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Ever wonder how some freelancers land big-ticket clients while others struggle to get responses?
Imagine setting up your Upwork profile in just half a day and scoring a $27,100 project just weeks later. Sounds unreal, right? That’s exactly what happened to Carolyn. In this episode, she breaks down the key moves that helped her attract premium clients—without years of trial and error.
Carolyn shares how she went from working with high-street brands in the UK and navigating the job market in Hong Kong to building a thriving freelance career in knitwear design. We dive into her approach to pricing projects, crafting pitches that actually get responses, and the simple tweaks she made to her Upwork profile to stand out in a sea of freelancers. Plus, she spills some insider tips on using Illustrator for knitwear design and how she landed repeat work with top clients.
If you're looking to boost your freelance income, attract high-quality clients, and learn real-world strategies from someone who’s been there, hit play now!
About Carolyn:
After studying Fashion Knitwear Design at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, Carolyn moved to Hong Kong for a one-year graduate trainee placement. More than 20 years later, she is still there. Initially, she worked for a small, family-owned knitwear manufacturer that supplied the UK and EU markets. Later, she transitioned to a large corporate sourcing office, just before the pandemic. In April 2024, Carolyn was made redundant but quickly adapted. She started FAST in May and began freelancing in July, securing her first project that same month. Her expertise lies in knitwear, with extensive experience in women's and men's wear, as well as some experience in children's wear. Ultimately, Carolyn chose to focus on womenswear as her niche.
Connect with Carolyn:
Email her at carolyn.chandler@gmail.com
Download my Freelance Price List just for fashion (it’s free!): sewheidi.com/price
Creators and Guests
Host
Heidi Weinberg {Sew Heidi}
Heidi (aka Sew Heidi) is a self-taught freelance fashion designer who built a six-figure business without a degree, portfolio, or industry connections. After years of burnout in the fashion industry, she went freelance—and never looked back. Now, she helps other designers ditch toxic jobs, land better clients, and build flexible careers they love. Through her podcast, courses, and resources, Heidi has helped thousands of designers take control of their fashion path and finally get paid what they’re worth.
What is Fashion Designers Get Paid: Build Your Fashion Career On Your Own Terms?
This is a show for burnt-out fashion designers (and TDs, PDs, patternmakers, textile designer and beyond) who want more flexibility in their career while still doing work they love.
You'll learn how to build a freelance fashion business, so you can do the work you love on your own terms. Freelancing in fashion is the only way to get freedom in your day (instead of being tied to a desk).
Whether you want to earn extra money on the side, fund your fashion brand, or replace your salary, the FDGP podcast will help you get there. Listen in for actionable tips and strategies to kickstart or grow your career as a freelance fashion designer, build your confidence, and create the life you want.
Hosted by $100k+ fashion freelancer Sew Heidi, the show features interviews and strategy sessions with successful freelance fashion designers from around the world who've ditched toxic fashion jobs and taken control of their own destinies. This is the only place to get REAL insights from REAL freelancers who have built REAL careers on their own terms. (Formerly the Successful Fashion Freelancer podcast.)
Heidi [00:00:00]:
Imagine landing a $27100 project just weeks after starting your freelance business and on a platform like Upwork where the competition is quite fierce. Today, I'm talking with Carolyn, a knitwear designer and technical expert who's done just that. With a profile that she built in an afternoon, Carolyn began receiving job offers that turned into substantial projects with clients from across the globe. So how did she set up a profile that speaks to clients and what is her strategy for turning pitches into ongoing contracts? For freelancers hoping to thrive on Upwork and beyond, this episode is for you. Let's get to it. I would love to just jump right in to hear about this new client that you got for $27100, and it's a brand that you really love. Can you tell us a little bit about how that all came to fruition?
Carolyn [00:00:49]:
Yeah. Sure. So, I had created my profile on upwork. I'd actually only just heard about it from you, I think, maybe on. So I haven't heard of it before. And then I set up my profile on there. I spent probably about half a day, tweaking portfolio pages and things like that to set up my profile. And I had got applied immediately, but it was just a small job.
