Mental Muscles

Archive for the ‘Thread & Needle’ Category

As more and more people become disenchanted with working for disloyal American companies, many are finding themselves going out and starting their own small home-based businesses.  This is great for the U.S. economy, and it is also wonderful if you are one of the people wanting to start your own business!  There is no better time than starting your own business than right now.

One of the most popular new businesses is custom embroidery services.  Thanks to the technology of today, doing custom embroidery no longer requires very expensive machinery and can be done with simply a decent personal computer and a sewing machine with embroidery capability.  Your customer base for your designs is literally limited only by your own imagination and marketing ability.  Everyone from dog owners to crafters are interested in having items which reflect their interests and individuality.

Machine embroidery can be done on most fabrics and is the best way to customize your clothing and decorative items.  You can purchase designs which are already made and you can also design your own through the latest in digitizing software.  Starting your own custom embroidery business is easy if you follow a few standard small business guidelines.  Here are just a few of them to consider:

The Business Plan

No matter what business you decide to start, you 100% have to have a solid business plan.  There is no way possible to have a successful business venture without one.  The best way to develop your business plan is to think about all of the variables which go into your unique business, and what your ultimate short-term and long-term goals are for the business.  With all of this information, you can sit down and formulate a business plan without it taking you a lot of valuable time.

Licensing and Regulations

Depending on the city, county, and possibly state you live in, you may have to get a business license to have a legal home-based embroidery business.  The way to determine what the local rules and regulations are is to call up your local city and county government offices and ask them what you need to do.  If you live in a state with sales tax, you should call up your state Controller’s Office and ask about obtaining a seller’s permit.  You will most likely find that most government offices are supportive and helpful in getting you situated in a place where your business is legal.

Financial Records

The best thing you can do for yourself is to keep good business records from day one of your business.  Start with the fees to get a business license, and start recording every single business expense that you have.  By doing this as you go you will save both yourself and your tax preparer a ton of headaches come tax time.

Setting Your Prices

The number one mistake many home-based sewing businesses make is to charge too little for their services.  You need to make a living, and you need to be pricing your items and services accordingly.  Whatever you do, do not sell yourself short!  Ask a going rate for your items and services and expect that people will pay you what your time and product is worth.  This allows you to work smarter and not harder!

Marketing

Marketing is simply getting the word out and letting others know your business exists.  You can market online, through a press release sent to your local newspaper, flyers, brochures, craft fair booths, etc…  Anywhere you come into contact with potential customers you can market your items and services.  You can even do simple things like always carry business cards, available these days very inexpensively online, and hand them out to everyone you meet as you go through your days.

As you can see there are a lot of things for you to consider when you are thinking about starting a home-based custom embroidery business.  However, your business can be very successful and profitable if you take the time to make it so!

One of the most interesting ways you can embellish your embroidery projects is by adding beads onto your stitches.  Adding beads brings a three dimensional look to your needlework and adds a unique form of beauty and visual interest.    With today’s popularity of beadwork and jewelry making, there are some amazing beads available for you to purchase and add onto your embroidery projects.

You can purchase beads at your local drugstore, craft stores, fabric stores and even bead specialty shops.  Bead shops can be found both online and through mail-order catalogues.  Beads today come in an amazing variety of shapes, colors and sizes.  Beads can be found made of many different materials and in just about any shape imaginable.

Embellishing your embroidery projects with beads is simple to do if you follow a few simple guidelines.  Let’s take a moment and look at three tips and tricks which can help you to create amazing works of art with embroidery and beads, without adding frustration to your project.

Keep a Consistent Color Scheme

When you are looking at adding beads as an embellishment, you want to decide how you want them to look on your finished project.  If you are after a complementary addition, you might want to use beads which are similar in color to your stitches.  This will give your work a very elegant feel and at the same time won’t distract viewers away from your stitching.

If you are looking to add some extra visual interest to your embroidery, you might want to add a more bold or opposite color to your work.  An example would be adding red beads onto a Christmas tree you have embroidered.

