Overcoming Hurdles and Making New Things...

Hello.

Many customers have been asking if I will be attending the One of A Kind Show next week to hawk my wares. The answer is no, so if you're planning on visiting me there to purchase something you might want to send me an email or pm instead.

The major reason for hitting pause on big craft shows is that I needed to schedule time to launch a new product. When I'm making and making and making I find that I end up dreaming far too much and I don't move forward with those dreams. There's nothing worse than stagnation for a creative small business person and I was starting to feel a lack of drive in the Fall.

So, decision made - no big shows, I got down to the business of designing my new product at last.

Sewing kits! Double yay and a very big happy dance...

For at least five years I have wanted to make sewing and DIY kits. I love using them, I love looking at them and I love seeing them spark something creative in other people. New skills, new crafty goodness. Why on earth am I not making them myself?

Fear. Plain and simple. Fear of trying something new. Fear of learning new computer skills to create the instructions and packaging. Fear fear fear.

Computers are a major stumbling block in my life. I am not a naturally techie person. I don't find apple products intuitive and the thought of learning coding makes me want to run screaming for the hills. I knew I would need illustrator to really make a go of these sewing instructions. So I put it off.
For FIVE years!!

It finally occurred to me that I could launch the product without it being perfect. I could ask for help (who knew?!) with illustrator and I should really just get over it and start. So I did. I enlisted the help of an incredible friend with more graphic design know-how in her pinky finger than I have ever had and we got to work.

But my goodness, even with her skills and my newfound determination there is an enormous amount of work involved in creating a sewing kit. I already had the pattern drafted as I'd been selling these decorations myself in the past. But then I had to write the instructions. They had to MAKE SENSE!
My brain felt like it was inwardly collapsing, I kid you not. I again put off drawing up the instructions and got started sourcing materials instead. The easy part, the fun part. I found the embroidery floss and the needles, and the beautiful craft felt locally. You can find my felt supplier here.

Packaging was trickier, it felt so risky ordering hundreds of boxes and stickers. What if I hate them?? What if nobody buys them??

Happily they turned out just fine and I'm really pleased with the results.

I could put it off no longer. I had to finally sit down and draft the instructions and draw the illustrations to go with them. I can't tell you how many issues I have with my own drawings.
Big thanks to my Year 9 art teacher who told me I couldn't draw. Ugh.

In a few short hours it was all done, naturally. Nowhere near the nightmare I thought it would be. Then I passed it over to my wonderful pal who started loading everything into illustrator and putting a template together. She really is brilliant, and there were an insane amount of hours involved in reaching the final product. I still don't umderstand how she did it all, and I do intend to learn how to use the program myself eventually but thank goodness she was able to take over at this point. I was done. I would most certainly have stopped and put sewing kits off for another five years. And wouldn't that be ridiculous? I mean, look how darn adorable they are!!

So, without further ado. You may now purchase my sweet little sewing kits and make some crafty goodness of your own this Holiday season. Please follow the link here to my Etsy store to purchase.
International buyers, your cutoff date for shipping is December 1 so there's still time!

And please please please send me photos of your finished decorations, or tag me on Instagram @pikeletworkshop as I really love seeing them brought to life with other hands.

I am also interested in feedback regarding the instructions as this is something I will be making more of in the coming months. Expect to see Valentine's kits and Easter goodies. Yay!!!

Cheers to jumping over those hurdles at last and realising they aren't as big as we think they are...