While She Naps

Softies for Sale Series: Custom Work

In this installment in my series about turning sewing softies into a business I am going to explore the ins and outs of taking on custom work. Making a custom item means creating something one-of-a-kind especially for a particular customer according to design choices the customer makes. It might involve drafting a brand new pattern from the ground up for something you’ve never made before, or it may just mean allowing the customer to order a particular item you already make in custom colors or a custom size.

Custom work takes extra time to produce because you have to make a new item from the time the order is placed and generally custom work will be able to command a higher price because the finished piece is one-of-a-kind and is made to a customer's particular specifications. Custom work requires a greater level of communication between you and the customer than a typical sale and there is greater potential for disappointment on the customer’s end if the finished product is not exactly what they had in mind. And by taking on a custom job you are accepting someone else’s design choices and will therefore have less control over the look of the finished product.

Clearly the world of custom work is complex and there is a lot to consider before diving in. To learn more about how to successfully take on custom work I wanted to talk with makers who have a lot of experience to share. Fortunately I had great conversations with three softie makers who have built portions of their businesses on making custom softies for clients over the last many years. I also spoke with a designer who has done a significant amount of custom sewing of home décor items as part of her business. All four of these women were generous and helpful and I learned a tremendous amount about this topic from each them. I hope that by sharing their experiences here you’ll be able to evaluate if  custom work might become part of your own handmade business, and if it already is, perhaps you'll identify some methods to make the process smooth, efficient, and profitable.

BE SURE THIS KIND OF CHALLENGE IS MOTIVATING TO YOU

I have taken on a number of custom jobs in over the past year (my favorite being this constipated teddy bear). After the initial excitement of the order, I know that the next feeling can be one of dread. Do I really have to make this piece in those colors? Really? But I don’t want to! I want to do it my way!

So first, before taking on any custom orders, I think you really have ask yourself if you are craving the challenge of a custom job. Is the prospect of working with a client to make something according to their specifications exciting to you?

Alison Glass

For Alison Glass, the design challenges presented by new custom jobs fuels her creative fire. Alison’s business focused on creating custom home décor pieces for clients for the past several years. Alison made everything from upholstered chairs and ottomans to window seats cushions and throw pillows. Although she is not a softie maker, I think her experiences are still relevant for any handmade business person thinking about taking on custom work.

Sofa by Alison Glass

On the topic of motivation, Alison said,“I personally get a lot of satisfaction in coming up with new pieces.  Once I've made something, I am ready to come up with something new, more than continue to repeat what I've already done.  Custom work allows for this."

Sian Keegan

Sian Keegan is an artist and stuffed animal designer who became well-known for her custom plush pet portraits when they were featured in the November 2010 issue of Martha Stewart Living. My admiration for Sian’s custom dogs and cats was what inspired me to research and write this post.

Plush pet portraits by Sian Keegan

Sian loves taking on custom work. “I like the challenge of not knowing what I'm going to find in my inbox everyday! I've had a lot of interesting commissions over the years--a three-legged dog, wrinkly sharpeis, brindle coats, pups with overbites, alopecia, missing eyes, and other adorable quirks.”

Rachel Linquist

Rachel Linquist creates custom portraits in the form of 18 inch cloth dolls with hand-painted faces and beautifully sewn clothes and sells them on Etsy under the business name Hen and Chick. Although she also offers other dolls and softies in her shop on Etsy, the majority of orders she receives are for the custom portrait dolls. Rachel clearly enjoys each custom job, viewing it like an assignment.

Custom Portrait Doll by Rachel Linquist

Rachel told me, “I very rarely turn down a commission, just because I love the challenge! I really enjoy making custom dolls because it’s like saying to myself, 'Okay, with these colors and shapes that someone else chose, make a character.' Every time I make a doll, whether a custom doll or one based on my own whims, I always feel a specific little character emerge as I put the little shiny sparkle in the eyes, and rosy up the cheeks; the very last steps. It’s like, 'Oh, there you are!' It takes me back to the eerie feeling you’d get as a kid of your toys being alive somehow.

Stacey Trock

And finally, I spoke with Stacey Trock, amigurumi designer extraordinaire. Stacey is a mover and shaker in the crocheted toy world with two books and a podcast plus a popular blog and online classes to boot. I asked Stacey to chime in because she mentioned in an episode of her Crochet Chat podcast (no I don’t crochet, but I am an omnivorous podcast listener!) that she had developed a pretty neat system for taking on custom work without taking on a headache. On the topic of motivation, Stacey expressed a similar sentiment to my own gut reaction to custom jobs.

Trio of owls in custom colors by Stacey Trock

“I'm not going to lie... taking custom orders can be scary. Instead of making softies that you want to make, you'll be making softies that someone else wants you to make. If not kept in check, you may end up creating items that aren't artistically fulfilling for you, and in the long-term, could dampen your passion for your craft.  Not to mention the picky customers you're bound to get when you're creating the special stuffed animal for their daughter's 1st birthday. High expectations can't be avoided.” Stacey willl help to shed some light on ways to work through these potential challenges.

LISTEN AND COMMUNICATE CLEARLY FROM THE START

A clear avenue of communication with the client has to be a central part of any successful custom job. The conversation has to happen early and for some clients may be quiet involved.

Cushion by Alison Glass

Alison pointed out, “If I am at all confused about what they are wanting, I just keep asking questions until I feel I have a good understanding.  People generally seem to like to discuss what they like, and it's usually a fun conversation.  Also, when it gets to the point of really specific decisions, I just make sure to have approval of the choices, generally in an email or contract, so that I can refer back to it if necessary, and to remember what I've promised!  It takes time to make sure everything is clear, but I think it's important to avoid issues later in the project.”

For a softie a contract may not be necessary, but having the details written out in an email with a record of what you have agreed upon is certainly a good idea.

Long-haired pet portraits by Sian Keegan

Sian brought up that this back and forth between you and the client should be added into the cost of the item. “It's important to factor in correspondence time when creating any custom works. I probably exchange about six or seven emails per portrait! Try to be as clear as possible in the very beginning about pricing, turnaround time, shipping, and what you need from your customer."

"For the pet portraits one thing I often have to ask about is the color because it's so important to get the fabric or yarn choice right. Sometimes color in jpegs isn't accurate, and color can be more subjective than you'd think. A written description of the coloring is helpful in addition to the reference photos.”

And you should probably be prepared for a variety of different sorts of customers, including those who want to be very involved in the design process.

Three custom dolls by Rachel Linquist

Rachel said, “From time to time I get a more, shall we say, 'hands-on' customer who wants to see photographs of the fabrics I have available in a particular style or color scheme (and may require a special trip to the fabric store to get just the 'right' one). I do try to be accommodating to that, even if it is a little frustrating, though I feel like those dolls end up just a little bit stiff and uninspired-looking due to me feeling limited by the customer’s extremely specific wishes, but I don’t mind too much, and the end result is still a very nice doll that I am proud to send out.”

LIMIT THE CHOICES

Part of this initial conversation should be you as the designer providing the customer with a limited set of choices. Just because work is custom doesn’t necessarily mean each order should require an entirely new design. In fact, it would be very hard to charge enough per item if you had to start from the ground up each time.

Crocheted owl by Stacey Trock

I think Stacey said it best, "I don't take custom orders for designs for entirely new animals. I've tried that in the past, and ended up spending too many hours working for too little pay.  What I do is offer custom options on an existing design."

"By limiting the customer's options, you're actually helping them out! Have you ever heard of the Paradox of Choice? It's the idea that 3 choices is manageable, but 30 is overwhelming. Does the average person really want to decide how long an owl's wings are? Or whether the stomach should be an oval or circle? No. The average person isn't a toy designer. By limiting their choices, you're insuring that they'll get a product they're happy with."

Alison also offers choices.

Chairs by Alison Glass

“Some clients seem to know what they want from the start, others, not so much.  Either way I listen carefully, interpret as best as I can, and present a few choices.  Usually one of those choices will stand out to them, and we go from there.  Often, I can predict what they will choose.” 

So how can you best limit a customer’s choices? The best way is to show a variety of finished pieces and allow the customer to pick colors or fabrics that they’d like used in their custom piece.

Custom doll by Rachel Linquist

Rachel does it this way, “I do custom dolls in several of my designs, but most orders are from my 18 inch cloth dolls with appliquéd felt hair. After several years of making variations on this simple doll design, I had quite a few different patterns for hair styles, outfit pieces, and other little variations and embellishments. This means that when I started custom dolls, I already had a lot of options for people to choose from.”

