ISSUE SPECIAL - Craft Business Magazine

www.craftbusiness.com Issue 100 £3.50 | June/July 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

■ I N D U S T R Y N E W S ■ E X P E R T O P I N I O N ■ P R O D U C T T R E N D S ■ A D V I C E

T H E L E A D I N G T R A D E T I T L E F O R T H E C R A F T I N D U S T R Y

NEWFROM KING COLE

Pattern No 4017Knitted in

Masham DK

Contact: King Cole Ltd, Merrie Mills, Snaygill Ind Est, Keighley Road,

Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 2QR

www.kingcole.co.uk

ISSUE SPECIAL

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14 CB CELEBRATES 100 ISSUES We celebrate the last decade in the industry and discover what has shaped

its development

24 YARN SHOP DAY SUCCESS Saturday May 3 saw wool

shops profit

26 THE BRITISH KNITTING AWARDS

Two new categories added

31 MEET THE BUYER Notonthehighstreet owner

talks business

32 HELP WANTED Top industry advice

20

STITCHING & HABERDASHERYThe lucrative dressmaking sector

10

KNITTING Get to know your needles

BEADING AND JEWELLERY Upsell charms and findings

28

PAPERCRAFT Capitalise on cardmaking trends

34

Hello...

www.craftbusiness.com | 3

Collaboration between independent businesses can have huge fi nancial benefi ts

TOP STORY It’s been a long time since the pages of this very magazine were fi rst put together. In 2000, there was no Twitter, no Pinterest and the idea of contactless payments was a distant dream. Craft was a sector often seen as boring, fuddy duddy and old, but has since been catapulted into a new dimension, becoming a vibrant, exciting creative hub that anyone can be part of. It’s this new lease of life that has helped it develop; with the emergence of knitting groups, sewing television programmes, quirky craft initiatives gaining interest from people from all walks of life.

This change of pace has pushed manufacturers to really up their game and the sophisticated innovations that have hit the market in the last ten years have been astounding. The rise of the internet and social media, love it or hate it, has also contributed to this positive change. It’s so exciting to be part of such a dynamic industry and one that has managed to completely change people’s perceptions. We are proud to put together Craft Business each month and help contribute to your business success. So with this, our 100th anniversary issue, we raise a glass to you, the retailer, surviving in tough times, fi nding new ways to thrive and building a strong craft community. We hope you enjoy this commemorative issue and can look back at how far the industry has come in the last ten years with pride.

Have a great monthZoe MonkEditor

@craftbiz

INDEPENDENTS COULD SEE £900M BOOST FROM WORKING WITH OTHER SMALL BUSINESSESRetailers who collaborate with other indies could benefi t from a sales increase

Independent retailers and small business owners who work in joint partnership

with one another could enjoy a signifi cant increase in sales, according to The Value of Collaboration report released in June by American Express.

The report, carried out by retail experts, Conlumino, found that collaborating via activities such as joint marketing campaigns, loyalty schemes, local events and promotions, small business owners could boost sales by an average of up to £30,000 each annually.

This represents an average potential sales increase for independent retailers of almost £900m nationally.

As well as summing up the positive impact offi cial collaboration can have on sales, the report also showed how small businesses can save money simply by lending each other a helping hand.

Day-to-day tasks such as minding each other’s shops, taking in deliveries, doing a bank run or providing loose change could save independents an average of £3,000 each year in labour costs, equating to an average value of more than £75m nationally.

In total, nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents said they are supporting each other in some way. This includes other activities such as discussing business challenges with their peers, comparing performance or talking about the general state of the trading environment.

Mark Roper, head of UK merchant services at American Express, said: “Whether it’s the local deli and off licence putting on a joint cheese and wine night, or an entire high street running a seasonal promotion, small merchants across the UK are clubbing together to improve their collective lot. It makes strong business sense, delivering tangible returns in terms of

boosted sales and saved labour costs and it is a trend that is increasing.”

Neil Saunders, managing director at Conlumino, said: “Collaboration between independent businesses can have huge fi nancial benefi ts. This inevitably has a very positive impact on the economics of running an independent high street business.”

Independent craft shops are renowned for their fantastic customer service and creative expertise, and more and more owners are realising that by encouraging a community feel on their street, traders feel inspired and part of a wider support network.

The report found that 59% of small business owners know at least half of their fellow local traders and close to a quarter (23%) know almost all of them, and are reaping the rewards for mutual benefi t by recommending each other to their customers too.

4 | www.craftbusiness.com

The latest headlines from the industryNEWS

After the success of Paperworld 2014 and the introduction of its new concept Paperworld Plaza, event organisers have revealed that it has been possible to interest and win back industrial companies that have not used Paperworld as their market place in recent years.

The new concept, Paperworld Plaza is the result of the close cooperation between show organisers, Messe Frankfurt and two of the leading associations in Germany, ‘Altenaer Kreis’ and ‘PBS-Industrieverband’.

“We are delighted that the associations’ member companies have reacted so positively and see Paperworld as offering a valuable chance to once again present their products to the national and international trade. The large number of registrations received to date confi rms that we have paved the right way for a future-oriented platform for the

EUROPEAN NEWSPAPERWORLD SUCCESS SEES ITS RETURN IN 2015

Rebranded from its fi rst year as the Sew Awards, the new title refl ects its reach on a national level, celebrating the very best in stitching, from quilting to dressmaking.

“Sewing has seen an enormous boom in interest since we last ran the awards, and we wanted to ensure this year’s nominations give our readers the opportunity to say a big thank you to the key brands, retailers and resources that are providing an excellent service to Britain’s sewers,” explains Sew editor, Lorraine Luximon.

Fine art and materials supplier, Art Van Go celebrated its 25th birthday on May 29. To celebrate, partners Viv Arther and Kevin Mead, hosted a weekend of ‘open days’ with visiting artists working in the gallery, a pop-up shop of luxury silk fabrics and fi bres from Mulberry Silks and a birthday party.

Viv said: “To commemorate the last 25 years, we commissioned an abstract painting from artist Amy Pettingill which tells the story of Art Van Go, and we plan to feature the 25-year achievement in the media in lots of different ways over the next 12 months.”

The company was fi rst launched in 1989 as a mobile art shop, working from home in a specially customised Renault Master. In 2001, the business expanded and made a move to The Studio in Knebworth where it began to offer workshops and a gallery, as well as the distribution of Jacquard products.

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE BRITISH SEWING AWARDS 2013Sew magazine has opened its nominations stage for the very fi rst British Sewing Awards

ART VAN GO CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

sector,” said Cordelia von Gymnich, vice president, consumer goods and entertainment.

Numerous internationally renowned companies, such as Casio, Durable, Edding, Exacompta, Faber-Castell, Gutenberg, Horn, Jakob Maul, Krug & Priester, Novus Dahle, Schneider Schreibgeräte, Sigel, Staedtler, Tesa, Trodat, Velofl ex and Werner Dorsch, have already registered to present their new products at Paperworld 2015.

“The structure of the exclusive Paperworld Plaza exhibition area will be determined by the membership of the companies to one of the two associations. Thus, in addition to classic offi ce products and writing utensils, visitors will also be able to fi nd stationery and accessories for their home offi ce,” Cordelia added.

National and international trade visitors are enthusiastic not

only about the broad spectrum of products shown by the various exhibitors, but also about the wide-ranging programme of events and lectures with numerous highlights and special offers for the trade in the hall 3.1.

The next Paperworld, which takes place from January 31-February 3 2015, will be distinguished not only by Paperworld Plaza in Hall 3.1, but also by a range of products unrivalled in terms of breadth and depth in nine more exhibition halls.

Brilliant ideas at the push of a button Fashion dreams come true! Inspire your customers with the new Marabu Fashion Design range. For further information: www.marabu.com/creative

The awards consist of 18 categories ranging from Best Fabric Brand to Best Pattern House, and Best Independent Haberdashery Shop to Best Sewing Blog. Readers and online visitors will nominate their favourites across all of the categories, and then those with the most nominations in each category go through to the voting stage.

Readers who nominate in the fi rst round will also be in with a chance of winning one of three stylish storage bags from The Camoufl age Company, worth more than £40 each. To nominate, either pick up a copy of Sew’s

September or October issues or visit www.sewmag.co.uk/awards

Sew magazine has also recently undergone a redesign, revealing a new fresh look in its June issue, which went on sale in May. In addition to the new look, some top industry experts have also joined the team, with Simplicity’s stitch guru Wendy Gardiner offering expert dressmaking tips. Fashion commentator Caryn Franklin also gives her style advice in You Wear it Well, including her top pattern picks and style know how, whatever your shape or size.

In 2006, Art Van Go won an award for Retail Business of the Year and published its fi rst book, Between the Sheets with Angelina, which has since been followed by four others.

Viv said: “Having built up a large customer base that has become more of a community, we feel we have become not only a retailer and supplier, but also a catalyst for many creative endeavours. We’ve been surviving and thriving, through all the ups and downs, for 25 years.”

Art Van Go plans for the future are to offer an “all signing, all dancing” website. Viv said: “So far, we have operated without an e-commerce website because most of our mail-orders are generated by personal contact. In the next couple of months we intend to launch a website. We can’t be certain how profound this change will be, but we will be doing our utmost to ensure it is a benefi cial development for our customers, without losing site of our roots.”

Craft company enjoys its landmark anniversary

NEWS


More than a third of consumers (38%) are avoiding contactless payment methods because they do not know enough about the technology and are worried about security, according to a survey conducted by Vista Retail Support.

The poll also shows how a further 24% do not use the technology because they do not know which of their cards are enabled for contactless payments,

TweetsThis month we asked you:Of all the crafts, which one do you think will be most popular this summer?

@GarnetLee tweeted: Knitting or anything involving cake.

@WhatAStitchUp1 tweeted: Defi nitely sewing; handmade light dresses and tops here we come!

Top

SHOPPERS CAUTIOUS ABOUT CONTACTLESS PAYMENTSRetailers need to educate customers

DEBBIE BLISS LAUNCHES KNIT INSPIRED HOMEWARE RANGE

CRAFT FAIR TO EXPANDScottish bead fair broadens its reachAfter seven years in the business, Scotland’s specialist bead event, The Scottish Bead Fair has decided to expand. The Scottish Bead Fair will now incorporate other areas of craft, after recognising a growing trend in mixed media and more of a cross-over between crafts.

The new fair will be held three times a year north of the border, starting in Perth on August 17 2014. It will welcome exhibitors from all crafts who are independent businesses selling quality and unusual items.

At present, exhibitors are from a range of disciplines including beading, knitting, crochet, felting,

fabrics and patchwork. The fair is also open to other trades such as stamping, card making, soap and candle making to name a few.

The event, sponsored by Make & Sell Jewellery, Crafts Beautiful and Homemaker magazines, offers a golden opportunity for traders to expand their customer base north of the border, by selling on the day, taking bookings for classes and marketing their online businesses.

For more information, visit www.scottishbeadfair.com, or contact Dawn or Mary on 01738 630 740, or email [email protected].

and 61% using click-and-collect shopping. In addition, more than half of those surveyed (57%) said they use in-store and mobile apps (53%).

When it came to what consumers liked about automated payment solutions, 94% stated that speed was the biggest benefi t, while one in eight (13%) said they favour them because they can avoid having to talk to a cashier.

or because nobody has ever demonstrated how to use it.

It would seem that retailers may have to spend more time convincing consumers to buy into the technology, as 75% of respondents said they have never received any encouragement from staff to use contactless payment in shops or fast food restaurants.

“The results clearly demonstrate that there is a lack of confi dence

and understanding about contactless payment technology,” said Richard Cottrell, sales and marketing director for Vista Retail Support. “Shoppers need much more information about these payment methods and more encouragement to use them.”

The survey also showed that other retail technologies are now well-established, with 73% saying they use self-scan payment kiosks

Knitwear designer, Debbie Bliss has launched a range of high quality stylish, UK sourced homewares, in the fi rst stage of developing her brand in new ways to refl ect her love of design.

The collection includes graphic representations of knitting in a range of chic colours that are designed to add style to the home.

“I am a designer fi rst and foremost, so I am very keen to create new and exciting products, whether that be a pattern for a jumper or a new tea towel,” Debbie explained.

The range includes fi ne bone china mugs, tea towel and tote bags plus knittedtoys, stationery and cards, and is available from shop.debblieblissonline.com

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NEWS


MOVERS&SHAKERSHobbycraft Opens New Store in BedfordCraft retailer, Hobbycraft opened a brand new unit at Bedford St John’s Centre Retail Park in May.

The store opened its doors at 9am on Thursday, May 22 and celebrated with its new customer base by holding a weekend of celebrations. Events that took place included art demonstrations from the new team, ‘make and play’ sessions for children, free balloon modelling and face painting.

The new art and craft store spans an impressive 12,400 sq ft and has helped create 23 new jobs for the local area.

Among the new recruits was Lorna Harris, 25 from Bedford, who has been working in retail since completing her art degree and has taken a full-time position within the team.

Cath Kidston Sets its Sights on SouthamptonCath Kidston, known as the home of modern vintage and famous for its original prints and quintessentially British style, has open its fi rst store in Southampton at Hammerson’s WestQuay shopping centre.

The new 2,340 sq ft store opened at the beginning of June and will offer a complete range of products from homeware and fashion, to accessories and childrenswear, and will be located in a prime position on the lower mall next to Paperchase.

Sarah Mander, leasing executive for Hammerson commented: “Cath Kidston is an excellent addition to WestQuay and highlights the continued strength of the centre as a strong trading location for stores.“

West Berkshire Craft Shop Makes a Move to ExpandYarnFest, an independent wool and yarn store that has been located in the garden centre in Hermitage for the last three years, has moved to a new, larger premises.

The company expanded into the former old telephone exchange in the West Berkshire village and celebrated its new relocation with a series of special promotions and demonstrations on Saturday May 24.

Visitors who attended the offi cial opening had the chance to learn more about the processes that go into making a skein of wool, as there were spinning demonstrations taking place throughout the day. Customers also had the opportunity to learn how to make brooches and braided bracelets.

Kathy Walsh Leaves Personal ImpressionsPapercraft manufacturer, Personal Impressions’ has announced sales and marketing director, Kathy Walsh will be leaving the company as of July 18.

Kathy has been at the company for six and half years and is leaving to join American company, DecoArt, to look after international sales.

Adam Jones has been appointed as Kathy’s replacement and will start the role on July 1. Adam brings with him vast experience from both inside and outside the industry, having worked for Wilton and EK Success Brands for several years.

Ray Napper, managing director said: “Personal Impressions is delighted to welcome Adam Jones to the role of sales and marketing director. Adam joins the company full-time from July 1 and brings with him a wealth of knowledge.

30% OF RETAILERS ADMIT THEIR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMMES AREN’T EFFECTIVEOffering a great customer care is imperative, but what should you change if it’s not working?Retailers are struggling to identify what improvements need to be made to the customer experience they provide shoppers, according to research from Qmatic.

In an era when retailers have to deal with multiple channels such as call centre, web, mobile and physical stores, 49% of consumers confi rmed the option of being able to visit a physical store to preview items and/or make a purchase as important to them. And with 89% of retailers confi rming that companies stand and fall on the customer experience they deliver, they have confi rmed that they are struggling to realise the anticipated benefi ts of their customer experience improvement programmes with almost 30% confi rming their plans aren’t working as hoped.

The report, entitled ‘Great Expectations’, was undertaken with 100 UK retail decision makers in organisations with both online and offl ine channels and 500 consumers who shop online and offl ine.

The survey also found that while 92% of retailers confi rmed providing a good customer experience is crucial to their business, when it comes to in-store customer experience, 56% confi rmed they’re facing a major challenge in identifying the best improvements to make.

