Site-Wide Activity

I know you said you don't want to get a job outside the home, but what if you found a part-time job, just for a little while, to help take off some of the financial pressure? If you go into it knowing that it's not forever but just to make ends meet for now while you figure out your next step, that might help you feel like you have a little more…[Read more]

With SewKnitCreate, I think that your name would allow you to go in any creative way you wanted to, including designing, and people would understand what you do. I would think that your current audience is also your target market. I don't know that I would change it unless you are wanting to go in a totally different direction. Just my thoughts.

I really like the Brownrockotherside! I think it fits your esthetic really well and the other backgrounds may be good for other stone and metal colors. I think you have several winners there!

Did you want to do something fiber related or a totally different field? What else do you know well and could do? I've not had blocks like that but when I'm having a block I write down everything in my head, everything… how I feel (I even use the thesaurus to find the right word for how I feel). Things I want and need to do (even stuff like…[Read more]

Thanks, Karen. I know that it's exciting to be able to explore new ideas, but I really do feel like I need to start bringing in some income or I'll have to get a job outside of the home. It's something I'm trying to avoid. As for putting pressure on myself, you're right. But there is a time urgency to get back in the game. That might be…[Read more]

Thanks. I'll try that. It can't hurt, right? 🙂

I've been wondering about this, too. Initially, after looking into the testing groups on Ravelry, I thought the Free Pattern Testers group was far too strict, but after bad experiences with a test knit elsewhere (which wouldn't have been suitable for that group anyway) I've now re-read the rules, gone through posts in detail, and concluded that…[Read more]

I always have everything test knit. My goal for test knitters is less about having them catch errors and more about making sure instructions are understandable for different people across different skill levels and about having some projects already posted on Ravelry before I release a pattern (as people are more likely to buy a pattern if they…[Read more]

I haven't experienced anything quite at the level that you describe, but it sounds like maybe you're putting a bit of pressure on yourself. Instead of looking for something creative that you enjoy, you said that you're looking for your next new creative business. Maybe you need to separate the two things and just give yourself time to explore new…[Read more]

This has happened to me a couple of times.
What worked:
1) Setting off a specific time (an hour a day, or something like that) to work on any project connected to the specific field of creativity you want to work in (to me that is knitting and crochet, I don't know what your new field is).
2) Spending that time working on something but with NO…[Read more]

All of my patterns are tested and tech edited. I typically have 12 test knitters per pattern (3 for each size).

I started out in the Ravelry testing groups and accumulated a list of reliable test knitters. Now I run tests through my Ravelry group. I typically have 3 tests in progress at a time. I now have a list of about 100 testers who I…[Read more]

I also like the brownrockotherside- enough contrast for both materials. For my jewelry, I always use a flat white background photographed from an angle. But that's because a straight-down shot (on any material) makes the translucent glass look wrong and grey b/c I can see the shadow of the glass *through* the glass – not an issue if you're using…[Read more]

Ack, I edited my check in and it appears to have disappeared. Apologies if this posts twice.

Going well: People have pre-ordered my new book! I'm about 3/4 of the way through the number of copies I need to sell to break even on the project. I felt like I did a pretty good job on Instagram of promoting the book (and I got several sales to new…[Read more]

Thank you, Sloane! It was so nice to work with Sarah on tech editing and copy editing. 🙂

And I'm glad my experience was helpful. I'm happy to chat more about it if you have any other questions. Feel free to send me an email if you'd like (karen@roundtableyarns.com).

Going well: People have pre-ordered my new book! I'm about 3/4 of the way through the number of copies I need to sell to break even on the project. I felt like I did a pretty good job on Instagram of promoting the book (and I got several sales to new people that came directly from Instagram, so that was really exciting!), and my mailing list was…[Read more]

Going well: People have pre-ordered my new book! I'm about 3/4 of the way through the number of copies I need to sell to break even on the project. I felt like I did a pretty good job on Instagram of promoting the book (and I got several sales to new people that came directly from Instagram, so that was really exciting!), and my mailing list was…[Read more]

Thanks so much, Karen! This was super helpful. As an aside, I saw your beautiful book on Sarah Walworth's instagram feed — I'm glad to hear it's going well!