Cutting Your Losses

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

Making the Most of a Bad End

So I've been thinking a lot about cutting losses lately. Maybe it's because of what happened a couple of weeks ago. It was the 6th of the month and that's Newsletter day for us, one of the biggest days of the month. We have a HUGE mailing list now (close to 16,000), and our readers are loyal and enthusiastic, so that means when that newsletter is released (at just after midnight), there is a massive and almost immediate response, snowballing across Europe and peaking about 10 am, as our West Coast starts to wake up.

But that's when the complaints started rolling in. The newsletter was opening just fine, but apparently my website was down. Correction- Technically speaking, my website wasn't down... but, when it takes over 15 minutes to load the home page, it might as well be. Now what?

So I call my service (which shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) and their diagnosis was that I had too many pictures on my site. Which is weird, because yesterday I had just as many pictures on my site, and it my site was functioning just fine. And furthermore, in order to 'fix this', they recommended that I move all of my pictures into a separate file from the rest of the website, which would mean an almost total re-write. Now I know I'm not the brightest bulb in cyberspace, but I am a strong believer in cause and effect, and the only thing that has changed since yesterday (when my website was running fine) was that the newsletter was released. The 'experts' would hear none of it. To say this whole situation was upsetting to me, was an understatement.( I went ballistic!)

This attitude (on their part) is not new. Customer service has become more & more arrogant and unhelpful lately. But even when they are at their worst, it's so hard to think about actually cutting my losses and starting over elsewhere. The experts would probably say that what's stopping me from making the change is either the time, money and energy that I've invested with this company. And that's all true. I do have quite a bit time, money and effort invested with this company... but it's more than that. 

It seems to me, that our culture (at least here in the States) has taken great pains to teach us that we should.... 

NEVER GIVE UP.

Our politicians preach it...

Our athletes shout it...

Hollywood shows it to us...

and our teachers espouse it...

And you know what? For the most part, it's true. We really shouldn't give up..... too early.
But you know what else? There really is a right time to give up... to cut your losses... or to just plain quit.

There's an old saying that goes like this: "The first thing you should do when you find yourself in a deep hole, is to stop digging." 

I like this saying, and that, is exactly what I did. I began researching and found another webhosting service who has a reputation for some kick-butt GREAT customer service, and now, (just in time for my February newsletter) I've got everything moved to a new webhost.

So has it all been smooth sailing? No, is hasn't. The move resulted in a LOT of work, and there was some significant downtime required during the process. (So sorry if you had trouble getting on  my site during the middle of January) I knew that would be the case. And we've still got some work to do, and there's definitely been a learning curve involved. But here's the deal... I've had LOTS of questions for technical service, and not once have I...

• had to wait on hold at any time for more than 3 minutes
• or been talked down, 
• or been made to feel silly about a question I had

Additionally, I've received some very good advice on ways to speed up and stream line my website (more about this later)

So bottom line-  Even though this was an extremely stressful process,  I feel confident that the change we made is going to be for the best. I've learned a lot in the process and my website will run better and faster for it, especially (I hope) on newsletter day. As it turns out, it really is OK sometimes to just quit, cut your losses or change direction. The key is to have the wisdom to recognize when you're in a hole and to just stop digging!

So, what about YOU? Why do YOU avoid cutting YOUR losses and making a much-called change? Is it more about not just wanting to give up, or for you, is it primarily about trying to make good on your investment of time or money, or does it really boil down to not wanting to feel you've wasted your effort?

And if you think of it... 

cross your fingers with me next Sunday morning (Feb. 6)

when our next Newsletter releases.   :)

(PS- If you really want to know who my old web hosting service was, or who my new one is, I'll be glad to share that info privately, by email only.)

PPC3- Not Ready for Prime-time Yet

(This post is part of a continuing series focusing on the development of a new handbag pattern from its initial conception to it's release.)

