Booth Display Evolution

Right now we're in the midst of getting ready for the Fall Quilt Market, which is always held in Houston, TX. This is our 6th Market, and even now, the whole process can seem quite overwhelming. The deadlines, the reservations, figuring out new cities, and the hardest part... anticipating everything you could possibly need to set up a beautiful and compelling booth display, and then gathering it, packing it up, and shipping it off 2-3 weeks before the event.

Although we were satisfied with our booth appearance in
Portland, we KNEW we could do much better
next time in Houston!

We actually had been in business for over 3 years, with 15 established handbag patterns before traveling to our 1st Quilt Market in Portland, Oregon in May of 2008. EVERYONE had been advising us to go, and we knew it was the right thing to do, but quite honestly, we just didn't know where to begin. What would we need? How could we prepare? The whole process was mind-boggling. After all, there are no books to read, no supply lists to go by, and most of all, no idea of what an effective handbag display would look like. So in the Fall of '07, I made arrangements to help one of my distributors in her booth for the weekend. She needed help due to an injury, and I needed answers. It was perfect. I took notes, measurements, and LOTS of pictures. I also talked to virtually anyone who would listen. I came away with a lot of good advice, and a pretty good vision for what I wanted our first display to look like, and in the next 7 months, I made backdrop curtains, pole covers, a table top and skirt and two large banners. As we flew off to Portland, with our entire display packed into suitcases, we could only hope that (a) it would all get there with us, and (b) it would all look decent, because here's the deal, without access to the equipment we would have at Market, the 1st time we would actually see our display set up was on the Market floor...a LONG, long way from home! As you can see, the display looked OK, but let's face it, it was pretty bare-bones. Nonetheless, the Market was a great success for us and we headed home with big plans for the Fall Market in Houston.

We've gotten LOTS of nice comments
about our chair covers!

First off, I made a few more curtain panels for a fuller background look, along with two chair covers, and another long banner. I also got some doll stands to use for my table display, which was much improved from Portland. But this was all the more stuff to cram into suitcases and struggle with in airports and hotels. It really wasn't fun at all wrangling & dragging it all in 95+ degree Houston heat over busted up sidewalks from our hotel to the convention center. We promised ourselves we'd never do that again and since we knew we'd be driving to the next Spring Market in Pittsburgh, that gave us a year to figure out how to ship our booth to Houston the next time.

It didn't take us long to realize
that we had outgrown this 1/2 booth size.

I added 2 new things for the Spring Market '09 in Pittsburgh. I made two aisle banners which you can see in the two upper corners on the right, and I also fixed up a power point presentation of all of our patterns, which ran continuously on our display table. It took me a long time to do it as I had to learn from scratch, and while I'm glad I learned how, it turned out to be a total waste of time. NOT ONE person looked at or commented on it. The thing that was glaringly apparent in Pittsburgh though, was that we had outgrown our half booth. There were consistent traffic jams outside of our booth, due to the limited footspace inside.

We (and our customers)
really love the extra space a full booth allows!

So we made plans to sign up for a full-sized corner booth in Houston for the '09 Fall Market. Of course that meant MORE curtains, and TWO extra display tables which needed to be dressed. We found some cool wreath stands so we could display our bags on the tables instead of hanging them from the curtains for a more professional look, and we made arrangements to ship our entire booth via UPS to the advance warehouse. It was scary doing that the first time, but it sure was nice not having to drag those heavy cases everywhere!

Spring Market '10 (see panarama above) was held in Minneapolis, MN which we really enjoyed! Our display was pretty similar to Houston, but we tinkered around for the first time with varying the heights of our bags for a most pleasant appearance. I think it really helped the overall look, don't you? We also rented lighting and for the first time, we brought some finished patterns so that small orders could be filled immediately, saving us some work when we got back home.

So that brings us to the Fall Market in Houston, which is coming up (the last weekend in October). We aren't planning any BIG changes to our booth, but we're still tinkering with the display, and we're bringing our own lighting system this time. (Renting lights from the convention center is OUTRAGEOUS!)

We do have a couple of new items though. For one thing, we've printed up some pretty white paper bags for our cash on-site customers. I think they look great, and we might as well get a little additional advertising as folks walk around, right?

Additionally, we've got a new giveaway item this time, some nifty zipper pulls complete with our logo and website info!

And here's a nifty miniature ironing board that we can use to press out any shipping wrinkles.

