Friday, November 19, 2010

And Then There Were None

 #12 Motif Challenge

All the Valdani has been sampled.  This blue and yellow one is my least favourite as these two colours do not appeal to me.  Also, this thread was so much softer than than the others; I feel that Sis made a mistake in the brand, but there is no label to be certain.  It is made in Romania however, as is Valdani thread.  Anyone want a sample of this?  I have that huge spool that I do not think I will use very often. Send me an emial if you want some.


What next?  I am off to Tim Hortons for a coffee, as I am off work today and I have to retrieve a crochet hook I left there a few days ago,  Luckily I called and an eagle-eyed employee spotted the errant hook under a table.  It is the little beading tool, so I am relieved I did not lose it as the 05's are hard to come by, except by mail, and postage  is always very expensive to Canada.

Who out there in Tat-land has thought about doing the Etsy-thing?  About selling tatting for profit?  About having enough design sense to give it a go?  Well, I do not wear jewellery, do not make jewellery and in fact have little interest in it other than in the shapes and colours, so why, I ask you, do I keep thinking about starting an Etsy account?  Is this a phase we all go through after a few years of tatting history?  Will this pass?

10 comments:

  1. I have sold some tatting on Etsy, but not much. The items I have up are necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. I haven't tried non-jewelry items like bookmarks and doilies there. Pricing is tough because some people charge very little while others are high-priced. You certainly don't make up for the time spent on the items you make. The very vibrant colors you use for your tatting would probably be very popular on Etsy.

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  2. This is very french in color...classic blue and yellow...a lovely kitchen decor.
    As for etsy...tough call but it can't hurt. Only costs 20 cents to list and etsy is definitely not all about jewelry. As for sales...mine are so non-existent for all the work I put into my handmades.
    Good luck with your decision. Happy tatting...

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  3. I used to sell on ebay but not tatting. I opened an etsy acct originally to sell but as I said, it won't be tatting or at least not exclusively. Items may have tatting on them but I think there is plenty already out there. I am not one to wear tatted jewelry but I sometimes like to make it. Would rather bead & work with wire when it comes to jewelry though. I think you have to work really hard to be successful consistently on etsy. I don't buy much from there myself, just occasionally.

    Is it a phase? It can be enticing. After all, making money and doing something you love is the ultimate dream, but I think very few empires get their start in etsy. It is marketed very well and that's why you see so many sellers but when I look through randomly, I see a lot of ordinary and even not well done stuff. As I said, you have to really work at it.

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  4. I like the colors together - they're nice.

    As far as Etsy... I had thought about it, but don't feel it would work for me since sending mail from where I am is rather expensive - so I would have to take less money on my item just so that people wouldn't think my items outrageous

    (Besides, I feel my pieces to be less-than-worthy enough to be listed on Etsy. There are so many more Tatting artists on there whose work is far above mine; and that's ok. I respect that).

    Instead, I sell my pieces locally. Since I'm the only tatter here it makes it nice... There's no competition, and people go crazy for hand-made items.

    I say: follow your heart, gut, and head!

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  5. Hi Fox,
    several of us have etsy shops. I have sold a couple of earings, but I expect to put things I make by other thread eventures - sewing in there as well.

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  6. I love the blue and yellow! May I have a sample, please?

    As for the Etsy thing... I know I don't have it in me. I would be upset if someone didn't like what I made and asked for a refund. I'd also be upset if no one bought anything. I don't want to figure out all the tax stuff. I think I'll stick to swapping and giveaways. However, if you decide to open an Etsy shop, I'll probably visit, and I may even find something I'd like to purchase!

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  7. Keep going, and you could soon have a table runner.....or frame each individually and hang them as a group. They're lovely.
    I am an Etsy customer.....I have bought tatting and crochet patterns, roly poly bags from Jane, hand dyed wool, shuttles from Grizzly Mountain Arts - all sorts of things, not just tatting-related. What else - oh yes, some of Jon's threads once, and a couple of La Cossette's gorgeous shuttles. I prefer Etsy to Ebay, I find ebay too stressful, unless it's buy-it-now.
    Kersti from intatters has this wonderful expression - "suck it and see" - why not try it and see what happens?

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  8. Food for lots of thought! Thank you for your well-considered comments. I appreciate your input. I hope this too shall pass. I have a headache already!
    Fox : )

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  9. Hey Fox!
    It's pretty in the blue and yellow, but I'm with you, it doesn't have the same impact as the other colors. The tatting is FIRST RATE though!

    I actually have an etsy shop... but the walls will remain bare for the reasons Diane touched on. I would feel a HUGE responsibility asking someone to spend their hard earned money on something I made and at this point I don't feel up to the task. The time commitment is also tough - I don't want my hobby to become drudgery. AND the tax stuff - as a former accountant (who probably shouldn't have been in the first place) I try to avoid complications. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, I had a lot of fun putting together my header and dreaming about it for a few weeks before reality (for me anyway) set in. :)))

    :) Ann

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