You did really well considering the challenges you were up against. I watched a lot of the flood videos and it was heartbreaking to see the devastation. So good to see you staying upbeat and ploughing on. Thanks for graciously sharing your business with us. It encourages the rest of us to have a go and not be afraid to experiment with what we sell.
Thank you so much Teresa. The older I get, the more I try to experiment with new ideas as well. Sometimes it can be hard to pluck up the courage though😁
Sorry I keep commenting. The reason I even sell here is becausae people were asking where I got my jean mini bags. Made somewhat like your cross body bags. These are the ones I do the circle strap on. I buy bling jeans and can make 2 from one pair. I buy my jeans $1 to $2 and many locals give me jeans. I do ponytail loop elastic at top with buttons from my large thrift hoard. Or last year figured I reused the jeans button and cut a slit and glued it back with E600. I cut off the zipper and button sections at front. If jeans are too slim I add a side gusset to make wider. Then use legs for the cirlce strap. I also Lengthen the front pockets to fully fit a cellphone. I dont often line but charge $15 if I line and $10 if not. These sell well as I realized women dont carry real purses in our hiker, horsey town either. Then I saw some even wear their fishing jackets even to the fancy restaurant...as a purse. Teens also said I dont make things for them. So one day I saw a bunch of flannel shirts and skull tshirts at thrift. I bought them all and just cut/tore the sleeves off. Cut the graphic out and put on back of the shirts. I used the sleve to make an extra patch pocket on bottom and a hidden patch pocket with button and loop inside. I try to match my stitching to the outside plaids but it doesnt really show that much. These sold more to the women that the teens. Ive also used a bit lighter weight shirt and pretty tshirt graphics. I buy a lot of unusual graphic tshirts and ones with town names and events on them. No one buys them but I make draw string backpacks. Again I dont use grommets. I sew the end of the drawstring into the corners of the bags. I dont line these as the hikers like them for a day bag. I use the short sleeves to make pockets to have some inside or outside ones. I thread thin elastic through the pocket cuff to gather the top of it and cut the sleeve rounded off and sew on like a patch pocket. These go fast once I assembly line them. I do line some as a hobo shaped tote back. These also sell well. I should make videos on a channel of my own. Or rather learn how to do that!!
Thank You, I thoroughly enjoyed your video. You have reignited my interest in sewing tote bags again. Hope you manage to freshen up your stock, by displaying Items much better to get your stock which you have had for a While moving! 😊
I’ve made lots of the helping hands for local school coffee mornings and my family members absolutely love the peg aprons, going to start making the shopping bags as my next project. Thank you for so many great ideas.
I have a suggestion, but please do not be offended. You might sell more if your items were made with modern, exciting prints that are fun and bold, instead of safe and conservative. They might also appeal to a broader audience. For instance, the upholstery fabrics for your grocery bags. Try using bright summer prints, geometrics, and tropical prints instead of grandma's living room prints. My brain floods with all kinds of ideas when I walk through the home dec fabric section of a local fabric store. There are so many beautiful fabrics. Experiment and see which sells more.
I think the reason Christine uses what she has that is cost effective for her. But your idea is excellent, you might want to sew those & sell the more fashionable materials. If you do, I hope you idea brings you great joy.
She sold her pencil cases for $35 each. If she uses more modern and exciting fabrics as you say she would have to sell them at a higher price which may not be affordable for most. She could try making and selling one or two and see how long they would take to sell but she did mention she is sourcing her stash.
I believe one of her shop's goals is zero waste, up cycling upholstery swatches which she gets for free. I think she advertises this and buying new fabric, which most people do would not fit into her goal. Many customers embrace zero waste these days and I am trying to incorporate it more in my products and letting my customers know I use Upcycled, vintage and new fabrics in my items.
Thanks for the suggestions Rolly, and i'm certainly not offended. As the others in this thread have mentioned, my goal isn't to purchase new, exciting, or pretty fabric, but prevent fabric from going to landfil. All fabric I work with is rescued or reclaimed in some way, and this it what I promote and advertise throughout my store. I actually prefer loud and bright fabrics myself, but work with what I have access to. I agree, the geometrics prints are a very good seller, and are usually what I sell first. Unfortunately I don't get enough of it. Interestingly, most of the shopping bag sales have been the plain colours (about 80% of the 3500 I've made to date). In the end, even though my sales were'nt as high as same time last year, I'm actually very happy with the outcome. Thank you for the feedback though. It really is appreciated😀
I tend to agree re older prints. What do tourists want?? What is popular in your area ?? ( i am canadian, have no clue) Guessing beaches, kangaroos (??) What If you bought printed cotton fabric in this theme, and added a swatch of this fabric in your bags, towels, etc. It would have more appeal to tourists. Just a thought. I love your idea re recycling.
