Craft Answers

Market your Own Designs for Embroidery and Knitting

Alan K — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:22:26 +0000

If you are looking for a way to market your creativity, you can possibly make money selling your own designs for embroidery and knitting. Either you can sell them as patterns for other folks to sew on, or you can display them as samples of work that you have done, that you can do for others. You can sell both patch work and work that will be sewn directly on fabric. Not only that, but you can knit your own clothing designs and either, sell the clothes that you have designed, or as a pattern for others to buy. No matter how you decide to market your creative talent, you have the potential to make money.

How to Ship Hand Made Crafts

Alan K — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:32:29 +0000

When it comes to shipping your hand made crafts, you need to look into delivery methods that are both practical and safe. After all, your customers will be none too happy if your carefully crafted item arrives at its destination in many pieces instead of whole. To that end, try to get some advice from others who have been in the craft business longer than you have. Find out what supplies they use to ship their goods and what shipping options they offer to their customers. In addition, find out whether they only ship locally, within the same country or do they ship overseas to international customers.

Home Based Custom Embroidery Digitizing Business

Alan K — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:49:00 +0000

Computers are everywhere and can be used for virtually anything including digitizing embroidery designs. An automated embroidery machine will create your finished product in less time with a more finished appearance and less work on your part when it comes to the actual stitching. However, digitizing for embroidery involves a far amount of skill and not something you can jump straight into without some training.

Why the Knitting Crocheting Business is Seasonal

Alan K — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:44:49 +0000

Similar to snowboard sales, the knitting crocheting business tends to be seasonal with a successful sale period taking up about six months of the year. The autumn and winter months comprise the bulk of the demand for knitted merchandise. Depending on the area of the country where you live, this season can be either longer or shorter. For instance, in the dry western areas of the United States, the season for knitting and crocheting profits would be clearly shorter, since the demand for the product simply would not exist very long. Nevertheless, in the north-eastern part of the country such as the New England states, the seasonal demand for knitted products might be slightly longer than the typical winter and autumn seasons combined due to more frequent cold and rainy temperatures.

Tips on Gauging the Supply and Demand for Handmade Crafts

Alan K — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:54:20 +0000

How do you know if your crafts will sell? Gauging the supply and demand for handmade crafts means studying and testing the market. A huge stepping-stone to success is always to first understand who your target market is and where these folks can be found. You can do research on and off the Internet to determine what sort of demographics you should be aiming for. Ask yourself questions such as:

How to Profit from Handmade Bath Products

Alan K — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:04:06 +0000

If you have a talent for making home made bath products, why not turn your skill into something that you can make a profit. Everyday folks turn their skills at craft making to successful, profitable business. There is no reason why you cannot do the same. Handmade bath products are a niche market that very few folks have gotten into yet. This is an excellent reason for taking your products to the public and offering them for sale.

Tips on Marketing Knitting Items at Craft Shows

Alan K — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:38:17 +0000

A craft show is a great way to display items you have designed and knitted. At a craft show, you can display the crafts that you have worked on for weeks and months for many different folks. The great thing about displaying your work at a craft show is that potential buyers will be among the onlookers. When you attend a craft show, the main objective of show casing your craft is so that you can make money from the sale of it. There are many ways that you can make sales by marketing your knitting items at craft shows.

Molded Candle Making Troubleshooting Tips

Alan K — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:44:10 +0000

Every candle type presents its own special challenges and molded candle making is no exception. Indeed, any worthy craft will have its own specific difficulties and if you have ever spent any amount of time pouring candles, you will find yourself troubleshooting eventually. Here we are some of the most common concerns and frustrations related to molded candle making.

Container Candle Making Troubleshooting Tips

Alan K — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:30:56 +0000

With any worthy craft there are bound to be minor troubles. If you spend any amount of time pouring candles, you will eventually spend some time troubleshooting. Here are the most common concerns and complaints about container candles and tips to alleviate some of the frustration all candle makers undoubtedly feel at sometime during their home candle making career.

