The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Sewing Professionally => Topic started by: Iminei on July 18, 2020, 07:33:14 AM
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I am going to GIVE IT A GO!!!!
After months of wallowing, today is the day!
Early this year a thread came up in my towns local onlline site calling for local artisans (I suppose) and offering space to rent in a soon to open shop, slap bang in the middle of town to which I responded.
The idea was to rent a shelf, a unit or space within this shop to display and sell your wares ... I thought I could do that so responded to the owner.
I showed my wares and we also discussed hanging a cot quilt behind the sales counter where it could be admired but not touched by sticky hands and displaying and hopefully selling my butterflies ... then the UK was locked down ...
In the last month Ken, the man behind the idea has got the shop ready, filled and he opened on the 1st of this month ... Was I there? Were my wares?? Was I hell!
I suffered as usual from a complete crisis of confidence .....
But TODAY is the day!
I have sewn and attached a temporary Hanging sleeve to the Cowboy quilt ...
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I have magnetised and found a way to display my butterflies, I have pictured them along with a brief bit of info and (most importantly) their prices in a book for people to peruse,
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I have packaged my coasters and found a nice way to display them and today is the day!
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I'm not going to devalue my (and Elvistoos) work and am hoping that having somewhere to display my quilts (£££) might lead at least to a sale or perhaps to a commission.
The Initial coasters I'm selling for £12.50 each, the mandala coasters for £10.00 and sewing cases (you might recognise your prototype @Lilian ) will be £15.00 small £20.00 Large.
All the small things can be made to order with a lead time of a week, sent direct to the purchaser for £1.50 (thinking daytrippers/holidaymakers here) or collected ...
Im also hoping to set up a small... well tiny ... website as I have finally regained ownership of the name iminei.co.uk which is printed on all my cards ... So people could look through what I do .. and maybe order through there too .
So ..... Today will be the day!
I better post this before I lose my nerve ... I must be mad!
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Well done @Iminei for taking the big leap. Its good to have the small items to sell and the quilt looks fabulous - why have I never seen your cowboy quilt? The backing fabric looks familiar but I've never seen the front.
Very best of luck, you know we'll all be rooting for you.
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Well it's about time! Well done girl and as Plosh says we're here for you. (J is the most common first initial if you want to get a jump start!)
I can't make you have confidence in yourself and your work but I wish you could find it yourself. Your stuff is great. If you can exhibit to the great and good of the quilting world you can most certainly impress the muggles (I learnt that n here yesterday. 0_0)
All the very best of luck (and strength). <3 :flower:
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Ah Ploshie and Wrenkies my loves!
The Cowboy quilt (https://photos.app.goo.gl/e79F6NKRL1oFYJbXA) is very old ... made in 2014!!!!
But I have used that brushed cotton backing on the Chinese lantern wall hanging (https://goo.gl/photos/zY5bAX3tDJQZidC26) which started as a BOM and the Mystery Quilt (https://goo.gl/photos/DAq1iKMyqGfPiCxf7) in 2017 ...
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Go girl! 0_0 I'm really pleased for you. Sounds like an ideal outlet to sell your items.
Be confident :hug: Your work is beautifully done.
Sandra.
xxx
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Congrats and nice displays!
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Well done Imi! It's a great way to put your talent to use.
Wishing you every success.
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Good luck.. hope it all goes well.
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Sell them up! I use my coaster as a mouse mat! :loveit:
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I've mentioned that ... I said my friend uses hers as a Mouse mat!!
I'm sure people will get the idea.
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I cannot tell you how pleased I am to hear this news! You have so much talent. I sincerely wish you every success in this. I’m doing a happy dance. Go, @Iminei . You’ve even got a great name for a business.
And even though I’m not a tactile person, I’m giving you a big virtual :hug:
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Brilliant! Well done that woman :thumbsup:
I will have to hie me to the Forum in DDD during the height of the tourist season and exclaim gushingly over your wares. I shan't require any commission 0_0
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Excellent @Iminei. Hope you get lots of sales: your things are beautiful. Good idea to have smaller things as impulse buys. Good luck :D
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Well done, your confidence will rise as you get sales and orders through. It also gives you an excuse to purchase more fabric :devil:
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Good for you! They're lovely. I hope you sell lots.
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Sending a virtual hug and all possible good wishes. Go Iminei!
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Go go go! Mugrugs also?
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Good luck :hug:
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Good luck 0_0
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Good luck, I hope you sell lots of your beautiful work.
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Good luck. I hope they sell well.
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WooooHooo! Good for you! and good that you are putting sensible prices on Elvistoo's time. Don't be tempted to undervalue your time and skills either.
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Go go Iminei :thumbsup:.
We all know your work is beautiful, now the rest of the world can discover it too.
BTW how much are the butterflies?
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Oh what can I say that has already been said, you and Elvistoo have much talent, it needs to fly. :hug:
PS My niece's soon to be husband works from home creating games etc., he did other niece a gorgeous website for her wedding seamstress wares. I don't think he would be too expensive for him to create something for you.
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Well done @Iminei ! Yes, I recognised the needlecase design instantly! I always suffer from a lack of confidence. Glad you have finally bit the bullet. Your work is very much to be admired and I am sure you will be busy repacing the sold goods. Get in there! :toast:
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Well done! They look really lovely. Here's hoping for lots of lovely staycationers this summer, just longing to spend their money on authentic, artisan-produced, Dorset crafts. :D
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Good luck with it all @Iminei. So glad you’ve taken the plunge.