Carolyn [00:01:20]:
And then, I think it was probably about 6 weeks later. I got a message asking for a consultation call. Because you know in Upwork, you can set yourself up for the consultation package, that people can just book. Okay. So out of the blue, I just had this message that I had a consultation booked with somebody. And as part of that, you can say, you know, these are the questions that I want answered. And so, you know, she she mentioned a couple of things, but she wanted to discuss, that she's looking for a knitwear designer for her brand, but nothing too specific. And then when I got on the call with her, it was a bit like a job interview in that she had in that she had had an IT by designer working with her, freelance, who, for personal reasons, is no longer able to do it.
Carolyn [00:02:18]:
And so she was looking for someone to take that space.
Heidi [00:02:21]:
Okay.
Carolyn [00:02:22]:
So, yeah, so it's it's kind of, job by job. You know, we're not doing hourly, which fits you know, suits me just fine. Yeah. So she asked me to send her a proposal for designing her print summer collection, and we took it from there. So the the brand is she has, a few boutiques up in North America and Canada. And she's selling beautiful products, a focus on natural fiber. So she has cotton and also some. And she's just selling really lovely classic style.
Carolyn [00:03:01]:
No. Nothing. Particularly complicated. And, yeah, it's, it's a pleasure working with them.
Heidi [00:03:11]:
That's amazing. So okay. Sorry. Go ahead.
Carolyn [00:03:17]:
No. Go ahead.
Heidi [00:03:18]:
So I I know you said I wanna hear, about some of the nuances around each of the things that you mentioned. So first, you said that you You spent like a half a day building out an upwork profile. I tried to search you on upwork I actually couldn't find your profile because I wanted to look at it and I, I wanted to know like What what did you put in your profile? Like
Carolyn [00:03:42]:
what did you include for your portfolio? What does your headline
Heidi [00:03:42]:
say like for people who are portfolio? What does your headline say like for people out there listening? Obviously, you put something in there that is prompting. I mean you said you've got a project right away And then you got this next project like 6 weeks later, but these people are approaching you So what are what have you done in your profile to attract these brands like keywords the the portfolio, etcetera? Can you talk us through?
Carolyn [00:04:09]:
Yeah, sure. I'm sorry. You couldn't find me on that. I will send you the link later. Yeah. So
Heidi [00:04:16]:
you can include it in the show notes.
Carolyn [00:04:18]:
Yeah. Cool. So my headline, I think, is knitwear designer and technical expert.
Heidi [00:04:24]:
Okay.
Carolyn [00:04:25]:
So I've spent over 20 years working in Hong Kong, firstly, with a knitwear manufacturer where I learned a lot. I mean, I was working in design, but, you know, you see the whole process. And I just get more involved in the factory side and audit and the, QA aspect towards the end of my time there. So, you know, that's really helped me build my knowledge. And then, of course, while I was there, I was under a huge range of of clients from really small niche brands to to big high street names in the UK. So that also helped my development of my understanding and, design skills. And then after that, I worked in a sorting office here in Hong Kong for a big European brand. And there I was my entire my job title was actually sweater expert.
Heidi [00:05:26]:
Okay.
Carolyn [00:05:26]:
So which is one of those titles that just covers a whole multitude of things, really. So I was involved in design, but I was also involved in sorting and, and, yeah, technical things, you know, and quality, problem solving all around Slacker. So I feel that although, I feel a bit self conscious to call myself an expert in anything, it's it's very accurate. Yeah. Yeah. And then I built that out through my profile, so I treated it very much as I would, you know, job interview and presenting myself on my CV. So I've I've listed out my skills and my background as in as much detail as possible, really, and and as as appropriate. Okay.