The one thing for me with sewing things to sell is my small high desert town here mostly has locals working part time or retired on low income too. Tourists are mainly in the hiking fishing category and we are at the end of a long trail that poor hikers use. Some work along the way. So my main price point for very nice bags I could sell in Los Angeles for $40 or up to $60 I only charge $10 for. The one thing I do is a work around having to buy hardware. I make circle straps that go through extra belt loops I sew onto my mini bags and they draw up to half for shoulder and over the shoulder if stretched out. The band needs reinforced though but I show to tuck the strup under the button loop top. Im going to try to slide in pieces of bottles. See? I have to recycle to be able to have the $10 even support buying more at thrift stores. I recyce zippers and have bought damaged bags at thrift to gain hardware. I did buy some zippers on a roll at Walmart but really should order a big roll in black and white online somewhere. Like for the poo bags Id probably make a faced buttonhole slit instead of the grommet. They dont charge much at my thrift. What I can do but not done for a long time is free motion embroidery Everyone tells me to put the name of the town on my items! Need to practice again. I love your inspriatin though! Helps me think through what I can do!
I think the idea of embroidery is a great one. We have nowhere in our town that sells anything with the town's name on it except for my fabric labels. I wish I enjoyed machine embroidery. I'd do some towels, pot holders and things like that too. It's a great idea using zips and hardware from bags and clothing. I cut them off as well😀
Wonderful quarter, all considered! I had to chuckle at the bridle bags ~ I initially was trying to figure out why a bride would use a bag that size! Then you said, “horse” and I felt foolish. All in good fun especially because I appreciate your generosity in sharing. I’m in Central Texas (near Austin) where we are having much higher temperatures than normal. The high has been close to 100F for too many weeks. I hope your temps move up and mine go no higher for a bit. On the small bag where you use off cuts from zippers, do you trim off the teeth or leave them? Have a terrific day, Christine. Looking forward to your next video :)
Thanks Christine. I had a chuckle too. I knew when I mentioned the bridle bags, that others would think the same. It's come up on many facebook posts too. When using zipper offcuts, I leave the teeth on. It adds character to the products and makes people think about other possible uses😀
We had an unusually cold May, followed by repeated Antarctic blasts through June... I'm really hoping the predicted 'warmer than usual' July to September comes to pass. Thanks for the update Christine.
When my children were still living at home, I did my Christmas shopping in July. A few stores do have Christmas in July special sales. July is a wonderful time to start Christmas shopping. Don't wait until there are shortages of the items you want to buy and give. Those shoe/wine bags are perfect for just about anyone. That is a great way to have an extra pair of shoes on hand in the car, in your wall locker, or hidden in your desk.
This is a great reminder for me to start sewing for Christmas too Arvetta. I tend to let it time get away and then it's over again, and you're right, there are certainly many purchasing for Christmas this month. 😀
Boy, that is a complete mix up except for the #1, of course. However, your new projects are so awesome and I find that the Dog Pouches slow down with the weather is not dog walking weather, lol. Can't wait to see what happens in the next quarter.
Thanks so much for sharing all the information. As the chair of our guilds Boutique committee I’m always watching your videos and learning your production techniques. You teach really well! I’m picking up a donated batch of upholstery swathes later this month and am anxious to see if we can make the shopping bags like you’ve done. Wish me luck ! All my best wishes for your continued success 👏👏👏👏
That's so exciting PJ. You're going to have so much fun with those swatches. If you're on Facebook, you can share what you come up with in our group. (same title)😀
Well done, I guess also local people who have bought your bags will only need a certain number because they are so well made! I tried to sell some shopping bags that were lined for £6 and none were sold. I'm not sure what that equates to in Australian dollars but I thought it was a bargain. Never mind, keep trying! I'm mainly making bags for the food Bank but wanted to try and recoup costs for thread and strapping. I expect family and friends will be getting bags for birthdays and Christmas 🤣🤣 given the lack of tourists you have done brilliantly xx
Thanks Sarah. It's funny, we sell mostly to tourists in our shop. About 90% are from out of town. I think your bags are a bargain, it's shame that they're not selling very well. At least the family will love them😀
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs I guess it depends where you are. I live in a farming community NSW and I helped the local primary students make a heap of them (using your tutorial) as a fundraiser and sold out (over 40pairs). We had a lot of farmers buy them :)
That's a tough one Frank. You can do so well at a market one month, then very poorly at the same market the following month. They are so unpredictable. I'm considering getting back into them myself as well. I'd actually start by visiting certain markets that you have in mind, and seeing what other stall holders have, and how many people attend. It doesn't matter if there's competition, and I wouldn't reduce my prices to match others. Facebook is a great way to make sales. There are a lot of groups you can join to reach your target audience and it costs nothing. I find my website slow, but that's more my fault for not promoting it. You could also put your products into shops, but then you'd have to pay commission to the seller😀
Just to note changes in this fishing hiking area. We had the wettest, snowiest winter in about 100 years. The melt from the mountains still has campgrounds closes as very high and fast rivers are dangerous. Even at a hiking base camp that tourist go just to see the waterfall and views several dumb people tried walking across the stream and got hurt. A twisted angle in a rocky stream can ruin you for rest of life. The hurts are in line of rods pins and plates. So they get tired of people not being careful so they just close access! Our tourist trade is down from that and I think covid too. Many here have learned to live on one income and one car. So not a lot of extra spending money!
