You don't have to answer! This is more of a statement. I've tried selling patterns and finished pieces. No way I could make a living on it! Every time I give someone a gift of my knitting, I hear "you can sell that and make a ton of money!" When I tell them that 40x40i inch baby blanket took around 50-100 hours to knit (depending on the pattern of course,) they are shocked. Some say sell if for 3 or 4 times the material cost.... even then, you won't be able to justify most projects depending on the complexity and/or type of project. But when a dear friend tells me that their baby won't sleep without the blanket I made for them... that is worth it!
I refuse to knit for anyone except my grandchildren. People do not realise just how long it takes to make something. They will pay a tradesman by the hour or job but when it come to knitting and sewing it's a whole different ball game, so to speak. Keep up the good work, Norman. Sue in the UK where it is rather warm today!🌞 (Also one of my biggest gripes is when reading comments and the person has asked a question and the youtuber hasn't replied! On a few occasions I have replied myself.)
@@NimbleNeedlesNorman, you share your experience in such a nice manner! This is what mankind have been doing for ages. I would love to buy your schema
I used to make soft toys to sell but never or hardly ever made much money plus people kept saying that's too expensive. So stopped making them make blankets either knitted or crochet for local animal rescue centre they love them.
What an informative video! I love the behind the scenes view, because you really do put in a lot of work that we don’t see. Your final share is always so polished. I also appreciate the call to accountability for your viewers. Thank you 🙏🏻
One of my "hobbies" (which is much more of a passion than just a hobby) is gardening. I have had quite a few people who have asked me, "Why don't you start your own gardening channel on RUclips?" My typical response is, "Because I don't want to deal with the hassle!" :) I've been a model and a photographer's assistant in the past. I've helped with makeup, hair, arranging props, helping pose other models, setting up lights, editing photos (although I don't really know a lot about that), etc. Your "behind-the-scenes" shots and your explanations of what you do are WAY minimalized!!! (This makes sense for the video and the length you prefer to stay with.) Also, while you did an EXCELLENT job of breaking down the realistic expenses you have to take into consideration, there were a few things you didn't mention. If you are looking at a "full-time" channel, you also have to consider the time involved in choosing the correct yarn for your project (which could also potentially include the gas to and from the store to purchase said yarn or shipping costs if you order it online), personal living expenses (such as rent, utilities, food, toiletries, etc.), plus the time you spend on researching information for topics that you might need. Then, you have expenses that you can't control, like a website being down longer than planned due to maintenance that didn't work properly, or a broken link to a pattern (or tutorial) or (my personal FAVORITE!!), your storage device hiccupping and eating/loosing videos, information, images, etc. that you have to re-do in order to make things work. That also doesn't take into account maintenance and repairs of equipment, etc. While I'm currently not financially able to assist (even trying to get things for my gardening can be difficult), I GREATLY appreciate EVERYTHING that you are doing with your channel! You have given me renewed interest in knitting, given me the hope and encouragement to move forward successfully, and helped me understand how I can take my "hooking knowledge" (LOL) and still use it to apply to increase my knitting skills. Every opportunity I get to try to refer others to your channel, I do so. Your videos, tips and explanations are BEYOND professional! I will forever be a "subscriber" to your content and I wish you nothing but continued success in your future endeavors! :) P.S. If you ever need assistance with anything....test knitting, proofreading your patterns/posts, etc., even just "another set of eyes", PLEASE feel free to contact me any time! I would be more than happy to help in whatever way I can. :)
hey gwendy. Yes I agree that some of the calculations are very simplified. But hey, as you rightly pointed out, if I talked half an hour about my expenses then people would probably skip to the next videeo. haha. And hey, if you want to help me, just drop me an email. I got a little email list for testknitters etc and I can definitely add you to it :)
As a designer myself, THANK YOU for making this video! So very relatable - especially the part about only having a couple of hours in the evening to actually knit! It's easy to think a 'knitting professional' knits all day, so thank you for sharing the reality of the time that goes into LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE. Oh and the number of times I've heard 'your sweaters are so nice, you should sell them!' as if I'd be honoured to make 2p an hour... The time and effort that goes into your videos is so obvious, and I really hope Patreon goes a way to paying you for your time. Thank you for everything you do for the knitting community!
Yeah, i get the "why don't you sell?" From friends so often. I always tell them the time and materials spent on packing and shipping would be higher than my revenue. So sad, so true. Still, happy to hear you can relate, and it's always nice to hear when my personal story gets validation from other sources. So, thank you for your feedback ❤
Thank you Norman! This video is so good, on so many levels. The quality of your videos stands out from the rest, this was apparent from the very first video I saw on your channel. You think of everything and have high standards. I appreciate that very much, and also the zero add approach! But what stood out as an extra in this video is your honest and firm way of presenting yourself and the value of what you create and put out in the world. This really is inspiring. Thank you. I have never before done such a thing but I signed up on patreon right away. You really add value and quality and that is worth paying for. I am a fan.
When asked if I’ll knit some item for a friend, I either say they can’t afford it at my hourly wage or only when you are a member of my family. If you have something I made, it was a gift - even if you did pay for the yarn. The only reason to make knitting videos is because you enjoy making videos and enjoy teaching. So glad you do.
Hi Norman, I have never used Patreon before but I decided today to support you. The quality and content of your videos is superb. Your comments about turning a hobby into a business are so true. Many of my friends ask why I dont sell my little knitted items. I dont want to be pressured to fulfill orders. I want to knit to relax and be creative. Much love from USA.
I haven't done any Patreon support prior to this, but I joined to support you. It is very clear you take such care with your videos that I want to do what I can to help you. Thank you for all your effort, Norman!
Your professionalism and expertise has always been so obvious to me, Norman. I appreciate how seriously you take your job and the quality information you provide! Consider me a Patreon from here on!
Really appreciate this one, Norman. I’ve been in the design biz for 38 years and was an overnight sensation a couple of times 😂 when some aspect of needlearts has taken off and then inevitably died down. Some one will always say “you should sell this or that.” They’re always right. So I sold the design - not my labor at making countless whatever they were that time. That way, I could keep the fun part of creating as joyful as it still is. I never wanted to be a publisher, a writer, or a videographer, or all the things you must be to have any success online. I just wanted to make things. Also known as, sitting in my big chair and knitting or something with strings. 🙄 I love your whimsical patterns and sound technique tips. There’s always something new to learn and I just love that. Definitely joining your new Patreon. 👏
yeah, it'S very difficult to balance the two. I mean, at the end of the day I feel that even though I have less time for knitting selfish projects, I am still enjoying everything that is knitting. But for some that dreamed of opening up a yarn shop, the reality became often a nightmare because they hated accounting, or hated keeping up with the stocks, or whatever. And very happy to hear you want to support me on patreon. See you there. There's a wonderful episode on knitting without ladders waiting for you at tier 2.
I appreciate your insight and honesty, Norman! It’s always amazing me to the people who say ‘you should sell this, you would make so much money!” They are the same people who balk at the actual amount of time and effort something takes! 😂
No need to answer! I want to complement you on your being able to take on ALL THAT and still LOVE what you do. I see now that one of the reasons your videos are so nice is because your smile is genuine and it is a true labour of love. Congratulations! You have achieved something many people only dream of - do what you love and love what you do no matter what. Edison supposedly said "Do what you love and you don't work a day in your life" but if we don't count our blessings, even what we love can become a curse! So once again, congratulations! When my son next tells me he wants to become a RUclipsr, I will tell him to watch this video and take notes!
You (and all other pro knitters) deserve to earn more. Any hand work for sale should involve an artist's fee. We are not machines and each piece and pattern is unique! Your videos are impeccable and so very helpful. Thank you for teaching us how to see what we are doing and inspiring us to keep creating!
Every time I've wanted to learn more about a new technique or stitch, I search your channel. I'm planning to tackle my first pair of socks after finishing my current WIP, and several of your videos and patterns have already made them look far less intimidating than I thought they were. Glad to join your Patreon and support your work!
awesome sarah! Will be looking forward to seeing you there. ANd of course, if you ever run into a problem with your socks (they can be daunting, right) to comment on the video and I'm sure I will be able to help you!
Your video quality is exceptional. You do it in a language that is not your native laguage and still explain things more clearly than many whose first (and only) language is English. I am glad that I am able to support you through Patreon.
I am joining your Patreon so you can have a cat if you want to ❤ Seriously, though, the quality and integrity of your content is not only helpful for knitting. I feel like you are simply a role model for being a good teacher, a good professional, and putting your heart into things as well. Loving your work! Off to Patreon!
I loved seeing this behind the scenes video. It seemed like an honest assessment of the time it takes for you to do things. Also, I LOVE that you write your own subtitles and don't use auto-generated subtitles. I am not left guessing what words are. It shows that you go that little extra way to provide quality content and it makes me feel like you actually thought about people who need subtitles and they weren't an afterthought! Love your content!
never an afterthought, no! I know for a fact that a lot of my viewer are older with all the little ailments that come with age. Or mothers who don't want to disturb their sleeping child, non-native speakers, and possibly a wide range of dissabled people. And if I claim that knitting can be a hobby for everybody, I feel it wouldn't do keep them out for such an easy to fix reason :)
It's funny you posted this because I have a video covering a similar topic coming out in a few weeks. (Recorded but not edited yet.) You're 100% accurate about all the time it actually takes to put something of quality out in the world. I really wish that everyone could agree to charge a decent wage for their products so that consumers would stop expecting everything to be so cheap.