“In my listings, I post pictures of lots of examples of past dolls, so people can get a sense of my work. Then they simply select hair style, hair color, eye color, and extras like freckles or glasses. Then I encourage them to give me a general color scheme for the clothing (if they are trying to match the décor of a room, or their niece always wears a purple dress, etc), and pick one “outfit add-on” (coat or sweater or skirt or hooded cloak, etc.). People can pick more add-ons for additional cost if they want a whole wardrobe for their doll. But the base price includes one removable piece.”

"From time to time a customer will ask for a new variation that I haven’t tried before. Before I take on the job, I consider if developing that new pattern will be easy enough that I can include it in my price. Or if it’s a new variation that I think I’ll use again, I consider that, too. So if it’s kind of a lot of work, but I know it will be a great addition to my repertoire, I’ll take it on without additional charge. Or if they are a return customer, I’ll do it as a favor. From time to time if the request is a bit more work than usual, I’ll tell people it will cost a little bit extra to develop the design and create that new piece for them, and they are usually willing to pay it."

Crocheted owl by Stacey Trock

Stacey was at first hesitant to take custom orders for fear that she would have to special order materials for particular projects which would just get too expensive and too complicated to manage. Stacey give this advice for working around that issue, “Consider showing available colors. If you have a supply of fabric available (and aren't intending on special-ordering more for each order), show a color card that gives customers a selection that they can choose from.  If you don't plan on making additional colors available, say so.”

“List the features that can be customized. This helps to guide the customer, and also sets the scope of the project. My best-seller is my owl. It's a design that I've already made and know that I can produce efficiently. I offer a customized owl: customers can pick the main body color, eye color and whether or not it has baby-safe eyes.”

“It may not sound like a lot of options, but it means that a woman in New York can order an owl in colors that match the theme for her best friend's baby shower... an item she can't get anywhere else. By providing a few choices, the customer ends up with a customized stuffed animal that they're totally in love with.”

Setting boundaries means that the work you are taking on is within reasonable limits, but is still considered custom. As Stacey rightly points out this can be a win-win situation. “The average customer is willing to pay more for a customized product, but since it's a design you're familiar with, it won't take much in terms of additional time to make. That means that you're earning more per hour to create customized pieces. That's great news!”

IT’S OKAY TO SAY NO

However hard it may be at times, I think it is really important as a business owner (even if you are running a micro business) to be able to say no. Turning down jobs that aren’t right for you will actually help you in the long run! You won't feel burdened making something that you don't believe in and you'll preserve your good reputation by not engaging with a client that doesn't share your vision.

Chair by Alison Glass

I appreciate Alison’s honesty on this point.“Of course, the biggest challenge is probably clients who are hard to deal with.  This is a very discouraging thing, though I would say, for me, this is not generally the case.  I do feel I have gotten better, with time, at recognizing this early, and either politely not taking the job or setting the job up in a way I can deal with it.”  

"I have been in situations where it is clear that the client and I are not speaking the same language, that they want something that is outside of what I generally do, for whatever reason, and those relationships, in all honesty, generally don't go far past the first meeting.  This is good for both me and them.  It's really for the best, and I see is as a relief, not a failure on my part."

CHARGE UPFRONT AND GIVE YOUR BEST ESTIMATE OF THE TIME FRAME

To me, if you are going to make someone a custom softie work should not begin until the customer has paid for the entire cost up front. I know that Sian and Stacey have customers purchase their Etsy listings for a custom items first before any work begins.

Custom boy dolls by Rachel Linquist

And Rachel’s shop works the same way. “I have people pay 100% up front by purchasing the listing to start the process. I tell them that their doll will ship out two weeks after I have received payment and their specifications.”

And Stacey pointed out that you should be clear up front about your time frame so that the customer knows from the get-go what to expect.“Be clear in your item description that this is a custom piece that will take time to create. Depending on the time of year, I say that a piece will take 2 weeks before it is ready to ship. Don't be afraid to charge more for a customer's priority time line. You should be compensated for express delivery charges on your end and extended work hours.”

MAKING REASONABLE EDITS WILL LEAD TO SATISFIED CUSTOMERS

One of the hardest aspects of custom design work is hearing critique and having to go back and make changes. When you have done your very best and the client is still not satisfied it can feel like a blow. I think it’s important to reign in those feelings and go back into the studio to make changes as long as the changes are within reason.
Portrait of a cat named Leo by Sian Keegan

Sian will agree to make a limited set of changes to her pet portraits, and in fact is sometimes more pleased with the finished piece after making the edits the client requested. “I'm happy to make minor changes to the finished piece after reviewing it with the customer. Small things like changing the tail position and adding additional markings or other features are easy to do. Someone recently asked me to add a line for the mouth on her stuffed dog (which I don't normally do) and it made the finished piece much cuter.”

And Alison does, too. “If there is a problem with the work, something is not working right or is not staying together properly, then I fix it, and make sure they know that I am happy to do so, that it's not a problem.  I think all of these things builds a reputation within the community a person is working in, and this is how to continue towards satisfied clients.  Happy, kind clients are the best references for opportunities to work with their kind friends.”

Finally, as Stacey points out, once you’ve completed a custom order for a satisfied customer, be sure to let everyone know.  “Once I've completed a custom order, be sure to post photos on your social media outlets (with a link to your order page). In my experience, this often leads to the next order!” Word of mouth is a powerful thing!

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I hope hearing from these four makers about the rewards and potential pitfalls of custom work has been of interest to you as you consider new directions for your own handmade business. If it has, please consider making a donation to support the series. Even a small amount is very much appreciated. Thank you.

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I'd love to hear your reaction to what these makers shared about custom work. Have you had success making custom handmade items for customers? Any horror stories? Anything additional we should consider? Leave a comment and let's continue the discussion!

Softies For Sale Series: Pursuing New Avenues as Your Business Evolves

First off I want to say thank you to everyone who has made a donation in support of this series. I really really appreciate it! Here is a comprehensive list of the 12 posts in this series thus far.

Please know that you don't need to make a donation to leave a comment. I want to hear from you no matter what. But if you've been thinking about it and haven't done it yet, here is the donate button:

Thanks, guys.

And now onto the next installment.

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In this installment of my series I want to think about how our businesses change overtime as we learn what we're good at and what is profitable. Allowing a business to head in a new direction can be scary because the path ahead is not yet trodden, but it can also save you from feeling tired of what you do and frustrated with where you are.

To exploret his topic further I talked with Pauline McArthur, a woman with firsthand experience running a softie business that has grown and changed direction multiple times over the last several years.

Australian artist Pauline McArthur is an excellent toy designer. Her Funky Friends Factory softie patterns reach far beyond simple plush toys. I would venture to say that her designs really look commercial. If you want to sew a softie that looks professionally made, pick one of Pauline's patterns.

Pauline studied to be an optometrist so like most (or maybe all?) of us, she was not trained in any sort of formal way to design stuffed animal sewing patterns, but clearly she has a strong aptitude and internal drive to make a success of her softie business.

Pauline with the toy that got her started: a plush bunny made for babies.

Something I admire about Pauline is her willingness to try every different sort of path to make sewing softies into a real business. "I can't think of much I haven’t tried when it comes to making money with softies! I have found there isn’t just one particular ‘magic method’, rather for me, it’s a combined result of all the many things I have tried."

The elephants she made to fund a trip to Europe as a teenager.

When she was 19, she made and sold 100’s of soft toy elephants to pay for a trip around Europe. "My mother still has one of these in her guest loo much to the merriment of her visitors who are amazed that it’s trunk is long enough for it to sit on!"

For many years, Pauline made and sold individual stuffed animals. Then, she shifted her business to focus on pattern design:

"Over the years my business has continued to change. For example, when I figured out that I got the most enjoyment out of designing I moved focus towards developing my Funky Friends Factory pattern range and selling the patterns to other home crafters."

Pauline's pattern: Dilby Duck

"Now that I have a lot of customers who make and sell the toys themselves I have made a conscious decision NOT to make the toys to sell myself anymore as I don’t want to compete with my customers! I still get frequent requests to make the toys from people who can’t sew but now I refer them to my toy-selling customers! This works out well for both of us, they get more business and I get more time to get all the pattern ideas buzzing around my head onto paper!"

Simplicity 2921 is Pauline's patterns.

Pauline has licensed Funky Friends Factory designs to Simplicity. You can read her blog post about it here.

Soft toy design has taken Pauline down another interesting avenue. She has used her skills to help impoverished women in southern India sew fair trade toys, giving them a secure job with steady income through an organization called Blue Mango. For four years Pauline has been designing soft toys for their sewing program, and a few months ago she was asked to visit Blue Mango in person to design a new set of toys for the women to produce.

Pauline's elephants with a Blue Mango employee in India.

"I have been working with the Blue Mango Fair Trade organization for four years, designing toy patterns for them to use in their income-generating program. They receive funding from a church group in the US that allows them to fly ‘guest artists’ over to work with the Blue Mango women."

