Ko-fi, and a Peek Behind the Stitches ☕🪡

So, what's happening with Odinaddi?

At the moment, Odinaddi is home to my embroidery patterns and original stitched artwork, with more of both slowly making their way into existence. I'm still designing, stitching, experimenting, and occasionally staring at a half-finished project wondering what on earth possessed me to start it.

But there's also something else I've been quietly tinkering away on behind the scenes.

One of the things I've become increasingly interested in is how we actually use craft patterns. Most of us are familiar with the usual PDFs, printed instructions, and endless scrolling back and forth to find the bit we're working on. They're fine, but I've been wondering whether they could be more accessible and user-friendly/specific.

What if you could follow an embroidery (or other craft) pattern in a way that suited you? Adjust the text to make it easier to read, focus on one step at a time, keep track of your progress, and pick up exactly where you left off?

That's the sort of thing I've been experimenting with: a more interactive, accessible way of creating and following craft patterns. It's very much a work in progress and I'm not making any grand promises or announcing a shiny new product just yet, but anyone who has ever purchased a pattern from me before will hopefully have something new to check out in their inbox soon… It's simply something I care about and would love to make a reality, alongside continuing to create my own patterns and artwork. And I'm not just envisioning this for my own patterns... but as something other creators can use too...

And the slightly awkward bit...

Financially, things are pretty difficult for me at the moment, and I don't particularly want to pretend otherwise.

I've been putting a lot of time, energy, and love into Odinaddi, but it isn't yet bringing in anything resembling a sustainable income. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to balance wanting to build something meaningful with the rather pressing business of keeping myself afloat and my cats fed.

Unfortunately, enthusiasm doesn't pay the bills. Which feels like a fairly significant design flaw in the universe, if you ask me.

That's why I've decided to set up a Ko-fi. Not as a fundraiser with some enormous target or a promise of spectacular things in return, but simply as a little way for anyone who enjoys my work, believes in what I'm trying to do, or just fancies being kind to a struggling stitcher to lend a hand.

There's absolutely no expectation or obligation to contribute. I know money is tight for a lot of us, and I'd never want anyone to feel pressured to part with theirs. Sharing my work, offering feedback, recommending Odinaddi to someone, or just being here and cheering me on is genuinely appreciated so much.

But if you happen to have a couple of spare pounds and would like to send them this way, please know that they'd make a very real difference, both to me personally and to my ability to keep working on the things I love.

Thank you for being here, for taking an interest in my little corner of the crafting world, and for giving me the opportunity to see where all of this might lead. ❤️

Help me keep the cats fed and the lights on 🐱💡