I sometimes read a genre of book called the “cozy mystery”. They often take place in lovely yarn shops set in a charming village. These villages or towns usually have a murder rate rivaling New York or Chicago. In one of them the bad guy was the son of one of the knitters. He had his mother steal the patterns written by the LYS owner. Then they sold the patterns to pay off his gambling debts to the mob bosses. If only. I enjoy your videos and find them supremely helpful.
@@NimbleNeedles I just became a Patron. I wish you a great deal of luck. Many people ask me why I don't sell the things I knit. The answer is that no one would pay anywhere near what my shawls (mostly) are worth, not even covering the yarn I use. I give my projects away to the knitworthy.
@@bdarci thank's a million for your support. And yeah I get that question a lot as well from friends. And my answer is always, what I could charge wouldn't even cover the time spent on packing, accounting, and marketing. So sad, actually.
@@bdarci , Not long ago I watched a video with Stephen West where he told a little story: his brother asked if he would knit him a sweater, to which Stephen said he would. When he asked specifics like measurements, colors, etc. his brother replied, "I need a sweater for jogging on cold mornings." 😱 Stephen ended the story by saying there was NO WAY he would spend the time and effort making a sweater for his brother, now knowing he's not "knitworthy"! Lesson learned. Happy knitting! 💖🙌🙌🙌😺
@@NimbleNeedles and bdarci, too. 👋 The West has China to thank for warping standards and expectations. Producers like Shein and others have churned out mountains of dirt cheap clothing and thus culivated the belief that nobody in their right mind should pay the fair market price for anything. Meanwhile, who cares to give a thought for the exhausted fingers, backs and necks that did the labor? Those people deserve a life, too! Sorry, I get worked up over injustice. Nobody should have to give their work away. 🥴😢
I’ve become a patron of yours. I think this is the best ,by far, of all the knitting channels I’ve watched. I’m an elderly lady that just started knitting a few years ago. Some of my things don’t turn out as nice as I’d like. But you are a great help with showing me how to make it better. I live in Kentucky.USA. Thank you Norman.
Thank you for becoming a patron Margaret. And very happy to hear I can help you along on your knitting journey. And psst...some of my projects don't turn out as perfect as I want them to be either. But that'S okay, it means I got still more to learn and it means this hobby will be able to keep me entertained for years to come :)
Very well explained, Norman! I totally understand and agree with you! I wish I can be a patreon, but I am unemployed and have been since 2015. My children suggested that I knit and sell the cute dog sweaters and baby items I knit. I told them people don’t want to pay for them, they want them for literally nothing. I rather not sell my knitting and deal with the hassles of returns because it didn’t fit or they didn’t like the yarn or colors. I rather live frugally and knit what I like or would like to gift to someone for free. I love your professionalism and simplistic approach to explaining knitting techniques. While I don’t have the means of financial support, I hope like, subscribe, and commenting, and recommending to friends helps. Keep up the wonderful work. I hope your patrons can help alleviate some of your expenses, time, and efforts! Wishing you all the best for a little more compensation in these tough times! Hope you can continue to provide awesome content! Thank you for all you do to help us be better knitters! 🙏🙏
Hey May, rest assured that when I say knitting knowledge should be available to everyone, this is exactly what I mean. So don't worry if you cannot afford it. That's okay, as you said, others can and then all is fine. And you are absolutely right, liking, commenting and sharing my content definitely helps more than you might think. So thank you for that and appreciating my hard word.
I have been asked on numerous occasions why don’t you sell your work (not knitting)? My reply is ‘no because then it would become work’. So your video just reinforced my thoughts. Thanks for your hard work I enjoy your videos.
I agree with this. I knit (and crochet) to relax, and as soon as you start doing something for someone else it introduces an element of stress even when it is for someone you know! I would rather make a few things for us and our home and take as long or as short a time as I want over them. Just whatever gives me the most joy! A friend once spent ages making a beautiful blanket. She worked out that if she were to sell it and if she then valued her time at just £2 per hour, it would need to sell for £160 for the project to break even! Luckily she made it to keep but it is an important lesson.
You are so right, trying to make money of your knitting is terrible. I had a website to sell my handmade jewelry designs and hand knit designs. People don’t want to pay the prices for scarves and hats. They don’t realize that yarn is expensive to buy. Then there is my design elements, plus the time it takes to knit. I never worked with acrylic yarn. I stopped trying to sell my designs. You are right about working making your channel. I built my own web pages and work pages already up on site. Then I had to set up lighting equipment, cocoon, camera on tripod.. Don’t have the site anymore. So nice to have a knitting channel, cause so many crochet channels. Thanks for your great videos.
Norman, you really do make it look easy! I appreciate your candor and honesty in presenting this behind-the-scenes production of creating wonderful knitting videos...we all pay for far less quality somewhere in our daily lives and Patreon is a righteous justification for the incredible effort it obviously takes to sustain a business...You are Amazing and Generous and thoroughly Enjoyable. I have become a better knit because of your precise guidance, Thank You!!!...I am going to reduce a few of my frivolous expenses so that I can proudly become a NimbleNeedles Patreon 🤗
I cannot thank you enough for the quality and the fort you put into your videos. I've been knitting only for a couple of years but thanks to you I feel like I've gotten better. Really, thank you ❤️
I just paused watching this video to thank you immensely for the subtitles. I don’t hear well so read the captions and your subtitles are excellent quality. Thank you for that extra effort! ❤️
So much great information in this video! Thank you for this😊I actually started a crochet YT channel a couple of years ago (before I learned to knit) and I quickly realized that as enjoyable as I thought it would be, all it accomplished was causing me to lose my passion for the craft. I spent so much time stressing over content to put out, the set up & recording process, etc, that I began dreading doing it. I stopped quickly because it hit me that I began my fiber arts journey as a way to relax and enjoy my time and to be able to hopefully one day pass it on to my grandchildren, especially since that was something that wasn’t shared by older generations in my family. I’m much happier watching other wonderful crafters share their passion-I know it sounds selfish but I’m just being honest 😂thank you for sharing your passion and all of the amazing things you’ve learned over the years of your fiber journey❤
This was incredibly helpful! I’m looking at publishing a pattern or two, not really for profit but more for fun, and had no clue what went into doing so. I deeply appreciate all you do, and you are my very favorite knitting vlogger!! I make no promises, but I will attempt to juggle some things around so I can become a Patron. Regardless of my status as a patron, I wish you the greatest of success!
Loved this video, Norman. I love improvising knitwear and then writing it down in a "pattern". Thanks to this video I've just been posting my patterns for free on ravelry and not bother with grading, getting testers, promotions, etc., which I know I wouldn't enjoy doing. My patterns have done very well on Ravelry (lots if hearts and downloads) and honestly, the kind comments and seeing other people's projects of my design is rewarding enough.
What a great video. I really appreciate that you took the time to explain the time that the process takes. You mentioned how your hobby can become your job and that is the one thing I do not ever want. I want knitting to remain my hobby! It’s my joy. That being said, I often feel designers charge too little for their patterns. You deserve to make a decent wage for your work! I love supporting designers anyway I can. This was the first video of yours that i have seen. And I loved the sweater.
Thanks for this. Your thoroughness and attention to detail is great and something I so appreciate. I loved the behind the scenes views - more are welcome!!
I learned to knit at a yarn shop owned by the sweetest German lady, she was so patient with me at the age of 10. All of the sole proprietor yarn shops have closed in my city. We are left with corporate shops with employees not quite as knowledgeable @ the craft. I have thought @ opening a fiber store/tea shop but the future seems so uncertain. Thank you for offering this wonderful glossary! I will be referring to it often. You bring back wonderful memories of my first tutor.
Hi Norman, I don't knit, I'm an avid crocheter, but I've browsed your videos several times, and I love supporting fellow yarncraft enthusiasts. Maybe one day I'll pick up some needles when it's not as scary (: I'm glad you made this video, even with crochet, people are always telling me I should sell items, but they themselves wouldn't pay the worth of the yarn and the labor lol. I love the transparency you show for your viewers. Thanks for being so awesome ^_^
I am a new knitter but an old person. I've only been at it for about a year. At 70 I was happily knitting things. I made up patterns and I am happy to say that my works are worn by family and friends. I also knit for orphans who my church supports. So just to say I really love your videos. I am going to look at becoming a patron. If I can, I will. Bless your heart. Best of luck.
I am thankful that you are being open about the reality. I think another common thing is that people who make knitting content and patterns as their job are often supported by a partner or family. So there isn’t as much stakes for their knitting work to be profitable and its more about enjoying their hobby, sharing it with others and maybe getting back some of the money they have invested into knitting.
there certainly is that. But that makes it only worse if you ask me as most knitting semi-professionals are women...and I don't know if we really should go back to the age where housewifes where the thralls of patriarchs :P
Just became a patron. I have been watching your podcasts for several months and find them very informative and clear. You must put in hours of work to create all this content. I really appreciate when the the camera angle is as though I am knitting rather than looking at you knit.
yes, it took a long while to figure out how to make this angle work because I wanted to show everythign exactly the way you would see it. So glad you appreciate all that I do! thank you Linda!
Thank you for this, which is a great insight into what I want to do too. I’ve not started yet and know it will be difficult, especially as I’m still working a full time job too whilst designing knitting patterns.
