Winter Collection's Zippered Problem

My upcoming story might surprise some of you, and might not surprise the other half of you. It's crazy. I'll start from the beginning.

I've started making a winter collection to sell at the store. The winter collection includes faux leather and other water proof fabrics, mostly solid colors that will fit the wintery mode. But don't be mistaken. The fact that it's winter doesn't mean you have to make the bags for it in wintery colors, i.e. black, brown, gray… no. Color can add a lot to the wintery mode. Plus, a zippered closure might fit best for winter. And there is a reason I'm saying this. You'll see why, it's the most important detail in my story.

So anyway, for the winter collection I'm doing a series of bags, most of them faux leather. Which means I want the zipper for the closure to be professional looking. I want the faux leather bags to look high quality. Therefore, I've decided I must use metal teeth zippers. They're more expensive, but they look so much better, especially with this kind of bag I'm making.

I made 2 bags from the first line, used 2 white metal teeth zippers. Then I was about to make more of this line (other colors of course), and got stuck. I don't have any metal teeth zippers left. I knew I had about 2 (the second one finding was surprising!), and was pretty sure I didn't have more. I was right. But I kept creating 2 bags anyway, and now they're lying there, waiting for me to find new zippers. I've done the most I can up until the zipper inserting phase. That was my plan.
So I was going to find more of those zippers and finish the bags, and move forward to the next ones in the collection. I was prepared to go find ones at the stores in my home radios. There is a store that I know for sure they have this kind of zippers. But they're always closed. Always. They're expensive too, but the store's owner knows all that, and she can do whatever she wants because she has no contest in the area. Plus she has another job somewhere, so she's not going to be broke anytime soon.
After I saw the store was closed, just like I thought, I opened the yellow pages and called about 10 stores in the area, ever farther but still in the area. One by one they told me they don't carry this kind of zippers.
I then took the car again and looked for other stores, and none had them. At that time, my machine's Teflon foot has been destroyed completely by me. So I had to get a new one. I went to the store I buy some of my essentials from, and they ordered me another foot. While there I also asked if they had the zippers. Guess what? No!

I started walking around the city to look for a store I didn't know about, if they carry the zippers. No! No one! But I went into a sewing room of a fairly nice woman who told me that they don't really sell this kind of zippers anymore. Bummer!
I tried the always closed store again a few days later, and it WAS closed again. And the phone was disconnected or something, so I couldn't call to ask about their working hours. That store is in another city near my house. So I took a walk there too, and none of the stores had them. Very frustrating, you know what it's like.

Now I don't have a choice, I had to take a trip a little farther from my house, where I know for sure they had the zippers. Meanwhile, I ordered some from eBay. It was hard finding there too, that their price is fair, a nice quantity, and ships here. That's something anyways. But it will take time till it gets here. Meanwhile I'm stuck and cannot finish the bags. And I can't start preparing new ones from that line, because I don't even have the foot! The winter will be over by the time I could finish the collection and bring it in to the store.

So just so you know: there are some places on this earth where they don't make metal zippers anymore! That's what I've been told at some places I went to. But I just have to have those zippers, I can't use a regular kind of zipper for that collection. Another option is to use magnetic closure, but it doesn't really fit well with the design.
Now I'm just waiting. Sad little waiting person…. But I do want to show you the bags I DID finish from the first line:

See how the metal zippers important to me in this design?

When I do get the zippers, and when I will be able to finish the other bags, I'll upload their pictures here. No idea when that's gonna happen though.

Ready, Set, Go!

I was thinking about beginners. At anything. Then I also started thinking about myself. How I started, where I am today, what difficulties I went through to get to where I am about 4 years later…

Being a beginner is tough. Well, I'm not sure if 'though' is the right word. But it sure is not easy for everyone. Some do better at learning new stuff. Some are scared. I believe that being in the middle is also great. Because brave people who dare get far more quickly, while those who are scared might make less mistakes and get into less troubles. But in my opinion, getting into trouble can be a good thing. You learn from your mistakes. But if you combine the two, if you're both brave but careful, you won't only get farther faster, you will also do it right.

I'm not a person with much patience (that's why I don't like reading, though I like writing which is why I babble a lot here!), so it took me a few years to learn all I know, and I'm still learning. But I did take the time to learn, to make small steps. It's possible that beginners would want to move more quickly forward. I say take your time, learn new things and move forward in a nice pace that fits you. No skipping, no shortcuts (as I like doing with many things in my life).