Container vs. Molded Candle Craft

Alan K — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:33:01 +0000

Most folks decide to start their home candle making business by making container candles, but a select few choose to begin with molded candles. Most often molded candles, such as votives and pillars, are a next step for somewhat experienced candle makers. While making molded candles is not necessarily more difficult than making container candles, they do demand a bit more technique, a few more supplies and most often require a greater time investment in determining the best use of additives and learning the molded candle craft.

Paraffin Candle Wax vs. All Natural Candle Wax

Alan K — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 07:09:25 +0000

If you are a connoisseur of candles, then no doubt, you have heard the great debate on paraffin candle wax vs. all natural candle wax. While some candle makers choose to offer two separate candle lines, most crafters choose to focus their efforts on one type of wax or the other. Although each wax offers its own benefits and drawbacks, one wax is not necessarily better than the other is.

Tips on Making Paraffin Wax Candles

Alan K — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 13:46:49 +0000

Selecting the ideal paraffin wax to use in your candles requires an analysis of several key factors, the first of which is deciding what type of candles you are going to make. For example, the type of paraffin one would use for container candles is very different from the type of paraffin one would use for pillar candles.

How to Select Candle Dye Colors

Alan K — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:35:44 +0000

More often than not, candle makers choose to enhance their craftsmanship by adding dye to their candles. While some candle makers choose to leave their candles naturally colored, most crafters want to enhance the decorative aspect of their products by creating vibrant colors. In today's market, there are a number of ways to achieve these results. Here some basics on how to select candle dye colors to add a touch of pizzazz to your creations.

Creating Unique Specialty Candles

Alan K — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:50:39 +0000

The wide variety of specialty candles available in the marketplace has opened the door for the everyday candle maker to try something new and possibly create their own, unique candle line. Specialty candle making is typically reserved for more experienced candle makers, but the option is also there to anyone new to the craft.

How to Choose the Best Candle Wicks

Alan K — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:06:20 +0000

When folks first begin making candles, they are often surprised by just how many wicks there are available. This can make it a bit complicated to determine the best wick for each type of candle. However, choosing the right wick can be the ultimate difference in whether your candle is a raging success, or a not so subtle failure. Proper wicking makes all the difference when it comes to the life of the candle, how well it burns and whether or not it even stays lit.

Choosing Fragrance Oils for Candles

Alan K — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:30:27 +0000

The number one reason folks purchase candles is for the aroma and for this reason, the fragrance is the most important ingredient in the whole candle making process. Fragrancing is also one of the most complex and costly areas of candle making. Not only are candle fragrance oils the most expensive ingredient; they will also be the determining factor in whether or not your candles are a hit or a miss.

Best Natural Wax for Home Candle Making

Alan K — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:21:47 +0000

Selecting the best natural wax to use in your home made candle making business depends on several key factors. For one, you need to determine what type of candles you are going to make since the type of natural wax you would use for container candles is very different from the type of natural wax you would use for taper candles.

How to Make Scented Container Candles

Alan K — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:58:59 +0000

When you first begin making candles, the most important question you must ask yourself is what type of candles do you want to make. With all the different candle types to choose from, knowing where to start can be difficult. Many folks get into the home candle making business because they want to be able to make their own to fragrance their homes. With that goal in mind, learning to make container candles is probably the best and easiest way to get started.

Home Candle Making Business Resources

Alan K — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:41:19 +0000

Even experienced candle makers once had to conquer the candle making learning curve. No one just automatically knows exactly how to make the perfect candle. All candle makers have to learn the process and seek information and instructions to perfect their techniques. With all of the resources available today, just what is the best way to go about learning the craft of home candle making?

