Free Vs. Paid Patterns

There are a lot of free and paid patterns out there and let me tell you, it's been a maze trying to figure out what to buy and what you can get for free.  I am a firm believer in if you can get it for free first, then do it!  That's the beauty about the internet!  If you cannot find anything on the internet for free, then what's the most economical pattern.  Everyone may not be like me.  Some people may choose to buy all their patterns.  Some people may choose to only use a free pattern.  Others may just make up something.  Designing, I believe, is a gift!
So if you see any of the items in my albums out there, you guessed it! I found it on the internet! You may think "Oh there needs to be more originality" but the market is big enough for everyone to get a cut.   Different people have different tensions, styles and ways of crocheting and knitting that it may end up looking like a new product.  Colour combinations and using various stitches make the original pattern product seem at times, drastically different.
At the end of the day, whatever you prefer to do it's your choice.  You don't have to be as cheap as I am.  Although, I do buy a few patterns here or there!

See ya!

Melissa


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Starting Out

Beginning any venture is a challenging process.  I'm here to say that my motivation to succeed is what keeps me going.  I created this page with renewed enthusiasm and drive to push even harder towards my goals and dreams.  Sometimes it takes a long time to get to the point where you can see what you've accomplished.  "Never Give Up" is on replay in my mind.
I do not let society define what's successful for me and I've always been the person to do things a little differently even if it's slowly! I believe in quality work and that's what I want to give my clients.
I would like this page to be an open environment where positive criticism and feedback is appreciated.  Negative criticism is accepted as well, once the delivery is a positive one.  I want to know what YOU, the consumer want.  I want YOU to feel like you are part of the page and a result part of my business.  EVERYthing you want may not be feasible and if it's not, maybe we can work on a different idea or outcome together.

I truly look forward to creating handmade items for you!

Please feel free to contact me! Your comments/feedback/questions matter!

See ya!

Melissa

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Why me?

I created this blog wondering, why me, why this?! I wanted everything on my Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/BajanStyleCrochet (If you haven't seen it, check it out! hehehe) I wanted my blog, photos, sales, everything come through Facebook.  I had this great idea that it would work but what made me finally go on a blog platform was I wanted to expand my reach.  I tried adding people on Facebook, ie., my friends and so on and it wasn't working.  I'm still waiting for confirmation from some people! 
I came to the realization maybe I should just look for people outside of my circle who may actually be interested in what I'm doing.  Forget the people that are not helping me even to do the simplest thing as clicking "like" on a Facebook page or commenting or participating in my seemingly solo conversations because I wasn't getting any feedback really.  That's not to say people weren't reading because maybe they were but I really don't have evidence of that since I can't even see my "Insights" on Facebook because I don't have many likes!  All I needed was 30 likes on my page. That was it and I couldn't even get that! Where is the support?
I shrug sometimes at the sheer pathetic way things have been going.  I tried to figure out where I was going wrong and decided well, I guess I have to do an external blog then.  People seem to have had success with it.  Why can't I?  Or maybe they're fooling me by having something compelling to make me look at their page! lol *shrugs*  Who knows?!
So we go on this journey together of exploring the blog world, hopefully, you can learn from me! (or I learn from you?) Some days my posts maybe short like an update on twitter (follow me on twitter:@Bajan_Style) or longer like an article but who cares! It's my blog and I can do what I want to!
As you will see, I may not be the best writer, the best photographer, the best blogger, the best whatever-else-er but I believe in being me!
I know my estores need work but still visit at: www.bajanstyle.ecrater.com and www.etsy.com/shops/BajanStyleCrochet.  Support my entrepreneurial dream and making it a reality by buying something even if you buy the cheapest thing! lol  I won't hold it against you!
Even if you don't buy anything, that's fine too! Keep following my story and checking for updates.  I will appreciate that!
See ya!
Melissa

Smile ... *spotlight*

Why does talking about yourself seem so weird and arrogant?  May just be my perception but I DO NOT like talking about myself.  That's the truth! So I ask myself, "Why are you doing it, Melissa?
I think when you're trying to run a business whether part-time or full-time, you need a human face to the brand and/or product.  Because this is my business and I want to interact with my clients and bring a sense of comfort to this space, the logical thing was to talk about myself. So here goes:
I started crocheting from very young, not sure what age and found the doily patterns intricate but boring.  I stopped for a while because of the boredom and reading patterns confused me with all the stitches to learn and putting those stitches together correctly.  It was only within the last couple years that I thought, why not crochet again.  I liked the joy and peacefulness of crocheting and the feeling of accomplishment when I finished an item.  I didn't want any boring pieces and at that time, I thought of the internet.  There must be some patterns out there that were interesting instead of having to go and buy a book and maybe only like one pattern in it.  That's when I started my search.  I enjoyed finding things I wanted to make and now I realise, I'm addicted to patterns.  I'm also addicted to crochet but sssh! That's our secret!  I started with hats and jewellery branched into clothing.  I do not design my own items yet and I'm not sure if I ever will. Crochet was really a hobby for me and in some ways, it still is.  I am certainly not the fastest crocheter and I don't want to be.  I am still learning and I still make mistakes and unpick work just to get a quality finished product.  There may be something I can do better and the great thing about life, is that it's one big learning experience.
Anyway, that's a little about me and crochet. I thank you for coming along for the ride of this journey, I have embarked on.  By purchasing any items from Bajan Style Crochet, know that you are an important part of its success!

As a side note:  I do not write in American English.  Schooling where I'm from is based on British English.  So please don't correct me on my English unless it's a British English correction.

See ya! :)
Melissa