From Fabric to Friendship: My First Quilt Retreat

Yes, this is very much off topic from my usual posts, but it’s something I’d like to share.

In July I learned about a quilt retreat that was happening the last weekend in August, and very close to my home. As much as I have quilted over the years (just not the last few), I have never attended a retreat. I decided to go for it and reserved my spot, paid my fee, and made arrangements to borrow my boyfriend’s holiday trailer. (And yes, although it was close to home it’s just not a retreat if one goes home every day.)

Disclaimer: Links within this post are either to my own products, or products I endorse. I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase through an affiliate link, at no extra cost to you. My blog is supported through commissions and sales of my products. Plus, if you like what you read you can show your support by pinning this post, sharing on social media, or buy me a coffee.  Thank you for your continued support.

Let me start by saying I was very much out of my comfort zone. I had only met the owner of the venue once and didn’t know anyone else there. As it turned out, one of the attendees was one of my neighbours, whom I had never actually met. I met her husband shortly after I moved into my new house when I was looking for my dog, but had never met her.

The nice thing about a retreat is everyone has at least one thing in common. In this case, it was quilting. And quilters are eager to share their knowledge with others, as well as their opinions. One of the ladies jokingly said they’re always willing to share opinions. And if I ask for advice, I’ll get a lot of it.

I did have to ask for assistance not long after I got underway because I couldn’t remember which border strip got sewn on first; the long side or short side. Once I had the answer (and it didn’t take long) I got to work.

The first evening I finished a Log Cabin quilt top, which was my goal for that day. The second day I finished a Flying Geese quilt top, which needed sashing and borders. The third day I wasn’t quite as productive because I had a mid-afternoon meeting, but the project I was working on was also in lesser stages of completion than the first two.

This one needed the three borders.
This one needed the sashing and borders.

By the end of Day 4, I had completed my third top; a 3-D Bow Tie Quilt. It was one I had started over 20 years ago (as was the Flying Geese Quilt). My fellow retreat attendees were in awe at how quickly I had the tops done. In all honesty, so was I considering I hadn’t quilted in several years.

This one needed the rows finished as well as putting it all together. I’m glad I had marked the rows with numbers before I put it away for a couple decades.

By the end of the retreat, the group had pretty much convinced me to join the Quilter’s Guild. I walked in not knowing anyone, and was welcomed and treated like I had been a part of the group all along. Needless to say, last Thursday was another sewing day and I handed over the membership fees. As one of the ladies walked by me and checked out the project I was working on she commented that I’d be teaching them techniques in no time. I said it probably wouldn’t happen, but then again, why couldn’t I?

I’m looking forward to getting back into doing the things that once used to bring me joy. It’s crazy how the death of a spouse just knocks a person on their ass and it takes forever to get back up. Sure, we go through the motions and all appears good on the outside; but on the inside the broken pieces are still there.

(Now if only I could get back to writing my series. I was halfway through the second book when Ross passed away, and haven’t been able to finish it. But, that’s not what this post is about.)

The talent and varying levels of quilting techniques used by the others were amazing. I loved the Show & Tell on the last day of the retreat because I got to see some amazing works of art. I’m not one to speak in front of groups, but I felt quite comfortable talking about my projects that day.

Something I learned last week was the guild does a collaboration quilt each year, which is pretty neat. I’m not at liberty to say what it’s going to be, but there are techniques I feel I’m going to need a lesson in so I can complete my block. But that’s what it’s all about, right? Learning from the others and contributing to a bigger project.

I’m looking forward to getting together with everyone a couple of times a month during the sewing days. Of the five to be held this month, I could only attend one, as family commitments come first. I am planning for all five days next month, but I’ll see how it goes. At this rate I should have a good handle on completing my unfinished quilts, and start some new ones.

As I begin to pursue my hobbies again chances are I’ll be posting more about them as well. That is why I started this particular blog and website; so I could share what being over 50 is all about (for me anyway).

