Who is your dream client and why do you need to profile them?

Every business has an ideal or dream client in their mind when they start. Do you know who your dream client is? How will knowing them help you grow your business?

When I first heard about profiling my dream client, the first thought that came to my mind was - okay, but I have just started and I want to sell to as many people as I can; so how can I narrow down to just one person as my dream client?

But then gradually I realized, I can sell to as many people as I want to, but I will design for my dream client. I will speak their language. I will be at the places where they are. I will appeal to them. And that helped me grown my business manyfold. I went from zero customers to being the busiest booth at the local craft fair. I went from being an unknown quilter in a quaint little town in India to a Brand Ambassador for three leading companies in the Quiltign world!

How did I do that? I created my dream client profile and started speaking to them. 

Do you want to create your Dream Client profile? Take a piece of paper and imagine who is it that you want to buy your products. You might have made thousands of sales by now or maybe this is your first product. It does not matter. When you made your product, who was in your mind as the end user? You can even use an existing customer if you think they are the ideal customer for you. Now answer the following questions about them. 

1. What is their gender?
2. How old are they?
3. Where do they live?
4. Are they single or married?
5. Do they have a family?
6. What does their family look like? 
7. What is their occupation?
8. What is their yearly income?
9. How does their regular day look like?
10. How do they best like to stay in touch?
11. What are the places that they frequent regularly?
12. What are their hobbies?
13. Are they a part of any groups or social circles?
14. Where do they hang out with family?
15. Where do they hang out with friends?
16. What are their favorite magazines?
17. What is their favorite social media platform?
18. What are their top 10 favorite accounts on that social media?
19. Do they read blogs? Write their 5 favorite ones.
20. What are their favorite shopping places?
21. What are their favorite online shopping places?
22. Who do they idolize?
23. Where do they spend their vacations?
24. What do they consider or think about before they buy anything?
25. What do they consider or think about before they buy from you?
26. What is the most important thing for them in life?
27. What is the most important criteria for them when they are buying products that you make?

You can add as many question to this as you want to make the picture so clear that you can go into a crowded space and pick your ideal client just by looking at them.

 How will this help you in your business?

1. It will help you design better products. Now that you know what your dream client wants, it will be easier to design products by taking their needs and likes into consideration.

2. It will help you write product descriptions. Knowing what they consider before buying your product, will help you word your product descriptions so that their requirements are addressed and communicated.

3. It will help you to directly talk to your dream client. You know what they read and enjoy, so you can also read what they are reading and make sure that your language is similar so that your products will appeal to them. 

4. It will help you be in the right places. It will help you be in the places that they frequent so that your product gets the maximum visibility.

5. It will help you target ads. If you have ever used targeted ads on social media you will know how much knowing in detail about your ideal client will help you target the ads to a smaller percentage and increasing the conversion rate. 

5. It will help your business grow. An ideal customer profile can do wonderful for your business. As you start speaking to them, your following will gradually start filling with people who roughly match that profile. So every product you make will look like it is custom-made for them. Customer satisfaction will skyrocket and  so will your business.

Remember that by creating your ideal client profile you are not excluding those who do not fit it, but you are attracting those clients that make you happy to serve.

Do you already have a client that fits in your ideal client profile? Or are you working on an imaginary one. Do let me know how ideal client profiling helps you in your business.

5 quirky things that make me - me!

We all have them. Don't deny it. We all are a little whimsical or quirky! What are the five quirky traits that make me uniquely me?

I come as a whole package! I am smart. I am funny. I am loving. I am crazy. I'm the whole deal!

I am me. Everyday!

Are you ready to know me better? I hope you are not put off by any of these.

1. I wake up at 4. Sometimes, even earlier. I am a morning person and I love to wake up at 4! There was a time when I could catch a 5 am flight by staying awake all night, but now I will just wake up earlier! Why? I wrote a blog post about it. Sometimes that means that I am getting up when my husband is getting into bed. Even on holidays I am awake at 4 and then spend the morning lying in bed, because I do not get any tea or coffee that early! When in the US for QuiltCon (2017) I used to get up at 3! And was actually awake and fresh the whole day! I just am crazy like that.

