How I Fell In Love With Tech Editing

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My journey to technical editing was a very natural journey.  I started knitting in 2005.  I come from a long line of makers, but my Mom is a jack of all trades.  She paints, she sews, she quilts, she crochets, she knits... I've never seen her pick up a craft she couldn't handle.  For me, knitting was the most intuitive.  I would not, however, call my knitting intuitive.  Every pattern design I have ever written has been heavily based on pages full of math.  For me, math and knitting are irreversibly tied.  I honed those skills writing knitting patterns for commissions, teaching knitting, and knitting fun things for my friends and family.  While I refined my knitting techniques I was busy going to school.  I was a literature major, which gave me a strong background in composition, and I graduated with my doctorate in pharmacy, which has given me a solid background in math.
In 2017 I decided it was time to finally start writing patterns and publishing them, but I wanted more education on how to write a pattern well.  I decided to enroll in Joeli's Technical Editing course.  Not only did I learn to write a style guide and perfect my pattern writing, but I also fell in love with technical editing.  So here I am!
#Thedayjob I post about on my Instagram is as a clinical hospital pharmacist.  I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I love to knit, sew, garden, travel, and hike.  I can't do it alone though.  My constant companion through all my adventures is my incredibly brilliant, and absolutely insane russell terrier,  Zuzu.  I haven't blogged in a very long time so my goal is for this to be the first post of many.  I hope you'll join me on this journey!

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Reviews

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"Heather has won a client for life in me. She took on my first garment pattern, with a full nine sizes, and was endlessly patient answering my endless questions. What I appreciated in particular is her willingness to walk me through any changes, explaining why she was making the change and how it would result in a better end product, accessible to a wider range of knitters. I deeply appreciate her ability to catch every tiny detail -- and her sense of humour! I came away a better designer as a result of working with Heather, and cannot recommend her highly enough to other knitwear designers." - Harper, Disyarning Designs "Heather is a fantastic tech editor to work with. Her grading and editing is excellent, and she communicates clearly through the whole process. Never once have I felt dumb asking her questions or double checking work, which is a must for an anxious designer like me! I'm so glad to have found an editor who puts me at ease, is logical about her work, a...
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