Cinderella *Inspired* dress crochet pattern for sale!

May25

IMG_6255

Some alternative coloring.

Some alternative coloring.

That is it!  I finally finished it.  My Crochet pattern *inspired* by the ever loved Disney princess Cinderella!  It took a lot longer than I had originally anticipated, but it is finally completed.  All of my crochet patterns have been tested by at least two different crochet artists (sometimes more), to ensure that the crochet patterns are as flawless as possible.  However, in the case that one of my crochet patterns do have a mistake, I offer personal assistance to get the issue resolved as soon as possible.

Bow details for back of dress

Bow details for back of dress

It is important to keep in mind that my crochet pattern has been *inspired* by the Disney Princess of Cinderella, and I am NOT affiliated with Disney at this time.  However, as I continue to sell these crochet patterns I am hoping to eventually become part of the Disney Franchise.

You can purchase my crochet pattern either through my RAVELRY store, or my CRAFTSY store for only $4.35 per size.  The available sizes at this time are 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, and 18-24.  Since the crochet pattern uses double crochet for most of the pattern, there is lots of stretch and give to the Princess Dress, so that while it easily fits a smaller child, it can also comfortably fit a more round child as well.  Because we all know how no two people are shaped the same!  I do give permission for purchasers of my crochet pattern to sell the finished products.

A different artistic interpretation of my pattern (altered sleeves, addition of tulle)

A different artistic interpretation of my pattern (altered sleeves, addition of tulle)

This crochet pattern (that has been *inspired* by Disney’s Cinderella) includes lots of pictures, step by step directions, and a breakdown of certain crochet stitches.

photo(17)Materials Needed

  • 1 skein of Red Heart Super Saver in Baby Blue
  • 1 skein of Red Heart Super Saver in White
  • Size H crochet hook
  • Scissors
  • Yarn needle (for sewing in ends)
  • Scissors
  • Buttons (optional depending on if you choose to leave the back open)

Basic Knowledge of the following crochet stitches

  • Chain
  • Single Crochet
  • Half double crochet
  • Double Crochet
  • Half Treble Crochet
  • Dc2tog (decrease)
  • Htrc2tog (decrease)
Some Crochet Details of the pattern for sale

Some Crochet Details of the pattern for sale

To purchase the crochet pattern for this adorable dress that has been *inspired* by Disney’s Cinderella princess, just go to my http://www.ravelry.com/designers/family-bugs store, or my CRAFTSY store to purchase, and then download the pdf file (you do NOT have to join either website in order to purchase) :-D

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Just good craft-selling tips – Smorgasbord of blog posts

May14

I have a board on my pinterest, which I highly recommend for all of my blog followers to at least check out by clicking HERE.  Especially if you are interested in selling your hand-made crafts.  It is a board dedicated to everything selling crafts.  I pin blog posts that cover the topics of pricing, creating, relating to sellers, where to sell, branding, photography, marketing, increasing sales, specifics to selling crochet, or even the general idea of working from home.  Some of them are posts that I have written myself, most of them are actually from other bloggers who have good ideas.

 

For those of you who don’t have a pinterest (you NEED to get one!), I’ve included a few of the better posts here for you to click on over to.  All of these are really GREAT, and I definitely encourage you to check out more from their entire blogs as well.

 

Two women knitters with blogs, holding up thei...

Two women knitters with blogs, holding up their knitting. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

General working from home advice

 

 

Selling hand-made goods

 

 

Photography

 

 

Marketing

 

 

English: Woman selling wood crafts in Tequisqu...

English: Woman selling wood crafts in Tequisquiapan, Queretaro, Mexico (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Basic Pricing strategies

 

 

As I am constantly adding to this list of “Just good craft selling tips”, I definitely recommend that you follow my pinterest board, by clicking HERE.  There are tons of good blogs out there on different aspects of selling hand-made crafts, and it can be so easy to get overwhelmed or even confused as to which ones will apply to you and what you are selling.  Taking the time to find some good resources will definitely be beneficial to your long-term goal of selling hand-made crafts.

 

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How to get started blogging…3 quick steps

May3

Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus Purple Cone...

Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus Purple Coneflower 3008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dear Monarch Butterfly,

My sister-in-law and I are thinking of starting a blog, what would you recommend we start with? We are both really clueless about how to start it up. We have been selling locally and at a few of our friends local consignment shops for around 5 years, but we want to expand to online as well. Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for any help you give in advance.

Handmade by Chasiti

Dear Handmade,

Thank you for your question, it’s a good one that many people have. The first thing to consider is which blogging platform you want to use. There are a lot to choose from and they each have pros and cons. To get an idea of where to start, try List of 25 Blogging Platforms or the 2013 list of free blogging platforms.  Just pick one, and test it out, you can always switch over to another one if you don’t like the one you are curently using.