I love the behind the scenes videos. I was also VERY surprised that you commented and actually engaged a dialogue between us on one of my comments about beginning knitting. It truly made me smile knowing you actually paid attention to my comments as I usually only get a heart or "thanks" from the videos I comment on. VERY much appreciated Norman!. I also never really knew how much work goes in to making a video for RUclips. I can't thank you enough for enlightening me with this info and it makes me appreciate more all the work that you guys put in to your channels. And for once, I do now understand the purpose of Patreon,, and that it's not just a money grab, it's actually a way of showing appreciation for all the hard work you guys do. *hugs*, thank you!!!
I can't speak for all creators but it's definitely not a money grab or rather a grab for more money. At the end of the day, I have close to 100k subscribers now and I'd say passable view rates but youtube is not even close to paying my bills. Yet, it can be quite excrutiating to procude an episode. So, without a further incentive (=patreon money), there would probably pretty soon come the point where I would stop youtube. Or probably It would have already happened. It can burn you out very soon.
i am way late commenting but do hope you get a minute to read. just wanted to express my thanks as the other comments have. your mention of people thinking being a youtuber for your hobby is a dream - people forget that being a youtuber in itself is another job and industry altogether! you have to have the interest and drive to do both - knit AND create content while you do it. i’m excited to follow you through 2023 and learn from you!
This was very informative and helpful. I can't imagine the dedication, diligence and passion it must take to make this journey of transforming a passion or hobby into a full time job and then successfully tackling all the little strings attached the every hurdle along the way.
What I want to know is how you manage to pick up and knit your neckband with no holes at the pick up line! Thanks for all your hard work, Norman, and your honesty. You're right about the impartiality being important.
This video is the very reason I became a patron of your work. Not just the videos that teach your knitting to us but also the high quality of your videos! I have watched hundreds of knitting videos and had considered becoming a patron to one or two of them but I'm pretty stingy I think. I just thought to myself "no I could spend my money on more yarn or knitting needles, etc". Having found you on youtube and learned so much already I thought "YES! This is the person that deserves my patronage! Finally! I hope and pray it all works out for you and you will be a big part of our knitting journey for a long long time to come. The very best of luck to you!!
Thank you for all your hard work, Norman. I became a fan a year or so ago when you posted a lovely little pumpkin pattern- I knit 20 of them as gifts for my preschool students! I admire your viewpoint on helping others in the craft rather than trying to profit off everything you post, and I so appreciate all the hard work that goes into producing these videos and running your blog. I have spent hours here with you, and feel like I owe you for all the helpful tips and tricks you have shared. Heading over to your patreon now! I hope you get to sit and knit with a cat at your feet someday soon. :)
oh wow 20? Amazing.that's probably more than I knitted. I am planning to expand the pattern this year with more variants (think acorn squash, etc) Anyway, thank you very much for your support and happy I can be here for you
I had thought about doing a knit/crochet blog. Thank you for the information and tips. Looks like something I would not have the time to do! YIKES! Best to you. I look forward to seeing your channel grow. I know you are destined to do great things!
well, I mean, it's very important to stress that I don't mean this to discourage people. these days, with wordpress & co, it's very easy to set up a blog. And you know..you can just start and see where it takes you. This video is about earning a fulltime income with knitting. But that may or may not be your goal. Maybe you just want to share a little soemthing with the world and then it can be quite lovely. And then you don't need the pricey hosting (you can get it as low as 5$ a month) or the expensive camera. So, feel free to contact me if you need help with the first steps.
@@NimbleNeedles thank you! I certainly will not give up on the idea of starting a blog, but I will think more about making it a career! You are very kind. Thank you for caring for your followers!! 💜💜
I so admire your dedication. I’ve never wanted to pursue knitting to earn money but I really appreciate your explanation of what’s involved. Keep up your great work!
I’ve gotten a lot of value from your videos and am delighted to have a way to support your work and get more content. Thanks for the look behind the scenes!
Norman I just found this and I realize it is a real job to teach us as you do. I can only imagine the swatches you had to make for teaching, there was a mass of them! Glad to know about Pateon for you work!
yeah, there is a lot of swatching involved. I mean, I could also show it on works in progress but I feel then it's often very difficult to follow the technique.
Thank you for all the background. I knew it took a lot to keep up a RUclips channel, but didn't think it was that much. Holy cow! I love your channel and your knowledge. As soon as I can afford it, I will be contributing to your patreon, it will be money well spent.
I want to elevate my knitting skills and had just decided you would be the one expert knitter whose channel/videos I would watch. So excited that you are now on Patreon!
yeah, I do feel this is so important. I kind of want to build a community here where people know that when they have a question they can just comment. In these terrible days, a little community and feeling less lonely while knitting is important for all of us, including myself.
I love that! Community is definitely hard to come by these days and your efforts are not unnoticed! From what I have seen, you're fostering a very kind and informative community. I'll be sticking around for a while for sure!
Thank you for this information. I am a fair isle knitter and have designed a few patterns. I only began designing because someone asked me to make something with a very specific motif. A lot of people seem to want custom work which can take a lot of time to get the product just right. have been asked to recreate beloved knits that have worn out. One cabled brimmed hat took me 4 tries to get it exactly right. Sometimes the challenge is fun though! I like how a pdf download is so easy to sell through various platforms but it doesn't sell without any promotion. I love gifting stuff to people and I only sell things I've created or made to make back some of the yarn or material costs. The funny thing is my most popular item in my shop is a fleece liner to sew into knitted hats. It was easy to calculate how much I make on one of those sales, and I can easily make a stack of them in a few hours time.
That was super interesting. Your videos are SO well put together and don’t waste MY time. That’s why I became a patron. The extras will probably be nice. But the videos are worth it alone.
Aw..happy to hear that! ❤️❤️🧶 and yeah, I try to provide extras but of course I want to keep the main content free for all so everyone can enjoy this beautiful craft!
This was brilliant and so grateful for all your hard work and thorough, simple teaching style. I have learned so much from your "knitting school" so much so that I am farther along in my knitting journey, even though I have only been doing it for 3 months.
Norman, I completely agree with you regarding the investments of money, time, energy that you put forth in your channels, your business. I truly am grateful I found your tutorials, as I have been able to watch and rewatch them as I work on improving my knitting skills. Thank you for every effort, detail and beauty video you produce for the art of knitting. I always try to buy patterns from a designer directly to avoid the fees paid to Ravelry or Etsy. Thank you for ALL you do!!
I truly appreciate you posting this. I know making videos is not easy, but I also did not realize what went into making them. Your videos have always been of excellent quality and providing multiple angles and options so it can be applicable to a broader range of knitters. I could not help buy laugh when you included the time it took for your manicure. That sticks out for me because there are some very well-intentioned knitters on here who mean well and I appreciate their tutorials. However some clearly need some TLC because I look at their hand and wonder if they are in pain because their cuticles just appear shredded or they have cuts on their hands. It's not intended to be funny or mean as I appreciate the time they spend on putting these videos out, but it's just something I notice. I have always noticed how perfectly manicured your hands are. Anyway, thank you for your videos and congratulations on your successful patreon launch.
Yes Norman, I would like to be a patron. Will sign up today. I think you have the best how to videos. I appreciate that you focus on knitting, not all the trivial things other you tubers do.
Super awesome to watch your process. Really appreciate all of your support and teaching the skills we need to all become better knitters. If you ever do live streaming that would be really cool too!
Thank you Norman for this frank discussion. We all want to make money but I'll look for another way. Norman you deserve success you work really hard with the RUclips posts and your blog. They are very well done.
I'm a library technician. Working in libraries most of my career. I had more than one person tell me it must be wonderful to sit & read all day?!?? It's a job. Maintaining computers, cataloging, helping people with research and a thousand other tasks. Who has time to read?!
true words. Then again, I feel those things are part of every job and i personally came to the decision that I'd rather maintain a computer to help other people knitting then something else. But yeah...sometimes there is regret there too :P
"Make each word count." I love this about your films, Norman. Very well-planned! I know something of filming and learned the hard way by teaching online for the past two years. 😖😣😵 No indeed, you don't just press play and start talking. If only it were that easy! Thanks for all your effort, the seen and unseen. 👏👏👏
WOW! This video is so good about all the behind the scenes, effort, time and the spirit of excellence that you put into your work. You are so appreciated probably more than you know. Viele danke!!!
well, reading through all these comments, I couldn't say I don't feel appreciated a lot. Still, it's always nice to read it one more time *grin* Thank you for sharing your feedback with me loretta
I used to home knit for a designer,i worked out the hourly rate,5p sterling per hour!!!! And i get friends saying "knit this for me", until you tell them the price of yarn and hours of your time,they don't ask anymore😀
I absolutely love all the things you do. I totally appreciate all the effort and work you do. I am a new knitter and you have been a great asset to learning the craft. You are amazing.
Well I've just subscribed to your Patreon and immediately I have to say: the race track analogy on your first tutorial is brilliant. I'm a public speaker myself (on very different topics) and I find that the best speakers/teachers know how to create these types of analogies to explain concepts to people. Very clever! Looking forward to more of your content.
welcome to my patreon account and very happy to hear you like my first video a lot. I put a looot of thought into it and in the end, you never know if things really work out.
