Day dreaming of maths and wages.........

One of my most frequently asked questions at shows is "how long did it take you to make that blanket?"

I hate answering this question and normally start off with the phrase "You have to remember this is my full time job"

When I tell the asker the answer, they are normally shocked and tell me it would take them years to make the blanket.

The  "You have to remember this is my full time job" phrase just doesn't seem to sink in.

I know its difficult for some people to understand that doing a hobby that you love can actually be work, but it can be and is for me.

Even my own mother-in-law doesn't understand, the last time she phoned up in the day time I was crocheting She asked "are you busy",

I said "Yes, I'm working crocheting one of the book blankets"

She laughed in a kind of "don't be stupid, that's not work!" tone.

I've been timing myself while making the book blankets and so now have a real idea of how long it takes me to make a blanket.

Of course it depends on the blanket.

I've just finished 2 blankets one is a king size in 4 ply which took about 8 weeks, the other is 60 x 60 inches in DK which took about 2 weeks.

I crochet and design part time or rather part time in my world.

I spend 4 days at home on the sofa drinking coffee, lazing around watching CSI or some other murder that I don't need to concentrate on.

And 3 days at the NDS studio in front of my laptop or dye bath and then 3 evenings of the same day's at home doing more crochet and not concentrating on something on the tv screen with Phil.

So I did some number's to see how much I would earn if I turned my hobby into a proper job.

3 x studio days, crocheting from 5 pm to 11pm = 18 hours

4 x home days, designing & crocheting from 9 am to 11 pm = 56 hours

= 74 crochet/designing hours a week.

- 4 hours for trips to the kitchen and a Friday night local's pint (or 2) at the Rising Sun

= 70 hours

If I were paid minimum wage at £6.30 (ish), I would earn £441 per week, according to the careers website below, if I classed my self a senior designer I could earn £2,800 per week.

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/fashion_designer_salary.htm

• The range of typical salaries at senior designer/creative director level is £41,000 - £85,000+.

Which means the 8 weeks it took me to make Book Blanket NO 2 would of earn't me £22,400, enough to mend the Zoom and buy a new car while the Zoom is at the garage having its engine replaced !
It also means that the blanket is worth £22,400 + yarn + 8 weeks of electricity and coffee + several seasons worth of DVD boxsets.
So when I'm asked how much I sell my blankets for £25,000 is a reasonable response, except that that doesn't take into account any kind of profit, all good business people know that you normally double the costs to come up with the retail cost.
SO.......
Book blanket NO 2 will cost £50,000.

So if you'd like to pay my wages or buy a blanket I take credit cards, cash and paypal :-)))))

I'll leave you with a sneaky peek photo of Book Blanket NO4, just in case you feel the need to buy a blanket.....