A lack of in-house specialist expertise was sited by 41% of participants as the reason why this problem is holding them back from actively perusing innovations that could set them apart from their competitors, and possibly a contributing factor as to why 15% of retailers still have not commenced actual implementation of their customer experience improvement programme, despite having a plan in place.

Steve Williams, managing director, Qmatic UK said: “It explains why more than half of retailers questioned in our survey have plans in place to increase the number of bricks-and-mortar stores they operate. That being said, retailers are patently feeling at a disadvantage when it comes to executing and benefi ting from their customer experience improvement programmes.”

June 20-22, 2014

National Quilt ChampionshipsSandown, Esher

June 29, 2014Sincerely YoursPortsmouth

July 4, 2014Independents DayNationwide

July 13-20, 2014Home & Gift HarrogateHarrogate International Centre

Diary Dates


Meet theADVERTORIAL

Efco’s CEO, Martin Erler explains why he’s feeling optimistic in a year of celebrations for the company

HOW AND WHEN WAS THE COMPANY STARTED?Well, we’re celebrating Efco’s 50th birthday this year and it really was a kitchen table operation at the start – Lutz and Inge Erler (the present CEO’s parents) started it all by selling enamelling kilns and accessories from their home.

WHAT PRODUCTS DOES EFCO SPECIALISE IN?We still build kilns in Rohrbach, Germany and Efcolor low melt enamel remains one of our most popular lines. But now, Efco also offers a diverse range of more than

Maker20,000 craft components to the retailer, supplying everything for papercrafts, jeweller making supplies, candlemaking, Decopatch shapes and now much more.

WHAT ARE YOUR BESTSELLERS?We are glad to see that after 40 years or so, Macramé is making a reappearance in time for our anniversary in its new 21st century guise as Paracord braiding. This is proving to be a hot seller this summer. The other real craze is ‘Loom Bands’ and we just can’t get enough of these; we have a container due mid June that we hope will see our customers through the season!

Décopatch paper mache and Papp Art shapes are consistent top sellers. Great for home decor and wedding and party favours, we’ve added to our range of Papp Art letters (available in three sizes) with a new 10cm high serif style, plus for the fi rst time we are stocking fantastic papers for decoupage, as an addition to our popular napkin decoupage range.

Anything to do with feltmaking is selling well at the moment too and our new felting wool spinner,

launched at Paperworld in Frankfurt, is a strong seller.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?We are aware that we need to develop our internet presence with the aim of supporting our retailers, so an effective B2B online site is essential and is one of our immediate goals. Our strategy is still to focus on the retailer, both bricks and mortar and online stores and unlike some manufacturers, we have no plans for direct sales to the consumer. We are becoming more of a global company as new markets emerge, and despite the challenges in the Eurozone, there is still potential in our European home market – so there are plenty of opportunities to keep us busy for the next year or so.

WHAT SUPPORT DO YOU OFFER TO RETAILERS WHO STOCK EFCO PRODUCTS?The Efco catalogue is a great resource. It’s updated twice a year with the latest trends and useful guidance on craft techniques, plus it lists everything in the current range. We are still old fashioned enough to believe in a personal approach. We have sales agents out on the road to offer expert advice and support and are always available on the phone to answer any queries. We can also provide in-store demonstrations and offer fi nished samples, though these are subject to terms and order minimums, so do contact us for more details. Our aim is to be the one stop shop of choice for the craft retailer and with that in mind we have developed strong partnerships with leading craft brands such as Plaid. We also try and be on top of the latest crazes – as mentioned above, at the moment everyone is going loopy for Loom Bands.

By offering a diverse selection of brands, basic craft items and our own branded products, we can offer the retailer considerable savings in inventory, plus the sheer convenience of being able to source from one supplier with great value and service

– in a way, I suppose, we see ourselves as the Viking Direct of craft!

YOU’RE GEARING UP FOR A MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY, TO WHAT WOULD YOU ACCREDIT THIS SUCCESS?You mean milestones! 50 years of Efco, 40 years of Hobbygross, our distribution company, and 20 years at our logistics facility in Rohrbach. To answer your question, it’s down to hard work and a great team. Also, the values of all successful family-run businesses – caring passionately about products and customers, as well as being there for the long term, rather than a quick buck.

On the subject of milestones; we started the ball rolling at our home fair at the beginning of June

Efco Creative Emotions | c/o Sinotex UK LtdUnit C The Courtyard Business Centre | Lonesome Lane | Reigate | RH2 [email protected] | www.efcouk.com

24 super colours, plus the NEW Loombands loopy loom –complete with megaselection of bands,braiding board and

crochet hook.All retailing at pocket

money prices!

Go Loopy for LoopiesSummer madness

CONTACT For more information

01737 245450 [email protected],www.efcouk.com

Efco Creative Emotions,c/o Sinotex UK Ltd. Unit C The Courtyard Business Centre,Lonesome Lane, Reigate, RH2 7QT

Efco

and we’ll keep the ball rolling with some super anniversary offers over the coming months, plus you might fi nd a little gift from us in your next order. So don’t miss out, join in the fun, and make sure you are part of Efco’s year of anniversaries.

Europe’s No1 Creative Craft Trade Show for the Art, Craft, Fabric, Needlecraft & Hobby Industries

• Network directly with companies and their representatives

• Meet the industry’s newcomers in the Bright Sparks Pavilion

• FREE Product Presentation and Demonstration Area

• Excellent Business Seminar Programme

• Exclusive Show Offers!• National and international media

attendees• Over 100 hours of Workshop

Education• Catwalk Fashion Shows

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For more information about visiting, or exhibiting at the show: www.chsi.co.ukor call us now on 01425 272711

INDUSTRY INSIGHT


An Oxfordshire-based soft furnishings fi rm has been named the best business in the South Central area in the search for the country’s best small business.

Just Fabrics, based in Burford, was named Best Online company in the region and beat off stiff competition to become best business in the South Central area at the 2014 FSB WorldPay UK Business Awards.

The fabrics retailer, which employs 23 staff, has been awarded £500 and the best small business title, after more than 950 businesses entered the awards this year.

Founded in 1988, Just Fabrics is a furnishing fabrics clearance shop, selling designer fabrics and end of line stock. The family fi rm was taken over seven years ago by managing director Ross Pieters, and since

launching online in 2010, in the middle of the recession, business has fl ourished.

With customers purchasing online from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe, Just Fabric's bright, colourful user-friendly website has driven its success.

Company spokesperson Jane Saunders said: “Our growth had fl at-lined for the few years leading up to the launch of our e-commerce site, but it’s fuelling our growth year on year."

Key to the company’s success is the passion of its employees says Jane: “Many of us have interior design qualifi cations and are passionate about what we do. Over the next year we plan to continue to build on our online success. We aim to streamline our processes and introduce new lines to the website.”

SOFT FURNISHINGS FIRM NAMED BEST SMALL BUSINESS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL AREA

Carol Undy, chairman FSB (Member Services), said: “The FSB WorldPay UK Business Awards are designed to raise the profi le of small businesses across the UK and to highlight the crucial role they play in supporting the economy. We’ve had a record number of entries this year, so it’s a great achievement for Just Fabrics to be selected as overall winner for their area.”

For further information please visit the website www.fsbworldpayawards.co.uk.

PROVEN: KNITTING IS GOOD FOR YOU

Can you explain what fi ndings have been made in response to knitting's effects on health and wellbeing?In 2013, the results of a study carried out by Stitchlinks and Cardiff University was published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy.

The study received 3,514 valid responses from 31 countries in under two weeks and the questions were based on themes taken from a large number of narratives sent to Stitchlinks.

The most signifi cant fi ndings were:■ The more frequently people knit the happier and calmer they feel.■ 81.5 per cent of respondents felt happier during and after knitting even

those suffering from clinical depression. Less than one per cent remained feeling sad.

■ 54 per cent of those suffering from clinical depression said they felt happy or very happy during and after knitting. One comment received told us, “antidepressants numb all my senses, knitting makes me happy.”

■ Those suffering from depression also benefi tted from attending a knitting group.

■ We also found that texture was twice as signifi cant for affecting mood as colour.

■ We had a waiting list of clinicians who wished to attend. Speakers gave talks on using knitting for pain management, mental health issues, addiction and dementia.

How can retailers communicate this information to their customers?Retailers are welcome to use information from the Stitchlinks website as long as it is attributed to Stitchlinks. The ‘25 ways’ articles have been found to be particularly useful. The groups page of the Stitchlinks website has a free core pack to download – it contains a lot of information on setting up a therapeutic knitting group.

Betsan Corkhill, founder of Stitchlinks and activity and wellness coach has worked to highlight the positive impact that knitting has on health and wellbeing

Doctors and academics no longer laugh at the prospect of using knitting to

manage a range of symptomsAs more clinical groups are formed it would be great to have local

community groups running and link these groups together, so retailers can become involved in this way.

A Stitchlinks forum for group leaders has just been set up and is intended for group leaders around the world to share ideas, ask for help and link up with each other.

What is being done to educate people in the health profession about this?I regularly give talks to groups of doctors and have written articles on the benefi ts of Therapeutic Knitting.

Doctors and academics no longer laugh at the prospect of using knitting to manage a range of symptoms. My work has involved researching the science behind the art of knitting and arguing the case on a scientifi c basis and in terms of the biology of conditions such as long-term pain.

At the end of 2013 we were lucky to gain funding for a PhD to study knitting and knitting groups. This was awarded by Exeter Medical School, which is a great achievement. The proposal beat others which were drugs and genetics based.

I have an e-book coming out in June called ‘Knit for Health and Wellness – How to knit a fl exible mind and more…’ It integrates information I’ve collected from knitters with recent research, my medical knowledge and clinical experience. It shows readers how the meditative, creative and social benefi ts of knitting can be used as an extraordinary tool to improve health and wellness whether you are fi t and healthy or living with a long-term medical problem.

CRAFT BUSINESS

WI S H L I S T

STITCHING & HABERDASHERY


THE RISE OFDRESSMAKINGWith sewing currently experiencing a big resurgence, we take a look at what’s ‘hot’ and which areas of the market you should be focusing your attention on

Since the launch of craft shows such as The Great British Sewing Bee, there

has been an uptake in the number of people trying their hand at dressmaking, having been inspired by the accomplishments they have seen contestants make on the show.

April Richards, sales and marketing executive, Korbond Industries says: “After the recent success of The Great British Sewing Bee, fresh inspiration has made this hobby even more popular. Forget cake making or monthly book clubs, dressmaking is getting keen crafters of all abilities and ages threading those needles once again.”

In fact, all things ‘Sewing Bee’ related have caused a surge in buying, whether that be a magazine’s sales rocketing because it featured an interview with one of the contestants; sewing machines and fabrics featured on the show; or books containing projects seen on screen, consumers are heading back to their local retailer to make a purchase.

The economy has also helped to boost this craft’s popularity, with strapped-for-cash consumers looking for ways to save money, turning to the craft as a way of making and mending their current clothes.

There is also a lot to be said about the expression of individuality making your own clothes can provide and this is another aspect crafters fi nd appealing.

Anna Vickery, designer, dressmaker and sewing tutor, Millie Moon and Alexandra King says: “Dressmaking has become popular again recently because people seem to value handmade garments for their individuality and the reward you get from making something yourself. In a move away from mass produced

LET’S SEW TOGETHER BY RUBYELLEN BRATCHERGMC Distribution£14.99This book contains simple projects that the whole family can get involved with. The book’s author, Rubyellen Bratcher encourages readers not just to sew for their children, but to sew with them. She has invented 30 simple projects that encourage families to spend more time together through DIY activities. Rubyellen is a mum of four and learnt how to sew at her local fabric shop, but soon found that her daughters were her greatest source of inspiration. Documenting her family’s daily life and DIY adventures online, Rubyellen’s blog, Cakies, has steadily grown into a destination for parents and crafters of all ages. In her fi rst book, she offers projects for kids and grown-ups to make together, including a handpainted skirt, scribbled placemats, a robot friend and easy felt party garlands to name a few.



Dressmaking has become popular again recently because people seem to value

handmade garments for their individuality

clothes from the high street, people want to make something that fi ts them properly, is good quality and a ‘one off’.”

Hayley West, sales educator, Husqvarna Viking says: “I think crafters like the way that they can create something personal or ‘designer’ almost. With the vast array of fabrics currently on offer, they can create their very own outfi t that fi ts their shape and shows off their own personality and style in a better way than anything shop bought.”

TREND WATCHKeeping up with the latest fabric trends is paramount in making a success of your business in the sewing sector of the market. One of the best ways to spot new emerging trends is to keep an eye on what fabrics celebrities are wearing because as soon as they are pictured in the press wearing it, often the product and brand are propelled to new heights of popularity.

Anna says: “Most dressmaking paper pattern ranges have a ‘vintage’ section; this ranges from 20’s styles, to 40’s, 50’s and even 60’s – fabric colours and prints are often also inspired by these eras. Because genuine vintage dresses are becoming increasingly hard to fi nd, people like to make these styles. I’ve noticed this in the shop and in the designs people choose to make on my dressmaking workshops.”

Hayley says: “We are seeing lots of classic lines such as simple shift dresses that can be dressed up or down with accessories increasing in popularity. Embroidery is featuring a lot too, where the fabric pieces are partly sewn together before creating a wonderfully, personal fabric on an embroidery machine. Then fi nished off in the traditional way.”

COLOURS AND PATTERNSOne of the biggest pulls guaranteed to attract any sewer’s eye is a great selection of fabrics, so it’s important to be able to offer your customers a variety of materials, colours and patterns to choose from.

“Fabric is one of the most important things to consider when making a garment,” says Hayley. “Once that’s chosen all of the notions, threads, zips and buttons to name a few will be added to the basket and sewers like to get these all at the same time. Miss out on the fabric and you’ll miss out on the additional sales too.”

When it comes to colours, some will be popular because they are the season’s ‘in’ shades at the time, but

more geometric prints in bolder colours: think more 70’s retro than cabbage roses.

“Bright warm colours are very popular, denim blues and coral oranges. Black and white mono prints are also in.“

BESTSELLERSEvery retailer wants to ensure their store is stocked with products that will fl y off the shelves, but guaranteeing they will can sometimes be easier said than done. One of the best places to start is to chat with customers about their needs and what they would like to see in store. Also keep watch for different sewing techniques becoming popular, as this

could mean a certain tool, thread or fabric will soon be in demand.

April says: “Some consumers fi nd the world of winding bobbins, sewing fasteners and marking patterns terrifying, therefore retailers must have the key products to help create dressmaking masterpieces without diffi culty.”

When it comes to sewing machines, some shops simply don’t have enough space to stock a whole range, but it is something worth looking into because the price points of some of these machines have come down making them a lot more affordable for customers.

Anna says: “Basic sewing machines are now really affordable and people see them as a useful tool to have at home.”

Name: Hayley WestWorking title: Sales educatorCompany name: VSM (UK) Ltd

The history: We distribute Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff sewing machines within the UK and Ireland. Over both brands we have nearly 300 years experience in the manufacture of sewing machines and have been pioneers in features seen on our machines today.

What are the biggest threats the high street faces? The internet has made it harder for the high street as potential customers can shop around at the click of a button. This could be perceived as a threat, but in our industry customers will need to view the product in person prior to making their decision and this can turn a negative into a positive.

What do you think the future is for bricks and mortar shops? I think bricks and mortar shops are having to work harder to bat off the infl uence of internet shopping, but in-store demonstrations of sewing machines will often be needed before the customer makes their decision to buy.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business? Yes; information, promotions, offers can be shared with thousands at the click of a button.

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100 ISSUES WITH...

others are seasonal. For example, bright yellows, oranges, hot pinks and pastel tones are common favourites for the summer months. Whereas, in the winter, navy blues, greens and purples, with deep rich reds are common choices.

