My husband, Carl, and I are leaving in a couple of hours on a trip back home to Illinois to spend time with our family for the 4th of July holiday. I generally tend to over pack, so I made a conscious effort this time to travel light. I was doing ok, too, until it came time to pack my yarn and thread…
I tried, I really did. I intended to limit the yarn and fiber to just one bag, but it ended up taking two. Every time I tried to reduce the amount, I thought of “just one more” project I wanted to make or swatch while I was away.
I don’t feel too bad about it, though. The last time I made the trip, I threw in some yarn that I only had a vague notion of using. While I was gone, one of my publishers called and asked me to swatch something for them in that exact yarn brand and colorway. So, I was able to deliver what they wanted quickly which made them happy and ultimately made a sale for me.
Then there was the packing I did for our two dogs, Raven and Rosie, who usually go with us on long trips. Between their food, folding kennels and accessories, I think they have more luggage than I do!
On the drive to Illinois, I’m planning to finish a project I am designing for one of my publishers and which is due shortly. As soon as I have that done, I’ll be working on some free patterns. Be sure to check back to see what I come up with!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Red Heart Zoomy
If you haven’t yet tried Red Heart® Zoomy™, you’re in for a treat. I received a few skeins recently and immediately fell in love with it. It has the look of heather, has a nice sheen and is very soft. I haven’t decided what I’m going to make with it yet, but it would be great for hats, scarves, bags and more. The label states that this yarn should not be dry-cleaned. The manufacturer recommends hand-washing in cold water and drying flat, so you may want to keep your projects reasonably small to make laundering easier.Zoomy is 70% acrylic, 20% wool and 10% nylon. Each skein is 3.5 oz, 83 yds and 100g. The suggested crochet hook size is M/13 with a stitch gauge of 2 ¾ sts = 1 inch. For the knitters among you, size 11 needles will produce a gauge of 11 sts = 4 inches.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Pros & Cons of Designing
Like most other jobs, designing has both positive and negative aspects. Following are some things to consider if you're thinking of entering the world of crochet design.
Learning To Run A Business
If you don't already know how to run a business, you will need to learn. I won't go into it here because there are already a lot of books on the market that can explain the basics. But be aware that you will have to comply with federal, state and local laws. Be sure to check with the appropriate government agencies to see what you need to do to meet the requirements. If you don't know what questions to ask, ask the agencies to tell you what you need to do. A little research now can save you a lot of grief later.
Setting Your Own Schedule
Being your own boss means that you can set your own schedule, taking into consideration your needs and your family's. It is also one of the main reasons I became a designer. As a young mother, I wanted to contribute to the family income while being able to stay at home with my children. There is a lot to be said for being able to arrange your schedule the way that best suits you, but there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it, as well.
Earnings
If you're looking for a get-rich-quick job, this isn't it. What you earn is directly tied to the quality and volume of your work and how your designs fit into the needs of your editors. The more you are in tune with your editors, the more you will publish and the more you will earn. Do your homework and find out what the editors need, then do your best to fulfill them.
Flexibility
One great thing about having a job doing what you love to do is being able to express yourself through your work. However, if you wish to publish consistently, you will need to remain flexible and make compromises with your editors. Remember that they always have the last word in accepting–or rejecting!–your work. While your design may be lovely just as you designed it, the editor has the job of making it fit into his or her publication which generally revolves around a theme. If you are not willing to make the changes your editor asks, you may find that he or she has to move on to another designer. Don’t make the mistake of getting so emotionally attached to your designs that you can’t let go of them in order to do as the editor asks or to move on to the next design.
Erratic Pay Checks
Most likely, you won't be under contract to a publisher so you will be paid by the project rather than drawing a regular pay check.
Publishers in general have different points at which they issue checks. Some pay on acceptance, some on publication and others at certain points during the publication process. Keeping as many projects in submission as possible at any given time will help increase your chances for sales and minimize the gaps between checks.
