Cute, yet Evil

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:26:08 GMT

Let's see... ALA is in three weeks. I have 16 finished scarves out of 124. Maybe I should stop playing on the internet.

....Nah. *hugs internet*

I am such a NERD

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:53:34 GMT

I just addressed a package to Falkirk. I totally giggled over it. <3

Cross-Craft Learning

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 05:36:00 GMT

I just spent the last three days attending a Ricky Tim's quilting seminar. It was awesome on so many levels. (Oh, and I was doing finals. Guess which part I actually want to think about now?)

First, I need to give you a little background. Despite the fact that my business doesn't have much to do with quilting, I really do have a quilter's heart (and a quilter's eye for unfinished seams). My mother is a quilter. I'm more of a thinks-about-starting-quilts-er. I did complete a quilt when I was five, but... Yeah. UFOs are a way of life when it's not for business. Anyway, I love looking at finished quilts and dreaming about some day making my own. I also egg my mother on like you wouldn't beleive when we're looking at fabrics in a quilt shop.

So months ago, my mother asked me if I wanted to go to a quilting seminar. I said "Do I have to get up before noon?" But this was before I knew about the subbing job that would have me thinking that 7am is sleeping in. Anyway, it's part of my birthday present. My mother also got herself an admission, but she missed over half the sessions due to a work-related seminar that fell on the same days. Fortunatly, I took really good notes.

So anyway, I have no idea who Ricky Tim is, nor do I know who Alex Anderson or Libby... something are. I have no idea what I'm going to be seeing, but I know quilters, and they are awesome, creative, friendly people who have a mad, mad love for fabric.

Unsurprisingly, I came away with yet another burning desire to make and complete my own personal quilt. The differences in this particular desire is that now I know how to do all the steps, not just the ones I've paid attention to before!

I also came away with ideas for how to improve my product lines.
--There are machine feet that are supposed to pivot a heck of a lot better than a normal sewing foot. I may even own some of them.
--Free-hand thread embroydery stuff will look fabulous on lolita skirts if I can get the hang of Libby's ribbon effect.
--Paper piecing may let me do some of the more complicated patterns that I've previously avoided (ie, "can you make a cat that looks just like mine?")
--Freezer paper is God's gift to pattern designers.
--Ricky's no-pins curves technique will let me do some of the other designs I've been avoiding. (ie, "can you make a cat that looks just like mine?")
--Done correctly, applique may be much easier than I've thought. (And, uh, I've been doing it sorta wrong.) But that means pandas might be in the near future instead of the "yeah, sure, someday" future!
--And more that I haven't even realized yet!

Also, while I may not market to non-teens all that well, they still love my scarves. I, uh, might have gotten an order for a custom scarf from one of the people presenting at the show. No, I'm not saying which one. Not until after Christmas anyway. (Okay, I won't say then, either, but if I pull off the paper piecing thing, I will SO show off the scarf.)

So the lesson here? Never assume people outside your target market won't like your products, and be ready to learn from any source that comes along. And if you learn from it and apply it to your business? The reciepts go in the business expenses pile! WOO HOO!

Oh, and be careful or you'll be starting off a personal library of books on a new craft.

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:36:53 GMT

Hello, lovelies!

It looks like I've fallen off the internet, but really, I just haven't done anything all that interesting lately. It's all been sewing and slogging through the day job I accidentally picked up. (That ends in about 3 more weeks, then my focus can go back where it belongs! ~~Slacking off on the internet all day.~~ My business!)

I've gotten to do some international orders. That's always awesome. Most of the countries are ones I've shipped to before, but Norway is a new one. I LOVE international orders. It's so cool to think that things I've made are traveling all around the world.

I did complete nearly all of my holiday shopping this weekend! There are a few people I buy for if I stumble across just the right thing, and I don't have all of them covered, but it'll either happen or not. I have gifts to make still, of course. I think I'll get to those around... Dec. 24th or so. But! The shopping is done. Everything came from etsy, so I feel quite proud of myself. I really like being able to support small businesses when I can. I'll be posting some product reviews after the gifts are given.

Um, or when the presents for me arrive. What? I had to celebrate my own birthday somehow!

