In my last blog I brought up the subject of out of print fabrics.
Seems that I frequently fall in love with a fabric at the end of its
print life. Before I started designing quilting patterns I had no idea
how fast fabric patterns were turned around.
Now, this isn't true for all fabric manufacturers, but the majority
follow this scenario: Fabric is introduced in the spring and fall and
is available for 6 months to a year. That isn't to say that when it's
introduced it's available. I've ordered fabric in January that wasn't
actually printed and available until July. It takes a lot of planning
ahead. First you have to figure how much of each fabric pattern you
need for the kits you plan to make and then you have to guess on how
popular the kits are going to be to determine how much fabric you'll
need overall. Sometimes I get the bare minimum I need and once I find
that I've hit on something popular I'll go back to the manufacturer and
see how long it's available or buy up all they have. Some manufacturers
will keep printing the fabric pattern as long as it's popular, while
others will print a set amount and when it's gone it's gone. Some will
do a reprint for you if you order ...get this...800 to 3000 yards of
it....gulp!
If I can no longer purchase fabric that is exactly the same as my
pattern samples I try to find something similar, hence the disclaimer on
the backs of the kits that states "Fabric may vary from pattern photo
or sample". I had one woman ask me why I didn't just make a new
sample. Well, as you can imagine, I would be making new samples every 6
months or so and that's not cost effective material or time wise.
Sometimes I get sooo frustrated because I'll create a new pattern,
find THE perfect fabric and then discover that the manufacturer has 10
yards of it left ...total. So back to the search. But the search is
the fun part! It takes me all over the internet and to parts of the
country I haven't been to. Sometimes I start out looking for fabric and
end up finding another nice surprise....guess I have my topic for my
next blog!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Ready, Set, "Kitting" Ready to Go!
You know how you have those days that you wake up , you blink and
before you know it its time to go to bed and it seems like you've
accomplished nothing? That seems to be a common occurrence these
days...EXCEPT...from the boxes (and I mean BOXES) piling up in my
storage area I know I've accomplished something. Kit making!
As quilters we all seem to love kits. You can usually see the finished sample before you give it a try yourself and you save LOTS of time by not having to pick out all the fabric and supplies yourself. I love to buy kits (and sometimes I actually make them...other times I leave them to "age"). As a kit maker, I can appreciate the amount of work that goes into putting them together. Some folks charge a kit fee to compensate for the time it takes to put them together. Here at Pieceful Designs we don't...what you pay is what you'd pay if you were to go out and purchase the materials on your own. And...sometimes I get a good deal on something and I pass it along to you so the kit price is is actually less than what you could purchase materials for.
Putting together kits, although time consuming, is fun. The kit actually starts with making a pattern sample and tweaking fabrics and colors. That means a trip to the "Candy Store" ie: fabric wholesaler, or hours searching on the computer to find the perfect fabrics. I have wonderful luck choosing just the right fabric only to find out that it has just been discontinued...which brings up a whole new topic to be discussed in another blog! If the kit requires notions I like to include those so that quilters who don't have access to fabric or quilt shops have everything they need right in one package. That means more searching for goods. Once everything is set and purchased the cutting begins! I usually cut all the kits myself although I have enlisted help these days. Deciding what fabric goes where in the kit packet takes a little time but once I determine a pattern we're off and running. I have several people that help me put together and package the kits...otherwise I'd have yards of fabric draped all over everywhere for weeks. After everything is in packages they get labelled and boxed. It's actually quite a process. This week my helper and I made MANY kits...some of which took 1/2 hr each to make.
You may ask, why don't I build a kit charge into the price? Well, many people will come into my booth and ask if I have a show special or a discount if they buy multiple patterns. By not charging a kit fee I feel like I'm passing along a "special" to all of you, provide you with a product that is complete and affordable.
So, now you have the inside scoop on kits...and on the Home Page of Pieceful Designs I said there may be an incentive for reading the Blog...check out the "Where I'll Be" area of the website, come to one of our upcoming shows, visit us at our booth and with your purchase if you mention that you read the "Kit Blog" you get a free fat quarter on me!
Off to more kitting.......
As quilters we all seem to love kits. You can usually see the finished sample before you give it a try yourself and you save LOTS of time by not having to pick out all the fabric and supplies yourself. I love to buy kits (and sometimes I actually make them...other times I leave them to "age"). As a kit maker, I can appreciate the amount of work that goes into putting them together. Some folks charge a kit fee to compensate for the time it takes to put them together. Here at Pieceful Designs we don't...what you pay is what you'd pay if you were to go out and purchase the materials on your own. And...sometimes I get a good deal on something and I pass it along to you so the kit price is is actually less than what you could purchase materials for.
Putting together kits, although time consuming, is fun. The kit actually starts with making a pattern sample and tweaking fabrics and colors. That means a trip to the "Candy Store" ie: fabric wholesaler, or hours searching on the computer to find the perfect fabrics. I have wonderful luck choosing just the right fabric only to find out that it has just been discontinued...which brings up a whole new topic to be discussed in another blog! If the kit requires notions I like to include those so that quilters who don't have access to fabric or quilt shops have everything they need right in one package. That means more searching for goods. Once everything is set and purchased the cutting begins! I usually cut all the kits myself although I have enlisted help these days. Deciding what fabric goes where in the kit packet takes a little time but once I determine a pattern we're off and running. I have several people that help me put together and package the kits...otherwise I'd have yards of fabric draped all over everywhere for weeks. After everything is in packages they get labelled and boxed. It's actually quite a process. This week my helper and I made MANY kits...some of which took 1/2 hr each to make.
You may ask, why don't I build a kit charge into the price? Well, many people will come into my booth and ask if I have a show special or a discount if they buy multiple patterns. By not charging a kit fee I feel like I'm passing along a "special" to all of you, provide you with a product that is complete and affordable.
So, now you have the inside scoop on kits...and on the Home Page of Pieceful Designs I said there may be an incentive for reading the Blog...check out the "Where I'll Be" area of the website, come to one of our upcoming shows, visit us at our booth and with your purchase if you mention that you read the "Kit Blog" you get a free fat quarter on me!
Off to more kitting.......
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