Gifts Aloft
www.giftsaloft.com

1 December 2002 Newsletter

One of the first things I would like to talk about is procrastination. I know what I am talking about because I am writing this 1 December Newsletter on 11 December. Procrastination and crafting is that double-edged sword. I have holiday gifts to make and wrap, as well as all those extra demands that seem to pile up this time of year. "Why," my Mother asks, "don't you put those crafts down and get the work done?"

Like me, you may be using those crafts to unwind. I needed to work on quilts and needed to create a new pattern to give to you, my readers. So why was I cutting cords and making macramé angels for an hour in front of the television at night?

The answer is that I could cut and tie cords without having to think. Some crafts require thought or at least careful attention. When I am creating a new pattern or practicing a new technique, I like music without words and solitude while I play. After I come up with the initial plan, I have show and tell. It's like being in kindergarten again; some things no one outgrows. Playtime and show and tell are essential.

I am lucky enough to be surrounded by smart, creative, opinionated people. When I pass around a creation during a Guild meeting, each person at the table sees my craft from a different point of view. One person who loves country sees the item needing rustic touches; another one who loves Victorian sees pearls and feathers. Still another wants to take my idea, change it a little, and sell it at the next bazaar.

When anyone criticizes your creation or suggests improvements be strong. Listen to all the suggestions with an open mind and an open heart. You just might improve on what you have done by taking someone's advice. If you can see no use for the advice, that's fine. Your creation is your own. Someone may copy it or change it; but it will always be yours because you were the creator at the start.

Document Your Work Which brings me to another point. When you make something, take a picture of it. Most crafters sell or give away their creations. Five years from now you may not even remember what you have done. Quilters are taught to document their work for good reason.

Create a memory album of your creations. Along with the picture of what you have done, write the date, what happened to the work (who it was given to or if it was sold), was it an original design or kit or pattern. In short, tell the story of what you did. If you used fabric from a fancy dress, lace made by an aunt, picture drawn by your son when he was a toddler, include that with the photo. This background information is something that will be cherished.

There is another reason to document your work. Should you ever wish to publish your pattern, that information about the creation will be essential for copyrighting purposes.

Finally, a photo of what you have done in the past might be the start of a new pattern or technique. You might have been making country items in the past. When you look back at what you have done, you might see a way to use that old idea and turn it into a new southwestern creation.

Significance of Blue Angels I learned something new last week and wanted to pass it on to you. Blue angels represent protection of children. So if you put an angel in a baby's room, it should have blue on it. That bit of wisdom supposedly comes from Roman Catholics. I was raised Catholic but never heard of this one. The woman who told it to me said that it came from Hispanic Catholics. The reason she mentioned it was because I was making a macramé angel out of blue & pink cording that was left over from making a macramé baby carousel. She said any blue would work well in a child's room.

Use of Signs When You Are Selling Crafts Whenever possible, make a sign to go with any craft you make. You may think that the product is self-explanatory, but I am telling you it isn't. A sign is also a great way to add a special touch that sets your craft apart from all the others. Even copyrighted craft patterns may only differ 10% from what someone else has done. So always look for that unique touch, such as a card with a verse (fabulous, because so few people can write poetry in any form), directions on how to use, directions on how to clean, personalization, or cute title.

On our website we have Cardian angels for sale. That title "Cardian Angel" is a play on the phrase "Guardian Angel of the Car." A card announces this title and explains that "the hanging cord is elastic that can slip over the rearview mirror in the car." That card helps generate interest for the buyer and provides an explanation for any recipient of a "Cardian Angel."

If you have space where you are selling, have a large sign (5"x8" or, better yet, 8"x11") over your product as well as a tag attached to each item. Here is another good use for your computer. You can create signs with cardstock using your word processor or a print program. If you don't have a color printer, print on colored card stock or add color accents to a black ink on white. Card stock is readily available in the stationary department of large department stores. If you shop an office supply store, you will have a varied assortment of cards and colors from which to choose.

Organizing Your Patterns For many years I had craft subscriptions and haunted yard sales looking for patterns or magazines. As my collection grew, any chance of finding a specific pattern diminished. I have tried a variety of methods of storing all those magazines and finding those patterns. And some of those methods were a waste of time and space.

What I have finally done is to create a database on the computer to locate specific patterns. (I won't go in to a lot of detail about the program, version, or fields I used at this time. If there is a lot of interest, I could write provide that information in the future.) Basically, what I have done is to create two tables in my database. In the first one, I listed all the magazines and books that I have, assigning a unique number to each one. The second table is a list of all the patterns I might ever be interested in trying or have tried that can be found in all of the magazines/books in the first table. The second table identifies where a pattern is by indexing the unique number I assigned in the first table.

The reason this database is so helpful is the search capabilities. I do all kinds of crafts. If I want to make a baby gift but I am not interested in sewing, quilting, or knitting, I can search for crocheted baby crafts.

I have also included in my database information about whether I actually used the pattern, when, for whom, or would I ever want to do it again. It has taken a good deal of time to sort through all those patterns; but I can now find things in a matter of minutes.

I also used this sorting time to weed out books I no longer need. Before I had the confidence to design my own patterns, I needed to keep a lot of books. Now, I am just as apt to create my own pattern as to use some of those I have saved for years.

Next month, I will give you the pattern to make storage boxes for magazines.

Happy Holidays!

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