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:02:40 GMT

PMX was mostly lovely.

I had tons of fun. My sales were actually pretty darn good when I properly consider the size of the convention. I talked with/meet tons of incredibly fun and interesting people. I lost almost all of their business cards for the moment. I'm sure they're somewhere.

Almost all of the staff was incredibly helpful and friendly. I may be doing a panel or two for them next year, even. Oh, and that raffle is still going, so go sign up for it!

However, I never even saw the guy who was in charge of Artist Alley. Things worked out, but the lack of communication made me rather nervous a few times. I've been told that Things Will Happen next year that will prevent the problem. Since I don't really know the cause, I can't guess as to the things.

Next up? Some requests, a bit of designing, and ALA in January.

Would I do this con again? Yeah, but I'd stress a lot less about getting merchandise made.

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:08:16 GMT

And now my etsy shop is in vacation mode.

To get ready for the convention, I still need to go to the back, pack up my merchandise, and finish 18 scarves.

Oh, and I still need to finish off more homework.

Oh internet, I love how you help me procrastinate!

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:58:25 GMT

PMX starts Friday.

I have 22 scarves to finish.

I have a paper for one class to finish by Friday..

I have a presentation to prepare for Sunday for another class. (Yes, right after the con. I have the smart when it comes to planning.)

Oh, and I have a long term subbing job that starts Monday, and my lesson plans are wobbly.

And what am I doing? I'm blogging.

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:13:13 GMT

OMG. PMX is in less than a week. I have soooo much to finish! :(

Also, I have homework.

I suspect I don't have sanity.

PMX Prep

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:47:01 GMT

I think I'm about halfway to what I can realistically expect to finish making for PMX. It's a little hard for me to judge since I've got subbing work all this week and half of nxt week. As of right now, I'm not subbing for the week before PMX, but with a teacher due to go out on maternity leave soon....

Also, I did a presentation to an economics class about running your own business. I felt like I rambled a bit, but the teacher was really pleased with how it went.

Maybe I'll post some of what I said here, but with slightly less rambling.

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:20:03 GMT

40 or so minutes until I know if I get a table at ALA. I HATE this kind of waiting.

Also, I still haven't heard back from PMX, but I've started sewing for it already since it's in a month.

EDIT: 8:05PM. I'm in!!

EDIT: 10:35PM. Poop. I can only have a half table.

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:41:02 GMT

I'm so excited about this! My etsy shop was featured in blog for the OC Weekly! Check it out!

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:10:54 GMT

Heh, heh, oops. I totally failed in my challenge to myself to create 4 sewing patterns. While I'd like to whine about school and subbing taking up all my time, I know perfectly well that I had a nice little failure to manage what free time I had instead.

Dunno if I'll try to finish my challenge late or call it a loss. PMX is in a little over a month and I need to get moving on that and holiday sewing.

I Rock

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:04:39 GMT

See how much I rock?

National Sewing Month Challenge Progress

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:22:39 GMT

Two patterns down, sort of.

The first pattern is a fleece capelet. I haven't actually made this yet because I can't make up my mind on how to do the lining, and despite going to the fabric store twice, I haven't bought the closure for it. Still, the hardest part is done.

The second pattern is BORING. Seriously. It's a vent cover. It's a big old mesh circle, but there's a company that needs a whole mess of them. Technically, the pattern isn't done until the fit is confirmed, but I'm pretty confident that all will go well as long as the blue prints I got were right.

I'm not sure what my next two patterns will be, especially because I got a book on making kanzashi, and it's eating my brain.

September Is National Sewing Month!

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:26:46 GMT

September is National Sewing Month! Unfortunately, it's also National Back to School Month, and I'm back in classes already. Still, I'd like to celebrate this. I've decided to challenge myself to create 4 new patterns for my etsy shop. I don't know how many will be doll-sized and how many will be human sized, but discovery is always part of the fun.

Is anyone else interested in challenging themselves to sew this month?

I ROCK

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:45:09 GMT

See more pics in my etsy shop

WiP

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:06:11 GMT

I've got the test parts made. I'm not entirely sure I'm satisfied yet. The head is probably right, but the wings aren't what I expected. I can't decide if they need tweaking.

