One year ago, today, I wrote my 12th blog post. One year ago, this past week, I had sent in my application to the CGOA. Part of that application was goals - what were they for 1 year? For 5 years?
What have I accomplished? I have a blog, a website, and an Etsy store. I have a pattern for sale on Ravelry. I have a roomful of yarn and several notebooks with sketches and ideas. I have a box of swatches and the look of total disorganization.
Well, thanks to the patience and guidance of my mentor, I have achieved my 1 year goal in regard to publication. The routine of blogging needs work, as shown by my 86 posts in a single year! With all that has gone on, any semblence of routine has evaporated. The time has come to get serious. Let's see if, in year 2, I can bring crochet from a hobby to a business.
Showing posts with label mentor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mentor. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Father's Day Fisherman's Hat
Almost a year ago, I started this blog. One of my first posts was about crocheting a fisherman's hat for Father's Day. I finished the first hat in September, submitted it with a number of other such patterns for publication with a major yarn company for a proposed booklet. Obviously, that did not pan out.
At the encouragement of my wonderful CGOA mentor, I figured out how to self-publish. And tonight I finally figured out how to post it as a pattern for sale on Ravelry!
This hat has everything that the commercial ones do: places to hang hooks and lures, a wide brim, and neck protection from the sun that can be rolled up and tucked into the hat on overcast days. The tapered design allows it to fit a head circumference of 22" to 24".
The best part is that it works up pretty quickly. If you are interested in ordering a copy of this pattern,
At the encouragement of my wonderful CGOA mentor, I figured out how to self-publish. And tonight I finally figured out how to post it as a pattern for sale on Ravelry!
This hat has everything that the commercial ones do: places to hang hooks and lures, a wide brim, and neck protection from the sun that can be rolled up and tucked into the hat on overcast days. The tapered design allows it to fit a head circumference of 22" to 24".
The best part is that it works up pretty quickly. If you are interested in ordering a copy of this pattern,
Sunday, November 20, 2011
What a Project!
I had an idea for a booklet with about 10 patterns in it. I pitched it to a publisher, who 5 weeks later sent the dreaded "thanks but no thanks" letter. I then sent it to my CGOA mentor, who encouraged me to self publish it.
What a wonderful idea! I thought. I was clueless about the amount of work I was putting on myself for this. I didn't know the first thing about self publishing. This began a great deal of research, which I am still doing.
It turns out that you can sell crochet patterns on Ravelry, Amazon, and Kindle. Apparently there is a market out there for various ebooks. You can also sell on Etsy and your own website. This has opened up an entirely new world for me to explore!
As I have written and sold patterns before, I think I have that part of the process down. It takes time - a LOT of time. I have to jot down pattern notes while I crochet what's in my head. Then, once the item is complete, I have to translate those notes into a readable pattern. Then comes the dreaded photo session. If a good picture is worth a thousand words, then my photos are worth about 3. Usually someone in my family will take pity on me and get a few good shots of the item for me.
Formatting is taking me a little bit of time to learn. As is setting up my own website and Etsy store. The process is slow, but once done, I won't have to do it again. This is keeping me motivated, even when frustrated!
Each of the 10 patterns needs to be completed, not just a sketch. Each pattern needs to be written, each item photographed, introduction text needs to be written, table of contents and cover pages need to be decided upon, online shops need to be set up, formatting needs to be done, and then, once the booklet is finished, it needs to be marketed. Sheesh!
My goal is to have it all done by March 2012. I still have to make time to work on Christmas presents!
What a wonderful idea! I thought. I was clueless about the amount of work I was putting on myself for this. I didn't know the first thing about self publishing. This began a great deal of research, which I am still doing.
It turns out that you can sell crochet patterns on Ravelry, Amazon, and Kindle. Apparently there is a market out there for various ebooks. You can also sell on Etsy and your own website. This has opened up an entirely new world for me to explore!
As I have written and sold patterns before, I think I have that part of the process down. It takes time - a LOT of time. I have to jot down pattern notes while I crochet what's in my head. Then, once the item is complete, I have to translate those notes into a readable pattern. Then comes the dreaded photo session. If a good picture is worth a thousand words, then my photos are worth about 3. Usually someone in my family will take pity on me and get a few good shots of the item for me.
Formatting is taking me a little bit of time to learn. As is setting up my own website and Etsy store. The process is slow, but once done, I won't have to do it again. This is keeping me motivated, even when frustrated!
Each of the 10 patterns needs to be completed, not just a sketch. Each pattern needs to be written, each item photographed, introduction text needs to be written, table of contents and cover pages need to be decided upon, online shops need to be set up, formatting needs to be done, and then, once the booklet is finished, it needs to be marketed. Sheesh!
My goal is to have it all done by March 2012. I still have to make time to work on Christmas presents!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
The Sting Of Rejection
The Yates Farm Yarn Sale Aftermath - Find The Cats If You Can!
Crochet design definitely has it's ups and downs. One of the major downs in the rejection letter. I received 5 of these last month, which naturally caused me to question myself. What was I doing wrong?
Enter one very helpful mentor. Anyone interested in becoming a crochet designer should join the CGOA and apply for a mentor. Without her, I probably would have given up completely. Instead, I am now looking forward to the next batch of submissions.