So in our last post we showed you the first 'semi-sample' in this new series. It wasn't lined, it had no foundation fleece, no straps and no zipper closure. But if you're a fan of this series, you know that the first bag or two that we make in a new design, is really just an exercise in exterior function.

But- for this sample, we made up the entire bag, lining, straps and ALL, and this required an entire new set of pattern templates, because while the first bag satisfied the basic premise I was after, the shape of it wasn't really aesthetically pleasing to my eye.

For this effort, we 'deepened' the bag to get rid of most of that "cigar" or "tubular" look. We're headed in the right direction, but I'm still not totally pleased with the silhouette yet. In addition, even though it's not particularly easy to see in this picture, the strap attachment area isn't angled just right. It's too 'straight up', which means the bag kinda pooches out in an unattractive way when it has weight in it.(We'll work on that in the next round.)


A Square Flap= A Square Look

Something else you'll notice immediately is the addition of the flaps outlining the edge of the exterior pouch pocket. The verdict on these is.... Nope! I don't like the square look. It's... square, boring and not in keeping with the style lines of the bag. I'll try a curved flap next time, one that mimics the curve of the side pocket area.

Bag Back with Zipper

Here's your first look at the back of the bag, with it's zippered pocket area. I'm satisfied with this feature. It's good to go. But what's not good to go, is the variegated heights of the side pockets.
I changed the angle of these pockets from our last sample, but in so doing,there seems to be less of each of the two complimentary colors showing, and I'll be changing that next time, because I like more color showing than this.

Tri-color StrapArea = 
a Tri-Layer Problem

And now we'll focus on the D-ring attachment area for the straps. I really liked the look of ALL 3 colors worked into the D-ring area. It's a bit problematic though. First and foremost, since this area is reinforced with interfacing, it was REALLY tough to anchor this D-ring in place. My sewing machine is a workhorse, but even it had  a hard time stitching through these layers. So next time,I'm thinking I'll try this without the interfacing and see how it behaves. There's so much fabric here, that I'm thinking it really doesn't NEED the interfacing anyway.

ZIP-top Closure

And finally- check out the zipper closure. I'm using a separating zipper here and it's a breeze to install.OK you quilters-I can see a few of you rolling your eyes! But seriously, this is a snap to install, simply because it does separate and here's the deal- I've found a GREAT source for separating zippers in FABULOUS colors that would look terrific on his bag... but more about that later...

Let's Sum it Up

All in all, this sample was time well spent. We've solidified a few of the features, but we still have some pretty big design modifications to work on for next time, most of which involves the strap attachment area and the basic silhouette.

So....I'm game if you are...we'd love to hear your thoughts now. Do you agree with our assessment? What do you like?... what don't you like?... what would YOU change if you were the designer?

My Weapon of Choice

 And best of all- it's Kitty-approved!

People often ask me what kind of sewing machine I use. I guess they figure that because i make my living sewing, that I would have a state-of-the-art,  fancy-dancy sewing machine.

Well here's the deal...it's an unusual day that I don't use my sewing machine, and I have very little need for fancy stitching or other bells and whistles.

And just between you and me, I'm kinda hard on a machine. I don't clean it as often as I should, and I certainly don't oil it as recommended. You might say that any sewing machine of mine better be able to 'take a licking and keeps on ticking'. I LOVE my machine because despite all this, it hasn't given me a moment's problem in the 7 years I've been abusing...I mean using it.  :)

My weapon of choice is a Necchi, and I think it cost in the neighborhood of $250 when my folks got it for me as a gift. (I must confess that at the time, I had never heard of Necchi Sewing Machines.)

It's not fancy, but ALL the moving parts are metal, not plastic like a lot of more expensive brands. And the salesman said that you could sewing through leather with it, and I actually have, with no problem! And get this- it comes with a 25 YEAR WARRANTY, which I'm told is one of the longest warranties of machines on the market today.

So.... if  you're in the market for a machine- check out Necchi. I highly recommend it!
And in the meantime, how's about telling us what kind of sewing machine you're currently using, and what you might you like or dislike about it? I would especially come in handy for us.

