10 Things that told me it was a business not a hobby.

On this blog, from time to time, I  share some of my experiences while I was converting my passion of quilting into a profitable business.

 

Today I will tell you about the 10 things that made me realize that I what I wanted to pursue was not a hobby, but a business.

When I started quilting in 2010, I always thought of it as a means to occupy myself while I was on a sabbatical. I was an architect earning a five figure monthly income in a small town. I was working with one of the best architects in the town and had complete creative freedom in the office! I could see myself going places! I had plans of doing my Masters and maybe even a Doctoral Degree. 

But then, I fell sick! I contacted Chikungunya. I was among the few unfortunate people for whom, the joint pain lasts for months.

I taught myself to sew when I was working with the women in the slums of Sangli - 'up'cycling old clothes into beautiful items of use.  To be honest, in the beginning, I did not even enjoy it much. I had the typical mindset of an Indian career woman - who thought sewing was 'below' her. I had grown up watching Niroopa Roy in old Bollywood movies! 

Over months and years, I taught myself how to sew. And with every stitch, I got better... And my confidence grew. I did not even realize when I fell in love with it!

Earlier I had made quilts for my family and friends, some of them paid me for making it while some didn't. But I was happy and content with how things were progressing!

And one year (I think that was in 2012) I exhibited my work for the first time at a local craft fair. I was super nervous. At the end of it I was pleasantly surprised. I sold 7 quilts! I have been participating in that craft fair (we call them exhibitions in India) every year since then (with the exception of 2015 when I did my first solo exhibition of quilts in August). 

That was the time I realized I could earn money from selling the stuff I made. But I still considered it as a 'temporary' phase - to occupy myself while I recovered and my son grew up. 

It was in December 2012, that I realized my own potential. My husband's family business was completing 100 years! A huge milestone. I wanted to gift my husband, his father and brother something precious to celebrate the occasion. It takes a lot of efforts to keep up the legacy left by someone. And all three of them have done a brilliant job of it! Being out of work for over two years meant I had a shoestring (maybe only half of a shoestring) budget.

On one of my regular Pinterest adventure, I discovered the world of Portrait quilts! I came across the fabulous self-portrait by Sandra Bruce. I sent off an email to her and after discussion, I actually ended up NOT making one in that technique. I chose to make one using raw edge applique instead. It took me three months to complete the quilt. And I made it using more than 3500 (that's when I knew counting was hopeless) pieces of fabrics! Some as tiny as 5 mm! The day I finished making the quilt, I knew that I knew what I was doing! I knew I was good at it! I knew this was going to be something more!

 I knew deep down at that time that I wanted to do this all my life.

I knew I wanted to give up AutoCad and play on my Bernina instead.

But I still did not know that it would be my business.

What are the 10 things that made me realize that quilting would be my business and not a hobby?

I come from a business family. And I wouldn't be wrong if I say that I have been a business woman since I was in eighth grade. I used to make Diwali Lanterns from Styrofoam (Thermocol) sheets at that time and sell them in my uncle's shop. I involved my brothers in the 'venture' and even shared my 'profits' with them for helping me sell. I planned 'targets' and celebrated 'successes'. I also 'reviewed' my strategy when sales slowed down and changed my 'approach' by lowering my prices when the competition became fierce (The son of the shopkeeper next to my uncle's shop also started making and selling lanterns - he was 5 years older and better at it than me!).

I also had a successful practice as an Architect before I got married to Rohit and moved to Sangli. In the three years of practice as an Architect, I had single-handedly completed over 12 projects - that included residential, commercial and even industrial buildings - and jointly (with a dear friend) finished 6 others! I had ample experience when it came to running my own business and what it looked (and felt) like.

Here are 10 things that told me that what I was doing was a business and not a hobby.

1.  I changed the name of my blog. Earlier, I had been blogging as 'Shrutiz'. It was a poor little blog on Wordpress. I knew that if I wanted to be successful as a quilter, I wanted a name that will not 'brand' me. I wanted a name that would help me be a part of the crowd and let people look at my work with an unbiased view. After a lot of thought, I settled on 13 Woodhouse Road. It is actually the pre-independence address of my home! It was later renamed to North Shivaji Nagar. 13 Woodhouse Road gave me an identity that was not cloaked by my 'Indian-ness'. I was one of the crowd. Now I knew that the comments - good or bad - I received were directed at my work and not at me.

