I worked on the final patch over the weekend during brunch at Home Ec. As I worked the final appliqué stitches, I actually felt myself getting choked up--because I was nearing the end of my largest and most significant project to date, and because I wished that Auntie was here to see it.
Over the several months I worked on this project, I learned a lot of important lessons that I will carry with me as I continue to hone my skills.
1. Ingenuity
With its polyester (?) woven fabric and construction, I had to figure out entirely new strategies for stitching compared with what I had done in the past. My solution was to embroider designs onto cotton fabric patches, then sew the patches onto the fabric. The result was a design that was easier to stitch while adding more color, which is what my customer wanted. You can see the individual patches in my Flickr album. If I am open to new ideas, I can stitch with more unusual materials.
2. Entrepreneurship
This was my first commission, and I have a much better sense of how I will deal with paid work if I choose to do it again in the future. I learned to get as many details as I can, and to advocate for myself while also listening to the customer's needs.
During this time, I was reading a thread on "Ravelry" in which knitters and crocheters gave ideas on how to respond if someone says "you could sell those!" Many people would answer, "I do this as a hobby. If I sold them, that would be work, and work isn't fun." That is a real concern when considering whether to turn a hobby into a business. Suddenly, you can't just make anything you want because you need to devote some time to the project that you are selling. I discovered some tricks that helped me balance my crafting time.
For example, while I was in the final stages of sewing on the patches I did all of my work at Home Ec. It was easier to sew there because I could lay the cover flat on a table and avoid distractions. (Note: I don't consider chai tea and mocha-frosted cookies to be distractions.) The cover was bulky, so I began keeping it at my day job's office to avoid lugging it back and forth on the bus. I discovered that when I kept my commission work in a separate physical location from my house, I was much happier and relaxed at home. If it wasn't in my house, I did not feel the pressure to work on it 24/7. Lots of artists and crafters rent out studio space in which to work. That won't be possible for a long time, but I now understand the psychological value of maintaining separate work and home spaces.
3. Perseverance
There were times when the project felt overwhelming, and I was so close to giving up. After waiting for the panic to subside, I would come upon an answer that made the job easier. My customer was depending on me, and believed that I could do a great job. Sticking to it was worth it, and I feel like now I can accomplish anything!
As I held the finished project, I said a prayer known as the Shechecheyanu. It is an all-purpose prayer to thank G-d for bringing us to this moment in time, and it seemed appropriate to say on a new work of creation. May I continue to create beautiful objects and grow as an artist!
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