Carolyn [00:06:18]:
And then for my portfolio, have a look at, you know, what other people have how they present themselves. So I have a few, projects on there that are very much portfolio. I've got mood board and, yarn sourcing and inspiration by page and sketch development, which is actually what attracted this particular client because she really loved the designs that I created there and felt that they fit with their brand perfectly, which is true. Oh, okay. So that was what what, attracted her. And then I've also done some kind of, tech pack pages, but they're all in one. So it's not how you do an actual tech pack, but just to present it in a really clear and easy way for the customer. I've got examples from my previous life where I've got sketches.
Carolyn [00:07:13]:
I've got the final product images, and then I've got a kind of example of measurement chart and a call out page, that kind of thing.
Heidi [00:07:24]:
Okay.
Carolyn [00:07:25]:
And I've just grouped it all together onto one page so that it's easy to upload it on Upwork. Okay. So I've got a couple of examples like that. I'd like to add another project, actually. I'd like to sort of work on something now, you know, and and upload it. And, also, I found that this particular, job is very specifically women's wear. But I've not focused on that during my career, and I I focused on that because I followed your advice about a niche, which I'd say is very important. And that's absolutely true.
Carolyn [00:08:05]:
It's really important. But through my career, I've done everything, women, men, and kids. And whilst women's is what comes easiest to me, and so that's what I focused on, I could do, for example, I could do kids because I do know that we need to research and check what are the, requirements and the laws surrounding kids wear and, for example, the length of the tie on the hoodie, you know, things like that. I don't know it in my head, but I know where to get the information. So I could do it. But I actually have quite a few menswear clients, as well, despite not putting that in my niche. But those are jobs that I've applied for, where, you know, I've seen something listed, and then I've I've contacted them and and let them know that, look. Here's a men's web project.
Carolyn [00:08:55]:
It's you know, I can do this.
Heidi [00:08:58]:
Okay. This is also in Upwork?
Carolyn [00:09:00]:
Yeah. Yeah.
Heidi [00:09:01]:
And you've landed some of those too?
Carolyn [00:09:04]:
Yeah. Yeah. So, one of them was just a consultation, regarding technical aspects of knitwear for somebody who's a woven expert and just needed some guidance on that. But, yeah, I have a I have an ongoing project with somebody who's setting up a name for our brand. Yeah. That is amazing. Yeah. Yeah.
Carolyn [00:09:29]:
And so far, I haven't done that much for them. Okay. They're just going hourly at the moment. So, yeah, I I probably only talked about 12 hours. Okay. And then I have another one with a a brand. Actually, that happened quite quickly after joining Upwork. But but, again, I applied for it, and that was someone who needed very specific knitwear design work, for accessories.
Carolyn [00:09:56]:
So I applied for that, and I got it. And then that's developed, and it just continues and has been through more work. So that's also, yeah, that's also going really well.
Heidi [00:10:08]:
Okay. This is amazing. So first of all, congrats because I know that you're new to freelancing and Like yeah, it sounds like Upwork is crushing it for you and like for people listening. We're recording this in November of 2024 which is at a time when my thoughts on Upwork are are a little bit hot and cold right now because I know a lot of people are on there and are applying for a ton of stuff. And there's a lot of costs to you, like, connects and and you're not seeing great results, but then I actually just had like 2 interviews recently where both of them set up their profile and kind of forgot about it and then brands reached out to them And so I think so I appreciate you walking through like how you built out your profile and what you included it because I think that's really important to attract the right quality clients.
Carolyn [00:11:07]:
Yeah.
Heidi [00:11:07]:
But then, also, you must be doing something right in your pitches and your applications because you've landed a couple of those as well. So would you I don't know if you could even pull it up. But, like, could you talk us through like, for example, the one that you landed for the ongoing project that you've done, you said, 12 hours for? Yeah. Can you talk through your pitch and share Yeah. About what you said?
Carolyn [00:11:33]:
Sure. So, that was very particular. So principle, I'd say that, those pictures that I have successfully, won. The client has asked me some quite specific quest or has asked the general public on Upwork rather. Has asked some quite specific questions in their, you know, in in their job description. So for example, the one that I got that's an ongoing, menswear project, it's quite small because he hasn't actually really started yet. But he was asking some very specific questions who clearly didn't know anything about knitwear. For example, he was asking about yarn and, you know, I want this, and how would I achieve that? I don't understand the weight.