 Pauline showing a prototype for a bear at Blue Mango in India.

"It was incredible when I got an email to say they couldn’t think of anyone they’d rather have visit them than me! And so I got the opportunity to go and spend 3 weeks at Blue Mango early this year. It's hard to put into words what a deeply moving experience this was, perhaps the photos I took show what a joyful experience it was!" Pauline's toy designs are now available on Blue Mango's website.

And in 2011 she quit her day job as an optometrist and opened a brick-and-mortar toy store.

Funky Friends Factory is a thriving business, but Pauline assures us that it is still very much an uphill climb. "I just got fed up waiting and gave up work because I was battling to manage both a day job and an online business. In hindsight I can see that this wasn’t necessarily the best way to go about things. Growing an online business just takes time, no matter how hard you work at it you can’t ‘force it’ and I think I ran myself ragged trying! It’s much easier and less stressful to do your normal job a few days a week and get some regular money each week and NOT have to rely solely on your softies business for your income!"

"I still don’t earning a living solely from my softies business but I now believe I will be able to make this dream a reality. I just refuse to give up, and one day I will be able to say, I earn a living playing with my toys!"

And looking toward the future, Pauline is looking into creating a line of commercial toys. "I am watching this series with great interest because I have actually been searching for something 'more commercial myself. I am keen to lean all I can from anyone who has crossed over from home made toys into getting their own range of toys manufactured."

Pauline's pattern: Larry the Lion

"I am wondering about independent artist like you or me getting a range of toys manufactured and distributed in mainstream stores. I wonder if it is limited to larger companies with large budgets because when I looked into it, all the manufacturing companies that produce toys insist on a minimum order of 2,000 0r 3,000 pieces. The smallest minimum order I could get someone to agree to was 500 pieces, but at about $10 per piece, a range of toys way out of my league!"

"I haven't totally given up on the idea as it's been a dream of mine to have my own toy range. I'm so curious to find out if anyone has made the crossover themselves."

This is something I'll need to investigate. If you know of anyone who has made this leap, please let me know. In the meantime, I know that Funky Friends Factory patterns will continue to sell well because they make it easy for home sewists to create amazing softies. Being able to design patterns like at this level is truly a talent to be admired, Pauline!

I think one of the very best things about our online craft community is that it allows us a way to find and connect with like-minded people. Pauline lives on the other side of the world from me, but in many fundamental ways we are driven by the same internal force to make designing sewing patterns for stuffed animals into a real career.

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So what about you? Has your business changed over time? Is a big change on the horizon? Is something holding you back from exploring a new avenue? Feel free to share any feedback for Pauline and any thoughts you may have about your own business in the comments. Thank you!

Softies For Sale Series: Plush You! Introduces New Audiences to Handmade Softies and Builds a Community of Collectors

Do you have particular customers that purchase your work regularly? A person who seems to buy something every time you list a new set of items in your Etsy shop or someone who comes by your booth at the craft fair and buys something every year? They think of you whenever they need to buy a gift for someone, and they talk about your work to people they know. I think of these people as collectors or even as patrons. They appreciate handmade work, they admire what you do, and they want one of everything you put out there. They are dream customers!

I have had customers like this and it has made a big impact on my handmade business over the years. And I know what it is like to be a collector. Every November for the 12 years Charlie and I have visited the holiday show and sale at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and chosen a new, original piece of art for our home. We started with a work on paper by a student and over time we've purchased pieces by many other students, and by faculty and alumni. The show is an event we look forward to each year. We buy art together in lieu of buying each other holiday gifts.

I know we are not the only ones who do this. Shows like this help to create a culture of collecting. There is always something new to see, the price range is broad and the styles vary enough that something will appeal to everyone. 

To me, Plush You! is a show that builds this kind of culture of collecting. Plush You! is an annual show put on by Kristen Rask, owner of Schmancy in Seattle, Washington. Kristen has been organizing the show since 2007 and it has spawned a book and all sorts of media attention since then. Looking back through Flickr you can see many well-known plush artists got their start at this show, and it's still going strong.

I talked to Kristen about her vision for Plush You!, what motivates her to continue with the show and with Schmancy, her unique store that showcases art toys, and why she thinks grown-ups can and will buy themselves handmade softies.

Kristen Rask, owner of Schmancy and founder of Plush You!

Why Start Hold an Annual Plush Show?

I started Plush You! in 2007 to showcase the amazing plush work that I was seeing being made throughout the world.  Schmancy, at the time I started Plush You!, focused more on vinyl toys but as a person who makes things, I wanted to focus on handmade things more and this seemed like a logical move. 

Photo of Schmancy via MochiMochi Land.

I had no idea what it would turn into and that has been a really fun part of it.  Every year when applications open, I am always really amazed by the quality of work.  It has been such a great experience to build relationships with the makers and see so many of them really succeed in their plush businesses. My original plan was to showcase the work and open people's minds to plush being an art medium and not just "toys for kids".  It has since become near and dear to my heart. 

Here is how Schmancy looks when all the boxes arrive and it's time to set up the show.

During poor economic times, I have had moments of frustration and just moments where I want to give up but I always think about Plush You! and how I wouldn't want to let that go.  As much as people feel honored to be apart of the show, I feel equally honored that these artists want to be a part of it.

Photo of Schmancy via MochiMochi Land.

Building a Community of Collectors

Since the show, I have had many shoppers come just once a year for the show who always get a piece each year.  It's amazing how many people have gotten excited about it and many of my customers who originally were more of the "vinyl collectors" have moved into plush. 

I have to interject here to say that I think the fact that people come back year after year to add to their collections is a huge accomplishment. This show attracts patrons of plush. These are great customers because they are motivated. They come out every year with the intention of buying something new. They are likely to go home and look up artists whose work they admired at the show. Huge props to Kristen for helping our community to find and connect with these customers.

What Makes Plush Special?

I think plush deserves a spotlight because it's accessible art.  There are the obvious toys that you would never want to have a kid play with and then there are so many whimsical toys that both kids and adults can appreciate. 

Let's be honest, life is harsh in many ways but sitting in a room full of colorful, whimsical and creative toys makes you take things a little LESS seriously sometimes.  Everyone has a little part of them that wants to tap into their childlike behavior from time to time.  We all need rewards and indulgence and sometimes that means buying yourself a toy!

Toys can be for grown-ups! If you make handmade plush your toys are bound to be more expensive than mass market stuffed animals. Convincing people that it is indeed okay to buy a very special toy for themselves can sometimes be a bit of an uphill battle, but once they own one they'll see! Life is short, buy a softie!

Toys at Schmancy. Photo courtesy of Kristen Rask.

Schmancy is a Part of Kristen's Unique Vision

As for Schmancy, I started it in a need to fulfill the itch of always wanting to own a store.  I have no business plan, no kind of strategy ever which makes me not the most ideal shop owner, but it has managed to work out for the past seven years without too many disasters.  When I have my moments of frustration, want good health care, etc. I also realize my life wouldn't be as fulfilling without this place.  I have so many great customers, the artists I have had the pleasure of
working with are amazing, many of whom I have become friends with. 

Photo of Schmancy from Hello Craft.

I have tried to create a unique store that makes people think in a subtle way.  I get a lot of customers that are confused when they realize it's not just a toy store for kids but they slowly come around and it's so fun to see how excited they can get. 

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Plush You! 2012 opens on October 12 at Schmancy in Seatlle, Washington. The show will feature the work of 65 plush artists, mine among them. Thank you, Kristen, for working hard to raise the recognition of handmade softies as an art form!

Softie For Sale Series: Joining Together With Other Makers - The Etsy Plush Team

Running a small handmade business is a rather solitary pursuit. Each day I sit down at my studio desk, put on my headphones, and draw and sew for hours on end, and often I don't talk to anyone at all. I'm an introvert so this life actually suits me well, but I recognize that connecting with other people is important, especially with other makers.

Recently I helped to form a local artists group in Wellesley (I wrote about it here). We have 14 members and meet every month to make something, support one another, and share resources. And I really enjoy our gatherings, but I can't help but feel a bit like an outlier. After all, I make stuffed animals and that's, well, sorta weird.

Actually, in the design world generally making plush can make you feel a bit like of a misfit. Knitters, quilters, garment and home dec. sewers are by far more numerous and their communities are more heavily populated.

One of the reasons I undertook the Softies For Sale series was to explore the next steps for those of us who are primarily interested in making stuffed toys. Where do we go from here to turn our our hobby into a viable business? What are the logical next steps?

Networking with other artists can help to answer these questions. And joining together with other plush makers? Well, that is surely a good way to figure it out.

I don't know about you, but nobody in my town other than me makes plush. I've found really excellent plush makers online, but haven't joined any sort of formal group that gathers and communicates regularly. But the idea is really intriguing!