2. I do not like chocolates. Phew. I said it aloud and yes, you heard it right. I do not like chocolates. If you offer me one, I will accept it and then slip it into my purse to give Aadi or my Mother-in-law - both of whom LOVE them. But me, not so much. I prefer candies to chocolate, but only when its like a question of life and death (which it hasn't been thankfully for the past 38 years of my life). So there it is. Out in the open. I do not like chocolates. But if you're planning on sending some my way. Please do. Aadi and my MIL will finish it off in no time.

3. I cannot cook. Yup, sadly, that one is true too. I cannot cook to save my life. Okay I won't kill you with my cooking. But if someone put a gun to my head and said, "Make something tasty or you're dead" (I am hoping no one will do that though) -  start making my funeral arrangements. To my credit, I can make a decent meal once a week. But that isn't enough for survival. Is it? So how does my household survive? Well, my husband did survive about 4 years of my cooking before we decided to hire a cook. And then when we could not find a replacement for the one who left, he learnt to do it himself. So now, he does the taste part of the meals in the morning while we do have a cook who comes in the evenings - everyday! I'm lucky - I know!

4. I have consistency issues. In fact, quilting is the only thing I have stuck to for so long. Maybe because it lets me be inconsistent while doing what I am doing. Every quilt is different from the others. Even when I started this website and my new blog, I knew I was going to have a hard time staying consistent. Plus, I decided I wanted to write everyday instead of four times a week. So I trained myself to work in batches. I sit and write 4-5 blog posts in a day. I do choose a single category to focus on so that my train of thought is not broken. Then I sit and schedule all my social media in batches - usually 15 days at a time. As I am writing this, we are nowhere near October and I will be already writing the content for November when you are reading this. I've hired a VA who starts working in November. So I am looking forward to her doing a lot of the scheduling part to keep me free to create better and better content for you. 

5. I go through phases about my looks. I do not have my own style. I have trends/phases. There will be days on end when you will find me in a T-shirt and yoga pants or jeans and then there will be days when I will go all out with the salwaar kameez. Same goes for hair. I love long hair. But I get tired of it soon. And then out of the blue, I go and cut it up into a short crop and shock anyone who is around me! Comfort is my style statement! In my heart I don't really care how I look as long as I am comfortable in what I am wearing. 

There! Its out in the open. Five quirky things that make me - me! 

What are your quirks?

Using the right thread and using it rightly

As you all know, I am one of the 45 Aurifil Artisans worldwide. I love this thread and using it has truly changed my life. Today I am going to share some information about how to choose thread for a project and then what needle and what machine settings to use with it to make it work the best.

Before I started using Aurifil, whenever I had to choose thread, color was the only criteria that I used. As I started using better thread and saw the difference I worked hard to understand the importance of using the right thread.

Why is thread so important?

Well, I learnt it the hard way. I will tell you two stories to make my point. 

Long back, I had made a quilt with some lovely linen. I used a local brand polyester thread to quilt it. I was really proud of my work. After finishing, I took it to the ironing table to remove the creases. You all know how stubborn linen is when it comes to creases. This one was no different. I turned my iron full throttle, sprayed the hell out of that quilt and began ironing! Everything was okay for a while, but then I smelled smoke. And I realized the horror that had transpired under the iron! The super hot iron on the linen setting had burnt my beautiful quilting because it was polyester and could not stand the heat! All that effort was spoiled. Not just did the thread burn away but it actually formed half burnt polyester clumps and stuck to the quilt. The quilt was completely gone!

The second story is when I made a lovely grey, white and baby pink quilt for a little girl. The quilt had turned out fabulous! Since it was intended to be used immediately, I decided to wash the quilt before I gifted it. I had used all designer fabric in the quilt and knew that it did not bleed color. So I did not bother with soaking it in the color fix solution. It looked okay when it was done washing. But after putting it out to dry, the thread started bleeding color onto the beautiful quilt! All of my lovely quilting had a shocking pink halo around it! The little girl did use the quilt, mainly because the mom knew how much efforts I had put into making it and she also knew that the fabric I had ordered was specially for the quilt. But I wasn't satisfied!