Carolyn [00:12:18]:
And so when I, put in my pitch, I made sure I addressed those specific points. And I remember about me talking in the training about providing value and, you know, always giving a little gift. And so, I know it's counterintuitive, but I often answer the question they've asked in my pitch. They don't need to pay me to get that information. Mhmm. So in that particular instance, I went back to him saying, you know, yeah. We can do this in knitwear, and, the technique could be in tarsia, and yarn that we would use would be, you know, 232, placentated with nylon, which could be this depending on the weight that you want, and it will be 12 gauge. And, you know, and I also, sent through a men's wear project that was specific to his needs to show that I can do it.
Carolyn [00:13:15]:
And in this particular incident, I had worked on similar products. So I, mentioned that brand. I said, oh, maybe you're aware of this golfer. He has his own range, with this department store, and I worked on developing that. And so immediately, they know that, oh, I can handle their their project.
Heidi [00:13:35]:
Okay. It's very clear to me why you landed the gig.
Carolyn [00:13:41]:
And the same was true for the other one I got in Europe, actually, which was accessories. And it's, you know, little little Fair Isle deck cards that they were working on at that time. But I in my old life, I used to work on Christmas jumpers. And so, I sent through a page of that, which created some hilarity when we had our call. But, again, it was showing that I could see the product. You know? Like, my my
Heidi [00:14:06]:
experience. Yeah. Right. And what about your pricing in your profile? Do you have that? Because you ever you've kinda have to put, like, an hourly pricing in there. Would you be willing to share what you've got in there and how you kinda got to that number?
Carolyn [00:14:25]:
Yeah. Sure. So, I was a little bit nervous about working out what I should offer because whilst I'm very experienced in the industry, I'm not so experienced doing the freelance part. So I didn't want to sort of put myself really high, if you know what I mean. And then, you know, perhaps not meet expectations. So I'm also aware that Upwork takes the percentage from both sides. Mhmm. So I started out a little bit lower.
Carolyn [00:14:56]:
I think I when I first started out, I put my profile up there in June of this year, 2024. I priced myself at 55 dollars an hour Okay. Knowing that I would get 50. And, I've now gone up to 65. And also in Upwork, when you pitch, you have to put in when you want pay wise. So, you know, you have to I think it gives you options every 3 months or 6 months or a year and what percent pay wise you want. So on one of my ongoing projects, that has actually now kicked in. And so I've actually got, you know, in our contract, I've actually got a little bit of a pay rise in there.
Heidi [00:15:48]:
Oh, that's
Carolyn [00:15:49]:
a new
Heidi [00:15:49]:
feature. I didn't or maybe it's been in existence, but I've never heard of that before.
Carolyn [00:15:54]:
Yeah. So in a way, I mean, it's fine when it's a short project. But when it's a long ongoing one, it's it's quite useful Yeah. To my side. Yeah. Oh. Yeah.
Heidi [00:16:08]:
And is that in you because you're based in Hong Kong. So is that in US dollars roughly?
Carolyn [00:16:13]:
Did. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Because that's work work for the US. So
Heidi [00:16:17]:
Okay. Right. And then where are these clients located?
Carolyn [00:16:24]:
So I mentioned that the the big project is over in North America and Canada. Okay. Right. My men's men's wear client is in Australia, and, the accessories project was in Germany. And I've also had somebody who I thought was in the US, but actually send out to be based in Japan.
Heidi [00:16:45]:
Okay. Quite worldly you are.
Carolyn [00:16:48]:
Yeah. So it's interesting that Upwork is attracting people from all over the world. I've also had a consultation call with, a wonderful brand who, were based in Indonesia. That was just a one off call. Okay. And my consultation calls, you can book for 30 minutes or an hour, and there I'd be I'm pricing it, like, 45 US for 30 minutes.
