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Calling it quits


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Well, I had a nice talk with Myrna about upgrading my machine to a Liberty. She has a great deal for me, so my husband and I had to discuss it. The discussion didn't go so well, as a matter of fact it sucked.

I mean, yes, I know that I am basically $10,000 in the hole on this venture. I realize that I spend all my free time sewing or quilting. I KNOW that I have only had three paying customers in over a year. He didn't have to point all this out to me. But, I guess the facts are true. I haven't made any money. I don't have a customer base. I have spent abotu a thousand on advertising alone.

I am very sad, mad, and disappointed right now. I will continue to erad your posts, cheer you on, and drool over your gorgeous works of art.

I have placed my machine on the for sale page. If you are interested email me.

Teresa

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Teresa

I'm sorry to hear this.

Have you not thought of quilting and selling your own items at market. There is so much you can do to make money with your machine and it doesn't require a CUSTOMER BASE.

Do you have a market in your area for Crafters?

How aboutr Decorators at local Furniture stores and Decorator shops.

Talk to Seamstress, or other Clothes makers in your area or within distance.

Sorry I just hate to see you give up.

Keep in tough Teresa.

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Oh Teresa...I'm so sorry...you feel that your dreams are dashed:(

I know how you feel. So, I will listen to MYSELF as I tell you what people have been telling me...

"When God closes a door, he opens a window!"

Consider this: When I had my shop, I was consumed by it. I spent all waking (and many SLEEPING) hours 'working' on it...in it...everything I did was about it. Since that partner took it over, I've had a lot of free time to get back to living in this life that is all too short. I've started taking day trips with friends...days that I will remember always and mean something. I'm not puting down LAing...but making a living at it is not for everyone. I'm very blessed to have a place where I can rent one whenever I want to. When all is said and done...that may be exactly what I will end up doing. Then there will be no responsibility attached. Another thing I may do is send my tops out to be quilted...I know of MANY talented LAers out there now!

Just because I CAN do something, doesn't mean I HAVE TO.

Don't consider yourself a failure!!! You tried something and it didn't work. The failure would be if you never tried. AND...DH supported your efforts, right? He only pointed out what you already knew. Men are meant to handle things differently than us and many times don't express themselves in a way that is comforting.

Chin up Chicky! I KNOW you will come out of this stronger!

Sincerely...KK

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Myrna, I sent you an email.

Tammie, I will continue to make quilts and sell them at the flea market and the local craft shows, but right now I can't put any more money into paying to reserve spots and paying for gas to get to the big shows. They are all so far from us. The closest big craft show is in Mississippi, about 2 1/2 hours away. Nashville is even further. I will still go to the one at Reelfoot Lake, and the Christmas show at the fair grounds. As I earn some money I will put it into savings for a new APQS machine. That's what I should have done this time around. Instead I borrowed $6000 and now I have to pay it back. I have made exactly $80 quilting. That's it. I have bought more and more fabric, batting, and thread, but haven't made any money back. I kept telling myself that better quality materials would bring more customers, but it hasn't.

So anyway, I will still be around. Thanks, though, for caring. Right now I feel like you guys are the only ones who do care and understand.

Teresa

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Teresa, I thought maybe I could have my Millie paid for in a couple of years. At the current rate, I believe I will be 97 years old when it's paid for. I have found it very hard to get customers and I spend more than I take in. I have a friend who would buy my machine but I enjoy it too much. My husband has two horses and we will soon be finished with a barn that cost more than most houses. Because of our age, I think we are feeling entitled. I am sorry for you and don't have a good solution. I just want you to know that I feel for you!! Marie

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We have local online for sale free for our local area. Lots of crafters and sewers and even quilters advertise items they have for sale on this site for free. Maybe you have one of these.

Simply pieced Baby quilts 36 x 42 and even smaller are going for $60 to $150 all day long on the Web depending on where you are and what's special about the quilt and the way it is made. Some don't even have Batting in them just Minkee and Flannel.

Simple panel quilts will sell for $50 bucks and they cost only about $15.00 to make in material and even less.

There is Kitchen table runners, placemats, pot holders, Even small Quilts for your Pets. (I'm making these for Christmas this year for my pet loving friends). Sweatshirt jackets. Baby items of all kinds. Window Valances are beautiful when they are heavy and quilted. There are so many things you can do.

Maybe this is just a bad day and you need to sleep on it.

I hope it all works out for you. your a good quilter.