Then I read about the Etsy Plush Team. Here was a group entirely populated by people like me! I became really curious. What is this group's purpose? What kinds of things do they do together? Would being a member be a good next step for me, and maybe for you, too?

I got in contact with Christina Ward, a member of the Etsy Plush Team, to see what the group was all about. Here is what Christina told me.

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"Welcome to the Plush Team!" 

That’s the first sentence new members read when they join the Etsy Plush Team.  More than just civility, we really mean it!

The Plush Team was founded over six years ago by myself and a few other plushmakers who were selling our items on Etsy but were looking for more community. 

When people who aren’t makers ask me to explain the Plush Team, I describe it as more of guild. A guild in the very old fashioned sense. We are a team of equals working together to build awareness and respect for Plush as an artform.  And to support each other in our creative journey.  That to me has been the most rewarding part of the Team. 

As I type this, over half of our worldwide membership is making its way to Lancaster, Pennsylvania for a retreat. Some will ‘see’ each other for the first time; for others, it’s old home week!  Personally, I have made some of the best friends I have among these talented makers.

The core idea for Etsy teams was to have like minded folks organize themselves around a cohesive theme. It could be geographic, political, genre, or whatever!  Etsy would ‘authorize’ a Team, but did not participate in its operations.  So Teams had the freedom to define their own missions.

The Etsy Plush Team Is Well-Organized
My own background is in project management and non-profit management.  I knew from my experiences that for the Plush Team to be successful, we needed structure.  I tried to keep it simple. 

Here are the basics:
1. Leadership must rotate yearly.  This helps prevent ‘cliquishness’ and burnout.
2. Participation is required.  Of course there is wiggle room and understanding, but participation in challenges, events and forums is required for a healthy group.
3. Be Nice. Really!  We have great conversations and discussions that encourage disagreements; but we do not allow people to be rude or insulting to each other.
4. Make your own work. Be unique! Again, we require this from the get go. It doesn’t mean that new makers aren’t welcome, but we look at plush as a unique form of expression. Out of respect to ourselves as artists, we want our members to have a clear and defined voice.

Active Involvement Without Stress
I’m super wary of burnout. We suffer it as creative makers. We suffer it as workers. We suffer it in our home life.  I did not want the Team to be a source of stress for members.  We have a Leader, a Number Two (who becomes the Leader the next year) and numerous Committee Heads.  As we’re all adults, we feel it’s important to respect our individual and collective abilities; so we spread the responsibility of the Team throughout the entire membership. We ask that all members join and participate in a committee with the hope that they’ll want to take a leadership role at a future time.

So What Exactly Does the Plush Team Do?
The Plush Team has a number of projects going at the same time.  Each year, the Leader identifies a major project to be attempted that year.  In past years we have: set-up a collective sales booth at Renegade Chicago, joined Maker-Faire (San Mateo) in a 3-day extravaganza of teaching plushmaking to all comers, organized a themed gallery show at Hot-Pop gallery in Milwaukee, published a book featuring the work of all members, participated in a show held in conjunction with the Corduroy Appreciation Club, held a making retreats for members in the Virginia mountains and the Pennsylvania Amish country. Whoosh! That’s a lot!

We also have ongoing projects.  We have bi-monthly challenges designed to inspire our creativity. These are then promoted on our Facebook and blog pages; which of course helps give exposure to not just the Team, but to our individual members.  Challenge items are then listed for sale in our Team etsy shop, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Team.

It's Not Free, But It's Worth It

We fund the Team through a small yearly dues ($20) and our Team Store.  In addition to the Challenge items that are sold in the shop, we feature specially created promotional items throughout the year.  Currently, we’ve got the Funky Friday project. Every Friday a couple of items by a few makers are released at a super accessible price. It’s fun for us and helps cover our Team costs. And it’s a great way for fans and collectors get a unique piece at a low price from their favorite makers.

At least once a year, we design our challenges to benefit a charity that is near and dear to our hearts. We have created plush for the benefit of the Childrens’ Hospital in Philadelphia, the American Heart Foundation and our most controversial; our Boobie Challenge during the October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (Proceeds went to the Komen for the Cure group; pre-scandal!!!) 

A Community To Turn To For Help and Advice
We host a private forum for our members. We designed it as a safe place for members to ask questions, vent, source materials and just talk about whatever!  We have assisted each other in resolving copyright issues, ‘bad customer’ issues, and so much more.  The research our collective membership has done regarding Plush Copyright Design issues is probably the extensive in the field. (Hmmm, maybe that’s a good project! Publish our findings!)

Collective Promotion
The benefits of being a part of the Plush Team are innumerable.  We have worked together to accomplish more than we could have achieved singularly.  Most recently, the Corduroy Appreciation Club garnered national press coverage. With items made by Team members featured on the Rachel Maddow Show. (PS: Rachel even bought a piece!!!)  Wow! Who would’ve thunk it? Plush coverage in the New York Times, the Colbert Report and the Maddow Show. It really is a statement to the power of collectivism.

A Team can be many things. The limits are only the ones you put upon yourselves. The Plush Team has achieved wonderful successes.  But our best achievement is that we have made the world a smaller place. 

-----

Christina invites us to apply to join this "merry band of scissor-slashed, needle-stabbed, fluff-lunged makers!"  There are currently 69 members of the Etsy Plush Team. Just email Leeanna Butcher of Plushgoodness if you are interested  Her email is: leeanna.butcher@gmail.com

Thank you so much, Christina!  I'm applying to be your newest member!

 

Softies For Sale Series: Showing Your Work in Galleries

For this installment in my series about sewing softies for pleasure and profit I am focusing on gallery shows. Scattered all over the country, and all over the world really, are a select few very special galleries that show indie art. These are places that are run by people who are savvy to the online indie art and craft community, embrace the resurgence of interest in handmade and alternative art, and give shows to emerging artists who are making awesome stuff that may not fit into the mainstream. And, thankfully, this often includes indie plush artists.

Me looking all artsy at the opening of a show I was part of at artstream in 2008.

I made a list of all of the galleries I could think of that fall into this category. I'm sure this list is not comprehensive so if you know of others, or if you run a gallery that shows indie art, please add names in the comments:

Art Star,  Philadelphia, PA

Young Blood, Atlanta, GA

Schmancy, Seattle, WA

Lark & Key, Charlotte, NC

Magpie, Boston, MA

artstream, Rochester, NH

Gallery Hanahou, New York, NY

bookhou, Toronto, Canada

Gallery 1988, Los Angeles

Over the last seven years I've shown my handmade softies at almost all of these galleries, and many others that are no longer in business. I thought I'd share my personal experiences applying for shows, putting together successful shows, and what I see as the benefits and pitfalls of pursing this path as a way to make money from making softies. I also interviewed an indie gallery owner to get their perspective on what artists should do if they'd like to have a show. I hope you'll find all of this helpful!

How Do You Get a Show?

Lovely blurry picture of me and my mixed media work at a juried show entitled "Ode To Cornell" in Salem, MA, in 2007.

Apply! Don't be shy! Being in a show is a great way to build your artist resume and you've got to start somewhere.

About half of the shows I've been a part of happened because I actively reached out and applied for them. Sometimes this was in response to a call for entries, like for annual shows such as Plush You at Schmancy and Luv-able and Hug-able at Gallery Hanahou.

Other times it was just me emailing galleries out of the blue, explaining who I was, showing JPEGs of my work, and asking for a show. A well-written personalized email that shows that you have researched the gallery and explains how your work fits in with their aesthetic, along with beautiful photographs of your pieces, goes a long way.

Keep in mind that these galleries are often staffed by just one or two very busy people. You may not here back right away, but if it's been more than a week, follow up with a phone call or a second polite email.

The other half of the time I was invited to participate in a show by a gallery owner or curator. This happened because they admired my work on my blog or on Flickr or Etsy and wanted to sell it in their gallery. 

Photo of me and my birds at a show at Three Graces Gallery in Portsmouth, NH in 2008.

Collaborating With Other Artists 

All of the shows I've been a part of with one exception have included other artists. If you make softies your work is probably not that big. It's hard to fill a whole gallery with plush. And by collaborating with another artist, perhaps a 2-D painter or printmaker for example, you have the opportunity to create work that plays off of each other, and by having a diverse show you can attract a larger art-buying audience. I've had two two-person shows and several four-person shows and I've been a part of many large group shows.

Planning and Creating a Cohesive Body of Work

Just after installing my very first show! In 2007 at the Wellesley Free Library in Wellesley, MA.

Whether you are going to be a part of a large show or a two-person show, the same basic principals apply when it comes to the work you will create. Planning is crucial to coming up with a cohesive body of work that belongs in a gallery setting, that will attract attention from local and online media, and that, hopefully, will be appealing to buyers. 