Where's the Beef?

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

As promised, in this post we're going to discuss the other change we're making for 2011, based on our year-end assessment.

I have the following quote taped to my computer...

"Early to bed, Early to rise,
Work like hell, and advertise."

Those are the words of the legendary Ted Turner, and we have pretty much made that our motto for the last 6 years. Well... maybe not so much the early to bed thing, but here's the deal... lately, I've been questioning the degree to which we have committed our time and resources, to print advertising, primarily in magazines.
Consider this...
Last year alone, we spent a whopping 12% of our gross income on print ads. Mind you, that's not what's left after expenses, that's 12% of the GROSS!

As a matter of fact, advertising was the 2nd largest line item in our 2010 budget, exceeded only by printing expenses (which after all, is our PRODUCT!)

Now don't get me wrong, advertising has really been a successful strategy for us. StudioKat Designs patterns are now available in stores in all 50 states. We've got customers now in 37 different countries. Print advertising will probably always be a significant line item for us, but given the following facts, I'm thinking it's time to re-evaluate our emphasis.

1) Print advertising in general is in decline nationwide, as are newspaper and magazine subscriptions, primarily due to the ever increasing domination of the internet.

2) A significant portion of our demographic no longer subscribes to magazines or newspapers of any type. They are so adept at media and multitasking, that its virtually impossible to grab their attention through traditional advertising. They're IMing, & texting, & blogging & downloading with the iPod in one ear while listening to TV with the other, all this with the laptop in their lap.

So... here's the deal. This year, we're changing it up just a little. We're going to shift our focus by reducing our print advertising budget by at least 25% in favor of a more vibrant online presence, and we plan on accomplishing this by

Beefing up our social network presence 

in the following manner:

• publishing high quality, topic-specific posts each week, roughly every 3 days. If we don't have anything to say... we won't upload a post, it's that simple.
• Changing the way we conduct the 'Question of the Week'. Don't worry- The questions will still be fun, but the focus will be on sewing-related topics.
• experimenting a bit with video-blogging. Wouldn't it be fun to do a few video blogs from the Quilt Market floor in Salt Lake City  or in Houston? Maybe even a cool interview or two?
• spicing things up with a few guest posts, by folks you know, or folks you'll want to know more about!
• working toward publishing our first E-book, available for free by download (maybe late this year, or in early 2012).
  

Next year at this time, we'll analyze how well we met these objectives and share our findings with you here. Oh we'll still have a good time... and just because we'll be trying to provide more useful content for you, doesn't mean we won't occasionally throw in a post about our crazy cats, or our beautiful grandson!  
So.... how do these changes sound to you? Does this make sense? I'd love to hear your thoughts, because more than anything else, I'd like to make this blog a place where more interaction takes place.  :)

PPC3- Gotta Start Somewhere

(This post is part of a continuing series focusing on the development of a new handbag pattern from its initial conception to it's release.)

Purse Pattern Chronicles 3- A Good Start

It's always one of my favorite of days...

It's the day that I make the initial pattern pieces that will bring life to my sketch, my creation. I love it.

I always start my fabrications with the main feature... the definitive one... the one that will differentiate it from all my other designs, and any others on the market... and in the case of this pattern, that of course would be the unique tri-colored side pockets, (and by unique, I am not alluding to the fact that I chose 3 totally ugly prints). The first time out, my goal is to make sure the pattern pieces fit together properly, and that the proportion is what I want, so I don't waste good fabric in the process.

The Side Pouches

In my last post in this series, I showed you that my original thinking was that all three colors (in equal portions) would be 'worked' up and into the strap attachment area as shown on the right. This is a wrap-around style pocket, accessible from the front of the bag or the back, so it's great for keys, movie tickets, or anything else you need to grab quick. And even though this looks like a double pocket, it isn't. The lower of the two pockets is just there for show. (It's really too shallow to be useful anyway.)

