Salam everyone! It’s a lovely evening around here and I just had a mug of coffee (yeah mug) to fuel me up. I hope everyone is as energized as I am right now Alhamdulillah. Well, this is an overdue post which I planned to post a couple of months back before graduate school took most of my precious time.
Well, tonight I made a timeline that I had to have this post published before I get into encoding my Statistics assignment. So here we are…are you ready?
Those who are following my Facebook page The Crafty Hijabi would notice my lack of posts and instead my business page Hijabella Shop – Handmade Hijab Accessories is teeming with photos and uploads. Last year I decided to sell my handmade crafts specifically hijab brooches and pins which I originally made for myself but after some friends start inquiring if I am selling those, I got the idea and why not sell them online and that’s where I started to take it seriously.
How did I start crafting?
It all started when I was still an OFW in Saudi Arabia. On my off-duties, I try to find time to entertain myself and that’s where I found Pinterest and I got hooked. Eventually, I found myself in YouTube searching for tutorials until the time I learned to do stuffs on my own. However, my crafting came to halt due to lack of materials and supply and I can’t source good materials because there was limited craft stores in our locality. To cut the story short, crafting and I had to end our affair.
What happened next? Did I give up?
Two years ago, after deciding to stay for good in the Philippines, I rekindle our affair again, me and crafting story has to continue and that’s where I started to source crafting supplies. It was kinda hard at the beginning because I don’t know where to start but just like the old saying goes, if there’s a will, there’s a way.
Since my goal in the beginning was to make stuffs for my own consumption only, I started to dig on my mom’s treasure chest. Yeah, the out-of-style fashion pieces that most moms keep because of its sentimental value kind of stuffs, I started from there. I liked the idea that you don’t have to look farther to begin with. You can make use of what you have and take your creativity to the next level. That would be the first and important tip I could share. It’s called recycling.
How to recycle old clothes and turn it into pieces of arts?
Some old clothes are literally old and you can’t use the material itself but instead cut off some detailings like laces, beads, buttons, zippers and the like. If it has patterns on it, make use of that. Plain clothes are best staple for any craft projects because it would be easy to add details and accessories without overdoing it.
After ravaging my mom’s old clothes, I eventually had enough of the prints and patterns so I looked for other sources and you wouldn’t believe where I ended up? In a thrift shop. They had all the prints and patterns that I loved and you can cut and transform it into different styles and the ideas are endless. I had quite a lot of colors and styles which I started to gift to friends and some which I made into headbands and hair clips for my baby girl but I wasn’t selling yet that time, it was just to feed my passion for creativity.
When did I started selling online?
When friends started to inquire if I am selling the hijab brooches and pins that I am posting on my Facebook account, that’s where I consider the idea of selling it online and the rest is history.
What to invest in crafting business?
Let me get it straight, I’m not a big time crafter and I’m not making a lot of money from crafting…yet. Well, I hope I will in the future but while it isn’t unfolding yet, let me just share what I learned in a year or so of crafting and who knows you might get something out of what I am saying here 😊
Tips for starters
You should start with setting your goals. If your goal is to make stuffs for yourself and loved-ones then your choices of materials should be more personal since you are giving it to people close to your heart. If your goal is for monetary gain then you should consider researching before starting off. Browse websites for ideas, it would help you with your first designs and you should begin from there and eventually you would come up with your original and signature designs.
Invest with quality materials and tools if you’re planning for a long-term crafting business. There are lots of online shops that sell craft supplies. You just need patience to find the best offer and once you do establish a good relationship to sustain your craft needs and supplies.
For cloth supplies, do not buy in meter or yard yet unless you are already receiving bulk orders. When I was just starting, I only buy 1/4 meter for every design. I hoard many stash of different designs to offer variations to clients.
For accessories and detailings, vintage buttons is a wise investment. There are plenty of buttons in craft store ranging from plastics, glass, acrylic and a lot more. You can also make use of earrings instead. Just cut out the wire and you will have an instant buttons in different colors and styles.
I would suggest also to buy organizers to make crafting easier. Trust me things could get messy and untidy as you begin to love crafting more and spend more hours in your crafting table.
What’s next?
When you’re ready and all set, you just need little boost of confidence and creativity and you’re good to go. Hello crafting business!
Is that all? No. Of course not! There’s more to crafting and one post wouldn’t be enough for the topic. In my next post, I will be sharing more tips on how to start your own online craft store. Promise!
That would be for now crafters! Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and loved-ones who are into crafting. Remember, sharing is caring and caring is love.
Don’t forget to check my Hijabella Shop on Instagram!
Bye for now!
