FAF: The Butterfly Quilter

Pat belongs to my Etsy Team Quiltsy.  She has many spectacular art quilts in her shop, The Butterfly Quilter.   I was looking for something amazing, and I found it in her work!  Such artistry!  Her detailed quilting really enhances her quilts.  So, I was curious, what makes someone like her tick?  Find out for yourself.

What originally gave you the idea to create such an interesting Etsy shop?

Living in Maine we didn’t have high speed internet till Oct. 2011. Yup it was that late for us in this part of Maine. One of my friends told me about the site and then my husband found it and said, “I think you should sell on Etsy”. I had a hard enough time having people tell me my quilts are beautiful so this was a big step. I made a decision to put on the site quilts that I would want for myself and not just to make to sell. So far it is working out for me. I have to force myself not to just make to sell but to make them as if they were for me and really like them.

Ideas are often so hard to implement– tell us a bit about how you started and what were your first steps in creating you niche in the Etsy and handmade community?

I am one of those people that just go for it once my mind is made up. Like creating a quilt. Sometimes I have to think outside the box. Etsy was way outside the box for me. For the first months I was on the site reading and listening to the labs and working the forums. I am talking about 4 to 6 hours a day. My quilting was on hold at this time just to get my shop up and running. I am not computer savvy at all so this was something so foreign to me. So I tackled it like a quilt, once piece at a time.

What is your main hurdle in running your Etsy site to date?

Time is my greatest enemy and a major hurdle for me. I get up first thing in the morning and check in and comment in the forums and teams. Then do some work on my tags. Then I check in at lunch and one more time at night. I can tell when I slack off a little my stats go down. So time management is big since it takes away from my craft. Not enough hours in a day.

How do you promote your business? Facebook, Twitter, blogging or other?

LOL I don’t have anytime to do any of the above. My husband just got facebook. I don’t Twitter or blog. All of my promotion in on Etsy alone. My friends pass on the word thru their facebook page when I download a new quilt. I do pass out my business cards when I am out and about though.

Describe the process of creating one of your handmade items.

Nature is a part of the process for me. If I am blank and can’t come up with a design my HB and I go hiking. Things just start happening from there. He is a photographer and he has his camera with him so I have him taking photos of certain things. Then I save them in a file just for me. I dream a lot about design so as soon as I get up I write it down and keep it in a file. When I have time I will look thru them and come up with something.

An example my earth texture quilt. I wanted to incorporate macro photos on a background of  the earth, like a sand feel.  I start with a ruff sketch then from there transferred it to a more definite sketch onto muslin. Then cut out hundreds of pieces of different tone on tones with  heat and bond to adhere to the muslin that I drew the design on. Then printed my macro photos onto fabric with my computer and heat set them onto my piece. Never pieced a quilt this way before. Did my layer of batting then back and quilted it all over to hold everything in place with a tone on tone variegated thread. Once done I new I needed to add beading of wood and abalone beads. Then I thought it needed definition around the edges of the photos so I used helm to finish the piece off. So my quilting just keep progressing sometimes. 

What do you love most about making your products?

Seeing if what I image it will look like comes out the way I thought it would. Most of the time my designs go in a different direction once I start and always for the better. My quilt tops speak to me and tell me what they need.

Fun Facts:

List three adjectives that describe you.

Adventurous, generous, and energetic. According to my husband. LOL

Favorite Food: Too many to count. Scallops, cantaloupe, popcorn

If you were an animal, what animal would you be? Why?

Probably an Elephant. Ok they can be stubborn, but I am working on that. I am loyal and dependable. People always seem to come to me when they need something and know that I will always be there for them. Elephants seem to wander so it no wonder I do not stay in one place long. An Elephant never forgets, this is so true for me also. Once I learn something I seem to retain that knowledge, hopefully to use some day when it is needed. The Elephant is also patient and my students when I was teaching quilting too always said I would always answer questions and be patient till they understood what I was trying to get across.

 I certainly can understand the time issue!  I never have enough.  I dare you to take the time today to look at Pat's Etsy shop...  you won't be disappointed!

