There's a first time for everything. Taking risks

There's a first time for everything and it may not be your best.

We have first times all of the time and some of them are downright scary. There's a first time for everything and it may not be your best. 

When I was training to become a teacher, something that always came up was "taking risks". This doesn't mean being edgy and tearing up textbooks though. It means putting yourself out there, trying something new and adapting in ways that might not stick but at least you tried. More importantly, the rationale was there. 

I've had an interesting week of firsts. This week, I ran for two miles without needing to stop for a rest. It was a first and felt amazing. I also attempted my first Roulade this week. I pulled that off, too! Even though these are great things and have improved my day to day life and my confidence in these areas, I know the next first may not be the best. 

A huge and scary first was taking an already released pattern off the shelf this week and revisiting it. I had never been truly happy with it. Deep down, if I am not happy with something, I can't then convince someone else to take a punt on it. I took a step back, reviewed it, made another sample and the problem was solved as I worked through it. It was great to actually look at it from a maker's point of view and think "would I be happy with this?". It was a new experience, revisiting something I'd made over a year ago and looking at it with my present day lens. 

In the 'not so amazing' first's department, I've done my first general consultation of Christmas products and risks. I didn't know if it was worth investing in some new yarn stock, as yarn sales have been quite frankly, terrible. There are other online stores you can buy yarn from and I don't appear to be one of them (lol). That's ok though. I can't stock such a wide range to suit every taste and budget as a one woman show with a limited amount of storage. I once had some hand dyed Manos Del Uruguay on my hands for 18 months. Not good. 

Kits were different though. 

This is why I thought I'd revamp the mystery kits from last year. I just did it last year and pulled it off but with these ever changing doom and gloom financial headlines in the UK, I just don't know if I can pull it off this year. This is why I took to social media and just asked the yarny world what they think. At the end of the day, I don't identify as a yarn shop or an indie dyer nor do I want to be either of those things. I only really buy the yarn to compliment my patterns. This is why I thought going for the mystery kids wouldn't be so high risk. 

It is in fact, high risk, but I've put myself out there. It's the first time I've openly consulted potential customers and asked them what they think. I may not hear what I want to hear, or find hope, but that's ok because I put myself out there and I tried. 

So in the coming week or coming month, remember to take a first every once in a while. It might scare you, refresh you or pleasantly surprise you. You may not hear what you want to hear and that's ok. You put yourself out there and you tried. 

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.