Deadlines
Meeting your deadlines is one of the single, most important responsibilities you will have as a designer. Your editor will assign a deadline for you and if you don't meet it, you place the editor in an uncomfortable position. He or she must fill the space your design was assigned to, and if you don't meet the deadline, the editor has to make a last-minute scramble to find something to fill the space, which is often difficult to do. It may also make your editor think twice about contacting you to work up further designs.
Balance
Learn to balance your work with a healthy dose of play. It is harder to leave your job at the office when your office happens to be in your home. But, not allowing job responsibilities to overlap into family time will help you to be more relaxed and focused during normal working hours.
Learning To Run A Business
If you don't already know how to run a business, you will need to learn. I won't go into it here because there are already a lot of books on the market that can explain the basics. But be aware that you will have to comply with federal, state and local laws. Be sure to check with the appropriate government agencies to see what you need to do to meet the requirements. If you don't know what questions to ask, ask the agencies to tell you what you need to do. A little research now can save you a lot of grief later.
Setting Your Own Schedule
Being your own boss means that you can set your own schedule, taking into consideration your needs and your family's. It is also one of the main reasons I became a designer. As a young mother, I wanted to contribute to the family income while being able to stay at home with my children. There is a lot to be said for being able to arrange your schedule the way that best suits you, but there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it, as well.
Earnings
If you're looking for a get-rich-quick job, this isn't it. What you earn is directly tied to the quality and volume of your work and how your designs fit into the needs of your editors. The more you are in tune with your editors, the more you will publish and the more you will earn. Do your homework and find out what the editors need, then do your best to fulfill them.
Flexibility
One great thing about having a job doing what you love to do is being able to express yourself through your work. However, if you wish to publish consistently, you will need to remain flexible and make compromises with your editors. Remember that they always have the last word in accepting–or rejecting!–your work. While your design may be lovely just as you designed it, the editor has the job of making it fit into his or her publication which generally revolves around a theme. If you are not willing to make the changes your editor asks, you may find that he or she has to move on to another designer. Don’t make the mistake of getting so emotionally attached to your designs that you can’t let go of them in order to do as the editor asks or to move on to the next design.
Erratic Pay Checks
Most likely, you won't be under contract to a publisher so you will be paid by the project rather than drawing a regular pay check.
Publishers in general have different points at which they issue checks. Some pay on acceptance, some on publication and others at certain points during the publication process. Keeping as many projects in submission as possible at any given time will help increase your chances for sales and minimize the gaps between checks.
Deadlines
Meeting your deadlines is one of the single, most important responsibilities you will have as a designer. Your editor will assign a deadline for you and if you don't meet it, you place the editor in an uncomfortable position. He or she must fill the space your design was assigned to, and if you don't meet the deadline, the editor has to make a last-minute scramble to find something to fill the space, which is often difficult to do. It may also make your editor think twice about contacting you to work up further designs.
Balance
Learn to balance your work with a healthy dose of play. It is harder to leave your job at the office when your office happens to be in your home. But, not allowing job responsibilities to overlap into family time will help you to be more relaxed and focused during normal working hours.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The First Steps: Getting Started in Crochet Design
People often ask me how I got started in the design business. Although it seems simple to me now, I was overwhelmed at the process in the beginning. There was little information available then, so I began studying the publications I wanted to design for hoping it would give me some insight into how I should proceed.
Today, this is still where I recommend that you start. Every designer's path to success is a little different, but if you have a talent for designing, are able to write clear instructions and have a good understanding of the publication you want to write for, you are well-equipped to begin the submission process.
Target the publication(s) you want to design for. Then, request an editorial calendar and designer guidelines. Study them thoroughly, and be sure to follow the instructions carefully when submitting your designs. Sometimes you can find editorial calendars and/or designer guidelines on the publisher's Web site. If not, ask that they be sent to you. You can usually find the contact information on the Web site or in the publication.
Obtain issues of the target publication. Study the writing style, and do your best to use the same terms and writing style in your own instructions. Also, pay attention to what types of designs the publication contains. Although it's fruitless to submit duplicates, or even near-duplicates, of projects the publication has already printed, get a feel for the type of designs the editor is looking for. Then, come up with your own unique design that fits into the general theme of that publication.