 

FAF: Mary of By a Thread

Recently I was chatting with quilters/sewers from my Quiltsy Team and Mary volunteered to be interviewed.  So, I went to browse through Mary's shop, By a Thread and I was really impressed. Her products are made of top-quality fabric with an excellent eye for details.  Her products are practical creations to improve the everyday life.  By a Thread is full of gorgeous batik covers and other useful items.  What a huge inspiration to me! I love her beautiful creations.

 

What originally gave you the idea to create such an interesting Etsy shop?

I learned to quilt from a friend when I moved to Vermont, about 8 years ago.  I like making beautiful things that are also useful.  That’s why I started applying quilting to everyday items.  I started making purses and selling them to co-workers and at the occasional craft fair.  I found Etsy when I was looking for a way to sell excess inventory.  Etsy made it easy to set up an online shop.

Ideas are often so hard to implement—tell us a bit about how you started and what were your first steps in creating your niche in the Etsy and handmade community.

I found that the forums, blogs and seller’s guide on Etsy, were invaluable to me starting out.  I had a lot of questions, but could get most of them answered by searching the forums.  I also had a lot of friends who cheered me on.  My first customers on Etsy were friends who supported my business.

Could you share some tips on how someone would go about growing an Etsy shop or online presence? 

Creating and posting new items regularly seems to be the most important thing.  You read that advice over and over in Etsy publications because it’s true.  I’ve found it helpful to give myself quotas and goals so I keep track of how I’m doing with this.  This past fall, I noticed that for every 5 items I posted, I sold at least one item. (Not necessarily the new items.)  In December it was closer to selling one for each item I listed.  I love December!

What is your main hurdle in running your Etsy site to date?

Confusion.  There are so many products I could make and so many ways I can market my business, that it can be overwhelming.  I got a lot of help with this by taking the Business Turnaround class at www.ittybiz.com.

Tell us about the most interesting item you’ve ever made.

I worked with a friend to make memory quilts for his two grandchildren.  He selected photos that we printed on fabric, and I made quilts with them.  They are family heirlooms that those children will probably have for the rest of their lives.

How do you promote your business?  Facebook, Twitter, blogging, or other?

I use facebook, twitter and pinterest.  I have an email list and send out weekly mailings.  I don’t have a blog, but I write posts for other blogs.  I’m a member of several teams on Etsy.

Describe the process of creating one of your handmade items. 

When I buy fabric, I always launder it first, so it won’t shrink in future washings.  I have standard measurements for items I make, so I use them to cut out the fabric and batting.  I use cord in a lot of my products.  I sew that into loops for buttons, by hand.  If I use cord for purses, I hand sew the ends so it doesn’t unravel.  I generally sew things in such a way that the seams are turned inward. (rather than using binding to finish edges)  I free-motion quilt all my products, then sew up final seams and hand sew buttons. When I appliqué, I use iron on appliqué, then quilt over it.

What do you love most about making your products? 

There are 2 things that I most love about doing this.  I adore all the gorgeous fabrics that are available these days, especially batiks.  It’s a treat to be able to buy so many of them and make useful, beautiful products.  I also love the feedback I get from customers.  I love hearing that a product I sold, brought happiness or was the perfect gift for someone they love.

Fun Facts:

List 3 adjectives that describe you.

Creative, persistent, curious

What is your favorite food?

Do I have to choose between cheese and chocolate?

If you were an animal, what animal would you be? Why?

I suppose I have the personality of a small bird.  I flit from one thing to another and back again.  I’m always busy.  I love trees and I love to sing.

In conclusion, I recommend that you treat yourself to a leisurely stroll through her shop.  You may find a treasure you never knew you needed!  Just click on this link and you'll be there:

By a Thread.

FAF: Uniquely Nancy

New York Beauty

The last couple of weeks I have found myself drawn to quilts made by Uniquely Nancy on Etsy.  For instance, when I looked up "red and white quilt" I was immediately drawn to her beautiful quilt, New York Beauty in Red and White.  She has an eye for cheerful color and lovely quilts.  As she states in her profile, "I love using bright fabrics and unexpected color combinations. I love all the new art quilts and have so many ideas of what I want to make that I have a hard time deciding what to do next."



