How to Make Stuffed Animals is one of the only new softie books on the market this season (perhaps the only sewing-based softie book?). It was written by Sian Keegan, who has made a name for herself creating plush pet portraits, and is published by Quarry. 3D Pet Portraits of Long-Haired Pets by Sian Keegan…
Should You Have a Unique Online Storefront or Are You Better Off on Etsy?
Should you have a unique online storefront or are you better off on Etsy? I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this question. Over the summer I was interviewed by a reporter for Wired magazine about the future of Etsy and the company’s efforts to retain veteran sellers. The article was recently published and if…
A Timeline of Producing a Craft Book
It arrived Friday night and I'm overnighting it back tomorrow. It's been a marathon few days of editing, but it looks amazing. Just a little recap of the process of writing a craft book. I pitched this book to publishers in February of 2011 and it was acquired by Lark in March. It took a…
How Patterns in Sewing Books Go Untested and Why That Should Change
It's Saturday afternoon and you've got a lovely pile of fabric, all washed and pressed, sitting on your work table and a few hours of time to yourself. It's time to crack open that new craft book and sew the adorable tote bag on page 33. As you start cutting and sewing the pieces together…
5 Simple Ways to End Procrastination and Jumpstart Creativity
Do you ever find yourself procrastinating from doing the thing you love most? Let’s say you’ve been really busy recently with a big project for work and now it’s finally finished. All the time you were working on the project you were longing for free time to sit at in your studio space and just…
How Dreaming Big Will Help You Reach Your Goals
You’ve got a craft business that’s humming along. Your work is selling pretty regularly and your business is getting some media attention here and there. Things are going alright. Now, let’s pretend in walks some very nice, very trustworthy, and very generous person. This person loves what you do and says, “I want you to…
How to Keep Your Customers In Mind When Creating New Products
I got an email the other day from someone who was considering purchasing my Magical Molly & Bronco Ben hobby horse pattern. This potential customer asked me how much I thought it would cost to make a hobby horse using the pattern. At first my reaction was, “Come on, can’t you figure that out? It’s…
Creating an Elevator Speech for Your Business
“So what kind of work do you do?” This commonly asked question has stumped me for years. Even though people ask it often, I always seem to be caught off guard. I find myself verbally stumbling, trying to figure out the right words and phrases to encapsulate what I do. I end up throwing out…
Having a Dedicated Work Space Makes All the Difference
Have you ever had an idea for a craft project stuck in your head? Something you know you have to make? I get ideas like this all the time. It can be frustrating to have an intense desire to make something and watch the day slip away leaving you with no time to sit down…
5 Tips for Improving Your Softie Patterns
You’ve been designing some original sewing patterns for stuffed animals and some of them are really good! You know you’re capable of creating awesome patterns that turns out three-dimensional toys. You’ve also worked really hard on a few designs that have been total flops. I’m talking about misshapen heads, legs with an awkward stance, proportions…
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