How to Schedule a Month of Pinterest Pins in One Session
My Pinterest Workflow: From Pattern Design to Scheduled Pins in One Batch Session
Last week I walked you through how to create Pinterest pins quickly using my free pin generator tool. This week I want to take you behind the scenes on what happens next, because creating the graphics is only half the process. The part that actually makes Pinterest work consistently is what you do with those graphics once you have them.
This is the workflow I actually use. It's not complicated, but it's batched, which is what makes it sustainable.
Why batching your Pinterest workflow changes everything
When I first started pinning consistently, I made the same mistake most designers make: I tried to do it all in real time. Design a pattern, make a pin, upload it, write the description, schedule it, then move on. Every. Single. Time.
It works, sort of. But it's slow, and it means Pinterest is always this small guilty item sitting on your to-do list. Something you should be doing but keep pushing to tomorrow.
The shift that actually made Pinterest manageable for me was separating the tasks into two distinct sessions:
Session 1: Make the graphics (when the pattern is fresh and ready)
Session 2: Batch schedule everything once a month or so
Those two things do not have to happen on the same day. In fact, I'd argue they probably shouldn't
Step 1: Create the design, then go straight into your tools
Once a pattern or collection is finished, that's my trigger to open my two tools, and I do them back to back while everything is fresh.
The Magic Mockup Maker is where I start. I upload my tile and within minutes I have a set of styled mockups, I link mine specifically to Spoonflower, so the mockups show the design in a fabric or wallpaper context that makes sense for my audience. These aren't just pretty images. They help a brand visualise the design on a product, which is exactly what you want when Pinterest is bringing customers to your store.
(If you haven't seen the Magic Mockup Maker yet, I have a short video below that shows exactly how it works. It's genuinely quick.)
Then I head to the Pin Generator (the free one from last week's blog, you can read that here). This is where I create my actual Pinterest pin graphics. I do multiple colourways in one go, so if a design comes in three colourways, I'm generating three pins in the same session. More variety for the scheduler, less time per pin.
Between the mockups and the pin graphics, I can walk away from a finished design with a full set of ready-to-schedule content. All from the pattern tile.
Step 2: Save everything in one place
Before I close anything, I download all the graphics and drop them into a single folder, I label it by month so it's easy to find when I come back to schedule. This small habit saves so much friction later. When it's time to schedule, you want to be uploading, not hunting through downloads.
Step 3: One scheduling day per month
This is the part that keeps the whole thing sustainable.
I pick one day a month, it doesn't have to be a full day, even a couple of focused hours works, and I go into my Pinterest scheduler with everything queued up and ready.
Each pin gets:
A keyword-rich title (think: what would a brand or art director or customer actually type into Pinterest?)
A description that names the style, the mood, and the potential product use
A link back to my Spoonflower page, portfolio, or a relevant blog post
A schedule date spread out across the following month
By the end of that session, Pinterest is handled for the month. Done. I don't have to think about it again until next month's scheduling day rolls around.
If you're not sure what to write in your titles and descriptions, I have a free Pinterest guide that walks through exactly how to approach this, grab it below.
Download the free Pinterest guide
Why this system works (even when you're time-poor)
The reason I love this workflow is because it respects the way creative work actually happens. You don't finish a pattern and then want to sit down and write pin descriptions. You want to move on to the next creative thing.
So I don't make myself do it. I separate the creative output (making the graphics, which happens naturally right after the design is done) from the admin (scheduling, which happens in a focused batch once a month).
Neither task is overwhelming on its own. Together, they build a consistent Pinterest presence without consuming your creative energy.
What to pin if you're looking for ideas right now
If you've been creating designs for challenges, those are excellent for Pinterest. They're trend-relevant, they show range, and multiple colourways give you multiple pins from a single design concept.
Some I'm currently working through:
Erin Kendal's Blender Bonanza — I'm officially still only halfway through, even though the challenge has technically finished. Anyone else? I'm determined to get there.
The CSC Floral Challenge — this one kicks off today and I'm looking forward to it. Florals are perennially popular on Pinterest and always worth pinning.
Challenge designs belong on your Pinterest boards. Don't let them sit in a folder.
Coming soon: the Pro Pin Generator
A quick heads up that I'm working on updating both the Pinterest course and the Magic Mockup Maker, and a Pro version of the Pin Generator is coming as part of that. More on that soon, but if you're already using the free version, you're in good shape in the meantime.
The short version TLDR
Design your pattern → use the Magic Mockup Maker for mockups → use the Pin Generator for your pin graphics → save to a monthly folder → batch schedule everything once a month.
That's it. Pinterest doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. It just has to be consistent.
Want to go further with Pinterest? Check out the Pinterest Workshop, it covers the full strategy behind how I use Pinterest to attract licensing enquiries directly to my inbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I batch Pinterest pins as a surface pattern designer? Create all your pin graphics in one session as soon as a pattern is finished, then set aside one day a month to schedule everything at once. Use a tool like the free Pin Generator to format your designs into Pinterest-ready graphics quickly, save them to a monthly folder, then upload, write descriptions, and schedule them out over the next four to six weeks in a single sitting.
How do I turn a pattern tile into a Pinterest pin? Upload your tile to a pin formatting tool like the free Pin Generator, which automatically sizes your design to Pinterest's recommended 1000 x 1500px format. You can upload multiple colourways at once and download all your graphics in bulk, no Canva or manual resizing needed.
How do I create Pinterest mockups for surface pattern designs? Use a mockup tool like the Magic Mockup Maker to upload your pattern tile and generate styled product images showing your design in context. Linking your mockups to a shop page like Spoonflower gives every pin a destination, which helps Pinterest understand what your content is about and gives brands somewhere to go when they find your work.
