What really happens when a knitwear designer decides to write a book? In this guest blog post, Chantal Miyagishima of Knitatude shares what she learned from saying yes to her first publishing deal and navigating the process from idea to finished copy. Known for her approachable designs and unfiltered humor, Chantal gives readers an honest look at the work—and surprises—behind her debut book, “Sweater Success: From Cast On To Closet, Learn How To Fearlessly Knit Pullovers and Cardigans.”
If you had asked me 10 years ago if I would ever write a book, I probably would have scoffed in your face. Honestly, that may have even been the same response 2 years ago. But let’s hit the brakes and let me introduce myself.
OH, HI!
My name is Chantal and I’m the knitwear designer, owner, and newly published author *squee!* behind Knitatude. Probably most known for my purple hair, potty mouth, and beginner-friendly patterns, I essentially write size-inclusive, modern, and classic knitting designs that are great for garment newbies, or for those who want to Knitflix and Chill. My whole schtick is to create designs that make you feel confident as you knit them, and to get you bitten by that sweater bug so you can’t stop. If I am not knitting, you can usually find me snuggling up with my weens (Weiner dogs! Get your mind out of the gutter!), Spinelli and Kurt Russel, reading a spicy romance novel, or hanging out with my handsome hubby, Todd.
But back to my book journey! My new book, “Sweater Success: From Cast On To Closet, Learn How To Fearlessly Knit Pullovers and Cardigans” is a how-to book about learning the steps and basics involved in making a sweater. It comes out on November 4, 2025. *Cue internal screaming* If you want to pre-order it, you can do so HERE, but let’s get into the “knitty” gritty of how I wrote and published my first craft book!
Now, there’s a few ways you can go about publishing a book: You can pitch your book idea to publishing companies, or they can reach out to you. I am very lucky to have had the latter.
The Publisher Email That Changed Everything
May 20, 2024: I got an email that popped into my inbox that read, “Interested in writing a book?” I froze, my heart stopping for a few seconds. ‘Is this email real? Is this gonna be like the last publisher pitch I got?’ (insert side eye… but more on that later) But it turned out to be real! I couldn’t believe it. It was so rewarding to see someone acknowledge the hard work I had done in my niche and pitch a book idea to ME. And not even a pattern book, but an educational one that I had always wanted to write in the back of my head. But let’s backtrack, since not all book deals are good ones, or ones you’ll want to accept.
Why I Said “No” to My First Book Deal
Fun fact: I was actually approached by another publishing house back in the Spring of 2020. COVID was at its peak, and I had someone reach out. Same initial reaction: ‘Is this email real? Holy sh*t!’ Sadly, that excitement turned to absolute disappointment as I was asked if I wanted to write a full pattern book of 20 garment designs. The kicker? An abysmal advance, a ridiculously tiny timeline of less than 6 months to write and do all the patterns, and, oh yeah… they wanted all 20 patterns to be exclusive to the book, so I couldn’t sell them on the side. WHAT!?
When I pitched the idea of an educational book with fewer patterns, one that teaches readers the 101 of knitting a sweater, they promptly said no, to which I replied “no” back. I know that a book deal sounds so cool, but if it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work for you.
Building the Book I Wanted to Read
That first “no” taught me what kind of book I did want to write–something practical, educational, and full of sweater-knitting lessons I wish I’d had as a beginner. So you can imagine my skepticism when Quarto (my now publisher) reached out. You can also imagine my utter surprise and delight when the answer to, “How many patterns would you want in the pattern book?” was “We don’t want a pattern book—they don’t really sell, we would love for you to do an educational book instead.”
The game was on. We bantered back and forth, and came up with the topic for the book —which was exactly what I had dreamed of! We started breaking down the chapters for my acquiring editor to pitch to the sales team and CEO, began the negotiations for a MUCH better advance, and then… it was time to write!
Deadlines, Drafts, and Do-Overs: What Craft Book Writing Really Looks Like
I’ll get into the really hardcore details in my next blog post for GoSadi, but the main thing to know is that from the time you’re contacted to the time your book comes out, it can be anywhere from 1.5 years (in my case) to more. While it seems like a long time, it really flies, especially when the writing portion spans over 6-ish months, and the editing and marketing take up the rest! Even as a writer (I used to work in advertising and literally wrote ads for my career), I thought this was gonna be a cake walk. Oh. My. God. Was I so wholly and utterly wrong.