@@helensid6670 well, you never saw the "before" yet ^_^ haha. I know a fellow crafter who keeps a "good nail" because all the other digits are not very visible on camera and she only keeps her thumbs in shape ^^
This is a wee bit late but Happy Anniversary! We are so lucky you took the leap and started your blog and channel! Hope you are still enjoying your job in two more years! You Rock :)
@@NimbleNeedles thank you :) you are a true gentleman. oops just seen I typed 2 years in my message, that was meant to be a couple of months ago, so sorry. Anyway your ways of making really nice finishing have come in useful already, especially at the end of a cast off row. I have never come across that technique before and I really like the clear way you explain and show techniques that you share. I have been a knitter on and off for over 40 years (no!! has it really been that long!) and love there is still so much that can be learnt.
Hi Norman thank you for all the time you put out to help us with our knitting. I owned a wool shop and even there it’s difficult to make money now because of the internet.
I checked out your Patreon site. OMG, that is less than I spend on a streaming service and I spend more time on your channel. It was a no-brainer for me!
that´s quite a low charge, in my opinion. Let´s say someone asked me to knit Stephen Wests new pattern for them, the Dustland Sweater. (I just bought the pattern, so I´ll just take that one as an example.) So, size L (the 4th size) is 1400 yards. So if I got that right, that would be 140 + the cost of the yarn? For three weeks worth of knitting?? Nope. :D
When people ask gif knitting advice I send them to you if I can’t answer them. I will be joining as a patron next payday! Thank you for your honesty, I always wondered about the profit margins fir Ravelry. Love your sweater too!
I mean, to be clear here. It's not a Ravelry issue. If I sell the patterns on Etsy, it's the same thing. And if I sell them myself on my website, I earn more but then I need to pay for the software/paypment connection (+a lot of work) so it's not really worth it either. EIther way, Thank you for your willingness to support me Mary. It is much appreciated!
Thank you!! I notice that there's so much pressure (at least in the US) to turn every hobby into something profitable. I love books, and when I became a librarian so many people said, "Oh I would love to read all day like you!" when the reality was that I was only able to listen to books on my commute. When I'm able I'll be subscribing to your Patreon! You inspired me to get back into knitting.
Rhys, I went thru the same thing when I worked at the library too. I asked the person who told me that, to follow me for an hour, sadly, they couldn't keep up. I also had quite the clientele too. I miss the patron friends I made, and some of the work, but on the flipside I enjoy retirement too. Blessings!
Thank you . I really enjoy all your content. Your honesty and integrity shine through. I wish I could afford to join Patreon. I will continue to watch your channel enthusiastically.
Happy 2 years anniversary ! Thanks for always answering our questions or comments. You do great work ! You sure conviced me to kepp knitting for my pleasure and not for any sort of income. I love to design, but for original gifts or for myself, that way I don't have to grade anything. Sadly, artisan rarely make much money from their craft. I wish you get a good enough income for all your great work !
It is great to see you expanding into this. I wish I could join, though right now it's not in my budget. I really do love all your hard work and thoroughly love your work. I don't have a lot of time to respond and comment, since my life is busy trying to earn a living like you, though not as a RUclipsr, just as a laborer. I lived in Germany for two years in Hamburg and loved it. I have always desired to go back, but life, of course, took over. I still love getting out and sweeping my walkways. I hope you have much success in your endeavors on growing your Patreon. Maybe one day you will see me there. ❤
I appreciate d spring flowers in da background 😏🌼 I have just subscribed to Your channel. 💖 Previously I watched several tutorials and I just could not "get it".. untill I found Your tutorial and made my first sample with no mistakes. And now I am already starting on my first knitting project. 😌 Thank You so much for explaining everything with care in such a detail for easy distractible people like me. Also Thank You for calming my anxiety, as the way You teach is so relaxing and encouraging. 😌
Yesterday I finished my first project I counted time on Clockify - 21h 25m. The cost of materials is about 9 euros. If I saw something like that I would gladly buy it for 10, maybe 15 if it's a present. I can't make a living gaining 28 euro cents per hour! I'm extremely happy that I can afford knitting and crocheting supplies (that are definitely not cheap) and share my results with friends and family. Anyway, point taken - I just joined your patrons :)
With the quality of your channel, I thought you were a professional in the audio video field. I figured you worked at a studio for your "day job." Keep up the outstanding work and congratulations on your 2-year anniversary.
i have never had a desire to become a designer, simply becuase there are some really great ones to follow, much like yourself! Thank you for a very honest presentation. I knew, having grown up in a business family, that there there are so many obstacles to overcome just to squeeze out and honest livable wage, let alone a prosperous one. I am not in a position to be a pattern to everyone that I would like to be, but I encourage everyone to buy you patterns, as I have, in the. past. Something you didn’t cover was that sad fact that so much of a designers work is pirated, even by the most seemingly innocent. Buy and pattern and then giving it away to other without credit in p payment to you is theft. People need to be more aware of copyright laws and why they exist. Good luck with our future on the web .
You have provided me such clear concise and well researched information I am very happy to support your work to continue. I agree, a living wage should be the minimum we expect to pay to ensure the giving and receiving cycle continues. I also truly appreciate the grace period for you to learn to present your craft professionally. I wish you every success Norman.
I am definitely going to join for at least this first month cause I have a few spare dollars, I, unfortunately, don't know if I'll be able to continue to because my bills are shifting around some soon but I wanted to contribute at least a little while I can and I am going to make a note about your coffee thing for the future. You have been a great resource for both myself and my friend who inspired me to start knitting so I have a small bit of extra appreciation for you beyond even just these videos and your blog. Hope this helps and that you can get even more success and time to knit!
any contribution counts and please, only what you can reasonably support. Sure, I do want to earn money. At the same time, the very reason I am setting up this patreon is that I can continue producing my show for everyone and those that can afford it support it, just the way I share my knitting knowledge with everyone. So a community effort, if you will :)
yaaaassss, labor. of. love! 🙏 My dream is that, one day, we can all make a living wage doing exactly what we love. I believe every person has VALUE and that we've only scratched the surface of our ability to "monetize" living our best lives. Just like being an influencer was inconceivable 20 years ago, whichever technology or innovation or societal shift is required to fully capture our value is coming... And instead of waking up everyday to make Google rich, we'll truly work for ourselves 😂 Until then... I'll keep pouring hours into $5 patterns 😂 thank you so much for being brave and sharing!
haha..i like this "waking up to make google rich". At times it feels like that..or when google decides it wants to change everything and you are scrambling for purchase...ah well :)
You don't have to answer! This is more of a statement. I've tried selling patterns and finished pieces. No way I could make a living on it! Every time I give someone a gift of my knitting, I hear "you can sell that and make a ton of money!" When I tell them that 40x40i inch baby blanket took around 50-100 hours to knit (depending on the pattern of course,) they are shocked. Some say sell if for 3 or 4 times the material cost.... even then, you won't be able to justify most projects depending on the complexity and/or type of project. But when a dear friend tells me that their baby won't sleep without the blanket I made for them... that is worth it!
yes, that's exactly how I feel. When you know someone truly appreciates hand-knitting, then gifting them a project is the best thing ever!
I refuse to knit for anyone except my grandchildren. People do not realise just how long it takes to make something. They will pay a tradesman by the hour or job but when it come to knitting and sewing it's a whole different ball game, so to speak. Keep up the good work, Norman. Sue in the UK where it is rather warm today!🌞 (Also one of my biggest gripes is when reading comments and the person has asked a question and the youtuber hasn't replied! On a few occasions I have replied myself.)
Same. The four year old boy I gifted a small baby afghan to still loves his blankie. Unbelievable. And the moms usually love it.
@@NimbleNeedlesNorman, you share your experience in such a nice manner! This is what mankind have been doing for ages. I would love to buy your schema
I used to make soft toys to sell but never or hardly ever made much money plus people kept saying that's too expensive. So stopped making them make blankets either knitted or crochet for local animal rescue centre they love them.
What an informative video! I love the behind the scenes view, because you really do put in a lot of work that we don’t see. Your final share is always so polished. I also appreciate the call to accountability for your viewers. Thank you 🙏🏻
my pleasure & thank you for sharing your lovely feedback with me, Jenny! I appreciate that a lot.
One of my "hobbies" (which is much more of a passion than just a hobby) is gardening. I have had quite a few people who have asked me, "Why don't you start your own gardening channel on RUclips?" My typical response is, "Because I don't want to deal with the hassle!" :) I've been a model and a photographer's assistant in the past. I've helped with makeup, hair, arranging props, helping pose other models, setting up lights, editing photos (although I don't really know a lot about that), etc. Your "behind-the-scenes" shots and your explanations of what you do are WAY minimalized!!! (This makes sense for the video and the length you prefer to stay with.) Also, while you did an EXCELLENT job of breaking down the realistic expenses you have to take into consideration, there were a few things you didn't mention. If you are looking at a "full-time" channel, you also have to consider the time involved in choosing the correct yarn for your project (which could also potentially include the gas to and from the store to purchase said yarn or shipping costs if you order it online), personal living expenses (such as rent, utilities, food, toiletries, etc.), plus the time you spend on researching information for topics that you might need. Then, you have expenses that you can't control, like a website being down longer than planned due to maintenance that didn't work properly, or a broken link to a pattern (or tutorial) or (my personal FAVORITE!!), your storage device hiccupping and eating/loosing videos, information, images, etc. that you have to re-do in order to make things work. That also doesn't take into account maintenance and repairs of equipment, etc.