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Teresa, I'm sooo sorry to hear that. Are you in any quilting guilds? Show and tell is a great promoter. BOM groups at local quilt shops. Lots of things that don't cost money. Know anyone in farbic stores, quilt shops or purposely get to know them? Ask them if they will give your cards out and show them samples f your work? Volunteer to do one of their sample quilts at no charge. I don't spend much on advertising besides printing my own card, brouchers, sometimes time or free quilting and have never run out of a waiting listsince my first quilt. . I do take quilts in now and then to "show off" but try to make a soft sell. I have one I need to take to Hancocks to show an emlpoyee who was interested before it gets delivered to the customer,mmmm who else might be around????. When I started I joined 3 quilt guilds, I'm down to 2 plus a longarm one, as I always seemed to be missing that one. Sounds like yiou are trying to sell quilts rather than quilting, my take, work on the quilting rather than selling quilts. jeri

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Jeri, I do want to take on quilting as the business, but I can't find any customers. There is only one guild around here. I went to two meetings and won't go back. The "guild" consists of 6 elderly ladies who hand quilt. They make beautiful quilts, don't get me wrong. I would love to be able to do what they do, but they treated me like I was breaking the law or something. To them machine quilting is WRONG. So, there was no business there.

The local fabric shop owner had agreed to refer business to me, but she has her own machine now and is quilting for her customers. She gives them a discount on fabric if they use her for the quilting. Nice deal. I may end up taking quilts to her.

I have advertised in the local shopper's guide, in the shopper's guide in a bigger town about 50 miles away, and in the newspaper. I am teaching piecing classes at the Ag. Extension office just to get my name out there. There is no pay for this.

I had brochures designed and printed. I took them to Hancock's and left them in the advertising carousel. When I went back they were all gone, so I left 50 more. Out of those I've gotten no calls. I left brochures on the ad table at Paducah. By the time we left the show, most of those were gone.

I have about 50 brochures left that I was planning to take to Nashville.

I have entered contests to try to become known.

I bought a website.

I set up at the fleamarket that takes place the first weekend of every month. Usually I sit and sew on binding while I'm there.

I go to craft shows and set up a beautiful booth space. I pass out lots of brochures and business cards, but no calls. Lots of lookers though.

I don't know what else to do. I've been doing everything that everybody has recommended, but it hasn't worked. I'd gladly listen to more suggestions.

Believe me, I don't want to give this up. I love my machine. It is sometimes the only sane one in our house. There are days when I just go in there and lock myself away. I don't answer the phone or anything on those days.

I am still planning to take Myrna's class. I am still planning to use my machine every minute until it actually sells. But, I'm going deeper in debt trying to make a profit. Right now I'm out of batting, again. I have to spend money to try to make it. Right now that isn't a good plan for us.

KnotKnut, Sorry I don't know your real name. The machine is priced so cheap because I still owe $2500 for it. I just need to pay it off and make a little to put back in the bank.

Grammie/Tammie, Where are the online places to sell quilts. I will try that. Ebay was a joke. I could give them away cheaper than listing and selling on Ebay.

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Teresa, I don't know you or Myrna, but she makes a lot of sense. Your so close to paying off your machine and enjoy it so much there an answer in there somewhere. You just need a break that's been a long time coming. You've done a lot of promoting, but need to keep at it until that break comes. Have you contacted quilt stores without a long-arm? Doesn't have to be local - within your state. Sewing shop samples may get you by and they could supply the materials. Having your work on display in a quilt shop with business cards available is the best advertising. Also, Yahoo has a long-arm chat group - maybe let them know you need work to keep in business! Some of the folks that post have fabric stores and with the hard work of managing a store I'm sure they could use a bit of help with sample making - especially now that Fall is rolling around and Christmas projects are coming out. You have a web page where they can see your style and work. . . ya just need to direct them there so they can send you the projects.