So what tips can I give for beginners in the bag making world? I made up a little list! And it's not all for beginners, so you might take an interest anyway:

* As I said here and before, learn something new every time. Not all at once, move forward in your own pace, but don't stop moving.
* Always dare and don't be scared of new stuff (for example, you're afraid of zipper – common fear – well…. There is a post on that, you can look it up).
* Be ready to unpick. So when shopping for new equipment and essentials, buy an unpicker or 2 (I have 4-5. Well they break easy! Good thing they're inexpensive!)
* Find the easiest way to do stuff, but the best way you'll find.
* Don't get irritated when something doesn't work. Try again till you work it out.
* Find good inspiration sources (for example, this blog!).
* Learn from others, even after you've already learnt a lot.
* Remember that when there is something good, there is always something better, aspire to the best YOU can.
* Don't try to be like everybody else, find your own niche, your style, even a gimmick that will separate you from others.
* Reinvent the wheel (try anyway).
* If you try doing something and it doesn't work, you can move on to another thing, and then later (or much later), when you feel you're ready and you know better than before, come back to the thing you couldn't figure out. It might have gotten easier by now.
* Learn as many techniques as possible, and get the tools to know all that (wrote a post about it earlier).
* When you're a beginner, you find it easier to use other people's tutorials and patterns. It's actually great, but learn from that how to do your own thing so other people could learn from YOU.
* Buy tools and essentials that will not only fit your budget, but that are also good enough, so that your work will come out more professional and will be more qualitative.
* Make as many bags as you can, and keep practicing. It will get not only easier, but also better.
* Don't be afraid to ask for help (even from me). And when given to you, listen so you could learn for next time.
* Ask for other's opinion. Another pair of eyes will give you better perspective if you're not sure about something (like fabrics, colors, etc.).
* If you like a particular pattern, you can make a few bags out of it, but try getting better in each one.
* And if you use the same patter, I recommend doing something a little different with each one. This way you have the same pattern but in a different design. Saves time on making a new one, plus gives a wider variety. A different design can also come across as different colors or different fabrics.
* Know how to improvise when there is no choice. Like, say you're in the middle of making a bag, cut the pieces then found out that something doesn't make sense, or you don't have enough, or made an accident… find a way for a solution so you won't have to throw everything out.
* If you haven't sewn before, practice the machine as much as you can. Learn how to make straight seams, how to control your machine, and what you can do with it. Find the easiest way for YOU, work out the problems.
* Store your equipment where it's safe and easy to find. Some stuff will need to be near or next to your machine.
* Make sure you have everything you need before you start working.
* If you work with patterns, no matter if they're someone else's or yours, store them in a place that you could find a particular one faster and easier.
* You might get addicted to the bag making and not take breaks in the middle, like me. But I suggest taking breaks anyway, to clear your mind, eat, rest your hands.
* Store your bags in a place where they won't get dirty, and out of children's reach.
* Keep a pet's hair cleaner ruler/brush to clean your bags (they have cheap ones in Ikea!). Personally I can't stand looking at a bag that is dirty.

This is all I could think of, I will probably add more in the future. Also, if you have advice and tips of your own, add it by commenting this post or any other way. I know everybody will appreciate it!

Selling Like Hotcakes

I've been selling my bags quite well, at the artist store in my town. It's open 3 times a week – in the weekend – and sometimes I sell 3 bags in one day.
The money I'm getting for them, is not a physical money. It goes to my artist card so I can buy new materials for the bags. It's like a recycling. So nowadays I've been doing the thing I love more often – internet shopping! But that's materials shopping only. And since I have more in my cash box, I can afford buying more stuff for the bags, which also means I can buy better and valuable stuff. Feels great! But of course I need to pick up my bag making speed. I might actually ask to give me a hand at the process, from my lovely ladies at my work place (which is, for those who don't know yet, a sewing workshop! Ironic huh?!). They told me that I could, to give them more work since there isn't much lately. So they might pitch in the bag making process, work for me.