While I'm currently not financially able to assist (even trying to get things for my gardening can be difficult), I GREATLY appreciate EVERYTHING that you are doing with your channel! You have given me renewed interest in knitting, given me the hope and encouragement to move forward successfully, and helped me understand how I can take my "hooking knowledge" (LOL) and still use it to apply to increase my knitting skills. Every opportunity I get to try to refer others to your channel, I do so. Your videos, tips and explanations are BEYOND professional! I will forever be a "subscriber" to your content and I wish you nothing but continued success in your future endeavors! :)
P.S. If you ever need assistance with anything....test knitting, proofreading your patterns/posts, etc., even just "another set of eyes", PLEASE feel free to contact me any time! I would be more than happy to help in whatever way I can. :)
hey gwendy. Yes I agree that some of the calculations are very simplified. But hey, as you rightly pointed out, if I talked half an hour about my expenses then people would probably skip to the next videeo. haha.
And hey, if you want to help me, just drop me an email. I got a little email list for testknitters etc and I can definitely add you to it :)
“I like to garden.”
It really is astounding how little patterns earn when you break down the numbers. Tank you for this eye opening video Norman.
Have a great Sunday xx
yah...half of it goes away and the rest barely covers expenses - except you are stephen west, etc
Who is Steven West???? 🤷♂️🤷🏼♀️🤷
As a designer myself, THANK YOU for making this video! So very relatable - especially the part about only having a couple of hours in the evening to actually knit! It's easy to think a 'knitting professional' knits all day, so thank you for sharing the reality of the time that goes into LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE. Oh and the number of times I've heard 'your sweaters are so nice, you should sell them!' as if I'd be honoured to make 2p an hour...
The time and effort that goes into your videos is so obvious, and I really hope Patreon goes a way to paying you for your time. Thank you for everything you do for the knitting community!
Yeah, i get the "why don't you sell?" From friends so often. I always tell them the time and materials spent on packing and shipping would be higher than my revenue. So sad, so true.
Still, happy to hear you can relate, and it's always nice to hear when my personal story gets validation from other sources. So, thank you for your feedback ❤
Thank you Norman! This video is so good, on so many levels. The quality of your videos stands out from the rest, this was apparent from the very first video I saw on your channel. You think of everything and have high standards. I appreciate that very much, and also the zero add approach! But what stood out as an extra in this video is your honest and firm way of presenting yourself and the value of what you create and put out in the world. This really is inspiring. Thank you. I have never before done such a thing but I signed up on patreon right away. You really add value and quality and that is worth paying for. I am a fan.
wow thank you. this feedback means a lot as I am myself such a "never" guy. So when I do something, I know it counts for a lot!
When asked if I’ll knit some item for a friend, I either say they can’t afford it at my hourly wage or only when you are a member of my family. If you have something I made, it was a gift - even if you did pay for the yarn.
The only reason to make knitting videos is because you enjoy making videos and enjoy teaching. So glad you do.
Hi Norman, I have never used Patreon before but I decided today to support you. The quality and content of your videos is superb. Your comments about turning a hobby into a business are so true. Many of my friends ask why I dont sell my little knitted items. I dont want to be pressured to fulfill orders. I want to knit to relax and be creative. Much love from USA.
thank you so much for supporting me Dee
You do answer the questions we ask and that is truly appreciate.
always..that's what I am here for, after all!
As a viewer, the time you put into your videos is so apparent. Your videos have helped me so much; I'm starting my first sweater soon!
oh wow. That'S a major milestone. Wishing you lots of success with it. I am currently working on a sweater as well!
I haven't done any Patreon support prior to this, but I joined to support you. It is very clear you take such care with your videos that I want to do what I can to help you. Thank you for all your effort, Norman!
thank you so much better! this means a lot!
Your professionalism and expertise has always been so obvious to me, Norman. I appreciate how seriously you take your job and the quality information you provide! Consider me a Patreon from here on!
I appreciate the feedback and of course..see you..well on the other side. haha. happy to hear you want to become a patreon!
Really appreciate this one, Norman. I’ve been in the design biz for 38 years and was an overnight sensation a couple of times 😂 when some aspect of needlearts has taken off and then inevitably died down. Some one will always say “you should sell this or that.”
They’re always right. So I sold the design - not my labor at making countless whatever they were that time. That way, I could keep the fun part of creating as joyful as it still is. I never wanted to be a publisher, a writer, or a videographer, or all the things you must be to have any success online. I just wanted to make things. Also known as, sitting in my big chair and knitting or something with strings. 🙄
I love your whimsical patterns and sound technique tips. There’s always something new to learn and I just love that. Definitely joining your new Patreon. 👏
yeah, it'S very difficult to balance the two. I mean, at the end of the day I feel that even though I have less time for knitting selfish projects, I am still enjoying everything that is knitting. But for some that dreamed of opening up a yarn shop, the reality became often a nightmare because they hated accounting, or hated keeping up with the stocks, or whatever.
And very happy to hear you want to support me on patreon. See you there. There's a wonderful episode on knitting without ladders waiting for you at tier 2.
I appreciate your insight and honesty, Norman! It’s always amazing me to the people who say ‘you should sell this, you would make so much money!” They are the same people who balk at the actual amount of time and effort something takes! 😂
Link to my Patreon account: www.patreon.com/nimbleneedlez
thank you so much for your support
No need to answer! I want to complement you on your being able to take on ALL THAT and still LOVE what you do. I see now that one of the reasons your videos are so nice is because your smile is genuine and it is a true labour of love. Congratulations! You have achieved something many people only dream of - do what you love and love what you do no matter what. Edison supposedly said "Do what you love and you don't work a day in your life" but if we don't count our blessings, even what we love can become a curse! So once again, congratulations!
When my son next tells me he wants to become a RUclipsr, I will tell him to watch this video and take notes!
Thank you for the concise reality of what it takes to do your job; I knew it had to be more complex than what we saw but now we know!
you are very welcome, Lin. :)
You (and all other pro knitters) deserve to earn more. Any hand work for sale should involve an artist's fee. We are not machines and each piece and pattern is unique! Your videos are impeccable and so very helpful. Thank you for teaching us how to see what we are doing and inspiring us to keep creating!
Wow, thank you!
Every time I've wanted to learn more about a new technique or stitch, I search your channel. I'm planning to tackle my first pair of socks after finishing my current WIP, and several of your videos and patterns have already made them look far less intimidating than I thought they were. Glad to join your Patreon and support your work!
awesome sarah! Will be looking forward to seeing you there. ANd of course, if you ever run into a problem with your socks (they can be daunting, right) to comment on the video and I'm sure I will be able to help you!
Your video quality is exceptional. You do it in a language that is not your native laguage and still explain things more clearly than many whose first (and only) language is English. I am glad that I am able to support you through Patreon.
aww..thak you for this very kind feedback. It means a lot..and of course thank you for supporting me on patreon!
I am joining your Patreon so you can have a cat if you want to ❤ Seriously, though, the quality and integrity of your content is not only helpful for knitting. I feel like you are simply a role model for being a good teacher, a good professional, and putting your heart into things as well. Loving your work! Off to Patreon!
aww...thank you Erin for you kind words. Tho, I think you'd have to talk about cats with my partner. he loathes them and is actually scared of them >.
I loved seeing this behind the scenes video. It seemed like an honest assessment of the time it takes for you to do things. Also, I LOVE that you write your own subtitles and don't use auto-generated subtitles. I am not left guessing what words are. It shows that you go that little extra way to provide quality content and it makes me feel like you actually thought about people who need subtitles and they weren't an afterthought! Love your content!
never an afterthought, no! I know for a fact that a lot of my viewer are older with all the little ailments that come with age. Or mothers who don't want to disturb their sleeping child, non-native speakers, and possibly a wide range of dissabled people. And if I claim that knitting can be a hobby for everybody, I feel it wouldn't do keep them out for such an easy to fix reason :)
It's funny you posted this because I have a video covering a similar topic coming out in a few weeks. (Recorded but not edited yet.) You're 100% accurate about all the time it actually takes to put something of quality out in the world. I really wish that everyone could agree to charge a decent wage for their products so that consumers would stop expecting everything to be so cheap.
yeah, amen to that. And best of luck (and much sucess!) with your knitting channel!
I sometimes read a genre of book called the “cozy mystery”. They often take place in lovely yarn shops set in a charming village. These villages or towns usually have a murder rate rivaling New York or Chicago. In one of them the bad guy was the son of one of the knitters. He had his mother steal the patterns written by the LYS owner. Then they sold the patterns to pay off his gambling debts to the mob bosses. If only. I enjoy your videos and find them supremely helpful.
haha...well, I wish that would work. But well, fiction is there to entertain.
@@NimbleNeedles I just became a Patron. I wish you a great deal of luck. Many people ask me why I don't sell the things I knit. The answer is that no one would pay anywhere near what my shawls (mostly) are worth, not even covering the yarn I use. I give my projects away to the knitworthy.
@@bdarci thank's a million for your support. And yeah I get that question a lot as well from friends. And my answer is always, what I could charge wouldn't even cover the time spent on packing, accounting, and marketing. So sad, actually.
@@bdarci ,
Not long ago I watched a video with Stephen West where he told a little story: his brother asked if he would knit him a sweater, to which Stephen said he would. When he asked specifics like measurements, colors, etc. his brother replied, "I need a sweater for jogging on cold mornings." 😱 Stephen ended the story by saying there was NO WAY he would spend the time and effort making a sweater for his brother, now knowing he's not "knitworthy"! Lesson learned.