Hayley says: “Retro style is very big at the moment, so lots of vintage style fabrics are around. As well as quirky fabrics with bold statements prints. On the softer side we’re seeing lots of pretty fl orals and polka dots, both of which never seem to go out of fashion.”

Anna says: “Millie Moon mainly stocks natural materials, 100 per cent cotton, poplin, linen and lawn. Colours, patterns and themes have moved on from vintage fl orals (although these are still popular) to

Brother Sewing Machines EuropeProduct: Brother sewing and embroidery machines

Description: Brother Sewing Machines Europe is a leading manufacturer of innovative sewing and embroidery machines. With a wide range of models, Brother caters for all skill sets and needs, from those who sew at home to small businesses. With a heritage of more than 100 years, Brother has the experience and know-how to ensure all of its products are high-quality, reliable and market-leading. Brother’s PR range of embroidering machines deliver professional results quickly and effi ciently. With a variety of features they are ideal for those looking for a versatile model to complete multiple tasks.

Contact: [email protected], www.brothersewing.co.uk

EQSProduct: EQS Sew Simple Stamped Batiks

Description: Building on the extraordinary success of the Sew Simple Batiks Basics collection launched in August last year, EQS is now offering a wide range of traditional stamped designs, also imported direct from Bali.There are seven different designs, each available in a choice of up to 30 different colours: a quilter’s dream come true. In addition, the new range is colour coordinated with the initial collection of polos. The product codes include the reference from the polos line to make coordinating stamps and basics a cinch. Prices start at £4.99 a metre but drop quickly for larger orders. All bolts are in 10 metre lengths.

Contact: 0116 271 0033, [email protected], www.trade.eqsuk.com



Jomil Product: Wool mix felt

Description: Jomil’s 30 per cent wool mix felt offers great quality and has a luxurious soft feel, which makes it perfect for all types of craft and decorative uses. Produced in the EU and conforming to the EN71 standard for toys, it offers one of the largest colour ranges available being stocked in 50 shades – including eight vintage colourways. It is 300 grams per metre in weight and a vailable in squares of 9, 12, 18 and 24 inchs. It is also available by the metre in 36 and 72 inch widths.

Contact: 01274 578 997, [email protected], www.jomil.co.uk

Product InnovationsWhat’s hot this month?

Stitching & Haberdashery

MarabuProduct: Marabu Fashion-Spray, Liner and Silhouette stencils

Description: Spray your own fashion with this new product from Marabu. Anyone can bring their favourite style to clothes, accessories and homewares such as t-shirts, bags, cushions and curtains with Marabu Fashion-Spray, Fashion-Liner and Silhouette stencils. This product is a textile spray paint with brilliant colours and soft grip – ideal for freehand spraying, stencilling and many other techniques. Combine with the tough and durable Marabu silhouette stencils for easy and exclusive fashion designs.

Contact: +49 7141 691 323, [email protected], www.marabu.com

KorbondProduct: Korbond Bias Binding makers

Description: Korbond Bias Binding makers provide a fast and easy way of creating Bias Binding tapes. These practical tools are great for making innovative and customised Bias Binding for use on a variety of sewing and craft projects. They are excellent tools for decorating edges with favourite fabrics or even scraps left over from other projects. The 12mm Bias Binding maker creates a long thin trim that is perfect for hiding an untidy hem, whereas the 25.4mm Bias Binding maker produces thick fabric strips with neatly folded edges, which is ideal for bringing extra colour or contrast to plain looking garments.

Contact: 01476 581 888, [email protected], www.korbond.co.uk

GrovesProduct: Groves Trim collection

Description: Groves have added to their extensive Trim collection, with three CDU’s: We’re Natural, Tailor Made and Natural Trims and also a selection of wooden spools. All of the designs are on trend and are perfect for creative embellishments, crafting and gift wrapping. Tailor made includes a pastel selection of ric–rac, stitched edge, lace, cord, printed fabric, friendship weave and stripe. We’re Natural is a beautiful collection of cream cotton braided trims. Natural Trims includes linen and jute ribbon and cord. The wooden spools are cream lace and printed fabrics. Prices start from £2.50 for packs of the wooden spools and £37.95 for the CDU’s.

Contact: 01844 258 080, [email protected], www.grovesltd.co.uk

EntacoProduct: Delux Knitters Needles by John James

Description: Entaco the home of John James needles are pleased to present a revolutionary needle for use in the art of sewing up knitted and crochet pieces. These Deluxe Needles have a bent tip; the angle of the tip makes it much easier when joining intricate patterned pieces together. Each card contains: one needle size 14 to use with chunky, medium yarns and fashion yarns and one needle size 18 to use with light weight yarns.

Contact: 01527 830940, [email protected], www.entaco.com

Husqvarna Viking Product: Passport Machine

Description: Imagine a sewing machine compact enough to whisk away to a sewing class or fi t in your book shelf. Now, imagine this same machine is chock-full of features designed to meet the high demands of the PFAFF sewer. The PFAFF passport 2.0 sewing machine is specially designed for small spaces, as well as going places such as classes, retreats or any sewing journey. It is your license to venture out in the world and discover new ways and new places to sew! No limits. Just freedom.

Contact: www.husqvarnaviking.com

Jomil (CB Felts) Ltd1007 Great Horton Rd

Bradford, BD7 4AHt: 01274 578997f: 01274 576303

e: [email protected]: www.jomil.co.uk

&

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TRADEBRAND NEW REFRESHERS

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Register for a Trade account at:www.craftworkcards.comCraftwork Cards Limited Units 6-8 Willow Court,Lotherton Way Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire

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As we prepare for our milestone anniversary, we look back on the last decade in the craft industry and take stock of how far it’s come

The last 10-plus years have seen some very exciting developments take the

craft industry, and the retail sector, by storm. With the help of Create + Craft TV, the CHA-UK and other pioneering fi gureheads championing for its success, the craft sector is now so much more than people just indulging in their creative hobby. Its buoyancy during tough times and now universal appeal, has seen the creative sector go from strength to strength. And as we celebrate our 100th issue, we get a round up from some of the industry’s most famous faces, as they reveal how developments over the last decade have changed the face of the craft sector for the better.

THE CRAFT WRITERS“Businesses which once focused on papercraft or beads are diversifying their ranges to incorporate fabrics, kits and more”says Lorraine Luximon, editor, Sew and Make and Sell Jewellery

BIGGEST GROWTHThe sewing and dressmaking sector has by far seen the biggest growth in the craft sector. Businesses which once focused on papercraft or beads are diversifying their ranges to incorporate fabrics, kits and more, targeted at stitchers. This growth has been further fuelled by prime time shows including The Great British Sewing Bee, and beginners and re-learners are once again getting back on their sewing machines and stitching. Thanks to these shows, sewing and dressmaking is no longer seen as unachievable, diffi cult or scary, but rather a great way to create items for your home or self. We’re seeing a growing trend of re-learners getting back into dressmaking and stitching, through starting small with cushion and toys, so it’s really exciting times for the industry with this growth only set to continue.

THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CRAFTERSThe rise of celebrity personalities has certainly had a positive affect on the industry. Kirstie Allsopp, Amy Butler, May Martin, Patrick Grant and The Great British Sewing Bee contestants such as Tilly Walnes and Chinelo Bally and more, all of these would now be classed as celebrities by crafters – and it’s this kind of ‘celebrity’ which really excites our readers. While hearing about a Hollywood star designing their own jewellery range or taking up dressmaking will no doubt interest a crafting audience, it’s the smaller people like them which really capture the interest of our readers; they want to know how they can do it too and be the next big thing – whether that’s starting small selling on Folksy or Etsy for instance, or even headier heights!

■ The fi rst ever issue of Craft Business is launched

■ April – Create + Craft goes live on Ideal World, becoming the UK’s fi rst 24-hour creative shopping channel

■ Tim Holtz releases his fi rst Distress range in the UK

2003

2000CELEBRATING A DECADE IN CRAFT

visit www.brothersewing.co.uk

These days, everyone could use an additional income. So what better time to add embroidery to your business?The state-of-the-art PR Series embroidery machines are designed to give you the basic equipment to get started, with the flexibility to fit most work places from a spare bedroom to a workshop or retail environment.

• Learn how different accessories can aid your work and open more opportunities enabling you to embroider easily on more challenging items such as sports shoes, caps, bags, belts etc

• See embroidery software in action, enabling you to create your own bespoke embroidery designs

• Look through samples of work that can be created on the machines

• Talk through your ideas with Brother representatives and ask questions.

The business possibilities are endless with the PR series of embroidery machines.

Visit a Road show event and see the machines in action

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Hobkirks Sewing Machines Limited126 Darwen Street, Blackburn Lancashire BB2 2AJ T 01254 565 63

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Art of Sewing22 High Street, Eastleigh Hampshire SO50 5LDT 02380 650 808

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DowlingsUnit 3, Orwell Court, Hurricane Way Wickford, Essex SS11 8YJT 01268 570 248

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Woodseats Sewing Machines Ltd663 Chesterfield Road, Sheffield South Yorkshire S8 0RY T 0114 255 2822

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Road show events!Stocks Sewing Machines Limited14 Croydon Street, Leeds LS11 9RT T 0113 242 9378

17 & 18th Jun

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■ November – Sirdar Spinning division is bought out by its managing director Russell Morris and fi nance director Ian Stead and becomes a private company

THE SHOW ORGANISER

MAJOR INFLUENCES Without a doubt, technology and social media have had a huge infl uence. The rise of internet forums enabled crafters to link up and share ideas, creating a vibrant virtual community that fed back into the established industry. This has now gone a stage further with social media such as Twitter and Facebook, which along with the community aspect allows companies to interact directly with consumers and build a relationship with them. This real-time interaction can be hard work but it’s a brilliant tool for creating excitement and pays dividends for those who do it well.

COMPANY DEVELOPMENTS In order to succeed, companies have had to move with the times and become more interactive, using websites and social media to connect with their consumers. There has been a general move towards targeting younger crafters, with fashion-forward products and brighter colours, and also towards packaging up products in an easy-to-use format, such as a kit or a ball of scarf yarn that comes with a pattern. Consumers have become much more savvy so although it’s an advantage to be an established brand this will only take you so far; nowadays it’s all about added value and doing something different, and companies that have latched onto this are regularly running competitions, boosting up their promotions or moving into different areas.

“Companies have had to move with the times and become more interactive, using websites and social media to connect with their consumers”says Sarah Neal, editor, Let’s Knit

“The industry has changed with technology and what brilliant changes they have been”says Lynn Martin, group editor, Aceville’s craft portfolio

INDUSTRY CHANGES One of the major changes within the industry has been seeing cardmaking become a life force of its own. As well as this, witnessing the sector growing to include all manner of gadgets for styling paper, exciting designs and a new breed of designer fuelling the passion and keeping consumers coming back for more, has been really exciting. Card making also allowed crafters, whatever their ability, to achieve really satisfactory, professional results with a fairly minimum outlay. In turn confi dence has developed and consumers felt encouraged to experiment with more advanced techniques and really perfect their skills. The legacy of this is the level of skilful fi nished merchandise you now see for sale in places such as Folksy and Etsy. Knitting has also been on the up – which thankfully here at Aceville we were quick to pick up on, and we’ve also seen stitching come back into the limelight.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS The industry has changed with technology and what brilliant changes they have been. You can switch on to Pinterest and be instantly inspired at the wonders of creativity. The internet has also really given crafters a

voice; when previously we met in village halls or behind the bus shelter, we are now able to demonstrate that crafting is not old, faddy and boring but a vibrant, exciting and all-inclusive creative community that anyone can be part of.

■ June – Handmade online selling platform Etsy goes live■ Sizzix Big Shot machine is launched at CHA Las Vegas Show■ National Knitting Week is launched ■ The Craft Awards, organised by Aceville Publications, are launched■ Cath Kidston opens her fi rst store outside of London in Bath, after

positive success■ Crafter’s Companion is founded by Sara Davies

■ Craft Business Awards are launched ■ Paperworld, Frankfurt, organised by

Messe Frankfurt, opens its doors for the fi rst time

■ August – London’s fi rst ever yarn bomb is created by creative group, Knit the City

■ Jessica Rose opens London Jewellery School, teaching classes on the skill of jewellery making

■ Kirstie Allsopp fi rst appears on her own craft show, Handmade Home

2006

2007

2009

2005

exhibitors and visitors, we’ve been able to launch CHSI Autumn at ExCeL, London this September which is booking up really well.

Innovation within the spring show has continued to fl ourish over its 40 year history with the latest introduction of Cake Pro into the last season’s event – an area dedicated to sugarcraft and decorating supplies.

NEW PRODUCTSInnovation has fl ourished over the last ten years resulting in better products, wider choice and broader markets. The quality, diversity and continual new launches of product onto the market has really infl uenced and developed the industry over the last 10 years. These new ranges have really opened up the creative

“The quality, diversity and continual new launches of product onto the market has really infl uenced and developed the industry over the last 10 years”says David Bennett, managing director, ICHF, organisers of Craft Hobby + Stitch International

industries to beginners successfully trying new crafts, coupled with ever growing ranges expert crafters.

SHOW DEVELOPMENTSCraft, Hobby + Stitch International has mirrored the growth in the industry. As well as the increasing size of the spring show at the NEC Birmingham, thanks to the support of

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100 ISSUES WITH...

“The founding of CHA-UK in 2012 really shows how much more seriously we are taking the craft industry now”says Sarah Hurley, owner of sarahurley.com and CHA board director

EARLIEST MEMORY I’ve always made things but hadn’t really thought about the ‘industry’ until around 2004. I was at home sick from work (I worked in marketing at the time) and was fl icking through the shopping channels when I stumbled across

Dawn Bibby making cards from a kit. I remember thinking what an amazing job to be making cards and inspiring other people to be creative, and I was so infl uenced that I bought everything she demonstrated that day! After that I did some research and found what a busy, exciting and

thriving industry it was and I made it my mission to be part of that. I carried on crafting as a hobby and joined the industry professionally in October 2010.

CHANGES OVER THE DECADEThe industry has grown so much, especially now it’s ‘cool’ to craft again, the changes have been amazing. Products have come on in leaps and bounds and I see designers and manufacturers really upping their game to produce the best new products every single time and provide great inspiration.

The founding of CHA-UK in 2012 really shows how much more seriously we are taking the craft industry now.

MAJOR INFLUENCES Social media has been a fantastic development in the industry, from manufacturers’ blogs and Facebook pages to tweets and Instagrams showing us behind-the-scenes previews and sneak peeks of products – inspiration is literally just a click away, which is fantastic and consumers feel much more involved in the industry as a whole.

CONSUMER DEMAND I think consumers are looking more for quality and the latest and greatest products; a lot of the cheaper craft materials I remember from a few years ago have now died out and even the cheaper things you can buy today are of a great standard. I think consumers are also looking much more for the ‘experience’ of shopping with you, great service, little extras – such as tutorials, online videos, blog projects – and building a relationship with brands and companies.

Name: Jenny HawkinsWorking title: General managerCompany name: Country Love Crafts

The history: Country Love Crafts was formed in 1991 and initially operated as a home-based craft studio in rural Oxfordshire. The founder believed a ‘paint your own pottery’ studio would be an ideal new business venture having seen the popularity of similar businesses in America. In 2007, the business was bought by EM Richford, better known as Personal Impressions and in the same year, Country Love Crafts secured three major distributorships.

Can you offer any advice for retailers?In order to compete in an ever expanding marketplace and stay ahead of the competition, businesses have to spend more time showcasing their products or services online. Reading posts and comments on like-minded pages through social media sites can help with product development and future business plans.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples?Retailers should join local ‘for sale and wanted’ groups on Facebook and use this free platform to target prospects in their region or community. Post pictures and information about products and services and encourage members to like your Facebook page or visit your website.

