Over the past few months, my ideas around my making have begun to change in a way that makes more sense to me. I often wonder how my making would change or what it would look like if I were doing it full-time. Then I wonder if this is what I would want to be doing and how this might affect daily life, including whether this is actually what I want to be doing with my time. Then I think about whether making more things is what I want to do and how that might change the way I view my time, contributions and more. When I write in my journal, I have been thinking a lot about what I want to podcast to look like in the coming months and years. I wonder about how I can contribute even more meaningful content for the community – what is helpful, what isn’t and how to do more of the former.
When I first started the podcast, I just wanted an outlet to share my thoughts, feelings and projects that I was making. I wanted to meet other like-minded people who wanted to make yarn – honestly, it was that simple. This has lead to many friendships and acquaintances that I wouldn’t have otherwise met or befriended! Sitting in the near-dark and recording a crappy laptop camera was a place to start – the minimum viable product if you will. I didn’t know at the time where it would take me or what those early episodes would lead to – I just wanted to reach out into the Internets and see if there were others who wanted to talk about what I wanted to talk about: Making yarn and using it.
As the podcast grew and people (like, real people) started to watch and leave comments, I found myself consumed with an overwhelming feeling that I had to continue podcasting, regardless of whether I wanted to or not. But as time went on and I began to connect with those in the Ravelry group, we began sharing our failures and triumphs. And I realized it was my responsibility to decide, one way or another, whether I continued. Or not.
Now, as I look back on all the changes that have happened in the past 3.5 years of building the podcast and developing the Patreon community, I am amazed at what happens when something is built intentionally. I made choices along the way that were best at the time for both me and the community. Changing, deleting and managing different tiers, initiatives and content means I can continue growing and developing both as a maker and content developer.
I find myself excited for the year ahead. There will be changes over time for the podcast because there always will be. The needs of the community, as well as my needs, change over time. Increasingly, I look at the opportunity for us to spend time together in the Live Streams, Slack channel and Ravelry group as a chance to share a love of handspinning in particular. There aren’t many people out there in the world who love making yarn (or know what it is to make yarn) like we do so getting together regularly and sharing that experience has meaning. Learning from each other, even more so.
My making has increasingly made more sense to me because what I want to contribute has increasingly become clearer. I want to produce meaningful content that you guys are excited about, connect regularly through the Live Streams, Slack channel and Ravelry group, and choose projects that I am truly excited about – not because they are the latest item to hit the Top 20 on Instagram, Ravelry or elsewhere. This takes time, intention and thoughtfulness. And that is time that I will be taking to more fully flush out in the coming days, weeks and months.
How have your thoughts about your making changed over the course of the year?
Remember to take advantage of the Special Offer happening at the moment on Patreon! The free ebook is available throughout the month of December! Have a look on the landing page here.