Covid has certainly changed a lot of things for us all. The floods we had in October last year is still having an impact too. River still closed in parts, and the tourist park looks like it may not even be ready for this Christmas🫥
Hello Christine. Thank you for sharing your products and experiences. I just subscribed to your channel and I’m looking forward to finding out more about what you have in stock. I’m looking into fashion design, which is what brought me here. Your bags are beautiful and I love the tiny ones. I have a question. Do you consider customized orders in terms of fabrics and designs? Specifically, if we are willing to provide our own fabrics, could this be a possibility? I ask because I have many dresses from travels that have sentimental value but want to repurpose them. Either way, good on you for your hard work and dedication. Thank you for sharing your stories with us. ❤Jill
Hi Jill. Welcome to the channel. I do occasionally do custom orders and would love to do more, but between creating videos, making products for the shop, and trying to use up tonnes of fabric but I just don't have the time these days. 😃
I think if you targeted the bridle bags advertising to horsey people it would help. Perhaps you could collab with an up and coming horse channel. You are correct stud farms only use halters ( head collars) not much call for bridles for riding.
Thank you for the tips. I did join some horse groups on social media, and had some success. One of my problems is having too many different items, and not enough time to promote them all😁
Well done on all your sales. I thought the shopper bags would be a good seller - people always need them. I thought the crossbody bags did well; they are the type I like to use. I've been collecting old CD's to make some 'helping hands' to raise money for charity, so will have a go in the near future. Hopefully it will soon be your summertime and once the park re-opens business will pick up again. Best wishes in all that you do 😍
Thanks Lesley. Yes those crossbody bags have been great considering how short a time I've had them. When making your card holders, place two cds or DVDs together on each side. I've found that some people like to prise the disks apart too roughly, causing them to snap. 😊
Don’t lower the price on the bags until you clearance some that maybe people don’t like fabric. They are worth the price. Also the boxed bags look perfect for mens toiletries but they are just a bit small. If you make anymore I wonder if you you could make them a couple inches longer.
Hiya Christine love ur channel ❤ keep u ur good work 😁 please can u help me & tell me how to add a outside & inside zipper pockets to ready made bag’s please I’ve looked everywhere but can’t find out how to add them to ready made bags 😞 really hoping that u’ll be able to help me best wishes from Bev in the UK 🇬🇧 xx
It would really depend on the style of bag you're working on Bev. I did a video last week where I added a zippered pocket to an apron. You could apply a similar pocket to a bag 😀
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs thanks for replying hun & it’s just a normal shopping/tote bag that I’d like to add an inside pocket so I can use it as a purse 👛 (then I don’t have to fish about for a purse 👛 lol) & I’d like an outside pocket to put my phone 📱 keys 🔑 & so forth in (& again so I don’t have to fish about the bag trying to find them cause it’s a nightmare) I will have a look at the video u mention but I asked especially for a already made up bag cause I don’t know if it would be possible without taking it apart 😪 which I definitely don’t want to do xxxx
Hi Evelyn. At the moment they're piled up on a bench in my old sewing room with a sheet of fabric to procect from spiders. I leave them on their card (without headers), and roll or lay flat😀
You do very well on zippered items. People like those better because it makes their personal items more secure. The boxed zippered items you made were not very attractive even if the item itself is useful. Be careful about mixing too many patterns together as it makes the item look cheap and unattractive unless you are going for a quilted look. You sold the most items when you used a plain pattern or just one or two patterns and that makes it look more professional and expensive. You could make a lot more money if you took in orders; whereas customers could have a tote bag personalized with an initial on it or maybe a pattern or flowers on it that they would prefer. Have them choose what patterns would interest them and sew what they would like to have rather than just making items at random and hope they sell. I was somewhat irritated at you always saying that whatever didn't sell was your fault. Maybe it was the things I mentioned, or that the display was messy. That shouldn't be in your video. You are intimidating yourself and ruining the video. Be confident in what you do and say and leave out the negatives. You're very gifted in sewing. Try more marketing ideas and the money will come.