She has been sewing for 50 years and quilting for over 20 years.   She has a broad range of items available in her shop: art quilts, bed quilts, mug rugs, aprons, bags and purses of all sorts,  and even some dolls.  All of her items are superbly made which demonstrates her love of the craft. 




Here's a look at some of  my favorite things from her shop!  I really like the bright colors and the eclectic collection of items.  I like to sew/quilt the same way... with wild abandon moving as the wind blows.  Whatever strikes my fancy, I make.  It'd be hard to classify myself or Nancy with any particular style because she has such a wide variety of products.  Enjoy looking at her products, I sure did!

 

 

 

 

To see her shop sections which I found these treasures, click on these links:
coin purses
bags
quilts
housewares

FAF: Featured Artist Friday is Dawn from Spring Water Designs

This is going to be a great interview!  I had the opportunity to meet Dawn in the Quiltsy team discussions.  She is fair and generous, and easy to talk with.  She has a wide range of items in her shop and also boasts a blog and a website.  Yet, she still found the time to answer my questions.  How fun to share her answers with you!

What originally gave you the idea to create such an interesting Etsy shop?

When I first started Spring Water Designs, I didn’t have a website, so Etsy was a great do-it-myself kind of way for me to have a web presence and sell my items online.  It’s an added benefit that people who shop at Etsy really appreciate and respect handmade items.   

Ideas are often so hard to implement—tell us a bit about how you started and what were your first steps in creating your niche in the Etsy and handmade community.

I started with crib quilts on Etsy (that I also sell at a local children’s shop), and some of my original patterns.  Often I make multiple quilts from my pattern designs, so I sell them on Etsy as well.  I also enjoy taking part in challenges at my guild and online, so sometimes those challenge projects end up in my Etsy shop too.

Could you share some tips on how someone would go about growing an Etsy shop or online presence?

Once I opened my Etsy shop, I discovered their wonderful online community. Read, read, read!  There is so much great information to learn from others in the forums, and from Etsy tutorials about selling online, and how to make your shop better.  The very best thing I did was join an Etsy Team. I still learn something almost everyday about tweaking and marketing my shop from the postings of other team members. 

What is your main hurdle in running your Etsy site to date?

Trying to manage my time to work the holiday seasons better.  I also do work for magazines, and I’m still trying to get used to working so far ahead to have the projects finished for the proper season release. 

What are some of the most interesting teams you’ve seen develop on the Etsy site?

I’ve only joined the Quiltsy Team so far, and that keeps me really focused, and they’re super supportive.  I’ve been intrigued with the idea of joining a local team to connect with Etsians close to home. 

What is the structure behind the scenes—how many people do you have working on your shop at the moment?

Right now Spring Water Designs consists of me, my dog Butters, and cat Maddie (Butters and Maddie are mostly moral support).  I have two daughter’s that were helping me with developing some product lines, and my daughter Lisa has been sewing a line of Infinity Scarves that we’ve been selling in the shop, but both of them have started working full time elsewhere and starting their young families, so they’re not able to help out much for a while.  They give me great input though and I am slowing implementing their product ideas J

How do you promote your business?  Facebook, Twitter, blogging, or other?

All of the above as much as possible. You can find me at random times at any of these places:

http://springwaterdesigns.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/springwaterdesigns

https://twitter.com/springwtrdesign

http://pinterest.com/springwater/

http://springwaterdesigns.com

My favorite place is my blog, I try to share a little of what I’m working on (when I’m allowed to share any more ~ some magazine projects have to be kept hush-hush until their release), and I like to share about other cool blogs and sites online.  I’m planning to do more fun stuff on my facebook page too. 

Describe the process of creating one of your handmade items.

Wow, my processes are all different because I like to work with a lot of different styles, from traditional handwork, to quick modern projects.  I think working with a lot of styles and techniques keeps it fresh for me…but it all starts with pulling the fabrics.  I really love the process of laying out and auditioning all the different fabric possibilities.  I love to upcycle old un-wearable sweaters and clothes too, so sometimes I’m cutting up sleeves…you just never know J

This beauty is featured in Fons and Porter Magazine!  Kudos!