■ Hobbycraft reveals new, modern branding and all stores are revamped with the new look

■ July – Craft personality Dawn Bibby leaves QVC and moves to Create + Craft TV

■ May – CHA-UK is formed ■ November – Craft industry is announced as being worth

£10bn to UK economy (The Crafts Council) ■ November – Consumer magazine Homemaker is launched■ December – Make do and mend trend sees sales at

Hobbycraft increase 200% ■ Spellbinders launches its Grand

Calibur machine to wide acclaim

2011

THE BOARD DIRECTOR

■ August –The Great British Bake Off fi rst hits screens■ Knitting starts to see a resurgence, with knit and bitch groups popping up around

the country■ Bridgepoint buys retail chain, Hobbycraft for around £100m ■ Craft Club is launched by UKHKA, The Crafts Council and the W.I an initiative

designed to get craft back into school classrooms

20122010

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100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Karen ParryWorking title: Sales and marketing managerCompany name: Entaco

The history: Entaco Limited is an established privately owned British company based in Redditch, Worcestershire, having 300 years of manufacturing experience, specialising in the manufacture of the fi nest quality hand sewing needles, hardware and tools. We are extremely proud of our heritage and throughout its history Entaco has been recognised through its home brand of John James, established in 1840, as being at the forefront in bringing innovation into the hand sewing needle industry.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years? Multi-sized packs of needles are becoming less popular, while sales of needle packs containing individually sized needles are increasing.

Can you offer any advice for retailers? Increase your needle sales and encourage impulse purchases by displaying coordinated needles within each craft section. For example, display sewing-up wool needles next to your knitting/crochet yarn display.

Advise your customers to replace their needles regularly and never use the same needle all the way through a project. When purchasing a kit encourage the customer to purchase a separate pack of needles.

2013■ January – The Steampunk trend begins to gain momentum

■ April – The Great British Sewing Bee is fi rst aired on BBC Two

■ October – Research from CHA-UK reveals 7.1m women tried a new craft for the fi rst time in the previous 12 months

■ Chris Crombie, former Hobbycraft CEO, opens his own chain of craft stores, C Crafts

■ April – Kirstie Allsopp teams up with Provocraft to launch a special edition Cuttlebug embossing and die-cutting machine

■ May – The UK’s fi rst ever Yarn Shop Day is celebrated and the campaign rolled out by Aceville Publications to wool shops across the country

■ Craft, Hobby + Stitch International announces a new Autumn show, to be held in London at the ExCeL in September 2014

THE COMPANY CEO“The mass media has undoubtedly been the main driver behind the popularity of crafting”says Chris Crombie, former Hobbycraft CEO and owner of C Crafts

INDUSTRY MOVEMENT I think that the key difference from ten years ago is the sheer number of UK consumers participating in craft activities. Research undertaken by CHA-UK last year saw an incredible 81 per cent of the adult female population in the UK having participated in a craft in the last 12 months. I fi nd this number quite staggering. When we opened the fi rst Hobbycraft store the most common response I received when telling people about the store was, “Oh crafts, is that like pottery and weaving?” Now crafts is a well-established pastime; whereas even ten years ago for many having a craft was a guilty pleasure, it is now a badge of honour to say “I made that”.

DEVELOPMENTS The mass media has undoubtedly been the main driver behind the popularity of crafting. Press, magazines and TV programmes such as Changing Rooms made it funky to add your creativity to DIY, and in recent years Kirstie’s Homemade Home, The Great British Bake Off and The Great British Sewing Bee have all reinforced the relevance of crafting to a mainstream audience. As a retailer I am bound to also mention the expansion of craft outlets. Hobbycraft, The Range and Craft & Craft have all grown their presence in the last decade, making the accessibility of craft materials so much more convenient to the consumer.

CONSUMER GROWTH The UK consumer has defi nitely become more ‘craft literate’. Whereas, ten years ago the focus was about telling the consumer ‘how to’ undertake a particular craft, the emphasis has now shifted towards ‘what to’, providing the end-user with continuous innovation and inspiration. The internet has also created a more savvy consumer; as their confi dence and knowledge has developed they are increasingly prepared to source their ideas and materials from the web.

TREND EMERGENCEIn my early days in the craft industry I met a veteran of the US industry who insisted that the last true invention in the industry was Macramé in 1959 and that everything since had been a cyclical reinvention! CHA-UK research certainly backs up the observation that crafters do like to try multiple crafts and some of these are old favourites. For instance look at knitting and crochet, which have made a stellar resurgence in the last few years. Papercrafting had, of course, risen to prominence around ten years ago and has arguably has seen a drop-off in popularity in recent years, but is still an important category. I’m also interested at how creative baking has been adopted by the craft industry. This category has seen exponential growth in the last few years, thanks in no small part to cupcakes. Who knows what’s next?

THE TEACHER“Another big trend we have noticed is the growth of communities around jewellery and craft both online and through stitch and bitch/meet up types activities”says Jessica Rose, founder, London Jewellery School

INDUSTRY GROWTH The growth of London Jewellery School refl ects the demand from people to learn new craft skills either as a hobby or increasingly to launch their own businesses. Since 2011, we have been adding around 2,000 new students each year as well as teaching many, many who return to build their skills.

In particular the popularity of our intensive metal clay and silversmithing courses, as well as our year-long Diploma in Creative Jewellery points to a real trend in

people developing their own jewellery or craft business either full time or along-side existing careers. Part of this is due, of course, to the availability of online marketplaces and other outlets, but also perhaps refl ects a growing interest in quality handmade goods and individual design – perhaps helped by greater and more positive media attention.

TREND WATCH Another big trend we have noticed is the growth of communities around

jewellery and craft both online and through stitch and bitch/meet up types activities. We fi nd crafters are very community focused and will share ideas, advice and tips through blogs, Facebook, Twitter and forums. This is helping to drive the interest in workshops and new techniques because makers are sharing what they have learnt and talking about new skills, which is encouraging more people to try a new craft or technique.

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100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Sarah HurleyWorking title: OwnerCompany name: Sarah Hurley

The history: Founded in 2010, Sarah Hurley now produces stamps, paper, sewing kits and much more all from Hurley HQ in Essex. Sarah and her team have achieved impressive growth over the last (almost) four years, growing by 500% in the last year alone.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business?Social media has been fantastic for me, it’s a real platform to communicate one-to-one with your customers, you’ll never get quicker feedback on a new product or idea.

How had your business changed in the last 12 years?The growth of my company still leaves me gob-smacked as it wasn’t exactly planned. But I’m loving the challenges and changes, and creating new products and designs that I know my customers will love.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples?Personal service every time – it will make you stand out head and shoulders among the competition.

THE RETAILERS

THE MARKETING MANAGER

“It seems that more people are realising the value of how things are made”Lauren Guthrie, owner, Guthrie & Ghani in Birmingham

“Because crafting is becoming more and more accessible, crafters are able to get hold of a variety of products”Louisa McLean, marketing manager, Crafter’s Companion

PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARSI hope that the popularity of craft continues to grow, but at the moment there is an ocean of content out there on the internet. For new-comers to craft this can, at times, seem overwhelming. For craft related businesses to survive, I think they need to be very clear about what makes them different from everyone else and what their specifi c niche is in order to stand out.

INDUSTRY CHANGECraft in general has become much more appealing to a younger audience. It seems that more people are realising the value of how things are made and feel empowered to learn these skills for themselves.

BIG INFLUENCESThe internet and social media has played a big part in the rise of the craft industry, as it allows people from all over the country and the

world to become connected with others who share their passion. Craft is such a tactile thing, but with blogs and picture based media such as Pinterest and Instagram, people are able to convey their message in a much more creative and visual way.

THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CRAFTERS Craft celebrities have made craft in general much more main stream, which has lead to so many more people being inspired to get their craft on!

THE BIGGEST CHANGESWhen I fi rst started out in the industry more than 12 years ago, papercrafting was still relatively in its infancy. There were a few tools, but nothing like you get today. I think as the years have progressed people have become a lot more tech-savvy, so you see a lot more computerised or digital products in many different craft sectors. I’ve noticed a lot more craft cross-overs now than previously. Because crafting is becoming more and more accessible, crafters are able to get hold of a variety of products a lot easier and experiment, coming up with ways to combine the different techniques together.

THE MAIN INFLUENCES Social media has played a massive part in the development of the industry. A project, an idea, a new product or a new technique, they can all be shared worldwide within a matter of minutes and this can encourage and promote upcoming trends. It’s meant that crafting can appear more achievable for people as quite often, especially on sites like Pinterest, you see a fi nished project and it will be linked through to instructions how to make it and where you can buy the materials. It’s a great way for companies to get their products noticed really quickly.

THE RISE OF CRAFT STARS In recent years there’s been a surge of interest on mainstream TV for various crafts; The Great British Sewing Bee, The Great British Bake Off, Kirstie Allsopp’s Homemade Home and Gok Wan’s Style Secrets where he teaches people to customise clothes, have all played a part in the increase of people taking up crafts.

INDUSTRY PREDICTIONSI can see technology playing a bigger and bigger part in the various crafts over the coming years, whether that’s through web-related products or machines to aid crafting.

ADVERTORIAL


CONTACT King Cole Contact King Cole to make an appointment with an expert sales professional. He or she will tell you honestly what potential they feel might be available to trade in your area and you would be under no obligation, but at least properly advised.

www.kingcole.co.uk01756 703 670

KING OFKNITTING

We caught up with Lance Martin, UK sales executive at King Cole to discover how the company could help you capitalise on the knitting sector

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND HOW IT ALL BEGANThe company began trading in 1935 as a yarn merchant in the city of Bradford. It gradually began to develop a range of bespoke products under the banner of King Cole, sourcing product from various spinners in the city. Then in the 50s, an agreement was reached with the company’s largest supplier, Thomas Wilsons of Keighley, leading to two of their suppliers’ directors joining the board of King Cole. The son of one of those gentlemen, Mike Wilson, affected a management buyout of the fi rm in 2003 and there has been a decade of fantastic growth and success for the business since.A good proportion of that growth has come from export markets, from the Far East, the USA and Canada, plus areas nearer to home. This in turn led to King Cole being granted The Queens Award for Enterprise 2013. Other acknowledgements along the way include awards for being one of the fastest 50 growing companies in Yorkshire two years running, category winners in Let’s Knit’ magazine’s polls on a number of occasions and a thank you from ‘Children In Need’ for fundraising efforts via Pudsey knitting patterns.

As a consequence of this development, the company has outgrown its present premises and is moving to a new, larger and more modern factory in June 2014.

You may ask, “What is the secret of this success?” and the answer is quite simple. We constantly update

and innovate our portfolio with high quality product, which is also affordable. King Cole offers fantastic stock service and customer service from a group of hugely committed and enthusiastic people.

HOW HAS THE MARKET CHANGED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS?Over the last 10 years the market has, of course, also undergone considerable organic growth and a major factor in that has been the terrifi c work done by the UKHKA. This industry-funded body has helped to make knitting fashionable and more importantly, more interesting to the younger consumer. Many teenagers and even younger people are experimenting with accessory knitting and arm knitting; they love thick and chunky yarns which they can see growing!

Spinners worldwide have developed more interesting fancy yarns in all manner of innovative blends, primarily for the ready-made trade with a spin off for crafting yarns. Hand knitting enables one to make a garment of one’s own choice of colour(s) and not have to follow a ‘uniform’ as available in chain stores.

Advances in technology are not, of course, limited to manufacturing and one of the biggest effects on the hand knitting retail market has been the emergence of major mail order companies. If anyone had said to me 25 or even 10 years ago that this would happen to such a tactile product as ours, I would have doubted it. However, the technology

these retailers employ, selling great images from top-selling patterns and showing colours which almost come to life, is most eye catching. This coupled with the trend to buy from the comfort of one’s armchair with swift delivery, seems to be the secret of huge turnover of product.

WHAT HAS MADE KNITTING SO POPULAR AND WHO DOES IT APPEAL TO?There are so many infl uences which have contributed to the re-emergence of knitting as a popular pastime. As mentioned earlier, the UKHKA that was set up by the combined UK suppliers to raise the craft’s profi le has done just that. This coincided with lots of other activity promoting awareness of crafting, making, mending; typical activity in times of fi nancial downturn. The craft long since ceased to be caricatured as only done by grannies in dark corners smoking clay pipes. It now appeals to all age groups and both sexes as a pastime one can equally participate in alone or in mixed company. Knitting groups continue to emerge and fl ourish and it is ok to admit being a knitter in any layer of society.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE MARKET?It’s vital that we continue to encourage the next generation of knitters, otherwise the market will falter. Knowing that the young have a tendency to be impatient and like interesting, different things is important. This helps us decide on exiting new yarn types and interest added products with a leaning toward chunkier yarns which the young knitter can see quick results from. We have a growing amount of knitting patterns which refl ect the needs of the new/younger knitter: easy to follow designs in quick to knit, smaller fashion items, accessories and toys.

HOW CAN CRAFT RETAILERS GO ABOUT INTRODUCING KNITTING INTO THEIR STORES?We believe that it is important for general craft retailers, who have space available, to consider knitting products for a number of reasons. Such ranges fi t the shop’s profi le as many consumers are general crafters. From a retailer’s own perspective also, knitting is so popular with decent profi tability and turnover that stocking a range should be an obvious consideration. When advertising product to the extent that we do and getting feedback from consumers wanting to know ‘where can I buy?’, there is no doubt there is still scope to take advantage of this lucrative market.

We have a very simple philosophy which helps enormously when integrating new customers into a working relationship with King Cole. We have a large warehouse in Yorkshire and at most times are above 95 per cent in stock, plus we deliver within three days. Why should you be expected to carry huge stocks in your shop in these circumstances?

WHAT RANGES DO YOU STOCK THAT WOULD MAKE IDEAL INTRODUCTORY LINES?When venturing into sales of hand knitting, a retailer should play safe and grow stocks according to local demand. I am often asked, “what are your best selling products?” and the reply is always the same. I can list the

bestselling shades/products throughout UK, but what sells in Glasgow doesn’t necessarily sell in Edinburgh. Learn from the clientèle coming through your doors, they will tell you what they want.

However, the best starting point is always our baby product. Yarns and patterns aimed at the baby/toddler market are always safe and a fair proportion of King Cole’s range refl ects the importance of this sector. The Big Value family of yarns covers the whole range of thicknesses and has been around for many years underlining its popularity. The Comfort family is again all encompassing with a high percentage of supersoft nylon in its make up to make it a little more luxurious. Lots of other ranges are used for kids’ knits in various blends, from soft to exciting shade ranges including a number of multi-colour versions. Sticking with Big Value up to Super Chunky weight is often a good way to build trade, bringing in blends and value added products subject to demand. Seasonality naturally plays its part in this decision making process, cotton, bamboo and such fi bres having been very popular in recent years, whereas wool and wool blend yarns continue to strengthen with consumers looking for a little luxury.

HOW SHOULD RETAILERS BE PROMOT-ING THESE YARNS TO ENSURE THEY ARE MAXIMISING THEIR PROFITS?Once products are bought, it is important that the retailer promotes them. While we do our bit to encourage consumers to want the

product and tell them where it is available, forever the best salesman is the shop window and professional, friendly advice from the shop sales staff goes such a long way. My advice is to regularly change window displays to avoid becoming stale. Use samples of yarn, patterns, knitted pieces/garments, patterns and posters, which are all readily available from King Cole. Plan themes in advance and get local sales people to order a package suitable for that promotion. Say the theme is a Baby Book fi ve promotion, order up a selection of garments in that book well in advance and make your window come to life. Work with your representative to have special deal promotions, free pattern when buying the required yarn, discontinued range promotions and dump bin lines.

