Recorded a while a go, I have finally put together this Beginners level Frida Kahlo Embroidery patch Tutorial for you with a PDF download that includes all the deets to get you started!
DMC Cotton Mouline in colours listed in the PDF (or whatever you have available).
I’ve really enjoyed putting this tutorial together! Let me know how you get on stitching your patch and what else you would like to see embroidered! And I might just create a tutorial for that too!
As I become more aware of my personal buying power and trying to live more intentionally, I have decided to cut ties with Amazon. In order to ‘share the wealth’. I’ve spent the last 15 years being a loyal customer and freely giving away my money to somebody who is rich enough.
Today, I found out who Jeff Bezos is and what he is worth. And whilst his face looked familiar, to me he just looks ordinary.
Maybe I am one of the last people in the modern western world to find out that he is, at this point in time the richest man in the world with a net worth of $110 billion (Bloomberg). This shook me a little. Although, admittedly, I am on an ethical seesaw of how I feel about the size of his wealth.
On the one hand, I want to congratulate the guy, he got in there just in time for the dot com boom, Amazon books took off and look where it is now! On the other hand, there is a piece of me that feels deeply uncomfortable with that sum of money. I can’t even comprehend that amount of wealth, I can’t believe that one person on this planet would be even able to accumulate that amount.
I started shopping on amazon as soon as I had a debit card. In 2005, I was 16 years old. Looking back at that year I ordered, mostly books, CD’s and DVD’s… I have been an Amazon customer for almost 15 years!
A sample of books I ordered on Amazon in 2005 (source Amazon.co.uk)
In my first year I placed 7 different orders. By 2018 I have placed 80! (There’s a graph to be had in SPSS here!)
Year
No. Orders Placed
2005
7
2006
13
2007
6
2008
11
2009
30
2010
103
2011
100
2012
71
2013
83
2014
54
2015
103
2016
122
2017
113
2018
80
2019
80
Figure 2 Number of orders placed each year from 2005 to November 2019
I’ve not even begun and I’m too scared to do the calculation of the total I have spent over the last 15 years. What’s surprised me the most while skimming over these Amazon orders, is how much of it reflects what was happening during that year. Who I was, Who my friends were, the holidays I had taken and the Christmas gifts I had bought. Whilst this is endearing, the pessimist tapping my shoulder reminds me, while, yes parts of 2014 were great but how much of your life does the drone now know about you, what are they doing with that information?
After the paranoia had set in, I did a bit of a exploratory snoop around my Amazon account and privacy settings. To my surprise I needed to opt out of targeted adds and ask Amazon to remove voice searches I had made using my Fire remote. So, do check those settings if this is something that bothers you. You are opted into many of these types of ‘personalised adverts’ automatically, so you may be completely unaware that you are an active participant.
So far today, In order to banish Amazon from my screen feed, I have deleted the Amazon app on my phone and tablet!
I must admit something at this point, I do have a Firestick plugged into my TV with a Prime subscription that is due to run out in April. A couple of months ago, I bought a Kindle out of pure practicality. To be frank, out of all the wonders of shopping on Amazon, I think the only products that actually serve me well are the Kindle and Firestick. I read more and watch more interesting films and documentaries, my breadth of knowledge has grown as a result. So thank you Jeff for making information and viewing alternative media more accessible to me.
I had a panic moment just before sitting down and writing this that was; I’ve got to get hoover bags! Guess what? My first instinct was to check my Amazon app on my phone to see how I could attain them! I’m going to have to have to retrain my online shopping habits. But challenge accepted!
It did occur to me, that while I might pay a bit more shopping on alternative websites, I’ll be saving money because it won’t be so easy to fill the basket with all the extra junk temptations that find their way into my Amazon orders.
Final words; Jeff, I’ve given you enough of my money over the last 15 years. I’m going to take some of my freewill back and share my wealth with some other future billionaires instead.
Starting from Wednesday 27th February until Wednesday 3rd April, I’ll be tutoring at City Lit. Classes are from 6pm until 9pm.
A creative and non-traditional approach to hand embroidery, exploring stitch techniques and materials in your own personalised way to leave an impression on an existing garment or textiles piece.
What does a bad craft market day do to your confidence after a a miserable day of zero sales?
Remember that market you signed up to months ago? It’s finally here and you’re not feeling great, but turns out that the actual event sucks a bit too.
In todays very overdue post I’m going to talk a little bit of the factors that played a part in my zero sales at the crafty fox market at Kindred Studios, this weekend.
