Eleanor Nesic, the designer behind Knitpurlfect, is known for sharing fun, playful, and clearly-written knitting patterns that makers can follow with ease. After moving to Croatia from the UK, Eleanor fell in love with knitting socks, as the summers were far too hot to knit sweaters.
In the span of two years, Eleanor navigated job loss, a complicated pregnancy, and lasting health challenges from COVID. Determined to shape work around her life rather than the other way around, she transformed her passion for knitting into a business. Here, she shares her top tips for getting started as a knitwear designer, helping you lay the foundation for a creative path that’s both sustainable and fulfilling.
Before March 2020, I was working from my home in Croatia as Head of Operations for a London-based company specialising in luxury short-term accommodation. We were forecasting 2020 to be our best year yet. Then the pandemic hit.
The first weekend after travel bans started, we watched as cancellation after cancellation came in—it took us weeks to clear and process everything. I have known stress before, but this was extreme. I’d learned to knit whilst on maternity leave with my daughter three years prior, so I picked up my needles again to escape the madness—and I didn’t put them down.
The company I was working for barely made it through 2020; and by 2021, things had taken a turn for the worse. Losses became irrecoverable, debts piled up, and the business ultimately filed for bankruptcy. At the time, I was pregnant with our second child. This pregnancy was complicated, and our son was born by emergency C-section in October 2021.
Just four weeks later, after taking our son for a routine check-up, we contracted COVID. Although the infection was considered mild, my immune system had been weakened by the pregnancy, and I was left with long-term effects. Combined with the unique needs of our children, it became clear that returning to a traditional workplace wasn’t going to be an option. I didn’t qualify for any further benefits after my maternity leave, and initial unemployment had been used up. But I had a year of these benefits, which allowed me to pause, reflect, and begin planning a new path forward.
I am an eternal optimist—when things get tough, I look for the opportunity to turn it around. When things are good, I look for the opportunity to make it better. I was definitely digging deep, searching for a way to turn things around. So I defined what I needed:
Something that was mine, where I was in control
Something that I could be passionate about
A job that allowed for low-energy days
A job where I could push ahead on good days
The ability to look after our children outside of school and daycare hours
An employment status that would entitle me to a pension
In Croatia, setting myself up as a knitwear designer would allow me to have all of this, irrespective of how successful my business might be.
This was a measured decision, and I knew I wanted to grow the business and give it my best—it wasn’t just a whim or a monetized hobby for me.
7 Key Tips for New Knitwear Designers
There is still an awful lot to do to get my business where I want it to be, but if you are thinking about getting started as a knitwear designer, here are seven points to consider:
1. Know your “why”
The first and most important thing you need to know is your “why.” Define why it is that you want to do what you want to do. Write it down, learn it, stick it on your mirror, and read it when you brush your teeth. Your “why” is your North Star and should guide every single business decision you make. It is unique to you and can be completely different from other designers doing similar things to you. That’s ok.
What is important is that you know your “why.” If you know deep down why you do something, what the drive is behind it, you will be more focused in your push to success! Once you are living and breathing your “why,” it becomes a roadmap to keep you on track.
2. Research business and tax laws where you register your business
Every country is different. You need to pay very close attention to the business and tax laws in the country where you register your business. I see US and Canadian knitwear designers talk about the legal and tax obligations they have to cover, and I have to remind myself that the business and tax laws are very different where I live.
Find an accountant who takes time to understand your business model. Check, check, and check again to make sure that you are fulfilling your legal obligations. It is better to take a week or two longer checking things than to have to deal with issues that arise because you failed to check your legal and tax obligations.
3. Remember that everything is “figure-out-able”
When starting or running a business, there are so many moving parts—so many different things that you have to think about, things that need your attention. Policies that you have to write, selling channel decisions, marketing, branding, taxation, legal, the list goes on. It can be a lot. You will certainly find yourself having to address issues that you probably never thought about, and maybe you don’t know where to start.
When the overwhelm hits, take a deep breath and give yourself grace and breathing space. Every problem has a solution. Every question has an answer. Everything is “figure-out-able”. Also, not everything has to be figured out right now! Some things you can figure out as you go.
4. Identify what tools you need
There are so many tools out there, including software that is designed to “make things easier for you.” “There’s an app for that” becomes a curse rather than a blessing. If you don’t pay attention to which tools actually fulfil a specific business need, you could be seriously overspending on monthly subscriptions.
Take inventory of what specific tasks you need help with, then look for tools to do those jobs. Research options, and work out your specific needs. If you are unsure if you need a certain tool, try it—that’s what free trials are for! But if you decide you don’t need a tool, don’t forget to cancel your monthly subscription!
5. Surround yourself with people who keep you in check
Running a knitwear business can be a lonely place. And it can be easy to lose focus or motivation because of it. Try to find an accountability group of other small business owners. Talk with people who understand the struggle, who can help problem solve, who encourage and check in on how progress is going—all without judgement.
6. Let the monkeys jump
You know the feeling: You sit down to concentrate on something, and your head fills with thoughts about the littlest things that need your attention. “Did I add milk to the shopping list?” “I need to take the library books back.” “I must sort that tax form.” “I don’t know how to sort that tax form.” We’ve all been there.
I call these thoughts “monkeys,” and when they start coming into my head, I have a choice. I can let them distract me, or I can let them jump out of my head and onto a piece of paper so that I can deal with them later. I keep a notebook with me just for this. This way, you let the monkeys jump—and eventually stop—allowing you to focus on your task at hand knowing you can deal with the monkeys later. (But don’t forget to come back to them later on!)
7. Lastly, celebrate EVERYTHING!
There is nothing quite like the feeling when you publish a pattern and then you get a ping from your email that you have a sale. That is Happy Dance time. Every single win in your business needs to be celebrated like this. Tax forms completed, stitch counts resolved, new followers online—you name it, celebrate it!
Celebrating the wins—no matter how small—is something that will keep you going when things get tough. It will keep you motivated to strive towards your next win and give you the hunger you need to drive the growth of your knitwear design business.
And one last thing as a bonus—don’t forget to enjoy the ride, and don’t lose the passion!
Curious about Eleanor’s designs? Explore some of her popular patterns:
