Strand Zine's first issue is all about felting & feltmaking and definitely worth a read!

A few weeks ago, I did an interview with the editor of a new online fiber zine.  The first issue of Strand Zine is all about felting and feltmaking.  It includes a variety of resources and information.  I highly recommend that you go check it out.  If you are a fiber enthusiasts of any kind, I think that you'll find it very interesting.  And, I wanted to say "Thanks!" to its editor, Corrie, for including a bit about me in her zine's first edition.  I hope that there are many more interesting issues to come!

Is there such a thing as Question Etiquette? What to ask and not to ask the Handmade Artist and Crafter about Techniques, Supplies, and Business Practices

This is a subject that I have been pondering for a while now.  What is the etiquette for asking an artist or crafter about their handmade items, techniques, suppliers, and business in general.  I actually get quite a few questions on a weekly basis on a wide range of subjects.  I don't mind the questions.  I love to communicate with fellow fiber artists and the public in general.  But...(of course there is a "but" here!) Some of the questions that I get asked can be a little, um, forward and even strange at times.

So my question is... What is okay to ask a professional artist or crafter and what is just taboo?

Here's my take on the subject...
I usually answer questions pertaining to my felting techniques.  It is all on a question-by-question basis of course.  And, unfortunately, no, I don't have time to type out detailed written instructions for you on how to make something.  I get this question once in a while - "Could you give me detailed instructions on how you make (fill in the blank here)?"  I'm happy to give you some pointers, but I feel like there are enough online resources and books out there to adequately teach you about in-depth felting techniques.  If I get this kind of question, I usually point the individual to free online felting resources and tutorials.

I usually don't answer questions about where I buy my supplies or get my materials.  Ordinarily, it is a competitor asking the question.  I personally do not feel obligated to share my well researched sources with the competition.  Call me crazy, but I feel that is just bad business practice - no matter how nicely you might ask or if we've crossed paths before.  I try to be gracious about my knowledge and not stupid.  I've decided that you have to draw the line somewhere.

It is a toss up whether or not I answer questions pertaining specifically to my business and business practices.  I usually share this kind of information and resources on my blog in posts like this one if I feel it is something that will help the arts and crafts community as a whole.  If I feel a business oriented question is too prying into the personal realm, then I politely decline the question and usually give some online resources for the person to research on their own.

Well, that is the sum of how I currently handle questions.  How do you dish out answers to questions pertaining to your art/craft, technique, suppliers, and business in general?  Do you have an established etiquette or do you take it as it comes?  I'd love to know!  (Oh, there I go asking you questions... Ha!)

A Recap of Some Feltmaking Resource Info and a Little Show-and-Tell Nuno Felted Scarf

Being preoccupied (to say the least!) with baby on the way, I haven't been a very good blogger when it comes to feltmaking and fiber arts. My apologies! Hopefully, today I can rectify that a bit by posting a recap of some useful feltmaking resources as well as sharing a nuno felted scarf that I completed a few weeks ago.

On to the resource info............
As some of you might have read in my previous post, I was suppose to do a feltmaking demo for a fiber arts class on Wednesday, but due to my contractions and order of rest by the doctor's office, I just couldn't physically do the tutorial that I had planned. I did however make a little info sheet for the class with some feltmaking resources listed. I thought that I'd share those with you. Some of the info, I have posted before, but it has been several months so I thought that a recap might be appreciated, and perhaps it will redeem myself for being so very neglectful in not posting more fiber art and feltmaking related things. Below you'll find some of my favorite resources - both in print and online. Please be aware that what you see below are just a few of the numerous good sources to go to for information and supplies. There are many, many more! And, if you are interested in expanding your horizons, I also suggest that you check out my blog roll in the right hand side bar. It is filled with fiber art and feltmaking related blogs. Also, please feel free to leave a comment with your favorite information and supply resources. I love it when readers share, and I learn so much!

Suggested Book Resources
Uniquely Felt by Christine White (my favorite of all time!)
Felt to Stitch by Sheila Smith
Feltmaking - Fabulous Wearables, Jewelry & Home Accents by Chad Alice Hagen
The Art of Feltmaking by Anne Vickrey
(These are just a few of my favorites, but really any feltmaking book that you can get your hands on will be inspiring and helpful so check out your local library or bookstore!)

Suggested Online Resources
The Felting Forum
Feltmaker’s List FAQ
Craftster’s Fiber Art Forum
Craft Gossip’s Felting Blog
(Once again, these are just a few of my favorites. There is an amazing amount of free online resources for feltmakers out there so search and browse the net. It is worth your time!)


Suggested Supply Sources

BULK ROVING & FIBERS
The Sheep Shed Studio
R.H. Lindsay Company

TOOLS & FIBERS
The Yarn Barn
Halcyon Yarn
Outback Fibers
Mielke’s Fiber Arts

SILK & DYES
Thai Silks
Dharma Trading Co.


I was also scheduled to do demonstrations on wet felting for the class. I had planned to show students both the roll or bubble wrap method for a nuno felted scarf as well as the resist method for a purse base. Obviously, this didn't happen, but I did find some wonderful online tutorials for both and was able to pass that information along to the students. I thought that you might be interested as well. (I have the greatest admiration for both feltmakers, Pat Spark and Nicola Brown, who have provided such wonderful and free online information. They are professionals to aspire to. Thanks to them for sharing!)

Suggested Online Tutorials
Making a Flat Sheet of Felt by Pat Spark
How to Make a Nuno Felted Scarf by Nicola Brown
3-D Feltmaking Enlosed Resist Technique by Pat Spark

So that's my little recap of feltmaking information and supply resources. I hope that you find it to be somewhat useful and decide to add your own suggestions in the comments.


Now on to my Show-and-Tell for the day........ a nuno felted scarf. I made this scarf a few weeks ago and had forgotten to post it until today. As you might notice, I am also working on my photos. I've decided to clean up the backgrounds and stick to a basic white. So far, I think it is working well and looks more professional, but you can let me know what you think.

Gotta love cute, fuzzy sheep! doing a little sheep farm research and came across a great video series on Understanding and Raising Sheep

My husband and I have been joking, dreaming, and just talking about starting a sheep farm for a long, long time. It is just recently that we've thought our fiber farming aspirations could become a reality. I guess the joking and just dreaming initially stopped when we watched a great video by MVKnits on Etsy's Blog about her sheep farm experience. It was extremely inspiring and made me and my husband think that we might really be able to sustain ourselves as sheep farmers. Since then, we've talked about it a lot, checked out many library books on the subject, and surfed the web for any information that we could find. We're in the process of researching what all is involved in owning and maintaining a successful small sheep farm. I know that there is nothing like experiencing something, but for now, we'll continue learning as much as we can through all the resources that we find.

Yesterday I came across a great video series called Understanding & Raising Sheep on YouTube. It was originally from the website ExpertVillage.com which has some interesting instructional videos. This particular series includes very short clips on the basics of sheep. It is presented by a naturalist from the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Drumlin Farm. Each short video is only a few minutes long, but they are very informative and interesting if you are a novice to sheep and sheep farming. Oh, and they also have the most adorable sheep! It is worth watching a few video clips just for that.

**I, the funky felter, am not affiliated nor do I endorse the above resource information. I'm just sharing some nifty info and cute, fuzzy sheep.
**The image is a screen shot from YouTube.com

How to get started wholesaling your handmade arts and crafts items: a guide to the basics of wholesale for your indie business

When I first thought about wholesaling my handmade felts, the task of getting organized to do so seemed daunting. As I researched all that was necessary to be prepared for wholesale, there were a lot of varying opinions on how you go about it. I can honestly say that I've been reading article after article and forum post after forum post on the web about how to wholesale for the last six months or more. Every bit of information that I could find I've tried to evaluate how it relates to my small, independent arts and crafts business. Since I do make all of my items by hand, it is a very different situation than a large company that mass produces. The word "wholesale" has to really be defined in terms that are appropriate for the handmade artisan. This is what I've tried to do for myself, after much research and interpretation. I thought that I'd share some important things that I've discovered while setting up my fiber art business for wholesaling.