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Teresa I am very sad to hear you have to give up something you love so dearly.. I bought my LA in february 2005 I have a website like yourself I had it when I was doing crafting a few years back and turned it into my LA quilting site. I have not gotten any business from my site not surprising I only got one order for a quilt in 3 years of having it. I have learned that although it is a great tool I don't depend on any business from it. You also mentioned e-bay what a joke woman on there are listing LA quilting for Queen quilts at 25-35 dollars just nuts I have to admit I listed some at low prices and did pick up 2 repeat customers but again I am getting much less than other quilters. In my area there are many LA quilters some very talented woman/men just like on this site their pricing is high and people pay without batting an eye. A woman I meet at a local retreat just told me she gave a quilt to a woman who is charging her over 250.00 to do a simple panto on it I offered to do it for half that and got no reply. I also quilted a few store samples for a local quilt store one for free only to find out she still only recommends certain quilters so again I wasted my time. I feel the same as you only the machine I have is paid off I am a nurse who works full time and overtime to enjoy this but I must admit to you I am feeling the same defeat but no way will I get rid of this machine I have worked so hard to get...I can go on and on here please e-mail me at jak40rn@comcast.net I think we have a lot in common but I think you should not give up something that you love so much what about just quilting for yourself don't try so hard and things will start to happen. Take care Jackie

PS I love your website ....I like to believe quilters support each other anything I can do please let me know.....

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Teresa,

Since you have started posting here I have read just about every message. You and I have been in pretty much the same boat. We have done all the things the people on this messag board have told us to do and nothing seems to work. I know I can go months without so much as a phone call and my husband starts to sweat!! Everyone keeps saying join guilds, visit your LQS, etc, we do these things and it dosen't seem to work. You have some great work out there. I have looked at your web site, you are so busy. Maybe you need to change your stratigy. Maybe you should not focus so much on making and selling items, but more on quilting customer quilts. I really don't know the answers but I don't want to see you quit. I know how you feel, I bought a new Milli a couple of years ago. One of the sales pitches was that you can pay your maching off in a year. Yes you can, if you have a customer base; if you already have all the supply, classes, books, and templates you will need; and if you quilt about 12 quilts per month.

For me things are starting to turn, finally. I still cannot get "in" with my local guild, but I have found that there are a number of quilters in my area that will not get involved with them because they are too exclusive. Although my Machine Quilter's Guild tells the quilters to refer their customers to other quitlers when they have a backlog, I have not had that happen. However, my LQS has taken me under their wing. I have a couple of referals from them and things are looking up. Currently I have 18 quilts, and 3 on the way. That should keep me busy for a while.

I say all of that to say this - Please don't give up. If you can make the payments on your machine, keep doing it. One of these days things will change. You know what you need to do and we can't tell you, but I really don't want to see you discouraged and defeated.

Chin up my friend,

I'll say a little prayer for you,

Mary Beth

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Teresa,

Just a thought...have you considered teaching on your machine? A line advertisement that says something like 'you can finish grandma's quilt top'. I had people paying me $30 an hour to do this. Provide batting, backing for sale and binding services...just a thought:)KK

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Girls you all have given such great advice here. Giving up is just that! And is a dead end. Attitude change is a great thing and can do wonders for yourself as well as your business. As with anything in life, if you get the door shut in you face a couple of time can really put you down in the dumps. Keep you head up, have a good attitude and go keep going out there. Venture out a little further. Join another guild, enter quilt in shows. Brochures are great, but people want to see your work. That is where you get business. Get some quilts together and take a day trip to other quilt shops. Do anything you can publicly to show your work. Perhaps your town has a fair or some sort of celebration. Heck even a flee market, not to sell but just get a booth to show what you do. Education is the best. I don't mean just for yourself(which is good and can give you the boost and confidence you may need). You have to educate the pieces around you. Yes, there are hand quilters out there that think it is shameful to have a top machine quilted. BUT, you now a least one of them has in the back of her mind that if I had Teresa do these I could get that stack of tops out of my closet and have them for my grandchildren , children, whoever. Be friendly and open. You never know. I realize you and your DH are worried. But that worry feds on itself. Get out and see what is out there. Not just at your back door.

Keep the machine you have, take the time you might use to make another quilt to sell and get in the car and go to the next town. Offer to do the next class sample for a quilt shop. Keep cards with you at all time. Ware your work.,quilt something on the back of a shirt. Ware it to the supermarket, movies, wherever you go. Quilt up some fabric and make a simple jacket or a bag. You know we all love those . Have an open house to let people see what you do. SMILE and change attitudes for yourself and those that you are wanting to quilt for.

Hang in there.

Myrna

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Teresa,

Like many others above I can sympathize with you and know exactly how you are feeling. I've been voicing those some concerns for many months and until your message and all the responses have felt like I've been the only one out there. Thanks for letting me know that it's just not me.

