Submissions for the Spring 09 issue are officially open.

This issue publishes February 2nd – think transitional garments that layer well, warm weather friendly fibers, cardis that can be unbuttoned or unzipped, tops with short sleeves, or sleeveless vests that can be layered over a T or cami.

As always, socks and accessories are a big hit. Think lightweight scarves that pack a great color punch but aren’t overly insulating, and eyelet patterns in socks since they’ll be more decorative and less functional as the weather warms.

Lace, lace, lace - As wedding season approaches, knitters will be looking for cover ups to shelter them from the cool nights, or as a lightweight wrap underneath a spring slicker.

I know you all have a lot of options regarding where to submit and publish. Here are a few facts for you:

1. Traffic to the site has been growing at a strong pace. We again doubled our visits in August, topping off at 130,000 visits for that month.
2. Feedback on the launch site has been very positive. Many readers requested more patterns in general, and more garments in specific. We’ve addressed both of these requests in the winter issue.
3. We’ve expanded our advertising budget and will be in both Ravelry and Knitters’ Review. We’ll also be in an article in Yarn Market News in October.

As always, you are free to submit a proposal any time. I’ve been happy to hear how helpful this has been for designers – they’ve enjoyed knowing beforehand that there’s interest in the pattern. I think every garment in the Winter issue came via a proposal, so don’t be shy to submit one! I can also arrange yarn support – many companies are interested in donating yarn for a design.

BTW, if you’re a new designer feel free to contact me to discuss your ideas – I’d love to hear from you!

The pattern deadline for Spring is December 1st and the issue publishes February 2nd. Feel free to email me with any questions/comments/thoughts at editor AT knotions DOT com.

Thanks for your time!