First and foremost think big. Not physically big necessarily, although that is certainly a possibliity, but most importanty think big in concept. This work will be viewed all together in a room. What kind of statement will it make? What kind of emotions do you want it to invoke? Nostalgia? Romance? Adorableness? Modern simplicity?

What threads will tie you work together (pardon the pun)? Can you choose a signature fabric or color that will be incorporated in each piece in some way? Could you create a narrative for the viewer to follow as they walk through the gallery and take in each piece? Can the pieces hold their own individually, too? 

Hanging

Exhibiting plush can be particularly challenging because it often lends itself best to sitting on a shelf, not hanging on a wall. If you'd like to hang your work, you can sew a small hook (I like to use stitch markers) to the back of your pieces and hang them from a nail. Or you could suspend them from threads of monofilament and hang them from the ceiling or create a mobile.

Building shelves at Young Blood with David Hale.

If you are going to sit the pieces on shelves, ask the gallery how many shelves or pedestals are actually available. Most galleries don't have very many. If you are able to be there to hang your show, you can build shelves with scrap wood and screw them to the wall. I had a fantastic two-person show with artist David Hale at Young Blood in 2009. David built a dozen shelves for my work and his and then decorated them with bits of nature and random vintage objects. My birds and his paintings looked amazing displayed together that way (and I was seriously indebted to him for the amount of work he put into hanging that show!).

Hanging the Young Blood show.

If you're anything like me and your life is busy and complicated, the reality is that you may not be able to make it to the gallery to hang your show or even attend the opening. In those cases you are trusting the curator and gallery staff to display your work in the best possible way. Request a floor plan of the space. Write up specific instructions describing how the display should be set up and communicate these to the gallery staff clearly and in advance. Print them out and include a copy in the package when you send your work, too.

Setting up the Young Blood show.

What About the Money?

There are some similarities and a few key differences between displaying your work in a gallery and selling it at a craft fair or even at a retail store.

First, I think you can set your prices higher when you show in a gallery because there is a preconceived notion that work on a gallery wall is fine art and should be priced accordingly. That being said, I think it is wise to have a pieces at various price ranges, just like at a craft fair, so that there is something for everyone.

Second, people will generally not pick up and touch your work when it's in a gallery. They look with their eyes and not with their hands and they'll tell their kids to do the same, unless you note otherwise. So your work is much less likely to get dropped or get dirty, but visitors also won't get to squeeze your softies and feel the fabric their are made from.

And finally, if you do get to attend the opening (And do try! Your work sells better if you're there to talk about it and, let's face it, it's really nice to be celebrated once in a while!) you'll interact with the public about your work that night. For the remainder of the show, though, the gallery staff will be the ones helping visitors see and purchase your work without you being present. I kind of like attending a party for a few hours and then letting someone else do the rest of the selling so this model is more appealing to me than setting up a booth at a craft fair for the day.

Like selling your work on consignment in retail shops, read and clarify the agreement with the gallery before you sign anything. Find out when you'll get paid, when work that doesn't sell will be shipped back to you, and who will pay the shipping costs to and from the gallery. Sometimes the agreement will state that the gallery has exclusive rights to show your work within the city limits through the duration of the show. Often galleries will choose a few pieces that don't sell during the show to hang onto and try to sell them in the months to come. And like selling retail, the gallery usually takes either 40% or 50% of every sale so price accordingly.

Work that doesn't sell will be returned to you so you should have a plan for what to do with it when it comes back. That might include listing it in your Etsy shop or taking it to your next craft fair. 

Publicity

Postcard from my show with Amy Rice.

Most galleries now also have web shops. If your customer base is international and has been watching your work develop on your blog, they might want to buy the work for the show through the gallerie's webshop once the show is up. Definitly promote the show on your blog, and don't be afraid to reach out to larger blogs that cover your genre of work. If they pick up the story the gallery will be thankful that you are helping to spread the word. And having a show is a great chance to get some print media coverage for your art business. Send a press release to  your local newspaper and to the newspaper local to the gallery. Good press can help you build your resume, too. 

A Gallery's Perspective

To get the perspective of a gallery owner I reached out to Erin Waxman and Megan Brewster, owners of Art Star on North 2nd Street in Philadelphia, PA. Erin and Megan have owned Art Star for seven years. Their store showcases over 70 indie artists. I was part of a group show there in 2010 have sold my work there for several years. I always love making ornaments for the annual Art Star ornament show during Christmas time.

Photo of Erin and Megan from HandmadeinPA.

I knew that the folks at Art Star would have some helpful insights to share about what makes for a good show at an indie gallery, what sells and what doesn't. I also asked them to tell me what they look for in an application so that if you'd like to apply for a show at an indie gallery you'd be able to maximize the success of your application. 

Here is what they said:

Well, we have actually taken a break from doing regular exhibitions at Art Star.  We were both kind of burnt out from doing it (I personally was programming/installing shows at The Clay Studio years before I opened Art Star).  It is a ton of work & with the change in the economy, it has really been tough to sell higher end art pieces.  We both really enjoy the boutique side of our business, as well as our craft shows (and have found it to be financially more successful for us), so we have decided to focus more on that for a bit. 

That being said, they did have some advice in general for artists seeking out shows:

We have found that a successful show tends to depend on the artist – whether or not the artist already has a following.  It really takes time & many years to create a following for your work & sometimes it really just is luck.  I do recommend artists having a variety of price points - if someone is interested in the artist’s work (but can’t afford the higher price) it is still accessible.  This person may later spend a bit more. 

I think it is good to have a blog & continue to engage your audience because this will really help develop a following for you work, which is really the key.

Photo of Art Star from HandmadeinPA. See my bird!

At the beginning we were showing work by artists that we didn’t really know or had worked with in the past.  What has been most successful for us is developing our own relationships with artists that we enjoy working with – continuing to show their work & cultivating an audience for them. 

Erin and I need to be behind the artist to really be able to sell it to our customers.  For example, we have really loved working with Amy Rice – we have had 3 solo exhibitions with her and her audience continues to grow.  We personally lover her work and have found that our audience really responds to it. 

I love Amy's work, too! I had a two-person show with her in 2008 at Paper Boat (an indie gallery in Milwaukee that is now closed. You can see the postcard above).

This type of relationship between artist/gallery staff/customer is really what makes a show successful in our opinion.  Though we are taking a break from a regular exhibition schedule, we will have shows with Amy and others artists that we have strong relationships with.

Photo of Art Star from CultureMob

We aren’t actively looking to book shows at the moment, but we always interested in seeing what is out there.  If there is something we fall in love with – we might ask them to send a few pieces to sell in the shop and then if we enjoy working with that artist & our customer responds well to the work, we would consider having an exhibition. 

Right now, instead of doing a full blow exhibition, we have been doing “Artist Features”.  This involves the artist sending us 5-10 pieces & then we will incorporate them into our boutique space and have a feature on the website.  We will also interview the artist and post that on our blog so customers can learn more about them and develop more of a connection to the work.  It is a way to highlight an artist and give them a bit more exposure without the commitment of a full blown exhibition.  If this ends up going well we may consider programming them into an exhibition in the future. 

Photo of Art Star by ScissorsandSpice

Because exhibitions are so much work and time, we are unable to take chances with them anymore unfortunately.  If an artist is interested in working with us, we have a link on our website for them to submit images or send us a link to their site.  We get a ton of submissions daily, so we are unfortunately only able to get back to those who we think would work for us.  We don’t have anything specific in mind that we are looking for.  We will know when we see the work if it is right for us.

Thank you so much Erin and Megan! It is really helpful to get a gallery's perspective!

Have you been part of a show at an indie gallery? Any words of wisdom? I hope you'll share your experiences in the comments. I'd love to hear about them! Do shows increase exposure to your work? Are you thinking of applying for a show in the future? I love hearing from you and I always learn so much from your comments!

*****

If you find this series helpful to you, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help support it. Each post in this series takes several hours to research and write, and I love doing it! Knowing that you are willing to support it helps me to continue to write in-depth about each of these topics. Thank you!

Some Housekeeping about Softies For Sale

I'm in the midst of writing a new post in my Softies For Sale series right now. In the process of working on this one I am learning and thinking and researching and then composing and writing and editing and adding pictures and formatting. And then new ideas for new topics are percolating and I'm logging those in my notebook and new people are contacting me with their ideas and they get added, too.

And all of this is fantastic. And it takes hours and hours to make it happen. And I love it. And I've hired a babysitter. And I'm working harder than I ever have. And I've bought some software so that I can record and publish phone interviews. And I'm so happy.