The proactive retailer gets so much from trading in this market, not least great satisfaction from helping a knitter start a project which will in turn give them satisfaction.

The proactive retailer gets so much from trading in this market, not least

great satisfaction from helping a knitter start a project

PATTERN 4016

PATTERN 4019

Cygnet Yarns LtdTel: 01274 743374

www.cygnetyarns.co.uk

KNITTING


Think like knitters. You could expand your clientele by organising knitting workshops for school kids where they

make small projects

Knitting needles are a staple part of your wool accessories range, and with the right knowledge and expertise, can help boost your bottom line

KNITTING

KNOW HOWNEEDLE

100 ISSUES WITH...

With so many new innovations coming to market to support

many other sectors recently – think die-cutting machines for papercraft, intricate templates for sewing – knitting relys on the steady sales of its staple products to continue its growth. While the knitting industry may not be home to some of the more technological craft gadgets, its resilience during tough economic times demonstrates that the demand for wool and yarn is still very much alive and well.

As your customers ease themselves into holiday mode, knitting may not be at the top of their agenda when the sun surfaces. However, this gives you some crucial time to really focus on your offering and put together some exclusive packages to appeal to knitters whatever the weather. While woollen shawls and jumpers won’t be top of

the knitting ‘to do’ list this month, there will still be a demand to keep those fi ngers clicking. Target this audience with interesting home decor ideas, such as knitted tablecloths or summer accessories to show off on holiday, such knitted luggage tags or passport holders. Design inspirations such as these will help fuel your customer’s creativity.

which are cold right now, people are knitting sweaters, shawls, caps, mittens and baby blankets. On the other hand, in warmer places, people are knitting cotton dishcloths, toys and household decor items. Some are knitting pullovers for next winter as well, also baby items for self and friends who are expecting.”

“Our customers come from different parts of the world and therefore have diverse weather conditions at the same time,” explains Suman Sharma, KnitPro. “At places

NEEDLES FOR ALLYour knitting selection needs to be a well-researched balance of interesting textured wools in a range of shades, combined with an attractive set of needles designed for a multitude of uses. And whether you opt for bamboo, plastic or wood, your needles will need to be suitable for a variety of different skill levels and interesting projects.

“While all our needles are quite popular with our customers,” continues Suman, “the Symfonie and Karbonz are what people seem to like most. The Karbonz are especially popular among sock knitters, and socks are what they are used for most. Symfonie needles are preferred by experienced knitters to knit most of their projects.”

Name: Emma Mychajlowskyj Working title: Sales directorCompany name: Sirdar

The history: Founded in 1880, Sirdar began its life as a spinning company in Ossett, West Yorkshire, moving to our current site 10 years later. By 1934, it was decided that the company would be dedicated to spinning hand knitting yarns and the company has since gone from strength to strength.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years?The biggest change we have seen is the rise of the internet. It has become a key part of a signifi cant number of our retailers’ businesses now and retailers and suppliers alike have had to adapt to this.

How has your business changed over the last 12 years?Signifi cantly! Around 12 years ago we took the very sad decision to stop manufacturing at our UK plant as it was fi nancially impossible to continue. Fortunately, we were able to source yarns for our loyal knitters and Sirdar remains stronger than ever.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples?It’s all about the service. The personal service offered by independent retailers is highly valued by knitters and the loyalty that it promotes with their customers is irreplaceable.

E: [email protected] T: 0117 300 5244www.viridianyarn.com

TRADE ENQUIRIES:

Sock Yarn SpecialistsUK Distrubutor for:• Opal • Eucalan • Schoeller + Stahl • KB ~ Knitting Boards/Looms

Knitting Needles & Accessories

100gDoubleKnitting

in Quality AcrylicFocuscraft

5 Henry CloseBattlefield Enterprise Park

ShrewsburySY1 3TJ

www.focuscraft.co.ukTel 01743 465 788 Fax 01743 465 799

KNITTING


5 100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Shirish JainWorking title: Vice presidentCompany name: KnitPro

The history: We have been privileged to provide knitting and crochet tools to the European and international market for more than fi ve years. Our products are sold in more than 45 countries worldwide and we have been recognised as the fastest growing brand in Europe in the fi eld of knitting accessories.

How will the industry change over the coming decade? The balance between online sales and the local yarn store is a very interesting one. We feel consumers want both. Our hope is that with the Love Your Yarn Shop campaign, these stores will fl ourish and become a very familiar outlet on the high street.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business? Without a doubt, social media has had a great impact on our business and is key to our success.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples? It’s all about the experience. Consumers will return to a shop where the retailer is welcoming, passionate and has more to offer than simply products.

SUMMER INSPIRATIONColour is a major factor for crafters in the purchase of their summer projects. Lighter hues, pastel shades and vibrant brights all come into focus as people look to imitate the feeling outside in their makes. Knitting needles have year-round appeal, but a colourful range will appeal to customers looking for something different and also prove a hit with your younger audience.

Suman agrees: “We have recently launched our range of colourful acrylic needles under the brand name of Spectra. With summer holidays approaching, we hope these colourful and bright needles are going to be really popular among younger knitters who will pick up the craft this summer.”

THE ART OF THE UPSELLYour store needs to be a Mecca for both beginners and the more advanced to retreat when inspiration strikes. Your advantage as a small independent over the bigger chain stores is your own expertise and knowledge, and just talking to customers about their projects can make all the difference. Upsell your personal service and make it clear that customers can come into store at any time to share ideas or chat over designs.

Your crafty know-how will certainly come in useful when upselling your range of knitting needles. If you have a diverse selection, your ability to talk customers through the uses of each one and explain to them the project possibilities will be crucial when it comes to clinching a sale.

Suman shares her advice: “Our advice to retailers would be to think like knitters. You could expand your clientele by organising knitting workshops for school kids where they make small projects for themselves. You could even run workshops for mother-daughter duos so they can learn together. Also, you should keep some needles handy at all times for customers to try out in case they are unable to decide what they want. You could also formulate knitting kits with some yarn and needles suitable for a particular project.”

High-street retailer John Lewis reported a massive 23.6 per cent sales increase after they ran their post-Christmas sale in January this year. They made an impressive £113.4m by cleverly selling a lot of their unwanted stock from the previous year.

But how do the big name brands do it? What’s their secret to selling stock, which was previously unwanted and ignored?

1FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WENT WRONGThere are a multitude of

reasons why certain items of stock refuse to move. Before you attempt to rectify this situation, you’ll need to analyse where the problem stems from. Has it been poorly displayed? Does it have a weak USP? Is it not in line with your target market’s tastes and desires? Once you’ve gotten to the root of the problem it’s time take a course of action that will fi x it.

2 ASSESS THE TRUE COSTAnother part of the preparation process

involves determining how much the unwanted stock is costing you. You can calculate its true cost by taking into account its original purchase price, the interest that’s rising if you borrowed money for the item, the personnel costs of moving it around the store, and the wasted space that could have gone to a more popular selling product.

TOP TIPS TO HELP MOVE UNWANTED STOCK

Neil Dutta, managing director, Cartridge Discount, shares his advice on how retailers can make the most of those hard-to-shift lines collecting dust in the store room

3SELL IT THROUGH OTHER CHANNELSA lot of retailers get locked

into a way of thinking that makes them believe they have to sell the product in store or from their own website. But why continue to struggle when other avenues like eBay or inventory liquidation companies exist? These companies will take overstock, discontinued merchandise or just poorly performing products and pay for them in cash.

4CREATE EXCITEMENT AROUND A SALEIf you’re demined to sell the

stock yourself, it’s time to bring down the price and let everyone know you’re running a sale. Pick a date and start publicising your event in as many ways as possible. Create large signs and hang them from every inch of your store windows if you have to. If you’re worried about the potential printing costs associated with this, sites like Cartridge Discount sell a variety of reasonably priced inks for different style printers.

5GIVE IT AWAYGiving away your stock is not to be confused with

admitting defeat. While you may be giving up on making a return from these items, it’s possible to receive a lot of positive publicity from doing so. Giving your unwanted stock to a local charity will improve the warmth people feel towards your brand and you’ll also be doing some genuine good for the community. www.cartridgediscount.co.uk

KNITTING


Pavilion BooksProduct: Make Me!

Description: With the new Make Me! series of books you’ll have plenty of fun and simple projects to make. Each book features step-by-step instructions for making beautiful craft projects, complete with expert hints and tips throughout. From beginners to seasoned crafters, there are projects for everyone to try their hand at. Publishing this August are: Hello Crochet!, Hello Sewing!, Easy Bootees to Knit and Easy Teddies to Knit. If you would like updates about Make Me! and other new releases straight to your inbox? Sign up for our craft trade newsletter at bit.ly/PavilionCraftTrade. Right now new subscribers are entered into a prize draw.

Contact: [email protected], www.pavilioncraft.co.uk

What’s hot this month?Product InnovationsKnitting

Cygnet YarnsProduct: Cottony DK

Description: Cottony DK is a new cotton mixture yarn launched in 13 fresh luxurious shades, which includes coral, candy pink and poppy, plus summer favourites such as pistachio, powder blue and vanilla. This cotton and acrylic blend of yarn is the ideal lightweight double knit yarn to form summer knitwear for all occasions. Cottony DK has a spiral twist, which creates a gentle lustre and gives excellent stitch defi nition. The range of light and bright shades makes it perfect for knitting and crocheting garments and accessories for adults, children and babies at an affordable retail price of £1.99 per 50g ball.

Contact: 01274 743374, [email protected], www.cygnetyarns.com

KnitProProduct: Knit Blockers

Description: Knit Blockers are a novel and original idea designed to block knitting projects and make knitters’ lives easier. Not only do they offer ease of handling, but they can also speed up the blocking process. This product is ideal for working on straight edges like sweaters, shawls and scarves, and anchor holes in each blocker allow the user to attach string along large sections, which can be pulled and pinned to maintain consistent tension. Knit Blockers are made using tough plastic with embedded sharp, sturdy and rust resistant stainless steel pins. Available in two different sizes and comes in a pack of 20 (12 blockers with 8 pins and 8 blockers with 4 pins).

Contact: www.knitpro.eu

King ColeProduct: Baby Alpaca

Description: Baby Alpaca wool is called Baby Alpaca because it is the fi rst clip of fl eece from a young animal; it is that little bit of luxury everyone deserves. The Autumn 2014 season sees this range get a makeover, with all four new shades featured on new patterns. There is an additional incorporation of ‘bling’ to those patterns too. King Cole Cosmos is a brand new yarn containing multi coloured sequins and when knitted into the Baby Alpaca it gives great results. Several colour versions are available in Cosmos to ‘Mix & Match’ with almost anything. The ‘what to do’ with Cosmos is only limited by the crafter’s imagination.

Contact: 01756 703670, [email protected], www.kingcole.co.uk

FocuscraftProduct: Emu knitting yarns

Description: Focuscraft is pleased to announce the welcome return of the respected Emu brand of knitting yarns to the UK market - balled and fi nished in Yorkshire. In the forthcoming months Focuscraft is launching a compact range of double knitting in proven bestselling standard colours and pastels for babies. These will be presented in big value 100g balls in a soft handle quality acrylic.

Contact: 01743 465 788, [email protected], www.focuscraft.co.uk

SirdarProduct: Sublime Natural Aran – Made in England

Description: Sublime has launch a new Natural Aran yarn, which originates from some of Yorkshire’s fi nest ring spinning mills and is labelled with the distinguished Campaign for Wool mark. Natural Aran is made for Sublime in England using 100 per cent of the softest wool to create a yarn with terrifi c style and substance. It comes in eight great colours, including classic neutrals and six distinctively bold fashion colours. The package includes inspiring design book 682, with 18 sumptuous hand knits for women and girls in autumn/winter 2014/15.

Contact: 01924 369 666, [email protected], www.sublimeyarns.com

Country Love CraftsProduct: Fabric painting supplies

Description: A range of textile paints, decorating tools and fabric blanks are great for fabric painting. Our fabric paints are super-soft, opaque and give excellent coverage and washing durability on fabric. They are soft like dyes, but do not require the addition of a medium or heat setting. So Soft fabric acrylics are permanent and can be brushed, stamped, sponged or stencilled. Combined with its range of foam stamps or stencils, artists can create their own textile tapestries. This block printing method is used to transfer text, images or patterns onto cloth – the relief patterns create great results. Why not add fabric painting to your summer workshop programme this year?

Contact: 01235 861 700, [email protected], www.countrylovecrafts.info

West Yorkshire Spinners Product: WYS Signature 4 Ply Range

Description: Introducing this fantastic new range of yarns from West Yorkshire Spinners. Seventy-fi ve per cent British wool and 25 per cent nylon, the wool content of this exciting new collection contains 35 perfect luxurious Bluefaced Leicester making this one of the most sumptuous 4 Ply products on the market. Available in a range of vibrant colour groups - sweet shop, spice rack and the variegated country birds; it’s ideal for socks!

Contact: 01535 664500, [email protected], www.wyspinners.com

During the recent school holidays,

some local teenagers were bored and

were delighted with the frilly scarves

they managed to knit


QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS:

Mary Clements, owner of Clickettyclack in Princes Risborough reveals her business accomplishments over the last fi ve years

On the

ShopFloor

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW THE SHOP WAS STARTED?I have always loved crafting and about fi ve years ago, I found myself at a loose end after an illness and a subsequent redundancy from a really demanding job, so decided to pick up my needles. However, I found there were no shops in my local area where I could buy yarn. After lots of research, I decided to start a mail order and internet business from home, which quickly picked up trade and then I moved to our current site to incorporate a bricks and mortar shop. My revenue stream is divided between internet orders, mail order catalogue orders and bricks and mortar shop sales.

WHO ARE YOUR MAIN CUSTOMER BASE?It can be diffi cult to defi ne exactly who our core customers are, as knitting and crochet have now

become so popular. Plenty of younger people have just started learning and then there are those who have been knitting for years, who have breathtaking depth of experience. There are also the generations who are now having their fi rst grandchildren or great grandchildren who are knitting with rediscovered enthusiasm and are amazed at the fantastic yarns and patterns available. During the recent school holidays, some local teenagers were bored and were delighted with the frilly scarves

they managed to knit. So basically, we get a real variety of people from all age groups visiting.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT SO FAR? I’ve learned a lot. People’s taste in yarn varies quite a bit, from good basic acrylics through to silk or alpaca, and there is no right or wrong when it comes to fi bre and colour. It is also important to be polite and give your customers their best shopping experience because they are then likely to stick with you: I believe a smile costs nothing.

WHAT’S YOUR BESTSELLING PRODUCT?At the moment I specialise in King Cole yarns, so Baby Comfort DK closely followed by Pricewise DK, Bamboo Cotton DK and Cottonsoft DK.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING IF YOU WEREN’T RUNNING A CRAFT SHOP?Probably working in an offi ce and being miserable, but I would have much more time to knit and crochet.

WHAT’S THE ONE BUSINESS TOOL YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT?The computer – and the phone and the credit card machine!

Want to get your shop featured in next issue’s On the Shop Floor? Email [email protected]

Many of my mail order customers have been with me from the start and I’m often able to recognise their voices and have a chat, which means a lot to the housebound and elderly – and it makes my day worthwhile too. I also think it is important to keep on top of the inevitable paperwork that can accumulate.

WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED THAT YOU ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF SO FAR?I’m pleased to have developed steady growth over the last fi ve years and as a result, we have moved the whole operation to an out-of-town site that includes a bricks and mortar shop with plenty of parking and now we are moving into an even bigger store on the current site.

We have also managed to launch a successful knit and crochet group that people enjoy attending. It’s great for encouraging complete beginners to learn skills they never thought they could accomplish.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM?As the business grows there is the age old problem of spending too much time ‘in’ the business rather than ‘on’ the business and this will have to be resolved by taking on staff and spreading the responsibilities. But the truth is I actually rather enjoy the ins and outs of the day-to-day business and customer contact.

HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE YARN SHOP DAY (YSD) AND HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS IT?I ran a sale event offering discounted and end of line products, together with discounts on stock yarn and invited people to ‘come and discover us’. I put up loads of posters in the local area, I did some PR with our local papers and gave out a mini information slip to every customer

who came into the shop in the preceding weeks. I also got our knitting group to help spread the word for me.

We opened the doors at 10am and within fi ve minutes the shop was full! It was somewhat chaotic, as I don’t currently have that much space and none of my helpers had time to get the camera out, boil a kettle or offer the free refreshments – we were that busy.

HOW DO YOU THINK CAMPAIGNS SUCH AS YARN SHOP DAY CAN HELP ENCOURAGE SHOPPERS TO SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL CRAFT RETAILERS? Hopefully customers will realise that they have to use us or lose us. Even during YSD when we were so busy, customers still expected help and advice and bemoaned the fact that the chain stores don’t always have these skills. The test will be whether the new customers the day brought in just came for bargains or whether they will stick with us having now found us.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS?I need more space to grow the stock brands and to be able to offer more classes and groups. Luckily a much larger shop fl oor area, on the site where I am currently trading, has become available. It’s got fantastic light, great unlimited parking and a main line bus stops outside every 15 minutes. It’s sad that I can’t consider a high street premise at the moment, but where I am really is the best of all worlds for the foreseeable future and I don’t want to move lock, stock and barrel and lose the loyal people who have now found me.

#YARNSHOPDAY


There was a huge increase in footfall and it was our best day ever takings-wise,

more than double any previous days

TO REMEMBERA YARN SHOP DAY

The fi rst-ever Yarn Shop Day took the UK by storm on May 3, with stores nationwide seeing a huge boost in sales and footfall

Saturday May 3 saw more than 160 shops across the country take part in the

very fi rst Yarn Shop Day, as organisers Let’s Knit and Let’s Get Crafting magazines hailed the special Love Your Yarn Shop campaign a roaring success.

After months of momentum and excited anticipation, the campaign came to a head over the bank holiday

Among the many success stories, Beckside Yarns in Lancashire saw its sales double, the owners of Butterfl y Bright in Dorset had their best day of trading since Christmas, and Knit2tog in Stockport had its busiest day ever on record. “Sales were well up on the day,” said Ann from & Sew What in Chorley. “Yarn Shop Day for me was very good,” said Sarah from Spins & Needles in Lincoln, “there was a huge increase in footfall and it was our best day ever takings-wise, more than double any previous days.”

To attract customers on the day shops offered incentives, including free workshops and discounts on popular products and featured a variety of one-off attractions such as pop-up shops, guest appearances and yarnbombing challenges.

Authors from craft publisher Search Press and a number of knitting designers made voluntary appearances, including Louisa Harding, Zoe Halstead, Pauline Turner, Libby Summers, Val Pierce and Jenny Watson. Author Sue Stratford designed the campaign’s mascot, Sparklemouse, the pattern for which was distributed to every participating shop to help teach beginners to knit.

The 164 shops that signed up to the offi cial campaign received the benefi t of a huge publicity drive by Let’s Knit and Let’s Get Crafting magazines both in print and on social media, along with coverage in other sister titles such as Crafts Beautiful and Homemaker. Shops were supplied with helpful information via a marketing pack and regular newsletters, and were placed on an interactive map on the Let’s Knit website so that knitters could easily fi nd their nearest participating store. The map received more than 6,000 hits.

weekend as participating yarn shops hosted a variety of spectacular events to encourage their customers to pay them a visit.

With familiar faces and big name ambassadors helping to spread the word as well, stores up and down the UK reported increased footfall and signifi cantly higher sales, as people swarmed to support to their local yarn shops.

Yarn companies including Stylecraft, James C. Brett, West Yorkshire Spinners, Cygnet Yarns and Coats Crafts proved highly supportive, sending out free products and offering patterns to participating stores. The campaign gained momentum with the involvement of other industry organisations such as the ICHF and the UKHKA, the spinner Rowan, the publisher Search Press, the distributor Viridian and the W.I., who all sent press releases out to their databases which reaches tens of thousands.

Twitter proved a highly useful tool in the promotion of Yarn Shop Day, with Let’s Knit and its sister craft titles commanding a following of more than 81,000. On Yarn Shop Day itself, there were more than 500 tweets from retailers and customers using the #yarnshopday hashtag.

After its hugely successful debut, plans are already in place to celebrate Yarn Shop Day in 2015. Saturday 2 May 2015 is the date to remember and the wheels are in motion to make it even more successful.

OVER TO YOU...We hear from businesses involved with Yarn Shop Day to discover how they celebrated and what successes they had

Lynne Rowe, Yarn Shop Day ambassador“I really enjoyed Yarn Shop Day – it was a pleasure to be involved and I’m already looking forward to next year. It seemed hugely popular and it was great to see so many shops and people being creative and wanting to learn new techniques and crafts.”

Fiona Collins, Maxime Wools, Surrey “We decorated the gazebo outside with hand-knitted bunting and crochet covered balloons. We had drop spindle spinning outside the shop too, with lots of people having a go.

“Inside people were learning how to sew up their fi nished knitting that they had bought with them, some took their very fi rst foray into the woolly world of knitting. The day was such a great success.”

Mary Ellingham, Search Press“We were thrilled here at Search Press to be involved with Yarn Shop Day and we thoroughly endorse the idea of supporting and celebrating yarn shops. It is a truly worthwhile campaign and in these challenging economic times, as shopping culture changes, it is even more important to support high street retailers, who provide warm and friendly venues where crafters can go for expert hands-on advice and tuition in a social environment. Shops are an invaluable part of any community and we should not forget the important service they provide to dedicated crafters every day. We hope the campaign continues to grow with more and more people loving and enjoying their local yarn shops.”

Eleanor Burke, Knit Nottingham“We had a party, with exclusive yarns dyed especially for the day, giveaways and extra stamps on our loyalty card. Our revenue increased by a massive 125 per cent and it was by far our best day of trading.

We did a lot of promotional work on Facebook and on our blog, and I even secured a 10 minute interview on our local radio station, which was really brilliant exposure.”

... more exhibitorsto be confirmed.

#YARNSHOPDAY


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E: [email protected] T: 0117 300 5244www.viridianyarn.com

TRADE ENQUIRIES:

Sock Yarn SpecialistsUK Distrubutor for:• Opal • Eucalan • Schoeller + Stahl • KB ~ Knitting Boards/Looms

Knitting Needles & Accessories

Name: Andrew HughesWorking title: Partner of the companyCompany name: Focuscraft

The history: Focuscraft is celebrating 40 years in business. We are wholesalers of knitting yarns, knitting patterns and accessories, also haberdashery and craft products. We offer competitive prices, we have no minimum order limit and we excel in keeping up with the ever changing trends that this business commands. We pride ourselves on our customer service and our knowledgeable team are always happy to source customer requirements whenever possible.

Who do you admire from within the craft industry? The small innovative businesses who are just starting out in this fi eld, with new ideas to complement the growing trends.

What are the biggest threats that the high street faces? Internet sales are determining the fall of the high street, as shop rents rise more shops fall empty and this has a detrimental effect on shoppers visiting. Costs on the internet are lowered as obviously these businesses haven’t got the same overheads to consider as bricks and mortar shops.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples? Retailers need to offer a bespoke service, that members of staff are happy to promote. For example, specialist classes and workshops. Small retailers must give plenty of advice to their customers as they will return time and time again. This is lacking on internet sales and in multiple chains.

Vicky Featherstoehaugh, The Wool Shop, Dalkeith “First of all, thanks to all at Let’s Knit for coming up with Yarn Shop Day. It’s a great idea and I can’t wait for the next one! Our street fair was well received and we’ve already had people asking about the next one. So many people commented about a sense of community which has been lacking for some time. There were 11 stalls at the fair with a variety of goods as well as a few local youth groups. Our local councillor was also there and said it was lovely to see something like this being so successful. The Wool Shop stall was full of discounted yarns and we also had a free raffl e for our customers.”

Alison Nurton, Butterfl y Bright, Sherbourne, Dorset“We had a fantastic day on Yarn Shop Day. We had lots planned with free demonstrations, special offers on fabrics and yarn, a Rowan knitting class, prize draws and most importantly cakes! We look forward to doing it all again next year.”

Esther Mansfi eld, Spin a Yarn, Devon“We celebrated Yarn Shop Day with a drop-in knit surgery hosted by two star names in the knitting industry, Claire Crompton (author of The Knitter’s Bible) and Anniken Allis (designer and teacher). The shop was packed to bursting with new and regular customers bringing their knit conundrums to the surgery. Our knitters kept Claire and Anniken on their toes (and fi ngers!) with their queries, but issues such as adjusting garments to fi t, deciphering patterns, de-mystifying sock knitting and fi nishing/seaming techniques were all resolved.

“Meanwhile customers such as Dave (aka podcaster knittmonkey on Ravelry) took the opportunity to stock up on gorgeous new yarns from companies such as The Natural Dye Studio.”

Anne Auckland, Stash Fine Yarns “A big thank you from us here, for organising YSD. It was very successful and enjoyable. Our raffl e raised £113 for Macmillan, we had a prize from Sirdar, one from Designer Yarns and one we put together ourselves. We had goodie bags from Rowan and Designer Yarns too.

“Having Andy from Chester Wool Company, with Fyberspates yarns and Louis Harding in the afternoon, were big draws for some of the customers. Andy had taken some fl iers to Wonderwool, so was spreading the word. There were a few demonstrations – mainly the different casting on and casting off techniques. We were all on the go for the whole time 11 – 5 , so a long day!”

Joanne Whiteford, Just Unwind, Crosshills“We enjoyed a really pleasant yarn shop day. It was a family affair, with myself, my two sisters and my niece all helping to make the occasion a friendly and informative day. Tea and coffee with delicious homemade cakes, made for a relaxing atmosphere in which to sit and decide which scrumptious wool was next on the list. It was well attended by all age groups. Mums and daughters choosing together, grandmas with their grandchildren and ladies new to the area, visiting the local wool shop. Jenny Watson a local designer, called by and gave a most interesting and informative talk on fi nishing techniques. This was extremely well attended and you could have heard a pin drop as Jenny took us through the invisible joining of garments or how to change a V neck to a round neck. Janice, a sales rep from West Yorkshire Spinners was in attendance all day to answer any queries relating to the choices of wool and how to care for beautifully knitted garments to ensure they last a lifetime. A beautiful raffl e prize was on offer – a fabulous kit that I designed and the sun certainly shone for our event.”

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Let’s Knit and Let’s Get Crafting Magazines’ annual awards return after 2013’s resounding success

More than 7,000 readers and visitors to the websites of Let’s Knit

and Let’s Get Crafting magazines cast their votes in last year’s British Knitting Awards – the largest response ever received in the awards’ six year history.

This year is set to be bigger than ever with industry names and personalities already anticipating the results of the nominations, which closed on June 10, 2014.

Let’s Knit and Let’s Get Crafting magazines invited readers and online visitors to nominate their favourites in the knitting world across several categories, before voting commences on July 4. The shortlist will appear in the August issues of both titles and online for three months, whereby readers and online visitors will be asked to vote for their fi nal winners. These names will then be announced in the Christmas special of Let’s Knit and issue 65 of Let’s Get Crafting magazine, on sale October 3.

Let’s Knit’s editor, Sarah Neal says: “With such a great response behind it, the British Knitting Awards is a true representation of consumer opinion and as such, these awards are highly coveted by key names across the industry.”

The fi nal list of winners recognises a total of nearly 50 companies and individuals, and categories include Best Knitting Designer, Best Luxury Yarn Brand and Best Blog. This year sees the introduction of two new categories that help support British brands and retailers – Best British Yarn Brand and Best Yarn Shop Day Experience 2014.

The awards celebrate big names in the industry, as well as small local knitting shops, independent designers and national events. They provide a platform for readers and the knitting community to voice their preferences and celebrate all the industry has to offer.

A list of 2013 winners can be found on the British Knitting Awards website www.letsknit.co.uk/britishknittingawards alongside photos from the awards ceremony at last year’s Knitting & Stitching Show.

Let’s Knit and Let’s Get Crafting magazines were both launched in 2007. Let’s Knit continues to enjoy consistent year-on-year growth and in the knitting sector, Let’s Get Crafting’s retail sales volumes on the newstand is second only to Let’s Knit magazine.

Name: Yvonne JacksonWorking title: OwnerCompany name: Yvonne Jackson Agencies/

organiser of Perth Trade Show

The history: The Perth Trade Show in Scotland has been running for 15 years and was founded by Yvonne Jackson. Held in September, the show aims to give shops new ideas and gives owners a place to meet up and discuss ideas in a relaxed atmosphere. Exhibitors showcase new products and inspire customers for the next season ahead.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years? With increased internet buying and new multi stores coming into the market, it’s affected smaller shops around the country.

Can you offer any advice for retailers? Take advantage of any trade show within your area to keep up to date, gather ideas and keep track of the market.

Haberdashery is leading the market now with quilting and the essentials needed to accompany this. It was wool a few years ago and papercraft has been very strong for decades and still continues. We have consumers switching to all types of crafts; painting, jewellery making, needlecraft. Consumers are experimenting more in all fi elds within this industry, which keeps marketing companies on their toes in keeping shops and consumers who buy hobby, happy.

Name: Clare DonnellyWorking title: Head of marketingCompany name: Daylight Company

The history: Since launching in 1988, Daylight has been providing crafters with unrivalled full spectrum daylight lamps, making detailed work easier and eliminating eye strain. The company has grown and expanded throughout the world, with Daylight now positioned as the market leader for specialist lighting and the brand of choice for the craft and hobby industry.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years? The internet has become a major new chain of distribution shifting sales from traditional high street shops to internet retailers. A new development to our sector is the transition to LED lamps. We are currently in the process of introducing LED technology across our product range.

Can you offer any advice for retailers? We work extremely closely with our retailers and make it our business to understand the issues they face on a daily basis. We offer merchandising support and promote our ranges across crafting media and social media.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business? Without doubt for the better! Daylight embraced social media right from the start and has benefi ted as a result. Now with social media we can reach out to our current and potential customers with new products and offers immediately.

Name: Claire CullenWorking title: Brand managerCompany: Valspar Consumer – Europe

The history: Founded in 1992, PlastiKote is the UK’s market leading spray paint brand and part of the Valspar corporation, the fi fth largest paint and coatings company in the world. PlastiKote offers an exciting range of specialist paints with more than 300 different products and more than 50 different colours and effects that are perfect for creative projects and crafts. Our specialist spray paints are very popular with crafters, hobbyists and art enthusiasts.

Can you offer any advice for retailers?We have always worked very closely with our retailers and make sure we support them with great customer service and point of sale material. Our only advice is to ask them to take full advantage of our other helpful services such as individual order tracking, a purchasing enquiry service and access to a consumer helpline which is available seven days a week.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business?Social media has transformed the way we interact with our consumers and allows us to have direct conversations with crafters, hobbyists and spray paint fans. We’re very active on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Flickr and YouTube and continually share ideas, discuss creative projects and offer help, information and how-to advice.

THE BRITISH KNITTING

2014AWARDS

PAPERCRAFT


CASH IN ON

Cardmaking is king in the papercraft market, but keeping up with trends and popular designs is crucial to ensure you’re making the most of all its possibilities

As the summer edges closer, our customers are really into Zentangling at the moment

Cardmaking really is what drives the papercraft sector. Despite scrapbooking

and home decor-inspired makes hot on its heels, the art of celebrating a season or occasion with a handmade card continues to grow ever popular. And in the summer months when the warm weather encourages people outside, footfall on the high streets will increase, opening up a wider audience for you to attract into store.