2. I started planning. This was the first tell-tale sign. I would take a calendar and write down what I wanted to do and when. I would also plan my blog content accordingly or plan my quilts according to what was happening on my blog. I was thinking ahead - about 2-3 months. That was new. While it was a hobby, I just made what made me happy in that moment! 

3. I started thinking about pricing. I started looking at my quilts with money on my mind. I wasn't selling them at this point, but I kept on working out how much I would make if I sold it. I did not just wonder. I wrote down my costs and added labor cost and then some profit. My pricing system was not refined. But I was working it out - on paper! While it was a hobby, I was happy to get just the cost of material! But now I wanted more!

4. I started paying attention to trends. I started reading blogs by other quilters, who were selling their work, and observing what the trends were. Which were the fabrics they were using? I started spending a lot of time looking at the 'coming soon' sections of the online quilt shops I ordered from. I was once again, looking ahead, almost a month or two. I was no longer working with what I have and what I love. I explored color combinations that I would normally not work with because it was 'in'.

5. I started paying attention to my own work. I compared my work with some of the biggest names in my field. I worked hard to improve my work. I worked on my finishing. When I visited blogs of people like Elizabeth or Rita , I zoomed into their images and looked at it in detail. I followed their tutorials. I imitated their color choices. I worked hard to make my work look like theirs. Earlier, I had been doing what I loved, I did not care if it was not the 'best'. I was doing it to make myself happy. 

6. I started experimenting. I took all the knowledge I had assimilated and started experimenting with what I had.

No batting? Use fleece blankets!

No designer fabric? Buy lovely tea towels from D Mart and cut them up! 

I experimented to make myself stand out. 

I clicked pictures of stuff online and descriptions of them, printed them out and scoured the local markets to look for alternatives. I did this not just for ease, but to bring down the cost of making my quilts. Earlier I did not bother with my cost price as it was for myself!

7. I was ready to stand out. I started making quilts that were 'me'. I found my own language and developed it. I looked at anything I liked and made it 'my way'. Sometimes, it meant using a totally new technique or otherwise, new material even! I wanted to leave a mark on people.

8. I went to the USA for QuiltCon. I decided to spend more than 2,50,000/- Rupees (I ended up spending much more than that) to visit Austin, Texas for QuiltCon. I had no plans for any sightseeing. All my attention and my money was focused on assimilating all the knowledge that I could. I also raised my own money for the trip! I sold my quilts to raise the sum. I set myself a target and worked towards it. Earlier, I had never been so focused on money goals for something that was supposed to be a hobby. I remember, when I went to Dubai, I wanted to buy a designer purse much more than I wanted to buy quilting supplies on my first visit to a brick and mortar quilt store. I was excited about the visit to Classic Quilts & Quilting, but the thought of all my adventures was much more exciting.

9. I streamlined production. For an upcoming craft fair, I hired someone to make stuff for me. When I realized I could not make enough stuff to make the profit I wanted to at the annual craft fair, I hired a woman to make some stuff for me. Soon she had to bring a friend along and I had staff for the manufacturing. I made notes and found the fastest way to get stuff made from them. I worked out how to create an assembly line to make everything that I wanted to make for the fair. Earlier, I would have shown up at the fair with whatever I had made and hoped that they sold.

10. I decided not to go back to my job. In the end it all came to the day when I said to myself, "This is what I want to do for the rest of my life." And I also wanted this to give me enough income to replace my full time day-job. I did not need to earn that money. I was fortunate enough to have a husband who could support me if I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. But I wanted my own identity.

It was at the end of 2013 that I finally announced my decision of not going back to my job. I started exploring avenues of making money other than making quilts and selling them. I started teaching how to make quilts my way. My classes prospered and it gave me confidence to take the plunge and make this into a full time business.