Thanks for your feedback Katie, and all of your comments & recommendations. If my "Handmade" business was my main focus, I would certainly concentrate more on the saleability of my items, however my aim is to make the best use of the fabric that was heading to landfill and create products that people will appreciate is made with the environment in mind. When I mentioned that it was "my fault", it wasn't meant to be negative or critical of myself, rather, I was taking ownership of some of the reasons why something may not sell. I'll definitely make sure I'm more positive in the next video. I do occasionally take in orders, but limit that due to the lack of time I have. I still do alterations as a side business too. Sorry for making you feel irritated watching this, and thanks once again for your comment.😁
If you want to offload some of those supermarket shopping bags, don't reduce the price. Just mark them at buy 2 get 1 free. I am curious how long it takes you to make one though since you said you figure $45 per hour for labor. Are you really able to make one in 20 minutes?? 😮
My tags tell the customer about my store and my journey. The labels on my bags say the following😀 Handmade in Nagambie Stitch This www.stitchthis.com.au
Thank you Christine for sharing - so unheard of. -Speaks volumes of your positive & honest character!❤
Thank you so much Yvonna😀
You are a very positive person. Your attitude is infectious. Keep smiling and sewing.
Thanks so much Pat 😀
Thank you Christine. You are a lovely honest lady with amazing skills. Your items are beautiful. God bless you❤
Thank you so much Suzette😀
Well done, Christine! I appreciate your transparency.
Thank you Heather 😊
I love that you use rescued fabric
Thanks Mona they're fun to work with.
Well done Christine, those shopping bags sure are popular. I love the tea towel colours.
Great Job ! 😊
Thank you Janet 😊
Bravo. I ❤ your creativity and what I call women's enginuity. Job well done. 🤗🤗
Thanks katherine😀
You did really well considering the challenges you were up against. I watched a lot of the flood videos and it was heartbreaking to see the devastation. So good to see you staying upbeat and ploughing on. Thanks for graciously sharing your business with us. It encourages the rest of us to have a go and not be afraid to experiment with what we sell.
Thank you so much Teresa. The older I get, the more I try to experiment with new ideas as well. Sometimes it can be hard to pluck up the courage though😁
Our farmers/artisan market starting next week. Reviewing your channel as always for quick makes!
Hope you find some gems to make, and that you have a very profitable market😀
Sorry I keep commenting. The reason I even sell here is becausae people were asking where I got my jean mini bags. Made somewhat like your cross body bags. These are the ones I do the circle strap on. I buy bling jeans and can make 2 from one pair. I buy my jeans $1 to $2 and many locals give me jeans. I do ponytail loop elastic at top with buttons from my large thrift hoard. Or last year figured I reused the jeans button and cut a slit and glued it back with E600. I cut off the zipper and button sections at front. If jeans are too slim I add a side gusset to make wider. Then use legs for the cirlce strap. I also Lengthen the front pockets to fully fit a cellphone. I dont often line but charge $15 if I line and $10 if not. These sell well as I realized women dont carry real purses in our hiker, horsey town either. Then I saw some even wear their fishing jackets even to the fancy restaurant...as a purse. Teens also said I dont make things for them. So one day I saw a bunch of flannel shirts and skull tshirts at thrift. I bought them all and just cut/tore the sleeves off. Cut the graphic out and put on back of the shirts. I used the sleve to make an extra patch pocket on bottom and a hidden patch pocket with button and loop inside. I try to match my stitching to the outside plaids but it doesnt really show that much. These sold more to the women that the teens. Ive also used a bit lighter weight shirt and pretty tshirt graphics. I buy a lot of unusual graphic tshirts and ones with town names and events on them. No one buys them but I make draw string backpacks. Again I dont use grommets. I sew the end of the drawstring into the corners of the bags. I dont line these as the hikers like them for a day bag. I use the short sleeves to make pockets to have some inside or outside ones. I thread thin elastic through the pocket cuff to gather the top of it and cut the sleeve rounded off and sew on like a patch pocket. These go fast once I assembly line them. I do line some as a hobo shaped tote back. These also sell well. I should make videos on a channel of my own. Or rather learn how to do that!!