What do you love most about making your products? 

Yep, I definitely love pulling the colors and playing with the fabrics.  But I also enjoy soothing a day of just repetitive sewing like machine blanket stitching, or curling up with hand appliqué in my recliner at night ~ it’s a fun job!

Fun Facts:

List 3 adjectives that describe you.

Caring, Dependable, with a touch of Silly

What is your favorite food?

It’s a toss up between Pizza and Chocolate Eclairs (the kind with custard inside, yummm)

If you were an animal, what animal would you be? Why?

I would have to say a cat, mostly because my cat can sleep virtually anywhere.  She also comes across as pretty wise, and only interjects herself at the most opportune times (attributes that I’m striving for). 

Conclusion:
I must say that I'm really impressed by the fact that you do things for quilting magazines.  I'd really love to do that too.... but I have no idea how to go about it.  How exciting that you currently have a project in the Fons and Porter Magazine.  (See the pink and brown quilt above.)

I also love diversity in the things that I make... otherwise I get bored and it seems more like work than a fulfilling hobby and a wonderful passion that lets my soul soar.  So, I change things up too from quilts to baby quilts, from Schelp bags to knitting needle cases...  anything to keep my mind engaged in the creative process. 

I'm sure you're all dying to know where you can see Dawn's delightful products so that you can browse through them.  Of course, she gave us links earlier... but here's her Etsy site, her blog, and her website.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Friday Featured Artist: Karen Colbert of Tahoe Quilts

 This is a new part of my blog.  An interview or review with an artist that has caught my eye.  My first featured artist is Karen Colbert.  I saw her items on my Esty Quiltsy team discussion thread.  Karen's work is splendid!  I love her quilting style.   Her use of color is fascinating and makes her quilts really stand out from the crowd.  On top of that, she is kind and generous to others just beginning on Etsy, such as myself. So, let's see what Karen has to say about herself.  To the interview we go!

Interview
What originally gave you the idea to create such an interesting Etsy shop? My Daughter initially encouraged me to open my shop. I hesitated as I wasn’t sure if anyone would buy any of my artwork, especially my expensive pieces, online. I have had a brick & mortar shop for seven years, and figured there was nothing to lose by going online.

I have been creating art quilts and home décor items for 13 years. I worked out of my home for six years, doing outdoor shows and selling my work at two local venues. I then moved into a B&M shop. I am one of the few people in Lake Tahoe who do fabric art, and the only person (that I know of) that sells their work. I have a distinct style, all designs are my original ideas, and I offer a product that no one else sells. I started creating home décor items, such as runners, as I was displeased with the offerings in stores. After all, why in the fall, would a store sell beige runners when you have so many gorgeous fall hues to chose from? Hence my foray into the home décor arena.

I figured with 1/6th of the economy being driven by the Internet and having successfully sold my work here at Lake Tahoe, it would make sense to have an Etsy shop. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I took my daughters advice and jumped right in.

Ideas are often so hard to implement—tell us a bit about how you started and what were your first steps in creating your niche in the Etsy and handmade community. I have a web site for my brick & mortar, artistsatlaketahoe.com, which is an art gallery featuring 16 local artists. I had hired a web person to build that site, and implement the “buy now” feature for my art quilts. The problem was keeping it updated. With Etsy, I can build my own site, post my own work, change it, etc. myself without relying upon – and paying – a web person. 

 It was pretty much a business decision to enhance my online exposure with the least amount of web work. I have a link from my web site above to my Etsy shop, and I pass out my Etsy shop business card for people to look at and buy my artwork.

Could you share some tips on how someone would go about growing an Etsy shop or online presence? I opened my shop December 23, 2009. The first year “in business” I didn’t pay much attention to the shop. I would list items periodically, pat myself on the back when I got a sale, but didn’t “work” the shop. I also only listed lower end items, i.e. items under $50. People added me to their treasuries, and a handful of people found my shop. Toward the end of 2010, I began listing items over $50 items, and lo and behold, I sold a $250 piece in January 2011. It has been going well since then.