Happy knitting! 💖🙌🙌🙌😺
@@NimbleNeedles and bdarci, too. 👋
The West has China to thank for warping standards and expectations. Producers like Shein and others have churned out mountains of dirt cheap clothing and thus culivated the belief that nobody in their right mind should pay the fair market price for anything. Meanwhile, who cares to give a thought for the exhausted fingers, backs and necks that did the labor? Those people deserve a life, too! Sorry, I get worked up over injustice. Nobody should have to give their work away. 🥴😢
I’ve become a patron of yours. I think this is the best ,by far, of all the knitting channels I’ve watched. I’m an elderly lady that just started knitting a few years ago. Some of my things don’t turn out as nice as I’d like. But you are a great help with showing me how to make it better. I live in Kentucky.USA. Thank you Norman.
Thank you for becoming a patron Margaret. And very happy to hear I can help you along on your knitting journey. And psst...some of my projects don't turn out as perfect as I want them to be either. But that'S okay, it means I got still more to learn and it means this hobby will be able to keep me entertained for years to come :)
You're so real I love when creators engage with us as the audience and answer questions. I appreciate. that as a viewer. Thank you.
The hard work you put in truly shows. Your videos stand out from the rest for me. Thank you for all you do.
I appreciate that!
Very well explained, Norman! I totally understand and agree with you! I wish I can be a patreon, but I am unemployed and have been since 2015. My children suggested that I knit and sell the cute dog sweaters and baby items I knit. I told them people don’t want to pay for them, they want them for literally nothing. I rather not sell my knitting and deal with the hassles of returns because it didn’t fit or they didn’t like the yarn or colors. I rather live frugally and knit what I like or would like to gift to someone for free.
I love your professionalism and simplistic approach to explaining knitting techniques. While I don’t have the means of financial support, I hope like, subscribe, and commenting, and recommending to friends helps. Keep up the wonderful work. I hope your patrons can help alleviate some of your expenses, time, and efforts! Wishing you all the best for a little more compensation in these tough times! Hope you can continue to provide awesome content! Thank you for all you do to help us be better knitters! 🙏🙏
Hey May, rest assured that when I say knitting knowledge should be available to everyone, this is exactly what I mean. So don't worry if you cannot afford it. That's okay, as you said, others can and then all is fine. And you are absolutely right, liking, commenting and sharing my content definitely helps more than you might think. So thank you for that and appreciating my hard word.
I have been asked on numerous occasions why don’t you sell your work (not knitting)? My reply is ‘no because then it would become work’. So your video just reinforced my thoughts. Thanks for your hard work I enjoy your videos.
yah...you should never underestimate that fact. Also, when you sell something, people will ask questions, and one kinda should answer, right? :)
I agree with this. I knit (and crochet) to relax, and as soon as you start doing something for someone else it introduces an element of stress even when it is for someone you know! I would rather make a few things for us and our home and take as long or as short a time as I want over them. Just whatever gives me the most joy! A friend once spent ages making a beautiful blanket. She worked out that if she were to sell it and if she then valued her time at just £2 per hour, it would need to sell for £160 for the project to break even! Luckily she made it to keep but it is an important lesson.
You are so right, trying to make money of your knitting is terrible. I had a website to sell my handmade jewelry designs and hand knit designs. People don’t want to pay the prices for scarves and hats. They don’t realize that yarn is expensive to buy. Then there is my design elements, plus the time it takes to knit. I never worked with acrylic yarn. I stopped trying to sell my designs. You are right about working making your channel. I built my own web pages and work pages already up on site. Then I had to set up lighting equipment, cocoon, camera on tripod.. Don’t have the site anymore. So nice to have a knitting channel, cause so many crochet channels. Thanks for your great videos.
Norman, you really do make it look easy! I appreciate your candor and honesty in presenting this behind-the-scenes production of creating wonderful knitting videos...we all pay for far less quality somewhere in our daily lives and Patreon is a righteous justification for the incredible effort it obviously takes to sustain a business...You are Amazing and Generous and thoroughly Enjoyable. I have become a better knit because of your precise guidance, Thank You!!!...I am going to reduce a few of my frivolous expenses so that I can proudly become a NimbleNeedles Patreon 🤗
Your feedback and willingness to support my work is much appreciated, denise 🧶❤😊
I cannot thank you enough for the quality and the fort you put into your videos. I've been knitting only for a couple of years but thanks to you I feel like I've gotten better.
Really, thank you ❤️
wow, thank you ray! very happy to be part of your knitting journey :)
I just paused watching this video to thank you immensely for the subtitles. I don’t hear well so read the captions and your subtitles are excellent quality. Thank you for that extra effort! ❤️
my pleasure. It really does mean quite a bit of extra effort so glad it is appreciated
So much great information in this video! Thank you for this😊I actually started a crochet YT channel a couple of years ago (before I learned to knit) and I quickly realized that as enjoyable as I thought it would be, all it accomplished was causing me to lose my passion for the craft. I spent so much time stressing over content to put out, the set up & recording process, etc, that I began dreading doing it. I stopped quickly because it hit me that I began my fiber arts journey as a way to relax and enjoy my time and to be able to hopefully one day pass it on to my grandchildren, especially since that was something that wasn’t shared by older generations in my family. I’m much happier watching other wonderful crafters share their passion-I know it sounds selfish but I’m just being honest 😂thank you for sharing your passion and all of the amazing things you’ve learned over the years of your fiber journey❤
yes there is that. I do wish I had much more time for my private knitting :(
This was incredibly helpful! I’m looking at publishing a pattern or two, not really for profit but more for fun, and had no clue what went into doing so. I deeply appreciate all you do, and you are my very favorite knitting vlogger!! I make no promises, but I will attempt to juggle some things around so I can become a Patron. Regardless of my status as a patron, I wish you the greatest of success!
I appreciate your willingness to support my work.
Loved this video, Norman. I love improvising knitwear and then writing it down in a "pattern". Thanks to this video I've just been posting my patterns for free on ravelry and not bother with grading, getting testers, promotions, etc., which I know I wouldn't enjoy doing. My patterns have done very well on Ravelry (lots if hearts and downloads) and honestly, the kind comments and seeing other people's projects of my design is rewarding enough.
What a great video. I really appreciate that you took the time to explain the time that the process takes. You mentioned how your hobby can become your job and that is the one thing I do not ever want. I want knitting to remain my hobby! It’s my joy. That being said, I often feel designers charge too little for their patterns. You deserve to make a decent wage for your work! I love supporting designers anyway I can. This was the first video of yours that i have seen. And I loved the sweater.
Welcome to my channel, Jayne. Make sure to check out my other videos as this one was very far from the norm
Thanks for this. Your thoroughness and attention to detail is great and something I so appreciate. I loved the behind the scenes views - more are welcome!!
I learned to knit at a yarn shop owned by the sweetest German lady, she was so patient with me at the age of 10. All of the sole proprietor yarn shops have closed in my city. We are left with corporate shops with employees not quite as knowledgeable @ the craft. I have thought @ opening a fiber store/tea shop but the future seems so uncertain. Thank you for offering this wonderful glossary! I will be referring to it often. You bring back wonderful memories of my first tutor.
Aww..thank you Rebecca.
Hi Norman, I don't knit, I'm an avid crocheter, but I've browsed your videos several times, and I love supporting fellow yarncraft enthusiasts. Maybe one day I'll pick up some needles when it's not as scary (:
I'm glad you made this video, even with crochet, people are always telling me I should sell items, but they themselves wouldn't pay the worth of the yarn and the labor lol. I love the transparency you show for your viewers. Thanks for being so awesome ^_^
my pleasure. and happy you are one of the people who supports the amazing craft community!
I am a new knitter but an old person. I've only been at it for about a year. At 70 I was happily knitting things. I made up patterns and I am happy to say that my works are worn by family and friends. I also knit for orphans who my church supports. So just to say I really love your videos. I am going to look at becoming a patron. If I can, I will. Bless your heart. Best of luck.
thank you so much Sonya. Both for your kind feedback and wishes and for your willingness to support my work!
I am thankful that you are being open about the reality. I think another common thing is that people who make knitting content and patterns as their job are often supported by a partner or family. So there isn’t as much stakes for their knitting work to be profitable and its more about enjoying their hobby, sharing it with others and maybe getting back some of the money they have invested into knitting.
there certainly is that. But that makes it only worse if you ask me as most knitting semi-professionals are women...and I don't know if we really should go back to the age where housewifes where the thralls of patriarchs :P
Just became a patron. I have been watching your podcasts for several months and find them very informative and clear. You must put in hours of work to create all this content. I really appreciate when the the camera angle is as though I am knitting rather than looking at you knit.
yes, it took a long while to figure out how to make this angle work because I wanted to show everythign exactly the way you would see it. So glad you appreciate all that I do! thank you Linda!
Thank you for this, which is a great insight into what I want to do too. I’ve not started yet and know it will be difficult, especially as I’m still working a full time job too whilst designing knitting patterns.
I love the behind the scenes videos. I was also VERY surprised that you commented and actually engaged a dialogue between us on one of my comments about beginning knitting. It truly made me smile knowing you actually paid attention to my comments as I usually only get a heart or "thanks" from the videos I comment on. VERY much appreciated Norman!. I also never really knew how much work goes in to making a video for RUclips. I can't thank you enough for enlightening me with this info and it makes me appreciate more all the work that you guys put in to your channels. And for once, I do now understand the purpose of Patreon,, and that it's not just a money grab, it's actually a way of showing appreciation for all the hard work you guys do. *hugs*, thank you!!!
