OML Embroidery

I think sometimes people forget that everyone’s time is valuable – people are busy, people work hard and the few minutes we have to ourselves to work on things that we want to work on is quite valuable indeed.

Now, I don’t want anyone to take offence to this post – I find that most people are really really good about other people’s valuable time, most of the time, but not all of the time.   And don’t get me wrong, I chose to help, and I make the time to help – and so does everyone else in the groups.

I learned my “time lesson” early on.  Someone was in a desperate situation and was having trouble with an embroidery design and sent me the design to look at.  OK, I do that quite a bit, I don’t mind pointing out the errors and offering some solutions to the problems that they are having, I don’t mind at all.  In this one case, the design was super complicated and a total mess.  Not like a few papers on the floor mess, like a hoarder’s house after 25 years mess.  Wow.  I could not even see the problem through the mess.  So i started to clean it up a bit so I could see what was going on – there were more than 200 objects in the design. Whew…I did some of them – not all – and then i could see the issues – mind you, 1.5 hours had gone by!  I figured out some of the issues, wrote a detailed instruction email, and attached the new file with the parts of the files fixed and in order.  There was quite a bit wrong with the file, so I spent close to an hour explaining the errors.  I felt that I did an excellent job, and awaited the answer.  Oh, I got the answer.  She said “I will take your suggestions under consideration”.  Thats it?  I spent 2.5 hours helping you, and thats it? How about thank you??  Nope.

After that I learned that I am not here to do the work for you, or hold your hand or exchange files.  I am here to help, but you must do the work!!

That being said, remember that I am not complaining about the time that I spend helping anyone in the groups or via email – I absolutely choose to do this – and I love helping, I love sharing and I love people making digitizing progress – those are the happy positive points of my day (so no nasty emails or posts please, I am not complaining) I give my time freely and so do many many people out there in the groups – I love to see that too!  But remember too – I do have a full time job too – my time is as valuable as yours.

Ok, so we are clear on that, clearly.  LOL.  So there is a difference between giving your time and wasting your time.  Big difference.  Same as everyone out there, I don’t want to waste my time doing anything, ever!  I was flipping through Facebook, and I saw this post – and I was absolutely shocked that this is now the norm.  “can you look at the file for me, I don’t have time to stitch it out”  was the question.   Its in an embroidery group, but nothing to do with Hatch.  So there is someone who needs help, but thinks that their time is more valuable than anyone else in the group…she doesn’t have time to work on her design, so can someone else do it for her?  Do you guys see what I am getting at here?  Are you as shocked as I am?  she doesn’t have time to do her own work, so can someone do it for her? Thats not how we work, thats not how embroidery works, thats not how the world should work – but it does.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE ANSWERS THAT SHE RECEIVED.  They made the point clear.  She declined to respond, but I am hoping she got the point.  Everyone’s time is valuable.  Everyone.  Professional level digitizer, seasoned digitizer and noobs, and everyone in between – your time is valuable.   (Of course I have blacked out all names, etc.  I am not here to call anyone out or embarrass anyone or anything like that, I am trying to make a very valid point)

I guess the point is remember that everyone’s time is as valuable as yours!  Do your own work, do your homework, learn the trade -but if you get stuck on something everyone is here to help you get over that hump.  But seriously, stop expecting people to do the work for you!!  Embroidery digitizing is a trade – it takes honest hard work and dedication to become good at the trade, and of course some help along the way.  But asking someone to do the work for you is not the path.  Try. Try something else – and yes, test stitch your own work to try and find the problem.  Ask for help when you need it.

Well, thats it for today – hopefully everyone gets the point – value your time, value your work, value your learning time to improve your embroidery skills – and most of all, value everyone else’s time as well.  We are all important, we all have lives and family, and nobody wants to waste their time.

I  want to thank everyone in the Wilcom Hatch Tips and Tricks group -you guys are an amazing bunch of digitizers.  You all work hard, you all try hard and you all are willing to work on your skills.  I love the creative attitudes to see the progress, and the completed designs and the hard work that everyone has put into each and every design that is up in the group.  Most of all I love the fact that everyone supports each other in so many ways in the group, and everyone tries to help.  Some days, its nothing short of incredible.  Keep up the good work, you guys are amazing!

That is all.  Keep working hard, and Happy Digitizing!