Excellent. It's available when it's needed. Oh Oh, there's the same one different one. It's a fluffy puppy. Oh Hi, Charlie. I said mom. I love you. Sorry y'all. It's a big fluffy white tan. So
00:55:52
Speaker
Before we sign off, Trish, do you have any more words of wisdom or excitement or anything to announce or anything going on?
Upcoming Projects and Social Media
00:56:02
Speaker
Oh, absolutely. So the Design Circle is working on getting our own publication started.
00:56:12
Speaker
What kind of publication? I'm so excited about this. I can't even begin to tell you all how excited I am for this. It's called in tandem. So excellent. Here's the coolest thing about this publication is we designed it with, we wanted to have a publication where the designers and the publishers were all collaborating together. So when you submit to a third party, they tell you what the call is all about and you fit their little box. Right. Right.
00:56:41
Speaker
That's not that way within tandem. We all came up with the mood boards together. We all came up with the themes together. Oh, that's great. We all came up with the style together. It was completely collaborative from the beginning. So you're breaking new ground. That was really scary because there is a lot that you need for a publication to start and the biggest thing is funding.
00:57:08
Speaker
It's expensive to put together a publication, especially one that you want to print. Yeah.
00:57:14
Speaker
so you're talking to an author here yeah you know all about that i do um so we ended up putting together a kickstarter platform for in tandem and we got funded which is so exciting y'all crushed the crap out of it yes y'all were amazing so exciting and it was really really it was so much fun for us to all promote it together yeah and have so much fun
00:57:40
Speaker
putting it together. I know I'm actually making so I sew a little bit on the side too. So I'm actually making handmade sewn bags with a custom in tandem print. And I know part of my thing is I kind of jokingly did a boudoir shoot with one of my bags.
00:57:57
Speaker
I like it. Perfect. Because it's just me being me. I mean look, but that's the fun part is when it's you being you. Yeah, I've got it like over my undies like, whoo Marilyn Monroe. I love it.
00:58:16
Speaker
Perfect. So we were highly successful on our Kickstarter. And as of right now, we are in the contract phase, the yarn proposal phase. We've got all the design proposals put together. So we have made it to the next phase of the publication. The first edition will release in fall of 2023. So it's going to be seasonal. So we're going to have fall, winter, spring, and summer.
00:58:45
Speaker
That's going to be so much fun. It's so much fun. It's so and it's inspiring. It's inspiring. Look at somebody that's been in this biz for a year and a half and look what you're doing. Amazing. You're amazing. I'm still flabbergasted at how far I've come in a very, very short amount of time.
00:59:08
Speaker
It's amazing what your passion can lead you to. Yep. Very much so. I wouldn't have even, I wouldn't, I would never have thought that this was going to be what I'm up to. Hey, you know what? It's, it's fun to see where the journey goes, even with the setbacks and the, you know, the valleys or whatever, the, the, the actual journey as a whole is a lot of fun. And I'm, I'm super excited to watch and see where you go. So.
00:59:35
Speaker
And that's funny because you're talking about in tandem. So now Denise, you're not the only one with the connection is because I've got two girlfriends that are in tandem group too. It's a small world, really. I get it all the time. So remember, it really is a small world thing. It is a small world. And especially in the knitting community, everybody knows somebody that knows somebody. Yeah, it's so funny how it happens. I ended up connecting with a tester came to test one of my
01:00:02
Speaker
designs because an acquaintance of mine from high school is friends with her and she saw what I was up to and recommended me to her as a designer. So it's crazy. You never know what's going to be out there that comes across like that. It's so cool when it happens. It really is a small world.
01:00:23
Speaker
All right. So last question, and it's the standard one of where can the listeners find you? And yes, y'all, it will be in the show notes, but I still want her to plug herself. All right. So, um, the biggest, the place I'm most active would be Instagram. Um, so you can find me at fiber optics nets. Remember it is a fiber optics with a pH and it is all one word on Instagram. Okay.
01:00:50
Speaker
Uh, Facebook, you got anything else? Yep. I'm on Facebook. It's the same way. Um, fiber optics nets. I am on a ravel reefer as fiber optics nets. And I have any, do you have any non-rav options for our listeners? I do. I'm on pay hip.
01:01:08
Speaker
Yay! PayHip! That's a good one. Lisa liked that. That's a good one. Yep. Yes. Yes, I'm on PayHip as well. And as Fiber Optics Knits, I thought using the same name across all the platforms would make me easy to find. Yep. That's what I do. You know, it makes it easy and it just sticks with the branding. So you got that one on the hook. Yep. Yep. So those are those are the places to find me.
01:01:30
Speaker
Excellent. Well, Trish, you have been a joy and a delight. This has been a beautiful hour and a very fun hour. So thank you for coming to spend time with us. Thank you so much for having me. I've had a great time as well. I'm looking forward to seeing you.
01:01:48
Speaker
This has not been our typical crazy train ride. It was actually a very peaceful, enjoyable ride. Yes, even though I had a big dragon slayer before this started. No. I mean, look. Couple dog interruptions, but. Yeah, right. Well, I hope y'all check out Trish and all of her insanity and all of her fun that's coming. I browsed through her IG a little while ago before we started, and she's got some good stuff up. So y'all go check it out.
01:02:17
Speaker
Yeah, I can't wait for that vest. Like that vest is going to be a thing. I'm super excited to, um, put together. I've got, I've got some, I've got, I'm not big into reels, but I do have a real idea to show off the different ways you can wear it. Oh, cool. I like it. I'm looking forward to seeing that. So yeah, very much. Yeah, for sure. Okay. All right, y'all. This concludes this edition of the crazy train ride. You may now unfasten your seat belts. The captain has turned off the fast and seat belt sign.
01:02:45
Speaker
and go hit the show notes to grab all of the amazing resource links that Trisha shared with you today between her stuff and all of the design resources. My goodness, you just talked about reels and now the words in my mouth, so. May you ladies have a wonderful evening and I think my husband said something about pizza for dinner. Yum. Okay. We'll catch you later, Trisha. We're gonna keep our eye on you. Thanks a lot. Definitely.
01:03:14
Speaker
Bye bye. Y'all have a good night. Come back next time when Denise and Tiffany discuss Tool Talk 2.0.
01:03:29
Speaker
Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen and join the conversation in our Ravelry or Facebook groups. For show notes or knit tech editing and related services, please visit my website at arcticedits.com. To inquire about crochet tech editing and other services Tiffany provides, please go to rootgraphs.com.