I have been running this venture as a business for a couple of years now, and fortunately, have had my share of success. I have also seen failures - even BIG ones. But they have only helped me grow my business further. 

This blog is the space where I share all my experiences of being a business woman along with being a quilter. I am hoping that my words might be able to guide someone to convert their passion into profit!

Rock that Exhibition - FREE eBook download

Have you ever participated in an Exhibition or Craft Fair or Craft Show whatever you might call it and been overwhelmed by all the work you need to do to get your stall up and running? Or is this the first time you intend to participate in one?

I have written an eBook which will give you a clear step-by-step plan not just to prepare for the exhibition but also to make a profit that you desire.

Here is a quick sign-up link for you to download the ebook.

If you want a quick sneak peek at what you will find in the eBook, here's a small excerpt from it.

The second chapter in the book deals with how to prepare for preparing all the stuff that you will need to make for the exhibition. The following is a part of that chapter that helps you decide which products to choose to make.

What products to make

            If you are anything like me, there is a list of 1000 ideas for products that you can make ready in your head at all times. It becomes VERY difficult in choosing what to make for an upcoming exhibition. Word of caution, It makes sense to make only 8-9 different categories and then making a lot of variety in each category, especially if you are short on time.

            If you have a lot of time, go ahead and make anything that you want. Choose the best 15-20 products that you make and make 50 of each (or even more)!

            If you are short on time, here are a few guidelines to help you decide what

to make:

• How much profit margin does each product have? Choose the ones that will make you the most money – you will reach your target faster. If I make exclusive tote bags I can earn a 100% profit per bag i.e. ₹1250 as against the ₹70 profit that each pouch will earn me. I will have to sell 18 pouches or 1 tote bag to earn the same amount of profit. So if I was short on time, I would make 20 tote bags instead of making 360 pouches.
• Select the products that you have made numerous times. Now is not the time to experiment. It will be a time waster. Work on products that you’re confident about. I am much more confident with tote bags with magnetic snaps. I will not usually start making zippered tote bags for the upcoming exhibition. But I will definitely learn how to make one as soon as this exhibition ends so that I can make them for my next one.
• Can you get help? Hire somebody or ask your friends to make some things for you. More often than not, help is just a phone call away. I am very lucky in this aspect. I have a bunch of friends who come over to help me with fabric selection, packing and pricing. I also invite my students (who already know how to make the item) to help me with preparation of my exhibition.
• If you have a product that is simply unique to you – MAKE IT! Even though you have a strong suspicion that it might not sell, make it and display it prominently just so it attracts the crowd. Sometimes, your intuition works best. So even if you have a product that takes longer to make and earns comparatively lesser margin go ahead and make it!

Follow your gut!

Don't forget to sign up to get your link to download the FREE eBook. Click here to sign up.

Whats more? I have even made a Facebook group for all the people who are using the book to help them increase their sales at the Exhibitions. The link to the Facebook Group will be in the email that you get when you sign up. 

I'm hoping you will join all of us in the Facebook Group to cheer each other as we slay our goals!!!

Batch Working : How I use it to keep me sane

I am a creative person with a thousand ideas running through my mind at any given time. And it is really difficult for me to stay on top of everything. There is just too much to do. How do I manage to work on everything that I want to do? I am sharing my secret with you. It will definitely help you be more productive in your work.

If you have been following me you know I love to do a lot of things. I make quilts, I teach quilting, I teach online too, I also have a long arm machine in my studio and do a lot of long arming. I also mentor creative entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. I blog, I am an influencer, I am a board member of an international organization and I also work on one of its task forces. Apart from all of this, I also am a wife to a wonderful husband and a mom to an energetic tween. I love every aspect of my life and aim to live it to the fullest. I not just want to do everything, but to enjoy it too.

How do I manage to do it? Firstly, I do not do it all! Neither do you have to. Realistically, you cannot do it all. So let us find the next best thing to do. Do as much as you can: one thing at a time.

The best way that works for me is to do my work in batches. I combine activities together and work on them at a time, be it at home or in my business.