That is when I switched to using Aurifil for all my projects. Even if it means buying a spool for 10 USD (@650-700 rupees) instead of 5 rupees!

How to choose the right thread?

There are three criteria you will need to judge the thread on to find the right thread for your project.

Color : You can choose to use a matching, blending or a contrast thread, depending on your design.

For quilts that do not have many different colors, I usually opt for a matching thread both for piecing as well as quilting. 

In this quilt - #viewPOINT, I matched my thread perfectly with the hand dyed fabric that I used for the quilt because I did not want it to stand out.

If my quilt has too many colors, I usually opt for a blending color. My go-to blending color is 2310 - Light Beige.

I love how the thread just blends in with any colors.

Sometimes though, I need to make a statement - especially with the quilting. That is when I choose a contrasting thread. I love the pop of colors on this quilt. 

Material

If you are piecing or quilting on a domestic machine I highly recommend using cotton thread. 

But if you are quilting on a long arm machine I would recommend you use a polyester thread. (Aurifil has polyester cones available)

Sometimes, especially when I do not want to focus on the quilting, but use it only to bind the three layers  together, I use Monofilament thread. I also use them when I am making portrait quilts. I love that it comes in two shades - white (for light fabrics) and smoke (for dark fabrics)

Weight

Have you seen a number on your thread spool? Normally it will be something like 50/2. What does that number mean? 

The first number - in this case 50 - is the weight of the thread while the second number - in this case 2 - indicates the number of strands that are plied together. So a 50/2 Cotton thread means that it is a 2 ply thread of 50 wt cotton strands.

The most simplest way to remember thread weights is to remember that the bigger the number of the weight, the thinner the thread is. So a 50 wt thread will be thinner than a 28 wt thread.

Below, I am sharing with you the information about all the threads that Aurifil makes that will help you decide not only the best thread for your project, but also the best way to use it.

80 wt Cotton : This is the newest thread introduced by Aurifil and ever since I have used it I am in love with it! It just disappears into the seams!

It is available in 88 vibrant, luxurious colors available on a beautiful cherry wooden spool that holds of 300 yards (274 meters)

Photo credit : Auribuzz

Recommended for - but not limited to - 

English Paper Piecing

Hand Applique

Machine Embroidery

Machine Applique

Free Motion Quilting

Free Motion Couching

Other recommendations :

70/10 or 80/12 Microtex/Sharp or Embroidery Needle with 80wt in the bobbin.

For hand sewing, use a short length of thread, around 12”-18” to reduce tangling and breaking.

Some prefer to condition the thread when hand sewing, though it isn’t necessary.

 

50 wt Cotton : This is the most popular weight in Aurifil. This is found on the orange spools. It is the perfect thread for piecing as it does not add any bulk to your seams. It is available in all 270 colors, on a small spool of 220 yards (or 200 meters), a large spool of 1422 yards (or 1300 meters) or a cone of 6452 yards (or 5900 meters).

Photo credit :  AuriBuzz - visit the blog to know more about this wonderful thread.

Recommended for - but not limited to -

Needle Turn Applique

English Paper Piecing

Hand Piecing

Bobbin and Machine Lace

Machine Applique (Straight Stitch, ZigZag, Blind Hem and Blanket Stitch) Machine Embroidery

Dense Machine Quilting

Subtle Machine and Longarm Quilting

Basting

Whole Cloth and Micro Quilting

Dense Background Designs.

 

Other recommendations :

80/12 Microtex/Sharp

Universal Needles

Quilting Needles

Denim Needles (use 50wt in the bobbin)

Longarm quilters will use 4.0 Longarm Needles (use 50wt in the bobbin).

