My Fantastic Picot Poncho!

[SusansSoulShines]

I just had to share this with yall, it's my pride and joy to date! Took me 4 days to write after I made it, then to test it, and confirm everything was correct... it has 9 sizes built into one pattern so anybody can have one- best friends, sisters, mom and daughter, you name it! Let me know what you think, ok?! I have 7 free patterns so with this one having 9 sizes, I thought I'd see how this goes, it was quite extensive. Ravelry and Paypal both get a piece if each sale.


http://soulshinecreationsbysusan.com...-picot-poncho/ (my blog post, explains more details)

or

Ravelry: V-Neck Picot Poncho pattern by Soulshine Creations By Susan (Ravelry site)

[sapphire43]

Good job, Susan. It's a nice looking poncho. It certainly pays to persevere doesn't it? Good luck with your sales.

[Irishjl]

It's beautiful!!! Congratulations. Job well done.

[dancingbaehr]

Hi Susan,

Great job! You do nice work. Good luck with your sales!!

~~ Hugs, Jo ♥

[DebbyR]

Very nice!

[SusansSoulShines]

Hi Susan,

Great job! You do nice work. Good luck with your sales!!

~~ Hugs, Jo ♥

Thx Jo, I did sell one on the first day I listed it, so that was exciting! It took me 4 full days to, after making the poncho and taking notes while making it, to write it up, confirm many sections of it, re-check wording, calculate the nine sizes, make sure my wording made sense, test the piece, etc. I thought long & hard before doing it as a paid piece but everyone who's done this much longer than me told me that you just can't give away everything you do. I hope to sell more even next year when it starts to be cold weather again. I really do need the the small amount of $$ that I'm able to earn per year being disabled, but I only keep about 50 cents less than the sell prices of it after paypal fees on this poncho. But a little can add up to a decent amount if that ever happens.

When I get a few more paid patterns done I'm still going to do mostly free patterns, and then I'll likely just open an Etsy store for the paid ones. Almost all of the designers that give so many free patterns have Etsy or other type stores of some kind online, or they'd have to shut down shop! Many of them have yarn company sponsors who provide their yarn and pay them to use it and talk about it too. I'm also going to get some affiliates on my blog site very soon. All of the big designers have those too, and in talking to them they suggested that I do the same. You get very little per purchase but it's at least something to help. When you make items to show in pics online, whether free or paid, you have to keep trying them w/diff yarn types & colors, and hook sizes, plus it's very time consuming to manage a blog site. And you still have to learn new techniques, crochet them, manage your social sites, research sites for the blog, and manage a household! and I do it all while having chronic pain... not whining, just saying!! And yes, I could stop, but then what would I do? I LOVE to crochet and meeting new friends and I have a link to the outside world thru all of this!

So if someones is going to buy a Craftsy lesson, or yarn or other crochet supplies, or something thru Amazon or a craft store, there's no difference if they buy it directly from the site or thru an affiliate link, since they'll get the exact same item and price. Craftsy offer many yarn sales up to 70% off, great yarns, and often! Craft stores offer the same promo codes and discounts on affiliate linked the same as in their on sites. I think everyone needs a little extra $$ these days, groceries are starting to not be in my non-budget any more at all hardly, and I know many others are in the same situation.

Crochet is my love, and I would do it for free forever, but it's the only thing I personally can do at all to try to help me and my husband get by, along with what he brings in. So I am only doing this little bit and see no harm, but I'm sure some people might not understand me doing it. I lost my career in 1997, making 20.00/hour in engineering even back then, plus nothing was so over priced at that time either. Poverty is a difficult life, so I have to do what I have to do. Thanks for the compliment and encouragement Jo! <3

[dancingbaehr]

Susan,

I think it is wonderful that you love crochet so much that you can make money with it!! It is a gift from God. He gave it to you, knowing you needed it. I wish you great success with your selling!!

~~ Hugs, Jo ♥

[LI Roe]

Very pretty poncho and so glad you sold on the first day of listing. It is a lot of hard work but you need to do what you have to do. I wish you all the best in continued sales. Keep it up and good luck.

Roe

[crochetdiva]

Way to go, Susan!

[SusansSoulShines]

Very pretty poncho and so glad you sold on the first day of listing. It is a lot of hard work but you need to do what you have to do. I wish you all the best in continued sales. Keep it up and good luck.

Roe

Thx a lot, I'm glad people understand! I appreciate the encouragement as always