Adjusting to Mom Life
Realizing just how short on time I’ll be has lead me to make some changes on the site.
For years I have loved giving my patterns away on my site and on other knitting forums across the internet. At first, I didn’t feel confident enough to ask for money, and over time it morphed into a feeling of giving back. Life has many different seasons. I’ve enjoyed each of these past seasons and as my husband and I get ready to welcome our first child in March, I’m looking forward to the next one. Adjusting to mom life isn’t easy.
Now that we’re 19 weeks along, we’re starting to realize just how much our lives are going to change. Yes it’s going to be for the better and we are so thankful for everything that’s happening. We’re taking stock of what we currently are doing and the life that we currently have as a family of three (the two of us and the dog), and how that will change soon. For example, quite frequently we’ll take a casual bike ride together, totally spur of the moment and unencumbered. Whelp, babysitters are going to be a thing – or solo rides for a bit. But that’s just one example of how we’re adjusting to mom life.
One of the other major ways that my life is going to change, is that I’m no longer going to have the time to respond to all of the individual pattern requests. Right now, when you request a free pattern, it comes to my email inbox and I manually send you the pattern. That takes a good deal of my time, time I’m just not going to have in the early days. To adjust, and to make sure that you can still access the patterns, that you get them in a timely manner, and that I can keep this little corner of the internet going, I’m switching over to pattern sales.
I know this is going to bum many of you out, but please remember the years for which I have kept my patterns free. This is a transition that I have thought over, really thought through, talked through with my family and it’s the right thing to do at this time.
I’m still going to need help testing new patterns and may decide to do giveaways where a particular pattern will be free for a day or so – as I do love freebies! We’ll keep things moving here and we’ll keep it fun. Thank you to all of you who have given me feedback and support over the years. I hope to keep serving you and helping you grow in your knitting as you have done for me.
Most patterns have been linked already, but if you find one that does not have a link to my ravelry account, please let me know at maggie (at) knitting in the park (dot) com.
You can view a list of these patterns on my various pages:
Knitting Patterns
Hat Knitting Patterns
3 Comments
Erin Underwood
As much as I love some free patterns- you should’ve been getting paid already!! 😘 Your patterns are amazing and they take time 🥰
Judi
Having had two children and raised them while my husband was at sea with the Navy, I can totally understand why you would now think it might be time to automate the knitting system and make it pay off a bit. Testers are great. Possible suggestion? Maybe make the patterns free for the first 24 hours or provide coupons for your mailing list from time to time? Just a thought. But there really is no reason you can’t just do it for money all the time now. A growing family is not cheap, my dear. Neither is your time. One child takes a lot of time and two really do take even more, especially if they are really different types of children. My first on was a good napper and an easy one to pop in the car and go. My second one never slept and couldn’t be trusted out of my arms not to disappear within two seconds. She was a tyrant for a while and I really was totally a child-care provider for a couple of years until she matured a bit. Now she is one of my best friends at the age of 30. We laugh about her childhood, but I wasn’t laughing then. So you have every right to put a price on your time and products without feeling an ounce of guilt. I wish you many moments of love and happiness while raising your children and spending time with your whole family. Remember that we live life in moments and they are what’s important. Save them in photos, in journals, and in your heart. Tell your children the old family stories so that they will always know where they have come from before they have to decide where they are going.
Maggie
Thank you so much Judi! Your support really means a to me.