I have set aside Tuesday afternoons for my “home” duties. This usually starts with making a meal plan. We cook each meal fresh (so no making in large batches and freezing meals for me). So that means planning for 3 meals every day. I already have a reference plan ready (an outline of sorts – like Monday breakfast is leftovers / eggs) I just spend 30 minutes finalizing the actual meals. Then I make a list of stuff I will need for the meals. I then go to my kitchen and check the items I already have on hand, crossing them off my list. Now what is left in the list is my shopping list! Armed with this list and another one of other stuff around the house that I need to buy, I head for a quick shopping trip to the market. Doing this on a Tuesday means I’m not distracted with Aadi being at home. I put away everything as soon as I reach home and my maid preps all the veggies for the week as per my schedule. I also schedule my weekly cleaning and organizing chores for the same evening. That way I only have to spend one evening a week taking care of the essential t hings at home. I am lucky to have maids to come and clean every day for me. That also leaves me with enough time every day to spend on my business and keeps my weekends free to enjoy with my boys!

In the business front too I work in batches. I do too many things in my business, making quilts, teaching quilting, creating online courses for quilters, long arm quilting, mentoring women entrepreneurs, creating courses for women entrepreneurs, writing my blog, supporting local rural quilt makers, making quilts for my own pleasure, participating in craft shows and exhibitions, public speaking, and so much more!!! And I take all of it seriously. 

I usually keep aside evenings and Tuesday mornings for my online work. It includes a different thing for every week of the month. The first Tuesday of each month is spent planning the month. I also keep an eye on the following month so that I have no surprises coming up. I take out my calendar and mark days that Aadi has holidays (I have a lot of interruptions when he is home) and then proceed to mark the "Focus" of the day on each day. That way I am aware every day what my focus for that week is. 

I teach quilting in my studio 2 days every week (only mornings). So Monday and Thursday mornings are blocked for my classes. The afternoons on those days are usually spent on creating stuff enough that my assistant Rukaiyya is busy for the week. 

I keep my Saturdays loose. I spend them as I want. If I have too much going on, I even use the day to just unwind and relax. Or if I know I have a busy week ahead, I use the day to work either in the studio or in my home office. This gives me wriggle room every week. That way I do not feel tied up. I also make sure that I spend the afternoon cuddling with my son on Saturdays so that both of us can stay up late when we go out for dinner in the evening. 

Some key points I take care to remember when I am working in batches :

1. Look at the month as a whole. Also keep an eye on the following month.
2. Do not focus on just one area. I also use a yearly calendar to mark the months I travel to teach. That way I know what is coming up next.
3. Combine similar activities together. I combine working on projects for Rukaiyya to finish with my quilting classes days because the time is not enough to concentrate on my huge quilt, but not so less that I can just ignore it. 
4. Make sure you get some fresh air - EVERY DAY
5. Plan with consideration to timelines. Be aware of your deadline. That way you know how much time you should be spending on something.
6. Say NO to things that you cannot accommodate. You will easily find me refusing opportunities to speak on weekends. Unless it is a very important event to me or it is one of my quilting workshops, I don't usually take up any engagements on weekends (especially Sundays)
7. Delegate. Find someone who can do your tasks and let them do it. I know it is hard. They might not do it your way, but they will get it done. And given enough time they will do it 'almost' like you did. I always hand bound my quilts. I was so sure that no one else will be able to do it like me that I never bothered teaching anyone else. Btu once I taught Rukaiyya she has been doing a flawless job

Most important thing : Enjoy what you do! The most important things is to enjoy what you are actually doing! There is no point in beating yourself up over not doing something properly when you do not love it in the first place!!!

Do you also use batch working to increase your productivity? If yes, how do you do it? Any ideas that will smooth out my wrinkles? If you haven't tried it before would you like to give it a go? Or is what you are doing working for you already? I'd love to know!

Understanding your Why

Have you ever wondered why you do what you do? 

Running a business can be overwhelming. There will be times when you will wish you could take a break or even give it all up. It is in these testing times you will need to go back to the basic reason why you started your business in the first place.

Some people start a business to earn money while some start because they are passionate about something. Women who are creative entrepreneurs usually fall in the latter category. More often than not, it begins with someone saying “This ____________ that you made is so good. Can you make some for me?” One thing leads to another and passion starts making profit.

