I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

[Fabriclovr]

Hi ladies,

Back a little bit ago, I was very active on this board, of course, not having a job really helped with that! BUT since I now have a full time job, quilting has taken a back seat, until a few months ago. I started to design patterns again, just for my own use, but at least I was playing with the software.

I hosted a few mystery quilts here on the board and now have decided that I want to sell a few of these patterns.

Ok, that's is not an issue, I have a Craftsy store front and a couple of patterns listd. My freebies are going like gang busters (of course that is because they are free, duh!) but the couple of patterns that I do have up, are not selling.

There is a method to my madness, I want to take my quilting to the next level and buy a long arm machine. I have a mid arm juki and bline frames, but that limits my area of stitching to as little as 6 inches and I can't do a King size, heck I cant even do a Queen size quilt.

I saw the machine that I would like to start with, but the price tag is almost $19,000! That is a small car and I don't want a car/machine payment, and neither does my DH, so that is why I have decided to go back and start selling my patterns again.

But here is where I need your help. I am frustrated that my pattern for a baby quilt has only sold 3 times and it is only $3.35! Cheep, is that too cheep? Is the pattern no good? The comments that were put there from the buyers and they say it is wonderful ll!! So see my frustration? Please be honest and tell me what you see and think, I am truly frustrated and don't know what is wrong and why it is not selling. I want to put up a couple of more baby quilts, but am afraid that if I put all the work into writing the pattern, it wont sell, and it takes a lot to write a pattern. I know that more than 3 people have looked at this pattern, but I don't know why they are not buying?

I also went as far as to open a go fund me account to see if anyone would help me. Only my daughter helped and no one else. I am half tempted to put my weight loss story up there and see if someone would pay for my skin reduction surgery like the guy that did it and got $18,000 in 24 hours! (I have lost 40 pounds since November and skin is hanging everywhere.. TMI) but I am to scared to get the surgery and I would use the money on quilt frames and then get in trouble because Go Fund Me will ask for updates.... <sigh> I even put up several dollar level offers, and nothing! I went as far as to join a sale sharing site that gives me a % of the sales that people buy if they go through the link on my blog... nothing.

So I need your help in telling me what is wrong with the pattern and if you are a beginner or even a seasoned quilter that is looking for an easier quilt to put together, what would that be that hasn't already been done, designed or designed into the ground? I am in such a quilters block and I need/want to raise money for these frames, I am even starting to sell off my quilt book collection onAmazon!

Thanks in advance for your help!

(click on the blue underlined text for the link to the site I am referring to)

[K. McEuen]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

This forum is not to be used for advertising your stuff for sale be it patterns, fundraising, books, etc. Your post has been edited to remove links.

[Hulamoon]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

Have you thought about Etsy? I bought a few patterns there. You might get more looks.

[Bernina2]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

I checked out your springtime baby quilt.
I have been quilting for 45 years and would
not buy your pattern.
It is too simple and not a interesting pattern.
I understand fabrics are what makes a quilt,
if you are trying to sell a baby quilt you should
have used children's/baby fabric, in my opinion.
The fabric colors weren't that appealing.
I didn't like the fact the pattern has 3 borders.
I understand you can add or delete borders to
adjust the size of a quilt this way. But when I see
3 borders on a quilt it seems to me more of the
main pattern off the quilt should have been made
to enlarge the quilt instead of all the borders.
This pattern just has nothing interesting going for it,
in my opinion. The lack of sales shows that other
quilters feel the same way.
Maybe you will have better luck with longarm quilting
than with your patterns. Quilters do want their quilts quilted
Well, so be sure you are excellent in your LAQ, or you
will have no business there as well. Be sure you are good
enough before spending money on a LA machine.
We all love to piece quilts, some are good at it and some aren't.
Some can design quilts, some can't. Some are good at LA ,
some aren't. Quilting is an expensive hobby, we all aren't
good enough to go professional.
good luck

[Fabriclovr]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

This post was not meant to sell my stuff, it was intended to say what I was doing to try to raise money for a LA and these were all the things that I was doing, that's all!

So because the links were taken out that would show everyone the quilt in question, here it is.

20150313_164100.jpg

The instructions even give you a lesson on how to make the no fail mitered borders. You can make as many or as few borders as you want and the instructions also tell you that you can make as many or as few blocks as you want.

As for the fabric, it is not baby, but it is springtime flowers, hens the name, Springtime Baby.

[Fabriclovr]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

I have not tried Etsy, maybe I will look there next...

[Hulamoon]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

I have not tried Etsy, maybe I will look there next...