40 wt Cotton : This is another popular weight when it comes to Aurifil thread. It comes on a lovely green spool.  It is available in all 270 colors on a small spool of 164 yards (150 meters), a large spool of 1094 yards (1,000 meters) and a cone of 5140 yards (5000 meters).

Photo credit :  AuriBuzz 

Recommended for - but not limited to -

Single, Double or Triple Strand Cross Stitch

Hand Piecing

Bobbin and Machine Lace

Machine Applique

Machine Embroidery

Edge-to-Edge

Pantographs and Custom Longarm Quilting

Other recommendations :

80/12 Microtex/Sharp

Universal or Denim Needle 90/14 or 75/11

Quilting Needle (use 40wt or 50wt in the bobbin).

Longarm quilters will use a 3.5 or 4.0 Longarm Quilting Needle (50wt in the bobbin).

28 wt Cotton : This thread comes on the grey spool and is the second heaviest thread that Aurifil offers. It comes in all 270 colors and four spool or skein sizes: small, large, cone, and skein. A small spool of this weight has 109 yards (100 meters), a large spool has 820 yards (750 meters), a cone has 3,609 yards (3300 meters) and a skein has 87 yards (80 meters). 

Photo credit : Auribuzz

Recommended for - but not limited to -

Double Strand Cross Stitch

Blanket Stitch

Hand Applique

Hand Piecing

Hand Quilting

Bobbin and Machine Lace

Machine Quilting

Longarm Quilting

Machine Embroidery

Lower Looper Serging

Other recommendations :

90/14 Topstitch, Quilting or Denim needle

40wt or 50wt in the bobbin

Longarm quilters should use a size 4.0 needle and 40wt in the bobbin Go a little slower than normal-especially when creating curves

12 wt Cotton : This is the heaviest weight thread that Aurifil offers and it comes on a red spool. It comes on three different sized spools: Large 356 yards (or 325 meters), Small 54 yards (or 50 meters) and the Cone  1,914 yards (or 1,750 meters).

Photo credit : Auribuzz

Recommended for - but not limited to -

Hand Applique

Hand Embroidery

Hand Quilting

Cross Stitch

Embellishment

Handmade Lace

Machine Applique

Blanket Stitch

Machine Embroidery (designs that use a longer stitch length) Machine Art Quilting

Sashiko

Redwork

Lower Looper Serging

Longarm Quilting

Other recommendations:

When using 12wt thread by machine use a thinner thread in the bobbin, like 40wt. 

100/16 or 90/14 Topstitch needle

Longarmers will want to use a 4.5 needle and 28wt in the bobbin and should quilt slowly, using a longer stitch and silicone conditioner where necessary.

Aurifloss : The 6-strand cotton floss thread is wound on a pretty little wooden spool similar to the 80wt thread. It has 18 yards (16 meters) per spool and is available in all 270 colors.

Photo credit : Auribuzz

Recommended for - but not limited to - 

Cross Stitch

Huck Embroidery

Miniature Punch-Needle Embroidery

Tatting

Needle Point

Crochet

Applique

Big Stitch Quilting

Accent stitching on garments and other items

Hand Embroidery

Other recommendations :

Aurifil recommends matching your hand-sewing needle to the intended project.

Wool : This is a 12wt thread in a lovely, soft blend of 50% acrylic and 50% wool. It is available in 192 colors on red spools in three sizes: a Small Spool with 54 yards (50 meters), a Large Spool with 383 yards (350 meters), and a Cone 1860 yards. 

Photo credit : Auribuzz

Recommended for - but not limited to -

Single or Double Strand Cross Stitch

Hand Embroidery

Machine Applique

Machine Quilting

Lower Looper Serging

Other recommendations :

Use a 90/14 Topstitch Needle with our 50wt in the bobbin.

Longarm quilters should use the largest Longarm Needle possible (use 28wt in the bobbin) 100/16 Needle with 40wt in the bobbin.