The  Front Pouch

And I liked the exterior Pouch feature from the DittyRoo so much, that I decided to repeat it for this bag as well. I don't know about you, but I got so used to putting my phone there when I was carrying MY DittyRoo, that I just can't hardly imagine being without it!

 The Braided Strap

Here's my first prototype of the braided handle. Now I know these colors are gross, but I was pretty happy with the finished look. (If I had used great colors it would look awesome!) What I was NOT happy about, was the bulkiness at either end. With the tricolor Strap Holder already being a tad on the bulky side, I'm afraid this cool strap just isn't going to work. I would have to use a hydrolic stapler in the Strap Holder area to make a go of this feature. Too bad. I'll shelve it for now, and maybe try it again later on for this design or perhaps a future one. I don't want to spend any more time on it for now.

So here it is all put together. Per usual, there's things I like and things I don't about this 1st attempt. (And just so you know, I never bother taking the time to line a 1st try.)

Let's Sum it up- Keep it?... or Chuck it?

So... what are we keeping or chucking in the next prototype? In general I like the look of the pocketed area, but the proportion and the angle is a bit 'off'. I do not like the fact that the bag has a low wide look. That is not what I was going for. I'll adjust this by proportioning the center section 'taller', and the pocketed area 'thinner' and as already mentioned, the braided handles are out... at least for now.
But... I'm satisfied enough with how the templates went together, and I'm sure enough that I can resolve these other issues, so the next bag will be made from 'real fabric' and will include a strap, a lining, and it will have the fusible fleece foundation that it needs in order to drape properly. I'm also going to play around with some kind of flap or pieced item to better define the edge of the front pouch area. Maybe its just the fabric of this ugly sample, but the pouch feature seems invisible here. Might be a good idea, or it might not....

So stick with us, because this ride has only just begun. And here's the deal...We value your feedback. Do you agree with our assessment? We've got a couple of features to show you in the next sample that you haven't yet seen, but why don't you play designer for a second and tell us what feature YOU would add, if this was your creation?

Back to School

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

Another critical step in the year-end assessment process is to establish some goals for the future, both long and short-term.This is the fun part. I get to dream BIG, learn something new, take a chance and step out of my comfort zone. (That's what I tell myself anyway!)  This year, we're branching out with two BIG things!

One thing we're going to try in 2011, will be at the Spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City. We're biting the bullet and doing a 'Schoolhouse' presentation on set up day. It amounts to a 30-minute infommercial about some aspect of our product line.

I had always been curious about the Schoolhouse classes being held upstairs, but it didn't strike me as something that would apply to our products. But last Fall in Houston, Audrey Brendle of Pin Peddlers, invited me to be her assistant as she conducted two 15-minute sessions. All I did was hand out flyers, give out tickets for the doorprize, and watch Audrey work her audience ...AND I came away convinced that working up a Schoolhouse session in Salt Lake City next May was not only advisable, but indeed, it seemed the next logical step for us. 

So........When the paperwork arrived last month, I signed up to give one 30-minute session. But the only thing is, I'm kinda at a loss as to what I'll present. Right now I'm thinking maybe I'll discuss and explain one of my exterior embellishment techniques. I can distribute a color pdf on the technique and hopefully it will be something exciting for store owners to teach to their customers when they return home (along with selling a few extra patterns for me, I hope). What do YOU think? If you were coming to my schoolhouse session, what would you like to learn?

Our next post in this series will detail another goal for 2011, and it concerns a few changes we are planning for this Blog. See ya then!

PPC3- A Sketchy Post

(This post is part of a continuing series focusing on the development of a new handbag pattern from its initial conception to it's release.)

Purse Pattern Chronicles 3- A Sketchy Post

OK folks- In our last post, we revealed the inspiration behind our newest design, and now it's time to show you how we applied that inspiration. Now before you scroll down to check it out, remember that the function of a first sketch is basically that of a Christmas list.