All of this is to say that if any of the posts in the Softies For Sale series have been thought-provoking for you, or have opened new avenues for you in your creative business, or have made you ask questions and think critically before jumping into new projects, or have in any way been helpful to you, I am asking if you'd be willing to make a donation to help support my work on this series. There is a donation button at the bottom of this post. Here is a comprehensive list to help you remember what we've discussed:

The first post introduced the series and contained a list of potential topics.

The second post was a recorded interview with veteran toy pattern designer Carol Cruise.

The third post was about cottage industry licenses.

The fourth post focused on selling your work at craft fairs.

The fifth post explored selling your pattern through wholesale distributors.

The sixth post was about contributing to craft books.

The seventh post discussed teaching a class in person.

The eighth post was about selling art toys.

And the ninth post looked at selling on consignment.

The tenth post explored exhibiting your work in galleries.

And the eleventh post showed the benefits of teaming up with other makers.

The twelth post talked about building a community of collectors.

All of these posts will be here, on my blog, for your reference and the comments are amazingly useful, too. If you click the Softies For Sale category link on the sidebar it will take you to them. We've had some great discussions and there are more to come! There is more to explore, and more to think about and write about! If you have ideas for future topics, I'm all ears. Write me a comment or send me an email! 

Please consider making a donation. Any amount is perfect. I know it may seem like a small donation doesn't have an impact, but thousands of people visit here every day. Many little bits add up to enough to make it viable and PayPal makes it easy and quick. I really appreciate your support.

Thank you.

Softies For Sale Series: Selling on Consignment

It is many crafters dream to get their handmade goods in boutique stores. The thrill of seeing your wares on the shelves of a beautiful boutique, of knowing that the buyer or owner of the store thinks that what you make is worthy of being in their store, and that all kinds of shoppers will see your work and possibly choose it as a special gift can be pretty exciting.

I have sold my handmade softies through retail stores on and off for many years. I have wound down that part of my business, but while I was pursuing it more intensely I worked with about a dozen different shops, some local and many far from my home. I had mixed experiences selling handmade work in brick-and-mortar stores and often wondered whether it really made sense from a business standpoint. 

Photo of Laura Stantz by Louis Capwell

For this installment in my series about making money from making toys I want to examine the opportunities, and possible pitfalls, of selling your handmade work in retail stores. To help me think about this topic I reached out to Laura Stantz. Laura sells her handmade softies under the name The Wind and The Sail and I saw on Twitter the other day that she was busily, and happily, filling a wholesale softie order. I was curious about Laura's experience and was pleased that she agreed to answer my myriad of questions, some of them pretty tough. 

Kit Monkey. All images are of work by Laura Stantz and are used with her permission.

First, a bit of background about selling handmade work in retail settings generally. More often than not when you work with a retail store you agree to sell your softies on consignment. This means that you provide the store with your softies and they put them out on the shelves. The store only pays you when and if something sells. You set the retail price knowing that the store will split the money with you, or it may take only 40% and give you 60%, depending on the agreement they use with their consigners. 

On rarer occasions you will find a store that is willing to buy your work from you outright. In this case they place an order with you and pay the wholesale price (either 40% or 50% of the retail price) for all of your softies once they arrive at the shop. The store is taking a gamble that they'll be able to sell your softies and make back double the money they paid you. This arrangement can be harder to find, but is a nice guarantee for you as a maker.

Jefferson Camel by Laura Stantz

I asked Laura what kinds of stores she works with. She said, "I have quite a few stores I consign with, however, I always do my homework. I check with other artists who sell at the store, I read their consignment agreement thoroughly, I make sure my products are a good fit. All of these are really important when you decide to consign with someone. You are blindly trusting someone with your product. It's good to know there's maybe a reason to trust them." 

Laura has some great words of wisdom to consider before entering into an agreement with a store:"Some things you need to look for in a consignment agreement are: the commission split (I always look for 60/40), responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged items, sales and advertising, how you will receive your money and the length of time your unsold items will sit on the shelf."

Elsie the Elephant by Laura Stantz

I agree with Laura! Ask what will happen if the toys aren't selling. When and how will you agree that the shop isn't a good fit? Can you swap new work and see if it might do better? And what happens if the shop marks down your merchandise? Will that mean that your half of the retail price will be cut, too? All good questions to ask shop owners before you enter into an agreement.  

I asked Laura to think about one of the key difficulties I had with selling my work in retail stores: figuring out how to price things low enough that they would sell, but high enough that I was getting fair pay for the amount of work each piece took to create.

Newsy Beaver by Laura Stantz

I wanted a concrete example so I said to Laura, "You have a lovely beaver for sale in your Etsy shop for $22. If you make them for a wholesale order I'm assuming the store will take 50% leaving you with $11. Plus you have to pay for shipping to the store which we could put at $1.50 for this guy if he is included in a larger box."

"I'm assuming that beaver took at least an hour and a half to create, used about 1/4 yard of fabric in total, a button, a set of safety eyes, and about 4 ounces of stuffing. So materials in total are around $3.50? That leaves you earning $6. Is this about right? Or could you give me a layout of your costs versus your profits per piece?" 

See, I'm not afraid to ask the tough questions :)

Laura said, "Wholesale is a tricky world. You will never make as much money selling wholesale as you would selling straight retail at craft shows and online. However, I really like what wholesale does for my business as a whole, which is getting my name out there in places I'd probably never do a show. It creates a lot of return business. My Etsy prices are a little lower than my msrp prices, for the simple fact that I have make all the profit with Etsy. Whereas, with a wholesale order, I'm losing almost half my profit."

Mr. Alligator by Laura Stantz 

"There are a lot of worksheets online you can find to help you set up pricing. However, I did mine the old fashioned way in a lined notebook with a pencil. There are 4 columns: time (how much i get paid per hour), stuffing, color fabric (which also includes safety eyes and embroidery), and base fabric, I added those up to create a cost rate, then doubled that number to make my wholesale price. The goal in business is to make at least twice what you put in, and hopefully a lot more."

"I also have spent a lot of time establishing a workflow. This allows me to make multiples of an animal quickly. Creating an efficient work area and time schedule will really help turn out product rapidly. This immensely affects your bottom line. I always think of my craft room as a factory. Efficiency is the name of the game."

Andrew Hippo by Laura Stantz

Okay, that sets me and Laura apart. I can never think of my studio as a factory. I think of it as a workshop where I built soft toys from the ground up. When I start to think of it as a factory all my creative juices are sucked dry. Maybe that's why I'm not cut out for wholesale.

Over the years I have had stores close and steal my work or close and not contact me for a year, but eventually return my work. And I often wondered what was happening when I wasn't there and couldnt monitor how my work was displayed and cared for at the store.

When I used to sell my birds in retail stores I remember being horrified walking into one store and seeing that they'd bent the legs of a wading bird to wrap it around their Christmas tree. In other stores my softies have gotten dropped and dirty. Clearly this is not what happens at every store, but it has happened often enough that I became more and more selective when it came to choosing stores to work with.  

Laura said, "I do check in with my local consignment stores every couple of months, just to see how the store is looking. You can always tell how much product they are moving by how often they rearrange the store. As new product comes in, they have to move things around! If things are looking pretty much the same, it's a good indicator that things aren't going well."

Kelsey Kangaroo by Laura Stantz

"I'm pretty bold when it comes to my work and if they aren't displayed properly, I tend to say something. This has only happened once or twice. I offered to bring in my own display tool. The shop owner was grateful and now my items are displayed just as they are on my craft show table. This was an easy fix."

"Shop owners take their stores very personally. If you aren't pleased with the presentation, just find a way to gentle offer some help. It usually creates a better bond with the owner and your sincerity will go a long way. With stores that aren't local, I try to keep up with them through social media. Most store owners will post photos of the shop routinely. I always look for my items."

 

In my experience, keeping up with shop owners in order to get paid in a timely manner can take effort. Some shops will send a check at the end of each month if work has sold. Others won't pay you until you email repeatedly and ask to be paid.

Laura says, "I try to contact most stores every couple of months. Most owners will contact me if my stock is running dangerously low. It is a retail rule of thumb that products move best when they are displayed in large groups. There are times when I just can't keep up and stores have to wait a little while for new product (especially during craft show season). Most stores are understanding of this. It's something you may want to put into the contract."

 

"I think finding the right stores is all about knowing your market. I know to whom my products sell the best; new parents in their early thirties or late twenties or grandmothers with kids who are having kids in that age range. Also, my work catches the eye of a lot of gentleman. I have yet to figure this out. I found all of this out just by testing different shows, really paying attention to who was doing the purchasing and who looks at my Flickr."

"Knowing all of this, I really search out stores in areas with hip parents and stores who sell to that type of person. It's not always easy and I've put myself in places that weren't a great fit or that fizzled out quickly. It's all a learning experience and you have to pay attention."  

Laura, thank you so much for sharing your perspective. It is great to hear from someone who enjoys and profits from selling softies on consignment.

