The Striped Bag and Wallet!

Hello, Dear Dynamos!
I am working late into the wee hours of the evening to bring you this post today.  I've been rushing like crazy to get two (yes, 2!!) new patterns done.

I am doing an experiment in independent design work.  I have lately been looking into magazine submission requirements, trying to figure out if I should be spending my time designing and writing articles for paper and e-magazines, or if I can find another way to get my patterns out to more people.  The problem is, it's a pretty subjective business (as all art is) and while I have had my share of writing rejections, I don't want to put time and energy into fruitless endeavors unnecessarily.

The unnecessarily part comes from my belief in the brilliance that is Craftsy.com.  They are the champion of independent designers of all crafty mediums, not just crochet.  And they allow their members to put up pattern stores on their site, without any fees (unlike Etsy).  So it got me to thinking: What if I put one of my patterns on Craftsy and see what happens?

So, I have put my new Striped Crossbody Bag on Craftsy.com.  It is pretty cool.  You should go over there and check it out. I put it on for $1.  I want everyone who wants the pattern to be able to afford it.  Besides, this is just an experiment, anyway.

(Okay, you twisted my arm.  I will offer you an incentive to go check it out.  I've put the matching wallet pattern on for free!  You don't have to buy anything! Just go get the pattern.)

So, back to my magazine story: One of the magazines that I was super interested in submitting a project to pays $25 per published pattern... But! If my $1 experiment goes well, and more than 25 people decide to actually purchase my pattern, I'm not going to bother with magazines.  I'm going to keep doing free designs for my Dynamos, and throw the really exceptional pieces onto Craftsy and continue to charge $1 for everything.  Because, ultimately, I love doing this. And with a little bit of cash flow, I can do it for a whole lot longer!

xoxo

edit 5/18/12: Hey! I forgot to tell you the best part about the wallet!  I made it entirely out of  yarn that was left over from the crossbody bag!  So, if you buy all the supplies to make the bag, the wallet is essentially free!  And you aren't stuck with leftover yarn that wastes precious yarn storage space! Woot!  So, seriously, you should go get your free wallet pattern!! xoJ

The Rainbow Cash Keeper

I wanted a rainbow wallet.  Don't ask me why.  I have a gorgeous wallet.  I don't need another wallet.  But I wanted one.  A rainbow wallet, with fluffy clouds.

My balls of brightly colored cotton were calling, so I grabbed a dollar bill so that I made my wallet the right size and began crocheting away.  I studied wallet design, making sure that my wallet would close properly and stay closed, although I wasn't opposed to a button closure if it needed one. I stayed up waaay too late to finish the cloudy part...

Yeah, did you know that credit cards are not "half a dollar" sized?  I had to learn that one the hard way.  My wallet wasn't good for anything other than holding cash, which, for anyone that knows me, is not something I carry often. Fail! But on the bright side, it will be super cute for Mims to play pretend with.  Mom FTW!!!

So now, dear Crochet Dynamos, I am at a bit of a loss.  Do I forge ahead with a 2nd, larger, more appropriately sized wallet, or do I move on to something that an adult would carry?  It is a conundrum for sure... How delightful that that's my biggest worry today... ;D
xoxo