Heidi [00:17:14]:
Okay. And so that is, like, is that something you have on Upwork that they can just buy off the shelf? Like, I could buy a 30 minute call with you. Okay. Yeah. And so you said 30:30 minutes is $45? Yeah.
Carolyn [00:17:30]:
Yeah.
Heidi [00:17:30]:
Okay. So an hour is 90? Yeah. Okay.
Carolyn [00:17:36]:
And I'm aware from listening to you, and, you know, I'm going to the bus that I could probably charge quite a bit more. But I'm also aware of the Upwork platform and what people who go there are willing to pay. So I expect I could creep it up a little bit. Mhmm. But I don't think I can go crazy while I'm on there.
Heidi [00:18:01]:
But you're building a really good base. And considering, you know, you're new to freelancing, I think this is priceless experience for you to just kind of understand the nuances of pricing and managing and wrangling the clients and, you know, the bidding and proposal process, etcetera. So Yeah. In a way, you're getting paid a good bit to learn very hands
Carolyn [00:18:25]:
on. Yes, exactly. Yeah. It's been incredible. Yeah. Yeah.
Heidi [00:18:29]:
Yeah. Okay. So would you talk through a little bit? Because I know the the project you had initially shared with me, That you had landed that you were so excited about because it was the brand that you left was a $2700 project that we started talking about the beginning And so that was one it sounded like they booked the consultation call first They paid for that and then it turned into a larger project
Carolyn [00:18:53]:
Yes. Okay. So in that yeah. So in that call, it was a little bit like an interview at first, where we talked about my experience, and she said, you know, I saw this project and, of course, and I love it. I think it fits our brand. And, then she asked me some questions about my background, and then she told me about her project and, you know, if I would be able to handle that for her. And then we talked about I said, how would you like me to work? By the hour, or do you want me to see if your project price? And she said, yes. The project price.
Carolyn [00:19:25]:
Okay. So then based on what she briefed me in that call, I then used your post your template ID, thank you, for these invaluable resources that we get. Yeah. And, yeah, and I I drafted out a proposal for her, and then shared that with her. And then she wanted to go and continue to work through Upwork. So what I did was then prepare the contract on Upwork. I put that proposal as it was into the Upwork system, and then we, we continued through that.
Heidi [00:19:59]:
Okay. And how did you fare for, like because I know bidding a project based rate can become a little unwieldy, especially in the beginning, but it sounds like it fared pretty well for you. Can you share a little bit about how, like, you thought through the bidding process in terms of the time and the money based off of what she needed and then how it ultimately panned out?
Carolyn [00:20:27]:
Yeah. So, yeah, I was a little bit nervous about that as well because I see so many people chatting about it in the, you know, in the, circle chat, for the first course. Yeah. You know, saying, oh, I've got this project. I've overbid it. I don't you know, lots and lots of problems come up. So I just looked at you with asking for a specific number of styles, so I thought, well, if I needed to start from scratch on each of those styles and research and create a design, how much time does that take me times the number of styles you want? And then the number of tech packs, you know, I know how approximately how long it would take me, and I multiplied by that number of styles that she wanted. Now this particular project is not super complicated.
Carolyn [00:21:14]:
So we're not talking about, you know, knitted dresses with cutouts and jacquard or anything insane like that. We're talking regular sweaters. Okay. I have a front and back and two sleeves. So Okay. You know, although some of the the stitch work and that needed to be sorted out on the call out page, there was nothing really, really complicated in the tech pack. So, when I priced it, I reckon it would take me a couple of hours for each one. And in the end, it worked out really well, and I think that, I probably put in slightly less hours than I calculated, but not way off.
Carolyn [00:21:55]:
So Okay. I don't feel like yeah. I feel like both of us were in the right place for that. And she she approved the project, the proposal price without any any question. Okay. Oh, yeah. That was obviously in the right sort of zone for her.
Heidi [00:22:12]:
So you nailed it on your first project price, which is amazing that, like, almost never happens.