Polyester : Aurifil offers 10 variegated colors of 40wt, high-sheen, premium, trilobal polyester thread. This thread gives absolutely no lint and no issue with thread breaking. Its perfect for Long-arm Quilters, bag makers and garment sewers. . This thread comes only in one size, a large cone, with 3280 yards (or 3000 meters.)

Photo credit : Auribuzz

Recommended for - but not limited to - 

Machine Embroidery

Quilting

Thread Painting

Decorative Stitching

Satin Stitching and Decorative Applique

Other recommendations : 

80/12 Microtex/Sharp, Universal, or Denim Needle (use 40wt or 50wt in the bobbin)

3.5 or 4.0 Longarm Quilting Needle (use 50wt in the bobbin)

Mono filament : Aurifil’s Monofilament Invisible Thread is produced in Italy. It is 100% nylon, available in two colors: smoke (for dark fabrics) and clear (for light fabrics), and in two sizes: a large spool with 1,094 yards (1000 meters) and a cone with 16,400 yards (15,000 meters).

Recommended for - but not limited to -

Hand Needle Turn Applique

Attach Binding

Ladder Stitch

Machine Stitch in the Ditch

Invisible Seaming

Free Motion Quilting

Couching

Machine Applique

Outline Applique

Shape Applique

Echo Applique

Other recommendations :

50wt as a bobbin thread

Top tension lowered to at least 2.0 on a home sewing machine and as necessary on a long arm.

A slightly larger stitch length

When used in bobbin :Fill the bobbin at the slowest speed possible (or by hand) and do not fill all the way.  

 80/12 or 70/10 topstitching or Microtex Sharp Needle

3.0 or 4.0 Longarm Needle (use 40wt, 50wt, or hand-wound monofilament in the bobbin).

For more information check out the series of "All about Aurifil" on their blog Auribuzz

Should you turn your passion into a business?

We all have been there. Maybe some of you are at that point. You are absolutely passionate about something that you do and you have even been selling it for a while and you are thinking, Should I turn my passion into a business?

How will you know if you are ready to take the big leap into converting your passion into a business? I know everyone has a passion. And everyone does not need to convert it into a business even when it is helping them make money! What are the signs to look for when you want to take that big decision?

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself when you are faced with this dilemma. Your answers will help you make the decision.

Do you want to make money from your passion? You might be actually making money out of it right now, but do you want to make the stuff you love to make to earn more money? 

Are you sure you can keep your interest in your passion when you have to make it rather than want to make it? It is very difficult to upkeep your passion when the thing you do becomes a mandate. Will you be able to enjoy it when you are working with deadlines?

Are you ready to put in more than just your passion? I am not just talking about money here. I am talking about doing things that you might not enjoy - marketing, accounting, sales and shipping. Will you manage not to get frustrated when you have to do more of these undesirable tasks than your actual passion?

Are you ready to take the risk? Finally the question that is a constant irrespective of whether you are starting a business based on you passion or not. Are you willing to take a risk. Things might not go where you want them to. You might not make as much money as you want to. You might not even enjoy what you are doing anymore. When your passion becomes work, you might not feel as passionate about it. Are you willing to take that risk?

Asking yourself these questions will help you take the decision whether you should convert your passion into a business or not. If you need more help you can always buy my ONE month mentoring package to help you through the process. Or if you have already taken the decision, you can buy my Pathway to Success : Goal setting workbook to help you clarify your vision and set your goals.

What to say when someone asks you what do you do?

You  meet some stranger some day and they ask you, "What do you do?" Do you freeze when that happens? Or do you keep on talking till they just look put-off? Today's article will teach you what to say when someone inevitably asks you that question.

You are in the middle of the airport. You have a few hours to kill. There is another woman sitting next to you. She smiles when you look at her and you get talking. After knowing each other's names, she asks, "What do you do?" 

Do you have an answer for that question? For all you know, she might be writing for a leading magazine, a feature in which will take your business to greater heights like never before. If you get this right, it will be the most important step for your business. 

