Saturday, July 18, 2009

Taking Stock, again.

In an online group we have 'Taking Stock Wednesdays'. I think this is sort of a taking stock Saturday for me.

1st: Woot! the pattern is now live at Patternfish! Kiva at Patternfish.
They now have the bits in place that let their designers upload all their own stuff, so all we need it Julia's ok clicky. :-}
Between that and being able to link my patterns directly to me on Ravelry, the pattern-selling process just got a WHOLE lot more streamlined.

I am feeling the effects of two weeks hard slog.
At first, when I finished Kiva, I felt elated, like this accomplishment may mean I might consider looking for at least a part time job.
Since then, I have:
1: dealt with extreme fuzzy head, like my intellect dropped huge percentage points, and lost ability to focus except in burst of less than a minute.
2: feel as though I had an anvil on my stomach, from sitting up too much
3. had a discussion with Oscar on how my focus the past two weeks has effected me in ways he noticed, but I had not. (no divorce looming, but he has been VERY patient with me.)

I am still very happy that I can make some contribution to the household via selling patterns, but have seen sense about the limits of my abilities (again). I guess it's a lesson I just need to keep learning over and over, as I push in different directions.
And trying to exceed limits once in a while is still a good thing, as long as I don't exceed physical (and mental) limits every day. How else will I know those limits?

And the patterns will keep selling, the percentage of income from the patterns has kept growing steadily. Once I have finished a pattern, the only other obligation is to be available to any purchaser for questions, and that has been a dawdle. It's all good.
I now have 5 patterns for sale (and 9 for free).

Maybe the next thing to do is to get a pattern published again. The last time was in Magknits, before they went dark (the owner is working in another part of the online knitting industry).
I am hooked up with info about calls for submissions, again through Ravelry. That place is such a gift to fiber folks (at least the knitting/crocheting/tatting groups)

I will need to be selective there, too. I will be submitting completed patterns for which I already have samples, no sketches on spec. It's the way that makes sense when health is precarious.
That may leave out Vogue Knitting (and others) but still leaves wide open places like Knit Circus and other smaller magazines. And multitudes of online magazines :-}. Knitty, here I come?

Yesterday, my computer had a bit of a problem, and I ended up having to reinstall the operating system. NOT fun. Oscar, bless him, was able to get the wireless internet working again, and things are all good. But it was a reality check on how much of my life is tied up on this thing.
I am grateful to have it, but it would be good to have more live interaction. In the meantime, I need to find my adobe photoshop disk. It's like missing a finger.

(Image is of another pattern in progress)

2 comments:

AlisonH said...

Congratulations on selling those patterns and on your success there! It does feel good, however much it may be. Sorry about the computer stuff. Oscar's a peach.

Karen said...

Please take care of yourself, Diana. You're precious--to Oscar and to your cyber friends! Congratulations on selling the patterns. Great job!