A Request for my Readers

If you enjoy reading my blog, I'd like you all to know I'm looking for teaching opportunities. If you are attending knitting events, retreats or classes at your local guild and shops please be sure to let the organizers know if you would like to see me at those events. If anyone would like to see a copy of my current class list please email at robinknits(at)gmail(dot)com or you can PM me here on Ravelry.

Thanks

Robin

I think I've made it as a blogger!

I must have crossed an invisible Internet traffic threshold because suddenly I'm getting hit up by all sorts of companies. Some want to put ads on my blog. Some want me to try their products and write about it on my blog. Others are offering me coupon discounts to try their products and asking me to endorse the products if I like them. Still others want me to write for their web sites. I'd love to make some income from my blog as I do spend a lot of time prepping and writing posts but so far none of these offers have been a good fit for me. 

Oddly, the one thing I would like to do is review knitting books because I have very definite ideas about what I like in books. Yet to date, almost no one has sent me a review copy other than two e-books from Cooperative Press. The first I reviewed here and the second is Kate Atherley's book. I  recently interviewed her about the publishing process here.

Reaching our Goals

A year ago I set a goal for myself that I was struggling with. I couldn't understand why my efforts weren't being rewarded. I decided I needed to step back, analyze everything I was doing and rethink the process. I started listening to some friends who had the same or similar challenges and I noticed that sometimes they were fooling themselves about why they weren't being successful. They thought that they could somehow cheat the process, of whatever their goal was. I thought about using their excuses/reasons as target areas for me to focus on and fix in my own process. I listened really carefully and made some new rules for myself. They are:

Focus on the goal not the difficulty of getting there.

Find expert help.

Believe in the experts plan. 

Suck it up and do what the experts tells you to do even if you don't want to.

Measure what you want to manage. 

Pick one goal to focus on at a time.

Results occur in direct proportion to efforts but not always on the schedule that you want. Be patient.

Recognize that there are many things in life that you won't like doing but you should do them anyway.

I'm not special, what works for others will work for me.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Don't be to easy on yourself.

Have I missed any good ones that you use? Please feel free to add them in the comments.

A Knitters Concept of Time

Have you noticed that knitters have a different concept of time?  We are typically more patient when waiting for appointments or while traveling from place to place, (as long as we have our knitting with us).

Almost always, the first question from a non knitter is, how long did it take? I think that the longer one knits the less we consider the time component involved in every project. The only exception is when the project has a defined time line like a date for gifting or a publication deadline. Then we go into total denial about how long it will take to knit a given item.

I suspect knitters as compared to the rest of the population, have a better grasp on the concept that tiny actions add up to massive results.They squeeze small amounts of knitting into the little free moments of unoccupied time in their lives and end up with something fantastic!

However the paradox I've just discovered in my theory of a knitters concept of time, turned up when I started an updated list of my stash and suddenly I'm feeling so much yarn...so little time.

An Interview with...Vera Sanon

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knit-oak-leaves-shawl

Once a week I post interviews with interesting designers about their insights on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed that every designer makes their living in a slightly different manner bringing their own unique presence to the Knitting world. The second link below is to a site that supports a micro-business project that serves the poorest women in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It is a project that Vera and a partner are hoping to grow. Currently, she is designing patterns for Cascade Yarns as well as her independent designs.

You can find Vera here and here.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find my inspiration from several different sources. I have a son who is a high fashion model who works in New York, Paris, Milan and South Africa. He tends to let me know fun fashion trends within the industry. My Amanda’s Wrap is a result of my conversations with my son, rectangular wraps and ponchos are really hot for Fall 2012.

Sometimes, I see a lace pattern or come across a technique such as the Estonian Braid (lateral braid) and I create a design around the lace or technique. My Bower Cardigan, (picture below) in Knitscene Summer 2012, is designed around a lace stitch and My Ricky for All Seasons (picture below) incorporates the Estonian Braid that I fell in love with.

Other times, I look around the high fashion boutiques or just people watch in Hollywood, where I live. My Favorite Hollywood Vest is an example of my fashion watching in Hollywood.

Also, I look through many fashion magazines from all over the world to keep an eye on trends. My Very Pretty Lace Beret is a result of the current beret fashion trend.

What is your favourite knitting technique?

I love garments that are constructed from the top-down. I love this technique because the garment can be tried on while it is being knitted and the knitter can make adjustments on-the-go to make a really nice fitting garment.

How did you determine your size range?

I am 6 feet (182 cm) tall and have never been petite. Personally, I wear a size 16/18 or XL. Even as a teenager, knitting, I always had to custom fit my knits since most patterns that I liked were too small for my built. Thus, when I design patterns, I try to design from sizes XS or S up to 4XL or 3XL. I want my knit patterns to fit a variety of sizes. 

Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?

I not only look at other designers’ work, when I just want to knit without having to crunch numbers, etc. I also knit their patterns. Most recently, I knit something from Amy Gunderson, Sarah Wilson (the Sexy Knitter), Stephen West or Jane Richmond because I like their designs.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?

