Thursday, January 16, 2014

A Year of Online Adventure

It's the end of my very first year designing little quilts and sewing patterns. I can't believe I posted my very first pattern for sale just a year ago this week! What a year it has been! I really hadn't planned to start a business.

My fist pattern - "Coffee Break Apron"
I'd been enjoying the Craftsy website for over a year when it finally dawned on me that the "Indie" designers on Crafsy were not all professionals. Some were just ordinary folks who liked to make things from their own designs - like me. I wondered what would happen if I tried to design a pattern. I'd recently made a child's apron pattern for my niece, but would anyone actually be interested in purchasing my designs?

There was only one way to find out. The worst that could happen would be that no one would buy anything. I could live with that. So I designed a little apron and posted the pattern. A few patterns sold. Nice! I think that even one sale would have been enough to encourage enough to try more. Pattern designing was exciting!

I added more patterns to my little store. Maybe I could find a magic formula. "Spring Table Runner" was the second pattern published in January. 
"Spring Table Runner"

I followed up with mug rugs in February, "March House" and the "March Wind" silhouette.  I picked up a few more customers and friends. I was on a roll!

"March House"
The business started very slowly at first, but I was meeting new people on the Craftsy website and making cyber-friends from around the world. It was lovely. The, with the "April Showers" silhouette mug rugs something happened. My pattern shop suddenly blossomed with business and I met so many new friends that I was overwhelmed. Wow! Some people really liked my little stitchables!

Well from there, a Facebook page evolved, and eventually this little blog came into being.

This month marks the end of an amazing year for me. I'm still in shock!

Most of all, I'm so glad to have found all of you!!








4 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your anniversary :)

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  2. Congratulations from me also, Karen. I can tell you, that your silhouette children mug rugs is nearly famous i Denmark. If you go to any quilt store the employees will know you not by your name, but by your silhouettes.

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    1. Thank you so much, Rie. I had no idea the silhouettes were that popular in Denmark. I'm absolutely stunned!

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