Today I launched a mini kit of a Christmas goose. You can buy it here if you fancy. I designed it back in the summer when I was preparing my advent calendars (which include six mini kits). ‘Designed’ is a bit of a grand word when it is just a little drawing of a goose but I particularly wanted to use the beautiful soft pink antique linen that I have been saving for a while.
I decided not to use the goose for my advent calendars, choosing instead a Nutcracker-inspired mini stitch. The goose, I thought, would be a lovely kit that I could launch closer to Christmas, available for everyone. We filled the thread cards, wrote the instructions and I was just left to finish the stitching ready for photographs. Of course I then had the actual advent calendars to produce and despatch (100 of them) as a well as the Handmade Fair in London to prepare for. The goose was left to languish in my WIP pile.
Meanwhile, a stitching friend of mine, The Embroidery Bird, shared her own goose design on Instagram. It is so very beautiful; she was planning an embroidery class with a choice of three gorgeous designs. I was enchanted by Penny’s embroidery (as I always am) but my heart sank. I had put such a lot of time and money already into my goose kits, but now I was going to look as though I had stolen my friend’s idea. I contacted Penny immediately to let her know; her response was typically gentle and generous but I still felt bad.
I think lots of makers can empathise. In these days of social media there is such a lot of content being shared with us each and every day via various platforms, influencing us both consciously and sub-consciously. Not to mention images on the television, in magazines and shop windows. Inspiration and influence is everywhere, resistance is futile.
Running a small business I have to spin so many plates; kit design, marketing, production and despatch are just a few of them so it is impossible to launch designs as quickly as they are drawn up. I have sketch books full of ideas and possible embroidery kits. Nothing I do is ground-breaking, I know that. I am inspired by nature, social history and the seasons; my ultimate goal is to produce beautiful vintage-inspired embroidery patterns (with a modern twist) and create step by step instructions so that a beautiful design is achievable for the absolute beginner. To encourage people to take refuge from the stress of every day life and promote positive mental health.
I have learnt, through experience, to scan absolutely everything into my computer as a way of protecting myself should it become necessary further down the line and I really recommend that other makers and designers do the same. It isn’t a form of copyright but it is a pretty watertight way of dating your design process when you are holding back a launch date or focusing on something else for a while.
I am very much of the opinion that all art shared is A Very Good Thing and if my work has inspired something similar from another maker then I am honoured. The world is big enough for all of us, there are plenty of customers for everyone and stitching is a happy occupation that is a welcome respite from the stress of everyday life.
I don’t often share my musings on running a small business; I am doing my dream job and loving [almost] every minute but there are challenges all of the time that I am learning from. If my experience can help other people then I think it’s worth a bit of waffling now and then, don’t you?
I’ll be back soon with a little Christmas round-up if you are stuck for gift ideas but in the meantime remember that the offer of a free mini cotton gift bag with all orders over £55 (excluding subscriptions) is still live. The Christmas thread collections are beautiful, Aurifil embroidery thread is very good quality and the sets make a lovely gift for the enthusiastic stitcher in your life (or a treat to yourself).
Thanks for reading and happy stitching,
Nicki xx