It doesn’t matter what we do in life, as long as we’re happy. And the older I get, the more I choose to partake in doing the things that make me happy. Family time, spending time with friends, hobbies, and writing because I want to; not because I have to.

Have you ever attended a retreat of any type? If so, did you go in knowing anyone, or did you go it alone? Let me know in the comments below.

How to Make Etsy Work for You

Etsy is becoming one of the most-used platforms when it comes to handmade and digital products.

Has another week really gone by already? I could have sworn I just wrote my last post a couple of days ago. I guess what they say is true: the older you get the faster time passes.

Etsy is becoming one of the most-used platforms when it comes to handmade and digital products. More and more people are turning to the Etsy search bar to find the gifts they want and the products they want. If you are considering a shop or just getting started, this post has some advice on how to make Etsy work for you.

Disclaimer: Links within this post are either to my own products, or products I endorse. I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase through an affiliate link, at no extra cost to you. My blog is supported through commissions and sales of my products. Plus, if you like what you read you can show your support by pinning this post, sharing on social media, or buy me a coffee.  Thank you for your continued support.

In my last post I talked about cutting out my Etsy Shops, but after some careful consideration I have decided to keep at least one going. It’s an easy platform to list my digital products and it doesn’t require daily maintenance. However, more regular updates are beneficial from what I understand, as Etsy rewards shop owners that are more active. Not monetary rewards, but in how often the shops show up in searches. (I do suppose if there’s a sale generated then that does become a monetary reward.)

I have been practicing my copywriting skills in my product descriptions as well, which has attracted a bit more attention. I don’t make a sale every time someone clicks on my shop but my conversion rates vary from less than 1% to 10%, depending on the product. Some months are better than others but I believe that’s the case for most businesses, whether they’re on or offline.

Product Analytics

Something I have started using to see which products are popular on Etsy is Everbee. It has helped me ditch several ideas which I thought were great, but the demand (or even interest in some cases) just wasn’t there. It has essentially saved me from spending time and money on a listing that isn’t going to get any visibility because there’s no one searching for it.

This is a fraction of the listings shown for the search term “bookmark”. See the numbers and the potential?

The search pictured above is showing mostly physical bookmarks, which is probably as good or better than digital downloads. Bookmarks are light and fit into a regular size envelope, which is also inexpensive to mail. (If shipping physical bookmarks be sure to work the cost of shipping into your price. Shoppers like free shipping.)

Everbee has helped thousands of shop owners earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, simply by using the analytics tool to see what’s popular. That said, don’t just create an item because it’s popular. The point is also to enjoy the creation process so it should be something you’re interested in. Believe me when I say it’s more of a chore to create something you don’t like.

Templates

I added a set of bookmarks to my shop today, as well as a Canva template so other shop owners can create their own bookmarks or product inserts for physical products. The demand for bookmarks is still high even with a lot of people reading ebooks. (I don’t know about you, but I still enjoy reading a hardcopy book. They’re easier on the eyes and there aren’t any batteries to need charging.)

With the increase of digital products being created many are turning to templates to make that creation faster. I have purchased templates in the past for planners and journals with commercial rights, and have had some small successes with certain ones. Now that I have created my own on Canva I foresee myself adding more templates to my shop to help others create their own products.

The templates are not restricted to digital products though either. It’s relatively simple to use a template, print out the product you created, and sell it as a tangible item. There is always someone out there that would like to get a physical product as opposed to a digital one. besides, physical products are much nicer for gift-giving.

One thing to keep in mind when using a template is whether or not you can sell the finished product you create from it. Some shop owners will allow the sale of the items created, while others specify it’s for personal use only. No matter the end-use of the product created, the templates are generally not allowed to be sold by others. This can cause hiccups so be sure you’re clear on the end-use policies.

My sales for 2023. They’re not spectacular but they have increased since I started using Everbee.

As the picture above shows, my sales haven’t been spectacular this year. But, they are better than last year. My total sales for this shop were $86.oo in 2022, and I have already surpassed that and there are still 4 months to go in 2023. I think with the addition of templates my numbers will continue to rise.