Cardmaking is a great craft to push during the summer. There

love cardmaking, not just to give to special people, but more people are using it as an ideal opportunity for a bit of ‘me’ time in a busy world. Our retired customers often comment that they are busier than when they were working so even for them, it offers a bit of respite from a busy world. Many customers also seem to rediscover their creativity through cardmaking, often starting with simple designs commenting that they ‘are not artistic’, until they join in with

WHAT’S THE OCCASION?Aside from birthdays and Christmas, people are making cards for all kinds of occasions at the moment. The boom in baby knits has helped encourage consumers to hand-make cards also, and with wedding budgets still tight, the desire to be creative for a bride and groom’s big day continues to grow.

Jane says: “We are most often asked for products to make engagement, anniversary and wedding cards closely followed by baby cards. We are fi nding a big increase in more arty collage cards too.

“As the summer edges closer, our customers are really into Zentangling at the moment. We have found an increase in interest in this technique and more customers are now getting confi dent to have a go, supported by our workshop programme.

INSPIRATION STATIONQ. HOW DO YOU INSPIRE YOUR CUSTOMERS? Hayley Wilkinson, Hunkydory Crafts, marketing manager says: “Our online club offers so much inspiration for our customers. We have dozens of video tutorials, galleries and projects online for people to view to help them get the most from their Hunkydory kits. Many of our Luxury Card Collections also come with inspiration sheets, which are full of images and instructions on how to make some of the cards in the kit. Our team of demonstrators are also very proactive with their social media accounts by helping customers and offering some top Hunkydory tips.”

Jane Aldridge, owner, Aldridge Crafts and Champagne Moments, Attleborough Norfolk says: “We blog daily cardmaking creations, which are then displayed on our gallery wall in our shop. We offer regular demonstrations in store and workshops with a variety of projects and techniques to learn. We are so enthusiastic about crafting our customers often comment that they come in for one thing and end up leaving with lots more as we are so keen to tell them everything they can put together with their supplies to get even more value for money.”

CARDMAKINGSara Davies, founder at Crafter’s Companion shares her expertise on running profi table and enriching demonstration sessions

1PREPARATION WITH THE MANUFACTURER

Preparing a demonstration session goes further than setting a date and choosing a product to showcase. First things fi rst, chat to the manufacturer about the products you’d like to promote and discuss how these are going to be displayed on the day. Discuss the availability of promotions on these particular products for the scheduled day such as reduced price or multi-buy offers as an incentive for customers attending the demonstration.

It also helps to discuss joint marketing opportunities with the manufacturer to maximise the promotion of the session. Does the manufacturer have a social media you could tap into? Could they put something about the event on their website? Identifying these opportunities early on could help increase the turnout to your demonstration.

2PREPARATION WITH THE DEMONSTRATOR

Next, it is important to make preparations with the person who will be carrying out the demonstration to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. Build up a rapport with the demonstrator beforehand and plan ahead for breaks ensuring you give customers a chance to buy. Fifteen minute rolling demonstrations or a circular rotation system can be effective to move people through and get them to buy.

3PROMOTION Aside from getting some

promotional assistance from the manufacturer, you should start making your own preparations accordingly, for instance drafting posts for social media and drawing up e-fl yers to send to your database. In-store promotion is also an effective way to spread the word about your event to your returning customers. Other ways to promote the session within the local area include cross promotion

needn’t be a high skill level involved and designs can be as simple or as intricate as a maker desires. Plus, with bright colours and fl orals being a major trend in the papercraft sector once again this season, projects inspired by the weather outside will be easy to create.

“Floral themed cards are popular all year round,” explains Hayley Wilkinson, marketing manager, Hunkydory Crafts, “but we fi nd there is a huge demand for these designs in summer months. We always add a special twist to our fl oral collections to differentiate them from other designs in the marketplace.”

ART APPEAL Crafters enjoy cardmaking for a number of reasons. From being able to exercise their creativity to giving a more personal gift to loved ones, part of its appeal is that no matter what the occasion, there will be a design to suit.

Jane Aldridge, owner of Aldridge Crafts and Champagne Moments, Attleborough Norfolk says: “People

workshops and demos and feel confi dent to play with inks and paints to bring out their inner artist.”

7

with other businesses, adverts or PR opportunities within local newspapers and radio stations. Offering incentives on the day such as free prize draws, competitions or refreshments will help get people through the door.

4SETTING UP As the date of the

demonstration day nears, it’s important to consider the demonstration area and plan ahead. Another thing to consider is the route to the demonstration area. Consider the ‘IKEA idea’ of having people walk through the store before they reach the demonstration area and consequently passing products you’d like them to buy.

5 PREPARING YOUR STORE When the day of the

demonstration fi nally arrives, it’s important to make any additional preparations such as briefi ng your staff or setting up cross selling opportunities. Also remember you and your staff are ultimately responsible for making sales on the day, not the demonstrator, so staff should know what promotions are available and be able to discuss with customers confi dently.

6LONG TERM IMPACT Another thing to think about is

the long term impact the event will have on your store. You should take every opportunity to provide new and returning customers with an incentive to continue shopping with you. For new customers consider hand-outs on the day including information about your company, discounts or promoting upcoming events as well as capturing their data. For returning customers consider a loyalty card or vouchers to spend on a future visit.

7ENJOY THE DAYFinally, with the right

preparation it’s time to enjoy your demonstration day and watch your hard work payoff with (hopefully) an increase in sales.

STEPS TO DEMONSTRATION SUCCESS

PAPERCRAFT


“In terms of colours, lilacs and purple continue to be popular as well as pastel shades, but there is a growth in using more natural products and shades, for example kraft card, burlap ribbon,” adds Jane.

ADDED EXTRASPaper and card are just a small sector of products which are essential for cardmakers, but now there is a rise in demand for extras to really give projects that wow factor. Items such as ribbon, embellishments and stamps can all be upsold and placed alongside the more typical cardmaking products to help inspire and persuade a purchase.

Dies are the real talking point right now however, and with more companies bringing out new designs every season, stocking a diverse selection will certainly pay dividends.

Hayley agrees: “Crafters don’t seem to be able to get enough dies – no matter how many suppliers there are and what the variety of styles is, they just keep on buying them! The old adage of giving the

customer too much choice doesn’t seem to be the case with dies. And with the new Christmas ranges about to launch, there doesn’t look like being a slow-down in sales.”

“Dies are ever popular,” says Jane, “in particular Tattered Lace, Memory Box and the new Sue Wilson dies from Creative Expressions. However we have seen an increase in sales in more embellishments, with customers gaining confi dence in adding fl owers, gems and ribbons to their card designs.”

For the more experienced cardmaker, the introduction of papercraft machines has enabled crafters to create some really professional results.

Jane says: “We still fi nd that the die-cutting machines are ever popular, with many looking to the Grand Calibur or E-bosser machines, but the Cuttlebug is still our best selling die cutting machine. I think because it is so compact for a well stocked craft room it doesn’t take up much space.”

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Sara Davies Working title: Sales directorCompany name: Crafter’s Companion

The history: I fi rst started Crafter’s Companion back in 2006 from my university bedroom. Since those early days, the company has gone from strength to strength and is now an established, market-leading craft manufacturer with offi ces worldwide.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years? I remember when I fi rst discovered papercraft it was still relatively in its infancy. There were a lot of decoupage and topper sheets about but next to no digital crafting and no CDs. This was one area that I felt had lots of potential, so I was developing papercraft CDs pretty much from day one. This has grown incredibly and you can now see lots of companies doing CDs as well as companies dedicated to digi-crafting.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business? Social media has its positives and its negatives, but on the whole, I’d say it’s been very positive for our company. I think social media is a brilliant way to get a message across quickly and to get involvement from crafters.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples? To counteract the low prices the chains offer, we always try to discount our prices with offers to help independents to give the same sort of deals to their customers. You should concentrate on the personal touch too.

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Judith BrewerWorking title: Owner Company name: Woodware

The history: Woodware has been trading in the papercraft industry for more than 20 years. Starting as a distributor for one American stamp manufacturer, our ranges of stamp related accessories have steadily grown over the years. We now have our own popular range of stamps designed by UK designers and a vast range of associated products.

Can you offer any advice for retailers? Know the products you sell well, and use that knowledge to sell your products to their best advantage. Use social media to let your customers know about special events in your shop. Let them know about new products/releases that will be available soon; make your customers want to come and visit you.

What do you think the future is for bricks and mortar shops? I think there is a good future for bricks and mortar shops. Crafters like to be able to see and touch the products and see them in action. As long as shops are inviting and offer interesting demonstrations, classes and keep everything fresh, the future looks bright.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples? Engage and educate, include your customers to build up loyalty; this works both in your shop and your web-based customers.

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Tania AhmedWorking title: Sales and marketingCompany name: WOW! Embossing Powder

The history: WOW! Embossing Powder has been established as a brand since 2006 and has grown dramatically since then. We are rapidly becoming very well-known and respected within the craft industry. We are the largest manufacturers of embossing powder in the craft industry. WOW! Embossing Powder offers more than 160 different colours of embossing powders in different grades and fi nishes, plus foils, embossing inks, embossing pens, bonding powder, fl ock, silicone moulds stamps and stamping accessories.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples?They need to ensure they are offering the best customer service. If you look after your customers and add a personal touch to all orders that go out, it can be pretty packaging, a personal note or even a small gift. This will keep your customers coming back for repeat orders and help to establish relationships.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business?Social media has actually been very good for us, as it has helped us interact with our customers on a more personal level. I answer customer questions, review feedback and share content which helps to generate interest and draw in new fans. If you fi nd social media a bit daunting, stick to just one network that you are most comfortable with.

PAPERCRAFT


Product InnovationsWhat’s hot this month?Papercraft

Hunkydory CraftsProduct: Return to Patchwork Forest

Description: This collection of cute, furry woodland animals is sure to melt anybody’s heart and is fi lled with soft pastel shades, complimented by Hunkydory’s signature rich gold foil. Topper sets, concept cards and special projects including the pretty Patchwork Flower cards, Swinging Easel cards and the special decoupage gift box project are all available as part of this kit. Return to Patchwork Forest is perfect for spring and summer crafting and there are also some great coordinating items available, such as the Luxury Paper Pad, Adorable Scorable Sorbet Fruits and an endearing collection of Clearly Stamps.

Contact: 01772 272575, [email protected], www.hunkydorycrafts.co.uk

Craft CreationsProduct: Die-Cut Découpage packs

Description: New from Craft Creations, these die-cut découpage packs are great for busy crafters, offering an attractive package of 10 themed designs ready to pick up and go. There are fi ve packs in total covering styles from chic fl orals, to vintage vehicles, modern and traditional Christmas and more. All sheets are printed on acid and lignin free paper and precision die-cut, making it easy to produce great looking results every time. SRP £7.99 per pack.

Contact: 01992 781909, [email protected]

PlastiKote Product: Brilliant Metallic

Description: Metallics are one of this season’s hottest trends and PlastiKote Brilliant Metallic spray paint is ideal for all your craft and decorative projects. Available in gold, silver or copper, Brilliant Metallic delivers an ultra-modern, refl ective metallic fi nish. It can be used on virtually any surface including wood, ceramic, glass, stone, china, terracotta, metal and papier maché. Brilliant Metallic is quick and easy to use and provides a fl awless, ultra-smooth fi nish. Touch dry in ten minutes and thoroughly dry in two hours it can be re-coated anytime. Available in 400ml cans it has an RRP of £8.99.

Contact: 01223 836400

Grafi xProduct: Super Sanded Shrink Film

Description: Grafi x has introduced a new style to its popular Shrink Film range. The new Super Sanded Shrink Film is a textured surface, which makes drawing with coloured pencils even easier and is a great surface for kids. This innovative plastic shrinks to half its size using a conventional, toaster or heating tool and designs become thick embellishments in minutes. Create and bake personalised pieces such as charms, key chains, magnets, jewellery and more. Available in 8.5x11 inch packs of six, 10, 50 or 250. See Grafi x newly designed Shrink fi lm packaging for more information about the whole line.

Contact: www.grafi x.co.uk

Staedtler Product: Fimo Professional and Fimo Kids

Description: Following a comprehensive review, Staedtler has expanded and enhanced its Fimo polymer modelling clay range. Fimo professional is a new premium clay, which targets the very precise requirements of expert users and replaces Fimo classic. Particular attention has been paid to colour in the development of the new clay, acknowledging the importance of colour accuracy in the work of professional artists. Recognising the popularity of Fimo with young crafters, Staedtler is also launching Fimo kids, a new CE marked range formulated specially for children and which doesn’t require conditioning. Fimo Professional and Fimo Kids join the existing Fimo Soft and Fimo Effect ranges.

Contact: 0845 600 5930, [email protected], www.staedtler.co.uk

Cherry Lynn DesignsProduct: Crossover A4 die-cut and embossing system

Description: Cheery Lynn Designs’ new Crossover A4 die-cut and embossing system is what many may consider, a long overdue improvement in larger format table top machines. The adjustable heavy duty machine is constructed for extended use for both papercrafting and quilt and fabric applications. The new Deep Dish fabric dies developed by Cheery Lynn, offer fabric crafters a variety of economy and new designs, which have not been offered before in quilt and fabric die cutting tools. Appliqué designs are being added monthly from the Cheery Lynn Design collection and posted designs have been altered for single cut fabric applications.

Contact: 01602 278 7800, www.cheerlynndesigns.com

Express Yourself DIYProduct: Make it Personal!

Description: Make it Personal! gives retailers the chance to offer their customers an innovative personalisation option for greeting cards, scrapbooking and ancillaries (such as gifts, giftwrap and gift tags). Consumers will be able to select the relevant caption, letters or numbers and affi x these onto a blank greeting card (12 beautiful and versatile designs offered) or any giftbag, tags or scrapbook page to create their own fully personalised hand-fi nished creation! 70+ stick-on captions and toppers all on a spinner of less than 2 sq ft. Exclusively available from Second Nature.

Contact: 01983 209 590, [email protected], www.secondnature.co.uk,

Sarah HurleyProduct: The World of Imagination range

Description: The World of Imagination range, new from Sarah Hurley, launched in early June and is already creating a stir. The World of Imagination range contains fun, colourful, educational and creative activities, crafts and playsets, which are great for children and adults alike and make ideal gifts. These sets, encourage imaginative play, interaction with parents and other children, and have subtle educational messages throughout to encourage learning through play. The creative activities are fun and easy to do with some adult supervision, and create a quality handmade toy or fancy dress item at the end. Further items in the range will launch in July.

Contact: www.myworldofi magination.com, www.sarahhurley.com


Meet the

CONTACTVisit notonthehighstreet.com to discover new trends and quirky products which are fi nding success with customers

AN ENTREPRENEUR’S CV ■ Award-winning entrepreneurs Holly Tucker and Sophie

Cornish founded notonthehighstreet.com from a kitchen table in 2006.

■ At the launch there were around 100 creative small businesses on board. Now there are thousands with more joining each week.

■ The notonthehighstreet team has since grown to more than 120 people.

■ The company has won a number of awards, including Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 (Investor Allstars) and being named as part of the Future Fifty programme. Both Holly and Sophie have also been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

CB MEETS

CEO and founder of notonthehighstreet.com, Holly Tucker, talks about her journey from sales to starting her own business

I’ve always been passionate about fi nding unusual and beautiful items, whether for

my home or to give to family and friends as gifts. Before I started my business, I used to collect foliage and make my own Christmas wreaths, and I still love nothing more than browsing antique fairs and fi nding unusual pieces to add to our home.

