2015 was a pretty exciting year with lots of changes for me and my family and great things pushing me towards earning an income from my crafting and sewing. Here's a quick recap of the year:
- I joined my first-ever swap and had such a great experience that I have done several more since then
- I learned how to use some of the settings on our "fancy" camera, which made the pictures posted here so much better
- I wrote my first paid tutorial for Sew Mama Sew (my first ever in fact)
- My little guy turned two
- I stitched a beautiful doll with locks of hand-embroidered hair
- We moved to a new apartment and I set up a more official sewing studio/makery in the second bedroom
- I received my first sewing commission, graduation sashes for the Nursing department at a local college
- I Bought a great EPP sewing book that saved me from boredom at the park and led to...
- Another tutorial for Sew Mama Sew where I created a method for designing EPP patterns
- I came to the realization that zippers are not the enemy and are, in fact, wonderful things
- An unexpected stitching session with my toddler turned into an idea for stitch kits for kids
- I submitted my third tutorial to Sew Mama Sew showing a technique I created for 3D fabric ornaments
- I attended my first craft fair as a vendor and learned a lot from the experience
- I finished a long-overdue quilt
- I started learning a new skill: block printing on fabric
There's so much I'd like to do moving forward into 2016. Mostly I'd like to build on what I did in 2015 and expand on it in interesting ways. Here are a few goals that I think are reachable over the next twelve months:
- Publish more tutorials on blogs that pay for content
- Finish at least two major projects that have been sitting on my shelf for too long
- Get rid of projects that no longer interest me
- Add listings to my Etsy shop until I have at least twenty different items
- Learn how to take great product photos
- Learn how to block print a proper pattern repeat
- Submit something to a magazine
- Apply to and sell at local Holiday craft fairs
- Restart the stitching group I began in the Summer
- Make new connections to local artists and makers
- Take another workshop to learn or reinforce a skill
- Develop another kit ( or series of kits) for kids
- Streamline my sewing studio by getting rid of unused or unwanted tools and materials and organizing what's left
Okay, it seems like a lot looking at it all in a list like that, but I'll break it up into doable pieces. There is so much else I want to do, but I want to make sure the goals I set move me toward earning money, building my skill set, and carving out a niche for myself in my chosen community. I know I can do it. Follow along with me in the new year to see how it goes.