Folkwear is one of the oldest independent sewing pattern companies. They publish global, historical, and vintage sewing patterns, often including extensive cultural history, textile information, and handwork embellishment instructions in their patterns.
Here are some concrete tasks you can work on over the next few weeks that will bring more people to your shop and convert them into customers.
When Liz Stiglets, owner of cozyblue, first launched her Etsy shop in 2007, she made every product by hand, whether it was knitting a hat, sewing a soft animal, or hand-stitching a wool felt crown. But she soon realized this type of work wasn’t sustainable creatively or financially.
If you’re a fan of passive income and think you’d like to give print-on-demand products a try, here is what you need to know to choose which kind of system is best for you.
Along the journey of my daily art creation, I did a lot of things right, many of them by accident, but together these tools helped me start and maintain a daily practice.
It appears that Etsy is pivoting away from Etsy Wholesale. Some of the people that use the platform share the role it has played in their businesses.
When a new pattern is released, it is essential for craft designers to have their pattern tested before it is available for purchase.
For many of us an ideal vacation involves not only traveling somewhere new, but also the opportunity to immerse ourselves in making. Stephanie Echeveste recently visited Oaxaca, Mexico to take a series of craft workshops. Here she describes the experience and provides information if you’d like to book a similar crafty trip of your own.
A knit/quilt/sew/craft-along means you have a group of people making the same thing at the same time—shared community around a shared process.
Non-disclosure agreements are a valuable and important tool to protect your business information so it doesn’t fall into a competitor’s hands.
You can be sure that there is at least one pair of beloved scissors behind every crafter, maker, and artist. Whether the art depends on scissors, like paper cutting, or they are simply an indispensable tool for getting work done, scissors feature prominently in the maker’s tool box. We take a look at the historical development of scissors and the wide variety that exist today.
With change occurring constantly, it is particularly challenging for artists to keep their businesses thriving. Evolving your craft business is key.
Vance Zahorski’s clever invention is a wearable ring with recessed blades for quickly and safely cutting thread or fishing line. In November of 2016 Zahorski was on the TV show Shark Tank where contestants pitch their product to real investors. Zahorski’s pitch was successful, and he secured an investment of $130,000 in exchange for a 30% stake in the company and that’s when Thread Cutterz really took off.
Carrie Sundra created the SkeinMinder, an accessory to the small motorized tabletop winders many small dyers use to create their sellable hanks.
Owning a handmade business can be a wild ride. Just ask Angela Smith, owner of the Houston, Texas-based tool and supply business Purl & Loop.
Learn the power of podcasting to boost your creative business. In this webinar Kara Gott Warner will show you how to identify podcasts that align with your brand, and etiquette for pitching yourself to get on a show.
Brick-and-mortar retailers are a cornerstone of the craft industry, but the retail environment is going through drastic changes right now. In this panel discussion three brick-and-mortar craft shop owners will give us an honest picture of the challenges and opportunities they’re currently facing, and how designers and suppliers fit into the retail picture.
Not quite a planner, more than a journal, definitely not a calendar. The Bullet Journal® is a trendy combination of all those, but oh, so adaptable, with a cult-like following of devotees, from busy moms and college students to artists and professionals of all ages.
The story behind the creation and development of the adorable and useful sewing notion, the Binding Baby.
Crowdfunding through online platforms can look like a great way to insulate yourself from market pressures while pursuing a vision, but successful campaigns rely first of all on building what you’ve already started and treating sponsors as business partners.