I don't worry about being practical while sketching, nor do I concern myself with functionality. For right now, I just try to get my vision on paper, sketching every detail and recording descriptors for all the various features. So here it is...

Right now I'm seeing this bag as being smaller than the last few I've designed. I'm thinking that the interior should work with an Encore Insert, but it may be a bit of a tight squeeze.

Your eyes should be drawn immediately to the side details of this bag, which hopefully are reminiscent of my inspiration. I'm 'seeing' these side areas as fully functional, deep pockets on either side of the bag, a great place to store items that you need quick access too, and the color-blocking I envision for these pockets (3 different colors or prints), definitely increases the "WOW" potential.

I loved the large exterior pouch area in the center of the DittyRoo so much, that I'm including that feature in this bag as well. Instead of using the balloon cording again though, I'm toying with the idea of trimming the Pouch with zipper teeth, or a flap (as shown in the sketch).

This bag will have a zipper closure. (I can hear the quilters sighing disapproval, but fear not, the zipper installation will be EASY SCHMEASY!) And I'd love to toy with braided straps for a change from the webbing.

So....  I'd love to hear your comments on this design. Does it look like something you'd enjoy making? Do you like the idea of the tri-colored side pockets?

And stay tuned. In our next Purse Pattern Chronicle post, we'll start fleshing out a few of the key areas of this bag with fabric.

As We Move into 2011

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

In our last post in this series, we discussed some of the best things we had implemented during 2010, as well as some of the things that didn't quite go as well as planned. And now that we're done with our assessment of 2010, now what? How are we going to go forward based on our findings. Well- here's the short list of what we're keeping, and also what we're dumping for 2011.

1. We're definitely going to continue doing the color pictorial pdfs to provide clarification for our instructions, particularly when new procedures are introduced. Very few people have told us they like the pdfs, but remember, most folks only call or write to complain about something. There were several brand new concepts introduced within the DittyRoo pattern, and the fact that we have not received one question about these instructions leads me to believe that the downloads are helping. Our webstats also tell us that on some days, these pdfs are the number one thing being downloaded. 
2. We bit the bullet, hired a lawyer and jumped through all the hoops required (and there's a BUNCH), in order to incorporate our business. I'm told that this should shelter a bit more of our profits from taxation, but honestly, it's no wonder that businesses have a hard time making it, because the taxation rate on small business is really quite incredible. I never knew how high!
3. The Lollapalooza cover however, continues to be a bit of an enigma for me. The overwhelming majority of people have had no problem with getting the color tutorial off our website. They understand that to include it in the body of the instructions would first mean it would have to be done in black and white, (a notable disadvantage), AND it would significantly increase the cost of each pattern. BUT- those who don't (or won't) understand these things, have at times been rude or even mean in their comments, and that's been hard to take. To change the cover now is cost prohibitive, so I'll have to think this through some more before I place another pieced exterior on the cover. (But I still think that was the right sample to put on the cover.) What do YOU think?
4. The Forum (Message Board) will become history in February when it's time to pay the renewal fee. We'll put that time and energy into our blog, which seems to get way more traffic and interaction anyway.  (more about this later)

So......... Does this seem like solid strategy to you? We'd love to hear your feedback, so stay tuned!
In our next post, we'll discuss our goals for the new year and beyond.....

January Handbag of the Month

Thanks to everyone who participated in our December contest! The winner was Linda Ross of Lake St Louis, MO, who created a fabulously silky Carolina CarryAll, (pictured to the right). Linda wins a $20.00 SKD gift certificate and a permanent place of honor on our website. 

And now, just for kicks, let's change it up a tad for January. We've had so many TIGHT contests during 2010, and most every bag that came in 2nd has been truly magnificent, so during this January, let's honor our runners-up and give each of them a 2nd chance at infamy!  

So...scroll down to choose which of 2010's 2nd place finishers you love the best, but be fore-warned, this is going to be a REALLY hard choice!