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Sending you lots of love and luck, @Iminei ! I'm sure they will fly off the shelves; they look amazing xx
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It's now afternoon and I hope everything is going well. What a great idea and best wishes for a productive future. Go Girl.
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Lovely products, great idea, well planned - now be sure to set up that website for online sales soon, and also a Facebook (business) page separate from your personal FB. You're a professional now! :)
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Sending the very best of luck in your new venture. Here's hoping you'll soon be snowed under with orders! :)
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The very best of luck with your new venture <3
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Good luck. Don't forget to register with HMRC for when you're making millions
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Well done! This could be the beginning of a whole new phase of your life.
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Amazing, good luck Imi, it's an exciting (and scary) adventure - I wish you every success because it's what you deserve :toast:
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Good luck!
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The very best wishes and luck coming your way from me too ❤️
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It all looks fantastic - well done you! Would you be tempted to branch out into things like embroidered drawstring bags etc as I think they would sell well? People like to buy things with an obvious use.
The butterflies are fantastic - how do you do them?
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Good luck girl. When you're rich and famous we'll be able to say we knew you back in the day! Love those butterflies!! <3 <3
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Best of luck.
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It all looks lovely and the best of luck in your new venture
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@Iminei Hope you're selling well and it's great that you have a venue to exhibit your beautifully made goods.
How do you make the butterflies?
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@annieeg I amended your post to tag @Iminei properly. :)
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Its been a month since I placed my goodies into Showcase and this morning on waking I thought I'm going to be realistic and admit that the stuff I make needs a clientele that doesnt visit Blandford Forum, especially in the strange times we now live in, so instead of throwing good money after bad I must admit defeat, take my wares out of the shop and leave my sewing as a pleasurable hobby.
During the morning however I found myself making a label for the QAYG tutorial playmat (its 35" ish so cant really qualify as a cot quilt)
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Its called 'A Handful of Magic' ... tho' I really wanted to call it 'Give Me A Handful of Scraps and I'll give you a Quilt' but thought that would devalue it in people / paying customers minds ... 'Oh its just made of scraps, that cant be worth anything' ....
So after my trip to the Post Office I walked into the shop to change the quilt display (from Cheeky Cowpokes (https://photos.app.goo.gl/fFKPBmcGyUt4WzfN9)) to find I had actually sold a coaster!!!!!! :faints:
I put the sale of that towards next months rent and am slightly more upbeat about it all .... The shop is starting to sell more than just masks so who knows ......
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@Iminei I don't think people are venturing out for much pleasure shopping yet. If you can sell anything non-essential under these circumstances you are doing really well. Give it a bit longer - for people to tell their friends etc - and see how it goes. There are some hardy souls who start thinking about Christmas in September and it could just take off - it certainly deserves to!
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I agree with @Greybird . If you can afford to stay on a month or two until the early birds are doing their C :ninja: :ninja: s shopping then you're in with a good chance of some sales, I reckon.
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I totally agree, for me shopping is now essentials only as infrequently as possible ...
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I don’t think I’ve been into a shop since the end of March. Doesn’t mean I’m not spending money but have to do it online I’m afraid.
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@Iminei have you got a Facebook shop too? Lots of people are buying online and your things are small enough to post. Just a thought
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It’s a weird time to sell anything not purely practical at the moment, people are not browsing.
If you can keep going a little longer you should hopefully get the Christmas trade.
Have you thought of Etsy? I don’t know how much they take but you can sell things without having to leave home apart from going to the PO.
Love the quilt BTW and how much are you charging for the butterflies?
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@Iminei your work is beautiful enough to look good online.
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This might not work either but what about a market stall?
I visited a nearby town last week on market day and it was lovely to have a browse in the open air with no need to wear a face mask. Spent money at the button stall too....
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Have you thought of Etsy?
There was quite a lot of coverage flying around a few months ago about Etsy making changes to their platforms that disadvantaged the small suppliers. I would advise careful and thorough investigation if going down the Etsy route.
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@Iminei the quilt is absolutely beautiful.
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The Handful of
Scraps Magic one ?
Thank you, super easy, super quick .... I made it for a tutorial (https://photos.app.goo.gl/EC7CE1Uir5r2vGR2A)on QAYG ... (which you BOMers better be boning up on ... the times approaching :devil: )
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The Handful of Scraps Magic one ?
Thank you, super easy, super quick .... I made it for a tutorial (https://photos.app.goo.gl/EC7CE1Uir5r2vGR2A)on QAYG ... (which you BOMers better be boning up on ... the times approaching :devil: )
Super easy & super quick? I usually do garment sewing. Ive had a quick look at your tutorial, It looks like I would need to buy a cutting board, rulers & stuff. If we are locked down this winter, it might be time to have a go.
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Well heloooooo @Happymrsg. Come away in and have some cake. :cake: @Lowena keeps a tight rein on the biscuits so cake's easier. :laughing:
One mat, one ruler, one cutter and you're off! ;)
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Well heloooooo @Happymrsg. Come away in and have some cake. :cake: @Lowena keeps a tight rein on the biscuits so cake's easier. :laughing:
One mat, one ruler, one cutter and you're off! ;)
Watch out @Happymrsg. The Darkside will reel you in. You'll be making a quilt before you know it :laughing:
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Welcome from me too.....just counting the garibaldis....
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Thanks so much for your kind comments. I will have a think.
I have some stuff to do in my house before I can embark on this.
But hopefully in a couple of months....