Starting a Fiber Arts Business - Should you take the plunge?
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- As always, information and timestamps below, and don't forget to subscribe to get notifications when i upload my next video! :) Hugs! and Happy Stitching!
The most asked question I receive is about starting a dyeing/fiber arts business. Here I want to answer that question in a (long winded) but thorough manner. All the information in this video is my opinion on what it takes to successfully build a business in the fiber arts. I hope you find this informative, and inspirational!
Timestamps:
1:45 - Yes, start a business, but first look at yourself!
2:08 - BE GENUINE TO YOURSELF! First, and most important thing - find where you fit in and incorporate your values into your business. Start with realistic expectations.
5:36 - Take your business seriously. If you want to see it grow, you need to invest time, money and efforts to do so.
8:36 - Look INWARD for inspiration and goal-setting. Do not copy other’s work, or try to “be like so-and-so.” You are your own person, and should value that in your own business. Discover your own mission - your own “why” and don’t try to emulate everyone else.
12:31 - Do not internalize other people’s success, and see yourself as a failure by comparison. Your success is NOT TIED to anyone else.
13:19 - I say this is the last thing, but it’s not. VALUE YOURSELF. It’s so important to value your time, as well as the costs of your goods. Don’t underprice yourself just because you’re new or critical of your skill. If you’re doing things well, the way things should be done - you should be pricing yourself into the market. Period. You should price yourself so your business can grow to your business plan.
18:27 - I say this is the last thing AGAIN, but still. Not the last thing. REMEMBER YOUR MISSION, YOUR WHY. What are your general business goals? You don’t want to lose sight of those during building your business. Don’t cheapen yourself because you think that other people won’t pay for it. Create to inspire, value yourself - and others will value you.
20:19 - CREATE TO INSPIRE, don’t create just to compete. You can’t meet the needs of ALL fiber artists who consume your goods. LIFT OTHERS UP. LIFT YOURSELF UP AND SHOW RESPECT TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS.
21:35 - Value your time, your colleagues time - your knowledge - your skill. Do not be afraid to share knowledge or ask for help, but do so respectfully. Don’t undermine your business by undercutting or cheapening your own skill or time (or your colleague's skill or time). VALUE THE SKILLS YOU WANT TO LEARN, and BUILD YOURSELF UP - don’t try to shortcut or undercut. It pays off more for yourself and your business in the long run, if you have a high level of respect for those things, and respect for those who have come before you.
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Equipment Used:
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Microphone - Samson C01UPro
Computer - MacBook Pro (2015), 8gb RAM, 2.7gHz Intel Core i5
External Hard Drive - Seagate 3T Seagate
Software - Final Cut ProX
It's about finding your niche and learn about the business you want to achieve 👌
I totally agree with you. Just be your self. I am in the early stages of yarn dyeing and spinning my own yarns. I have a local small crochet group that buy from me regularly. I am greatful to have come across your video to reasure I have approached my little hobby. SUE FROM AUSTRALIA:)
Well said! Your timing is perfect. I just wrote a long response about this to someone yesterday. :)
I think the only thing I would add is that goals are important, but so is flexibility. Sometimes you think you will head in one direction but you need to recognize when things aren't working and to switch gears.
I love your emphesis on looking inside yourself. I started ChemKnits as a crafting diary for myself. I wanted to challenge myself to try new knitting techniques and keep track of my notes. It is fun to look waaaay back and see how far I've come. Especially now that I'm really leaning into it. I don't think I could do any of this if I didn't love it. :)
it's so true about flexibility. Having realistic goals and expectations as well definitely helps with that. You need to know what you like do do, what works what doesn't. This is the main reason i stopped structuring my business as "dyed to order" only. I couldn't handle not knowing what was coming my way. Now, I changed my model to suit my strengths, and still offer dyed to order on a much smaller scale! Flexibility was key to make that change - and it turned out to be for the better for my sanity (and as a consequence, my business).
Instablaster.
I would love to dye a little yarn for myself. I did a small kit to dye a skein myself and I am in love with the result. It's so labor intensive to do it to scale for a business, so I don't think I'm really interested in going full tilt with it. And it really takes over the kitchen space, and I don't want to give up my kitchen to yarn. Sometimes it's nice to keep your hobby to yourself and just enjoy it rather than turn it into a business. That said, making some to do as giveaway prizes to grow my instagram is appealing to me. I can pair my own yarn with the mugs and shirts I'm making which I think would be a fun prize for someone. Your work is beautiful and it's obvious you are professional and conscientious. Too many people look at yarn dying as an easy way to make buckets of money. It's not easy work and the up front investment is sizeable which they don't consider.
Patty!! :) Happy to see you here :) Glad you enjoyed the video!