Launching your business is pretty exciting. There is so much adrenalin rush during those baby steps! Your first order, your first set of business cards, your first payment coming through, the first time you were featured by the press, the first time you were recognized in public! There are so many firsts. They all feel like the first steps or the first words of a baby.

But as the business grows, so do the troubles. First you need to go through the hassles of actually starting and registering a business. That usually includes a lot of paper work. It is followed by book keeping. Soon, the business aspects grow larger than the creative aspects of the venture. Competition grows, your own expectations rise and every day becomes harder than the previous one. The fun is sometimes lost and you start wishing you could just close it all down, especially when it was your passion that made you start it when you launched.

Or sometimes the project before you might be so daunting that it feels like it is taking forever and you are almost just ready to throw in the towel.

I have felt all of these! When I decided to grow my business, I started with a lot of enthusiasm. My new website was up and running and blog posts scheduled for a month in advance. But then, I decided to start blogging every day. And that is when everything started to spiral out of control. It was just too much work. Researching topics, writing blog posts, scheduling social media, all of it became too overwhelming. And I just stopped writing. I thought, I won’t be able to write every day, so I should just stop. It took me close to 9 months to realize done is better than perfect and I started writing again. So you will see me usually blogging 3 times a week, but I won’t beat myself up if my post is late or I miss a whole week!

Another example when I need to remind myself of my why is while I work on my daunting project of Shivarajyabhishek Quilt. It is the largest quilt I have ever attempted AND it is filled with detailed portraits. As much adventurous it is, it is also overwhelming. And every few days, I need to ground myself and remind myself about why I started the project in the first place.

But not everyone has articulated their why in words. Who has the time to dwell on it when they are starting a new business? There are a thousand things that need your attention. And sometimes “Because my brother/husband said so” is a reason that we actually start a business. How do you justify your reason to yourself in that case?

It is not very difficult. All you have to do is say what you are doing and complete the sentence with a “so-that” addition to it.

I started Passion to Profit so that I could share the knowledge I gained by starting my own entrepreneurial venture with other home-based creative womenpreneurs from India.

I started my Shivarajyabhishek quilt so that I could use quilting as a medium to pay my respect to one of the greatest warrior kings of India by showing off the quilt and its story at international quilt shows.

Just stating the reason behind the action reminds you of your purpose and motivates you to gear up to complete what you started!

Do you have an overwhelming task or not-so-fun work to do? Try this way of articulating your why, and do let me know if it worked for you.

Working for free : When is it okay and when it is not

Do you remember this wall in my living room that I painted a while back? When I painted it, I got quite a few people asking me if I would do it for them. This is what I said to them, "A lot of people have been asking me if I will paint a wall for them at their home. Well for that to happen you have to be one of the following - my mom, dad, in-laws, brother, husband, son, nephew, niece, cousin, my best friend, or the PM of India!!! So if you are not one of the above, wait till you are." And I wasn't even talking about doing it for free. I did that wall because I love my home and want it to feel the way we want it to, as a family. It is not something that I do professionally. And not something that I want to do either. So I know if one of those people asked me to do it I would do it for free. I love it and I love them! Its super simple.

But when it comes to quilting, not so much. When I started out, it was just a hobby and I did a lot of 'Free work'. Even my blog was a hobby then and I used all the opportunity that I got to make those quilts to learn new techniques.

But ever since I made it into a business, I knew I would not do that. And if I did, there had to be a strong reason to do so.