I also have pictures. This is a semi post, because I will have updates on the rest soon.
So I'll start by showing you the new "Chica" bag, the first one that has fabric handles (instead of black vinyl like the usual ones). I'm pretty sure it was sold already, I'll find out soon – I asked to mark the pictures of the bags that were sold. I'll send the pictures tomorrow and will hopefully receive the results soon, and I'll know what goes well, and what I should do more and next.
Anyway, this is the new "Chica":

It's a little springy, and that leads me to the semi post…

I'm planning and started making the winter collection. It will include mostly solid colors, vinyl, oilcloth, zipper closures and so on. Get the picture?
I made 2 and a half, and needed to stop in the middle. The reason for that I will tell you in my next post, there's a whole story I just got to share. Then I will also show you the pictures of these bags.

Contest About to Over

Only one day till the bag making contest is over! This is the last reminder.

After checking out all the bags, I will pick the winner and runner up, and a few days later I will announce the winner. If you wanna be notified about the announcement, you can join my mailing list.

For the last time, good luck to everybody!

Get Your Tools and Get To Work

The idea of this blog is not to teach you how to make bags. But to teach you to know how to make bags. Confused, don't understand the difference? What I mean is, I don't wanna tell you how to make good bags, but how to get the tools so you could think for yourself how to make the bags you want. How to find ideas without copying others, how to understand the basic idea of making bags, in the easy way and in the hard way. In order for you to understand that, I want to think outside the box and not be stuck in one place. I've written so many tips, not so you would know how to make bags like mine, but how to think like me in order to find your own niche, find your own designs and have free thinking, to develop your own style, and develop your own tools.

So how do you know where you should look for your niche? The clear answer is: anywhere. It doesn't have to be a one specific place. Look around you and you'll see.
And you know, sometimes (well, always) I look for a design that it's original enough. And it's not enough just to dig your brain. I look around at bags, and even clothing items. I don't look at a design and say: "great, I'll make this design". I take ideas from other designs. NOT COPING the design, not at all! I look at something and that gives me ideas. I spread my mind and come up with something. If you see a bag that I made and look at the bag I took inspiration from, you'll see NOTHING in common. You will not understand how the hell I came up with my design from that other design. They just have nothing to do with each other. Two different bags, with two different features and elements. That's what I call 'inspiration', that is not coping.

Now, that's the way I want your brain to work, when coming up with a design. That's good imagination (and God knows I've got tons of it) and thinking outside the box. Every little detail in the inspiration can bring you to the new original design.
Another method I work by, is "The Puzzle System" I came up with. But I'm not going to write about it again, just read what it means in its own post: (http://www.creativecutie.com/2009/08/puzzle-system.html)
You could of course find designs at many other areas and purposes, such as all those I've written about in other posts (read the entire articles that you can find on the left sidebar).

What I'm trying to say here, it's not all technical. Yes, I teach how to make some things for bags and bags themselves in all the tutorials I make. But the idea behind all the tutorials, is to make you think, i.e. if you know how to make certain things, you'll be able to create things of your own, you'll know how to make something after learning how to do a specific thing. Like, if you know how to make a basic thing, if for example you know what sewing 2 fabrics together-right sides together, does, you can use that in order to come up with something creative. That's a tool, and that's so important. I don't want you to be dependent on all the tutorials on the net, the things that other people teach you, and I don’t want you to feel you need those tutorials so you could make bags. Think independent.
So that is basically what I mean by "teach you how to know how to make bags" rather than "how to make bags". That's why I always encourage you to try new things with no fear. You just need the tools and you're ready to go.

I've never ever made a bag out of someone else's design or pattern. But I do learn how to make things from others. To get the tools from which I can develop later and come up with things of my own. Someone in the history thought of a way to make a zippered pocket, for instance. And people learnt from that person, and it passed on to all those out there who want to make a zippered pocket in their bags. That person who came up with that system probably had the basic tools. I imagine they couldn't have come up with it without having those tools.

Learning tools. That's the key for progression. One of the major keys, at least. Learn how to find inspiration and make something your own. After you learn tools, you see the endless possibilities for designs. You just need to open your mind to it, and not be afraid. You'll be surprised.

Winner of the Giveaway!

So here's the winning person in the first giveaway!

For those of you who didn't win, no worries, it's not the end of the road. There will be more contests and giveaways in the future of the blog, and I surely hope you'll take part in those too.


So the winner is...

Jennifer Joshue

Jennifer, I will be sending you an email shortly, to get your address, and the package of goods will make its way to you!

