I like knitalongs...I might not knit along, I might not even contribute to the chatter, but I like them. I marvel at the folks that have the tenacity to set them up, and I hope that they like doing these since they get 100's and even 1000's of folks knitting something the designer dreamed up. I mean seriously, a bunch of folks waiting with bated breath for Friday to roll around so that they can get a new clue and then blindly knit the clue...such power...
However, there is one knitalong that I joined which did something I really didn't like. The designer claimed that due to the amount of time involved in doing this KAL, that she needed to now charge a fee for the clues to the pattern. Now, it's not the $ that bothers me, there are knitalongs that require a fee, and I'm all for that--if you think you can make money from it, sure, go ahead. I'm just not comfortable with her explanations...she says that there were too many people asking questions about her clue and that folks were emailing her nonstop, she had to take a break from the 2nd clue. Okay, taking time away from the family, I get that. But then she turned around and is now charging for the clues...that just doesn't jive with me. Is getting money going to allow her to spend more time with her family? uhmmm...no. Well, at least now she can say that she's getting something for missing out on personal time. whatever.
But here's the kicker. Here's why I don't think I'll purchase this pattern. She also has a group on Ravelry and folks were posting their disappointments about what they perceived as 'bait & switch' tactics. And true, it was a free KAL, and you get what you pay for, so stop your whinging. But here's the reason I won't be purchasing her pattern... She went and deleted the comments that she didn't like!
Wow. I've not seen that before. This is along the lines of Magknits and the way they closed up shop. Her attitude is that this was 'her house, and she can do as she pleases'. Okay, that's a paraphrase, but the thing about 'her house' is in her note she sent out.
Now, I'm a moderator for a yahoo group, and I have deleted posts, but I will email the poster to let them know why I deleted their post (usually, it's for silly things like that they put too much personal information in a post that goes out to a huge group, or that they're chatting on the board and that's not kosher--yeah, we're strict). But I don't delete because I don't agree with them (and we get some bulldog-types that just...won't...let...a...subject...go. big rolling eyes)
Anyway, my post didn't get deleted (yet), but posts above and below mine were decimated. Ughh...bad taste in mouth, bad taste...
I think that this designer should have thought about what a KAL would entail and talked w/ other designers first about how to run one successfully.
Later, I'll talk about my lovely weekend which started out with a trip to Color: A Fiber Festival today and will hopefully end with meeting up w/ Rav folks at the local library.
And I'll post a picture or two.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
17 comments:
That's unbelievable! Which KAL is this?
it seems to me pretty crappy to charge for something suddenly when it was not being charged for previously.
Also the deleting comments yeah... I think as any online community gets bigger... and with ravelry getting more publicity and gaining more attention we will start to see more "trolls" or "flamers" where as we didn't used to see that. It's the thing about being in very large groups I guess. Sucks.
Madness.
Personally I think more than one or two designers decided to capitalise on the success of Pink Lemon Twists mystery knitalong last year to get their names known. When they realise just how much work is involved they resent it.
If you want thousands of knitters to be knitting your patterns and talking about it on Ravelry, forumsa and their blogs (generating publicity for you) then you shouldn't be surprised that it takes up a lot of your time.
Getting people involved and then changing the rules is pretty unforgiveable to me.
Phew - this has got me all riled up and I'm not even knitting the thing!
This is still annoying me! I've just caught up on Ravelry group and it seems to me the obvious solution if the group and q's are taking too much time is to continue the KAL (for free) but give some boundaries as to how much time the designer can give to answering design questions. Let the group help each other for 'do you think I should use orange or green yarn type questions',or other generic stuff.
Charging for it just seems wrong.
What a shame. Yeah, changing rules in the middle of the KAL is pretty bad business. I'm enrolled in another mystery shawl KAL, and was told up front there was a fee to join. The fee was nothing more than most online patterns. But I knew it before I joined, paid it, and the clues are coming as scheduled, so I have no problem with that. But if the fee didn't come up until the KAL started? That'd make me really cranky.
i just checked that KAL out since ijoined when it first started. thanks for the heads up. $10 per weekly clue on something you can't even see, yikes. and for a pattern that in the end would only be priced according to Susan Reishus, the designer,at $15, is pricing yourself out of many people's range for disposable income. there are those who will give her the sympathy vote and will pay her the $10 weekly to tell us how wonderful she is, always in the third person as though she was a royal, but this is one i can live without.
I can see why a KAL would take a lot of time, but that should have been considered before starting, I would think. Also, if you're getting too many questions about your clues, mightn't it be that your clues are not clear enough? It seems odd to make the customer pay for something that may well be a design flaw in the first place...
I'm with you on this one. Seriously just write up a pattern, ask for a couple test knitters, and then sell the pattern. To start a free knit along and then charge for it shows a lack of class.
So is what you're saying that she started the KAL and it was free, then partway through she started charging for it? That is soooo not cool.