Never submit the same design to more than one editor at a time. Although this is allowed in some writing fields, most crochet editors I know will reject a design if they know that it is in submission to another editor, even if both editors work for the same company. While this may seem harsh, it’s crucial that the editor is able to depend on the availability of a design once it has been selected.
I’ll cover more in future blog entries, but this will give you a place to start.
Today, this is still where I recommend that you start. Every designer's path to success is a little different, but if you have a talent for designing, are able to write clear instructions and have a good understanding of the publication you want to write for, you are well-equipped to begin the submission process.
Target the publication(s) you want to design for. Then, request an editorial calendar and designer guidelines. Study them thoroughly, and be sure to follow the instructions carefully when submitting your designs. Sometimes you can find editorial calendars and/or designer guidelines on the publisher's Web site. If not, ask that they be sent to you. You can usually find the contact information on the Web site or in the publication.
Obtain issues of the target publication. Study the writing style, and do your best to use the same terms and writing style in your own instructions. Also, pay attention to what types of designs the publication contains. Although it's fruitless to submit duplicates, or even near-duplicates, of projects the publication has already printed, get a feel for the type of designs the editor is looking for. Then, come up with your own unique design that fits into the general theme of that publication.
Never submit the same design to more than one editor at a time. Although this is allowed in some writing fields, most crochet editors I know will reject a design if they know that it is in submission to another editor, even if both editors work for the same company. While this may seem harsh, it’s crucial that the editor is able to depend on the availability of a design once it has been selected.
I’ll cover more in future blog entries, but this will give you a place to start.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Flowers From My Yard
I couldn't resist showing you the photos I took yesterday of some of the flowers in my yard.
I have three pink climbing rose bushes in my back yard that are a huge mass of color when in bloom which is generally the first week in June. They cover the back wall of a small building on the north side of my yard which was once used as a summer kitchen. The building is very small, but big enough to use for my craft studio. Because of the profusion of roses that grace the exterior of the building, I've dubbed it "Rose Cottage."
The yellow flower is from the tulip tree, also known as a yellow poplar, that grows just outside my back door. Until I moved to Indiana almost 6 years ago, I'd never seen this type of tulip tree. I'm originally from northwestern Illinois, and they do not grow there. We had a storm last night so my patio now has a carpet of yellow and orange petals, but the tree is still full of blooms.
I have three pink climbing rose bushes in my back yard that are a huge mass of color when in bloom which is generally the first week in June. They cover the back wall of a small building on the north side of my yard which was once used as a summer kitchen. The building is very small, but big enough to use for my craft studio. Because of the profusion of roses that grace the exterior of the building, I've dubbed it "Rose Cottage."
The yellow flower is from the tulip tree, also known as a yellow poplar, that grows just outside my back door. Until I moved to Indiana almost 6 years ago, I'd never seen this type of tulip tree. I'm originally from northwestern Illinois, and they do not grow there. We had a storm last night so my patio now has a carpet of yellow and orange petals, but the tree is still full of blooms.
Monday, June 2, 2008
A Career in Crochet Design: Is It For You?
If you love to crochet and you’re looking for a job that will allow you to work from home, becoming a crochet designer may be the answer you are looking for—or is it?
There are a variety of things that you’ll need to consider. As an experienced crochet designer and editor with more than 20 years of continuous involvement in the craft publishing industry, I’d like to share with you how the process works.
For that purpose, I am launching a series of short articles outlining my experience in the industry. As in any job, there are pros and cons to weigh, rules to follow, and a lot of hard work. But understand this—if you are dedicated to earning the title of crochet designer and willing to do what is required of you to get there, you, too, can attain success!
There are a variety of things that you’ll need to consider. As an experienced crochet designer and editor with more than 20 years of continuous involvement in the craft publishing industry, I’d like to share with you how the process works.
For that purpose, I am launching a series of short articles outlining my experience in the industry. As in any job, there are pros and cons to weigh, rules to follow, and a lot of hard work. But understand this—if you are dedicated to earning the title of crochet designer and willing to do what is required of you to get there, you, too, can attain success!
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