You have given me some very good ideas for sewing. Thanks
Yes, you should make videos. People will love to see waht you can do🫥
You've inspired me to start sewing again, This is the perfect time for me to get started on Christmas gifts. I love your videos. Thank you!
Thank you Lia, and you're right! This is the perfect time to sew gifts😀
Thank You, I thoroughly enjoyed your video.
You have reignited my interest in sewing tote bags again.
Hope you manage to freshen up your stock, by displaying
Items much better to get your stock which you have had for a
While moving! 😊
Thanks Faith. I'm sure a tidy up and some sun will make all the difference 😀
I’ve made lots of the helping hands for local school coffee mornings and my family members absolutely love the peg aprons, going to start making the shopping bags as my next project. Thank you for so many great ideas.
That is awesome Janet 😀
Oh my goodness!! I love those card holders! My son struggles with his dexterity and holding playing cards. These would be amazing!
Thanks Amanda. They've been a very popular item😀
I have a suggestion, but please do not be offended. You might sell more if your items were made with modern, exciting prints that are fun and bold, instead of safe and conservative. They might also appeal to a broader audience. For instance, the upholstery fabrics for your grocery bags. Try using bright summer prints, geometrics, and tropical prints instead of grandma's living room prints. My brain floods with all kinds of ideas when I walk through the home dec fabric section of a local fabric store. There are so many beautiful fabrics. Experiment and see which sells more.
I think the reason Christine uses what she has that is cost effective for her.
But your idea is excellent, you might want to sew those & sell the more fashionable materials.
If you do, I hope you idea brings you great joy.
She sold her pencil cases for $35 each. If she uses more modern and exciting fabrics as you say she would have to sell them at a higher price which may not be affordable for most. She could try making and selling one or two and see how long they would take to sell but she did mention she is sourcing her stash.
I believe one of her shop's goals is zero waste, up cycling upholstery swatches which she gets for free. I think she advertises this and buying new fabric, which most people do would not fit into her goal. Many customers embrace zero waste these days and I am trying to incorporate it more in my products and letting my customers know I use Upcycled, vintage and new fabrics in my items.
Thanks for the suggestions Rolly, and i'm certainly not offended. As the others in this thread have mentioned, my goal isn't to purchase new, exciting, or pretty fabric, but prevent fabric from going to landfil. All fabric I work with is rescued or reclaimed in some way, and this it what I promote and advertise throughout my store. I actually prefer loud and bright fabrics myself, but work with what I have access to. I agree, the geometrics prints are a very good seller, and are usually what I sell first. Unfortunately I don't get enough of it. Interestingly, most of the shopping bag sales have been the plain colours (about 80% of the 3500 I've made to date). In the end, even though my sales were'nt as high as same time last year, I'm actually very happy with the outcome.
Thank you for the feedback though. It really is appreciated😀
I tend to agree re older prints.
What do tourists want?? What is popular in your area ?? ( i am canadian, have no clue)
Guessing beaches, kangaroos (??)
What If you bought printed cotton fabric in this theme, and added a swatch of this fabric in your bags, towels, etc. It would have more appeal to tourists. Just a thought.
I love your idea re recycling.
The one thing for me with sewing things to sell is my small high desert town here mostly has locals working part time or retired on low income too. Tourists are mainly in the hiking fishing category and we are at the end of a long trail that poor hikers use. Some work along the way. So my main price point for very nice bags I could sell in Los Angeles for $40 or up to $60 I only charge $10 for. The one thing I do is a work around having to buy hardware. I make circle straps that go through extra belt loops I sew onto my mini bags and they draw up to half for shoulder and over the shoulder if stretched out. The band needs reinforced though but I show to tuck the strup under the button loop top. Im going to try to slide in pieces of bottles. See? I have to recycle to be able to have the $10 even support buying more at thrift stores. I recyce zippers and have bought damaged bags at thrift to gain hardware. I did buy some zippers on a roll at Walmart but really should order a big roll in black and white online somewhere. Like for the poo bags Id probably make a faced buttonhole slit instead of the grommet. They dont charge much at my thrift. What I can do but not done for a long time is free motion embroidery Everyone tells me to put the name of the town on my items! Need to practice again. I love your inspriatin though! Helps me think through what I can do!
I think the idea of embroidery is a great one. We have nowhere in our town that sells anything with the town's name on it except for my fabric labels. I wish I enjoyed machine embroidery. I'd do some towels, pot holders and things like that too. It's a great idea using zips and hardware from bags and clothing. I cut them off as well😀
Thank you for taking the time to make this great video. I really appreciate your knowledge and honesty.
