I have had a rethink lately. Even though I love designing jewellery and even like it more when someone loves it as much as me and wants it in their life, I have decided to no longer concentrate on it anymore. I absolutely love fabrics, and decided to do more sewing. I have done some custom dog coats so thought I would put my passion for dogs into making coats. My shop is somewhat quiet and maybe this will bring it back to life??? On the other side I get a lot of searches from dog coats, so, who knows, worth ago! Anyone else changing direction or trying something different?
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Iām sticking with jewellery but concentrating (or should that be only listing) items over Ā£20 (probably, I havenāt quite decided on a value yet) with the exception of my blown glass earrings as they do well. The lower priced gemstone jewellery just doesnāt get looked at on here as there are so many pieces listed (but Iāll keep it for craft markets where it does well).
Good luck with the dog coats - do your own dogs have coats embroidered with your website details? Maybe a patchwork QR code? Mobile advertising - make them work for their doggie treats!
Sasha
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actually @SashaGarrett no! But I have sent for some woven labels. My machine does embroidery but unfortunately, not good enough to advertise. My dog walking business is called Waggles, so I have got some labels coming with Waggles by Amberlilly.
Worth a try.
Good luck with your higher priced items. I think people like to buy more expensive on line especially if its handcrafted. Craft fairs, probably less so?
Im making a change.
I gave up on jewellery (poisoned apple jewellery shop) ages ago and everything is reduced.
Ive realised I make lots of different bits and bobs(grimm exhibition shop), but people prefer if you make 1 thing(or maybe 2 things)and get known for it.
So Ive decided to stick to sewing and soldering. Hopefully il make a start in one or the other in the next few days(currently enjoying being lazy on Xmas holiday)
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I find that the expensive stuff does ok at craft fairs and acts as a way for me to plug my abilities to get commissions, I guess it depends on the craft market and how good your sales patter is (the OH has excellent patter and Iām glad I donāt have him on commission as it would have cost me a fortune).
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Our change of direction is going to be focusing more online and not go to as many real life events. I do love them but alas poor health has had me locked indoors for a month and counting now and it takes a lot of energy to go to places and set up then take it all down again etc. Hoping to show the world our bits (literally have hundreds of things to list) from the comfort of my sofa 
Have decided to list everyday until its all on here to use the plus account to its best.
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Itās interesting to see if othersl change anything. As I believe it takes a while to āfindā yourself! Some may always do the same and be very successful and some are still looking. Letās hope we all find ourselves soon! Lol!.
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I started changing direction a couple of years ago when I ādiscoveredā felting. By this time last year I had removed everything ānon feltā from my shop and was felting to the exclusion of everything else I used to do. I finished the process in September this year when I rebranded my shop with a new name and started to think more about the direction I would like to go. Like Sasha @SashaGarrett I am thinking I will probably concentrate on a few higher value items (scarves, bags, hats etc) and keep the lower priced items for craft fairs (although I expect it will still be in my shop for a while yet). I am hoping to work on some more intricate and complicated designs over the next year.
Good luck with the dog coats @Amberlilly. I think it may well be a good move as the jewellery market is so saturated. Maybe if the dog side of things becomes a success you could return to your jewellery later - or perhaps make some āblingā for dogs, something that seems to appeal to some particularly in the American market!
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Iām re-focusing my efforts on textile art and silk painting, and maybe a bit of felting too, and moving away from general sewn items. Iāve found that there are too many people getting into sewing now and charging really low prices, so thereās not much profit in it now for small businesses unless you mass-produce, which is not what I want to do. Iām afraid I canāt compete with makers who donāt have to charge for their time, as Iām trying to earn a living. Itās a pity, as I love sewing (Iāve been doing it for 50 years!) but I think itās time to move on.
Reading the posts above, it sounds like youāre all moving into sewing too, so I hope you manage to find a niche in the market and do well.
@SashaGarrett - I received a pair of your lovely glass earrings for Christmas from my sister - theyāre beautiful and I was so pleased to get them!
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Good luck ladies with whatever you have decided to do in the new yearā¦i myself are continuing with the jewelleryā¦i do love what i do and i do have quite a few returning customersā¦i also have a new venture for the jewellery in the new year so hoping that is going to be popularā¦
before I took up painting I spent most of my life designing and teaching knitting and crochet. For a few years my hands wouldnāt let me crochet but recently they suddenly seemed better, so I am back crocheting again.
I am still painting but I am crocheting as well. So now, I have BOTH in my folksy shop.
When I opened it, it was with crochet, then painting and now both.
A change is always good and saves from "Artistās/Crafterās Block"
I am loving doing both. I tend to paint during the day when the light is good and crochet in the evening (as I can do it without lookingā¦just an occasionaly peep to make sure I havenāt gone wrong!)
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A change of direction for me too, Iāll be winding down on the jewellery and focussing on papercrafts, just been designing some new artwork for personalised word art and have so many ideas itās making my head hurt lol!
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I think like you @PoisonedAppleJewellery I think / hope people prefer a shop with a few different things that you do well. āA Destination Shopā, where people know they will find what they are looking for (if that is what they are looking for)! So for me I am sticking to knitted clothes hangers, and WHEN the cold weather comes more hotties! I think they like different price points, something I need to work on.
So not a change in direction, just a small meander round some obstacles!
Suzzie x
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Iām giving my Folksy shop an overhaul with more branding/graphics focused rather than cards, which I will still be doing in my other shops, just using Folksy exclusively for my graphics Best of luck to us all, nice to have a change once in a while!
Great thread idea @Amberlilly Yes Iāve also been thinking a lot. My xmas fairs went ok but I watched the other stalls do better around me as customers struggle to see stationery as a gift item. Would love to know what other paper goods people think?
Also I need to find craft fairs that attract a certain customer as you either love letterpress and are prepared to pay or canāt understand why you would pay compared to pound land prices! Iām going to add more art prints, raise my prices and look at making products that you would buy as gifts ā¦
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Hi I have been making making jewellery for several years but due to a health problem I canāt use my left hand properly and keep dropping things so I have had to change direction. My Katrina Jewellery has now becomeKatrina Krafts and I am trying different crafts that I able to do, sewing, felting and others. Iāve only been trading since September but with craft fairs and Folksy things have started to pick up again.
I think your cards are beautiful @elliepress - they would work really well packaged as āartā rather than āstationeryā and the perceived value then would be greater so you should be able to charge more? I make a few art cards which sell well at any summer events that I do but I donāt even bother to take them to Christmas fairs, I just donāt think they are what people are looking for that time of year.
Ive come on to the Forum to ask the question really, but find this is already being discussed!!
Ive been a collector of "stuff " ever since my childhood, hopeless at throwing things away, but have started making Assemblages out of them insteadā¦Very different to my jewelleryā¦
The question isā¦Should I open another shop for these pieces or put them into my shop that I have already???
Angie
This was my game plan when I decided to start selling on the net. Unfortunately for me it has not worked out as planned; I have no problem selling at fairs etc but my internet sales are truly dire. I sympathise with the health problem by the way. I am still recovering from a truly dreadful viral infection (since November) and am struggling to summon up any energy at all. Hopefully both of us will be feeling more lively and motivated soon. I suppose itās one of the drawbacks of being self-employed - you have to be self-everything-else as well! Onwards and upwards (off the sofa at least).
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I am pondering the same, too! Clementinegifts is currently aimed at childrenās accessories which was fine for Xmas but I would love to branch out and offer textile art ( my passion is applique and embroidery). The two are so different that opening another shop might be the answer. Has anyone got any experience of how it works? Can you use the same email? Any pitfalls?
Dona
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