I use to pull up treasuries at random, heart items, and look to see what other people were excited about. I pulled up other shops featuring quilts, and looked at what they were selling, price points, etc. I did my “homework” to see where I fit into the Etsy marketplace. But the best move, I believe, was joining the Quiltsy Team when asked. This has not only been a wonderful source of friendship, but we support each other as business people, and I definitely feel this led to my financial success in 2011.
I also began a rigorous schedule of listing and renewing items, sometimes as many as five items a day. The new Etsy stats have been wonderful to see what items are being viewed, and what time of day. I have been attempting to list items at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., East coast time, as that is when I get the most shop views. If people are looking at table runners, I list/renew those items. If art quilts, I list/renew those items.


What is your main hurdle in running your Etsy site to date? Marketing. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I am not a Facebook fan, and feel it is a time waster. This will answer the question below, but I am the only person who runs both my Etsy shop and my B&M shop. I make all my own items, I sit at my shop (where I also have my studio) every day, do my own marketing, accounting, and purchasing, and every other task in between. I don’t have the luxury of Tweeting, Facebook-ing, or blogging as I just don’t have the time. And I have to admit, I don’t know much about these avenues or their benefits. My B&M shop and my Etsy shop is my full time business and what I do to make a living. It is not a hobby but a job. And I have to be very careful where I spend my time. I am usually found sitting at home at night with my hubbie of 22 years, hemming, posting on Etsy, and answering emails.

What are some of the most interesting forums you’ve seen develop on the Etsy site or your personal website? I don’t go into the forums often as again, I just don’t have the time. But I do like that if there is an issue, either good or bad, that there is a venue to express your opinions and be heard.

What is the structure behind the scenes—how many people do you have working on your shop at the moment? See answer above, but boy would I love to have help! Part of the issue is that I am the best person to describe my work, take the photos, etc. and if I hired someone, it would be money out of my pocket that I don’t have. Also, I can only post what I produce, so as soon as I make it, I list it! My husband lost his job in December; he is now my runner to the post office. I would love for him to help me cut fabric, etc. in my studio, but I am taking things one step at a time with integrating him into helping me…..we are still working on wrapping items for shipping! Bless him, he supports everything I do and the emotional support, at times, is what I really need from him.

 How do you promote your business? Facebook, Twitter, blogging, or other? I do have a FB page for my business, I “like” items to post to FB, and I upload new listings periodically to FB. Again, in looking at my shop stats, I get maybe one view every two to three weeks via FB; it just doesn’t seem to be a place I should spend my time. I’m not familiar at all with Twitter, but I am not an instantaneous person. I can wait to check my email when it is convenient, return phone calls within 24 hours, and can focus on other activities without feeling torn by technology.

Being part of a team, I participate in team treasury blitzes, favorite other member’s items (and they favorite mine), and we share tips on a range of topics from recipes to Etsy marketing. This has been a valuable tool for building my shop.

Describe the process of creating one of your handmade items.   

My quilts are like pieces of art using fabric instead of a paintbrush. Drawing from thousands of fabrics cut into two inch squares, each quilt is hand designed on a white mat. I use four squares to represent a flower, or several squares in a row to impersonate a flower bed. Some of my quilts are laid out to create a color flow from pink to purple to blue to yellow to orange that is more abstract than an imitation of an image. Most of my quilts are reminiscent of Monet paintings, represented as an impressionistic garden or blend of colors.

Fun Facts
List 3 adjectives that describe you. Musical, humorous, hardworking.

What is your favorite food? Bread pudding for dessert, bacon for breakfast, and a filet Mignon steak for dinner!

 If you were an animal, what animal would you be? Why?  I would say a dolphin. They sing, and I am a singer – I wanted to major in music in college but instead chose a degree in Business Administration. I am in three music groups in our local community. Dolphins are sleek and beautiful, they are intelligent, they seek attention, and give so much of themselves in return. I am a leader, not bad looking for 51, and strive to give as much as I can to my family and community of 26 years. I am a Christian, a mother, a wife, and do as much as I can to give back to others which I have been blessed to receive.

Conclusion
Wow!  What a great interview!  Thanks so much for participating!  I really enjoyed your thorough answers.   I wish you a lot of success in the future.

Check out her delightful shop: Tahoe Quilts.