I'd love to hear everyone else's thoughts, too. If you've sold your handmade goods in retail stores, how did it go? Successes? Horror stories? What else should we look out for when entering into consignment agreements? Overall, is retail worth it to you?  

*****

If you find this series helpful to you, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help support it. Each post in this series takes several hours to research and write, and I love doing it! Knowing that you are willing to support it helps me to continue to write in-depth about each of these topics. Thank you!

Softies For Sale Series: Selling Art Toys

A few weeks ago I put the following question on Twitter: "What is your biggest source of income?". Almost everyone in my Twitter community are designers or crafters of some kind and I got all sorts of replies and a terrific discussion ensued (I love Twitter for that). Selling handmade items at craft fairs and selling patterns through wholesale distributors seemed to be the cheif income sources among those who chimed in.

Gretel Parker and one of her toys. All images are from Gretel Parker and are posted with her permission.

One person's response stood out to me from the rest, though. Gretel Parker said her greatest source of income was selling individual toys. She told me that she sells a few a month and that the profit from those sales is her largest income stream, although she does pursue other avenues in her business, too. 

Geoffrey

Gretel's response helped me to reflect on my own path as a softie maker. I opened my shop on Etsy in the spring of 2005 (when Etsy was still in beta) and for many, many years I sold soft sculpture birds one at a time through my Etsy shop. Selling birds on Etsy and posting about them on my blog and on Flickr led me to a myriad of opportunites to sell my work in galleries and retail stores, to contribute to books, and to publish The Artful Bird. There were times during those years that selling birds was profitable for me. Recently I chose to shift directions to focus on making toys, and designing toy patterns, but that model did serve me fairly well for many years.

Gelsey

And for Gretel selling toys continues to be profitable. I think this is true for one primary reason: Gretel's toys are amazing. AMAZING. She is truly a gifted illustrator (and a formally trained one) who brings her animal drawings to life in three-dimensions through needle-felting. And people will pay a premium to own one of her pieces. 

Baby Boo

In this installment in my series about making money from making toys I want to explore this branch of the softie business model: making toys and selling them one at a time. Specifically I'm interested in thinking about "art toys." To me a handmade art toy is a toy-like object that involves such artistry that it crosses the line from plaything to fine art. Each one takes many hours to create and shows outstanding craftsmanship. These pieces become prized possessions for their owners, who are adults. Instead of being tossed into the toybox at the end of the day, art toys take pride of place on a display shelf. They might be taken down from time to time to be admired, but they aren't meant to really be played with. 

Kokeshi Kittens

Perhaps you own one? Gretel makes them, as does Ann Wood, Mimi Kirchner, Abigail Brown, and Mister Finch. A lot of artist teddy bear makers and art doll makers fall into this category. 

Gretel is a great example of a successful art toy maker so I followed up with her to ask her more about her work, its profitability, and her decision to stick with this model.

Jocko

"The main reason I stick to needle felting is a simple financial one, which is that it sells best for me - for some reason, people love my toys and will pay large amounts of money for them, whereas my artworks and textile toys just chug along or don't sell at all, even at lower prices. If my felt toys didn't sell so well, I'd have to be hard headed and do whatever else I could to get an income." 

Gretel's larger toys start at $240. She mainly works on custom orders and she clearly states on her website, "All my sculptures are for collectors only and not intended for children, being decorative objects which are easily malformed with over handling." She books orders many months out.

Each piece takes a long time to make. "A simple design, such as a sitting dog, will take roughly twenty hours to sculpt - more intricate designs with jointed limbs and clothing even longer - thirty plus hours."  

Lanie

Selling art toys one at a time online has brought all kinds of other income-earning opportunites to Gretel's door. She has illustrated books with her toys, she was commissioned to design Christmas decorations for Gisela Graham (a seasonal decoration company in the UK), she is the anchor article in Mollie Makes this month, and she is creating projects for a UK craft publisher for a new series of books.

Last year, though, those income streams weren't flowing in. One thing I've learned over the last few years is that design work comes in fits and spurts. When you are a self-employed art/craft entrepreneur there are times when you get flooded with emails for new jobs and other times when it seems like nobody is calling.

Oscar

When the emails aren't coming in and the phone is quiet, Gretel's business is making toys one by one and selling them online.

"Toymaking keeps me solvent when I don't have any book work, which was all of the last financial year! I have a sales target I have to hit each month, which is at least £300, so I aim to get at least two toys made from my order sheet every month, so that the larder is stocked."

Gretel has recently started offering workshops, too, "but this [making toys] seems to have literally become my day job, and after all, there are worse ways to earn a living. And I've done a few of them! I did start out by selling my work for very low prices and built up demand - it's taken me four years to get to the level I'm at now."

Doglets

Setting high enough prices is clearly a requirement for this business model, but I think that Gretel has a good point. She is at a place now where her work is in such demand that when her peices are put up for sale they are snatched up right away and for a price that actually pays her a good wage.

Toy display at one of Gretel's books launch parties.

What Gretel and other art toy makers have in common is remarkable artistry. Fine work commands a higher price and the pieces become collectibles. Customers know that each piece is made one at a time by the artist herself so supply is and always will be limited. Have you ever tried to buy one of Ann Wood's birds? They are gone before you can blink.

Don't get me wrong. I am not pretending that anyone is getting rich this way, but I do think it is possible to make at least a modest profit while doing something you love. And showing and selling your one-of-a-kind art toys online can attract other paying jobs that you might really enjoy, and profit from, too.  

You can keep up with Gretel's needle felting on her blog and see her books here and here.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. I have a feeling that online sales make up the bulk of the market for these higher priced toys. Having the whole world as your market certainly helps! Perhaps art toys also sell well in person at specialty shows that cater to collectors of fine craft? In galleries? If you are an art toy maker we'd love to hear about how your experience compares to Gretel's and if you aspire to make art toys and make a profit, what stumbling blocks have you found? Any other thoughts about this path? 

*****

If you find this series helpful to you, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help support it. Each post in this series takes several hours to research and write, and I love doing it! Knowing that you are willing to support it helps me to continue to write in-depth about each of these topics. Thank you!

Softies For Sale Series: Teaching a Class (in-person)

For today's post in my series focusing on turning sewing into a viable career I want to talk about teaching.

Before I had children and started sewing softies all the time I was a teacher. I worked in education for six years all together: two as a Teach For America corps member teaching middle school French and Social Studies in the Mississippi Delta, two as the Education Director at a non-profit that worked with under-served kids in the Boston public schools, and two as a sixth grade teacher in suburban Newton, Massachusetts. I have a master's degree in education from Harvard. I love teaching.

And I love sewing.

So the idea of teaching sewing sounds just about perfect to me! And maybe to you, too?

I'm teaching a sewing class tomorrow at Sew Easy in Wellesley. I've been teaching adult classes there regularly this year and it is one of my favorite parts of my new career as a sewing professional (I sew professionally! Really? Yep, well that's the goal, at least.)

I'm not going to explore the ins and outs of teaching online because I've never taught an online class. If I was going to pursue that, though, I would start by taking Sister Diane's online class on teaching online classes. That might be one of my future goals.

Today I wanted to talk about what it takes to teach a successful in-person sewing class. I think my classes are effective and run smoothly, but there is always more to learn so please add your thoughts in the comments whether you've been a teacher of sewing, or a student.

Finding a Veneu

When I first decided I wanted to teach sewing I held workshops in my home. I started by just inviting friends over for "craft night", teaching them a simple, hand-sewing project. They didn't pay me for this, it was just for fun and so that I could explore whether or not teaching sewing was something I enjoyed.

Once I realized that I like teaching sewing, I offered a class at my home for just the cost of materials. We sewed sock monkeys by hand and I had several women over who were beginners. From this class I learned something crucial about teaching sewing: everything takes longer than you expect! What you can sew in half an hour will take a class of eight students three hours to complete.

Why?

I think there are two reasons. First, I am very comfortable with the materials. I can  thread a needle and tie a knot in about a minute, for instance. For people who haven't done it in a while that can take ten minutes.

Second, although I take sewing incredibly seriously, for the people in the class this is a leisure activity. They are there to have fun, to relax, to chat, and make something cute. Intense focus on the project or the skill being taught may not be their aim. 

Once I had done these workshops in my home, I wanted to teach a class that involved use of sewing machines. This meant reaching out into the community to find a venue and this brings me to my next point.

Reach Out and Ask for Work

A big part of being self-employed is reaching out and asking people to hire you. You need to get comfortable tooting your own horn! 

There is a quilt shop in Wellesley not far from where I live. It is independently owned and I always enjoyed going in there. In fact, I bought a lot of the fabric I used in The Artful Bird there. I called them and asked to speak to the owner. I explained that I had a book out about sewing birds and asked if I could come by for a few minutes to bring her a copy. She was neutral on the phone and seemed a bit confused by what kind of birds I was describing, thinking at first they were quilt appliques of birds.

