Yeah, I thought of that - it would stink to buy and download a label (a process that's supposed to be quick and convenient) only to have to wait for special notions to actually USE the labels.
I thought I'd offer a quickie tutorial on how to set the inks (vinegar, if I recall correctly) ... that way, they could print on freezer paper backed fabric, set it in vinegar and then use them immediately. Of course, that does mean extra work (less convenience) ...
Vinegar does set inks, doesn't it? I seem to recall that it does, but can't remember if it works with ink-jet inks ... I'll ask my friendly Epson Rep ...
120 miles???? Is that your closest LQS?? Wow!! I think you need some FQs sent your way ASAP! :)
Connie- Thank you for thinking I need some FQs, but I have sooooo much fabric! I try to send off squishies to get rid of some of it! Storage is an issue right now and I'll be selling my house, moving to a rental and building another house as soon as my hip is healed. Really, I don't need more 'stuff' to pack and store and move twice.
But you are a sweetheart for thinking it! Thank you from my heart.
LOL. Hi, I'm here. Connie, thanks for this offer. I do have some "pro" help, but he is more oriented toward slightly different technical stuff. You are so right, Jess. One of the things about producing and marketing quilt patterns is that the initial outlay is quite high relative to the expected income for quite a while after getting started. One of the local pattern designers, who spoke at one of my groups, said that in order to start making any profit on a pattern she has to sell at least a few hundred. Even more if the patterns are being placed in shops by a distributor instead of just by herself doing it. That initial outlay is what has been really holding up production here. sigh. (Which aggravates some other problems and leads to other problems and nothing gets done at all. )
Connie, thanks for the suggestion of font, will have to see if I can find it and see what it looks like.
And I will soon be putting out a call for pattern testers. Just got to work on all the graphics stuff, and learning more with EQ6 which may make some of this even easier (I hope) And experimenting with using actual photos instead of diagrams for some things.
I generally do them on my computer -- once in a while I just write directly on the back of the quilt. When I do them on the computer, I generally use an HP application I picked up a few years ago that just for doing that -- it's fast and easy. I know how to do it in Word and that sort of thing, but this is even easier.
When you say Mac, my ears perk up. I'm sure lots of us could use them, so if you don't mind posting them, that would be great! :)
I *was* thinking about doing a doggie ... I have my own "model" - Buddy the Wonder Dog (who's currently hiding in the laundry room under a pile of dirty clothes since he's terrified of thunder and mommy's downstairs)! :)
Cats, too ... I know most quilters have feline QIs! But birds ... totally didn't occur to me ...
One of my thoughts for a kitty quilt was to have the themed label have a fishbone (like you see in cartoons - nothing gross) and maybe a catnip mouse or a ball of yarn?
For the doggie, I figure a ball and a doggie bone (not a BONE bone) ... but what for a bird? Maybe a feather??? A nest??? Some themes are not so easy. :/
But as always, Leslie, you are my Quilt Angel ... you have the BEST ideas!! :)
Shhh ... there's no such thing as TOO much fabric!! Bite your tongue, Woman! :)
You'll get the rest of us jealous! :)
Yeesh ... don't you do enough as it is??? That's a lot of work ... if you don't want fabric, you surely need a Hug Quilt!!! :)
What's the prognosis for your hip? How much longer will you be recuperating??
((((Leslie))))
Again, bite your tongue!! What's better than fabric to cushion treasured items? It's like giving them a quilty hug!
Hubby actually was GLAD for my huge fabric stash (though a little irritated at finding all my hidey-holes) when we moved ... we used scads of it to pack many of our family heirlooms! :)
(Though he wasn't very happy at the electric & water bill after I rewashed it all!!)
Me? A sweetheart? You have me confused with someone else ... if anything, YOU bring out the sweetheart in even the most vile of people! :)
Pati, there's way to cut costs ... things that most people don't even think of ... IMHO scrapbookers have their finger on the pulse of "making do" with great results. If you have any friends that scrapbook, they can be a REAL asset!!
Friend of mine is a SBer and she used her savvy skills to create the invites for her wedding - at about 1/3 the cost of ordering them!!! They were not only cheaper to produce, but also made quite the lovely impression!! :)
Also, if you're planning on selling them over the internet, I'd really suggest making them PDFs and making them available for download. Unless the motifs are HUGE, you can do multiple PDF pages that they can print out themselves ... American Patchwork & Quilting, Quiltmaker, etc, (NAYY) do that and they are quite attractive and easy to use! Word can export as PDFs now ...
If you don't mind, I can send you the font (just don't tell Adobe, LOL)
- I use what's called OpenType fonts so you can use them on your PC with no problem. If you're open to that, I can just e-mail it to your addy. That way, you can take a look-see quickly and have it JIC ... Otherwise, I think the font is about $75 ... just let me know! :)
If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know! I'm not looking for business, mind you (not sure if my offer's being seen that way) ... just looking to do a favor for a friend! :)
Pati, it all sounds awfully exciting! Best of luck with it. :) Gosh, this group seems to encourage people named "Pat" -- or variations thereof -- to be published, doesn't it?
