For the last two weeks I've been COMPLETELY on hiatus, and now I'm going nuts trying to catch up.
First off, I had a really nasty kidney/bladder/respiratory/ear infection that lasted over a week. I was a feverish mess, not able to eat or sleep, so you can imagine that I didn't get anything done during that period. Next up, both my 6 and 3 year old were diagnosed with H1N1, and you can imagine how hard it is to knit with two very sick little boys needing my attention.
Hopefully, they seem to be on the mend, so I can get back to business!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Quality and Price
One of the problems with selling crafts, especially ones with a wide variety of material like knitting, is that sometimes people don't understand why your prices may seem high/low compared to other people's. As the person making your product, you may have personal preferences that are hard to break, or you might be forced to use what's readily available to you.
Personally, I choose to use wool or wool blends, which tend to be more expensive, but obviously need to reflect in the price. I do so for a few reasons, and I try to explain this to my customers, of whom I have many repeat buyers, why it really is better to use higher quality wool.
- My most 'selfish' reason is that nice wool doesn't hurt my fingers. Cheap yarn burns my fingers when I knit, and it just feels awful. Higher quality material is much softer and gentler on the skin, which works out for me AND the buyer.
- Wool and wool blends are much warmer for the winter. An acrylic hat is no match for a hat made from natural fibers when it comes to keeping your head warm.
- I find the colours to by much more vivid in natural fibers, as well as there being a much larger selection of them.
I have made custom items in acrylic before due to allergies, but I really do prefer to use wool for everything I make. Some items, like the four panel Scotty hat, may seem expensive, but more than half of that is just the cost of materials. I may not be the cheapest on the market, but I stand behind my work, and the quality of what I work with.
Personally, I choose to use wool or wool blends, which tend to be more expensive, but obviously need to reflect in the price. I do so for a few reasons, and I try to explain this to my customers, of whom I have many repeat buyers, why it really is better to use higher quality wool.
- My most 'selfish' reason is that nice wool doesn't hurt my fingers. Cheap yarn burns my fingers when I knit, and it just feels awful. Higher quality material is much softer and gentler on the skin, which works out for me AND the buyer.
- Wool and wool blends are much warmer for the winter. An acrylic hat is no match for a hat made from natural fibers when it comes to keeping your head warm.
- I find the colours to by much more vivid in natural fibers, as well as there being a much larger selection of them.
I have made custom items in acrylic before due to allergies, but I really do prefer to use wool for everything I make. Some items, like the four panel Scotty hat, may seem expensive, but more than half of that is just the cost of materials. I may not be the cheapest on the market, but I stand behind my work, and the quality of what I work with.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Occasional Woes of Craft Sales AKA What To Avoid When Making A Sale!
I've mentioned some of these to people before, but I think it would be beneficial to write them down, especially for anyone getting into online craft sales and commissions. These are all things I've personally dealt with, and I hope people learn from my horrible mistakes!
1. Accepting a commission when you're not paid in full up front is VERY risky. You can end up paying for the wool and getting stuck with the finished custom product when the person says they don't like it, can't afford it now, or they just don't want it. You're not being mean when you demand full payment up front, this is a business, and you have to pay for materials to even start. If someone is unable to pay for a product up front, offer to hold a place in your queue for them until they can pay, or explain to them nicely that you need that money for materials before you can begin. Most honest people will be very understanding.
2. Don't undersell yourself! Sure it can give people incentive to buy from you if there's a price break, but don't cut your profits to a minimum. You can always give a discount in shipping, after all. It is hard to justify the cost of handmade goods to some people, especially when they can get cheap things from stores like Wal-Mart, but that doesn't mean you should put tons of time and material cost into something you're making next to nothing for. I'm very guilty of this myself, but I'm getting much better about it. Just remind yourself that it's a business, you're doing this to make money, not friends.
