Cost of Pattern Publishing

Currently to buy one of my patterns costs the purchaser $6 US. Of that I receive about $5.50, sometimes less because of the different fees involved.

Let’s say I sell 100 copies of that pattern and I received $5.25 for each copy. For a total of $525. Sounds pretty good for a four page pattern right?

Well let’s break down the actual cost of a pattern from idea to publication, using a hat design as an example.

Idea, ideas are free it’s acting on them that costs us money.

If I decide to act on an idea, I will stash dive for yarn that I think this hat would look good in and start making swatches. Then if I like one of the swatches it’s time to order yarn, this is usually the first monetary expense.

I say first monetary because already the expense of time has been put into the pattern by making the swatch, ripping and trying again (and probably again). Depending on the project and process this could be as little as an hour. It could be many more hours depending on how much longer a designer decides to hang on to an idea. Usually this process happens at little at a time over the course of a few days or weeks. For this example let’s say the swatching part of the process took 3 hours.

While we wait for the yarn to be delivered or until we can get to the yarn shop, let’s start writing the pattern. I start out on paper with basic, but detailed enough, notes so that I can transfer the info to the computer. Here the cost is more time, let’s say 1 hour and the use of the computer.

When the yarn arrives it’s time to stitch! This of course takes time. For a knitted hat with some sort of cabling, color work or lace say 6 hours.

Any tweaks or changes to the pattern will be made, another hour, grade the hat to at least more sizes, 2 hours and then it is sent off to the Tech Editor.

While the pattern is at the tech editor, I take any photos needed for the pattern and the listing, record and edit tutorials, post that I have a test coming up and start writing up the listing and any social media info; 4 hours.

After the tech editor, run the test, make changes to the pattern as needed and send it back to the tech editor for the pre-publication edit. 2 hours for the emails and answering questions for the test.

When the pattern comes back from the tech editor for the last time, it is time to publish the pattern. This will include adding it to Ravelry, possibly other sites and sharing it on social media. 2 hours.

Cost Break Down

• Yarn $25
• Tech Editor $70
• Time $252 (21 hours at $12 per hour, average minimum wage in US)
• Patterns for testers (4 testers) $48

Total of $383. The number at the beginning of this post, $525, is only if I sell 100, full price copies of the pattern. I have never sold more than 20 copies of any pattern. My average is 2 and many haven’t sold at all.

Here is are some other expenses: internet, computer and software, camera, phone, discounts for newsletter subscribers and of course the know how of being able to do ALL of these things.

I share all of this for a few reasons. One, so that you understand you will probably never make a living designing and selling your patterns as a self-published designer. Two, so that you can have a bit more understanding of the time, effort and cost that go into getting a pattern from idea to publication and finally, to help others in our industry start normalizing high cost points for yarn patterns. “Patterns” for wood workers, 3D print files and other “patterns” of similar nature, for hobbyists, cost a lot more and still sell. Let’s stop under-pricing the patterns and the finished products and start paying what the designer and are artist are worth!

Happy Making!