crafting for a hobby/small business... any thoughts/guidance

[happynappies]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for my musings, but if anyone out there can relate to what I'm going through I'd be so grateful to hear from you, to see if you can help me clarify things!

I'll try to be brief. I don't think of myself as at all creative. I'm a part-time lecturer, pregnant with my fourth (have a 5-year-old, a 3-year-old and an 18-month old). I feel very frustrated by our family's need to make some extra money. We're not on the breadline, but like many people times are tough, and with so many mouths to feed I feel like my husband is doing all he can, and although I'm bringing in some money... I just feel a bit extra would help. For several years I've toyed with the idea of making things. I have a sewing machine, and for a while tried to make bags out of vintage fabrics and sold literally a couple on E-bay. I love the idea of making pretty things and making some extra money, but don't know where to start. I have borrowed book after book from the library - knitting, crochet, sewing... but they seem too confusing. Perhaps its just because my mind is so full of looking after children or I'm too past learning new skills... or my expectations are too high. Looked into going to a local college course but the only ones available seem to be day-time ones and I don't have childcare in the day-time. Basically time is very short, and my husband thinks I'm barking up the wrong tree chasing this dream of having my own 'creative' little business. While supportive of me doing something 'for myself' he thinks my confidence will be knocked if I feel pressure to make money from my would-be hobby, and worries that the time and effort involved will (a) be more than I have to spare and (b) won't equate to a worthwhile income, as in I could make more money doing a more straightforward job. But something in me really wants to design and make my own things... is it worth pursuing, or should I just face facts, I haven't made a go of things thus far... and it seems like this forum is heaving with people who are making beautiful things. Anyone suggest anything to try for a newbie, any simple ideas to see whether it is for me? Anyone want to share your experiences of making money (or otherwise). Sorry to go on - just feel there must be someone out there who can relate to this muddle I'm in!!

Part of me thinks that the way to start is by selling to fund your craft habit and seeing if it grows from there.

I think a big problem is that ebay is all about bargains, try etsy or folksy and see if your sales increase, also can you write a pattern for your bags? You might sell that way, but crafts are hard to make money from I think.

I make things for the enjoyment of making slightly rubbish but unique things, but I don't think I would be able to re-coup my material costs and time, but that's just me.

Ok, I'm trying to do this in a structured way.(DH is a business consultant).
I sell on etsy and folksy (and ebay at christmas) and have my own website.
You have to get your goods 'found' on the internet and its not necessarily easy as there are tens of thousands (if not millions) of people selling hand crafted items.
A lot of my time is spend getting links, SEO, writing blogs, updating all my listings and marketing.

So, write a list of what you make and how you can make it unique.
Write down how you are going to sell it, website? etsy? craft fairs?
Write down what you have in stock and what you need, dont forget packaging materials and compliment slips etc (can you print any of these yourself).
How are you going to market your goods?
Work your costing out on the items you decide to make, I currently use 1/3 materials, 1/3 labour and 1/3 profit.

To start with I sold quite a few (100+) handmade items between Nov and Dec last year, these were items made from fabric, buttons etc., that I already had. All the money I made from these items I saved and this was my 'start up' pot.

I also made a note of what sold well and what didn't sell.

At the moment its all ticking over and funding itself (I bought packaging and had stationery printed up and have bought a die cutter and stock).
I'm hoping to get another stream of income from having adsense on my website.
I'm hoping by christmas I will be posting a profit but know it wont ever make me enough to live on unless some big company pick up on one of my designs.

Hopefully the above has not put you off and you give it a go!

Thank you for your thoughts... TwoJackRussells I think you're right about Ebay - the couple of things I made (and this is going back a few years) I had to sell really cheaply, and one basket I remember lining with nice fabric and a couple of people bid on it, so the price went up, then the winning person said she thought it was 'over-priced for what it was' - cheers! It put me off but I hadn't done research into other avenues for selling at that time, was just thinking what could I do to reach people quickly!

Teanosugar - some really good thoughts, my husband has talked through similar things, thinking of costings carefully rather than my adhoc just buy what I fancy approach. I'm interested in what you say about 1/3 for materials, labour and profit - does that mean what the raw materials cost you multiply by three to get the selling price (or have I got that wrong?).

I suppose the big thing I have to either work out, or get out of my system is whether I can actually 'do' the making of things, let alone marketing and selling sufficient numbers. I don't know whether I just have this idea that it would be enjoyable to make things, because I never seem to have the time to do anything creative. In reality I might find it too difficult. I'll have a look at Etsy and Folksy, and am going to set myself a couple of basic projects to get things moving. I'm certainly not put off - just really want to make some time to get my teeth into this!

Thanks for taking the time to share your views.

Have you asked about craft classes at your local craft shops? Our craft shop runs classes in the evenings. It works for them as you then buy materials from them to make the things they have taught you to make.