I learned to knit 40 years ago from my great-grandmother in Germany. In Europe, patterns just give you the minimal amount of information with the assumption that a knitter will know “the rest”. I had the support of my great-grandmother and my mother (who owned a yarn store in Germany) to figure out these skeletal patterns. Other knitters are not so lucky to have that support.

I am a teacher by trade and thus, I love to teach others. In my patterns, I try to teach a techniques or I try to be as detailed in my explanations as possible so that inexperienced knitters can follow along. I also provide a lot of email support to anybody who needs assistance in knitting my patterns.

In my opinion, that is not “dumbing down” a pattern that is giving support to get another knitter to make a pattern that she/he would otherwise not be able to knit.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bower-cardigan

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?

I knit all of my samples myself. However, I have an awesome crew of test knitters who live all over the globe, Australia, Thailand, UK, Austria, Germany, Canada, Poland, Russia, aside from the U.S. All together, I have about 16 – 20 regular test knitters.

Did you do a formal business plan?

I do not have a formal business plan, though I try to publish about four patterns per month.

Do you have a mentor?

I have ongoing conversations with other designers. We support and encourage each other, which is something that I really appreciate. Also, I consider the knitters who make my patterns and who contact me, telling me that they love my designs, etc. to be my mentors. I have a group on Ravelry and the encouragement and mentorship from the knitters in my group is incredible. 

Do you have a business model that you have emulated?

Another designer once mentioned in an interview that residual income from his many patterns is what he strives for. With the Internet, this is very much possible to build a business based on the ongoing pattern sales.

What impact has the Internet had on your business?

I have a design business because of the Internet, or rather because of Ravelry! Personally, I prefer to independently publish patterns and that would be very difficult without the Internet.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ricky-for-all-seasons

Do you use a Tech Editor?

If the pattern is complicated, I will use a tech editor. If a pattern is published through a magazine, the magazine employs a tech editor.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?

Knitting is my passion! Thus, knitting and designing is not work to me, it is relaxing and fun. My husband is super supportive of my knitting and designing and is probably my biggest fan. My children also know how to knit and to crochet. My youngest two – who are five and six – loom knit. My son and daughter who are 10 and 14, are avid knitters. My daughter who plays college basketball crochets whenever she has a chance. My son who is the fashion model knits as well… So we are a knitting and crocheting family.

Also, in addition to designing, I am the founder and executive director of “Fanm pou Fanm” (Women for Women). We teach crochet to women in Haiti who use crochet to set up small businesses. We also supply the yarn and sell crochet items, such as market bags, in the U.S. and Germany. 100% of the profit goes back to the women. My family and I lived in Haiti and survived the earthquake and resettled in the U.S. but many others did not have that opportunity. So, I am assisting other women in making a living through yarn.

As you can see knitting and crocheting is my life.

How do you deal with criticism?

I try to be receptive to constructive criticism because I can learn from that type of feedback. But, at the same time, each of my designs is like “my baby” and like any mother, we get our feelings hurt if our babies are criticized.

How long did it take for you to be able to support yourself?

Designing is still my part-time business.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alicia-summer-top

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?

Pursue your dream and treat it like a business.

Are You a Critic or a Cynic

In my path to becoming a professional I've valued the constructive criticism of others. At times I've found it's difficult to get that feedback because people are afraid of hurting my feelings but it's essential so that I can continue to improve. I've realized that there is a big difference between being critical and cynical. Sometimes that has explained why my response has been different based on the source from which it came. One tech editor who helped me to make many improvements to my patterns commented on how well I accepted the information and that she had been worried about sharing her point of view.

"Criticism is doubt informed by curiosity and a deep knowledge of a discipline related to your work. By contrast, cynicism is a form of doubt resulting from ignorance and antiquated ways."

Scott Belsky

His quote comes from a great article here on who we should listen to when we hear criticism.

Dictionary definitions say that "a cynic is a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view." and a critic "is a person who judges, evaluates, or analyzes literary or artistic works, dramatic or musical performances, or the like,especially for a newspaper or magazine."

What do you think, have you been aware of the difference or have you responded the same way to all negative comments? 

What Kind of Knitter are You?

Free pattern here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tuch-shawl-filigrano

Mary Lou recently said in the comments to one of my posts "Really, what we wear most is simple. What we want to knit is not."

That comment got me thinking about how many of us choose our knitting projects for their challenge. The knitter wants to have an item that is clearly hand crafted by a maker with a skill set that makes the item special. I've also been aware of other knitters who choose projects that look similar to knitted items that are available in retail stores. I know I fall into the first group because my usual reaction to someone asking for a pattern that is like a retail item is, "why when you could make something unique"?

However, I do think that as in all things, balance is the answer. We either need to balance the challenge by choosing a garment project that we can wear and enjoy or perhaps we need to plan the project so that it can be worn with the simplest of our clothing and it can become the star of the outfit. 

So...what kind of knitter are you? Do you want the challenge, do you want a garment you can wear or do you want both? Knowing the answer to this question can only make you happier with whatever choice you make.