Just as no one should be oblivious to the harsher realities of costs, one also needs to remember that there may be circumstances that help to bring balance into the life of the home based entrepreneur, no matter what they sell, their own art, or the supplies used by their artisan peers or the goods and services of day to day living beyond the realm of art.

REMEMBER ONLY YOU can properly and completely perform the necessary due diligence to determine your costs – this article, like all on this blog, are a starting point, not the last word by any means. While I hope it is worth more, its value is exactly the same as what you paid for it – no dollars.

For me, when I was asked why the challenges of working for myself when I had skills and the health to work easily outside the home?

The answer has been different at different times in my life. It all relates back to having some control on when I had to work so that there could be the time needed for the children I raised. It has never been perfect but it was always more what I needed at the time.

Today, it is about what I can currently manage and frankly, anyone who says a 90 second commute that includes the stop for the fresh coffee on the way to your desk is probably worth many of the things that working for yourself does not always allow for in the budget.

It occurred to me the other day that I never owned a pair of “designer” jeans unless you call either Lee or Levi’s as designer labels. I don’t have a smart phone, just don’t need it. We do have a tablet, mostly so I can browse the web while watching TV (stops a fair amount of discussion on the finer points in tv accuracy or where did we see that actor besides this show) I see little to no point eating in high end restaurants since most are chains and I can duplicate (and enjoy the making) the dishes at home. These are my choices, your choices can and should be based on what you want.

My decision in recent years has been to sell supplies and thus only accepting commissions that (a) appeal to me and (b) where the buyer appreciates the quality, attention to detail and uniqueness of the product and is able and willing to compensate me for that work.

These are my choices, traded for the intangible benefits of the previously mentioned 90 second commute and the ability to decide now is good time for a break to do run a load of laundry or prep for dinner or take the afternoon off and do some erranding.

Your choices can and should be based on what you want and need for a healthy balanced life. I only hope you will choose so that your craft remains a pleasure and not a burden

This is Pt 9 because I know more “things to be considered” will occur to me as time goes on and so I am leaving room for more things that come before.

As with any general business advice – if it offends you, then you are not serious about being professional.

You don’t have to agree with all I or anyonr says, you can choose to ignore or apply the hard learned lessons of others.

If you “don’t care about making a profit” – then you are not serious about doing retail business selling your craft work.

If you get upset when you add up the real costs – you may need to rethink your plans.

REMEMBER ONLY YOU can properly and completely perform the necessary due diligence to determine your costs – this article, like all on this blog, are a starting point, not the last word by any means. While I hope it is worth more, its value is exactly the same as what you paid for it – no dollars.

So let’s say, we have honestly included all the costs related to materials and supplies and that magic number unless it is a government subsidized, all function performed by 3rd world laborers is $15.

It takes one hour and we must earn minimum wage plus taxes paid by the self-employed for an approximate cost of $10.88 so we don’t need to get a job asking if you would like fries with that burger.

And, really no matter what the government thinks, it is okay to make a profit, because you would like your child to have the joy of a new book or fresh food on the table and that is what profit buys, the extras for yourself and your family… so let’s plug in a very modest 20% of the #25.88 COST

That brings us to $32.35 – You want to include postage, so call it $35 – and the order management service be it a combination of PayPal and Ebay or Esty or the even more costly services like Shopatron will be taking anywhere from 5% to 15% so it will be up to you to decide if you want to kick up the selling price.

Once you know the true cost, you can make a solid personal business decision about what is right for you. So for all the “3x the cost of materials” you now know that they are tyring to apply a mass merchadising formula to a “one off” hand crafted individually done produced products. And “what the market will bear” may well not be the same thing that you can or should consider appropriate – especially since you do not know what costs their pricing is based one.

More importantly it will be up to you to decide if you really can afford to be selling your work or may be better off finding another niche in the professional crafting universe for your time and talents.

Now is also a good time to go back and re read the note about Intangible costs. It is perhaps the hardest lesson I have ever learned in this life.

Whatever you decide, I sincerely hope it works for you.

Above all else,

Enjoy The Making

First – Last & Always

It never ceases to amaze me how the simplest and seemingly most straight forward of situations can evolve into an ethical dilemma.

In this case. someone is searching for a pattern.
It is in an out of print book
Someone else, who probably had the best of intentions,
but with no clue to the intended consequences of their actions…
Reverse engineers the pattern –
An “okay’ thing IF their own use – not distribution
Not when that derivative pattern is “shared” in many places.
(a blatant violation of copyright in ALL the countries involved Japan, USA, UK)
So now, abetted by the services posting/hosting the “Free Download” violated international law, The Geneva Convention.

And the moral dilemma, well, should I also abet the IP Violation by tell the searcher how to find the improperly shared patterns – justifying with “well then they will like me”
or rationalizing “The damage is already done, so why not”

Or, like our parents always said, “If they were going to jump off a bridge, would you do that just because they already had”.

So I really want to know,
What Would You Do?
How would you handle the situation
and why would you choose that method.