Advertising

If you can afford it, I also recommend advertising your products on Etsy. The daily budget is from $1.00 – $25.00. I suggest starting at $1.00/day for no more than 3 or 4 listings. I just increased my daily budget to $1.50 for 5 listings, so will see how that works out for me. You can choose to spend your daily budget on one listing or several, but I have found the sweet spot to be around 3. It may not immediately translate into sales, but it could translate into a new shop follower. That in itself can lead to sales when you list new products.

Wrapping It Up

There are entire courses and ebooks on how to make Etsy work for you, but this post is based on my experience with the platform. As I said in the beginning, I was contemplating cutting my shops but have decided to utilize the resources I have instead. I’ll be able to either write my own case study by year-end or throw in the towel. Either way, spending time using Everbee, Canva, and Etsy ads will help me create the products I enjoy. And most of all, I’ll be able to do a follow-up in Q1 of 2024 and let you know what worked (or didn’t) for me.

Have you spent much time on Etsy as a shopper, or do you have a shop of your own? Let me know in the comments below.

Too Many Eggs, and Way Too Many Baskets

The older I get the more I want to simplify my life. Yet here I am, with 501 things going on. I swear I’ve been busier this spring and summer than I was when I worked almost full time.

Disclaimer: Links within this post are either to my own products, or products I endorse. I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase through an affiliate link, at no extra cost to you. My blog is supported through commissions and sales of my products. Plus, if you like what you read you can show your support by pinning this post, sharing on social media, or buy me a coffee.  Thank you for your continued support.

Where I’ve Been

My new home has taken a lot of my time. I have had trees cut down and have been trying to cut up the huge logs into fireplace-sized ones. With the help of my boyfriend, we’ve gotten through some of the pile.

There has also been the building of trellises, raised beds, purchase of a greenhouse, rototilling a part of the lawn for fruit trees, and the mowing of the lawn itself (which seems to need doing every few days).

But in all honesty, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love the space I’m creating. By the end of next summer, I should have everything the way I want it.

But that’s not what this post is about.

It’s about spreading oneself too thin, and not prioritizing the important things. Well, in a sense that’s not true because my family comes first. When I am asked by my daughter to look after her dogs or my granddaughter, I am there.

I have, however, been quite lax as far as my writing goes. Sometimes there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. Do you ever feel that way?

Reflection

As I reflect on the first 6 months of this year (wait, make that 7), I have realized I have too many things going on in terms of websites, shops, and unfinished novels. Today I invested in myself to change that.

Instead of having my digital products scattered between Etsy, Gumroad, Ravelry, etc, I will be moving the majority of them to my products page on this site. I have often said all our eggs shouldn’t be in one basket, but sometimes we have too many (baskets that is). I’m ditching some of my baskets.

Where I Need to Be

Writing and product creation are where I want to spend my work time, not trying to update products on a dozen different platforms.

I didn’t realize just how many things I have on the go until I started a blog planner last week. As I made my notes of what I had to do I came to the conclusion my baskets are everywhere. Having 2 – 4 is okay; anything more than that and it’s chaos.

I used to have a planner with everything written down so I knew exactly what I had going on. After Ross passed away that kind of went to the wayside. I am definitely more productive and organized when I have my planner set up and open.

If you’re more of a long-term planning type of person, check out my Quarterly Planner. The Zip file includes Q3 and Q4 of 2023, and Q1-Q4 of 2024, in plain and a lavender print backgound. Plus, the PDF files can be used in GoodNotes for those of you who prefer digital planning.

More planners and planner pages will be added as I put more eggs in this basket, and they’ll be easily accessible.

Wrapping It Up

I know I rambled a bit (or maybe a lot), but my point is this: don’t be afraid to take a step back and re-evaluate what you have going on. If you feel as if you’re stretched too thin, then you probably are. Look deep within and see where changes need to be made, and use a habit tracker to gradually make those changes.

Do what works for you because you have to be happy, no matter what you do.

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