Marketing & Promoting Knitting Patterns

So, you've designed beautiful knitting patterns, put them up for sale, and are waiting for the orders to roll in. But despite your best efforts, you're not getting the traction you’d hoped for. What’s missing? Marketing!

Even the most stunning and well-crafted knitting patterns need visibility to sell well. With millions of patterns available online, it's essential to actively promote your work so it reaches the right audience and is easily discovered by your community.

In this installment of our series on how to sell knitting patterns online, we’ll dive into the best marketing strategies to help you increase visibility, engage potential customers, and grow your knitting business.

Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with knitting enthusiasts, showcasing your designs, and ultimately, increasing sales. If you're a maker, you’re likely on social platforms in some capacity. But as a designer and small business owner, it is essential to shift your mindset—focusing not just on presence, but on building community while gaining traction and driving sales in these spaces. Here’s how:

1. Social Media Advertising

Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest allow targeted advertising, which helps you reach people who are specifically interested in knitting. And while yes, we would all like to grow our following organically, the impact of a small ad budget cannot be overlooked: It can help you grow your audience, your reach, and your sales. You can:

• Run paid ads for new pattern launches.

• Use retargeting ads to bring back visitors who previously engaged with your content.

• Promote special offers or bundle deals.
  
  

2. Build a Knitting Community

Social media is not just about promotion—it’s about connection! Audiences want to connect with you and know the person behind the brand. They want to learn what inspired you for your design journey. There are various ways to connect that will have different levels of ROI on community building. You can:

• Start a Facebook group where knitters can share their projects made with your patterns.

• Engage with followers by asking questions, running polls, or hosting giveaways.

• Go live on Instagram or Facebook for Q&A sessions, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes sneak peeks.

• Create a series from concept to launch to show your design process.
  
  

3. Create Engaging Content

Content is king! This is truer now than ever before, as social spaces become more saturated. Your content is what sets you apart and makes you uniquely you. It informs how people connect with you. Some ideas to boost engagement:

• Share work-in-progress (WIP) photos and behind-the-scenes shots.

• Post customer photos (with permission) to showcase how others are using your patterns.

• Create video tutorials, reels, or time-lapse videos showing stages of the knitting process.

• Use Instagram stories to share regular updates and encourage interaction.

High-quality content marketing helps you build credibility, establish authority on search, and attract an audience that loves your designs. This requires a more thoughtful approach and will need some strategy and planning to execute well. Here’s a few ways to captivate and grow your audience through content:

1. Start a Blog

A blog allows you to provide valuable content and improve your search engine rankings. It also allows you to tell your story and the story of your designs. As a community builder, brand, or designer, storytelling will be your most powerful tool to gain traction. Blog topics could include:

• Knitting tips and techniques

• Tutorials on different stitches or finishing techniques

• Behind-the-scenes looks at your pattern creation process

• Customer spotlights featuring projects made with your patterns

• Roundups of must-have knitting tools or seasonal patterns
  
  

2. Create an Email Newsletter

An email list is one of the most effective ways to engage an audience. It’s also one of the only things you truly “own,” as it’s not tied to a platform like social media. Your list is yours to grow and nurture on your own. It also has the added value of showing you that the people who subscribe genuinely WANT to hear from you, creating a real, instant connection. Some benefits and ways to increase the value of an email newsletter include:

• Offering exclusive discounts and early access to new patterns

• Sharing knitting inspiration, tips, and updates

• Running special promotions for loyal subscribers

• Sharing info about a design before release day

• Recommending other resources (yarns, tools, etc.) your audience might enjoy

To grow your list, consider offering a free pattern or discount code in exchange for signing up.

3. Collaborate with Fellow Knitters and Designers

Teamwork can significantly expand your reach! Collaboration in itself is a joyful process, but it can also be a great tool to grow the audiences of everyone involved. Consider:

• Writing guest blog posts for other knitting-related websites

• Featuring fellow designers in your newsletters or on social media

• Organizing pattern roundups with other designers

• Running joint promotions, such as “Buy One, Get One” deals with another pattern designer

Selling knitting patterns on popular platforms like Ravelry, Etsy, and LoveCrafts increases visibility, but in order to maximize your success, it’s essential to optimize your listings and actively engage with the community. Using tools like GoSadi can help you do that, ensuring you get the most out of the places you sell.

1. Optimize Your Listings

To attract buyers, your product pages need to be search-friendly and visually appealing. GoSadi SMARTS!™️ handles much of the heavy lifting for you, but if you’re not a GoSadi user, there are still things you can do on your own:

• Use relevant keywords in your pattern titles and descriptions.

• Write compelling descriptions that highlight your patterns’ unique features.

• Include multiple high-quality images showcasing the finished project from different angles and lighting.

• Specify skill level, required materials, and any special techniques used in the pattern.
  
  

2. Leverage Great Photography 

The photography of your design is the first thing that will catch a maker’s eye when considering buying your pattern. You want to stand out while showcasing the finished piece—helping makers not only picture themselves wearing the item but also capturing the joy of making it.

Here’s where to start:

• Show the finished object worn by a person in lifestyle shots.

• Use a dress form or flat lay to showcase the piece on its own.

• Include a schematic to help the maker know what sizing to expect.

• Share a WIP photo to invite makers into the process.

• Show yarn options to spark creativity.
  
  

3. Take Advantage of Promotional Opportunities

Many marketplaces offer built-in promotional tools that you can leverage:

• Participate in site-wide sales events, like Ravelry’s “Indie Design Gift-A-Long.”

• Offer seasonal discounts or “Buy One, Get One” promotions.

• Run contests or giveaways where participants share their finished projects using your patterns.
  

Marketing your knitting patterns takes time and effort, but the results are worth it. Here’s a quick recap of the key strategies:

1. Leverage social media to showcase your work and build a knitting community.

2. Use content marketing (blogging, email newsletters, and collaborations) to attract and retain customers.

3. Optimize your online marketplace listings and engage with knitting communities to maximize visibility.

4. Take advantage of promotional opportunities to drive sales and create buzz around your patterns.

The best part? You don’t have to do everything at once. Experiment with different strategies and find what works best for you.

If you’re looking for a great, time-saving way to promote and sell your patterns, check out the GoSadi platform, designed specifically for knitters and pattern designers. We’ve got fantastic resources to get your patterns in front of the right audience!

Are you ready to take your knitting business to the next level? Start marketing today, and watch your sales grow!