Hey Freelance Textile Designer! You Can Charge HIGH Rates!

Are you tired of the rat race and longing for more control over your schedule? In this inspiring episode, textile designer Masha Khoruzhik shares her journey as a freelancer and how it transformed her life for the better.
Masha's freelance career has brought her more than just financial success - it has allowed her to prioritize her mental and physical health, earn more money working fewer hours, and collaborate with renowned brands like Anthropologie. From setting boundaries with her clients to realizing the power of raising her rates, Masha's story is a testament to the freedom and fulfillment that comes with freelancing. Join us as she dives into the challenges she's faced, the surprising transformations in her life, and how taking control of your schedule can lead to a happier, more fulfilling career. Get ready to be inspired and reconsider the endless possibilities of freelance work!
Chapters:
[00:00] Inspiring Freelance Success Story
[07:00] Jumpstarting a Freelance Career
[09:00] Negotiating Rates and Building Confidence
[20:00] Embracing Flexibility and Prioritizing Mental Health
[31:30] Journey to Friday's Off
[35:00] Overcoming Challenges of Requests for Copying Work and Setting Boundaries
[41:00] Embracing Growth: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Expanding Your Horizons
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Sick of being tied to a desk and want more freedom in your day, snag my free training: How to Freelance in Fashion (even if you're terrified you don't have all the answers) 👉 sewheidi.com/freelance If you are - or want to be - a freelance fashion designer, my free resources will help you get there. (It doesn’t matter how much experience you have or where you live.)
CHECK ‘EM! 👇
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[@Didi-m9b]

Thank you for this wonderful interview! for me being a freelancer as a graphic designer and pattern maker was not a good experience, I was exhausted from the clients, endless mails and phones all day and evening, my head was always thinking about work even when i did other things, I did not enjoyed being constantly stressed out by impossible dead lines ect. I was surprised thou that the wage was so low, from where I am from we charge at least 100$ for a print even if you are a beginner and same for a tech pack so if you both it is worthwhile, still we have to pay VAT in advance for a few months in advance before you know how much you will earn (they will reimburse you at the end of the year) for the estimated earnings 17% and around 30% per month taxes in addition, so it takes a few months to balance that. I was actually happy not being around people (a lot of crazies in the fashion industry as you know) usually the ones that are in managing positions, but everyone is different, wishing you the best both!

[@SewHeidi]

Thanks for your feedback! It sounds like you didn't have great clients if that was your experience 😅, and some firm boundaries could have helped! Everything you mention are problems that can be solved. And Masha is charging $75/hour, not per *print*. Considering one print can take many hours, she is earning multiple hundreds per.

[@Rose-vl9qe]

Hey Heidi! I am interested in become a CAD/textile designer in the fashion industry and was wondering what you would recommend majoring in? I am thinking either industrial design or fashion merchandising but am not sure

[@SewHeidi]

Congrats Rose, that's exciting! Honestly, the major will vary depending on your school. To do CAD/textiles, that is going to be more of a "fashion graphic designer" and "print designer." It will not be industrial or merchandising. Once you've found some school options, I would talk to counselors, learn about the different degrees, look through the required course curriculums, and that can help you decide.

[@iqrasultan8476]

Hello Sew Haidi.. I m Iqra Sultan, from Pakistan.. Actually I m also a textile designer and recently I jumped into freelancing in start I have clients but now I don't have a client for work or in Pakistan they don't offer high rates.. Can you help in this..

[@floorfruits4987]

The part when Masha mentions when clients expect you to copy artwork directly is of worrying, and I hope that doest happen too much to freelancers.
What also springs to mind is when a client asks you to alter an existing design from another designer and it's hard to tell if they even own the correct licence to alter the artwork.
I also often see Upwork clients attach 'inspiration' but you don't know how much they expect you to use the image as inspiration or outright copy the design. It's a seems very vague territory esp with the 30% rule and hard to navigate.
What are your thoughts on this Heidi? Is it just a case of drawing a boundary, saying no and turning down this type of work and only accepting jobs that require you to create original designs ? i wouldn't want to be making money from someone elses hard work .

[@SewHeidi]

It’s such a blurry grey area, and I think you have to ask the right questions and go with your gut. Inspo can come from anywhere, and you as the designer have to manage how it gets interpreted and executed. If the brand is pushing too much for a copy, it is your choice to help educate them and maybe walk away.