The buttons are plopped on so I can see the basic scale.
And yes, the pink is that bright.

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:16:37 GMT

You know, normally I totally ignore the art and prints section of Etsy. Since I'm not in the market for art, I feel like I shouldn't waste my time looking at what's for sale. I do, however, follow links in forums, so I still end up looking at them sometimes. This print just blew me away. I figured I should share.

Oh, and read the description. It was inspired by a poem that the artist includes.

FROGGIE

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:33:05 GMT

I did it!

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:22:17 GMT

I got an IM today that I was featured in an online magazine thing. YAY! I poked around their website a bit. It's pretty nice. Go check them out if you have free time.

In being-productive sorts of news, I think I have an acceptable pattern for the frog scarves. I should have pictures tomorrow, but I didn't have the light to get them today. The Cthuhlu scarf is coming a little slower since I don't have as much of my fabric of choice as I first thought. I might be making the test one in a very odd color. I'll decide that tomorrow.

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:42:30 GMT

So my mother needed to go to the fabric stores again yesterday. I'm fairly sure we're up to about 5 baby quilts worth of fabric if we weren't being picky about color and design. I bought some navy blue perle cotton and have successfully made 2 inches of tatted lace! I sort of want to make some for a lolita dress I'm going to make for myself, but I'm not sure I have the patience to make enough. Anyway, needle tatting is incredibly simple!

Also! If you're wondering where those updates are for the Cthuhlu scarf, never fear! I've gotten the pattern drawn out for that and the frog, so they just need testing now. I'm hoping to do that Tuesday. Why Tuesday? My living room needs to be straighted up from the attempts to clean it still.

I'm also keeping an eye out for a good reddish orange to make fox scarves, if you've been asking about those. I haven't forgotten! I'm just incredibly picky about my materials.

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:39:41 GMT

I went to the quilt show at the Long Beach Convention Center today. I'm sure it had a proper name, but there's no way I can remember it at the moment.

The quilts were lovely, though I was getting a little overloaded towards the end.

The dealers' section was OMG awesome, and I somehow bought nothing quilting related. I did get a hemming foot for my machine that I'm looking forward to teaching myself to use. I hate the process of folding and pinning hems when I make things with ruffles. I also picked up a book on needle tatting that I don't think I can really get into for another week or so. My crochet thread is back in a corner that's just a little inaccessible at the moment.

OH! And the quilting community has discovered that Copic markers are permanent on fabric. Now that other people have done all the testing, I can just just right into making custom fabrics. Bwahahahahaha!

The quilt show runs all this weekend, and is WELL worth the price of admission if you like fabric and shinies. If Long Beach isn't too far from you, check it out!

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:46:00 GMT

I survived Tokyo in Tulsa! Well, the convention was awesome. I hated the weather, since I'm all spoiled by Southern California. I learned several things there that will be worthy of entire posts down the road.

Anyway! On the 12th, I opened my big mouth and said that I would have the Cthuhlu scarves ready to go within a month. I'm posting it here so that I don't forget that I've given myself this deadline.

Also, I'm slowly getting stuff back into my etsy shop, starting with things I already have pictures of. If there's something you want, give me a poke.

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:24:08 GMT

Anime Expo was awesome! The Artist's Alley was in the same room as the regular dealers. My badge actually said "exhibitor." It made me feel all cool and professional.

I managed to go to two panels and the AMV contest. I would have tried to do more panels but not much caught my attention this time. The line control was MUCH smoother this year. They learned a lot from last year.

Sales were brilliant, though I was hoping for more since I'm greedy. Still, I got enough done that I don't have to drive myself insane getting ready for TnT in three days.

If you've found me through my business card, welcome! Please feel free to friend me. I tend to post new design announcements and teasers here.

Back to sewing for me! Gotta make more of the popular stuff. :)

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:57:39 GMT

Less than 12 hours! And I have to be up in about 7 so I can get to check in. *flails!*

Also, 14 scarves left that I can finish for this con, and I've got no idea where that will put my total.

My next post should involve misadventures in shopping! :)