Yarn Baby is cute – or the heart of being indie
You know, working out of your home – even when you have dedicated studio space – while balancing the needs of your family is a challenge. Many indie artists face this challenge everyday. For me some days are quite hard – the business must wait because my children need me. This can cause me stress and frustration as my deadlines and daily strategies are altered or disappear all together. Other days we all work in harmony and I make great yarny accomplishments! They are satisfied with their work and play, and I accomplish what must be done and more. As an indie artisan, I feel the tug of many tasks that need my attention. I make lots of lists in order to a.) remember everything and b.) prioritize my tasks c.) ensure both the household and the business is running smoothly.
To me, this is the heart of being an indie artisan. Bringing my career, and money making pursuits, into harmony with my life and my family. I feel this indie life is a great blessing to myself and to my family even while it is one of the most challenging pursuits of my life to date.
Case in point: I am currently working on a tight deadline for publishing two patterns. Contracts have been signed, and my professional image as a designer is riding on me getting my patterns and samples in on time. Due to the crazy forces of mid-winter holiday madness, I had 5 pattern deadlines changed by the publishers during the month of December. Even though I have been working days, nights and weekends on these two particular patterns, I had to write for an extension.
I felt terrible. I felt unprofessional. Luckily, the project is not as time-sensitive as most & the publisher granted me a bit of extra time to get everything in order. It was a huge weight off my shoulders, but I’m still working like mad.
Yesterday, I looked downstairs as I was cleaning up from breakfast to see my youngest son (16 months) playing with my yarn cakes for this pattern sample. We’re talking custom spun yarn that I’ve hand-dyed and hand-wound and are integral to this project which I’ve been trying not to stress over.
And I smiled. Because my yarn was ok. My pattern and sample are progressing daily. And my baby found joy in something I created.This is why I am indie.
My boy.
And his yarn.
Yes, it is really challenging to balance everything. But I still feel lucky to be able to work at home and take care of my little girl. Life can be out of control even when we thought we scheduled everything correctly. There is no shame in asking for an extension.
Luckily, this publishing format made my extension possible. Some formats, like print magazines, have really tight turnaround times; missing a magazine deadline could be disastrous!
Wow! This post totally struck a cord with me this week. I don’t have kids, but I do have two aging horses, one of whom has been sick since around Xmas and while I don’t for a minute begrudge him any of his care, it is hours of my day to do that beyond the usual water/feed chores.
While it’s frustrating sometimes not to be able to focus on a project or deadline 100% of your time with the family things, I am trying hard to remember how much joy the rest of my life brings me. And it sounds like you are working on that balance too.
How could you not with that absolutely adorable face!?!
You make a great point – family obligations are certainly not the only demands on our time! No matter your situation, career or personality there will always be changes in circumstances that will stretch your limits. Sometimes that’s frustrating….sometimes the push outside your comfort zone can be the catalyst for positive changes rather than maintaining the status quo.
First of all, this was an excellent post. Balancing mothering and artistic business endeavors is always a challenge, but it’s encouraging to see someone succeed and know how to prioritize. As a writer, I struggle every day with how to “do it all,” and at the beginning of each new week I have to reassess. But your children are blessed with the opportunity to see their mother being creative and artistic!
My sister Natalie Batt introduced me to your blog, though I’d already seen (i.e. drooled over) your sock pattern in my copy of Jane Austen Knits; I’m just beginning to do some intermediate-ish knitting but that’s one pattern I can’t wait until I’m advanced enough to try!
Hi Faith – I’m so pleased you stopped by and commented!
Also, don’t be afraid to try things that are “hard”. Those Frivolous socks are fairly advanced when you look at the overall effect. However, the wonderful thing about sock knitting is that you can easily break them down into the modular components. Get yourself some stitch markers to separate your sock into sections Inside Gusset, Instep, Outside Gusset, Sole. When you think in terms of the individual components (and corresponding charts) it makes it easier to take one task at a time, rather than being overwhelmed by the thought of working multiple charts each round.
Socks are easy to store as a long-term “learning” project. You can work a few rounds each evening and put them down in favor of another project until you’re ready for your next swim in the “deep end”, so to speak. You can also come chat with us on the Yarn Love Ravelry group – we answer questions!
I’m a new mom and am still figuring out how to get things organized with a 4 month old. I am aspiring to find a way to make a bit of money in the long run, hopefully by doing something yarny. You’re blog is always an inspiration, Katie!