When I started, I did not know how to answer this question. But now, I know exactly what to say. It did not happen overnight. It took me years to perfect it. And every time I got it right, my business just took a slight turn making my prepped speech obsolete. I had to start from scratch again. I am giving you my process to prepare yours. You can even download my printable worksheet and work on it.

Some guidelines first :

1. Make it short. No one is going to be happy to sit with you listening to you ramble away about what you do the first time they meet you. When you become friends, its a different story. But strangers will find you creepy and stuffed if you keep on talking about yourself. Anything between 30 to 60 seconds is great!
2. What do they get? When you talk, rather than talking about what you do, concentrate on highlighting what solution you offer to your clients. That way the person immediately thinks she (or someone she knows) needs you, even without you saying she should recommend you. What difference do you feel when you hear me say, I help small business owners with social media marketing against me saying, I am a small business marketing coach? In the first instance you will immediately think about all the small business owners that you know! While in the second instance you might just nod your head and say, Nice!
3. Get them interested. If you are doing something unique, do not forget ti highlight it. If you make low-cost fabric bags because you are passionate about an eco-friendly lifestyle - say it! It is what you are, and it is what will get the other person interested in knowing you more. 
4. Keep the line open. Don't forget to include a point of contact for them to get in touch with you if they want to. You never know what the other person might bring to you. So always keep the line open. You can just include a line like, you can look at what I do on my blog - shrutidandekar.com. (Another tip, if you have a website and your brand name is different from your name, get the URL to your name (if available) and redirect it to your website. In my case, if you type in www.shrutidandekar.com you will come to www.13woodhouseroad.com. That way people do not have to remember two different things about you!

Now on to actually preparing the speech.

Step 1 : Write what you do. Write exactly what you do in simple words. No funny titles. If you are a bag maker - write I make bags and not I use beautiful fabric to convert into totes that carry the load on every woman's shoulder! If you have difficulty ask a child. They will find the simplest words for you to use. In my case it will be - I make and teach quilts and am a business coach.

Step 2 : What makes you different. What is it that makes you different from others who are doing (maybe) exactly what you are doing? If you are making bags from old clothes -say it! If you are designing Shopify stores for people who make handmade goods - say it! Read your statement above and rewrite it to include what makes you different. Now, in my case it will be - I make and teach rule breaking quilts and am creative business coach.

Step 3 : Define your audience. Is there a specific demographic that you serve? Mention it. Do you make quilts for babies? Or you might write a blog about easy recipes for busy women - mention it. Help them connect. My speech will now be - I make rule breaking modern art quilts and teach quilters surprisingly easy ways to make complicated quilts. I also train women entrepreneurs to start and grow their home based creative businesses.

Step 4 : Add something memorable. Now is the time when you add just a little bit to your speech to help the other person remember you. I love the look on thew person's face when I tell them I get up at 4 am! It is so much a part of me that now it is a part of my brand. I also use the name of my creative business coaching venture - Passion to Profit because the ringing of those words help people remember them. Now my speech says - I make rule breaking modern art quilts and teach quilters surprisingly easy ways to make complicated quilts. I also train women entrepreneurs to convert their passion to profit by writing a blog post everyday at 4 am.

Step 5 : Add a connection point. Add a way that people can find you. You can either include your website/blog or your email. Or if there is a place where you go regularly (like a weekly Rising Tide Society meeting) you can mention that. I normally say - I make rule breaking modern art quilts and teach quilters surprisingly easy ways to make complicated quilts. I also train women entrepreneurs to convert their passion to profit by writing a blog post everyday at 4 am. If you just google Shruti & Quilting, my website is usually the first in the results! If not you can always find me as shrutinow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest. 

You're done!!! That is your speech! 

Practice it in front of the mirror - aloud. When you hear it, you will know if anything is not right. 

If you want my printable worksheet, you can download it here. 

Leave a comment with your version of the introduction speech and I will let you know what you could add to it to make it more interesting.

Finding the right name for your business

How important is the name of your brand? How do you actually go and find the right name for your brand?

