Comments on: Read the fine print. http://www.girlfromauntie.com/journal/read-the-fine-print/ don't complain. what if this blog wasn't here at all, hmm? Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:54:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lia http://www.girlfromauntie.com/journal/read-the-fine-print/comment-page-1/#comment-2006 Lia Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:25:37 +0000 http://www.girlfromauntie.com/journal/index.php/2009/read-the-fine-print/#comment-2006 I agree, Cindy. In addition, I am not being paid for the patterns I teach. I am being paid for my skills as a teacher, and for the preparation I do for my classes. I agree, Cindy. In addition, I am not being paid for the patterns I teach. I am being paid for my skills as a teacher, and for the preparation I do for my classes.

]]> By: cindy (maxfun) http://www.girlfromauntie.com/journal/read-the-fine-print/comment-page-1/#comment-2005 cindy (maxfun) Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:35:44 +0000 http://www.girlfromauntie.com/journal/index.php/2009/read-the-fine-print/#comment-2005 The whole thing boggles me. If I put out a free pattern and people want to knit it, that's great. If people want to teach/help others knit it for free, that's cool, too. So far, I think everyone is on the same page. Now, if said teacher/helper would like to be compensated for his/her time while teaching/helping, that's a problem??? Geez. I work in a LYS and give free help all the time, but there are some knitters who need more help than others. My time is money to me since I work several different jobs (most as an independent contractor) to pay my bills. My hourly wage at the LYS is for selling and keeping things in order, not for teaching. If someone needs hand-holding through a large project, I can't afford to do that for free (and it's not what I'm paid to do at the shop, either). And believe me, some folks need MAJOR hand-holding. So it seems that at least one designer of a free pattern would like only experienced knitters to knit it, or would like experienced knitters to offer untold amounts of time, for free, to help those who are less experienced knit it. Seems awfully unrealistic to me. I make about $10 an hour at the shop. When I teach, I make $50 per student for a series of six, two-hour classes. That's $4.16 per hour, per student. The shop makes $5 per student and gives them a 10% discount on materials. No one is getting rich. If the designer really begrudges us that little bit of compensation, then I guess he/she isn't all that interested in having his/her pattern knit up by anyone who (a) doesn't use the Internet -- yes, there are plenty of knitters like that -- (b) needs a lot of hand-holding, and/or (c) doesn't have one or more skilled and (very) patient knitting friends to help him/her figure things out. Bottom line, if you want total control over any and all revenue that may be generated from use of your pattern in ANY format, maybe you should just keep it to yourself and sell finished products instead. Just some thoughts. Posted here because this seems the best place for a more logical approach to the matter. :) The whole thing boggles me. If I put out a free pattern and people want to knit it, that’s great. If people want to teach/help others knit it for free, that’s cool, too.

So far, I think everyone is on the same page.

Now, if said teacher/helper would like to be compensated for his/her time while teaching/helping, that’s a problem??? Geez. I work in a LYS and give free help all the time, but there are some knitters who need more help than others. My time is money to me since I work several different jobs (most as an independent contractor) to pay my bills. My hourly wage at the LYS is for selling and keeping things in order, not for teaching. If someone needs hand-holding through a large project, I can’t afford to do that for free (and it’s not what I’m paid to do at the shop, either). And believe me, some folks need MAJOR hand-holding.

So it seems that at least one designer of a free pattern would like only experienced knitters to knit it, or would like experienced knitters to offer untold amounts of time, for free, to help those who are less experienced knit it.

Seems awfully unrealistic to me. I make about $10 an hour at the shop. When I teach, I make $50 per student for a series of six, two-hour classes. That’s $4.16 per hour, per student. The shop makes $5 per student and gives them a 10% discount on materials. No one is getting rich.

If the designer really begrudges us that little bit of compensation, then I guess he/she isn’t all that interested in having his/her pattern knit up by anyone who (a) doesn’t use the Internet — yes, there are plenty of knitters like that — (b) needs a lot of hand-holding, and/or (c) doesn’t have one or more skilled and (very) patient knitting friends to help him/her figure things out.

Bottom line, if you want total control over any and all revenue that may be generated from use of your pattern in ANY format, maybe you should just keep it to yourself and sell finished products instead.

Just some thoughts. Posted here because this seems the best place for a more logical approach to the matter. :)

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