The easiest way for me to convey what I think are the most important basic things to know about wholesaling is just to list them for you. I also think that this is the easiest way for you to receive the information without feeling overwhelmed. I know that I felt very overwhelmed at times while researching articles on the web. I really just want to tell you the basics of what I learned as well as point you to some helpful online information and resources. The following is my recommendation list of where to start when wholesaling your handmade items. Then you'll find some helpful follow-up links that I've come across during my research.



THE BASICS OF GETTING STARTED IN WHOLESALING:

1. Set your retail prices based on wholesale. I see a lot of artists and crafters who sell online that do not account early on for the possibility of wholesaling later. I was one of those in the very beginning. I only charged a little bit for labor and tacked on a little more for materials cost, and there was my retail price. How wrong I was to think this way! I have since learned that I need to be a more scientific about calculating my wholesale price and resulting retail price. There are many formulas to use to do this so you need to find one that enables you to pay for materials and receive a fair wage at wholesale price which should be 50% off your current retail pricing. (In other words, your retail price should twice your wholesale price.) This brings me to the next point.........

2. True wholesale price is half, or 50%, off your current retail price. I know from many, many forum posts that I've already read on this subject that this statement will make some artists and crafters moan and put you into a state of denial. At first, my reaction was exactly the same because 50% off my original retail prices seemed very steep, and frankly quite ridiculous. I even tried offering 20-40% off my retail prices to interested brick and mortar shops, but the truth is that, in most cases, a shop expects the standard of 50% off when purchasing wholesale. If you look at it from their point of view, they have to be able to mark up your item to cover all their costs as well as make a profit. Also, they do not want you to be underselling them if you sell elsewhere. I admit that there are some shops that will accept a lesser discount, but the true wholesale price standard is at least 50% off your current retail pricing. The good news is that you are making your money buy selling in large quantities so if you've set your retail prices well in the beginning, then you should still make a great profit when wholesaling.

3. Decide your minimums: per item and per order total amount. Through researching this topic, I have found that how you set your minimum numbers is entirely up to you. As an artist or crafter, our items vary so much that the minimum number of items or order total amount for wholesale will be heavily dependent on what your specific items are, whether it be jewelry, potter, fiber art, etc. Of course, you will want to set your item minimums so that you are selling in a large enough quantity to constitute a wholesale price. For instance, on smaller, less costly items, you may require one dozen (12) per item style as a minimum order, but for larger, more costly items, you may only require half that amount as a minimum. Or, perhaps you want to require one set minimum for everything, say 10 or 15 per style. You also may want to set a minimum order total. For instance, maybe it is not worth your while to wholesale unless the minimum order amount is $300 or more. Then you would set your total order minimum to that amount. As you can see, it will all depend on what you choose to set so that you can make a profit from wholesaling and it be worth your time.

4. Put some policies in place to protect you and your buyers. If you have an Etsy shop, you probably already have some policies in place on payment, shipping methods, refunds/returns, etc. You need to do the same when presenting your wholesaling options to a potential buyer. Be clear to the shop owner or representative on how you will handle these important subjects by putting your policies in writing to go with your wholesale options.

5. The Wholesale Linesheet: present your wholesale options in the form of a brochure, catalog, or listing. Before starting to research the topic of wholesaling, I don't think that I'd ever heard the term "linesheet" before. It seemed very intimidating to me to have to come up with a linesheet for my wholesale items, but I have found that it is much easier than it seems. A wholesale linesheet is just a way to convey your wholesale options to interested shops. It can take on many different forms such as a small brochure, full-color catalog, or simple document listing. Whatever form you choose, be sure to include all the necessary information such as item name and number, description, sizing, colors, etc. Often times, prices are listed separately, but since I created my own linesheet, it contains pricing as well. You would also benefit from presenting all the information in a very organized way with item photos. It is also good to include some type of order form with it. Your linesheet can be similar to any mainstream catalog that you've seen or, if you're not that design savvy, a simple, yet organized, document with listings would work. Your linesheet is only a means to present your wholesale options so there are many ways to do this, but it is necessary to have something to present to shops. Also, I recommend that you have it in both digital and print quality form so that you can email or snail mail your linesheet as necessary. (Please see the resources listed below for links to much more information on linesheets.)