What is the name of your brand? If there was to be a billboard with your products on it, what would the name be? Naming a brand is harder than starting the actual business. How do you find a name that represents everything about your brand?

When I started my blog in 2010, I was thinking for a name and the first one that came to me was 13 Woodhouse Road. If you google it, you will find Woodhouse Roads in a whole lot of places but not in Sangli - my twon. Then have you ever wondered why my brand is called that? Well, there is a story behind it.

When I got married, I moved into Sangli. I had a thriving business as an architect, but with a four month engagement, I had tied up most of the loose ends before I moved. Some, I was working remotely with some of my trusted friends helping out with the site visits. I had a lot of free time on hand! My Mother-in-law was teaching at a local college and so the house was set up to work without her. We had maids and cooks come in and take care of everything. She is a master at housekeeping - something I never got a hang of! I loved to read and so I was going through the house looking for something interesting to read. 

I found an old telephone directory - it actually looked like a magazine and had numbers in 3 digits! It was that old. I looked up our family name in it and found it. The house phone (the last 3 digits of the current number are still the same) was listed under Mrs Vandana Dandekar (my MIL) - 13, Woodhouse Road. I was surprised and curious.

That evening, my Father-in-law told me the story behind it. The area that we live in was known as Woodhouse Extension in the pre-independence period. And ours was plot no 13 on the main road - aka Woodhouse Road. Later, the area was renamed Uttar (North) Shivaji Nagar and our address changed.

I had loved the story and it and stuck with me. Thats the reason when I thought about a name ofr my blog- 13 Woodhouse Road was the first one that came to my mind.

At that time, I was totally new to quilting. I had never used a sewing machine before. And I did not want to stand out in any way. Thats the reason I was not opting for a name that said India. I did not want people to come and look at my blog expecting to see some gorgeous Indian textiles and quilts, but see some amateur quilting efforts instead. My blog name helped me blend in. 

In 2016, I bought my other domain name - www.shrutidandekar.com - because people had started knowing me by my name too. But 13 Woodhouse Road has stuck with me throughout and will be there. 

Are you struggling with coming up with a name for your brand? Or are you not sure the one you are using is a good one? Here are a few questions to ask that will help you come up with a name or defend the one you currently have :

Is it a broad and common word? (Eg. Apple) Or is it direct? (Eg. Funky Jewellry)

Is it a word that you have invented? (Eg. Shrulers – the name I have in mind for the brand of quilting rulers I plan on manufacturing “someday”!)

Can it be pronounced easily in the markets that you plan on selling? If you are planning to sell your stuff or offer your services to international customers, is the name easy to be pronounced by them? (Eg. Pradyumna might be a difficult word to pronounce for people not living in Maharashtra. Similarly, Chrysanthemum would be a very difficult name to remember for a rural Indian customer!)

If you are using multiple words, when combined (for website or hashtags) or made into an acronym, do they make a word with undesirable meaning? (Best example would be Therapist or the-rapist). If you are not sure, just ask your friends fluent in the language.

The name might not have any of these criteria, but you might want to stick to it. It’s totally okay! It’s your brand! My blog name falls in this category. Make sure to share the story of it so that it helps people remember you!

Sometimes the simplest names have the biggest impacts. When my husband started a multi-branded Laptop store, we pored over names for ages (I think it took longer to finalize the name than it took to set up the actual store). In the end what did we name it? “The Laptop Shop”. That way when people search (or ask for) a Laptop Shop – we are already recommended!

Today, it is not enough to just come up with a name for your brand. You need to consider if the URL is available for it and also social media handles. So I suggest you come up with at least 2-3 names and then look them up on Namechk. You can not just check if the URL is available, but also what social media handles are available. Also, if the name is taken, you can make an offer (minimum 199 USD) to buy it from the current owner. 

Did my tips help you find the perfect name for your brand? I know how important it is for you to find the perfect brand name. Leave a comment with your brand name and I will tell you what I feel about it.

