Selling Digital Products Transformed My Business

Hi friends! My name is Deb Buckingham, Founder and Designer behind the brand Knit On Designs. Grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and let me tell you my story…

The year 2002, was the beginning of a hospice nursing career that was rewarding, very satisfying, and brought joy to my day. I would listen to stories, hear the pain in my patient’s voice of the tragedy that brought them to hospice, and give them reassurance that I was there to keep them comfortable while offering a warm hand. It was a memorable time in my life that often made me realize that life (and time) was precious and that doing what you love was the key to a happy life.

My days were exhausting, both mentally and physically. But you know what? I loved it! It was worth every tear, every aching muscle, and every day I spent with my patients. I was never prepared for what I would face each day that I walked onto the floor. The elevator doors would open, and “the scent” wafted in the air. The indescribable scent of life ending in so many rooms. The call light would be going off, the nurses administering the medications, and the CNAs changing a bed, all helped me realize why I did what I did. Life as a Hospice CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) was a gift that I could give to each one of my patients. A gift I gave to myself.

While working the night shift, I taught myself to knit. That was something that brought me comfort during a time my patients were quiet. I’d sit and do a simple pattern to keep my hands moving while listening to the whir of machines and the breathing coming from the closest room to the nurse’s station.

Even though working with end-of-life patients brought me so much joy, I realized that my heart couldn’t handle yet another death. I loved hearing their stories, sitting bedside as they took their last breath, or just answering a call light that I knew would be just to talk. Upon leaving the facility for the last time after seven years, tears rolled down my face.

Though I didn’t realize that my next adventure awaited, a joy I would bring to a different kind of audience, I would never forget the amount of joy I felt working as a CNA.

A friend and I were having coffee one day when he mentioned that his wife had an online shop selling her handmade crochet socks and patterns. I was intrigued. I told him that I’d love to see the shop. He opened his laptop and typed in, what I quickly learned was her shop on Etsy. This was 2009. Weirdly enough, I’d never heard of it. He agreed to bring her to our next coffee “date.” I needed to hear everything because I knew after leaving hospice, I was going to go on a creative adventure. I just wasn’t sure what.

After telling my husband I was planning to take my newfound skills of knitting, and create a business from it, he was on board.

Imagine yourself embracing a new handmade career, your husband on board, and after spending time with end-of-life care patients for seven years. I was excited to start a new adventure. A new career.

Starting the Business

The year 2009 was the beginning of my new adventure, my new business. Oh friend, I have quite a story for this next phase of my life. I started with a vision, sprinkled in some ambitious goals, and created a recipe for progressive momentum.

In 2009, I made it my purpose to offer products that were sustainable, available for sale, and eco-friendly. I used cotton for the dishcloths. I sold them on the repeat. Buyers would ask for certain colors if they didn’t see them listed in my shop. I had a 4-week turnaround time. Remember, I hadn’t been knitting for very long, so the easiest thing was a square. A dishcloth. My mental health took a positive turn my first year in business. I felt happy, excited whenever the Cha-Ching would light up my phone, and a sense of accomplishment. After leaving a career that was fulfilling yet draining mentally, this felt so light. My shoulders felt less stressed, and my creativity spiked. I’d always been creative in some way.

Fast forward two years, my friend (the wife of the coffee friend) told me, “Deb, it’s time to use your analytical brain and begin to design. Offer digital downloads. Work once and get paid over and over again.”

An Ah-Ha moment. A way to work smarter, not harder.

Transitioning to Digital

My first digital pattern was a dishcloth, of course, first published in 2011 on Ravelry and Etsy. It was an easy-to-knit pattern called Wide Wale. It’s still available today. 

I’m a self-taught designer. YouTube was my go-to for learning all things. I reached out to people in the industry who would answer questions. I found the process to be fulfilling and gave me the creative outlet that my analytical brain needed.