Congrats!

Thanks everyone for taking a chance, hope we'll do it again soon. I loved reading your comments, you said some interesting things that I really appreciate.

I also remind you that the bag making contest is still on, but just until the 20th, so very little time, to send your bags, for a chance to win some wonderful prizes. If you have the intention to enter, please do it quickly because time runs out!

Last Day

LAST DAY TO JOIN THE GIVEAWAY!!!

This is your last chance to win some free goodies, it's not too late, you still have today! Tomorrow I will announce the winner.

9 Days Left!

Only 9 days till the bag making contest ends! So if you want to be in it, you must hurry up with the bags.
For those of you who paid a visit here just now and don't know about the contest yet, you can read about it in the following links:

http://www.creativecutie.com/2010/04/contest-is-here-if-youve-always-dreamt.html
update: http://www.creativecutie.com/2010/06/contest-reminder-and-new-prizes.html

Another update: http://www.creativecutie.com/2010/07/bag-prize.html

Enter here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/creativecutie

And if you want pointers: http://www.creativecutie.com/2010/07/contest-pointers.html(very recommended!)

There are many many prizes for the winner (which you'll be able to see and read about in the links above). But the main prize is this beauty "Chica" Bag, if you didn't know it yet:

And remember that the runner up will receive a symbolic prize as well, this lovely wristlet completely for free:

By the way, I looked at your bags, and still have no idea who the winner is. It will be a tough decision. And remember, those who don't win, there will always be next time. I appreciate every bag, and I just wish everybody could be the winner.
So if you've wondered, the decision hasn't been settled yet, you still have a fair chance!

Join my mailing list to get updates about the contest, like when the winner is announced.

(I'm saying it again, the giveaway has nothing to do with this contest, for those who get confused!)

Another thing, nothing to do with the contest, I posted a new poll (on the right sidebar), mostly because something was really wrong with the last one, the votes kept disappearing somehow. Like, once in a while it'd drop a few votes and the numbers of votes is smaller than it really is. Don't know why. Anyhow, that's why I put a new one up there! You can now vote!

Creative Cutie Blog's First Giveaway!

No:
* This has nothing to do with the contest (details all over the blog)
* The contest isn't over yet (though there's a deadline if you've missed the memo)
* Those aren't the prizes from the contest

Yes:
* I have a few things I don't need
You will get them for free*
* It's for a short period, so there isn't need to wait as long as the contest

Okay, I will catch you up, because this might come from nowhere to some of you. I bought some fabrics for something (somethings), and I don't longer need them. So I was pretty much stuck with them. But why to be stuck with them?! I'll just give them to you!

This had actually come as a surprise for me too, because I decided on a giveaway in a 30 seconds thinking. Then it got me thinking, what will you have to do in order to receive the goodies? Again, this is not a contest. This is a regular giveaway, the blog's first giveaway no less!
And here is what you have to do:

* Publish about the giveaway at your blog/Twitter/Facebook, and write here the link of where you wrote it (those of you who won't do that, won't have the chance to win).
* Include your email address and first name so I could contact you incase you win
* Pick one or both of the two to answer:
1. How did my blog give you inspiration/taught you about making bags?
2. What's the best compliment you've ever gotten on a bag you've made?
- Comment on this post with all of the above!

The booty you will receive includes:
* 10 pieces of fabrics, some smaller, some larger, different kinds of fabrics.
Besides the original prize of fabrics, and since I'm a generous person, or just like to give things for free, you will also receive
* 4 Small nickel rectangle rings
* 3 Small swivel hooks
* A burgundy thread that I've never used, been between my essentials for a long time, but since I'm using a different kind, I've decided it'd be best to give it away.

More:

- Only one entry per person, please
- You can post your entries until November 7th 2010. (updated, the new date is below!)
- I will draw the winner the day after (November 8th)
- And will announce the winner on the same day (November 8th)
- Then I will contact the winner, to get their full name and address, and send them the package

Sounds fun?
So bring it on!
If you've got any questions, you know I'm always here.

Note: it might take a little while for the comments to show!

ATTENTION!

I've been getting requests to continue the giveaway a little longer, because some can't make it in time and it's too bad they would't have the chance to win the lot. So.... the new deadline is: November 15!!! Hurry up please!