I look forward to your thoughts here, or on Like: FaceBook

Enjoy The Making
Wheat

MAIL: Wheat@ItsAllJustString.com
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There are questions that I get asked fairly often. Or, something I have seen has caused me to think, that ain’t quite right.So, trying to address a combination of questions I often get asked and some other stuff I have seen that has caused me to think, that ain’t quite right. The following is written “mostly” for the Indie PA/T (Independent Yarn Pattern Author/Teacher ) and represents not just my opinion but that of others in the industry I have consulted.

If able to meet the TNNA membership requirements, an Independent YARN Pattern Author and Teacher (YA/T), will benefit most by attending the TNNA Summer Conventio Center Show for their first introduction, and if they can, the TNNA Winter show as well.

A Trade Show is where those who Manufacture or Distribute Display and Sell “Wholesale to the Trade” For Yarn, these would be TNNA – The National NeedleArts Association – Winter (Left Coast) and Summer (Mid West usually Columbus Ohio) or CHA – Craft & Hobby Association. CHA is not where I think any Indie PA/T (Pattern Author or Teacher) will be the best exposure for their dollars spent.

Some companies do both, and for accounting purposes, these expenses are considered “Trade Show”. It does not mean that a “CONSUMER/Retail” Event is a “trade show” . Retail events are NOT Trade shows by any professional definition.

Examples of fiber related consumer events would be XRX-Stitches For example all the shows where Crochetville has been participating are “Consumer/Retail” events like the KNIT & CROCHET show or the wonderful Quilt FESTIVALs sponsored by the Mancuso’s and others as well as the international and regional events sponsored by HGA (Handweaver’s Guild of America) and their regional affiliates. Or, Britain’s Braid Society a very very international group.

For the new PA/T Retail Events can be a great way to see what is new, fading and start to meet some of the smaller yarn company folks, especially the hand dyers –

TNNA & CHA are trade shows, sometimes described as “Convention Center” shows as compare with “Suite Shows” like TNNA”s Nashville and other satellite shows. The key is who can attend. The answer is only members and qualified buyers.

TNNA’s can be found at:
http://www.tnna.org/?page=MemberInfo
If you want to attend the June show in Columbus, and are not yet an affiliate member, you may want to get started – it takes time to gather the necessary endorsements from regular members.

Wheat

———————————————————————–

If you feel this article will help someone else, please feel free to provide this link:
https://wheatcarr.com/biz/what-is-a-trade-show.php

Series topics
– What Is A Trade Show
– Which shows should the Yarn Indie PA/T attend
– What is expected – Dress & Etiquette
–
Started 2003-01-10
Recent Update: 2012-01-20
© 2003-2013 Wheat M Carr

Caveat Auctor: This advise has exactly the value you paid for it. Use your best judgement & Hope for the best

Mostly in the context of thoughts to ponder for someone not yet firmly established and even as one who is to some degree – a more general answer.

No, I don’t think a Yarn PA/T should waste your time or money because there is neither compelling reasons -or- room. It is FAR MORE IMPORTANT for you to find a way to be at TNNA – and to be explained later on Sunday & Monday for the show floor.

First, each exhibitor is in a usually overcrowded with product displays. Add the avid Shop Owners (Needlepoint and Counted Thread with only the tiniest sprinkling of cross over shops)

It would almost be intrusive for a Yarn PA/T to “take up space” Many of the HP(Hand Paint) NP and CT designers do not “also” attend the Winter (Left Coast) and Summer (Columbus Oh most years) so this is one of their only chances to reach the shops. I am NOT saying they will be rude, but by taking up buyer space and time – you are going to be the one who is rude.

And that means EVEN if the LYS shopper “says no I’m fine – you two chat” you need to melt away politedly and leave the exhibitor to devote their time to the buyer. Perion, END OF SENTENCE, Applies EVERY TYPE OF SHOW.

It is NOT a time/place for you to meet with Craft Publishers UNLESS you have contacted them and requested and been given appointment time. Oftern the buyer from Leisure, Annie’s, etc is only there for one day and has to cram enough into their schedule. They don’t, as they do in Columbus, have a booth – they are there as buyers.

Although one or two reps sometimes set up – they are not who you need to meet. Often lovely nice people, but they are independent contractors to the companies they represent, they work on commission, are usually not in a position to give away yarn – and often even those doing a bit of cash and carry are not anxious to wholesale to a designer – in fact some companies discourage their reps from getting involved with designers until they have survived the 3 yr rule. and so are unlikely to be really helpful at this stage in your career

Your time will be much better spent prowling the LYS in your area to see the yarns, new designs and get a feel for what is selling in your area, particularly if you are a teacher.

Looking forward to hearing your questions, comments, opposing opinions?

Wheat

———————————————————————–

If you feel this article will help someone else, please feel free to provide this link:
https://wheatcarr.com/biz/should-a-yarn-pattern-author-or-teacher-attend-suite-shows.php

Series topics
– What Is A Trade Show
– Which shows should the Yarn Indie PA/T attend
– What is expected – Dress & Etiquette
–
Started 2003-01-10
Recent Update: 2012-01-20
© 2003-2013 Wheat M Carr

Caveat Auctor: This advise has exactly the value you paid for it. Use your best judgement & Hope for the best