List of Iberian butterflies

List of Iberian butterflies (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Then, you just start writing. I’ve got a list of 50 blogging topics that is geared specifically toward the craft seller to get you started, or you can just google “blogging topics” to get a ton of good ideas. A good schedule is also important to keep in mind when blogging.  Don’t ever forget that you are going to be competing with dozens and possibly even hundreds of other craft-sellers…being consistent with this endeavor will help seperate you from the “wannabe sellers”. A good schedule to keep without taking too much of your time is to post something new 2-4 times a week.

Last thing to do is promote your blog. Share posts on Facebook/twitter. Get involved in blogging challenges, blog hops. Comment on other blogs. Encourage people to subscribe to what you are writing.

Blogging is all about branding your craft.  Putting a name behind the company and creating something personable and relatable.  It is about being an actual person and not just another big-named corporation so don’t be shy about using personal pronouns and relating your personal experiences with your readers.  Thank you so much for your question, and I hope this helps you out :-)

-Monarch Butterfly

If you have any questions that you’d like to ask The Monarch about selling your own hand-made crafts, feel free to drop her an email at familybugs@gmail.com.  There is a 100% guarentee that she will answer each and every question, and you might just find you question and answer posted here!!!

“like”, “share”, and “subscribe” to this blog for more information about selling your own hand-made crafts :-D

Just get

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Reproduce an old post

Apr25

One of my best blog posts was written fairly early in my blogging career.  I spent about two weeks working on it, for the purpose of making it a great staple to my blog!  It continues to bring more visitors and followers to this blog, and while I have gone back several times to try to reproduce this same post in a better light, repurposing it with videos and images, the original still receives the most attention.  So, instead of continuing to better something that is apparently awesome by itself, I am just going to direct you to the link to go back to that post, and you can read it and be in awe of my brilliance!!

How to Become a Professional Crafter – Standing out from the Hobbyist

And this blog post has been brought to you by the letter R – Reproduce.  Instead of “liking”, “sharing”, this post, why not hop on over to that other post (can also be found HERE), and like, and share it!  But definitely go ahead and subscribe to my blog for more information about selling hand-made crafts :-)

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Painless selling techniques for the frightened craft seller

Apr20

The idea of selling your hand made crafts can be so dauntingly terrifying for some.  You are taking a small piece of your personality and putting it on display for the whole world to love/reject it.  Just the thought of giving someone else the opportunity to critique something that is so personable as a hand-created product, can be enough to turn some people away from the prospect of selling their crafts.  I am here to tell you to take courage and consider these *painless* selling techniques to get started.  Don’t worry, I know you can do this!!

  • Sell directly to people.  This means that you will be most vulnerable to any attack, but keep in mind that while these people may dislike your craft, they don’t know you at all.  It is not personal!  One of my favorite craft show moments happened at my very first show with my very first customer.  She was a little old woman, obviously not in her right mind, and had her daughter with her.  When she saw what I was selling, the first words out of her mouth was, “oh my, those are ugly”.  Cracks me up STILL, because what she considered ugly are my best selling products.  Everyone has an opinion.
  • Be unique.  Having a unique craft will create a bit more opposition and more opinions.  However, it is also the best way to gain the most recognition.  There will always be *someone* out there who will LOVE it!  I have had customers request a specific product that I think is absolutely horrifyingly gawdy, but that’s what they want, that’s what they like, I don’t have to like it, I’m not going to be using it.
  • Be professional, always!  Conducting yourself seriously can play a huge role in how your audience will perceive you.  Don’t underestimate the value of professional etiquette.
  • Be prepared.  Go ahead and play out the possible reactions in your head, and be prepared for a polite and courteous come back.  If someone says that they don’t like one of your products, direct them to another.  Obviously you can’t be ready for any and everything a person might say, but being prepared for a few of the “what ifs” can do wonders to ease your mind.

I can definitely relate to the nervousness associated with selling your hand-made crafts, but I can also assure you that most of those fears are self-inflicted and usually exagerated.  MOST people are courteous enough to keep their ugly opinions to themselves.  Always remember that while your craft may not be as appreciated by some as you think it ought to be, it is not a rejection of you as a person!

Today’s blog post has been brought to you by the letter P – Painless selling techniques.

“Like” and “share” this post with your friends.  Go ahead and “subscribe” or “follow” for more information on how to sell your own hand-made crafts!

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Optimizing old blog posts

Apr18

So you’ve been blogging for a period of time, and you are starting to feel redundant in what you are saying? I suppose there are only so many different ways that you can say “I’ve got new products!”, or “this is what I do for a living”. If you are running out of topics to write about, I definitely recommend my “50 blogging topics for craft-sellers” post I wrote a few days ago. Perhaps you may be wondering: what about all those other posts? They contain some good information and aren’t being read quite as much as my newer posts. Well, the answer to all of your problems is to repurpose those old posts.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle.”? Same concept can be applied to any old materials. Bring that old information back into the light…maybe even a new light. Take an old blog post and rewrite it with a different perspective, create a video post out of it, take a bunch of ports and turn them into an e-book. They are just sitting there collecting cyber dust, and you are in need of more material anyways. You’ve already done the work to compile the research and information. So now you can get even more from that time you spent!

Today’s blog post has been brought to you by the letter O – optimize!!