Thanks so much Margaret 😀
Wonderful quarter, all considered! I had to chuckle at the bridle bags ~ I initially was trying to figure out why a bride would use a bag that size! Then you said, “horse” and I felt foolish. All in good fun especially because I appreciate your generosity in sharing.
I’m in Central Texas (near Austin) where we are having much higher temperatures than normal. The high has been close to 100F for too many weeks.
I hope your temps move up and mine go no higher for a bit.
On the small bag where you use off cuts from zippers, do you trim off the teeth or leave them?
Have a terrific day, Christine. Looking forward to your next video :)
Thanks Christine. I had a chuckle too. I knew when I mentioned the bridle bags, that others would think the same. It's come up on many facebook posts too.
When using zipper offcuts, I leave the teeth on. It adds character to the products and makes people think about other possible uses😀
Love all your items. I have learned so much from you. Best wishes for the rest of the winter and for the recovery of the Tourist Park.
Thanks Sharon. Hopefully it'll be back up and running very soon😀
Thank you Christine for sharing so much! As always you continue to inspire me. 🙂
Thank you so much Malisa😀
Interesting video. Love your makes. Very cute
Thank you Agata😁
Finished my Helping hands today made with playing card fabric. I hope they sell well. Thanks for the great idea!😊
I bet they look fabulous Debbie 😀
Those little bags would drive me crazy to sew .
haha, could explain how I became crazy Melanie🤣
This is so interesting, thank you for sharing, you are so organized! And so talented.
Thank you so much Debbie 😀
Thank you for this video! Very inspiring. Your sewing looks so neat and perfect. Great fabric choices too.
Thanks so much Tami😊
We had an unusually cold May, followed by repeated Antarctic blasts through June... I'm really hoping the predicted 'warmer than usual' July to September comes to pass. Thanks for the update Christine.
I can certainly do without the cold at the moment. Especially with the concrete floors at the shop.😀
When my children were still living at home, I did my Christmas shopping in July. A few stores do have Christmas in July special sales. July is a wonderful time to start Christmas shopping. Don't wait until there are shortages of the items you want to buy and give. Those shoe/wine bags are perfect for just about anyone. That is a great way to have an extra pair of shoes on hand in the car, in your wall locker, or hidden in your desk.
This is a great reminder for me to start sewing for Christmas too Arvetta. I tend to let it time get away and then it's over again, and you're right, there are certainly many purchasing for Christmas this month. 😀
Would you be interested in doing a tutorial on your towels? I love how they look.
Thank Brenda. I have two hand towel tutorials. Check my channel and search "hand towel". It's the one I did last year😀
All are lovely items. I don't sew to sell, but still find all the stats interesting.
Thanks Dannie. I'm also always fascinated by the results. I didn't do this until last year, so it's been very interesting for me too😀
You are doing awesome! Thank you for sharing all you do.
Thanks so much Patricia😁
I always enjoy these videos! Thank you! 😊
You are so welcome! Thankyou😀
Boy, that is a complete mix up except for the #1, of course. However, your new projects are so awesome and I find that the Dog Pouches slow down with the weather is not dog walking weather, lol. Can't wait to see what happens in the next quarter.
That's a good point Judi. I didn't think about the weather impacting doggy walks😀
Thank you
You're welcome Cynthia. Thank you 😊
Thanks so much for sharing all the information. As the chair of our guilds Boutique committee I’m always watching your videos and learning your production techniques. You teach really well! I’m picking up a donated batch of upholstery swathes later this month and am anxious to see if we can make the shopping bags like you’ve done. Wish me luck ! All my best wishes for your continued success 👏👏👏👏
That's so exciting PJ. You're going to have so much fun with those swatches. If you're on Facebook, you can share what you come up with in our group. (same title)😀
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs I didn’t think of looking for you on Facebook. Great to know!!!! Yay
Lovely shop and you are lovely too, regads from Mexico
Thank you so much Julia😀
fantastic
Thanks Annie😀
Very nice. Your items are awesome.
Thank you so much Janet 😀
Thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you so much Lia. That's so generous of you😊
Well done, I guess also local people who have bought your bags will only need a certain number because they are so well made! I tried to sell some shopping bags that were lined for £6 and none were sold. I'm not sure what that equates to in Australian dollars but I thought it was a bargain. Never mind, keep trying! I'm mainly making bags for the food Bank but wanted to try and recoup costs for thread and strapping. I expect family and friends will be getting bags for birthdays and Christmas 🤣🤣 given the lack of tourists you have done brilliantly xx
Thanks Sarah. It's funny, we sell mostly to tourists in our shop. About 90% are from out of town. I think your bags are a bargain, it's shame that they're not selling very well. At least the family will love them😀
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs if you sell mostly to tourists and had very few tourists this quarter you should be very proud of the sales you achieved!
