theraineysisters knitting and so much more

I received an anonymous letter in the mail this week, and it troubled me a great deal.  Though couched in a certain amount of flattery, the letter writer’s purpose was to discourage me from entering my knitting in the fair.  His/her reasoning was that as a “professional” I should consider myself ineligible to participate and that to continue to enter my knitting would be unfair and unethical.

I would prefer to respond directly to the individual by letter or phone.  Unfortunately, because she (I’ll stick to “she,” though I don’t know the writer’s gender) did not provide her name, I will address the letter through this blog, the only public voice I have.  What troubled me most about the letter was that it felt like a personal attack, which I feel was based on inaccurate information and false assumptions.  

First of all, I am not a professional knitter by any stretch of the imagination.  I work full time in a large metropolitan hospital, managing the staff education department.  Knitting is my hobby.

In my forty plus years of knitting, I have been published twice for my knitting designs.  Both cases resulted from contests held for NON-professional knitters.  

The first was a contest for Knitters Magazine in 1999.  Previous afghans had been designed by professional knitting designers.  This was different: they held an open contest for their readers to submit aran afghan squares.   My design was selected along with 23 others.  I did win the contest, which was one of the highlights of my knitting life.  The booklet containing all 24 squares is still in publication; I receive no “royalties” or income from its publication. 

The second instance was also a contest.  In 2000, the editors of what is now Simply Shetland contacted knitting shops that distributed their yarn and asked them to solicit designs from their customers.  My design for Rosemary’s Song was accepted.  Again, I was ecstatic — until I heard that the factory that made the yarn (Dunedin) burned down.  Bummer.  Years later, the design was reworked in different yarn and published in Simply Shetland 2 (2005).  I was asked if I could also design a hat because they needed a small project as a filler piece.  I designed the Aubrey Cap.   Again, I receive no royalties or income from sales of the book.

In 2006, I submitted a couple of designs to Simply Shetland, and they were rejected.  I reworked one of those designs, the Lace Tam, and submitted it to a knitting magazine, along with a couple of other ideas, and they also were rejected.   Hmmm – I do not fare as well against “professional knitting designers.”  Because the tam was already knitted up and the pattern written, I thought I could put it on my blog as a pattern for sale.  The volume of sales is a mere trickle.   Most patterns on our blog are free. 

I have never worked in a knitting store, and I do not sell my handknits.  No one would pay me what they are worth in terms of my investment in time and materials!
 
If the above describes a professional knitter, then heaven help us!  I would be living on the streets, sleeping on my piles of UFOs, if I had to rely on the paltry “earnings” I have made from my design “career!”  It would be wonderful to be able to make a living as a knitting designer, but I just do not have the time (or apparently the talent).  I find far too many exciting projects designed by others to take the time to design my own, though inspiration may strike in the future — who knows?

I do teach knitting classes.  I started teaching classes as a way to find and connect with other knitters and to share my passion for knitting.  This was before my Thursday knitting peeps and blog came about.  I love to teach knitting, but I do it to support my yarn habit, not my family!  It is totally unreliable as a source of income — I don’t have the time to teach very often, and the classes are cancelled on a fairly regular basis.  

Teaching a few knitting classes does not make me ineligible to participate in the fair.  I know several people who regularly teach classes and enter items in the state fair.  I know people who work in knitting stores, teach and write/sell patterns, many of whom enter items in the fair.   This type of income is called “hobby income” for a reason.  Many people support their expensive hobbies with a little pin money.  It is clearly not my means of livelihood.  When I claim this on my tax form, my accountant just shakes his head and laughs because the amount is well, laughable.

I know I won a lot of ribbons this year — no one was more surprised than I.  One of the main things the judges look at is technical expertise.  I have learned a lot from the judges’ comments over the years.  I work really hard to perfect my knitting technique, through a great deal of trial and error, and continue to learn and refine my craft.  When do you get “there?”  I dunno — I’m certainly not there yet, mes amies.  There’s a lot to learn and new heights to reach.

I did stop entering my knitting for a few years, but the fair was just not as fun to visit.  So I started entering again.  Sometimes I have a good year and, just as often, a not-as-good year.  Each year, different things are entered by an array of extremely talented people.  It is always fun to see which projects get the ribbons.  It’s like opening presents at Christmas for me.   It is a fun and exciting time, no matter where the ribbons fall.

I’m sorry to bend your ears for this long.  I had a lot to say and no one specific to say it to.  I do feel blessed that I have been able to find a meaningful outlet for my creativity and to feel successful at a hobby I truly love.

I know many of you support me and I appreciate that support more than you know.  I do not want that support to be directed against the anonymous sender of the letter.  I will assume her intentions were honorable, though misinformed.  So please refrain from making comments against her.  I also do not assume that I will have changed the writer’s mind, but I hope I gave her something to think about. 

…And, please consider signing your name next time.