Another choice you have is to use clear thread, or thread which matches your fabric exactly, and add beads into the empty spaces on your work. This allows for the beads to be seen even if there is no embroidery under it; and the clear thread will allow your eye to see the beads and not the thread itself.

Test Your Beads for Quality Before You Stitch Them On

Not all beads are created equal.  You want to use higher quality beads for your embroidery projects.  You do not want the color to come off of them in the wash or through regular wear.  To test your beads you can simply rub them together in your hands and see if they maintain their color without flaking.  The best beads to use to embellish embroidery will be made of colored glass.

Use the Right Needle Size

While the size of your needle doesn’t matter too much when you are making your embroidery projects, it does matter, a lot, when you are working with beads.  If you will be using glass seed beads, or other small-hole beads, you want to make sure you use a small thin, long beading needle to affix your beads to your project.

Beading needles work the best for two reasons.  The first is that they will not break your beads when you thread them on.  The second is that they are usually longer than embroidery needles and will allow you to string on beads all at one time if you want to.

Adding bead embellishments to embroidery projects can really make your projects “pop” and look like they were done by a professional.  You really are only limited by your imagination!

Every home should have a basic sewing basket at the ready for those times when you need to sew on a quick button or fix a ripped seam.  By having a sewing basket will all of your basic sewing essentials in one place, you can be ready for any small sewing emergency which might crop up at any time.

The first thing you will need to have is a sewing basket itself.  You do not need to go out and purchase a basket made especially for sewing; any box with compartments will work great. Many people prefer to use a fishing tackle box because they give you a lot of small compartments to store your various items in.  By having many compartments you can keep your sewing basket in order and free from clutter.

Once you have your sewing basket or box, it is time to start acquiring the necessary basics you will need to sew.  There are a few things that every sewing basket should have.  They are:

Sharp Scissors

Using dull scissors is one of the most frustrating things you can do when you are sewing.  Dull scissors make your project much harder than it needs to be.  A good quality pair of very sharp scissors will save you a ton of frustration and time.  Your projects will also turn out better and have cleaner lines to them.  Having a sharp pair of scissors available without having to hunt around the house for them is a must for any sewing basket.

A Variety of Pins and Needles

What you will be sewing dictates which needles you will need.  Needles come in a variety of sizes and sharpness to be used with different fabric types.  In your sewing box you will want to have very sharp needles and some which are blunt ended.  You will also want to have large needles and small ones.  In addition to needles you will want to have plenty of pins to use to hold things together while you are sewing them.

Magnetic Pin Holder

Rather than a traditional fabric pin cushion, a magnetic pin holder can make your use of pins and needles easier.  Also, when you are finished for the day, you can simply wave your magnetic pin holder over your work area and attract up all of the stray pins before they end up on the floor and in someone’s foot.  A magnetic pin holder is a staple for any sewing basket.

Threads

No sewing basket is complete without threads.  You will want a selection of a variety of colors and thread weights.  The last thing you want to do is find yourself needing to sew on a dark button and only having white thread to do it with.  Many stores sell a package of small spools of various thread colors.  In addition, there is some wonderful denim thread available if you will be sewing on jeans.

Stitch Gage

A stitch gage looks like a small ruler with a sliding gage on it.  The stitch gage is used to help you measure and also to help you sew straight seams and hems every single time.

Taylor’s Chalk

Taylor’s chalk is a must for making markings on your fabric and cutting out patterns.  The chalk is easily removed from your final product

Anti-Fray Solution

Anti-fraying solution can be applied to the edges of your fabric to keep it from fraying while you work with it.  The solution resembles super glue and can safely be used on most fabrics.

Pinking Shears

Pinking shears are a special type of scissors which cut fabric so that the edges are zigzagged.  This zigzagging keeps fragile fabric edges from fraying.  If you will be working with a fabric with a tendency to fray, such as satin, you will find that pinking shears make your life a whole lot easier.

Elastic Puller

Elastic pullers are used to pull elastic through casings in your projects.  They are very inexpensive and indispensable if you will be working with elastics.

If you take the time to stock your sewing basket with the above items, you will be ready for any sewing emergency or project.  And, you can be the hero of the house when a button falls off ten minutes before your family leaves for a special occasion.