@SarahTopple-wp1qg thanks Sarah. It was a nice surprise really. Even though sales were lower, I did expect them to be much less 😀
@@SarahTopple-wp1qg The sales to just tourists doesn't last. It's continuous customers that brings in $$$.
I’m surprised the sock savers didn’t come in the top 10.
I haven't sold a single one of those Rebekah😁
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs I guess it depends where you are. I live in a farming community NSW and I helped the local primary students make a heap of them (using your tutorial) as a fundraiser and sold out (over 40pairs). We had a lot of farmers buy them :)
Congratulations, Christine. Good work. Any tips on how to get started in craft fairs or other sales? Thanks.
That's a tough one Frank. You can do so well at a market one month, then very poorly at the same market the following month. They are so unpredictable.
I'm considering getting back into them myself as well. I'd actually start by visiting certain markets that you have in mind, and seeing what other stall holders have, and how many people attend. It doesn't matter if there's competition, and I wouldn't reduce my prices to match others. Facebook is a great way to make sales. There are a lot of groups you can join to reach your target audience and it costs nothing. I find my website slow, but that's more my fault for not promoting it. You could also put your products into shops, but then you'd have to pay commission to the seller😀
Yes, hang in there. Sales change for many reasons. Thank you for sharing all this info
Thank you Mary 😊
Thanks for the info!
You're very welcome Nita😀
Just to note changes in this fishing hiking area. We had the wettest, snowiest winter in about 100 years. The melt from the mountains still has campgrounds closes as very high and fast rivers are dangerous. Even at a hiking base camp that tourist go just to see the waterfall and views several dumb people tried walking across the stream and got hurt. A twisted angle in a rocky stream can ruin you for rest of life. The hurts are in line of rods pins and plates. So they get tired of people not being careful so they just close access! Our tourist trade is down from that and I think covid too. Many here have learned to live on one income and one car. So not a lot of extra spending money!
Covid has certainly changed a lot of things for us all. The floods we had in October last year is still having an impact too. River still closed in parts, and the tourist park looks like it may not even be ready for this Christmas🫥
Try more bright colors and themed/character fabrics instead of the earth toned fabrics? Very well made and I liked the towel the best :)
Thanks for the suggestions Brittny😀
Good job! BTW… have you ever given us a shop tour? Maybe I missed it.
I sure have Cyn. If you have a look at my channel homepage, the intro video is my latest shop walk through 😁
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs Thank you 😊
Hello Christine. Thank you for sharing your products and experiences. I just subscribed to your channel and I’m looking forward to finding out more about what you have in stock. I’m looking into fashion design, which is what brought me here. Your bags are beautiful and I love the tiny ones. I have a question. Do you consider customized orders in terms of fabrics and designs? Specifically, if we are willing to provide our own fabrics, could this be a possibility? I ask because I have many dresses from travels that have sentimental value but want to repurpose them. Either way, good on you for your hard work and dedication. Thank you for sharing your stories with us. ❤Jill
Hi Jill. Welcome to the channel. I do occasionally do custom orders and would love to do more, but between creating videos, making products for the shop, and trying to use up tonnes of fabric but I just don't have the time these days. 😃
I think if you targeted the bridle bags advertising to horsey people it would help. Perhaps you could collab with an up and coming horse channel. You are correct stud farms only use halters ( head collars) not much call for bridles for riding.
Thank you for the tips. I did join some horse groups on social media, and had some success. One of my problems is having too many different items, and not enough time to promote them all😁
Well done on all your sales. I thought the shopper bags would be a good seller - people always need them. I thought the crossbody bags did well; they are the type I like to use. I've been collecting old CD's to make some 'helping hands' to raise money for charity, so will have a go in the near future. Hopefully it will soon be your summertime and once the park re-opens business will pick up again. Best wishes in all that you do 😍
Thanks Lesley. Yes those crossbody bags have been great considering how short a time I've had them. When making your card holders, place two cds or DVDs together on each side. I've found that some people like to prise the disks apart too roughly, causing them to snap. 😊
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs Thanks for the tip - I will double up the CD's 💽💽 😁
Hi Christine, when do you open the shop please. I was so looking forward to speaking to you in person. Oh well hopefully next time.