Candle Making Additives

Alan K — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:21:19 +0000

If you are just starting out on your home candle making business, the chances are that you will be consulting various resources for instructions and troubleshooting. It is highly likely that the use of additives will crop up at one point or another. Here is a quick rundown of some of the most common candle making additives together with tips on when and why they should be used.

Fundraising Programs Selling Home Made Candles

Alan K — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:16:01 +0000

While many candle makers learn and perfect the craft as a hobby, there are others with goals to make money from the craft. Of the many ways to sell your candles, setting up fundraising programs is one option that you may wish to consider. Establishing a fundraising program featuring your candles is a great way to multiply your sales force in an economical manner. While hiring and managing a sales force may not be possible, fundraising can be a great way to have many people selling on your behalf. It also allows you to leverage your ability to sell without you doing most of the work.

Selling Homemade Candles by Consignment

Alan K — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:56:38 +0000

While some home candle makers learn and perfect the craft for personal enjoyment, chances are that most of them have thought about selling their candles to generate some supplemental income. Some even choose to replace their income entirely at one point or another. Moreover, with so many ways to sell your candles, where is the best place to focus your attention? While no one can answer that question for you, there are benefits to each way that may affect your decision. Here is an overview of selling your homemade candles by consignment so that you can decide whether this method may work for you.

How to Wholesale Homemade Candles

Alan K — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:34:23 +0000

While most candle makers start out making candles as a hobby, many eventually choose to turn that hobby into a full-fledged business. Whether through retailing, fundraising, consignment or wholesaling, there are several choices to expand your business into a valid part-time or full-time enterprise. Here we will discuss the topic of wholesaling as an option for building a solid business.

Making and Selling Candles for Profit

Alan K — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:18:00 +0000

While many folks start candle making as a hobby, the huge interest in candles makes it possible to earn a decent part-time or full-time income by selling your candles to others. You can sell wholesale, on consignment or set up fundraising programs. The most common approach is to retail your candles. Here we will introduce you to retailing so that you can determine if this method is a good fit for you.

Candle Making Equipment and Supplies

Alan K — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:05:55 +0000

If you are considering starting a home candle making business, you are going to need a variety of equipment and supplies. However, when you start looking at the different candle making supplies available to the candle maker of today, the list seems almost endless. It seems an intimidating job to decide what is truly essential for candle making versus what may be merely helpful. Here are some tips on the most basic necessities together with common equipment and supplies that you may find helpful.

Teach Crafting to Promote Your Craft Business

Alan K — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:22:11 +0000

There is no better teacher of crafts than someone who makes crafts their business on a day-to-day basis. If you have a passion for crafts and you have a fondness for teaching coupled with plenty of patience and understanding then you can definitely teach crafting to others. In addition, this is an excellent way to promote your own business in the process. Teaching crafting is a way to help your sales increase and that is always good news!

How to Make Money from a Knitting and Embroidery Website

Alan K — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:27:49 +0000

Creating your own knitting and embroidery website can provide you with an extra part time income if you set it up correctly. If you are already an experienced craft artist who has received rave reviews for your work, you will have a head start over others. Moreover, you can display your work on your site, and make money doing so. If you do not know how, you can take advantage of all the resources available to help you learn how.

How to Start a Home Embroidery Business

Alan K — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:31:12 +0000

For those who enjoy doing it, embroidery can be a great work at home business which is relatively easy to set up. Here are some of the things to consider when setting up a home embroidery business.

Photo Cross Stitching as a Home Based Craft Business

Alan K — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:24:39 +0000

For the experienced cross-stitch fanatic, the same old patterns that you can buy at the craft store may seem boring and out-dated. If you are looking for something newer and more exciting, consider trying photo cross-stitching. You can change favorite photos into beautiful works of art with some time and patience.

Work at Home Sewing Opportunities

Alan K — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:04:48 +0000

If you are into sewing and looking for a way to work at home, you may be able to make money by starting your own home-based business sewing crafts. Although it requires a lot of commitment, dedication, and motivation, you can do it if you really want to.