I've recently gone out and gotten a job in the real world that includes benefits and I'm loving it. I still have my machine and still paying on my machine and not sure either what I plan to do in the future but, for me, it's in God's hands. I'm still professionally quilting on Saturdays. Unfortuntely now, even though I've never told anyone I have quit, someone started the rumor in our small community and I'm no longer getting calls so, it's back to letting people know I'm still out there just with limited hours. Thankfully, I have a very supportive husband and we are actually hoping to get him started quilting in time for some winter work. I think he'll do better than me.

Anyways, like many above have said, you need to do what is right for you and your family. Best of luck to you and know that you are not the only one who is feeling unsure about being a quilting professional even though, we thought we had done all right things before making the investment.

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If you nearly have the machine paid off, can you re-finance and get a lower monthly payment? I also hear other quilters talk about how backed up they are. What a problem to have. Can you just send me one of those? I've done the suggested advertising except the paper and website. Can't see any advantage to that. The LQS has a "strip club" meeting once a month and I have shown a quilt there. Did get one repeat customer. Need to attend another meeting and take another quilt to show. I'll just keep pecking away at the business.

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Have you considered taking some quilts to antique shops in your area? How about offering to make lap quilts for nursing home residents for a reasonable amount? I'm making them for people who live in the nursing home where my Mom is, and I'm thinking of trying to turn this into a business. Just get the word out to the visiting relatives that for a modest amount their dear one can have something beautiful.

Or you might also consider donating a quilt to a local hospital or nursing for display with your name and business card on it.

I think that part of the problem may come with undercharging. Sometimes people are really suspicious if the price is too low. Paying a lot makes them think it will be better. Too little means it has something wrong with it. If you undervalue your work, the public will too.

Your best supporters may not be obvious to you. Some of them are obviously here on this list!

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Grammie Tammie:

Give me a call if you like, I'm north of Atlanta, and I think you just need to get some brainstorming going. I got calls from ladies who are in Home Dec that want comforters quilted (clamshell is so easy). If you can make 1 or two, and put a nice ruffle on the edge (I serged it on) and show it off at a few shops, WOW! You won't believe it!

Don't get too discouraged. For you girls that arent' in the south, Tennessee is not that worldy outside of the Quiltshow in Nashville. It can be very discouraging when you hear, or Mary Lou quilts mine for $35, including the batting (Yea, but Mary Lou is 70 and she's had your quilt since last September).

Go to your U2U for my phone number!!! Call me!

Cynthia

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Could you sweet-talk someone at your local newspaper to do a feature story on you, showing off the new technology that makes it possible for quilters to concentrate on design and piecing without having to learn to hand or machine quilt themselves? Maybe some of the older quilters in your area don't go to quilt shops anymore or have just put away the quilts they couldn't finish. The story could be about outing those quilts from the closet or how a modern machine has changed the lives of quilters just like the washing machine did.

Maybe a local furniture store would consider selling some of your quilts at wall hangings and give you exposure also. (With your business name prominently displayed). Donate a small quilt or table runner to a local charity auction.

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Thanks all for the great suggestions. I will try the nursing home and the hospital gift shop here in Dyersburg. I will have to drive to Jackson or Memphis to the other fabric shops, but I will do it next week. I will make a couple of square sampler quilts using different patterns in squares and take those.

I have a question, maybe somebody knows the answer: Our local Hancock fabric and the Walmart say that they get their store samples from the fabric supppliers, premade. Does anybody know about that?

I am still feeling down, and my DH and I will still need to discuss it, but maybe I can work something out. I just hate that I still owe money on the machine. When his parents loaned me the money I showed them my business plan that showed how I would pay them back in a year by quilting 2 quilts a week for customers. Now they need the rest of the balance paid and I haven't even made anything toward paying for the machine.

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Teresa: I think all the good ideas have been covered, but my first thought was that you've have really been in business for just one (little) year! This is the most common time frame for giving up!

I also agree with the contributor that said you may be 'undervaluing' your work. I know it's tempting to price cheaply, but if I gauge myself as the 'average' customer, I don't want it cheap, I want it professionally done.

One other option that may enable you to keep your machine is to rent it out. From what I hear, this in and of itself is a very viable option. You have to 'train' and 'certify' those that will be using the machine (which will bring in some income), but you may be surprised at the takers. People will have the satisfaction of saying they quilted it 'themselves'. Worth considering, I think. I'd let every quilt guild, fabric store, etc., etc. know about it.

Google for sites of longarmers that rent their machines to see what it entails. . .if you've got the right (or almost right set-up, it just may be worth looking into.

Don't quit. . .just yet!

Carolyn

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