Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Need A Pattern? Check out Sew Bettie's - Urban Whimsy
Website:
Etsy: http://www.sewbettie.etsy.com
Blog: http://craftyourselfrich.blogspot.com/
Products: Sewing Patterns and Crafty Kits
Country/Location: Chicago, IL
Can you tell us something about yourself?
Mark (my boyfriend) and I are the designers, writers, crafters,
shippers, and business managers behind Sew Bettie. Mark is a graduate
of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is a practicing oil painter and
multi-faceted designer. I studied history at Swarthmore College and a
medical student now. I am a lifelong crafter who learned from the best
- my mom.
What are your goals for your crafting?
Crafting is a way for me (Cara) to lose myself and focus on creating
something whimsical. My goal is to inspire creativity in other people
by providing them with patterns to learn new crafty skills.
Where do you find the inspiration for your designs?
I am most inspired by rows and rows of bolts of fabric in textile
shops, old-fashioned street markets in other countries that sell
notions, and the endless possibilities of buttons.
Describe your daily routine.
Check email. Walk the dog. Go to school. Obsess over how great etsy
is. Check out my website/respond to emails. Craft. Study. Craft.
Study. Repeat.
How long have you been crafting?
Forever!
Are you a full time or part time crafter?
Part time since I am also in school. Mark works full time as a graphic
designer for a publishing company in Chicago. Some day we'd like to be
able to devote even more time to Sew Bettie.
What made you decide to focus on your crafting and make it a business?
I'd have to say that etsy really inspired us because it made it so
simple to open a shop.
How do you market or promote your items and where can we see it?
We haven't done any paid advertising yet, but that is definitely on
our to do list this summer now that we've built a website. We have a
monthly freebie alert email where we keep in touch with Sew Bettie
fans. We share new products, contests, and big discounts. You can sign
up at http://sewbettie.bigcartel.com/freebie-alerts.
What can you say about your choice of work?
I take so much delight in being part of the DIY craft movement. I
think in this post-industrial world it is such a treat to touch and
interact with a product that is hand made with love. I love sharing
that opportunity.
What can you tell your other fellow crafters?
I think that people that are thinking about selling their goods should
just go for it! Etsy makes it really inexpensive to set up shop and is
a great place to start. Local craft fairs are also an awesome
opportunity.
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2 comments:
I'm definitely putting the DIY button rings on my wish list for the holidays!
yeah, i really love her hairbands
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