Over the weekend I finally received my big restock order of wool blend felt and spent what little sewing time I had catching up on Etsy orders. With all the quilt work that's been happening lately it was a welcomed change to push the fabrics aside and work with felt for a couple of days. It's such a different kind of sewing for me. It's my time for handwork on the couch, to replace the rotary cutter with scissors for a little while, to create little pictures and characters and something small but so personalized, unique, and special.
New custom order requests so often have me picking a new crown favorite, like yesterday's Pirate Crown!
As this little hobby-turned-business changes for me and new opportunities come my way, continuing to make these crowns and sell this felt that I do love so much, is something I'm always thinking over. I have to ask myself often, overall is it enjoyable work or do the days spent feeling like an assembly line drain me too much creativity? Well, certainly those days do happen, but not too often. Do those rare, dreadful customers that try to steal time, money, and energy make me want to check out from time to time? Ohhh yeah! It's amazing how one stranger can make you want to completely give up. But thankfully the wonderful still largely outweighs those occasions. Then there's the biggest question of all -- Will my Etsy shop always take the time that could be spent working on more quilts and a quilt pattern line? Offering quilt patterns is a big goal of mine, and yes, the time spent making Etsy orders is the time I'd need for this new venture. The reality is, not having my Etsy income would be a huge adjustment for us and as long as I find joy in this kind of work, I know I'll continue to talk myself out of making the change. Can you relate, do you have similar struggles of your own with trying to find some semblance of a balance between doing what you love and running a business?
Thanks in advance to those of you willing to share your thoughts with me! ♡ Maureen
New custom order requests so often have me picking a new crown favorite, like yesterday's Pirate Crown!
As this little hobby-turned-business changes for me and new opportunities come my way, continuing to make these crowns and sell this felt that I do love so much, is something I'm always thinking over. I have to ask myself often, overall is it enjoyable work or do the days spent feeling like an assembly line drain me too much creativity? Well, certainly those days do happen, but not too often. Do those rare, dreadful customers that try to steal time, money, and energy make me want to check out from time to time? Ohhh yeah! It's amazing how one stranger can make you want to completely give up. But thankfully the wonderful still largely outweighs those occasions. Then there's the biggest question of all -- Will my Etsy shop always take the time that could be spent working on more quilts and a quilt pattern line? Offering quilt patterns is a big goal of mine, and yes, the time spent making Etsy orders is the time I'd need for this new venture. The reality is, not having my Etsy income would be a huge adjustment for us and as long as I find joy in this kind of work, I know I'll continue to talk myself out of making the change. Can you relate, do you have similar struggles of your own with trying to find some semblance of a balance between doing what you love and running a business?
Thanks in advance to those of you willing to share your thoughts with me! ♡ Maureen
I think, more than anything else, the most important thing is finding happiness in what you're doing. Anytime you make your passion your job you run the risk of making that which brings you joy and comfort, stressful. Surely these crowns you make and how you share and inspire with your quilts makes others happy, but you have to be happy too. I say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... an interesting post. I think we all have ups and downs, wondering if we are doing the right thing. For me it's a question of whether my papercut art is too commercial and wondering whether I should make bigger pieces that take far longer to create. However, I love cutting that paper and am happy when I'm doing it so, as Anne says, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
ReplyDeleteBut I wonder what would happen to your busniess if you took 6 months off to write patterns to sell, then pick back up your Etsy shop if there would then be a new surge in sells and income for you and your family. I know I searched high and low to find Love of Patchwork and Quilting magazine to get your instructions for the Sweet as Honey pillow pattern that you often reference. I would have gladly paid you directly for it. New ventures do take some amount of risk. My bet is there is a different line of folks waiting to buy your patterns as there are a line of folks already buying your sweet crowns. Blessings on your decernment! beth riddick
ReplyDeleteIf making the fabulous crowns still gives you happiness and a positive feeling, then by all means keep doing them. From your post, I got the feeling that you really enjoy the change of pace and fulfillment that the crowns give you. I have never met you personally, but have followed you for the past couple of years, and somehow I feel a connection to you. I think we would chat over the backyard fence if we were neighbors!!
ReplyDeletePS. Your family must be so proud of you and your accomplishments!
DeleteI dream of turning quilting into a business for myself one day, somehow. You're success gives me hope. I think you'd be even more successful selling quilt patterns than you are with these cute crowns. If it's fear that holds you back, like it does me, I bet you'd be pleasantly surprised if you decided to take the leap.
ReplyDeletelove those felt crowns such a unique idea.
ReplyDeleteI feel the struggle almost daily! After the first couple of hundred oven mitts, it wasn't so much fun anymore. I wanted to do something more creative---but oven mitts help pay the bills. And there are always new fabrics. Have you ever thought of selling felt crown patterns or kits?
ReplyDeleteAs a consumer of all things quilting/sewing here are my thoughts on patterns.
ReplyDeleteInitially, I purchased quite a few pdf patterns. But then I stopped. I found that the printing/storage was time consuming, costly, and inconvenient. Now I almost never buy PDFs--with rare exceptions. I bought one yesterday for something I could have done without a pattern but the price was a special at $5 and it was only 12 pages. And someone else did the math for me. It did not disappoint.
I do continue to buy paper patterns. They cost more but far worth it.
Also, the pattern has to be worth the money and not something that's been around for 10 years or an obvious copy of someone else's work.
Also, there are so many free patterns available on blogs and elsewhere. And as a blogger, if you sell more patterns, will your blog have fewer tutorials and free patterns? Resulting in, perhaps, fewer readers who resent paying for what they got for free before?
AS for crowns and your Etsy shop--I've purchased these. They were lovely and good value. Keep the shop going. If you want to spend less time at it the easiest way to do so is to charge more. You will get fewer orders, but more cash for what you do. If you raised your prices 10 %--you might get 10% fewer orders, but your income would be the same. Of course, this could backfire--as price points are very sensitive.
But, I wouldn't close your shop--not even for a few months--you may never get your market back.
So that's my free advice. And as they say--it's worth what you pay for it!
I stumbled upon your blog very interesting! ! Thank you for giving us this moment of pure happiness .
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