I found this  Amigurumi Pears Pattern over at Planet June. Planet June requests a donation of any size for the pattern, however, also offers it free to those readers who choose not to donate.

I like that idea.

Thanks to Sister Diane, over at Crafty Pod, I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately as to how craft sites can be profitable, without creating a burden for their readers.

Some of the ideas I’ve heard over the last few months have been to…

1. charge for specific content

2. use donationware

3. create a premium area

4. offer a free project but send an upgraded version for pay

5. set up a micro-payment system (a few cents for each click)

Of all the ideas that have been bounced around, I think I like Planet June’s technique the best.

These pears are being offered with the clear expectation that a payment will be sent. And yet, the size of the payment is being left to the reader. In fact, even if the reader doesn’t make a payment, she still has access to the pattern.

In that way, theoretically, the designer will receive  a small reward for her efforts, without placing an undue burden on her readers.

The only question is, will some readers actually send in money for something they can get for free?

I think the answer is yes. A certain group of crafters will.

Not those crafters who just save the pattern to their hard drive, to be forgotten forever.  They won’t send a penny.

But the crafters who actually create a useful and attractive project using this pattern probably will send a payment. Every time they get a compliment on the project or copy over the pattern for a friend, they will remember that they were supposed to make a payment. Eventually, a decent size number of them will go ahead and do it.

The payments probably won’t come gushing in during the first few weeks, but over a couple of months they will start to trickle in slowly.

What do you think?

Read More : Crochet or Home

About 10 years ago, I had a homebased craft business… sewing and selling  hats and skirts.

I made a lot of mistakes in that business, but I think perhaps the biggest one was underpricing.  I sold hats for $10 to $15  and skirts for $5- $15. Even a decade ago, my prices were considered dirt cheap.

However, because of the competition, I felt I had to undersell. I knew I was doing the wrong thing business-wise, but I couldn’t figure out why. How could being the cheapest guy in town (or gal, in my case) be bad for the bottom line?

Now, with years of experience under my belt, I understand the tremendous disservice I was doing myself, my competitors and my customers.

Underselling – yourself, your customers, and your colleagues – is a big problem. It’s just wrong, philosophically & financially. It will ruin you, anger your customers, and frustrate your colleagues.

For a great article explaining in detail the problems with undercharging, check out Tara Gentile’s article on Underselling: Why Discomfort Is A Terrible Pricing Strategy.

Read More : Craft  Business

Over the years, I’ve read intensively about the issues raised by professional crafters. One big problem that comes up again and again is the prevalence of rip-off artists (yes, a pun is intended). A business woman works months coming up with a fabric or purse design, only to see a very similar product being sold  down the block the following week.

That’s a serious problem,  and infuriating, but here is another perspective on it….

….unless you grew up in a cave and were never exposed to history or popular culture, I’d be hard pressed to believe that you’ve never come up with an idea that you thought was totally original, but that was actually subconsciously inspired by someone else’s idea first.

 The article goes on to explain that “original” ideas are frequently thought up by several people at the same time. To read the rest of the article, click here.

As a side note, I’d like to mention that something like this once happened to me. I started sewing and selling net covered snoods, and a month or two later, a competitor  was manufacturing  a very similar hat.  At first, I was sure my idea had been stolen, but later, I realized she had access to the same sources of inspiration that I did. I don’t know if I was ripped off or not, but I was at least able to consider the possibility that I wasn’t.

Read More : Craft  Business

Description : One of the unfortunate side effects of becoming a professional crafter, is an occasional bout of burnout.  Lee Wolfe put together a great article on ways to deal with this problem.

Craft Link : Beating Creative Burnout (via Crafting An MBA)

Source : The Etsy Blog

Read More : Craft  Business

Short, but interesting little article on The REAL Cost Of Handmade Socks, if they were priced according to realistic material, labor and overhead charges.

When all expenses are totalled, the author estimates that the socks should sell for 208.70 english pounds.

Clearly, the price is ridiculous, but the author makes a very strong point.

Read Handmade Socks, Realistic Price for the complete article.

Read More : Craft  Business

It feels great when a recognized authority requests to use our work. It acknowledges that our work is worthwhile and that we really are talented… things that we all secretly question.

But how do you make sure your skirt design or graphic element or photographs only get used in a way you feel comfortable with? That is a dilemma that all successful artists face at some point.

Sister Diane, over at Crafty Pod, has explored this issue in some depth.  She suggests that every detail of the relationship be in writing, no matter how friendly the negotiation. This isn’t always easy for a new business person to manage, but it is crucial to insuring that your rights are not violated.

Depending on the company that’s making the offer, you may or may not be asked to sign some kind of agreement before participating in their project. Given that I’m no expert in contract law, I can’t advise you fully here. Obviously, you’ll want to read that document carefully. If the project is high-stakes enough, you may even want to have a lawyer look it over.

For more details, read How To Say Yes, Safely.

Read More : Craft  Business

Description :  Whether you sell your crafts on Etsy, Ebay or your own website, you will eventually need to learn How To Photograph Your Crafts.

Craft Link : How To Photograph Your Crafts

Source : Photojojo

Read More : Craft  Business