2nd place in January 2010
A Harmony Handbag
by Carol Terrell of Oklahoma City, OK

2nd place in February 2010
A Boho Baguette
by Carol Patterson of Waynesburg, PA

2nd place in March 2010
A Bellagio Bag
by Harriet Lee of California

2nd place in April 2010
An Odyssey Backpack
by Lisa Garner of Maricopa, AZ

2nd place in May 2010
A Carolina CarryAll
by Judi Graf of Tyler. TX

2nd place in June 2010
A Harmony Handbag
by Marilyn Bond of Ontario, Canada

2nd place in July 2010
A Trifecta
by Linda Ross 

2nd place in August 2010

A Carolina CarryAll

by Betty Gove of Moneta, VA

2nd place in
September 2010
A Carolina CarryAll
by Lynn Hudson of Apex, NC

2nd place in October 2010
A Trifecta
by Diane Rhodes of Monroeville, PA

2nd place in
November 2010
A Bellagio Bag
by Linda Richards of Tucson, AZ

2nd place in December 2010
A Carolina CarryAll
by Carole Snyder of Sacramento, CA

OK- Have you picked out your favorite?

Just click HERE to vote!     I really think this may be the tightest race EVER and every vote may be the one that decides it all!

PPC3- Purse Pattern Chronicles 3

(This post is part of a continuing series focusing on the development of a new handbag pattern from its initial conception to it's release.)

So are you ready for a third go-round at the Purse Pattern Chronicles? I hope so, because I'm moving right along on my new design and I'm ready to let you take a  little peek at it. And what better place to start, than by sharing a bit about the original inspiration for this new bag. And this year, my primary inspiration came from Project Runway.

This was one of my favorite seasons on Project Runway, especially after Ivy left. (Wasn't she the cattiest piece of work?) I found much to be inspired by, but in particular, two trains of thought especially caught my eye.

   1) the afore-mentioned color & print combinations of Mondo Guerra (click here for that post), and

   2) a side-draping detail that resulted in a tier-like effect seen in this  piece by Andy South and the look below it, by Michael Costello. 

Would I actually wear these items? Probably not... (my hips kinda do this on their own!  hahaha), but it did give me a great idea to try in my new design. In my mind I envisioned this new side detail as a terrific way to provide additional storage options, as well as to showcase unique color and print combinations.

Can you envision this?
So how about you? Where does YOUR inspiration generally come from? Do you find that you are more inspired by color or form?

Stay tuned for our next post in this series, where we'll reveal how this inpiration translated to our original sketches.

Calling All Private Eyes!

I've been needing a private eye to figure out a mystery for me!

I've got this little live Christmas tree a few years ago at the Home Depot. Every summer it lives outside on my screened porch, but when the weather turns cold, I've got to bring it indoors. But here's the deal... The poor little tree seems to face a much larger peril indoors than outdoors.

Almost every morning, I wake to find that someone has been trimming the little tree during the night. There's pretty much always a few little pine needle pieces on the floor.
For the longest time I haven't been at all sure who was doing this. I asked my husband if he knew anything about it and he just looked at me... You know the look I'm talking about... The one that instantly conveys (without words) that he thinks I've totally lost my mind.
Evidently he's not involved.

So that only leaves my two little feline buddies. I had my suspicions of course. But for some reason, I could never catch anyone near the little tree. This went on all last winter and I could never figure it out, and the very day I brought the little tree in this fall, it started again.
Then... quite by accident one day, I got my answer, and I just happened to be holding my cellphone so I could prove it....

And here's the culprit. For some reason,  Joba suddenly feels that it's OK to molest my little tree in broad daylight. Best I can tell, he seems to like feeling the needles against his face.
And based on the fact that I often find wet, half-eaten pieces of the tree on the floor, on the steps, in the bathroom...etc., he may also like the way they feel inside his mouth???
Hmmm....
Does anyone have any ideas as to why he's doing this, or how I can stop him?