Most of the patterns there are $7-$12. I don't know about Crafsty but Esty allows you five pictures. Maybe add some more fun pictures. I was selling there and took a lot of time on them, I was selling kids clothes though.

[songbird857]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

I look at hundreds of patterns in any given week - I rarely buy a pattern unless it is a technique that I am unfamiliar with, or I just don't want to do the math OR I just HAVE to have the pattern because it would be 'perfect for so and so'.
With the thousands of patterns out there, and the number of free patterns available, I can imagine how tough it is to get people to even click on your site, let alone hit the 'buy' button. I would classify myself as an intermediate piecer and beginner to intermediate quilter; in all honesty, I could figure out your baby quilt without a pattern.
This is not to say it's not a good pattern, but if I am choosing a pattern to purchase, I will always choose the one for which I really need the measurements/fabric guidelines/applique' patterns, etc.
Good Luck.

[K. McEuen]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

Songbird has a good point. I won't buy a pattern if I can look at it and make it without one. I think most people that have been quilting a while are the same way. Perhaps a pattern like the quilt in your avatar would be of more interest to people.

Go Fund Me. I think that is the worst site ever invented. In some cases it is used for good things. In others, it just adds to the sense of entitlement so many people seem to have anymore. Someone posted that they would like to take their 6 year old daughter to Disneyworld and since it was their 10th anniversary coming up they should get to fly first class, stay in the best resort hotels, blah, blah, blah and would everyone else pay for it to the tune of $10,000. I'm sorry, unless it is a legitimate charity or fundraiser for someone truly in need, the majority of the people on that site just need to work a little harder for what they want. Did you really think that people would give you money to buy a longarm just because you asked?

[Iris Girl]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

I also look at 100's of patterns in magazines, pintertest and the internet. Very rarely ever buy one for the same reasons the others above have mentioned. Really not that hard to figure out a pattern after you been sewing/quilting awhile. For beginners I can understand.
Have to agree with Karen on Go fund me site. Hey I need a new car and my house needs repairs wanna fund me...Yeah thought not as most people wouldn't.
Just my 2 cents

[Hulamoon]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

The only thing I know is about funding sites is that guy that got a ton of money for potato salad. But getting a machine to start a business seems reasonable to me. Sorry I can't help you out there, but I need new carpet. lol

[mpattylou]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

Agree with above. If you want to sell patterns, they must offer something that I can't figure out on my own. Plus there are free sites on the internet that will give you instructions on how to do mitered corners. Granted I have not viewed your method...I may be missing something. Have to also agree with post above. If you want to sell a pattern, it must appeal to many people. Your fabric choices must be something they like (quite often this is a fabric line that is new or popular)....a lot of people just can't visualize what it will look like in the fabrics they like.

[Fabriclovr]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

I agree about the go fund me and it was put there almost as a dare ya. The pattern IS for basic newbies, that is why I don't understand. Your right, I have been sewing for 30 plus years also wouldn't buy the pattern but it wasn't designed for someone of my experance level either. Maybe some different wording in the title to say that is for beginners..
I am working on the directions for the quilt in my avatar. It is called Lovely Dresden. For some, they may think they can figure it out... but there are some hidden secrets in the cutting and piecing to make it all work.
I also wanted to mention, just because someone owns a long arm, doesn't mean they are quilting for others.......

[Leah53]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

I am half tempted to put my weight loss story up there and see if someone would pay for my skin reduction surgery like the guy that did it and got $18,000 in 24 hours! (I have lost 40 pounds since November and skin is hanging everywhere.. TMI) but I am to scared to get the surgery and I would use the money on quilt frames

I'm stunned! I'm having a serious problem with your willingness to be deceitful, if you could get away with it, in order to get your machine. I don't have a problem with GoFund Me, they say a fool and his money are soon parted and if you're a fool then go for it.

[Deegles]

Re: I need your help, suggestions, ideas.. ect

Here's the thing. If you really want something bad enough you will figure out a way. Being poor with an expensive hobby you make do with what you have. A $19,000 machine seems like a lot of money if you don't have the cash. Why not find something more affordable that will do the trick. Perhaps used. I would cringe if I bought my teenager who just got their license a Cadillac when it is not affordable to me. He would be just as happy with a used car that did not cost so much.

Now I will probably offend a lot of people with what I am going to say. If you got fat and lost weight, Good for you! But you got to that point with no one else's help, so why would people on a funding site want to pay for a skin reduction surgery? And then you have the nerve to say you are tempted to use the funded money to get your machine. There are people who are starving and homeless in this country. I say work hard to get what you want, entitlement will never make you appreciate your own hard work!