So........ next stop, Houston, Texas. Stay tuned for pictures and commentary from the Market floor. It'll be here before you know it!

Do the Research!

(This post is part of a continuing series focusing on home-based business startups.)

You may have noticed that we took a little break from posting about home-based business startups so we could blatantly promote the DittyRoo, which officially released on 9/6/10. Our last post in this series (on July 1st) was a listing of the various pro's & con's of working from home. So...let's pick it up there.    :)

Starting a business is a little like buying a house. You need to do some research before taking the plunge. Doing your due diligence can mean the difference between success and failure, and it really doesn't have to cost a penny. And here's the deal...  for most home-based businesses you really don't have to put a lot of time and effort into writing a formal business plan (since you probably won't have to persuade potential investors to lend you money).  Instead, just answer these questions as best you can, and then you'll have a pretty good indication if your business idea is worth pursuing.

1)  Is there a market for it? Many people want to start a business selling products or providing services just because they always wanted to do that. But you'll just be spinning your wheels if no one wants to buy the product or services. There will be no use in going any further with this idea. If possible, I  suggest that you test your business idea by starting out small. Perhaps try selling your products on eBay or Etsy.  Keep notes. If you don't like the results, modify or shelve the idea and move on.
When I first started toying with the idea of starting a business, my first plan was to provide custom draperies & other home decorations to a local customer base. But it sure didn't take me long to realize that constantly dealing with the whims & changing desires of the public (read that as 'folks who really don't know what they want'), really wasn't what I enjoyed or was particularly good at.

2) What's the profit potential of this business? In other words, is there any money in it- or at least enough money to make it worth your while? Likewise, if the production process is so time-consuming that you can only produce a few pieces per month, then it's going to be hard to see enough profit to even make this a viable part-time business. Once again, it may be time to move on.
             Then I thought that selling custom-made, high-end handbags on the internet was a good idea. But then I discovered that unless your name is Vera Bradley or Kate Spade, that it was going to be difficult, if not impossible to make a profit, since the general public either had no idea, or didn't care how much the raw materials cost or how much time actually went into each handmade bag. It was going to be near impossible to even cover my expenses. So I moved on again (and I guess 3 times really IS a charm.)

3)  Is the market saturated? There may be a market for the product or service you have in mind, and plenty of potential profit for those who are already involved in it, but sometimes, there's just so much competition that it's difficult for a new business to take hold.  So study the competition carefully in light of your ideas for your new business. What exactly do they offer and what will YOU offer? How will you differentiate your products or services from theirs? 

              As I was researching the handbag pattern business, I found that while there are quite a few independent pattern designers at that time, but, most were either quilt designers or clothing designers. I was encouraged to find that there really were relatively few specializing in handbag patterns.

4)  What are the obstacles to my plan and can I overcome them? You might have a sure-fire idea...You may know there's a market for it... You may feel that you've got an edge on the competition and you're positive it will be a money-maker, BUT- there may be insurmountable problems that you can't get around.

                 For example- you may find that home-based businesses are forbidden by your neighborhood's covenant, so take the time to fully investigate all of the municipal, provincial and federal bylaws that will affect your business.

5)  Do I have what it takes to see this through? Starting a business can be grueling. I can't say it any plainer that that. You will probably work more hours than ever, and have to keep doing it longer than you ever thought possible. If you (and your family) aren't prepared to make the personal commitment, or aren't up to the physical challenge, then you may want to reconsider. Cash flow is also an issue for many. Remember, you need to have available, not only the money to start your business, but also they money it takes to support yourself until your business takes off. 

                I dealt with this issue by holding on to my fulltime job for the first 18 months of startup, but this was VERY tiring and would have been near impossible if there were still children in my home. 

So there you have it. Are you satisfied with your answers so far? If so, then you very well may have a viable business idea!  So....... where to go  from here? Our next post in this series will deal with various ways in which you can (legally) take a closer look at the competition.           See ya then!

The Heart Holder- a free pattern giveaway

Well- it's been a good while since we've released a new free pattern. To tell you the truth, at times I've regretted my decision to post free patterns on my website. I guess that statement may require some explanation, but you see the whole reasoning behind the free patterns was to encourage folks to give our patterns a try. I was thinking that if they enjoyed the free patterns, they might come back and try a handbag pattern, and you know what? We HAVE garnered quite a few new customers as a result of the free patterns, but here's the deal... 

