I was recently asked where I’m heading with my business. I’ve been thinking a lot about that, and I believe I have some early answers! I get hung up in doing what I want because I see so many obstacles that I don’t know how to overcome. Odd coming from someone who gets as idea for a sweater and can see where I’m heading each stitch of the way.
Heading Towards Teaching
My answer was that what I’m really good at is teaching. It is what I like to do and what my intention is whenever I work on a project. I always want to communicate what I’ve done to someone else, so they can do it too! My greatest obstacles to this are finding a venue and discovering who is interested in what I have to teach. Helpful people suggest yarn shops, or knitting conventions, which are possible, but I think I want a different reach. I also don’t want to leave my studio each time I teach. So online seems like the way to go. This needs to be sustainable for me and whenever I have to travel, it consumes time I could be using to teach or to put the materials together to teach.
As you may know, I’m not a big fan of producing work and giving it away free. I don’t think that is a good way to make a living. Ha ha! But I am going to be giving away things to those who join me in classes and workshops, participate in knit alongs, receive my newsletter, and share other adventures in 2017. This is an early heads up.
Heading To Online Q&As/Demos
I have scheduled a Q&A and Demo of Knitted Embellishments on my Facebook Page on Wednesday, 12/14/16 at 3 pm PST. This will allow me to try out some technology, and begin to figure out what is possible. It is free, and if you can’t join me then, will be available on my Facebook page going forward. This Q&A/Demo will allow you to see how I made and sewed the embellishments on the hats (samples below). This is work that anyone can do, and it is the stuff that never gets written in the instructions. I have reached back into my tailoring and sewing roots for some simple methods for doing this. It is free. As is what you get in my newsletter and here on the blog!
Be ready for the Q&A on Facebook by downloading the pattern for the hat (12/01/16). There was a mistake in the charts for the embellishments (12/08/16) so you can get the corrected version here.
Heading Towards the Sweater Adjustments Knit Along
The first 15 knitters who sign up for the Sweater Adjustments Knit Along will get a 50% discount. I am only going to accept 15 knitters for the first offering of the Sweater Adjustments Knit Along and the discount is being offered while I am testing things out. There will likely be some bumps in the road, but that is the price of the discount. I will be adding more information to the page next week. These participants/knitters will be eligible to participate in a guided knit along of their own full-size Pullover later in the spring. Date to be announced. I had planned to offer kits for this, but I decided it was too hard to work out the logistics and not a good use of my time right now.
Heading For the Silk Road
Beginning February 15, the Silk Road Project will launch and I will make the same offer to a limited number of knitters. It is a bigger knitting project, and as befits a Marco Polo journey, there will be more to it, and likely a few bumps. Again, the 50% discount as a beta knitter reflects that this may not be a perfect iteration, but you will receive all the benefits. Another page that I need to be adding more information to, but likely not until the last week of December.
Heading For the Needles
Tomorrow is your opportunity to get some Cashmere Yarn from From the Mountain. In person at Great Yarns in Raleigh, or call. Remember I will give you a copy of my pattern Cornice if you show me a receipt for this yarn made during 2016. They will take emails or Ravelry handles at the store and I’ll get the pattern to you if you buy tomorrow. I called today and put my order in. One skein each color in DK weight! This yarn is super-soft and yummy. I’ll be making Mitch a hat and then we’ll see.
Leave a Reply