Basics of Quilting : 02 Tools and Equipments

Women have been quilting for generations using basic material. All you really need to make a quilt is fabric, needle & thread! But to make it easier for us, we use a lot of tools and equipment. Today I will introduce you to the basic gear that you will need to start.

1. Sewing Machine. This is one of the most powerful tools that you will use when you make a quilt, and it will also be your biggest investment. There are a lot of brands in the market, and I, of course, am totally partial towards BERNINA. I highly recommend them because of their quality and user friendly interface. They also come with a variety of attachments for different purposes, and more recommendations about what should be used for what can be found on the BERNINA Blog along with a lot of tutorials by experts from all over the world.

But I know for some of you buying a BERNINA is out of your budget. I was you a few years back! In that case, I would just tell you - Buy the best machine that your budget will let you. But when you look at the features, don't look at all the bells and whistles. For quilting, you do not need one with a thousand decorative stitches. One with a larger throat space and a free walking foot would be a better option, even if it came with just the straight and the zig-zag. Research your market well, ask people who are already in the industry. People like me are just an email away!

2. Rotary cutting system. A rotary cutter, mat and a ruler combined form the rotary cutter system. It is not an essential tool - I did not have it for almost an year when I started quilting - but it will sure make your life easier and your quilting accurate. 

Essentially a rotary cutter is like a pizza cutter - but sharper- and can cut through several layers of fabric. The ruler is used to guide the cutter and the mat is to protect the blade from dulling (you will want to protect them, they don't come cheap) and the surface from getting marks.

I use an Olfa Ergonomic Cutter, an Omnigrid 6" x 24" ruler and a Havels Sewing 36" x 24" cutting mat. I have recently started loving and using my Havels Fabric and Quilt Ruler cutter - it combines the ruler and the cutter and is perfect for cutting straight lines. You can read my review to know more about it. 

3. Scissors. I currently have more than 54 pairs of scissors in my studio. I never knew I should use a good pair before I got a Havels at QuiltCon 2015. Btu since then, I have discarded the ones that are not good and stocked up on the awesome ones. 

My favorites are my Havels 8" shears, Havel's 5.5" curved end scissors and my Victorinox Embroidery scissors. Carry a fabric scrap with you and test it out before you buy.

4. Needles. I only use BERNINA needles on my machine. I have tried Organ needles which worked well with my Bernette, but I am not happy with using them on my Bernina. I also found that though they were cheaper they did not last as long as the BERNINA ones. I have also tried and loved - Scmedtz needles. 

For hand sewing (which I do not do much of), I use whatever I have on hand. But I recently picked up an assorted pack by Prym from The Square Inch while I was teaching there and I love them. They are smoother and have a golden eye which somehow makes it easier to thread. 

Needles are the reason the stitches are neat - be it hand quilting or machine quilting. Needles are the reason the thread works well without breaking all the time. Needles help keep the tension in control. So make sure that you are using a good sharp needle. 

When storing needles - always use a pincusion filled with some steelwool. It will help keep the needle sharp. You can use a steelwool scrub (you can find it at your local general store) that is meant for dishwashing. 

5. Other tools I love. Apart from the basic tools mentioned above, there are many more that you will need.

Seam ripper : I use a clover one which had a comfortable handle.

Purple Thang : I use it to mark crease lines and for poking corners when turning.

Thread sniper : Handy to cut threads when sewing and chain piecing

Clover Chalko Liner pen : To mark fabrics that will not be cut at the markings.

Pilot Frixion Pens : To mark fabrics that will be cut at the markings.

IDenti Pen : For permanently marking fabric.

John James easy threading needles : To bury quilting threads

Straight pins and Curved Safety Pins : for pinning and basting.

Clover Wonder Clips : For holding absolutely anything together

Lint Roller : To get rid of thread crumbs from clothes and quilts.

Tweezers : To help clean the sewing machine

Did you find this list of tools handy? If you have been quilting for a while, what are the tool that you love? Is there a must-have on your list that I have missed?

You can see the FIRST post in this series here. 

Next post : Basics of Quilting : Quilt Design (20th November 2017)