3. Watch out for friends, or people that barely know you, that expect a HUGE discount. Sure if you don't mind giving a pal a break, don't charge them full price, but I personally had a few people that thought because I knit, I'd just LOVE to knit them a hat for free or at a loss. Again, this is your business, they should respect that, and if they're your real friend they will. Or they can wait for their birthday/holiday.
4. Shipping can be a bit tricky sometimes. Packages can go missing or just be incredibly late, and customers usually aren't impressed when either of these things happen. Make your shipping policy very clear, say whether or not tracking is included in your shipping, and how much extra it is for the person to purchase it if they choose. Personally, once it's shipped, I don't assume responsibility for it, and my shipping doesn't include tracking (so I can offer cheap shipping for those that choose). I've only had two shipping errors in three years, but it is something to keep in mind.
I hope some of these tips have been helpful!
1. Accepting a commission when you're not paid in full up front is VERY risky. You can end up paying for the wool and getting stuck with the finished custom product when the person says they don't like it, can't afford it now, or they just don't want it. You're not being mean when you demand full payment up front, this is a business, and you have to pay for materials to even start. If someone is unable to pay for a product up front, offer to hold a place in your queue for them until they can pay, or explain to them nicely that you need that money for materials before you can begin. Most honest people will be very understanding.
2. Don't undersell yourself! Sure it can give people incentive to buy from you if there's a price break, but don't cut your profits to a minimum. You can always give a discount in shipping, after all. It is hard to justify the cost of handmade goods to some people, especially when they can get cheap things from stores like Wal-Mart, but that doesn't mean you should put tons of time and material cost into something you're making next to nothing for. I'm very guilty of this myself, but I'm getting much better about it. Just remind yourself that it's a business, you're doing this to make money, not friends.
3. Watch out for friends, or people that barely know you, that expect a HUGE discount. Sure if you don't mind giving a pal a break, don't charge them full price, but I personally had a few people that thought because I knit, I'd just LOVE to knit them a hat for free or at a loss. Again, this is your business, they should respect that, and if they're your real friend they will. Or they can wait for their birthday/holiday.
4. Shipping can be a bit tricky sometimes. Packages can go missing or just be incredibly late, and customers usually aren't impressed when either of these things happen. Make your shipping policy very clear, say whether or not tracking is included in your shipping, and how much extra it is for the person to purchase it if they choose. Personally, once it's shipped, I don't assume responsibility for it, and my shipping doesn't include tracking (so I can offer cheap shipping for those that choose). I've only had two shipping errors in three years, but it is something to keep in mind.
I hope some of these tips have been helpful!
Friday, October 2, 2009
First Post!
I'm Holls, knitter, writer, and Mommy, from Ontario, Canada. I'm a stay at home mother hoping to make a few dollars online with different knit creations, both custom and my own ideas, as well as spread my love of knitting.
My Etsy Site
My DeviantArt Gallery
Stay tuned for more posts in the future! I'm working on a hat now that I can't wait to post. I'm concentrating on Star Trek related knit accessories, and I have a few done already that I'm pretty happy with.
An ipod/cellphone/camera caddy with detachable handle to hang off belt loops, purse handles, messenger bags, etc. Can come in any colour, and I'm willing to embroider a symbol on the Delta Shield for a small fee.
Remember Scotty's hat in the new movie? I made a version using some gorgeous wool/mohair blend called Lamb's Pride.
I'll be adding another hat and some armwarmers to this line up within the next few days.
My Etsy Site
My DeviantArt Gallery
Stay tuned for more posts in the future! I'm working on a hat now that I can't wait to post. I'm concentrating on Star Trek related knit accessories, and I have a few done already that I'm pretty happy with.
An ipod/cellphone/camera caddy with detachable handle to hang off belt loops, purse handles, messenger bags, etc. Can come in any colour, and I'm willing to embroider a symbol on the Delta Shield for a small fee.
Remember Scotty's hat in the new movie? I made a version using some gorgeous wool/mohair blend called Lamb's Pride.
I'll be adding another hat and some armwarmers to this line up within the next few days.
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