I keep pictures and reminder notes in MY Heart Holder.

I don't mind when other web retailers post a link to my free patterns on their site. It drives more traffic to my site and it's a kind thing for them to do, BUT, I can't tell you how many times I have found the instructions and templates for my free patterns uploaded on another web retailer's or blogger's site, as if it's theirs to give away! Does it drive traffic to their site? You bet it does! Is it illegal to do this? Absolutely! Because in the eyes of the law, ALL of our patterns are copyrighted. Believe it or not, I have on more than one occasion, found my free patterns FOR SALE on eBAY!  (Just so you know, this is very much against eBay policies & they were VERY responsive & helpful about getting them removed!)

embellished with fashion trim, beaded fringe & a button

So how do we detect this? Well, we have software that helps, but believe it or not, a lot of the time, folks actually call in or email us to let us know about an infraction. Isn't that great? As a matter of fact, a couple of weeks ago a little blogger from Brazil found a fellow countryman offering illegal downloads of my Roly-Nester pattern, and she was so offended by the violation that she not only provided translation for me so I could communicate with the offender, but she also emailed the offender herself to get the situation corrected.

edged with coordinating piping & a button

As a matter of fact, this little gal so restored my faith in the cyberworld, that I decided to publish another free pattern, for the first time in well over 2 years!  

(Hey- why not check out her site, if you have a translator, she's got some great tutorials!)

My pal Vicki gave me the idea for this little freebie sometime ago and I've had it cookin' on the back burner since then!

edged with piping, and beaded fringe

So without further ado, here it is! I'm calling it the Heart Holder. You can wear it on your shirt or lapel as a special place to keep the little things your heart holds dear! Like pictures of special people, prayer requests, phone numbers, scripture verses and MUCH more! 

It's also an attractive and unlikely place to hide a key, a locker combination, an asprin, or a couple of bucks!

edged with metallic piping and beaded fringe.

The Heart Holder is a quick and easy way to use up leftover fabric and embellishment scraps, AND, since the gift-giving season is around the corner,  it's a fabulous gift idea for teachers, friends and family! 

Ready to start?


Click here for the instructions and here for the pattern template.

ENJOY!  (but please do so responsibly)

Question of the Week #25

It's that time of year again, the start of another new season of TV. And so far it seems that several of my favorite shows either aren't returning, like 24... or are changing their format so much that they might be unrecognizable, like American Idol. So....this week's question is....

Which of the new TV shows are YOU going to check out?

We don't really watch a lot of TV. And even we do, it's generally DVR'd since we watch a LOT of sports live. 

My favorite programs that are returning unchanged, are Project Runway, (the eighth season of which is in full swing now). 

 

And the dark and disturbing Dexter, which runs on Showtime. I think season 5 is scheduled to begin next week on Sunday night.

And so far, the only new show that has piqued my interest is The Event, which will run it's premier tomorrow night. From what I understand, they are specifically going after the same audience that enjoyed 24 and Lost, so I think I might at least DVR it and see what it's like.

So how about YOU? Got any recommendations for us?

Kick-off Time!

 There's just something about that 1st conference home game. Everyone's excited. 

Maybe it's because the stadium's full of folks wearing team colors. 

Maybe it's because the weather is warm and it's not even a big deal if it rains.... which it did.

Maybe it's the cheerleaders, many of whom are cheering for their first televised game.

Maybe it's the tail-gating parties. New recipes to try... and hooking up with folks we really haven't seen since last year at this time.

Maybe it's the band. They've got new uniforms... new routines... new music... and they sounded GREAT!

Maybe it's because we're playing in-state rival Duke... we're evenly matched... and the game is usually played close and down to the wire.

And maybe its just because it's kick-off time... the score is zero-to-zero... and at this moment in time, all things are still possible!

Enjoy the moment! 

Hope YOUR team is playing well!

In the Mood for MODA?

It's that time of year again...

Everyone in the sewing industry is thinking about the Quilt Market...

So the MODA representative called me the other day. She had seen the new DittyRoo pattern and  had some fabric she thought would be a good fit for it & wondered if I would be willing to make up a sample in it for the Market?

So of course I said... YES!

It's a win-win for both of us. The fabric reps love to be able to show off the new fabric lines with small projects that give retailers alternative ideas for the use of their fabric. (They also don't take up much room in a shipping box or a display.)