You are a very special lady. I love your heart. I am 64 and have spent many years learning and building my flock of critically rare breed sheep. Now I am working toward selling just plain wool online. No dying yet. Later I might branch out. I love Felting. Thank you for beautiful business thoughts.
This was a great video! Well stated. I think my fiber arts goals are simple... use my web design & bookkeeping skills to assist those Makers who would rather be about the doing not the tech... of course bartering is fine - I'd take yarn as payment 😂🙃
There were some times when i received yarn to complete test knits and that was like heaven for me... new pattern, new yarn, assisted Knitwear Designer and I got a small stipend (I would have settled for keeping the scraps but I had to send those back 😞)
Excellent, thoughtful, and thorough advice. Well said, Kayleen!
hugs!
Always informative and a pleasure to watch you Kayelene. Ive followed your podcast almost from the start and so happy that you’ve made a success of your fibre arts business and being a busy Mum too. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🌺
I love you Kayleen! This is why I adore you and your yarn ❤️❤️
I am so impressed with your outlook on business and how you express yourself. I found you when I watched your video about Brioche knitting with Norwegian purl (so helpful to me) and have gone through several of your videos since then. I am not at a point where I want to start a business or even sell my stuff, but have found your video very helpful should I decide to do so in the future.
Thank you for the valuable information and your honesty.
So much good advise. I just love watching your videos. Thanks
Thankyou so much, I love your honest and genuine approach, awesome 😁
So glad!
Thank you for this informative podcast! Hi shared it with my sis who’s starting to dye yarn:-))
Awesome and very helpful.
Thankyou so much for the great advice, you have a beautiful way of speaking and have really inspired me. The things you said about how valuable everybody's time is, is so important. This video has really helped me along the way of making my own Etsy store!
Subscribed :)
Thanks for the kind comment - i tried to be concise but failed hahaha i hope that message came across well and I’m glad you decided to open your own shop! Best of luck in your business!
Thumbs Up! I'm a new subscriber and I thought this episode was very inspiring and a perfect way to learn about you and your passion for your art and business integrity! I will definitely be doing catch up on more of your podcasts in the very near future! Thanks for sharing and and Happy Knitting, Dyeing, Spinning and Crafting!
Marie Hahn happy crafting to you Marie - and I hope you enjoy the channel 💗💗💗😘
Loved this!!! 💕💕💕
Very informative episode. You are right your Fiber Arts business should be about you. I crochet and knit because that’s what I like to do. I have no interest in designing on my own at the moment but I love working up patterns. I also think that it is important if you are creating items using someone else’s patterns for the purpose of selling the item that you check to make sure it’s okay to sell the item but also to give the designer credit for the hard work that goes into making the beautiful designs. For me creating is about sharing all of this wonderful yarny goodness with others.
Emily Wells agreed. Pattern should always be credited if you’re selling an item from it.
Really good information!! I am really thinking about dyeing yarn as a creative outlet and a way to be a part of the fiber community that I love!!!! I am also thinking about a podcast to act as a journal of my fiber journey.. just ideas for now., but I love the knitting and crocheting community and want to be a part of it!
have fun, be creative! :) podcasts are great to help keep yourself accountable. create a schedule that works for you! You don't have to have fancy equipment to share your creativity either - just have at it! :) much love!
Littlebean and Me thanks for your support and your example of integrity and being genuine.
I'm getting ready to start an indie dye studio and your timing is superb!!! How did you decide to sell on Etsy and not on another platform? How did you decide on how much you would carry when you started selling?
I just did a lot of planning ahead of time. I decided that Etsy was the easiest and fit within my cost structures in beginning. I just started slow, and was sure to estimate the real costs including advertisements, fees, packaging and labels, time spent etc. I just started small with what I had, and grew from there using the profits to fund new buys of yarn and dyes/equipment. So I tried growing as naturally as possible (minimizing debt, out of pocket costs). Good luck!
Thank you for a great episode and sharing your knowledge. I’m still on the fence though. I agree 100% with being respectful of dyers and their hard work that has gotten them to where they are.
just keep having fun, sharing - and engaging with the community! keep creating :) and hugs to you!
I have a question not sure if you would be able to answer, but i thought it might be worth asking. What was the first steps you looked at for starting your business? As far as does one just go to esty start a shop an start putting items up for sale? Are did you go though your state to get the business /ein/trade license? Any info is greatly appreciated.
Deatra Faughn it’s important to follow the law, get your business registered with your state/town/the feds. That’s where I started. I wanted to be sure I was doing things by the book because I wasn’t just “selling my hobby” - I wanted to make a true growth and business out of it. I do have to adjust some things with my business (my original shop had crochet and yarn), but now I’m focused on Yarn. Just taking it step by step is the key.
I know this video is old and u probably don't want to share your yarn supplier you buy from but I've had trouble finding out if certain places practice muelsing please can you help
You couldn't said it better. Folks don't value handmade items 😒