The EmbroideressMonday, January 15, 2007
Plain Jane
This is the time of year I usually sit and feel sorry for myself. I, and lots of other designers, are getting ready for trade shows. Folks often give a preview of their new designs on their websites and I sit in awe of how clever, how pretty, how desireable they all are. The new needlework catalogs hit the mailbox about this time as well. What a lot of talent there is out there!!!
This year the doom and gloom has been worse than ever because I'm just beginning to pick myself up after nearly two unproductive years of illness. Not a new design out in that time my dears.
And, when I do come out with something new -- it's usually not very "bling bling". More in the "plain Jane" department. Partly because my stuff doesn't go to a commercial printer. If you have something I've designed, it's passed through my hands. Self-publishing is handy, cost-effective and all sorts of other things, but it has its limits. So my aim is towards the booklet that will last. That's why I put heavy plastic covers on the booklets so they don't get dirty and stand up on a shelf.
But, as someone recently pointed out to me, my first publication is still in catalogs, still sells and is still being used. That's a 10 year lifespan. Pretty good in the needlework world where designs and designers often come and go far too rapidly. A designer needs a lot of sturdy staying power to keep going in this tough biz.
Oh well, enough complaints and back to work. I'll have a couple of new Plain Jane books ready for the Nashville trade show next month. Let's just hope they keep on ticking until 2017.
This year the doom and gloom has been worse than ever because I'm just beginning to pick myself up after nearly two unproductive years of illness. Not a new design out in that time my dears.
And, when I do come out with something new -- it's usually not very "bling bling". More in the "plain Jane" department. Partly because my stuff doesn't go to a commercial printer. If you have something I've designed, it's passed through my hands. Self-publishing is handy, cost-effective and all sorts of other things, but it has its limits. So my aim is towards the booklet that will last. That's why I put heavy plastic covers on the booklets so they don't get dirty and stand up on a shelf.
But, as someone recently pointed out to me, my first publication is still in catalogs, still sells and is still being used. That's a 10 year lifespan. Pretty good in the needlework world where designs and designers often come and go far too rapidly. A designer needs a lot of sturdy staying power to keep going in this tough biz.
Oh well, enough complaints and back to work. I'll have a couple of new Plain Jane books ready for the Nashville trade show next month. Let's just hope they keep on ticking until 2017.
Labels: Needlework Design
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