Check out these crafting books today.
Candle Making
Soap Making Books
Soap & Candlemaking for Dummies
Scrapbooking Books
Therapy Books
How To Choose A Quilting Design That Sells
Quilting is a huge hobby industry right now. While in the past, many quilted purely for pleasure and only gave their quilts to family members, people are now seeing lots of business opportunities. With advances in technology, it is easier than ever to sell your quilts for profit.
But making a quilt, especially making a full size quilt is a big investment of time and money. You have to buy the fabrics and spend a great deal of time designing, sewing and quilting. You want to be sure that there will be a market for the quilts you design. Here are a few simple suggestions of things to keep in mind when trying to decide on a quilt decide you hope will sell.
1. Size Matters
When just starting out on your homemade quilt business, you might want to start with smaller quilts. You can start out trying to create lap quilts and wall hangings. See how those sell and what your most popular color and patterns are – this will make it easier to know what kinds of full quilts to design when you take that next step.
2. Tradition
Though there are always new and exciting techniques and patterns to try out, a lot of your customers will be looking for traditional types of quilts. They are purchasing something that will hopefully stay in the family for generations so they will be looking for a quilt that is timeless. Your customer will probably not be as excited by these new trends as you are, but you should try any new items you feel comfortable with. The majority of customers are looking for a family heirloom, not the latest quilting craze. Log cabin and double wedding rings are two of the most classic patterns and will appeal to a really wide range of customers. It’s important to try new things and not lose your passion for designing, but it might be best to try some of these new designs on smaller pieces – just until you see how your customers respond.
3. Stick to Safe Colors
Many of the same things apply to your color selection. You want to try and select fabrics that will appeal to a lot of different customers. Not everyone is going to like the same things, but there will probably be very few customers interested in a quilt of hot pink and fluorescent yellow. You also need to try and keep your personal preference out of it. The colors you like may not appeal to a lot of your customers.
It is important to know about current interior design trends, but you do not want to base all of your selections on the “in” color of the moment. It can change so quickly and as was discussed earlier, your customer is looking for something that will last many years and through a dozen interior re-designs.
Softer colors or “safer” colors are best when designing quilts with no specific buyer in mind.
4. Research
It is good to get as many different viewpoints as you can. Be sure to talk to family and friends when you have a new design or color scheme in mind. They can often bring a different perspective to the mix. Also be sure that you are in touch with your customers. Talk to as many customers as you can at local craft shows and see what kind of designs and colors they like.
5. Diversify
Making large quilts is quite an investment of time and money and the result is that your price point is quite high – not in terms of the work put in to them, but in terms of what the average craft show customer is willing to spend in one weekend. Try to diversify your products. There are lots of things that you can make applying the techniques and methods of large quilting products. Consider creating placements and table clothes for your next craft show. This can be an excellent way of using up all of those bits of material you gather over time and these smaller, less expensive products will appeal to a broader range of customers.
Wherever you sell or market your quilts, be sure to specify that you will do customer orders depending on size and the customer’s time frame. Your customers will appreciate knowing that they can customize their own quilt design and colors – if they’re willing to wait a bit for that personal touch!
Keeping An Eye On The Bottom Line In your Craft Business
When starting out in the craft business, you need to keep one thing in mind: this is a business, not a hobby.
Obviously, you started your hand made craft business because you loved crafting and hoped that you can turn your hobby into a successful business. Making that transition from hobby to business can be difficult though. You need to remember that you are a business and that like every business you have a bottom line. Your goal is produce your project for as little money as possible so you can maximize your profits. Here are a few suggestions on how to keep your costs low.
Supplies can be one of your biggest expenses. In order to keep your costs as low as possible you need to spend as little on supplies as possible. Start that by doing your research. It will take some time, but research different suppliers will make all the difference in the long run. You need to shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal possible. You might even consider checking your local discount stores. Often these large chain stores have very reasonable priced craft supplies. If possible, you should consider buying wholesale. This will involve obtaining a Retail Tax number, but if you are serious about your home made craft business then you should apply for one anyway. You can also buy your supplies in larger quantities.
With the cost of gas and hotels, one of your other biggest expenses will be out of area craft shows. To start, just try selling your crafts at local shows. This will give you a chance to see how popular your products really are and how much stock you might need for a two day show or a week long show. Once you’re ready for an out of town show, do a bit a research. Considering the show fee and your gas and hotel costs, will you really earn enough money to make it worth your while? What kinds of hotels are in the area? Have the show organizers arranged any kind of discount with local hotels? Can you carpool with another crafter in your area to reduce costs? Is it possible to combine two out of area shows on one trip rather than heading out twice in one month?
Marketing your craft doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. You can start by spreading word about your new venture through family and friends. You’ll be surprised how many sales and orders you get just through word of mouth. You can try to have your work featured in an article in your local paper. This way you are marketing your product without having to pay for advertising space in the paper.
