Site-Wide Activity

Hi Cindy! I have tried to use Wave several times. I have had trouble with it connecting to my bank, and yes it doesn't have inventory. I really wanted something online, but am finding that nothing online has all the info i need to do what I need to do accounting-wise in one program. So I use Quickbooks Premier 2015 for desktop. It has…[Read more]

Just finished lesson 2 (I did it earlier than normal because I'm going out of town on business tomorrow). It was extremely helpful as my quarter 2 goal is to completely redo my website. I wrote lots of notes and info that will guide me as I go through the process.

Thank you, Jill! Without reassessment, those would have totally been off my radar…

I'd love to learn this too–I thought I set up a goal in analytics but it's really strange; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I really want to know how people are getting to my shop and the majority of the data says the traffic is “direct” which is oh so not helpful, haha. 🙂

I did the review! Feels so good not to be doing all of this at the end of the year-frantically. This is my first year to make business a priority and what a difference it has made! A little planning and focus really does wonders.

I hit my 6 month goal in the 1st quarter. But I have also spent ALOT. After expenses, I only made a profit of $900ish,…[Read more]

1) Working on Charting My Stars, and slowly putting up the rest of the stuff in my shop. Today, however, I had to clean house, literally. It was getting pretty bad in here. 😛 (I've managed to integrate a lot of sitting, though.)

2) There's been a lot of positive feedback on the shop (I'm using a new, easier-to-navigate layout, and all of my…[Read more]

@c-c-almon I loved seeing your pic other places too!

Congratulations @tanja-osswald! Review, book publishing, and blogging. Seems like those are all huge!

Tanja, I love your logical approach to thing. Although if anyone else has something to chime in, please do.

@susan-heyn I think overall accessories are better paid–when you consider time spent creating and writing the patterns!

So I think I will continue to consider proposal requests, but be very mindful of the trade offs, not all of which are money.

@lea-ann-mcgregor So glad too see you here. It has been a while since we have seen each other. (Debbie from Knit 2 Together in Indianapolis and had seen you at Stitches Midwest as well.)

I can't answer many of your questions as you have some of the same ones I have. It will be good to see how we both progress with this program. Good luck.

Good that the thread helped you to clear your mind!

German yarn companies differ in their dealing with designers. I think, with Zitron I got a very generous and supportive yarn sponsor.
Schachenmayr was nice, too, but I think they changed their policies since now they belong to yet another company (Coats, Metz… I lost track). I never had…[Read more]

Tanja, thanks for taking the time to ask me questions!

I don't really care about the yarn, but if I expected someone to continue using my yarn, I guess I would say “we'll give you yarn for a second sample” or something. I think yarn companies in Germany are quite generous. They use the samples at shows, so I get them wanting to keep it, and…[Read more]

I've just reviewed.
My sales have gone down but this happens every year. They are a bit higher than in March 2015, my expenses are low, as always.
The best thing about reviewing was that I listed all the things I had accomplished. I feel very unaccomplished currently and this is a good antidote. Maybe I should copy the list and place it on my…[Read more]

I totally agree with Amy!
If they insist, ask them to tell you specifically how your mechanism infringes their patent.

Jill, let's start with the small stuff: Do you mind being bound to using their yarn for this one pattern?
Funny that they keep the sample for a whole year. At least it won't get lost when you move…
Can you ask someone there how many sweater patterns the usually sell? That would be a much more reliable number than just guessing.

One more basic…[Read more]

Thank you @kimberley-bridgwater @jill-wolcott @tanja-osswald !!!!! xx

They are definitely trying to bully you, UGH! Notice that they do NOT mention the different mechanics, which is what the patenting process is all about — if you could just patent the idea for what a product does then there wouldn't be 47 different models of inkjet printers (for instance).

I would reply that, since your product does not use the…[Read more]

I design crochet patterns and have self published many smaller items- lapel pins, potholders, tote bags, craft fair type items. I also enjoy designing afghans and have sold several afghan designs to Red Heart yarns and one to Mainly Crochet. The keep rights to the design but provided yarn support and paid what I feel was a fair price. All tech…[Read more]

@tanja-osswald, I've never sold 1000 patterns! I was being optimistic with 100.

They do photography, and I get the sample back after a year. They tech edit the pattern and rights revert to me after a year–but I have to always show it in their yarn.

I think I am trying to assess the time away from my other work. I love designing, but if I'm…[Read more]