I can't speak for all creators but it's definitely not a money grab or rather a grab for more money.
At the end of the day, I have close to 100k subscribers now and I'd say passable view rates but youtube is not even close to paying my bills. Yet, it can be quite excrutiating to procude an episode. So, without a further incentive (=patreon money), there would probably pretty soon come the point where I would stop youtube. Or probably It would have already happened. It can burn you out very soon.
i am way late commenting but do hope you get a minute to read. just wanted to express my thanks as the other comments have. your mention of people thinking being a youtuber for your hobby is a dream - people forget that being a youtuber in itself is another job and industry altogether! you have to have the interest and drive to do both - knit AND create content while you do it. i’m excited to follow you through 2023 and learn from you!
heh... the way youtube works, I also see comments on really old videos :) so it' snever too late :)
This was very informative and helpful. I can't imagine the dedication, diligence and passion it must take to make this journey of transforming a passion or hobby into a full time job and then successfully tackling all the little strings attached the every hurdle along the way.
yeah, there were many hurdles and so many things i needed to learn. BUt I guess that's what makes this so rewarding as well.
What I want to know is how you manage to pick up and knit your neckband with no holes at the pick up line! Thanks for all your hard work, Norman, and your honesty. You're right about the impartiality being important.
you mean with the sweater I am wearing? I typically don't pick up stitches for the neckline. I knit it in one piece.
@@NimbleNeedles Yes, that sweater is awesome! Have you made a video about perfect neckbands? Would love to avoid uneven pick ups!
@@cherylg5315 not yet, Cheryl.
Yes. You made a lot of good sense & points many of us were not aware.
This video is the very reason I became a patron of your work. Not just the videos that teach your knitting to us but also the high quality of your videos! I have watched hundreds of knitting videos and had considered becoming a patron to one or two of them but I'm pretty stingy I think. I just thought to myself "no I could spend my money on more yarn or knitting needles, etc". Having found you on youtube and learned so much already I thought "YES! This is the person that deserves my patronage! Finally! I hope and pray it all works out for you and you will be a big part of our knitting journey for a long long time to come. The very best of luck to you!!
I sure hope it does but with supportive people like you, I am very sure this will be viable in the long ruin
Thank you for all your hard work, Norman. I became a fan a year or so ago when you posted a lovely little pumpkin pattern- I knit 20 of them as gifts for my preschool students! I admire your viewpoint on helping others in the craft rather than trying to profit off everything you post, and I so appreciate all the hard work that goes into producing these videos and running your blog. I have spent hours here with you, and feel like I owe you for all the helpful tips and tricks you have shared. Heading over to your patreon now! I hope you get to sit and knit with a cat at your feet someday soon. :)
oh wow 20? Amazing.that's probably more than I knitted. I am planning to expand the pattern this year with more variants (think acorn squash, etc)
Anyway, thank you very much for your support and happy I can be here for you
I had thought about doing a knit/crochet blog. Thank you for the information and tips. Looks like something I would not have the time to do! YIKES! Best to you. I look forward to seeing your channel grow. I know you are destined to do great things!
well, I mean, it's very important to stress that I don't mean this to discourage people. these days, with wordpress & co, it's very easy to set up a blog. And you know..you can just start and see where it takes you. This video is about earning a fulltime income with knitting. But that may or may not be your goal. Maybe you just want to share a little soemthing with the world and then it can be quite lovely. And then you don't need the pricey hosting (you can get it as low as 5$ a month) or the expensive camera. So, feel free to contact me if you need help with the first steps.
@@NimbleNeedles thank you! I certainly will not give up on the idea of starting a blog, but I will think more about making it a career! You are very kind. Thank you for caring for your followers!! 💜💜
I so admire your dedication. I’ve never wanted to pursue knitting to earn money but I really appreciate your explanation of what’s involved. Keep up your great work!
I’ve gotten a lot of value from your videos and am delighted to have a way to support your work and get more content. Thanks for the look behind the scenes!
I appreciate that, Gina! :)
Norman I just found this and I realize it is a real job to teach us as you do. I can only imagine the swatches you had to make for teaching, there was a mass of them! Glad to know about Pateon for you work!
yeah, there is a lot of swatching involved. I mean, I could also show it on works in progress but I feel then it's often very difficult to follow the technique.
Just sign up to support you as I love your videos and appreciate your hard work.
thank you Jessica. It means a lot - and enjoy the extra episode on my patreon account
Thank you for all the background. I knew it took a lot to keep up a RUclips channel, but didn't think it was that much. Holy cow! I love your channel and your knowledge. As soon as I can afford it, I will be contributing to your patreon, it will be money well spent.
thank you for considering to support my work, Cathy
I want to elevate my knitting skills and had just decided you would be the one expert knitter whose channel/videos I would watch. So excited that you are now on Patreon!
Wow, thank you!
I always appreciate how much you engage with your audience! It is really appreciated that you take the time to reply! :)
yeah, I do feel this is so important. I kind of want to build a community here where people know that when they have a question they can just comment. In these terrible days, a little community and feeling less lonely while knitting is important for all of us, including myself.
I love that! Community is definitely hard to come by these days and your efforts are not unnoticed! From what I have seen, you're fostering a very kind and informative community. I'll be sticking around for a while for sure!
Thank you for this information. I am a fair isle knitter and have designed a few patterns. I only began designing because someone asked me to make something with a very specific motif. A lot of people seem to want custom work which can take a lot of time to get the product just right. have been asked to recreate beloved knits that have worn out. One cabled brimmed hat took me 4 tries to get it exactly right. Sometimes the challenge is fun though! I like how a pdf download is so easy to sell through various platforms but it doesn't sell without any promotion. I love gifting stuff to people and I only sell things I've created or made to make back some of the yarn or material costs. The funny thing is my most popular item in my shop is a fleece liner to sew into knitted hats. It was easy to calculate how much I make on one of those sales, and I can easily make a stack of them in a few hours time.
well, there's truth there. While we may think everything needs to be super fancy, often the simple things bring the most profit and/or joy!
That was super interesting. Your videos are SO well put together and don’t waste MY time. That’s why I became a patron. The extras will probably be nice. But the videos are worth it alone.
Aw..happy to hear that! ❤️❤️🧶 and yeah, I try to provide extras but of course I want to keep the main content free for all so everyone can enjoy this beautiful craft!
This was brilliant and so grateful for all your hard work and thorough, simple teaching style. I have learned so much from your "knitting school" so much so that I am farther along in my knitting journey, even though I have only been doing it for 3 months.
oh wow. thx for letting me know. very happy to hear I am of so much help!
Norman, I completely agree with you regarding the investments of money, time, energy that you put forth in your channels, your business. I truly am grateful I found your tutorials, as I have been able to watch and rewatch them as I work on improving my knitting skills. Thank you for every effort, detail and beauty video you produce for the art of knitting. I always try to buy patterns from a designer directly to avoid the fees paid to Ravelry or Etsy. Thank you for ALL you do!!
it's my pleasure!
I truly appreciate you posting this. I know making videos is not easy, but I also did not realize what went into making them. Your videos have always been of excellent quality and providing multiple angles and options so it can be applicable to a broader range of knitters. I could not help buy laugh when you included the time it took for your manicure. That sticks out for me because there are some very well-intentioned knitters on here who mean well and I appreciate their tutorials. However some clearly need some TLC because I look at their hand and wonder if they are in pain because their cuticles just appear shredded or they have cuts on their hands.
It's not intended to be funny or mean as I appreciate the time they spend on putting these videos out, but it's just something I notice. I have always noticed how perfectly manicured your hands are.
Anyway, thank you for your videos and congratulations on your successful patreon launch.
Thank you. And glad to hear you appreciate the fine details I put in all my videos 😊
Yes Norman, I would like to be a patron. Will sign up today. I think you have the best how to videos. I appreciate that you focus on knitting, not all the trivial things other you tubers do.
thank you Anne. Glad that my way of teaching works for you.
(but remember, to each their own! A lot of people like these trivial by and bys :P)
Super awesome to watch your process. Really appreciate all of your support and teaching the skills we need to all become better knitters. If you ever do live streaming that would be really cool too!
yeah, but I don't think there's time for that as well right now ^^ I am very busy as it is. :(
Thank you Norman for this frank discussion. We all want to make money but I'll look for another way. Norman you deserve success you work really hard with the RUclips posts and your blog. They are very well done.
my pleasure. And thank you for appreciating my work!
I'm a library technician. Working in libraries most of my career. I had more than one person tell me it must be wonderful to sit & read all day?!?? It's a job. Maintaining computers, cataloging, helping people with research and a thousand other tasks. Who has time to read?!
true words. Then again, I feel those things are part of every job and i personally came to the decision that I'd rather maintain a computer to help other people knitting then something else. But yeah...sometimes there is regret there too :P
"Make each word count." I love this about your films, Norman. Very well-planned! I know something of filming and learned the hard way by teaching online for the past two years. 😖😣😵 No indeed, you don't just press play and start talking. If only it were that easy! Thanks for all your effort, the seen and unseen. 👏👏👏
it's my pleasure
WOW! This video is so good about all the behind the scenes, effort, time and the spirit of excellence that you put into your work. You are so appreciated probably more than you know. Viele danke!!!
well, reading through all these comments, I couldn't say I don't feel appreciated a lot. Still, it's always nice to read it one more time *grin* Thank you for sharing your feedback with me loretta
I used to home knit for a designer,i worked out the hourly rate,5p sterling per hour!!!!
