I have a bunch of stay-at-home-mom friends who somehow have found ways to make a little money on the side. Some do the traditional Mary Kay, Avon, candles, educational toys, whatever. Others work at dance studios or cheer gyms or beauty salons after their husbands get home from work. And some, and I would dare say this is the majority, have found a way to make a buck with their creative talents.
They sew. They knit. They photograph. Or even make money just by writing. They run fledgling start-up businesses. I've often been so impressed with the blogs out there dedicated to this arena. C Jane. Nie Nie. Lisa Leonard. Dear Lizzy. My Happy Little Life. (It's also interesting to note that they are all in Utah.) Reading their little inner-creative world can make you feel like a little fish in a big, big pond.
Until today I read this. On My Happy Little Life.
"what: come learn to knit openwork patterns and make the softest, yummiest scarf in the world.
prerequisite: have taken my knitting 101 class AND/OR know how to garter stitch comfortably. you will be learning the purl stitch, a yarn over, knitting two together, passing stitches over, and how to read a pattern.
when: thursday, february 4th. 7-9:30 pm.
where: in my craft room!
how: email me quick if you want a spot! the first TEN AND ONLY TEN people to email me and complete the payment request will secure their spot in the class.
cost: $55 paid through paypal. includes instruction, treats, yarn, and needles. you bring nothing!
After reading this, I just had one question for myself.
Am I a sucker?
For 2 1/2 years (YEARS, people), I hosted people twice a month in my home for a knitting night. There were a few in our numbers who were already knitters and were coming to work on projects and socialize, but the majority who came were people who had never knitted before in their lives. I taught them. From scratch. Gave them needles and yarn. Not needing them to be returned. And helped them with new projects from start to finish. I saw many a scarf, baby blanket, and hat.
And I didn't charge them a dime. Not a DIME!
What kills me isn't even that Happy Little Life is charging people (good for her, I say!), but that people are willing to pay $55 for a 2 1/2 hour class! (The starter class, where you learn to cast on and garter stitch, is $45!) And when she says "hurry up and register," she means it! Her classes fill up like crazy!
I could never get anyone to pay me $55 to teach them how to knit.
I have a friend who sends her son to a lady's house three days a week for preschool. It's not a co-op - this lady is the only teacher and the preschool, its curriculum, and the administration of it are solely her responsibility. She pays this lady a monthly tuition. A LOT of tuition, too, I might add.
But here's the thing. I run a preschool out of my house. That is solely my responsibility. And I love doing it. It never even crossed my mind to charge a monthly tuition for it.
So this idea that there are women out there doing what I do but getting paid for it got me thinking.
Am I a SUCKER?!
