Time to get more businesslike

I recently decided that I haven't been very professional in the way that I go about making my bags and other items. I tend to wander into my workroom, sort through my fabric stash and spend ages trying to decide what to make, before setting out to make just one of whatever I finally decided upon. Not very professional and not cost effective either. I'd end up making just the one item  that would maybe sell for just £25 - £30, no a great days wage by any stretch of the imagination, especially when you take off the cost of the materials and overheads! It was time to become more businesslike in the way that I work.

The thing that really gave me the incentive for this sudden need to be more efficient is the fact that I have booked a place at three upcoming Craft markets ( more of which in a later blog). I needed to make sure that I have plenty of stock and a variety of items both in design and colour/fabric variations. I also wanted to add a few Christmasy bits, so I really needed to get cracking.

I decided that the best way forward was to decide on an item to make, cut out at least three or four and set to in making them. Making several of the same design is rather like setting up a production like in as much as it's much quicker even though the fabrics may be quite different. On Tuesday this week I managed to make 4 Kindle covers in one day rather than my usual 1. They were all different but because the method was the same I got into a rhythm and quadrupled my output! They are priced at £15 each, so still not a fortune for a days work but much better than I had been achieving ( providing they sell of course).

So from now on, unless I'm making a prototype or making up a commission, I will be using my more businesslike methods of making.