And i get friends saying "knit this for me", until you tell them the price of yarn and hours of your time,they don't ask anymore😀
well, 1880 or so, it would have been a nice wage ^^
I absolutely love all the things you do. I totally appreciate all the effort and work you do. I am a new knitter and you have been a great asset to learning the craft. You are amazing.
Thank you so much, Christine!
I have looked at many knitting shops videos and your videos are top notch. I decided to join your patrion account to support your efforts.
bless you! thank you for supporting my work.
Well I've just subscribed to your Patreon and immediately I have to say: the race track analogy on your first tutorial is brilliant. I'm a public speaker myself (on very different topics) and I find that the best speakers/teachers know how to create these types of analogies to explain concepts to people. Very clever! Looking forward to more of your content.
welcome to my patreon account and very happy to hear you like my first video a lot. I put a looot of thought into it and in the end, you never know if things really work out.
The manicures are greatly appreciated.
haha...happy to hear that. :)
@@NimbleNeedles for sure!! I see you nails, then I watch mine and realize I couldn't record a video 😂
@@helensid6670 well, you never saw the "before" yet ^_^ haha. I know a fellow crafter who keeps a "good nail" because all the other digits are not very visible on camera and she only keeps her thumbs in shape ^^
This is a wee bit late but Happy Anniversary! We are so lucky you took the leap and started your blog and channel! Hope you are still enjoying your job in two more years! You Rock :)
Thank you so much!!
I like your candor, opened my eyes to what it takes to be a successful podcaster and designer. Thank you...
Thanks for listening, Cathy!
Thank you for sharing your experiences in making and sharing your videos and knitting tips. I am glad I discovered them a couple of years ago 😊
glad to have you here, Lorna!
@@NimbleNeedles thank you :) you are a true gentleman. oops just seen I typed 2 years in my message, that was meant to be a couple of months ago, so sorry. Anyway your ways of making really nice finishing have come in useful already, especially at the end of a cast off row. I have never come across that technique before and I really like the clear way you explain and show techniques that you share. I have been a knitter on and off for over 40 years (no!! has it really been that long!) and love there is still so much that can be learnt.
Hi Norman thank you for all the time you put out to help us with our knitting. I owned a wool shop and even there it’s difficult to make money now because of the internet.
Yeah, so true!
Thank you 😅 I'm glad I heard this for many different reasons. Best of luck with everything 😊
I checked out your Patreon site. OMG, that is less than I spend on a streaming service and I spend more time on your channel. It was a no-brainer for me!
oh wow..i love that feedback on so many level. Thank you Cindy
When I sell my work, I use a formula. My formula is the cost of the yarn, plus 10 cents per yard.
yeah, charging per yard (or stitch) is a very smart way to approach things!
that´s quite a low charge, in my opinion.
Let´s say someone asked me to knit Stephen Wests new pattern for them, the Dustland Sweater. (I just bought the pattern, so I´ll just take that one as an example.)
So, size L (the 4th size) is 1400 yards. So if I got that right, that would be 140 + the cost of the yarn? For three weeks worth of knitting??
Nope.
:D
When people ask gif knitting advice I send them to you if I can’t answer them. I will be joining as a patron next payday! Thank you for your honesty, I always wondered about the profit margins fir Ravelry.
Love your sweater too!
I mean, to be clear here. It's not a Ravelry issue. If I sell the patterns on Etsy, it's the same thing. And if I sell them myself on my website, I earn more but then I need to pay for the software/paypment connection (+a lot of work) so it's not really worth it either.
EIther way, Thank you for your willingness to support me Mary. It is much appreciated!
Thank you!! I notice that there's so much pressure (at least in the US) to turn every hobby into something profitable. I love books, and when I became a librarian so many people said, "Oh I would love to read all day like you!" when the reality was that I was only able to listen to books on my commute.
When I'm able I'll be subscribing to your Patreon! You inspired me to get back into knitting.
Rhys, I went thru the same thing when I worked at the library too. I asked the person who told me that, to follow me for an hour, sadly, they couldn't keep up. I also had quite the clientele too. I miss the patron friends I made, and some of the work, but on the flipside I enjoy retirement too. Blessings!
I just LOVE your honesty. It's like a breeze of fresh air. :D
thank you!
Thank you . I really enjoy all your content. Your honesty and integrity shine through. I wish I could afford to join Patreon. I will continue to watch your channel enthusiastically.
thank you. And it's the spirit that counts.
Happy 2 years anniversary ! Thanks for always answering our questions or comments. You do great work !
You sure conviced me to kepp knitting for my pleasure and not for any sort of income. I love to design, but for original gifts or for myself, that way I don't have to grade anything. Sadly, artisan rarely make much money from their craft. I wish you get a good enough income for all your great work !
I sure hope it will work out, nicole
It is great to see you expanding into this. I wish I could join, though right now it's not in my budget. I really do love all your hard work and thoroughly love your work. I don't have a lot of time to respond and comment, since my life is busy trying to earn a living like you, though not as a RUclipsr, just as a laborer. I lived in Germany for two years in Hamburg and loved it. I have always desired to go back, but life, of course, took over. I still love getting out and sweeping my walkways. I hope you have much success in your endeavors on growing your Patreon. Maybe one day you will see me there. ❤
no worries, Joy. There are many other ways to support a creator, and commenting, liking or sharing a post definitely helps as well. :)
I appreciate d spring flowers in da background 😏🌼
I have just subscribed to Your channel. 💖
Previously I watched several tutorials and I just could not "get it".. untill I found Your tutorial and made my first sample with no mistakes.
And now I am already starting on my first knitting project. 😌
Thank You so much for explaining everything with care in such a detail for easy distractible people like me.
Also Thank You for calming my anxiety, as the way You teach is so relaxing and encouraging. 😌
Welcome to my channel, then 😊❤🧶
Happy to support you on Patreon. Your videos have helped me become a better, more diligent knitter. Thank you!
very happy to hear that Martina. Both that I could help you along AND that you are willing to support me
Yesterday I finished my first project I counted time on Clockify - 21h 25m. The cost of materials is about 9 euros. If I saw something like that I would gladly buy it for 10, maybe 15 if it's a present. I can't make a living gaining 28 euro cents per hour! I'm extremely happy that I can afford knitting and crocheting supplies (that are definitely not cheap) and share my results with friends and family. Anyway, point taken - I just joined your patrons :)
welcome to my patreon account then :)
With the quality of your channel, I thought you were a professional in the audio video field. I figured you worked at a studio for your "day job." Keep up the outstanding work and congratulations on your 2-year anniversary.
Heh..no very far from it. I used to be Productmanger for stock market information services :P
i have never had a desire to become a designer, simply becuase there are some really great ones to follow, much like yourself! Thank you for a very honest presentation. I knew, having grown up in a business family, that there there are so many obstacles to overcome just to squeeze out and honest livable wage, let alone a prosperous one. I am not in a position to be a pattern to everyone that I would like to be, but I encourage everyone to buy you patterns, as I have, in the. past. Something you didn’t cover was that sad fact that so much of a designers work is pirated, even by the most seemingly innocent. Buy and pattern and then giving it away to other without credit in p payment to you is theft. People need to be more aware of copyright laws and why they exist. Good luck with our future on the web .
thank you for your understanding and kind words, Johnnie
You have provided me such clear concise and well researched information I am very happy to support your work to continue. I agree, a living wage should be the minimum we expect to pay to ensure the giving and receiving cycle continues. I also truly appreciate the grace period for you to learn to present your craft professionally. I wish you every success Norman.
thank you Christine for your kind wishes!
Hi Norman. Thank you it is lovely to see the effort that goes into your amazing videos
You are very welcome, Denise
As always, this was super helpful and useful. Thank you so much!❤
Thank you for the reminder and for all you do! We don't mean to be jerks so thank you for reminding us not to be.
I am definitely going to join for at least this first month cause I have a few spare dollars, I, unfortunately, don't know if I'll be able to continue to because my bills are shifting around some soon but I wanted to contribute at least a little while I can and I am going to make a note about your coffee thing for the future. You have been a great resource for both myself and my friend who inspired me to start knitting so I have a small bit of extra appreciation for you beyond even just these videos and your blog. Hope this helps and that you can get even more success and time to knit!
any contribution counts and please, only what you can reasonably support. Sure, I do want to earn money. At the same time, the very reason I am setting up this patreon is that I can continue producing my show for everyone and those that can afford it support it, just the way I share my knitting knowledge with everyone. So a community effort, if you will :)
@@NimbleNeedles of course. I just really appreciate you and mostly just wanted to let you know that
This is a highly informative video. Thank you for all the work you put into these for all of us.
My pleasure!
yaaaassss, labor. of. love! 🙏 My dream is that, one day, we can all make a living wage doing exactly what we love. I believe every person has VALUE and that we've only scratched the surface of our ability to "monetize" living our best lives. Just like being an influencer was inconceivable 20 years ago, whichever technology or innovation or societal shift is required to fully capture our value is coming... And instead of waking up everyday to make Google rich, we'll truly work for ourselves 😂 Until then... I'll keep pouring hours into $5 patterns 😂 thank you so much for being brave and sharing!
haha..i like this "waking up to make google rich". At times it feels like that..or when google decides it wants to change everything and you are scrambling for purchase...ah well :)