Small Batch Me

In your own words, what does it mean to be a small batch dyer?
 
In short, it means I produce smaller quantities of my colorways in a contained environment. 
In long...
 
- It means I have two hotel pans and two table top burners connected to two extension cords plugged into one outlet. 
- It means I have one prep table for all of my mixing, dyeing, heating, cooling, rinsing, and drying. 
- It means I can produce less product in a longer amount of time. 
- It means my production costs are higher.
- It means I work a full time job, and come home to a full time job, while also doing paperwork full time. 
- It means I work intimately with my medium, really taking the time to produce something of quality.
- It means paying attention to detail, because each dye lot has a maximum number of 5 skeins. 
- It means handling every step and skein with care.
- It means watching the sun set while my dogs bark at the neighbors. 
- It means difficult decisions.
- It means cursing when something goes wrong, and wondering how I can still make a profit on it.
- It means smaller budgets, smaller inventory, and smaller reach.
- It means family, and the joy of working with a loving customer base.
- It means researching new trends, and finding ways to stay in the game.
- It means crying when you want to give up, and cheering when you get it just right.
- It means beauty, and passion, and desire, and love.
 
Being a small batch dyer means everything to me, because the final product reflects everything within me.