Considering my legacy

I have found discussions on my recent topics on social media incredibly interesting. So many of you have been so generous in sharing your thoughts, and I really appreciate that. (If you are unaware, we have very active discussions on my Vetty Creations Facebook and Instagram pages. https://www.facebook.com/vettycreations https://www.instagram.com/vettycreations)

I have learned/ realised several things:

– you love my books. You love the fact that I can be your teacher in your lounge room.
– you didn’t sign up for my classes at the World Needlework Convention because they were out of your price range.
– I am passing on valuable skills through my books.
– you find my books easy and enjoyable to use because the information in the books is presented well.

All of this is useful and encouraging.

I’m turning 50 next year. Having come to the end of writing my current book, I do have plans for what’s next, what’s next after that, and even after that… But at age 50, I need to consider that my career in writing books will come to an end at some point and that point is getting ever closer.

So what do I want to do with the rest of my career that will be most valuable? What’s the legacy I want to leave?

Yes, I want to continue to study and record lesser-known styles of embroidery, the skills of which are in danger of being lost to us. It is fully my intention to keep doing that.

But when I stop doing that at the end of my career, it all comes to an end, at least in terms of my way of doing it (which people do seem to love). If I have 10 years of career left in me, that’s maybe another 5 books. If I have 15, that’s maybe 7 or 8 books.

Do I need to be passing on the skills of how I create books in the way I do? I am a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer by training (I have a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication). I am a highly skilled embroiderer. Over many years I have developed the skills of an embroidery historian. I have attention to detail. I can explain technical processes clearly and succinctly. I can draw complicated but clear diagrams. I can take good photographs of embroidery.

Maybe I need to be thinking of passing on my technical skills as well as the how-to-do-embroidery skills, so that others can continue on with that work, when I no longer do. Hmm… More thought required.

Does this interest anyone?