I got a GORGEOUS hug quilt about the time of my last hip replacement- I cherish that quilt and still love to feel it and look at the blocks and the names on the blocks. Funny, I get a new hip, buy a sewing machine and lose a husband.... twice now. Think I'll quit getting hips! LOL Oopsie- forgot to tell all y'all- I bought a Janome Jem 660! My dealer called me- it's one yr. old and very gently used. I got a three year warranty and free servicing for those three years plus the extension table and 1/4 in. foot. All for $150! I scored!!! Shoot, five $30 service and adjustments equal the cost of the machine. Woohoo!!!
I see my surgeon again on 7/16- I hope he'll let me start using my right foot a bit- I've been totally non-weight bearing for 8 weeks now. He said the total recuperation would be 4-6 months, so I'm two months down and counting. Thanks for asking! ;-)))))
And don't forget some elegant labels- Art Deco style pops into mind- or something graphic and very modern looking. For the birds- the wild ones need a tree branch, of course, the hummingbirds need a lovely flower and domestic birds- hmmm... a cockatiel on a perch, a parakeet on a lady's head with her eyes looking up at the bird, a parrot with a cracker in it's claw???
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
PS: How about a granny with little round glasses and a bun in her hair sitting in a rocking chair sewing on a quilt? Or different quilt blocks in a parade around the edge of the label? A wreath of flowers around the outside edges? A Baltimore Album block in the corner and a pretty border? A log cabin with tall pine trees and smoke coming from the chimney? A sweet little Victorian or storybook cottage? Fishes and some seaweed and a snail? Butterflies and a flower? Various classic cars- 65 Mustang, a Beetle, etc. or a big truck- 18 wheeler or dump truck or fire engine??? Okay. I'm stopping now.... Done. LOL And then there are the fabric dye pens to color in the objects on your labels..... HELP! Somebody stop me! EEEKKKKKKKKKK!!!
Well, I definitely wish you the best with this! I've heard some of the "name" teachers say that they don't get much money for what they do, when they work out how much time and effort goes into the preparation. But they all love it!
EVERYTHING'S easier than Word - at least, for me! :)
I've avoided Word as much as possible ... it just gets my teeth on edge, you know? What I think gets me the most is that it just doesn't feel ... intuitive. All my other apps (I use Adobe almost exclusively - so intuitive, so creatively inclined ... so wonderful!! NAYY, btw) ARE intuitive and it feels like I'm going backwards, skill and technologically, when I do have to use Word (Gates? Are you listening?? LOL!).
Obviously! You're Intel! I didn't notice that before ... so how do you like it?? Been thinking about upgrading but I'm one of those "wait til it's been out for a while" kind of people. But I gotta tell you, those Intels are making me wanna eat those words! :) As they said when the first iMac came out .... YUM! :) (I still have that poster!)
I can't post all of them - we're talking about 4 Gigs ... it's damn nigh every Adobe Typeface ever put out. But if ya'll have requests ... and you don't tell Adobe (for my company, I have a site license, but still, I'll bet there's more quilters here than I can claim on a SL!).
Or ... how about this ... tell me what KIND of face and I'll YouSendIt to you ... Novelty, Script, Display, etc ...
Hmmm .... sounds like you're due a new one! :) Hug Quilt, I mean! :)
What're your favorite colors? And what kind of patterns do you like? Are you an applique kinda gal or a contemporary pieced or a traditional pieced? :)
Yes, I'm offering! :)
Pfft ... I'll probably get booed and chastised for this but ... enh, he was a practice husband (or "Starter Husband" a la that new USA channel series). He *OBVIOUSLY* wasn't good enough for you ... not to be a jerk (and if I am, I am VERY sorry) but if he bugged OR if it was bad enough for you to toss his keister out when you're recuperating from serious fricking surgery, well, let's just say (as my momma used to say) he wasn't a "Keeper."
Nope, just quit getting little boys pretending to be men. :)
Damn, Girl! WHO is your dealer and will he ship to Florida??? :)
That's great!! Great service at a great price ... It's the sweeties that get those kind of deals! :)
You know, if I ever get divorced and remarried (again) , the next hubby will be either a fabric rep (preferably RJR Fabrics) or a sewing machine dealer! :)
Wow!! 8 weeks??? How do you get around - if you don't mind me asking?? For the love of Pete, I really hope you listen to the doc and take care of yourself ... I know your friend helps you, but I really see you as a "Make Do" kind of person. As in "Well, I know I'm not supposed to ... but such-and-such has got to get done ..." - especially, the story about the laundry basket comes to mind ....
Bite your tongue!! I'm LOVING your ideas!!! Seriously, you wanna go partners??? Your ideas are GOLD!!!
Every single idea I use is giving you credit ... obviously, that's only worthwhile if the labels/illustrations end up good enough to SELL. But can you imagine it??? "Leslie's Birds," "Leslie's Quilt" "Leslie's Album" etc! An entire series of Leslie's!!! :)
Is that okay? :)
I'm going to have start an ENTIRE folder with just YOUR ideas!!! :) THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! :)
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