6. Make it easy for shops to contact you about wholesale options. Once you are completely organized for wholesaling with minimums and policies set and a linesheet ready, start making your desire to wholesale known wherever you have a presence. My main presence is online so I have made known my willingness to wholesale on all my online venues such as my Etsy shop, my blog, and my fiber arts website. If you have a personal website or blog, I also recommend that you integrate a wholesale request submission form or at least a list of your required information from shops to be emailed to you. This information could include the shop's name, contact name, physical and mailing addresses, phone number, email address, website (if applicable), a little about the shop itself, what their interest is in your items, and their tax i.d. number.

7. Know who you are wholesaling to. Perhaps you are only planning on approaching local area shops to carry your items, but more often than not, you will be approached by shops worldwide, especially if you have an online presence where you actively advertise your wholesale availability. If you do wholesale or consign at local shops, then you will probably meet with the shop owner in-person at some point and browse the shop itself. This is really the best way to get to know who you are selling to and who is representing you, but this is not always possible with a global market. If you do plan to wholesale abroad, I highly recommend that you get to know as much about interested shops as possible. You may not be that picky about who represents your products and how they are presented, and that is entirely up to you. I always like to know a little about shops that inquire for my wholesale options. It is especially nice when they have a website or blog with photos of their store front and a listing of other represented artisans. At the very least, you do need to the basic information that I listed in number six for your records and tax purposes.

8. Start selling! This part can take time (I know from experience!), but be patient and continue to promote. You may even consider approaching local shops in person about carrying your items, but be respectful of shop owners and try to call ahead for an appointment if possible. You may want to email shops or send out postcard announcements letting them know about your wholesale options. There are many, many ways to attract new wholesale accounts. You really just have to see what works for you and continue to run your business as usual.


I hope that the above information is helpful. Although I am certainly no expert on wholesaling my handmade items and have just begun the process, I am happy to share what resources I have found along the way and give you my take on how things work. There are many links below to articles and forums that I found to be interesting and informative when it comes to setting up your arts and crafts business for wholesaling. I hope you can pick and choose to find what helps you the most. Best wishes to any artist or crafter who pursues wholesaling! And feel free to add your personal experiences, insight, and information in the comments.



INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES PERTAINING TO WHOLESALING:

Wholesale Rep Sites for handmade artisans:
GreatRep.com
WholesaleCrafts.com
MyWares.com

Wholesale Linesheet Examples:
Fashion-Incubator's What is a linesheet? - a detailed description of what to include in a linesheet and how to organize one.

Fashion-Incubator's Line sheets revisited - a follow up to their original article above with added information and links.

Jewelry Line Sheets by Rena Klingenberg - although geared toward jewelry artisans, this has good linesheet information for any professional artisan.

Sales Materials: The Dreaded Line Sheet on StartUpKidsLine.com - shares the experience of creating a linesheet and what is involved.


Informational Resources for pricing, pursuing wholesale, and promoting:
Tips for Pricing Your Handmade Crafts - suggestions on how to price your items for both wholesale and retail based on labor, materials cost, etc.

How to Price Your Handmade Goods - an in-depth article on the business of art for the independent artist or crafter which contains a lot of good information presented with many aspects in mind.

Selling Wholesale - an article on wholesaling handmade items by Christie Beach, co-owner of Out of the Barn Primitives, with easy to understand basic information:

Home Jewelry Success Tips by Rena Klingenberg - although geared toward jewelry artists, this site's information can apply to other artisans as well.


Arts and Crafts Sites' Forums and Other Resources:
The Switchboards Forum - great info on wholesale, promotions, press releases, and much, much more!

Craftster.org's Forum section Opportunities for Crafters - some information on possible promotion opportunities involving web, print, and film as well as some listings for shops seeking handmade items.

Etsy's Forum - if you search for "wholesale" on Etsy's forum, you will come across many Etsy sellers' posts regarding their experiences with wholesale which can be very, very helpful.

The EtsyWiki - this Etsy resource has an entire section devoted to wholesale.



**the photo image is a portion of the front cover of my wholesale linesheet brochure. If you'd like to request a full linesheet of my wholesale items, please visit my wholesale request page.