Start a 'cottage industry'... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

Hardup_Hester

Hi
I've been making something different lately, aprons & matching peg bags, made a b'day gift for DD & I've also made some pillowcase dresses, I made the dresses for DGD, but orders are starting to dribble in. When I was sorting out my spare room, I found 9m of broiderie anglais, it's about 8 inches deep. I've made a couple of petticotes & also used it to make fake underskirts on a couple of flowered dresses.

Hester

wigglebeena

Be careful what designs you put out online e.g. Etsy though, people. Urban Outfitters might take a fancy to it.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6222547

http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com
Boycott Urban Outfitters!

LittleAcre

Hi Yvonne,

I saw your post re your crafts as I'm looking into expanding my products for summer/Christmas fairs, and read about your bad experience with copyright images.

I can relate to that, at the moment the Office of trading standards is after me for trademark violations of popular kids' characters. Like you, I just sold items I saw being sold on ebay, never thought about violating the law. Just wondering what happened in your case, was it just a fine? Trading standards is after me fot the proceeds of the items sold, grossly exaggerated amount, in tens of thousands of pounds, there is no way I can pay that. My legal counsel advised me not to answer their questions as it would just provide more evidence against me.

Just wondering how far your case went. Did you go to court, was it settled before going to court? What was the fine or payment in proportion to the so-called proceeds or sales? I have spent sleepless nights thinking I will end up with a conviction or a hefty fine I have to pay for the rest of my life.

By the way, for those fayres that charge a lot for the hire of a table, I usually split the table and the rent with a friend who also does crafts.

Thanks,
LittleAcre

LittleAcre

Sorry I'm a complete newbie, just wanted to post a reply to Luna 69:

Hi Yvonne,

I saw your post re your crafts as I'm looking into expanding my products for summer/Christmas fairs, and read about your bad experience with copyright images.

I can relate to that, at the moment the Office of trading standards is after me for trademark violations of popular kids' characters. Like you, I just sold items I saw being sold on ebay, never thought about violating the law. Just wondering what happened in your case, was it just a fine? Trading standards is after me fot the proceeds of the items sold, grossly exaggerated amount, in tens of thousands of pounds, there is no way I can pay that. My legal counsel advised me not to answer their questions as it would just provide more evidence against me.

Just wondering how far your case went. Did you go to court, was it settled before going to court? What was the fine or payment in proportion to the so-called proceeds or sales? I have spent sleepless nights thinking I will end up with a conviction or a hefty fine I have to pay for the rest of my life.

By the way, for those fayres that charge a lot for the hire of a table, I usually split the table and the rent with a friend who also does crafts.

Thanks,
LittleAcre

Luna69 wrote: »

Hi thanks

It was a pain, but we've learnt from it, slapped wrists and burnt pockets but we'll not be doing it again.

Yeah QVC has a lot to do with the card making boom I guess.... not personally a dawn bibby fan to be honest.. she's probably a nice enough woman but she annoys me :rotfl:

Anyway, won't get into that!
I have been looking into more 3dimensional cards , interactive cards and I do more personalised items I find I can get more money for a more individual personalised item, I can charge more what it's worth, than if I made a few basic cards. I'm not sure how the people who sell cards on ebay for 50p or 99p actually make any money?
I'd rather only sell an odd one or two and make what I think they are worth, than a few pence for some thrown together items

I agree though that all the high street stores and even the cheap shops like primark and even poundland are selling mass produced handmade look cards, which is a pain.

I was looking into the gift basket thing, but I work mainly online, so would have to think of the postage costs and how best to package them so as not to arrive damaged. If the postage cost a lot, would you be able to make enough on the actual item without them being rather expensive and then no one is interested anyway?

I used to make fimo items, but never really got into it enough to create some of the items that I've seen being sold now. As with everything, there are good and bad ones, but I have seen some stunning items and have even bought some, for my partner to say, but you used to make those! well not exactly I didn't and the time it must take to create some of them would be way too much time for me.

I have a sewing machine that hasn't seen the light of day in a long time, I keep trying to think of ideas to use that, when I find somewhere to put it in our tip!
I've also knit in the past as well.

I think though you need a decent outlet to sell from really or some form of advertising to start you off, because basically the best form of advertising is word of mouth. We have found that with our business and rarely pay for expensive advertising now. Posters in local shops were good too, or leaflet drops.

I also do similar to you, I spend ages browsing ebay and other websites looking for inspiration and nothing helps, then I've wasted so much time doing it, instead of just creating! :rotfl:

JimmyTheWig

LittleAcre wrote: »

Sorry I'm a complete newbie, just wanted to post a reply to Luna 69

Just to let you know that that user hasn't posted here in 11 months, so you may well not get an answer.

I have no idea what the answer is to your question, I'm afraid, but have often wondered how all those ebayers get away with selling copyrighted stuff that is clearly not licenced. I guess there's so much of it that they can't prosecute everyone.

PasturesNew

If you're making your own products, here's a list of UK sites like etsy

All for handmade products and small runs: sites like etsy

Frugaldom

Just popping in here to find out how everyone is getting on with their cottage industries. I have to admit to progressing very slowly and going in various directions without focussing on which one would be suitable to develop further.

I lost my source for free wood offcuts, so the glue gun remains unused. However, over the course of the past year, my garden project has developed and I am a fairly active trader on LETS, so I have a small 'customer base' for trading or bartering goods rather than charging/paying in cash. Maybe 2010 will be my year, who knows?

I invested in getting my Food Health & Hygiene for Manufacturing certificate to accompany my Health & Safety certificate. The hens & ducks are producing more eggs than we can use ourselves, so I now trade in homemade lemon curd as well as eggs, plus a selection of homemade soups. This frugal kitchen line may well be developed further as I become more confident. Then I acquired a freebie sewing machine recently, so am now looking at a few more ideas. Who knows what 2010 could bring?

Happy new year! How is everyone else doing?

asclar

It may be less time consuming for you and therefore possibly more profitable if you were to sell packs of, say 5 or so, cards that buyers could make themselves, on ebay.
So you would have blank cards in a pack as well as individual decorative components for them to assemble themselves.
Just an idea... x

j0ann3

hi, i'm looking into expanding some of my crafty talents and severy people have mentioned etsy, do items sell well? i've never herd of it until today!!

victoriaplum1

don't know if this will help anyone but years ago I remember making christmas angels/choirboys out of old readers digest mags in school...basically you took readers digest and folded each page from right corner to spine and then right edge of the same piece to spine again so that each page was now a long triangle type shape, do that for the whole book....in the end pull the covers around towards each other and you should get a round bottomed 3d type shape, we added a christmas bauble to the top for the head (those material covered ones in old days) and sprayed the body with gold or silver spray paint, added wings etc made out of whatever you liked...remember giving them to my grandparents, they were quite effective as I remember! Fun for kids to make too......can also make decs for Christmas tree....cut circles out of old christmas cards all same size, on each circle fold the edge a short way down, stick one edge to another circle on each side and carry on til you should get a 3-d circular type bauble, hang with string etc