Back to the grind…

It’s been hard getting back into my working mode. Answering the emails is a full time job in itself! Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE hearing from knitters, etc., but there’s also so much garbage to wade through. Yikes!

The previously mentioned screw up sweater is apparently not included in the issue it was to appear in. I feel bad on several levels; bad for making the stupid mistake, and bad that the editor didn’t get back in touch with me to work out the issue (it really was fixable).

Just last week I finally I received the contract for another piece running in the same issue (a month after I was required to send in the pieces). I signed and sent in the contract for sweater #2, but there was no mention of the screw up sweater.

Assuming the intention is not to run the sweater, therefore not to pay for the piece (or to offer a “kill” or no-run fee), is this really the most ethical way to deal with designers? On the other hand, because there was a mistake on my part do they have any responsibility to pay me anything at all, or a partial fee for the knitting & pattern writing involved with this piece; or does the flaw absolve them of any need to complete an implied contract (all dealings were via email so there is a written paper trail, but an offical “contract” had not been signed and returned).

Believe me, I ask these solely to better define the currently amorphous relationship between designers and publications. Communication is a great resolver of issues. Whether I’m paid or not is not a huge deal to me, I would be happy to retain the rights to the design and reshop it to another publication or publish it privately (it’s a cute little design!) I find, though, that sometimes in the knitting world – as in any artist/editorially based realm – there is so much secrecy involving issues that would benefit from the light of day.

Okay, enough whining, I’m currently working on two other sweaters for a magazine and they make me SO HAPPY! I’ll let you know when they’re published, but they’re both fun, Fun, FUN! I’m so in love with K1C2’s Tartelette ribbon – just lovely. Wonderful. The colors are juicy and lively, the blend of them that I’m using is all autumn leaf tones, my absolute favorites! Makes knitting more of a joy than it already is!