Discovering stitch dictionaries was the first step to building a library full of digital patterns. It’s the “secret sauce” as a designer. I emailed the publisher of the first stitch dictionary I bought and asked them how this worked. They told me, “We’ve created the stitch patterns for anyone who aspires to be a designer. You add the yarn, needles, gauge, and any other information. The pattern is then yours.” They also told me that there was no copyright on stitch patterns. Which makes sense today, since we are all using the same stitches from these books.

I was on my way. One design, then another, now over 200 designs.

There comes a time in any career, where you feel there’s something else. Something you haven’t yet discovered. I had been teaching novice knitters to knit using my stitch patterns, or dishcloths, as I called them, so I put together a proposal and sent it out to a mid-level publisher. One that allowed me creative freedom with photos and details of the book.

She accepted my proposal. I thank her for giving me a place in the publishing world. For giving me a new start.

Dishcloth Diva was my first book, published in 2012. We were excited about how well it was received, so we decided to do a second book, Dishcloth Diva Knits On, published one year later. Same idea, different, yet more challenging patterns. Cable, colorwork, and slipped stitches. Oh, but you’ll still find some easier patterns in my second book.

The switch to digital patterns has given me so much freedom in my offerings. I don’t have to inventory products or worry about shipping. I design once and sell again and again. The advantage to using digital patterns is you can download the PDF and use it on any device. The most obvious benefit of digital is the downloads are instant. But, if you do want the physical pattern, it’s easy to print at home.

I absolutely love my career as a designer offering digital download patterns. It brings me joy to see the new knitter accomplish a pattern, then share it with me on social media. I enjoy the process of knitting the piece. I enjoy having collections of socks and home décor pieces. Those are my favorite (to date) to create.

What’s Next

As I head into my 13^th year of business, I have plans to continue selling my current digital patterns. I’ll continue to design as ideas come to me. Let’s be honest, since the pandemic in 2020, there have been so many more knitters that have figured out the “secret sauce” to designing: Stitch Dictionaries. So, honestly, there isn’t anything new out there. It’s being made over and over again. I feel so grateful to have so many loyal customers. They come back often to see if anything is new.

I don’t have any intentions of stopping.

In fact, I’ve been working with Annie’s Catalog since 2021 with their social media photos. They emailed me saying they saw my photos on Instagram and would like to discuss me creating some social media photos for them. The relationship has been amazing. I now have some of my popular digital download patterns on their site as well.

I’m a Product Photographer and have been for a very long time. I love it so much. It’s what sells my digital patterns, I’m sure of it.

I’d love to start working with handmade sellers to provide photos of their products. Because as we know, photos sell YOUR products, even digital download patterns. I’d like to provide a service that gives the small product business a leg up from their competition. It’s the one thing I can do well. 

Dreaming… I’ve always dreamed of doing a Cozy Home book, complete with a hardcover, lots of cozy content on living simply, and cozy photos. I love to decorate our home and shop for home décor. I would even throw in some “cozy” patterns.

My Advice for You

I’ve been in a creative business for quite some time and feel that the industry isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s gaining traction from those that have learned a new skill in some way. Do you want to learn to knit or crochet? Do it! Do you want to learn to design? You can do it! It’s not hard. I did it. You can too! Do you want to make and sell blankets? Do that! Find what makes you happy, and just do it!

Competition…Don’t be afraid of all the “competition.” I have to say, there was a time I pulled back because I saw so many new designers using the same stitch patterns I was. Don’t let that deter you. You will have your own set of followers that know your style and will buy from you.

Pictures… I could talk about this forever. They are the #1 thing your new or existing customer will notice. Take the time to learn your camera, whether it be your smartphone or the fancy one you received for your birthday. The best camera is the one you have with you. I’ll tell you a secret, 100% of my social media posts are taken with my iPhone. Not kidding.

If you are looking to find your next thing, know that your style, your aesthetic, your photos, and your ideas will come from what you like. Lots of “you” in that last sentence. Just know, you are what your customer will see through the products you offer, the photos you take, or the words you speak. That’s what will sell. You’ll make mistakes but, be ok with that. Your first anything out of the gate will not be perfect, be ok with that. Your first photo may not be like everyone you see on social media, be ok with that too.

Just be you, friend.

Deb

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