So the way that my book is written is that it takes you through the start of your journey of making a sweater, all the way to the final touches and aftercare. So I wanted to ensure that I had all the info researched in advance. (I even learned a few things I didn’t know while writing this book!)
I broke down my book into chapters. They are:
- Basic Garment Constructions and Styles
- Finding Your Size (including taking accurate measurements and where)
- Learning about Ease
- Essential Sweater Tools To Have At The Ready
- Yarn & Yarn Subbing
- Gauge Swatching
- How to Read a Pattern
- Making Modifications
- Blocking Your Knits
- Aftercare
- Six exclusive patterns (ranging in different ease, yarn weight, construction, and style)
Originally, I had pitched 12 chapters, so when my publisher broke my deadline into three smaller deadlines, I decided to try my best to write four chapters per deadline, and include two patterns in each.
July 15–October 3
After my first book offer fell through, I started knitting up patterns, knowing that in the future, a new book deal might come up or that I might even self-publish. (This is still a great option!) So, I actually had 2/6 of my patterns already knit up. (#win) I drafted the other four, sent emails out to yarn companies to see if they would sponsor, and got to knitting. Somehow, between August 1 and September 29, I pumped out and knit FOUR other patterns, writing and frogging as I went, knowing I would need to grade along the way. I also wrote my first four chapters, went up to the iconic Lake Louise for a photoshoot with my photographer (Kaela Jo), and took all the photos for those first four chapters.
There’s really nothing like being at one of the busiest tourist destinations in Alberta, taking over one chunk of the “lookout,” and having photos of yourself taken for 2-ish hours while people constantly walk by. Also, the following weekend it snowed! So I’m so glad we got these shots!
October 4–December 17
I wrote the next few chapters and began going back and forth with my publisher. “Did this work here? Do we need to move this?” I got so lucky having Kerry as my editor, since she was so helpful. We essentially edited the book as I was writing it, making the editing portion after the manuscript was handed in so much easier.
It was also at this point that I realized how much I sucked at taking my own photography. Todd, my hubby, was so kind and really tried to get what I was envisioning. (He nailed it in the end!) But those two Sunday “photo shoot days” leading up to each deadline were pretty hard on our relationship. I’m so glad he stuck by my side, and I can’t believe how well he dealt with my anxiety, stress, and frustration in those photo shoot days. Shout out to my Amazon lightbox, too—that came in CLUTCH.
December 18–February 3
I wrote my last couple chapters (honestly, I really started hitting my stride at this point), took those finishing photos, and submitted my manuscript. I dusted off my hands and thought, “There we go! I’m DONE.” HA HA HA, Chantal. I was so wrong.
In the coming 4 months, we had edit after edit, proofread after proofread, tech edit after tech edit, and I had testers working up the patterns to ensure the fit was right. Book covers were suggested—ooof, the first one was a DISASTER—fonts were chosen, layouts and schematics were added, and everything was looked through with a fine-tooth comb. In June, we locked everything down and went hands off on the book.
Seeing My Book in Print (and Planning the Launch)
Now, I have my book for the first time in my hands (Join me as I open my book for the first time here), and I am knee-deep in setting up my book launch!
- November 4 (2025): The book comes out!
- November 6: Launch party in Calgary at The Plaza Theatre (ticketed)
- November 8: Book signing at Stash Needle Art & Lounge, Calgary
- November 13: Book signing at Baaad Annas, Vancouver
- November 14: Book signing and Event at the Beehive Woolshop, Victoria
- November 15: Book signing and Event at Bolen Books, Victoria
And I’m currently looking to add Edmonton, and a leg in Montreal in December. Fingers crossed!
Final Thoughts on Writing a Craft Book
I’ve had a few people ask me if I would ever write a book again, and to be honest, I think I am a one-and-done author. I knew it was gonna be work, but holy smokes was it a lot! But in the end, I’m thrilled to share a book that I wish I had had when I first started knitting garments. Because truly, there are so many things involved, and even one detail, like picking a merino vs cotton fiber, can play a role in how your item turns out. Having the info, data, and education under your belt makes the whole process so much easier.
If you’ve been hesitant in making your first sweater, or something always seems to go wrong and it doesn’t turn out how you want, please check out my book. I hope it helps. See ya back for part two of this blog post!
