Crafting as a Business

Enjoy your crafts even more when you make some cashola with them!

So what is a Crafting Service Business you ask? As a doll maker and designer it can be very time consuming to sew a bunch of doll bodies. For me personally, sewing the body is my least favorite part of creating a new doll. Giving the doll character by adding features and dressing her is the fun part! Let’s face it, there are only so many ways to make a doll body. Of course the shape of the head varies, length of legs and arms, etc. But overall, the doll “body” is not what makes the finished doll. It’s the character and touches each designer gives to the doll.

I would imagine many designers would find using such a service an asset to their designing business! You will be saving the designer a lot of time and thus they can create even more fabulous designs! It would be important to get to know the style of each designer your working with. Each designer should make it clear of how they prefer items to be finished. If they have certain ways they like things stitched or if they prefer you use 22 stitches per inch when sewing doll bodies, it’s important that you follow those preferences and be flexible.

Doll bodies are just an example and there are many other crafts you could do as well in your business. You could also offer to do finished items for a designer. Some examples are finished pieces like stitcheries, rug hooking, doll clothing, needle punch, and applique just to name a few. What you would do is use their design to finish a piece and when completed you would provide the designer with clear digital picture or negatives for reprints so the designer can use them for their pattern covers. The designer may agree to let you keep the item or allow you to sell it as part of the payment. Or they may prefer to have the finished item shipped to them so they can take their own pictures. It all depends on what you and the designer agree upon. You will also need to determine if you will use your own materials and add that to the cost or if the designer is to send you materials for the project (s).

Whether you charge by a certain number of projects or do “piece” work, you could make a nice part-time income crafting around 8-10 hours per week once you built up your clientele. A cost example for “piece work” might be $2-$3 per doll body. Which can add up quite quickly.

This type of business is not like outsourcing to another country to mass produce an item. The difference would be you (your business) would create a small number of either doll bodies or one finished item at a time. A seasoned designer will have the experience to know the steps required to write instructions for the item you are creating. Or a designer may ask you to jot down notes as you create the item.

I hope this article has inspired you or perhaps even generated some business idea’s for you. You can’t succeed if you don’t try! If there are any readers who decide to pursue a Crafting Service Business please let me know as I hope to compile a resource guide and would love to include your business!

Written by Kelle Arvay, Designer and owner of Pattern Mart. Kelle has been designing patterns for several years with great success.

Starting an Embroidery Business

If you are considering venturing out into the embroidery business, you are going to find that there are a few things you will need to do before you begin. When you first open any business, you are not looking at making a lot of profit. You will find that many people just starting a business of their own will actually lose money rather than make it. This is because it cost money to start any type of business, and you will need to get ready for putting in many long hard days of work to get it off the ground and going.

Once you have decided that you are wanting to start an embroidery business, you might need to invest in a couple of good workhorse embroidery machines. This will ensure that you will have the machines to get the work done, and you can work on more than one item at a time. Many people that are in the business of embroidery will have a few industrial type machines to help them in this business. You are going to find that the industrial machines are great machines when you have a lot of work that needs to be done.

After you have purchased all of the machines you are going to need for your embroidery business, you will then need to make sure that you have plenty of supplies as well. This will include thread, and interfacing as these are the most used things that you will need. Many colors of thread will be what you will need to have the best variety to choose from. You might also consider stocking standard shirts, caps and jackets that someone might want to buy in bulk and have their designs and logs embroidered on as well. This will keep the customer from purchasing from someone else.

Once you have gotten together all of the things you will need, it will then be time for you to get a business license for your embroidery business. Be sure that you check with the laws of your state to make sure that you do everything correct in this department as this will ensure that you are able to operate legally.

Crochet Home Business

Use your talent to start your own crochet business. Here are some tips to get your crochet business started.

Crocheted Heirloom Names For Cash - Crocheting, a method of fabric-making, involves a technique of using a hooked tool and yarn, or thread. An endless chain of looped stitches is created in rounds or rows and is secured only when the end of the strand is pulled through the last loop.

In the early 1800s, crochet was used as a less costly form of lace. For over a century and a half, the most popular form of crochet was done in thread. Patterns of open and closed mesh, called filet crochet, created intriguing forms of art.

Filet crochet is still one of the most popular forms of crochet today. One of the best-selling items is family names made with the filet crochet technique. Because this skill is so simple to learn, this would most likely be a good place for you to begin if you are thinking of earning extra cash from a hobby.

