I've been given permission to teach my not-your-common-or-garden knitting class, and once I've saved up enough money I'm hoping to apply for a TM for the title of the class.  I'm also gathering patterns that I've come up with myself in the hopes of some publisher liking my TM'd title and thinking that a book would sell well.  Knitting has become very popular and I'd LOVE to be able to capitalize on that.

I've searched the TM/SM database and there isn't any TM in existence for the name I want to use.  From the research I've done thus far, it appears that I can use the TM symbol to protect my idea even before I've been granted a trademark - all I need to do is have a current application on file.

I'm still afraid to use it, though.  I don't want anyone else to come along and steal it.

I guess the next step would be to start a blog/website under that name, post a couple of free patterns on it and then apply to get on some knitting webrings so I can get some publicity.  If I can get some traffic and people like what I make, I can start charging for patterns (either in a downloadable form or via snail mail).

Wow.  This is all very daunting and I may just be talking a lot of smack - I may never get around to actually doing any of this.  However, if I can keep the motivation I have now...well, the possibilities are endless.