There are also ways to sell your craft without spending a lot of money of table or space rentals. Many gift stores accept products from local crafters on consignment. You may have to pay them a fairly large percentage, but you will not have to pay the store any money right up front. You can also think about holding a craft sale in your own home, rather than renting a table somewhere else. If you know a lot of other crafters, you can all hold a sale together, charging them a smaller fee that other shows might. You will have a lot more control and also keep your costs really low.
You must also know where to draw the line in terms of freebies for friends and family member. Whereas you were happy to complete projects for free or just for the cost of supplies when you’re crafting was just your hobby, you need to establish different rules now that you run a business. It may difficult at first, but it will make things much easier for you down the line.
Finally, it is important to establish a realistic price point for your products. You’ll probably never make enough to even charge minimum wage for the time you put in to making a craft, so don’t try to set your prices that way. You want to make a decent profit, but you also want to be able to sell your crafts and no one will be buying if your prices are too high.
Remember it takes time to see a real return on your investment. As long as you can cover your costs, you’re off to a good start, and the rest will come with time.
Ten Steps To Starting Your Own Hand Made Crafting Business
Starting your own craft business is a huge step to take; it can even be a little bit daunting. One of the biggest hurdles for any new business is actually getting the ball rolling and knowing where and how to start. Below are ten steps to help you on your way to starting the dream business you’ve always wanted.
1) Concepts:
The idea stage to starting your business is a very important step as it is where all of your ideas come into play. Before you start delving into any stead fast plans ask yourself some questions like:
What sort of crafts do I want to create and sell?
Will they be jewellery, statues, kits or something else?
Has my craft been done before, if so how can I make it something people want to buy?
Will my products be something another would like to buy?
What type of people will be my primary target, adult, children, teenagers or all of them?
Will you be willing to take bulk and consignment orders?
Stabilizing these ideas will help know what sort of market you want to get into, and will help you know who to target to sell your items.
2) Where and How:
Where you have your business is important because with each way you will have different set of circumstances and customers. Do you want to have your business at home, in a shop, studio, on the internet or do you want to sell your crafts through a craft show? If you choose to work through craft shows, will you have the ability to travel regularly? If you decide to work through a shop or your home you will have to consider if the place is easy for you customers to find and for you to work in. Another thing you need to take into account is what sort of layout and display you want and need.
3) Finances:
Once you have worked out what sort of business you want to run and where, you will have to figure out if you have the finances to support it.
Will you have to keep your current job to fund your business until it takes off or do you have the funds already?
Will you need to borrow?
Have you taken your living expenses into account or any unexpected costs?
How much will it cost for the initial materials and production?
Getting an idea of your financial situation will help you in the planning of your business immensely.
4) Registrations, Licenses and Legal:
The next step in the process of starting your own business is to register your business name and getting all the licenses and permits necessary. There will be different types of permits and regulations depending on what type of business you are running. Ask your local business registration office as they will be able to advise you on what you need.
5) Insurances:
If you are running your business through your home or a shop make sure you get all the necessary insurances to cover you. The three main types are:
Business insurance, to cover any accidents and injuries.
Public risk insurance, to protect yourself against claims of negligence.
Income protection insurance, to protect your income if you cannot work for some reason.
Another insurance you should take into account is health insurance, if you are no longer working for someone else.
6) Taxes:
Before you start you business seek advice on taxes that you need to pay or what products and services is tax deductible. An accountant will be able to help you make a friendly tax strategy and inform you on information that you may not be aware of.
7) Business Plan:
Having a good business plan will help you and your business growth immensely. It will help you outline your goals for your business and what you want it to become. A business plan will also help you keep your business on track and how you wish to operate it now and in the future.
8) Marketing:
Marketing is necessity for any business so having a marketing strategy is a must. Consider how you want to get the word out on your business. This can be done in numerous ways like:
Advertising through the paper, television, the internet and in magazines.
Flyers and pamphlets that host regular product updates, shows, demonstrations or specials.
A newsletter, offline or online, that has information about your up and coming products and projects, fact sheets that the readers can learn from.
Or through everyday things like your letter heads, envelopes, stickers on your car or t-shirts.
9) Production and Materials:
Consider how much time you it takes to make your crafts that you want to sell. Setting up a partnership with a local company where you can get your materials from, when you need them is something you should look into doing. Ask yourself how much time you will need to complete orders and if there is anyway that you make your crafts quickly without losing quality. Organizing your production times and having materials on hand will help you keep everything on time and running smoothly.
10) Selling:
The fun part! Once you have products ready to sell consider their overall costs and take everything into account like labor and materials before adding a profit. Taking this all into account will make sure you are making money not losing it. Having the ability to take all types of payment is always handy as different customers will want to pay by different ways. Always have a friendly and helpful attitude when selling your products to a potential buyer.
These are just some steps to help you on your way to starting your own craft business. As you go there will more steps that you will need to take and learn to aid in the growth and success of your craft business.