FOR LOVE OR MONEY..............
- Fran B
- Jun 3, 2021
- 2 min read
I know you’re thinking what is this post going to be about? Is Fran in love and he’s got big bucks. Is she in love and he doesn’t have any money? Well that isn’t what I’m going to share today. I’m going to share something that some of you have dealt with and may have come to grips with. I’m still struggle with this issue and maybe in the comment section you can share your thoughts, opinions or solutions.
I love knitting. The feel of the yarn, the rhythm of the stitches and the beauty of the finished project. It all gives me peace and joy. If I’m dealing with a stressful situation or other emotions I find that knitting can bring comfort and peace. I post pictures of my finished work on social media, wear it or give it away. The question that always come up when people see my work is how much do you charge for that item? Do you knit for people? My immediate response is NO, but I always have a mental battle about that response.
I had an experience a few years ago when I accepted a request from someone to knit a shawl as a birthday gift for their 90-year-old aunt. I immediately felt the pressure of meeting a deadline. I was half way through the project when I fell and broke my wrist. I had to finish. I felt the pressure and finished it even though I was in a cast. Of course, someone at the party saw the shawl and contacted me about making another one. I said yes. The pressure was real. I had a deadline. This was taking the joy out of my knitting.
I had to really think about selling my work. If you read my About Me section, you know I’m also a quilter. In the past I’ve made dozens of quilts and wall-hangings and sold them all. I enjoyed the work and felt no pressure. What was the difference? The difference was I made the majority of the quilts and the buyers came along after. There was no pressure and no deadline.
I like knitting for the love and joy it brings me. I also get great joy and satisfaction when I give my work away and see people wearing it. I don’t want to lose that feeling. The thought of possibly making money for my work is interesting. Is there a way to do both? Knit for the love of it without the pressure of a deadline and get paid. An easy solution is to set reasonable deadlines and not put pressure on myself. I’m still thinking about it. How do you balance the love of your craft and getting paid for it without the pressure of deadlines? Share how you’re making this work. Let’s start the conversation.
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