Step One: Is It Worth It?
The first step is determining how much money you wish to earn from your craft. If your goal is to earn a minimum of $200 per week, divided by five days (for a work week), then you need to earn at least $40 each day. How many pieces will you need to create to earn $40? Can you realistically create this many in a 6-8 hour work day?

Let’s talk about the cost of supplies. A large ball of crochet thread (about 1,000 yards) costs around $3.50. At an average of eight letters per name, you can make approximately two heirloom name pieces out of one ball of thread. Thus, your expenditures are very low, giving you a greater profit in the end.

As a former crochet artisan, one of my hottest selling items was crocheted family names in thread. Customers loved these heirloom pieces because when finished and framed, they were beautiful, elegant gifts. I charged $3 per letter on these items. For an average name (8 letters), I earned $24. Since I crochet at lightening speed, I could complete an entire name in about an hour. If I filled two orders, at an average of 8 letters per name, I met and exceeded my daily goal by 20%, with only about a couple of hours’ worth of work!

Step Two: Define & Target Your Market
Who will benefit from your product? What needs do your product meet? What age range will most likely be interested in buying your wares? Are your skills marketable in your hometown, or will you need to advertise elsewhere (surrounding cities, internet, etc.)?

Research is key. Use your telephone book, local chamber of commerce, and the internet to explore your possibilities. Find out if there are similar businesses that offer the type of crafts you create; if so, can you offer comparable prices and/or services against the competitor?

While I did maintain customers within my own community, most of my crocheting skills were marketed through the internet. At one point, I even teamed up with an artisan in another state and as a result, stayed busy for many months.

There are many venues in which to sell heirloom names. Keep an eye open for local events in which you might purchase booth space. Quilt shows, bake sales, and even yard sales will give you exposure. Picture frame shops are another great place to showcase and advertise your crocheted heirloom names. Offering a certain percentage of the profits from orders placed is a great incentive for shop owners to help sell your product.

Flea markets also give you great exposure. Do some digging and find out what the most common last names are then make up several of each. Customers are more likely to buy products on the spot at flea markets, rather than place an order for something they can’t walk away with, holding in their hand.

Another great idea is to crochet several popular baby names in pastel colors, frame them, then take them to a local baby boutique. Smaller boutiques are always looking for a unique item to sell because it sets them apart from their competition.

Step Three: Price the Product
Once you have determined your target market, it is time to set your prices. Do not underestimate your skills and abilities. You can always lower your prices, but you can very rarely raise them and experience positive results.

Set your prices reasonably, according to what you think your crafts are truly worth. How much would you pay for a handmade item similar to yours? Chances are, if you aren’t willing to pay the price you’ve set on your product, neither will your potential customers.

Putting a price tag on your creations can be a challenging part of this process. Maintaining a record of time spent working as well as keeping all receipts will help you in this step.

Step Four: Follow Through
Now that you’ve decided to utilize your crafting skills to earn an income, identified your market, and have a detailed product list with prices, you are ready to craft for cash. Always look for more opportunities. Customers are everywhere.

Obtaining new customers is important, but remember to keep your current customers happy. Stay in contact with them, always asking what you can do to accommodate their needs. When you follow through with consistency, your customers will become comfortable with you and your services and rely on you for their future purchases.

About the author:
The WAHM Ghostwriter creates unique articles for online business owners. Hire the WAHM Ghostwriter and instantly free up more of your time today.

Scrapbooking Company

If you love scrapbooking, you might be considering opening a scrapbooking company. When you start a company such as this, there are so many possibilities for you. You will have to decide which kind of company you are looking to start first. This could be a company that designs scrapbooking tools and supplies, or even one that sells someone else scrapbooking supplies and designs in a store. There are many aspects as you will find to running a business such as this. You will need to know about scrapbooking and what it entails first of all, and you will also need to know about business and marketing your store or products.

If you are wanting to design scrapbooking products for your scrapbooking company, you are going to find that this will take a lot of hard work as well as determination. You will spend hours in your scrapbooking studio coming up with things that other scrapbookers will want to buy, and this will not be easy. You will have to make sure that the product is something that is useful and something that is not already available. You will then have to market and show the product to all scrapbookers as well as how to use it.

When you are wanting to open a scrapbooking company that will entail your selling scrapbooking supplies to scrapbookers, you will still need to know all about the world of scrapping first as well. You will find that many scrappers will come in your store asking for things, or asking for advice. This means that you will need to know what they are talking about or what product they are looking for. You can give scrapping classes at your scrapbooking store, and teach new techniques to all of your scrapbooking customers as well. You will find that classes usually fill up very fast and that they all will love attending them.

