…it away, Tara! I know it’s tempting – when you see the Etsy success stories or think about being your own boss, or even when you read about Stacey’s amazing business – to think: I should do that! I hear from women every week who say something like, “I’ve been making my art/craft for years and people always tell me I should sell it. I would like some extra money/to quit my day job/to stay home with my kids, so I…

…rain wreck, but I did some important things that turned the class into a success. Tips for Teaching a Successful Class Stuff happens. It always does. Maybe the photocopier broke down and you’re without handouts. Maybe you’re recovering from the flu. You don’t have to let a bump in the road prevent you from teaching an amazing class! Be honest. I believe in being totally upfront with my students. If you’re coming down with a…

…Maybe not. Keep in mind that people form perceptions about your business according to what you say. If you tweet near-swear-words about a ‘stupid customer’ email that you received… what message are you sending? How comfortable do you think someone who reads that message will be with sending you an email? As a business owner, you’re like a little celebrity. Actresses often throw on a little lip gloss when running errands in…

…nough to cause complete chaos in your week! Who wants that? [Tweet “Accomplish more by scheduling less. “] The trick is to leave a bit of wiggle room in your schedule. I only schedule 4 days worth of work in my 5-day work week. You might be hesitant to do this. You’re wondering if you’d be wasting time. No way! If life goes according to plan, then I can take the day off or spend it doing creative tasks that might not have m…

…ou follow the above steps and it’s still dirty, then wash again. You can feel free to dip the tip of a limb in water, avoiding soaking the stuffing, to get a bit more water and detergent into the stain. My stuffed animal is a complete mess. (like, it fell in a puddle). What can I do? If you think the animal might be headed toward the trash can, you can always try machine washing it. The good news is that the stuffing often prevents some amou…

…revious year. Your attendance makes events happen! When I browse the announcement thread, I can tell there are a lot of people who are sad and hurt about the decision. I think it’s important to take a moment to remind ourselves that yarn events, designers, yarn companies & dyers are all businesses. They need to be profitable to survive. We can’t take events for granted. Or expect a designer who only releases free patterns to stay…

…nch of the Ami Club! Many of you remember the Kit Club, which was a huge success and ran for 3 years. It outgrew my car and then about 6 months ago, I chose to end the Kit Club in the physical shipping form. Why end the old club if it was so successful? Two main reasons. One, physical items always need to be shipped. Throw in changing currency prices, and a number of international customers needed to drop out because it became too expensive. That…

…due to the selvage edge. Each piece is hand-cut, so slight variation may occur. Fabric is not pre-washed. Care instructions from the manufacturer: For best results, we recommend washing these fabrics with phosphate free detergent in cool or warm water using a gentle or delicate machine cycle. We also suggest washing before use. Some fading as a result of cleaning is typical for these fabrics. This is most notable on darker shades. Front loading w…

…just for you eye-lovers! Why are FreshStitches eyes so awesome? I only stock colored eyes that are shimmery and pearlescent. They’re so pretty! And so much nicer than the colored ones available in big box craft stores. That is, if your local store even stocks them anymore. Grr. Oh, and did I mention that my colored craft eyes are cheaper than the boring colored eyes at big stores? Yup. It’s true. (Those other guys’s listing says…

…50% off Bulky Rainbow Yarn Sampler Pack* 40% off Rainbow Fabric Bundle* SpaceCadet Rainbow Mini-Skein Bundle* Undyed Texture Yarn Bundle* Nelson the Owl Fabric- Fat Quarter* Hiya Hiya 16 inch circular knitting needle* (available in sizes 8 and 13) And for a repeat… The I heart Yarn Necklaces and Needle & Hook Gauges were 40% off yesterday, but the sale price wasn’t showing properly for everyone (although the correct sale price did…