Carolyn [00:22:20]:
Yeah. It left me wondering whether I should have, you know, sort of increased my hourly rate or something that I was calculating it. But, no, I felt I felt happy with, you know, with what I've got. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Heidi [00:22:33]:
Good. Good. And it sounds like it worked out great for everybody, her as well.
Carolyn [00:22:37]:
Yeah. And you know when it's pleasurable work, you're happy doing it because you like the style you're doing as well. Yeah. That will help.
Heidi [00:22:47]:
That's amazing. And then you mentioned that, you were gonna help review samples at an additional rate, like do another project. But it sounds like they went with a different supplier in Turkey, and so they're just gonna work exactly with them. It just didn't make sense based off of your location.
Carolyn [00:23:06]:
Yeah. Exactly. So initially, we talked about, you know, the fit of the samples and how I should, help her with that. And since I'm here in Hong Kong, I think, well, you know, they can depends on the location of your factory. If it's over the border, then I could potentially just charge you for a day, and I go there and sort it out and come back. But, it's it's actually not a factory as as further north. So I think, well, in that case, then they can send me the things, and I can just work on it and then send them on to you. But, subsequently, she met another supplier.
Carolyn [00:23:42]:
And so
Heidi [00:23:44]:
so what inspired you to jump into freelancing in the first place?
Carolyn [00:23:51]:
Yeah. So, unfortunately, in April of this year, I was made redundant. And so, the job market is very difficult globally, as you know. But particularly here in Hong Kong, I am finding that as I don't speak Chinese as an expat, and also at my kind of level in the business, they just start the jobs. And I think although I've applied for things that are the, you know, at the lower level, I'm sure those employers know that it would just be a stopgap for me, and then, you know, they just dismissed my application
Heidi [00:24:30]:
Yeah.
Carolyn [00:24:32]:
Because of the salary that I was on before, etcetera. So freelancing was really a no brainer. And I'd actually come across you in, I think 2019 when I was changing jobs and I was looking for portfolio advice.
Heidi [00:24:49]:
Oh.
Carolyn [00:24:50]:
So I've been following you for a while. And then, of course, when I was doing job searches, things start popping up in your Instagram feed and, you know, in LinkedIn. Yeah. And so I think I'd watched one of your promotion video for your course so far, and I saw the name of somebody that I know pop up, Kate Knight, who's the cashmere designer.
Heidi [00:25:14]:
Oh, you know her? I'm kinda fast. You know her.
Carolyn [00:25:18]:
Well, I she's in my LinkedIn, so I follow her. So we don't know each other in person, but, you know, we sort of communicate on LinkedIn. And so I messaged her to say, hey. Do you know Heidi, and, you know, is she for real? It's not that I thought you were, you know, there was a word fraud, but I, you know, I I just wanted to know before I give my money to this person.
Heidi [00:25:44]:
Totally.
Carolyn [00:25:45]:
Is it worth it? And she she recommended you very highly. So I thought, okay. I feel like this is this is surreal. Yeah. So then I signed up for FAST, and then, I was just doing that course when I heard about Upwork. I think we have popped up. And so, you know, then then I started on that, and it's so easy to do it on there. So Yeah.
Carolyn [00:26:06]:
That really helps get moving. Yeah.
Heidi [00:26:09]:
Yeah. So did you have any idea, like, how your freelance business would unfold in a fairly quickly timeline? I mean, I feel like you're just kinda getting wins left and right here.
Carolyn [00:26:23]:
Yeah. I didn't. It was quite nerve wracking because, well, I need the income because, obviously, we we need to, support ourselves. But, yeah, I'm really pleased with how it went. And, initially, I had I had one project on Upwork initially, which I totally failed on the pricing. It was for a tech pack. Wow. Way more complicated than I had anticipated.