It is important that you state the facts about this KAL, otherwise it is considered slander and is libelous. The rules for signing up were that you had to be nice (and Golden Rule applied) or would result in removal. There were hackers and life threats, along with car accident with injuries and serious family surgery after initiating, plus 3 mos. of 18 hour days hosting group. As per medical advice, hackers downing many things inc. groups, & threats, group was told would have to close. Dozens wrote asking to pay as learned so much and loved design so far so were told if could wait for recovery, would start later. Most in paid group were in free and included multiple memberships because of hacking issues. Hackers pretended to be victims and created lies (Yahoo also found them), downed computers, terrorized child, in adfinitum. Sadly, this has been done to others also. Posts to group resulted in spam and keystroke loggers to participants. There was no bait and switch. If any fault, it was in trying to be nice to those requesting a paid class down the road.
At some point the truth will be known about everyone and everything, and I welcome that day. Very sad that something so well intended to benefit many was compromised by a very few.
Sincerely,
Susan A. Reishus
But my dears, she never ever came up with a single workable clue. Clue one had errors and that was it. Even those who paid the money got zilch.
Threatening legal action when there is no basis is not at all impressive.
Facts is facts.
"Dozens wrote asking to pay as learned so much and loved design so far...."
This HAS to be false as nothing was ever given beyond the swatch and first clue. How could anyone "love design" that didn't exist?
What a joke this whole thing was......!
I, too, welcome the day that the truth will be known about everything and everyone. For example, I would dearly like to know why... over a year later... those people who paid for a service/goods, have yet to receive anything for their money other than a fantastical story that rings of paranoia. And when these people ask questions about the length of time they've had to wait,they are summarily ignored or deleted. There is nothing slanderous or libelous in the observation that a spade is, indeed, a spade.
A responsible human in this designer's fictitious shoes would look at the "hackers" and other nefarious people plotting against her and "preventing" her from starting a group anywhere on the internet, and then look at the innocent folks who had faith that she would deliver goods as promised and PAID FOR, and made the responsible decision to email or even snail mail the pattern to each member still waiting, or refund their money. All of it. To each of them.
Over a year later, and the designer has yet to come to this realization. It's very sad that so many innocent knitters put faith in this designer's claims only to be swindled and cheated in the end.
If the pattern miraculously materializes at some point in the future, I will happily eat my words. Somehow, I don't think that's going to be necessary.
I am sorry you are mistaken, and projecting. All current subscribers who wrote, were responded to in kind, and refunds are being taken care of as requested. I shared why posts are not going to the group to protect the members from spam and keystroke loggers, etc.
I frankly hope that no one would ever have to go through what the hackers have done on many levels. Sadly they have done it to other designers and groups and some of them have shared with me at length the horrendous things that they have done to them over the last decade. Those attacked have faded away, but I feel it is important that this be named, or the hackers will continue, and then pretend to be victims perpetuating lies. People should be incensed that a very few spoil it for so many and help put a stop to it, as they are constricting the flow of sharing and open-heartedness in online knitting.
Unfortunately the internet has become a place for people to use negative power (veiled in 1st Anendment rights, though they would never act like this in person) as online they are faceless and nameless. There are some of us who are trying to share, be kind, uplift and inspire, which can make you a target, or what in psychology they call "leveling." Sad indeed but if that is the way some choose to learn, then it is a hard path indeed.
Yes, there was a mistake in the first clue, as I cut and pasted a wrong row and rectified it within a few minutes of posting. I hadn't realized my car accident had affected me so much (though I didn't know what year it was in the ER prior). I tried to keep my word until I was forced to give it up to save myself and my child.
Because of the hackers and threats, the pattern won't come out for a long time, perhaps never, which is sad that their admitted personal jealousy affected no only me, but all the others who joined.
I will not go around about this anymore.
I do know that people who see shadow in others, do because they are it themselves. I won't share anymore of the intense details of all that was said and done by the hackers, but know that what you do or say to others, does come around.
The truth will be known at some point, and if not here, at least on the Other Side.
Sincerely,
Susan A. Reishus
Susan, dear...
You can keep sticking to this nonsense, but no matter how often you tell it, no one who knows anything about the internet will believe you.
Bottom line: You had no business starting a mystery KAL before actually finishing the design, having it test knit and having the charts completed. You took people's money for a product that didn't yet exist, and that was a breach of trust. You took advantage of the good faith of the knitting community and it's your own fault it's gone so sour and you are the only cause of any loss of reputation.
No one is jealous of you...why would they be based on the one extraordinarily overpriced "design" you've published?
@Susan,
If, as you say, "what you do or say to others, does come around.", then why are such bad things happening to you? Your posts do sound a trifle paranoid...
I realize this is an older post but this woman has now invaded several of the vintage sewing machine groups and it driving us crazy with her run on posts and supposed knowledge of everything. Would it be possible to give me a bit more information on her so I can decide whether to remove her from the We Fix It group or not. Thank you
ihabwynoi@yahoo.ca
Post a Comment