Hi Liz. I'm usually open Fri, Sat, Sun & Mondays 10am to 4pm. Did we miss you? You can always message or email me to make sure I'm there😀
Don’t lower the price on the bags until you clearance some that maybe people don’t like fabric. They are worth the price. Also the boxed bags look perfect for mens toiletries but they are just a bit small. If you make anymore I wonder if you you could make them a couple inches longer.
Thanks Karen. I will make some larger ones too I think. It's a great idea😀
When is the tourist park meant to be reopened?
We're hoping it'll be open by sept/Oct 😀
Hair scrunchies are back so there’s another thing to sew and sell.
Thanks Elky. The scrunchies usually make the list, but didn't sell many at all this time😀
Love your tote bags.
Question,I being trying to personalize my own labels but seems to spensive.
Did you have any suggestions?
❤
Thanks hortencia. There's a link in description to the labels I use. They post everywhere. I find them a good price 😊
Hiya Christine love ur channel ❤ keep u ur good work 😁 please can u help me & tell me how to add a outside & inside zipper pockets to ready made bag’s please I’ve looked everywhere but can’t find out how to add them to ready made bags 😞 really hoping that u’ll be able to help me best wishes from Bev in the UK 🇬🇧 xx
It would really depend on the style of bag you're working on Bev. I did a video last week where I added a zippered pocket to an apron. You could apply a similar pocket to a bag 😀
@@ChristinesHomeAffairs thanks for replying hun & it’s just a normal shopping/tote bag that I’d like to add an inside pocket so I can use it as a purse 👛 (then I don’t have to fish about for a purse 👛 lol) & I’d like an outside pocket to put my phone 📱 keys 🔑 & so forth in (& again so I don’t have to fish about the bag trying to find them cause it’s a nightmare) I will have a look at the video u mention but I asked especially for a already made up bag cause I don’t know if it would be possible without taking it apart 😪 which I definitely don’t want to do xxxx
@foxynannabev this is a great idea for another video. I'll use one of my shopping totes to do it 😀
Hi Christine, how do you store your upholstery fabric swatches?
Hi Evelyn. At the moment they're piled up on a bench in my old sewing room with a sheet of fabric to procect from spiders. I leave them on their card (without headers), and roll or lay flat😀
Where is the video to make the cd card holders?
Here it it. I've done a few versions with or without the machine 🙂
Helping hands card holders: czcams.com/play/PLwdRgjJztIb1nA41haCxyB9tid5i10lpZ.html
You do very well on zippered items. People like those better because it makes their personal items more secure. The boxed zippered items you made were not very attractive even if the item itself is useful. Be careful about mixing too many patterns together as it makes the item look cheap and unattractive unless you are going for a quilted look. You sold the most items when you used a plain pattern or just one or two patterns and that makes it look more professional and expensive. You could make a lot more money if you took in orders; whereas customers could have a tote bag personalized with an initial on it or maybe a pattern or flowers on it that they would prefer. Have them choose what patterns would interest them and sew what they would like to have rather than just making items at random and hope they sell. I was somewhat irritated at you always saying that whatever didn't sell was your fault. Maybe it was the things I mentioned, or that the display was messy. That shouldn't be in your video. You are intimidating yourself and ruining the video. Be confident in what you do and say and leave out the negatives. You're very gifted in sewing. Try more marketing ideas and the money will come.
Thanks for your feedback Katie, and all of your comments & recommendations. If my "Handmade" business was my main focus, I would certainly concentrate more on the saleability of my items, however my aim is to make the best use of the fabric that was heading to landfill and create products that people will appreciate is made with the environment in mind.
When I mentioned that it was "my fault", it wasn't meant to be negative or critical of myself, rather, I was taking ownership of some of the reasons why something may not sell. I'll definitely make sure I'm more positive in the next video.
I do occasionally take in orders, but limit that due to the lack of time I have. I still do alterations as a side business too.
Sorry for making you feel irritated watching this, and thanks once again for your comment.😁
If you want to offload some of those supermarket shopping bags, don't reduce the price. Just mark them at buy 2 get 1 free. I am curious how long it takes you to make one though since you said you figure $45 per hour for labor. Are you really able to make one in 20 minutes?? 😮
Thanks Gena. I'f I manage my time well enough, I can actually sew them in 12 minutes.😁
What do your labels?
My tags tell the customer about my store and my journey. The labels on my bags say the following😀
Handmade in Nagambie
Stitch This
www.stitchthis.com.au
Where do you get your labels
Linda, there's a link to both labels that I use in the description of all my videos😀
🪡🪡🪡🪡🪡🪡🪡🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂😉
Thanks Joy 😊