Deborah Fillmer

The Big Announcement // Etsy Shop is Open

deborahfillmer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:36:33 +0000

Remember how I said I was looking for a 3 month old to do some modeling for me? I found one! Meet Lauren…

And, now that I have the photo shoot done, I can make it official. I finally have the first item in my new Etsy shop. The name of the shop is ArwensChild. I am so excited about the new business, although only having one item in the shop is a little pathetic, it is a start. Please go have a look and tell me what you think. Better yet, if you would like to order a dress or Christening Gown, or know someone who would, please give me a shout. More photos of more items to come…I am working as fast as I can.

Fair Winds…

I Surrender

deborahfillmer — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:16:14 +0000

Ok, I give up! There are not enough hours left in my little life to knit all the projects that keep popping up! For example, have a look at these new beauties: http://twistcollective.com/2009/winter/magazinepage_01.php

Twist Collective did a fantastic job with their pattern selection in this new issue. If only I had the time…

Shop Owners

deborahfillmer — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:56:26 +0000

Have you ever had this experience? You go into a locally owned shop, the shop owner is not overly friendly, or helpful, and they appear to not need your business by the way their attitude projects outward. This small shop owner suffers from a disorder that my husband and I, affectionately, refer to as the Quilt Shop Owner Syndrome. If you own a quilt shop, please don’t freak out, let me explain.

During all the years we worked in the quilting industry, we were on the supplier end of things, so we saw the shop owners come and go, their businesses succeed for a while then fade or be sold to the next shop owner. One thing we almost always saw in common among the owners who failed was a desperation for $$ to stay afloat and an indifference toward the individuals who could keep them afloat, their customers.

Sure, there are a lot of good business decisions that go into keeping a business running smoothly, but if you don’t have the customers, you can’t sell anything. Many shop owners struggle because they want to offer a high end product and they cannot afford to discount that product, so their more frugal customers will depart for the national chain down the street. The problem is that the shop owner begins to look suspiciously at all their walk-in customers as potential lost sales from the beginning and then treat them as such.

Today I was confronted by another of these shop owners. The other day, I took in some fabric to this shop to have it pleated. This is a service that this shop offers. When I called the shop today to check on the status I was informed that the price would be higher for my pleating service because I had not purchased the fabric from the shop. While I do understand the thinking behind this as wanting to sell more of her own fabrics, what it did was just the opposite. Wouldn’t it have been better to raise the price of pleating a piece of fabric from $7 to $10 across the board and not have to hassle with whether a customer bought it there or not? Wouldn’t that just be a great service to offer to everyone?

I will now be buying my own pleater, which I could also have purchased from her, and doing my own pleating. The shop owner lost my pleating business, fabric sales, and pleater sale business all because she wanted to make a couple of extra dollars from me any way possible.

The thinking that goes into dividing your customers into groups according to what they will or will not purchase from you on any given day is one of the things that ultimately puts these shops out of business. When I visit a speciality shop, I expect to pay more, but I also expect to walk away with a desire to “Come Again Soon”…

Thoughts?

Seeking 3 Month Old

deborahfillmer — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:41:46 +0000

Believe it or not, I am in need of a 3 month old baby girl. No, I am not losing my mind. I just finished my first item in my new hobby and I need a 3 month old baby girl to model it for me. I am so excited because it turned out so awesome! The item is a gift for a friend of mine and I wanted to get some photos of it before I send it off to her. Anybody know of a little one who would enjoy some part time employment? I would consider making another one for her for payment. Let me know…I will post photos here when I get them done…

Entrelac Anyone?

deborahfillmer — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:52:14 +0000

Everyone has their own tastes when it comes to knitting. Some love socks, others prefer lace only, etc. I like a wide range of techniques and yarn weights. There is at least one technique that does not appeal to me at all, Entrelac. However, when I found this shawl over at Knit Yoga, I realized that there was, yet again, a reason never to say never.

This may be the only entrelac pattern I would ever consider trying. It is actually very pretty and I can just see it done in fall oranges and browns! Here is the Ravelry link to the free pattern if any of you are interested.

Till next time…

Spoiled Princess // Dogs on Thursdays

deborahfillmer — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:01:04 +0000

Funny thing about friends, they really know your true identity. Ebby has a friend here in Auburn. Let’s call here Aunt Lynn. Anyway, Aunt Lynn was so excited to see that Ebby had brought us back here that she gave her a welcome home present. As you can clearly see, Aunt Lynn not only knows Ebby’s size, but her inner personality as well. Thanks Aunt Lynn!

Happy Thursday everyone! Be sure to love on your pets today if you are lucky enough to have them. Deborah

Where Have You Been // I’ve Missed You

deborahfillmer — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:25:11 +0000

Oh my, when I decided to go to graduate school in February of 2009, I knew it would consume my time. I also knew that I would have to choose between blogging and other things I enjoyed doing. For the past year knitting and fibery fun won out. I did not realize is that I would actually miss blogging as much as I have. I am still in school, a little more than halfway done, and I have a part-time online job now as well. We moved to Virginia and back to Auburn. Blazer passed away and Ebby became queen of the house. There are just so many things I should have blogged about this past year and did not. So, here I am, blogging again.

I have begun a new, sewing related, fiber obsession. I can’t disclose the details yet as I am making the first one for a very good friend in Ohio. But, it is almost finished and then I will have a big reveal post. Perhaps I will incorporate a prize or two…

In other news, I have been knitting socks like crazy and am halfway finished with my year long Sock Knitter’s Anonymous challenge of one pair per month. Hand knitted socks are so much more comfortable to wear than store bought! For my Ravelympics entry I decided to try to finish my Frost Flowers and Leaves Shawl.

Taking a quick look at the days left in the Olympics and the amount I still have to knit on this thing, I will not finish in time. However, I do think I will have it to a point where it will be better to finish it than not.

So nice to be back, see you soon…Deborah

December SKA 2009 Complete // Just Under The Wire

deborahfillmer — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:08:09 +0000

Can’t believe I actually finished these in time for the drawing. Whew…

Scott’s Christmas Present // finished just under the wire

deborahfillmer — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:02:26 +0000

I have been working on these and avoiding these for the past two months. Last night I was able to finish them up just in time for Christmas. Since we are now here in Virginia, Scott needs something warm on his hands. So, here are Scott’s Christmas Gloves…

Purple Candlelight // November’s Sock Knitters Anonymous Cast On Post

deborahfillmer — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:31:26 +0000

Have been working on these for a couple of weeks now. Had to stop though because the 5” needles are hurting my hands…had to order some 7” dpns and am waiting for them to arrive to resume…anyway, here is my 1st pair for November:

Start date: November 1, 2009
Completion date: TBA
Pattern used: Candelabra by Chrissy Gardiner
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Heritage Solid
Needles: #1 US

Other details here: Nautical Knitter’s Projects