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Sometimes silence is not golden but agonizing. With no steady work this month, I'm becoming a bit panicky. I can't seem to beg for work. No one is responding to my e-mails regarding one area of my business, and there are just a couple of studio orders on the calendar.
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I know better. I know that success comes hard in whatever field one is in. Keep moving forward, keep working with goals in mind, and keep your eyes open for all opportunities and be willing to take what comes. I've done it before, and it's true. However, it's been years since I've been worried about whether I am doing the right thing, and it's hard to be there again. If it wasn't for needing to earn an income, then I'd be set!
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I have a lot to do, if I could just concentrate and not stray from the goal. The holiday fairs begin next month. The first weekend of October, I'm heading to Atlanta for a Fall Fest & Craft Fair that I've been invited to participate in, so I need to sew up ready-to-go items and think on my displays and merchandising.
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Because I have so many "talents" and equipment, I feel responsible to being able to make and embellish anything and everything and can't seem to find my niche right now. There are so many great ideas out there, and I can do nearly all of them but just don't know where to settle.
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The new Somerset Home magazine has some wonderful and smart craft ideas using wood and paper. Maybe if I do something completely different, I could get my fabric brains in order again. However, this isn't the time for that -- I told myself. Now is the time to prepare for the holiday rush, and there will be a rush -- there always is. Boy Scouts motto: Be Prepared! Current pop art advice: Keep Calm and Carry On. Or, in my situation, Keep Calm and Sew Stuff!
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Look! Have you seen these collapsible baskets around? They have been all the rage for the last year or so and can obviously be monogrammed and/or embellished. The vendor I use for blanks just started stocking these. Also, I have the pattern to make the fabric portion of the basket, so one could switch out basket covers according to the time of year or event. .
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The "Keep Calm and Sew Stuff!" embroidery design sewed out well and is very pretty on this linen. I'm going to list the embroidered fabric panel to be created in colors and fabric of your choice in my shop. The design can be ordered in two different sizes. The larger size is 6.5 x 3.5 inches, and the smaller one is almost 4 x 2 inches. And, if you have a shop or sell at the craft fairs, remember that you can order fabrics embellished in nearly any design and sew them up into your own custom items for sale.
The finished pillow cover is listed as well. How else might I use this design, both large and small? Well, embellishing tote bags would be good for crafters to carry projects around in. Let me write that on the to-do list ...
9 comments:
Can definitely identify with you on the work thing...If I don't have a back-log ( I make draperies ) I start to get a little panicky. It most often ends up working out fine...though I could work day in and day out and never to seem to make enough $$. It's scary times now.
Best of luck with your crafting. Perhaps things will pick up with the upcoming holidays. Business is fickle now for sure. Love your Keep Calm and Sew Something!
I'm sure things will pick up soon for you. When I don't have any customers to quit for I make plans to work on something for myself and sure enought the customers come and my stuff goes on the back burner again.
Fingers crossed that things improve for you soon.
Michele, I certainly understand how you feel about have too many ideas and not knowing which one(s) to follow through on! My blog has always been a good guide though for when I have made things for my shop. I have known pretty fast whether or not my readers found things interesting based on level of response. You already have an amazing array of wonderful items! I hope that you will soon regain your focus again and sew like made for that Christmas rush!
Hugs and happy sales to you!!! Emily xx
It's the same way with my writing. I'm glad you're getting more work though! Just try not to panic!
Not to add more pressure to you, but do you do aprons?
Work will pick up for you soon..your work is just lovely....my friends love my gifts from you...
soo cute! good luck with all of your crafts! xoxo KAG
May I suggest that you post an ad or what have you... at your local fabric/craft stores? With maybe something like... Christmas will be here b/4 we know it... why not get your shopping done early... and show some pic's of some of the items that you make. It couldn't hurt!
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