Don't Do It

A few days ago I was scrolling through Facebook and a headline caught my eye.  Something about not turning your hobby into a 'side hustle'.

Since weaving was never a side hustle for me, I kept on scrolling.

I get it, though.  The cost of doing fibre arts has certainly gotten more expensive.  Especially yarn for knitting and crocheting.  Mind you, there are some really interesting yarns available for those crafts now.  Much fancier than most weaving yarns.  It is extremely difficult to knit or crochet and sell what you have made and make any kind of money for the effort.

Weaving is different.  If you are careful, purchase yarns in weaving type quantities, not knitting type quantities, focus on creating unique textiles, you can sell your work.  It's also a really good idea to become very efficient.

But again, I agree, don't try to turn a hobby into any kind of 'side hustle'.  Weave (or spin, or knit, or crochet) because you love it.  Leave it be something you do purely for enjoyment, for satisfaction.  Use it as an intellectual stretch, or a mindful meditation, not another chore to be done to deadline.

However, if your goal is to earn an income, be that supplemental or exclusive, then you are no longer doing it as a 'hobby'.  You are now in business.  And that comes with all of the responsibilities that any business comes with.

When you are weaving as a business, even a part-time business, you have to learn how to run a business.  How to market your products.  How to design your own designs - because face it - in the  21st century, what you are really selling are your designs.  Providing something that cannot be found anywhere else but from you.

I made the decision to become a weaver/designer many years ago.  I'm having a hard time 'retiring' from that work because I still enjoy the physical input of sitting at the loom and weaving.  My production far outstrips my market to sell even 'retirement' production.  In other words, I'm having a really hard time turning my work into my hobby.

I've been working on the conference, thinking about all of the instructors we have booked and how none of them really does what they do as a 'hobby'.  I really hope that people will make an effort to come to Prince George to learn from this amazing cast of characters because we have assembled an enormous pool of knowledge for people to leap into.

If you are sitting on the fence, early bird registration ends on April 15.  After that the cost to register will go up.  We will make our final adjustments to the schedule and swing into final preparations - goodie bags, fashion show commentary, exhibit props.

Go on over to the conference website and take a look through the workshop and seminar offerings, read through the instructor bios, then click on the blue Register Here button, click on the green Tickets button, open a cart, make your selections and join us for an amazing week with like minded people just as passionate about fibre as you are!

Started The Golden Thread by Kassia St. Clair this morning.  I will do a review when I'm further into it, but even the introduction is sparking lots of thoughts about cloth and the role it has in society.