Plowing ahead, I went to the shop at the appointed time and gave the owner a copy of the book and I also brought samples. Once she had three birds in her hands, without my even asking for it she started booking dates for a workshop. We decided to hold a five hour workshop and make the lark that is on the cover of my book.

From this workshop I learned about the profiles of various kinds of students. It seems every class has: someone who moves more quickly than everyone else, someone who needs the directions explained again individually after the group instruction, and someone who changes the project and makes something different from what everyone else is making.

Just knowing that these types of students will be in every class helps me to be more patient and prepared to work with each person and further them along in their learning.

Start Class By Establishing Your Legitimacy and Hearing Where Everyone Is Coming From

I begin with a brief story about how I learned to sew and what I love about it. I show my book and talk about the patterns I design and the work I do. I often bring samples so that people can see and touch. This establishes trust. Students see that you know what you're talking about, that you are an expert. 

And guess what? I often sell things to students. Bring extra supplies, especially specialty supplies that may not be available elsewhere. Bring copies of your book, or your patterns. Bring samples of your finished work. Many people want some further connection to you or to the class and they will buy what you brought. You'd be surprised! (If you are teaching at a quilt shop, ask the owner first whether this is okay. You don't want to step on any retail toes.) 

Next I ask everyone to introduce themselves and tell us about their sewing experiences in one or two sentences. I find once their voice is in the room students are more likely to speak up again later. And it is helpful to me to gauge skill levels and learn each person's motivation for signing up for the class. 

And then I explain the goal of the class and the steps we will take to reach that goal. Everyone feels more comfortable when they know where they're headed!

Prepare!

My best words of wisdom are to be prepared. I write a detailed outline for each class and I make step-outs to illustrate each step of the project.

And then a day or two before the class...I sit in my studio and pretend to teach. I know, it sounds strange, but I think it is actually the most important step of all. Keep a notepad next to you and teach to your empty room! Saying everything outloud will make it obvious to you what you know and what you actually don't know and need to research before the class. It will remind you what tools and materials you need to remember to bring. And it will make you less nervous when the day of the class arrives. Make notes on your notepad so that you can add to your outline, or your "to bring" list. 

Create a handout to give students that includes your contact informtion so that they can get back in touch with you, visit your website, and sign up for future classes. I give out step-by-step directions for the project, too, so that they can replicate it at home if they'd like to. People will also take notes on the handout.

Plan to be in the classroom for 10-15 minutes after the class is over so that you can clean up the space, round up all your tools and materials (referring to your "to bring" list helps!), and chat with students who have further questions and or who want to connect with you. 

In addition to group classes, I also teach private classes in people's homes showing them how to use their sewing machines. Both types of classes are lucrative and satisfying. It can be hard to make $200 for two hours of work in this business. Teaching is one way to do this.

If you are considering teaching an in-person class, I recommend giving it a try. And please comment here with any additional thoughts or questions, or just to share your experiences as a teacher or student. Thanks for your awesomeness, as always.

*****

If you find this series helpful to you, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help support it. Each post in this series takes several hours to research and write, and I love doing it! Knowing that you are willing to support it helps me to continue to write in-depth about each of these topics. Thank you!

Softies For Sale Series: Contributing to Sewing Books

For this installment of my series about turning your love of sewing softies into a career I want to talk about contributing projects to sewing books. Over the last few years I have been asked by editors at many different publishing houses to contribute to collective books that feature projects by many different sewists. Just yesterday Seaside Home arrived, a recent release from Stash books that is a collection of sewing projects related to the seaside. I contributed two patterns to this book and I will use it as an example of what a book contribution really entails.

But first, let's face it, when an email comes in from a publishing house asking you to contribute a project to a book, it's flattering! They chose me!  They like what I'm doing! Exciting stuff. So exciting, in fact, that it can put you in a state of emotional decision-making, instead of solid, thoughtful, business-like decision making.

My suggestion is to take a deep breath and force yourself to think like a business person.

My thinking goes something like this:

First, have I really been chosen? Or is this an open call in which crafters are being asked to make a few items that meet the editor's criteria, send in photos, and then the editor will pick who makes the cut. The reality is that I don't have time at this point in my business to audition for a project like this so I decline invitations to audition.

Second, am I excited about the project and are they asking me to make something that I'm good at. I turned down an invitation to contribute to a quilting book not long ago because, as you may have noticed, I'm not a quilter.

If I have really been chosen and I like the project then it is time to begin asking the editor questions.  It is okay to ask questions!  The editor is not going to turn around and say, "Nope, I've changed my mind! I don't want your work because you've dared to ask logical, business-related questions." A company is asking to purchase your intellectual property. They need what you have - good content - and you're now in control of whether or not they'll get it.

First I need to know how I'm going to be compensated for my contribution. This piece of information should have been included in their invitation asking for participation, but if it was not, ask it now. In my opinion, if you are going to create a sewing pattern for a publication, you should get paid for it. Granted, there are exceptions to this rule (you are publicizing your own book, you are doing a favor for a friend, etc.), but I sincerely believe that you should not give a publisher an original sewing pattern in exchange for a future promise of "publicity." Your work is worth real money now. I recently turned down an invitation to contribute to a book of faux taxidermy patterns for this reason.

How much money does a book contribution pay? Stash paid me $200 all together for the fish and starfish pattern that appear in Seaside Home, plus sent me two free copies of the book.  For $200, I made five toys (two fish and three starfish), paid for materials and shipping, created pattern templates and wrote sewing instructions for both patterns. Now that the book is released I have the ability to purchase copies of the book at 50% off the cover price and resell them if I'd like. That's the monetary compensation.

There are no royalties for contributors. This is actually a really important fact that I never hear discussed. That flat fee, plus those extras described above, are it. Whether the book sells a million copies, or 5,000, you aren't going to earn anything more directly from those sales.

Yet when a collective book is released there is an expectation from the publisher that you will promote the book. One of those two copies they sent you is meant to be for a review and giveaway post on your blog. Often they'll give you a special badge promoting the book that they ask you to post on your sidebar. Here is the badge for Seaside Home:

Those are my fish. This badge was sent to all 22 contributors to post on their blogs. My work, without my name, just the name of the book. Like I said, the publishing house purchased my intellectual property and they can and will use it as they see fit. It's in the contract and I signed it. They have already compensated me and credited me in the book.

The only thing to be gained now is publicity. I give kudos to Stash for not only including a brief bio of the contributors next to their projects, but also a head shot. I think that goes a long way to helping readers connect a project with a name and a face. Does contributing a project to a book really gain your publicity? I have no idea. I do know that several people have contacted me saying they've made my patterns from Softies Only a Mother Could Love and More Softies Only a Mother Could Love and now they have become blog readers. Perhaps they are more loyal readers because they have sought me out?

Contributing a project to a book may be an especially good move if you are building your portfolio and resume in an effort to write a book proposal of your own. It's a way to show that you can make an appleaing project with a well-written pattern and well-designed templates on a deadline and that you work well with folks in the publishing industry.

Okay, after I've evaluated the compensatin, there are still more questions to ask. I want to know will I get my work back once the book goes to press. In other words, are they buying just the pattern and instructions and the rights to photograph the work, or are the buying the work outright. I made a mistake when I signed the contract for Kid's Crafternoon: Felting and didnt' read the fine print. That project paid a bit more (about $280), but the publishing house kept the samples. My work was on the cover of the book. I was thrilled, but sad because I didn't realize that the work was now theirs. Lesson learned: read the fine print.

If your work will be returned, when will you get it back? Pin down a date. Usually the publisher pays return shipping, but you can check that, too. See the warm-colored fish with his head sitcking out of the bucket? Stash lost it. I did receive the others back, though, after I asked for them. And when will you get paid? Try to nail down a date for that, too.

There certainly is a thrill when you walk down the craft book aisle at Barnes and Noble and find a book with your project in it. You just want to say to the random lady next to you, "See this project? I designed it!  Read that profile. That's me!"

In the midst of all the blog tours and giveaways and hype for new collective book projects I almost never hear about the real ins and outs of the experience from the contributors. How much did it pay? Was it worth it to you in the end? Were you happy with the final product? Did it bring you any publicity or add to your credentials? These are real business questions and I firmly believe that we should talk openly about them and share information and experiences because then we will be less likely to be flattered into accepting deals that aren't as adventageous as they could be. The power to negotiate should rest with us. 

 *****

If you find this series helpful to you, I hope you'll consider making a donation to help support it. Each post in this series takes several hours to research and write, and I love doing it! Knowing that you are willing to support it helps me to continue to write in-depth about each of these topics. Thank you!