Carolyn [00:26:52]:
And in addition, it was the first one I've done, so I hadn't or I was using your template, which is fantastic. But I hadn't got things like my network specific spec sheet set up. So I spent time doing that, obviously, which I wouldn't count towards that project, but it just meant that in my mind, the whole thing became a, you know, huge project. Mhmm. And then, yeah, I'd said a couple of revisions in the in the project price, and then those became quite big as well and hard to manage. So that was a learning curve, and it was fine. It was one tech pack, but it wasn't as if I, you know, made a big mistake on a big project. Yeah.
Carolyn [00:27:34]:
That was certainly educational. And then I landed my accessories project, which was lovely because that didn't take me so much time, and it was hourly as well. So I just work on it and log the hours and not work and that yeah. That was perfect. Yeah. Yeah.
Heidi [00:27:52]:
So with the tech pack project like what specifically? Did you change going forward like the next project you did or maybe it's not quite the next one but you, after that, did this $27100 project, which went very smoothly. So, like, what lessons did you learn from that first one that you that you translated into the next projects?
Carolyn [00:28:17]:
Right. So first of all, I changed my on you know, you can sell projects fully formed on Upwork. So I changed my quick pack pricing on Upwork immediately.
Heidi [00:28:30]:
Oh, for someone to just buy it right off the shelf. Yes.
Carolyn [00:28:34]:
Which is what she's done, but I got it wrong. Okay. And then, also for the the big project, I knew that when I was creating the design, they would be approved before I went to the tech part, and my flat sketches would already be created. The artwork would already be created as part of the sketching part of my project. So when it comes to creating a tech pack and actually putting in the measurements and all the details, you know, related to to creating the to the tape pipe. But I'd already got my sketches in hand. So that part of the process, that time consuming part of the process, is is already taken out. So I I knew when I was doing the tech pack pricing that, while I've got my sketch, and also those sketches were quite simple.
Carolyn [00:29:22]:
So they're, you know, 10 minute jobs, not hour long making amazing patterns on Illustrator type type work, you know, which was the mistake with that one that, actually, it wasn't just the the garment shape. It was relatively quick or create in the gap deck, but it was the, the stitch, the jacquard pattern that I needed to create into further garments and then needed to do colorways for. That took me a lot of time. Also, it was for a garment shape that I wasn't that familiar with, so I spent a lot of time figuring out the measurement. Whereas for my big, $27100 project, the garment shapes were, simple swatter shape, really, you know, crewneck, V neck. So I knew where I was with them anyway. I have those measurements in my head. I also had her production spec from a previous style to look at and understand her grading and understand her, typical body measurement.
Carolyn [00:30:28]:
So, you know, it was kind of it was much easier to handle. Yeah.
Heidi [00:30:34]:
So it sounds like that first tech pack that that client bought sort of off the shelf, it there weren't enough nuances in the What they were buying to have any disclaimers as to like what sort of complexity do they get for this price type of thing or
Carolyn [00:30:55]:
yeah, you
Heidi [00:30:55]:
know, there was no discovery process for you to walk them through understanding like what are the logistics of the project? And what does this actually look like? And then you being like, okay that attaches a different price to the to the tech back?
Carolyn [00:31:08]:
Yeah Exactly. Exactly. So I also learned, you know, related to that as well. Yeah.
Heidi [00:31:14]:
Yeah. So do you have any flat price tech packs up, maybe, like, different tiers, like a simple garment versus a complex garment or something?
Carolyn [00:31:24]:
Yes. I do. Unfortunately, because of, my signal connection here, I turn my computer off so it's not using Wi Fi. But but, yes, I have a standard type type that is for a really basic sweater where there's no pattern, no stripe. It's no fancy stitch. You know? It's just a simple garment. And then I have a medium priced one that is, like, for striped. I think I priced it, like, 3 to 4 color stripes, simple stitches, you know, nothing too crazy.
Carolyn [00:31:59]:
And I've given quite clear instructions on the complexity there. And then I've got a really complex tech pack, which is all over Jacquard patterns and 6 color stripes and, you know, colorways, etcetera, that kind of thing.