Here are the reasons I do not work for free :

1. It is not free for me. Making a quilt or teaching how to quilt is not free to me. If nothing else, I'm taking time away from my family and giving it to the project in hand. I am employing a maid to do the cleaning or hiring a cook to make dinner. Or even telling my husband I cannot go with him out for lunch. All of this is something I am paying for. Either in cash or in some other way. So even if the person asking me to work for free is providing me with all the material, I am still bearing this cost in addition to the overhead costs like using my machine, space etc. Even if it is just a blog post, the least I am using is electricity and internet, neither of which is free!
2. I deserve better. If I use my first reason a lot of people will say, "I will pay you for all of those - overheads and the substitute staff you pay". Will I then do it? No. Because I deserve better. Because I deserve to be paid for my time, intelligence and my work. And I will not accept anything less than that. When talking about my work or while talking to the creative entrepreneurs that I coach, I always say "If you do not value your own work, no one else will." It is very important for us as entrepreneurs to value our work. That is why I insist people work out the selling price of an item even if they make it with an intention to gift it. You must know what 'value' you have gifted.
3. I want to set a good example. Being in this industry for a while now, a lot of quilters look up to me as a mentor or an inspiration. I do not want to set a bad example for them by offering my work for free. I do not want to start something like a race to decide "who is the cheapest". I am an industry leader and i take my role very seriously. When I charge my time's worth, I know that I am justifying not just my own time, but the time that every one of my students, followers and clients is putting into making their unique creations. 
4. People do not value what you offer for free. I have learnt this from experience. Unless people see you closely working hard, they do not value what you are doing. Your work has to take something away from them - be it time (like your close family) or money (like other paying clients) for them to value it. If you offer free advice, it looses its value just because the person has not paid its due price!

So does that mean that I never work for free?

Not at all. I do. And much more often than you would think. So when do I think it is justified to work for free?

1. When you value the person who you are working for. When the person who you are working for is someone who deserves your time and effort, it is justified to work for free. Your husband. YES. Your child. YES. Your parents. YES. Your closest friends. YES. Any person who is invaluable to you. YES. How valuable a person is for you dictates whether you will work for free for them. If Elizabeth Hartman or Jacquie Gering would ask me to make a quilt for them, I would never even hesitate to say Yes! But if it is someone who is not that close or not someone who I is so valuable for me, I will definitely say No.
2. When it is for charity. If I am making something for a charity that I support, I will always be ready to work for free. I have received a lot from the society and I believe I should give back to the society as much as I can. If making a quilt for a war veteran, an orphan, a homeless person or even an old lady too frail to look after herself puts a smile on their face, it is all worth it.
3. When the favor is reciprocated. I am willing to work for free, if it is a part of a reciprocated favor. Of course, then it will be called bartering and technically I wont be working for free. I understand that especially as a new entrepreneur it is not always possible to pay for some expensive things even though they are really important. In these cases, you can offer your work in return for it. If I could not pay my coach/mentor her fees, but if she were ready to coach me for free in return of me making a portrait quilt of her, I would go ahead and do it. In these cases you must make sure that the items you make for each other are of almost equal value.

I understand that in the beginning of your business, it is easy to give in and work for exposure. In the end it comes down to simple maths. The business that you get through the exposure should generate more profit that the value of the product that you are offering for free. 

Making cheaper quilts

The Indian market is very different from its international counterparts. I have been selling the quilts I make for a very long time and when I decided to participate in a especially well known exhibition (show) at the end of this year I knew I had to make a bunch of quilts that will sell at a lower cost so that I cover my costs.

I normally make quilts that sell for INR 5000 and above for Single Quilts (60" x 90") and INR 8500 and above for Double Quilts (90" x 90"). I usually make them in these two sizes only unless it is a custom order in which case the cost goes up to INR 7500 for a single quilt and INR 10000 for a double one. The cost basically depends on the cost of the material and complexity of the design. 

When I was approached earlier this year by an organization that arranges an annual curated exhibition, I knew it was an offer I could not refuse. But the costs involved really made me think it over again. In the end I knew it was worth it to participate and decided that I am going to take a risk. 

But before I even got started making the quilts themselves, there was some thinking to do. And a lot of calculations.

My quilts are admired a lot by people who see them, but very rarely are sold in India, especially in exhibitions. I asked a lot of people for feedback and they told me that they found my products to be costly. A lot of them said that the price was justified, but out of their price range.

So I knew that if I have to make great sales at the event, my quilts have to be priced lower, a lot lower than they are tight now.

I knew I could not reduce the cost of material. And of course, now that I have a studio assistant, I could not even think about reducing the labor cost. So how do I make a quilt that is cheaper?