They also run social crafting groups where all the knitters or all the beaders etc get together to craft together. I imagine they learn a lot from each other too. They will probably also share news of craft sales where you could sell your items.

Do you have any galleries and little gift shops in your area? Or little coffee shops? Often they will also take in a small number of your items and see what sells.

Look out for little fund raisers too. Our school's PTA "sells" tables to small businesses to market their wares eg £10 a table and then see what sells for you.

I know it is all low level stuff I am suggesting but often these things start small and build up gradually. They would also give you an idea what is or isn't popular.

If buyers see the product or an example of what they could have made right there in front of them then they can't complain about it afterwards either.

Good luck. I am interested in doing the same thing myself but need to develop my skills first I think.

Hi, no, I mean thats what the final price of your item should be made up of.

So,(for simplicity's sake) say you made a bag and you costed out the fabric, thread, lining, buttons etc, plus any listing fees and a percentage for the cost of electricity for running your sewing machine etc came to £10.00

Then it took you an hour to make the bag, charge at £10.00 per hour

You then add another £10.00 on for your profit.

You can see now, why people don't understand that makers of truly original handmade items cant sell them for £1.99!

I think you get more interest on sites like Etsy and Folksy because people who search on there appreciate handmade and are looking for something different.
Also on Etsy its 20cents to list an item for four months.

I don't understand someone who can made a fabric heart then put it on ebay as handmade for 99p because by the time they have paid listing fees, final valuation and paypal fees they cant have made anything.

Last christmas I had a handmade heart on ebay with a name hand embroidered on the front - someone emailed me and asked 'could you make them any cheaper? I want 15 to use as gift tags so can you use felt or some cheaper fabric as I only want to pay £1 to £1.50 each for them', needless to say I told her no, did she really think I was going to sit there all day hand embroidering names for £1 a go? I think not baby puppy!!

I agree with teanosugar and it's also worth considering how much time you'll have to make things. I run my business mainly as a way of paying for my hobby rather than an extra income and I fit the work in as and when I can.

If you purely want a way of bringing in more money, could you do stuff via PeoplePerHour? Admin type stuff - am guessing being a lecturer you'd have a good idea of producing documents and stuff. There's often places wanting worksheets made up for various subjects.

Or perhaps you could do that while you learn a craft? Use the money you make to do some classes, find a craft you really love...then go on to create and sell?

I am in a similar position to you in that ultimately I would like to be able to sell things that I make. My problem is I can't decide what I like making best.

I like needle felting, am learning to crochet and sew, have some decopatch supplies, loads of card making stuff and jewellery making supplies.

I am playing around with all of it to work out what I enjoy the most and what I am best at.

I think the place to start is by making gifts for family or things for your own home. As you develop a crafting hobby with a particular focus and get good at it, then is the time to start thinking about how to turn it into a business and to come up with original ideas that you may be able to sell. In the meantime, just think of it as a hobby and a way to save money at Christmas.

You could come up with the best business model in the world, for say, hand made cushions, but if you are a rubbish sewer, then it will be a no go.

Good look and I hope you find something that you enjoy doing.

Thanks Claire - you are right, if I can't actually make anything, I can't go much further. At the moment I literally have so little time that its more the idea of making things that is like a light at the end of the tunnel. I set my mind to getting some fabric out of the loft, digging the sewing machine out, and seeing what I can do this week, and thus far I've got the material, washed it and ironed it. I bought a 'crafting to sell' magazine and that gave me some ideas. I am just going to have to go really slowly I think, tiny steps along the path to my goal! Good luck to you too, I hope you can settle on what it is that you are best at!

Okay - I'm going to be blunt here, so please excuse that, but its meant to be helpful, so I hope you take it as such

IME, without any experience & without any love of any particular craft or ideas of what you would actually like to do & so little time due to being a Mum with 3 such young DCs - then I think as far as setting up a profitable, or even break even business goes, you really are on a hiding to nowhere - sorry, but thats just fact :(

Thats not to shelve it forever though - if I where you, in your situation I would be taking time out to just enjoy crafting - experiment with various things - Xmas & Birthday presents can be your various craft supplies etc & find out what you actually enjoy & are good at - make things for your DCs, make gifts for friends etc etc - even sugar craft deserves a go - try it all & see what you can be good at & love doing :)

basically just use the next few years to experiment & hone any skills you do have & just ENJOY some much needed ME time - or perhaps do it with your DCs, you obviously love DCs - I've seen several Mums set up kiddy craft clubs & make a go of it - so maybe THAT could be your business when your youngest is a bit older & you have more time to organise - local community centres can make a good cheap venue if you don't have room at home

As for making money, I can see why you feel the need, but your DH is right, you are going to end up putting yourself under pressure & putting yourself off it before you even start - it needs to be fun if you are ever going to end up with a business you enjoy, otherwise you might as well just go & do any old job that you hate & get a wage at the end of it -

just be grateful you are not on the breadline & can manage financially & use this time to experiment & plan