On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about building a multi-faceted knitting business with my guest Safiyyah Talley.
Safiyyah is the creator of the popular blog thedrunkknitter.com. She has a Ravelry store and hosts a podcast. Her design work has been featured in online publications such as The Bobble Club, The Fiber Company, LoveKnitting, and Darn Good Yarn—and in Warm Hands, a book of knitting patterns. Her new book, Knit 1 Socks in 1, will be published by Storey Publishing soon. She teaches knitting classes virtually and at knitting shows including Vogue Knitting Live. Safiyyah lives in Indiana.
This episode is sponsored by Craftsy.
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The Buffalo Check Please? Throw by Safiyyah Talley
We begin this interview with Safiyyah talking about learning to crochet and knit from her grandmothers. Safiyyah describes her childhood love of everything creative from dance to writing to art. She went to school to study both English and fashion design with the intention of becoming a fashion journalist, but quickly realized that this career wasn’t exciting for her.
After becoming disenchanted with the fashion industry, Safiyyah worked in other areas until she had to take some medical leave from work due to miscarriage. It was then that she began knitting again and designed her first pattern. When it was featured by Ravelry, she sold so many patterns that she realized she could create a business in the knitting world.
The Drunken Knitflix and Chill blanket by Safiyyah Talley.
Safiyyah set up a blog, social media accounts, and a podcast all at the same time, applying her skills as a writer, marketer, and fashion designer. She named her site The Drunk Knitter and we talk about her mixed feelings about this choice, but ultimate decision to keep the name. I ask Safiyyah to share her social media strategy for Instagram and TikTok. Her overall approach is to not make things too curated and, instead, to keep things real and authentic.
We discuss Safiyyah’s first podcast, and her newer true crime and knitting show. We also talk about Patreon and her approach to rewarding her patrons with things they really care about (instead of what the experts recommend). We also talk about how she got her book deal and what her book is about.
In this episode we refer to:
Safiyyah’s new book, 2 Socks in 1, will be published by Storey Publishing next month.
And, of course, I ask Safiyyah to recommend great stuff she’s enjoying right now. Safiyyah recommends:
- a round knitting machine
- Modern Daily Knitting Field Guides
- watching knitters on TikTok
Keep up with Safiyyah on her website where you can check out her True Crime & Knit podcast and shop for her patterns.