And pattern designers love the opportunity to promote their new pattern with a new and exciting fabric line.

This fabric is from the new Central Park line by Kate Spain.It's whimsical and fun and very nice to work with, (of course I had a lot of help from my loyal sewing assistant) It don't look half bad in a handbag either, does it?

This fabric will be released by Moda Fabrics at the Fall Quilt Market in Houston in October, and should be available in independent quilt stores thereafter.


And if you happen to be going to the International Quilt Market this year, this bag will be on display in the United Notions/Moda Fabric Booth.

Question of the Week #24

 What are you afraid of?

This is a REALLY easy question for me because I know exactly what I am most afraid of ... and that would be.... a spider. Correction... that would be ALL spiders. I cannot think of any type of spider that I like. I know what you're thinking. I bet you're saying, "I bet you're OK with a dead spider", but you know what? You'd be so wrong. Because here's the deal. The only visual difference between a dead spider and a live one, is that eventually the live one moves, and I generally do not hang around long enough to ascertain that. As a matter of fact, I actually fell down at work one day and almost broke my arm in an effort to get away from what turned out to be... a quite dead wolf spider. (I'm telling you, I was sure I saw his leg move!)


Of course I'm also very afraid of falling, in any way, 
shape, or form. Falling down... falling off... or falling over... it's all the same to me.I try not to do anything that includes the risk of falling.  I don't even like watching movies where the characters might fall down, off or over. I've always been this way, so how I ever managed to have a daughter and son-in-law who like to climb up sheer rock cliffs is beyond me. And YES... It's near impossible for me to watch them (even though I know they have safety harnesses and ropes). 
I'm hoping my grandson will some other sport than rock-climbing, so that I can enjoy watching him... like baseball, or swimming, or even soccer........
but not cliff-diving!
So how about you? What are YOU afraid of? 

Perfect Timing

 In so many ways, this has been a very hard year.


We've dealt with several deaths, 
and illnesses, 
and bitter disappointments, 
and surgery, 
and postponements... but in the middle of it all, 
came the most wonderful gift of all.... 
our grandson.

Isn't he fabulous?

His timing couldn't have been more perfect.
He's brightened even the darkest of days with a smile.

He's a constant reminder
that what's really important
is the family that we still have,
and the future that they represent.

Yes, we've suffered loss this year,

But we've also been given the miracle of a new little person to love
and he's wrapped his little  hand
right around both our fingers...
and our hearts.

PPC2 - Purse with a Purpose

So, I was working on the 3rd draft of the instructions for the DittyRoo a while back, and all of a sudden, it just hit me! What if I took some digital pictures of a few of the newer techniques involved in making this new bag, and posted them on my website in the form of a downloadable pdf? That way, if folks (particularly the newer sewists among us) were a bit perplexed about a particular step, they could simply go on line, and see some color pictures detailing the technique. Do you think this would be of interest to folks?

I'm thinking maybe it might, but that meant I needed to whip up another sample so I could take some pictures of some of the more complicated steps. I really didn't feel much like driving all the way into town to shop for fabric, (with that dumb old cast on my foot), so I started digging thru my stash and found this cool canvas print. It's much stiffer than quilting cotton, but I usually like to test a new bag out with heavier, fabric a few times anyway (so I'll know what to recommend), so I combined it with some leftover cotton from StudioE and started sewing and clicking.

The end result was actually much cuter than I thought it was going to be, (the bag that is) and since the bottom and both sides were made up in the canvas, it might actually be a good bag for me to keep for myself.
(I'm as tough on a bag as the Samsonite gorilla!, remember him?) 

So now that I'm done, do I recommend fabric other than quilter's cottons? Well yes... but with qualifications. I'm going to say yes to lightweight denims, canvases and such, but only for 3 of the pattern components, and only with modification to the way fleece and interfacing is normally applied, (when using cottons). I've included the details in the fabric recommendations section of the instructions. 

And as for the pictures I took,  I've organized them into a few tutorials which you will be able to download for free on the DittyRoo page of my website.

It'll be easy to tell which steps have pictorial support available, because there will be a little camera graphic to the side.

It'll be interesting to see how this new feature is received. It was pretty labor intensive, so if you think this is a terrific idea, or if you think it's just plain dumb, it would be very helpful if you let me know. We can either try to expand this type of service with the next pattern, or we can totally dumpit, if it's not worth the effort. We'll let the feedback we receive, be our guide!