As you can see, opening a scrapbooking company can mean more than one thing. You will find that not everyone is into the same scrapping designs and techniques as well some may like one way of scrapbooking, while someone else does not care fo it at all. There are so many possibilities when you are into this hobby and you are going to find that everyone has different taste.

Crafting Business

So what is a Crafting Service Business you ask? As a doll maker and designer it can be very time consuming to sew a bunch of doll bodies. For me personally, sewing the body is my least favorite part of creating a new doll. Giving the doll character by adding features and dressing her is the fun part! Let’s face it, there are only so many ways to make a doll body. Of course the shape of the head varies, length of legs and arms, etc. But overall, the doll “body” is not what makes the finished doll. It’s the character and touches each designer gives to the doll.

I would imagine many designers would find using such a service an asset to their designing business! You will be saving the designer a lot of time and thus they can create even more fabulous designs! It would be important to get to know the style of each designer your working with. Each designer should make it clear of how they prefer items to be finished. If they have certain ways they like things stitched or if they prefer you use 22 stitches per inch when sewing doll bodies, it’s important that you follow those preferences and be flexible.

Doll bodies are just an example and there are many other crafts you could do as well in your business. You could also offer to do finished items for a designer. Some examples are finished pieces like stitcheries, rug hooking, doll clothing, needle punch, and applique just to name a few. What you would do is use their design to finish a piece and when completed you would provide the designer with clear digital picture or negatives for reprints so the designer can use them for their pattern covers. The designer may agree to let you keep the item or allow you to sell it as part of the payment. Or they may prefer to have the finished item shipped to them so they can take their own pictures. It all depends on what you and the designer agree upon. You will also need to determine if you will use your own materials and add that to the cost or if the designer is to send you materials for the project (s).

Whether you charge by a certain number of projects or do “piece” work, you could make a nice part-time income crafting around 8-10 hours per week once you built up your clientele. A cost example for “piece work” might be $2-$3 per doll body. Which can add up quite quickly.

This type of business is not like outsourcing to another country to mass produce an item. The difference would be you (your business) would create a small number of either doll bodies or one finished item at a time. A seasoned designer will have the experience to know the steps required to write instructions for the item you are creating. Or a designer may ask you to jot down notes as you create the item.

I hope this article has inspired you or perhaps even generated some business idea’s for you. You can’t succeed if you don’t try! If there are any readers who decide to pursue a Crafting Service Business please let me know as I hope to compile a resource guide and would love to include your business!

Article by: Written by Kelle Arvay, Designer and owner of http://www.patternmart.com/ Kelle has been designing patterns for several years with great success.

Making Extra Money With a Sewing Machine

I come across talented Moms all the time. Moms who sew baby clothing, shopping cart covers, baby slings, nursing clothing, cloth diapers etc. (I’m pretty envious of women who are crafty like this!)

Sometimes I will ask these women if they’ve ever thought about taking their interest or hobby to the Internet to earn some income with it. I usually get responses like: “I don’t know the first thing about how to build a website.” or “I wouldn’t have any idea how to market my business online.”

Yet, you may have a ton of skill that could make you extra money on the world wide web with your sewing machine. Why not start a business that could earn you some cash!

Building a business on the Internet isn’t difficult like many Moms assume. If you don’t know how to build a website, you can use a “What you see is what you get” html editor. HTML is the coding language of web designers. But you don’t have to learn it in order to build a site. WYSIWYG html editors are as easy to use as word processing software. If you can write a fancy email or draft a nice letter, you can build a website.

Some website hosts even include professional looking website templates and beautiful stock photos, so you don’t even have to hire a web designer to get a great looking site online anymore.

What is more, there are resources online that can teach you what you need to know in order to get traffic to your site and market yourself. Why not ask around at a work at home Moms message board and see what other Moms in business recommend for learning these techniques?

Don’t let a small budget deter you from starting a website. For less than $25, you can buy a domain name and website hosting for one year. As you start to earn income, you can reinvest in other tools and learning that will help you grow your profits.

Building a business on the Internet has never been easier. Don’t let fear or a lack of technical know-how stop you from meeting your income goals. Reach out and ask for help and you’ll soon be up and running.

Carrie Lauth is the author of the OnlineMomBusinessGuide, a complete learning course for the Mom who wants to turn her hobbies and skills into an online business.