Heidi [00:32:14]:
Okay. So despite that mess up on that project, it was such a great learning opportunity for you to figure out, like, how to better build out
Carolyn [00:32:23]:
your offer. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. And communicating with the customer as well and, you know, just those things where when you first start out and I mean, I've been communicating with customers my whole career, so it sounds a little bit crazy to say to remind myself what I've been doing always. It's just that I'm paid in a different way. But, yeah, I it was really helpful to learn those things and to build confidence.
Heidi [00:32:53]:
Yeah it is a different beast when you're working like in house in a job versus When you are sort of representing yourself as an independent entity and business serving your clients. It's it's like a different even though you're essentially executing similar work, it's a different mindset, and it can sometimes mess mess with our heads and our confidence, I I believe.
Carolyn [00:33:18]:
Yeah, absolutely. And also for the first time the buck stops stops here, you know, it's my problem Totally
Heidi [00:33:29]:
totally. Oh, man. Well, Carolyn, I am so excited for you and your I mean, you just like put yourself out into the world, and it's really working for you. This is amazing. I would love to wrap up the interview by asking you the question that everybody that I ask everybody at the end of the show, which is what is one thing you wish people would ask you about Freelancing in fashion that they never do.
Carolyn [00:33:58]:
Oh, wow. Not too many people have actually asked me anything about it, I think, because I'm just passing out. You're the first person. I think, one question. Oh, I wish that I had prepared this because I'm listening to your podcast, so I should know that you always ask this question.
Heidi [00:34:29]:
Like, what's something you would really love to kind of nerd out on when it comes to freelancing?
Carolyn [00:34:35]:
Yeah. I think, I think maybe I more of the people always talk about your process and, you know, how you are inspired and all those kinds of typical things. I'm quite interested in how we create the knit stitches in Illustrator. So, you know, those kinds of, what we're actually doing. So whenever I come across another, stitch I've got to create, then I will always kind of work out how I'm gonna draw it because it's completely different to how it's actually knitted. Right? So I kind of have to think about what am I gonna do and how am I gonna create this, to get it to look just look really cool. I mean, it doesn't need to to be so perfect, but it does need to look right, obviously, for the style and to give the customer an idea of what it's gonna look like and and how is the sketch is gonna you know, how the the product is gonna be. Yeah.
Carolyn [00:35:44]:
So, yeah. Yeah. But people never ask you about those kinds of things, but what inspires you?
Heidi [00:35:51]:
Yeah. And, you know, I'm not I was never a knitwear designer, but I have seen I mean, I've seen Kate Knight's sketches before. And, like, you knitwear designers, it's like a whole different beast creating all those stitches. So I love to sort of, like, think a little bit more about that part of the process. It's very different than, other types of product.
Carolyn [00:36:16]:
It is. Yeah. Yeah. And I had a a call recently where somebody was really just asking me about how to create the jacquard pattern in Illustrator when you're doing those tiny little. And, yeah, I had to really think about it.
Heidi [00:36:36]:
Yeah.
Carolyn [00:36:37]:
Because, you know, you create lots of little patterns within the sketch and repeat them across, so it can be quite complicated. Yeah. Yeah.
Heidi [00:36:47]:
Well, thank you for sharing that. Where is the best place for people to find you and connect with you online?
Carolyn [00:36:54]:
So I'm on LinkedIn, and I can send you the link to that. And, yes, of course, I'm on Upwork as well, and I'm also on Instagram in my, knitwear technical designer persona.
Heidi [00:37:08]:
Okay. Awesome. We have your LinkedIn and your Instagram so we can link to those. But definitely please share The upward profile because I think it would be really valuable for listeners to be able to click through and see what you've got up there and Why it's working so well for you?
Carolyn [00:37:23]:
Yeah. Yeah
Heidi [00:37:24]:
Amazing. Well, congrats on your success. I'm super excited for you and thank you for coming on the show to share your story
Carolyn [00:37:31]:
Thank you so much for your time. Heidi. It's been so fun talking with you