Firstly, I know when to take responsibility for my own actions. So I’ll outline what personal factors contributed to ‘Sonia B’s’ zero sales.
Lost my mojo. I entered this new year with burn out. I’d spent from October to December last year putting a lot on focus on throwing myself into market opportunities. One or two were more successful than the others. However, my confidence took a hit from the inconsistency in sales. So, from January this year I lost focus from my shop and being creative, into throwing myself fully into marathon training as a distraction.
Just generally having a shit week. I had doubts and considered backing out. Unfortunately, I’d brought the baggage of the week with me to the stall and couldn’t shake them off.
Result of no.2: Not interacting as much as I’d have liked to with customers and resisting to put on the smiley sales pitch.
Stall aesthetic. I opted for a small square table this time. 77cm X 77cm. I didn’t practice my layout for this scale and feel that this let it down slightly and potential customers just didn’t notice me or want to linger for long!
Personal demolition factors out the way. Here are a few areas that I feel this particular crafty fox market didn’t work for Sonia B this time.
Demographic. My stuff just didn’t suit the footfall that this market was engaging. I could tell from the popularity of the ceramicists and jewellery. The weeks leading up to the market, Crafty Fox were predominately promoting ceramicists, jewellers and paper printers on their instagram, so I think the market just didn’t pull in the interest of those into fashion accessories.
Lack of media coverage from crafty fox. I’m sure I’m not the only one. But my items were not featured in any of their instagram posts leading up to or during the event.
Location. This could be linked to demographic also, however, Kindred studios is in the middle of a quiet residential area and is based in between a lot of optional tube/rail stations, however, not in great short walking distance of any of them.
To sum up I have to accept that I wasn’t prepared to be battling it out for sales person of the year yesterday. I went in with the mindset that, ‘If they like it, they’ll buy it’. I was just lazy. But it’s ok to have off days. I’m actually glad that I ended up dragging myself there and sticking it out till the end. I was surrounded by many talented people and that in turn has given me the shake up I needed. I’ve also counted this as a ‘brand awareness’ exercise so not to get too bogged down by the financials.
I’d love to know your thoughts and feelings on this post. Have you got any tips on how to get over the funk?! Have you ever experienced ZERO sales at what you thought would be a popular market event? Let me know in the comments below!
On Thursday 19th and Friday 20th July, I’ll be hosting an embroidery patch workshop at CityLit, Covent Garden.
Over the course of two evenings, you will get your hands on the tools and techniques you will need to embroider your very own embroidery patch! You will then be able to attach this onto your favourite denim jacket, hat, tote bag or anything else you like!
Click here for course booking and more information.
Saturday 9th June 2018, I’ll be setting up shop at Kindred Studios with the rest of the Crafty Fox Market sellers. Very excited to be popping up again in person. I’ll be bringing a few of my old favourites from my etsy shop as well as a few new pieces. Hope to see you then!
This week we will be creating an evil eye embroidery patch.
I have included the materials and threads that I have used, but you can use whatever brand you prefer or what you have available to you.
In this video tutorial we will be working with running stitch, stem and satin embroidery stitches to create our Evil Eye Patch. We will also finish with applying iron-on adhesive so you can apply your patch to almost anything once it is finished!
The design template is full of all the details you need to complete your project!
Click below to get yours!
Here is a list of tools you may need if you’re not equipped already!
I’m using stranded cotton Anchor threads this week, But you can use whatever you have available to you!
If you give this patch a go, please let me know! I’d love to hear from you and see your designs! Also if you have any design idea requests let me know in the comments below!
Free avocado embroidery patch design template, with video tutorial to accompany it!
It’s here! Im really excited to have created this avocado embroidery patch video and PDF download for you!
I have included the materials and threads that I have used, but you can use whatever brand you prefer or what you have available to you.
In this video tutorial we will be working with stab, stem and satin embroidery stitches to create our fab sassy avocado patch! We will also finish with applying iron-on adhesive so you can apply your patch to almost anything once it is finished!
DMC Cotton Mouline in colours listed in the PDF (or whatever you have available). I bought mine from John Lewis as they had the best price at the time.
I’ve really enjoyed putting this tutorial together! Let me know how you get on making your patch and what other fruit you would like to embroider! And I might just make a tutorial for that too!
Starting from Wednesday 27th February until Wednesday 3rd April, I’ll be tutoring at City Lit. Classes are from 6pm until 9pm.
Sonia B Textiles 