By simplifying the process, of course! 

First, I decided that I want to make all my quilts using stripes of different colors. I'm calling my collection "Stripped ease". Because it is striped and is easy to make and the word is kind of memorable!

I also decided that I am going to use all solids for the front of the quilt, thus bringing my material cost down by almost 15%. 

I decided to keep using printed fabric for the back, but found a cheaper alternative. There is a shop here that sells export reject bedsheets (gasp! Yes I'm using sheets to back my quilts!) The quality of these sheets is absolutely awesome. They are also 100% cotton and come in lovely prints. They are usually export rejects because the sheets and pillow covers packaged together do not match! Who cares if it does not match!!! I also get a bonus 1 meter of fabric for free!!! All of this brings down the cost of the material by another 10%. 

Now the design. I tested my design and I managed to make a DOUBLE QUILT from start to finish - fabric selection to hand binding - in 5 hour only!!! FIVE HOURS!!! That was awesome. But I'm sure that is not how I want to make it. So I tried assembly line quilting and made 4 single quilts in just under 15 hours!!! Cutting and piecing took about 4 hours (for ALL the quilts). Quilting another 4 hours. And binding took another 7. That cuts down even the labour cost!!!

So I ended up making a range of signature quilts that I can sell for for just INR 3500 (Single) and INR 5500 (Double)!!!

this is just one of the many designs I will be working on. Each quilt will be unique in its color combination and composition. And it will keep the user warm on the cold winter nights.

The backing of this one is a lovely Ikat style bed sheet in shades if blues. The red binding really makes the quilt pop!

I also know that I'm going to have to make about a hundred of them, so having a simpler process will help in finishing them on time.

What ideas do you have to make quilts that you can sell at a cheaper price so that you can make more profits without feeling that you did not get your fair share of the profit? Do let me know in the comments!!!

My bullet journal

I have been talking about my goal setting and planning for the new year part in the last two posts. In keeping with the topic, I would like to share something today that I have never shared on my blog before. My bullet journal.

I discovered bullet journal in 2016. At that time I had discovered and fell in love with Chronodex. Though it was visually more appealing, drawing the chronodex itself every day was a task. I found myself using it less and less when I was busy. So the whole point of using a journal to organize my life was lost.

But I ended up with a beautifully documented 6-7 months!

Around this time, Pinterest took me on the Bullet Journal Train and sure I did enjoy my ride!!! I loved the freedom it offered. And over the months the appearance has sure chaanged. I feel it has transitioned along with my own growth as a person. Somewhere in these years I crossed over the big 4-0 and I feel I have become a much mature person today.

The early days were bright and colorful, sometimes chaotic. BTW, I never stuck to the Dukan diet. It was too much work to cook separate meals for myself.

This was the time when I launched my old website. This page documents all the preparations I did for that.

I also played around with some layouts and styles. Some looked pretty but really did not have any space for any specific planning.

By 2019, my journal had started becoming more and more minimalist! But The entire March 2018-February 2019 phase was so busy that I barely used my journal except for writing what needed attention/was planned that day.

But I did splurge my journal with attention on special occasions. And I love making random lists in it.

At this moment, I am using a combination of a journal with a weekly layout and a notepad with a daily list. The journal has a monthly view for each month where all major events are marked. I add other things as needed.

Then comes the weekly view. Every week is marked and then details are filled.

Along with this weekly layout in my journal, I use a list for every day. This list has been inspired by Palula Rizzo's The Power of Lists. When I read the book, I liked the concept and it has been working really well for me. 

 Apart from these, I also have a gratitude journal that I write in every day (just 3  things I am grateful for) and a financial journal (that tracks my income and expenses everyday). I also have a private journal that I write into when I feel like. Aadi's studies has a separate journal where we keep track of what we are working on and what we have to work on. That is his training for using a journal for himself. He loves my colourful journals and hopes to some day have one for himself too. I would love it if he has one.

One of the most important thing I realized as I went through my old journals for this post is the memories they document. So many things come back to me when I look at a page - and not all of it is written in it! Sometimes its juts one line drawn or just a small star somewhere o nthe page.