For the starters I thought of shearing some info with you that comes with experience and saves you a lot of time and effort. Because most important thing is to be crafty not a bureaucrat who is stuck under no needed paperwork!
First tip: Keeping track of what you are doing.
Keep your stock under control!
You can do this in your notebook or Word or as I did use an Excel. Write what have you got from your suppliers, how many, what you can do with it, price and most important where you got it from!!! If you would like to do it in an Excell here I have prepared for you one ready to download: Stock control
Keep track of your suppliers
Keeping track of your suppliers will do you good in the future; saving you time and possibly money to when you run out of particular thing you had in the stock.
Also when browsing internet, bookmark, Bookmark, BOOKMARK. All the websites, that you find interesting make a little folders, and add them! Most important make a folder of supplier’s websites, where you can buy thing from, Bookmark is the greatest tool!!
And make sure you google stuff you looking for truly, compare prices, qualities and availability!
The best supply web I can recommend are:
www.ebay.co.uk – the best market place there is for everything, and I mean everything you can think of! It is amazing and fairly cheap to start up with and no need for wholesalers quantities if you just trying the ground with a new product!
Recently I stumbled across this web: www.seamstar.co.uk – looking for some quirky and unusual fabrics! Ohh so amazing! And if you need your fabric extremely fast if you order in the morning you will receive your package the next day, and inside simply stunning, first time came across such an effort in wrapping and extras! Thought fabrics were a bit pricy but when you receive them they wont disappoint! Love the pandas!!!
I bought my first domestic sewing machine on: www.jaycotts.co.uk they do an amazing deals and packages, also I got some additional foots etc, really good service and affordable, machine still works perfectly as new after about 4 yr.
My industrial sewing machine I bought directly from the supplier who deals with recondition machines and he also puts together brand new ones! Very affordable! Nigel Mann- 41 Tennyson Road Kettering tel. (01536) 514880/ 518859.
Can also add
www.u-handbag.com
www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk
www.theidentitystore.co.uk
www.fabric.com –good if you need a name of fabric, they got special glossary
There are so many you might want to check out but it will take too long;) ok good source of suppliers can find in Sew magazine, it is loaded with so many!!!
Just remember that some items bought on the internet got extra price for postage. Devil is in details, remember to check the postage price and add it on to the total for your item/items, sometimes there is option of combined postage (eg on ebay) but you might need to contact the seller to update that before you pay for combined goods.
Don’t forget the real world there are many amazing deals you can find down your local market in the haberdashery stall or fabric stall, some town have got little local shops which stock some cheap fabrics imported from India. If you are in different town or country is worth checking out this places for some unusual, different and inexpensive stuff!!