I emailed my mentor, then, at her suggestion, I mailed the rejections to her. She went through them and identified my weak points. Then she emailed me a sample of what her submissions look like. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this particular case that is very true. One glance at her attachment and everything she had told me over the phone clicked. I got it.
I learned that submissions are a lot like resumes - whoever looks at it should find what they are looking for at a glance. This is something that I have to work on. Due to the encouragement of my mentor, I am now re-energized and have direction.
Competition among crochet designers is fierce due to the limited number of publishers. Thus, there are far more rejections than acceptance letters. I am not alone, and the rejection no way indicates my designs are crap. I simply need to convey my ideas better.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Connecting With A Mentor
This week I have had a few discussions with my new mentor from the CGOA. I think it's fabulous that I was assigned someone who is so different from me - there's so much I can learn!
I wasn't really sure when I signed up exactly what it would be like having a mentor in the field of crochet design, especially considering to qualify for one you need to know so much already. As with anything, however, there is always more to learn!
We have discussed goals, swatching, and submissions. She suggested I visit several web sites I hadn't heard of before to learn more information. I learned more about proposals and what editors are looking for. We discussed size charts, fit, and drape of garments and matching them to the customer base of each publication. She even told me what to expect for compensation!
We made a loose plan of action. It's important for a new designer to get their name out there on line and in publications. We discussed how to self-publish and the importance of great pictures. Now it's up to me to use this information, learn, and act upon it.
I am so happy that I decided to request a mentor! Even though it took a couple of weeks, it was well worth the wait!
I wasn't really sure when I signed up exactly what it would be like having a mentor in the field of crochet design, especially considering to qualify for one you need to know so much already. As with anything, however, there is always more to learn!
We have discussed goals, swatching, and submissions. She suggested I visit several web sites I hadn't heard of before to learn more information. I learned more about proposals and what editors are looking for. We discussed size charts, fit, and drape of garments and matching them to the customer base of each publication. She even told me what to expect for compensation!
We made a loose plan of action. It's important for a new designer to get their name out there on line and in publications. We discussed how to self-publish and the importance of great pictures. Now it's up to me to use this information, learn, and act upon it.
I am so happy that I decided to request a mentor! Even though it took a couple of weeks, it was well worth the wait!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Mentoring
Over the weekend, I received an email requesting more information so I can be matched with a CGOA mentor, as I requested. I believe in mentor programs, as there are many positive outcomes from such relationships.
Think of having a one on one professional relationship with someone in your desired field. Asking questions provides a wealth of information, and direction. You find out about things you didn't even realize you didn't know, thus leading to more questions. This perpetual motion allows growth of both the mentee and mentor.
A mentor is not there to do any work for you - hire a pattern editor or pattern tester to help fix your designs. You are expected to have already done significant research on where you can obtain the tools for your chosen career. For example, many of the crochet magazines have the designer guidelines and editorial calendars on their websites. If you want to be a designer, you are expected to have already found and downloaded this information. You should already have a list of websites you reference for stitch directories and the like.
You might wonder, if I have all that information, what do I need a mentor for? Well, are magazines the only place you can sell your designs? Someone created the free patterns that hang off the shelf by the yarn at the store. Someone had to publish the latest pattern book. Someone wrote that adorable pattern in the binder at the yarn store. A mentor can provide the information you seek to create your own road map to a successful career. They are industry insiders who created their own careers.
Why should anyone want to mentor? Crochet is an art form, and each individual has their own style. This uniqueness benefits the entire industry. Having mentored a teen for a high school course, I can say with certainty that a mentor feels good about what they do and applauds the successes of their mentee.
Mentoring is a wonderful program that challenges both individuals involved in it. A mentee may ask a question the mentor doesn't know the answer for, but knows who to contact to find out. This means that both of them learn something new.
I'm looking forward to being matched with a mentor!
Think of having a one on one professional relationship with someone in your desired field. Asking questions provides a wealth of information, and direction. You find out about things you didn't even realize you didn't know, thus leading to more questions. This perpetual motion allows growth of both the mentee and mentor.
A mentor is not there to do any work for you - hire a pattern editor or pattern tester to help fix your designs. You are expected to have already done significant research on where you can obtain the tools for your chosen career. For example, many of the crochet magazines have the designer guidelines and editorial calendars on their websites. If you want to be a designer, you are expected to have already found and downloaded this information. You should already have a list of websites you reference for stitch directories and the like.
You might wonder, if I have all that information, what do I need a mentor for? Well, are magazines the only place you can sell your designs? Someone created the free patterns that hang off the shelf by the yarn at the store. Someone had to publish the latest pattern book. Someone wrote that adorable pattern in the binder at the yarn store. A mentor can provide the information you seek to create your own road map to a successful career. They are industry insiders who created their own careers.
Why should anyone want to mentor? Crochet is an art form, and each individual has their own style. This uniqueness benefits the entire industry. Having mentored a teen for a high school course, I can say with certainty that a mentor feels good about what they do and applauds the successes of their mentee.
Mentoring is a wonderful program that challenges both individuals involved in it. A mentee may ask a question the mentor doesn't know the answer for, but knows who to contact to find out. This means that both of them learn something new.
I'm looking forward to being matched with a mentor!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)