After starting my career in advertising and sales, my inspiration for the website came when I created ‘Your Local Fair’; upmarket events that were staged in affl uent areas of London and the South East. I loved working with a

Buyer

Seeing our fi rst partner turn over

£1million from the site has been one

of my proudest moments

community of creative individuals and realised there was a market hungry for what they were offering.

Notonthehighstreet.com is the defi nitive online marketplace, where the most creative small businesses sell original and inspiring products to people looking for something different. We pride ourselves on banishing the

ordinary. Our customers are looking for something different; they are individual, self-assured, stylish, thoughtful and creative.

I think people have always had a desire for individual pieces for themselves and their homes, and, of course, for giving inspired and thoughtful gifts. Their challenge has always been fi nding these things outside of a craft fair or emporium, hence buying the distinctive and the unusual has traditionally been less simple than picking up pieces from high street shops which typically sell ‘mass-produced’ goods.

Before we launched our site, there was a fundamental problem being faced by small creative businesses in the UK.

employ to the small business owners that sell on our site. Since I was young I’ve had an entrepreneurial itch and I believe that everyone can shape their own destiny.

The best part about having your own business is being your own boss, but although it might sound like a luxury, it ultimately means the buck stops with you and that leads to lots of sleepless nights! You must always remember that you’re doing this for your customer, and therefore each and every decision should be based on them.

We’ve recently had our house renovated and our living space is an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional, which suits our style. I

Though many were offering high-quality, desirable products, they were outdated in their marketing and distribution and as such, were losing out to high street retail giants. Notonthehighstreet provides a solution for those small businesses and enables customers to browse and shop, 24 hours a day, from a range of stand-alone companies they might not otherwise have access to.

From day one I have been totally clear about the vision and in love with the idea. I never believed the business would fail. Seeing our fi rst partner turn over £1m from the site has been one of my proudest moments, but, to me, every day is incredibly rewarding, and I’m so proud to be a part of it.

I love working with real people; from the staff that we

think a home should refl ect the person who lives there. We aim to make it easier for people to fi nd those special pieces that really make a statement.

We don’t sell one particular style, we choose sellers who offer great design and the best quality products, many of which can be customised to suit individual tastes, making it easy to or create a look or style that works for you.

MASTERCLASS


THE EXPERTS

We get the lowdown from PR professionals and web designers as to why they are two commodities you cannot afford not to hire

Craft shops are often a one-man band or two-person operation; those who take the helm at creative stores are self-reliant types.

While many might not think twice about stepping into the position of web designer or PR person, proper expertise such as this becomes invaluable with the ongoing developments of the craft industry. So doing it yourself could save you money, but it’ll cost you in terms of brand impact and time management and could be make or break for your sales. We take a look at two jobs which really are best left to the professionals.

Sue Ralston, web design and internet marketing agency, 4SNET www.4snet.co.uk

Chris Van Aurich,director, Artlines Media

Jade Jackson-Newman, account manager, Renegade www.renegademedia.net

Sara Teiger, freelance PR, www.stpr.co.uk

WANTEDHELP WEB DESIGNERWhat one does: If you’re looking to create a brilliant brand image, launch a new website, create a blog or move from one platform to another, a web designer will help you create a consistent online presence that is coherent with your brand.

Chris Van Aurich, director, Artlines Media explains: “In the most basic sense, web designers and developers are either freelance individuals or digital agencies with good aesthetic sense and knowledge of the current digital trends, that can design and build websites for businesses.”

Sue Ralston from web design and internet marketing company, 4SNET says: “An ordinary web designer will be able to create and design a professional looking website for your business. However, to get the most out of your new website it is advisable to hire a web designer or web designing agency who can work with you to fi ne tune the marketing messages you want to get across on the website.”

Why retailers need one: This can be summed up easily: to stay ahead of the competition and to encourage more people to make a purchase. Chris agrees: “In today’s increasingly digital world, it’s no secret that many people’s fi rst port of call when they need something is online. Small businesses that can’t rely on instant brand recognition only have a few seconds to make a good impression before that potential customer clicks away.

“Design is the biggest factor in whether this happens or not, simply because in those important few seconds, the appearance of your site can get across a feel for your brand and what you stand for instantly.”

Where to fi nd one: Research is everything and a good agency or designer will have previous success stories in their portfolio, as

well as a great reputation from other small business owners.

“Any agency worth their salt should have a good website which shows what services they provide as well as showing a portfolio of previous work,” explains Chris. “Make sure that there’s a good range of different projects within their client portfolio and look out for case studies of past websites they have created in order to get a feel for how the agency works.”

Sue agrees: “Having a good looking website should not be the only concern. As an online business, you need to fi nd a good web designer who also has a broad range of marketing skills.”

What to expect: It’s all about idea generation, followed by laying out clear objectives to make sure both parties are aiming for the same goal.

“An experienced web designer will want to know all about your business,” says Sue. “They will not just want to show you a variety of styles for you to ‘choose’, they will want to unearth your marketing objectives and make sure your target audience, marketing messages and website design all portray a clear and compelling message to encourage visitors to make a purchase.”

What it costs: Sue says: “Rates do vary signifi cantly between different agencies. It is also recommended that an ongoing hourly rate is established and how much work you can expect for this. This will typically be in the region of £30-£100 per hour, depending on the level of expertise.”

“Anyone prepared to send you a quotation without meeting you fi rst should be avoided,” warns Chris. “Each client brief should be approached as an individual project with its own needs, with a quotation that’s tailored to their budget, and their businesses needs.”

MASTERCLASS


100 ISSUES WITH...

100 ISSUES WITH...

PR EXECUTIVEWhy need one: The right PR professional can gain exposure for your brand on a national level and promote your business across many platforms. Jade Jackson-Newman, account manager at Renegade explains: “There is more to PR than press releases. A PR professional will spend time understanding your business, target audience to help you to crystallise your positioning and point of difference.

“A PR plan that takes a view on what you have got to talk about, and then how best to talk about it, i.e via a press releases, an event that creates a hook for the media, or social media, should be created.”

Where to fi nd one: When it comes to fi nding the right PR, personal recommendation is king and will start your search off right. Sara Teiger, a freelance PR with more than 13 years experience, agrees: “If you’re an independent retailer, ask for someone who is used to working with SMEs. This will be helpful with understanding your budget constraints.

“For an independent, a freelance PR consultant is probably a good bet over an agency. You will get more for your money and won’t end up being side-lined as a small fi sh among big clients who pay larger fees.

“If you can’t get a recommendation, there’s always Google. Only you can decide whether it is important to you to fi nd a PR resource that is local to you.“

What to expect: Once you’ve mulled over the research, it’s time to pick up the phone and make the initial fi rst contact to determine whether the PR will be suitable. Sara explains: “In your fi rst phone conversation, expect a PR consultant to ask about:

“Your business – be in a position where you can précis it to them: How long you have been in operation? How does your business operate?

“Your budget – this is the starting point for planning any PR campaign. “Timescale – when are you hoping for the media coverage to happen? Many magazines plan months ahead, so you need to bear this in mind if you want exposure around a particular launch or event.

“Your expectations – are you hoping to be featured in your local and regional media, national media or do you have international aspirations?

“Your availability – Sometimes PR opportunities come up at short notice and the PR will want to know whether you are in a position to exploit this.

“Photography – what photography do you have and do you have a separate budget to create more if what you have is not suffi cient?”

What it costs: “An experienced freelance PR consultant will charge anything from around £250-£500 a day,” says Sara. ”The £250 person is not necessarily the best value.”

Name: Doug KreinikWorking title: OwnerCompany name: Kreinik Manufacturing

The history: Kreinik is a family-owned business that started in Jerry and Estelle Kreinik’s home in the early 1970s. Today Kreinik makes a variety of silk and metallic threads for needleworkers, crafters, scrapbookers, quilters, fi ber artists, fl y fi shermen – even fashion houses – to express themselves.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years? The internet has changed the industry. The crafts that combine computer work with DIY are doing very well. With computers, you can manipulate designs. Take that manipulation and add all sorts of interesting threads and yarns and you have a customised, individualised creation.

Can you offer any advice for retailers? Be open. A customer is a customer no matter what they look like. There is a desire to learn at any age. Create a sense of value and purpose and reason for walking through the door to your shop and you will have a loyal customer no matter their age, skill level, or gender.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples? Value, value and value creates a loyal customer base. If a retailer can create an atmosphere of excitement and constantly create events where the customer wants to participate, that will be how they will compete.

Name: Hayley WilkinsonWorking title: Marketing managerCompany name: Hunkydory Crafts

The history: Established in 2007 as a family run business, Hunkydory Crafts was created from a passion for quality card making. Today, the company has established itself as the UK’s number one papercraft manufacturer, winning several awards for its quality product and design.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business?Facebook enables us to communicate with more than 22,000 people at the click of a button; not only that, these people are actively engaged with our brand and products – which is priceless to our business. Social media is also a great form of two-way online communication between a business and its customers.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples?We have an independent craft shop based in Preston called Inspirations, so we fully understand how diffi cult it can be to compete with the big multiples. Good service goes a long way, and all of our staff are crafters, so they have excellent product knowledge and can help our customers with most queries. What do you think the future is for bricks and mortar shops?I think the future is very bright for bricks and mortar shops. Even though e-commerce continues to take a large share of product sales, you can’t beat the personal service that you get at a craft shop.

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: J. Michael DywanWorking title: PresidentCompany name: Cheery Lynn Designs

/ Dies Direct

The history: Dies Direct and Cheery Lynn Designs were developed from a parent company, PMA Photometals, Inc, est. 1982. With 11 years of making etched crafting dies, both companies have thrived. Cheery Lynn has always offered innovative detailed dies that are in great demand by crafters today. Dies Direct developed a custom die program for production dies to match stamp images and free-style designs six years ago.

Can you offer any advice for retailers? Yes – follow the Big Box store examples. Offer discounts on one item they can get by visiting you in store and you can compete with the large chain retailers. People will purchase other items as a convenience.

What do you think the future is for bricks and mortar shops?Brick and mortar stores will see a comeback. Recessions shake out those that may not be market savvy and innovative.

How has your business changed over the last 12 years?Being a hands-on manufacturer has allowed us to cater to the market with new designs and services in little time. We can design something today and test it the next day. We’re pleased to fi nd a niche in the market for custom designs, which are of great benefi t to crafters’ choices.

BEADING & JEWELLERY


boom of the blogosphere, there are more and more people coming together to share all their interests and ideas in one place.

Hannah Burgess, product development manager at Matrix APA, says: “Lately the popularity of beading and jewellery making has notably increased. This could be due to many factors, but in my opinion the rise of social media sites such as YouTube and Pinterest have really opened up the world of ‘make your own’.

“The accessibility to become inspired and to share ideas is endless, with more and more users uploading images or videos of their latest makes with step by step ‘how to’ guides and even shopping lists detailing materials and costs,” Hannah adds.

CURRENT TRENDSIn recent months the industry has seen a variety of jewellery trends launched on the catwalk and the

We take a look at the latest trends in pendants, charms and fi ndings and offer some predictions that could help keep you and your business at the top of your game

CHARM YOUR

CUSTOMERS

Jewellery making is a popular craft because it has mass appeal. No matter what level of

skill customers are at, there is something to offer everyone and the trends are always changing, further adding to its allure. It is important for retailers to keep up with the latest fashions and techniques so that they are able to effi ciently cater for their customers’ needs.

Wyatt White, product manager and education director, Beadalon, says: “Beading and jewellery making has always been popular and will continue, because it’s one of the easiest to get started and most people are highly successful on their fi rst attempt. In addition, the initial cost to get started is relatively low and this also makes it very popular. Making jewellery and getting complimented on it is also a great incentive, as is gift giving and being able to say ‘I made it myself’, which is always a great feeling.”

One source of constantly growing inspiration that retailers should be utilising is the internet; with the introduction of social media and the

®

To f ind a Beadalon retailer near you, please visit www.beadalon.com/locatewheretobuy.asp

MADE IN USA

Beadalon miniature bead stringing cable combines the softness and fl exibility of thread with the strength and durability of stainless steel. Jewelry made on Beadalon wire is designed to last a lifetime - it’s the perfect fi rst choice for stringing designs!

• Supple & Kink Resistant – The higher the number of strands, the softer and more threadlike, i.e. our 49 Strand is the softest wire

• Abrasion Resistant - The wire protects against sharp crystal, gemstone, glass, and metal beads

• Knottable – Ties easily like thread

• 100% Waterproof - Withstands fresh and saltwater exposure

• UV Resistant - Will not deteriorate in sunlight

• Versatile - A wide range of diameters, fl exibilities, and colors

7 StrandGood fl exibility & drape, lower priced

49 Strand Best fl exibility & drape, higher priced

19 StrandBetter fl exibility & drape, medium priced

Wear it a lifetime

String it once...

Short Short Bow Avant Garde

Congratulations Laura Ehlers Dickmeyer!Leather and Lace necklace was designed by Laura Ehlers Dickmeyer.

You can make other variations with this winning design below.

contest winner!

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Martin ErlerWorking title: general managerCompany name: Efco/Hobbygross Erler gmbh

The history: The history of Efco can be summarised by the company’s three anniversaries in 2014. In 1974, Lutz Erler started Efco selling enamelling kilns and supplies from the family home. In 1984, as the company grew and the range expanded to include more general craft products, Hobbygross Erler GmbH was established as the distribution and wholesaling division. And in 1994, Hobbygross moved to its present distribution centre in Rohrbach, Germany and now offers more than 20,000 lines to craft retailers throughout Europe and worldwide. The Efco brand is now established as the hallmark for quality in craft and is still owned and managed by the Erler family.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years?The number of independents in the high street has decreased and I guess, this is a trend that will continue. The development of the internet over the years has obviously had a huge effect, but it’s not all bad news, some of those internet shops and eBay sellers, that we were so sniffy about a few years ago, have prospered and even opened retail premises.

Can you offer any advice for retailers?Cherish your customers and always remember they don’t always have to visit your store and part with their hard earned cash. And don’t just sell on price – that’s so boring!

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Kay Halliwell-SuttonWorking title: Creative directorCompany name: IndigoBlu

The history: IndigoBlu launched just over three years ago, with just one rubber press in my partner Alfi e’s dad’s garden shed. The company now operates out of a 4,500 sq ft unit with a shop and training room on-site. Those three years have been a great adventure, and now it not only supplies more than 300 UK craft stores, but has distributors in Holland, Germany and the USA.

Can you offer any advice for retailers?Project samples can really inspire your customers – show them how to use your products and a way to use them, for example, a stamp can be used in a variety of different ways. It’s proven that samples sell products. Offering workshops can also help bring customers in; teach them new techniques and inspire them.

What can savvy retailers do to compete with the multiples?Retailers should be doing what the multiples can’t – offer a personal service, learn your customers’ names, offer a cuppa and a chance to chat.

Has the rise of social media affected your business?It has affected business in a very positive way. It’s a great source of inspiration, education and advertising. IndigoBlu has already got a blog challenge, Pinterest, a Twitter account, an offi cial Facebook page.

BEADING & JEWELLERY


JEWELLERY TRENDS FOR AW 2014-SS2015 Hannah Burgess, Matrix APA examines up and coming trends that you can use to plan ahead

AUTUMN/WINTER 2014■ With autumn, a darker colour palette will emerge, bringing deep reds,

greens and jewel tones. ■ Natural materials such as glass, stone, brass and marble will be

important features for pendants, not only in their organic form, but also polished and shaped.

■ Charms will also take a darker twist. The focus will come from Pagan symbols such as triangle, circle and prism shapes.

■ Florals will continue to be strong throughout jewellery, but with a Russian and Nordic folk infl uence.

SPRING/SUMMER 2015■ Into spring summer and the darkness of AW14 will slowly disperse.

Transparent and semi-transparent materials will begin to come through with coloured glass and acrylic stones.

■ Bold bubble gum pinks, zesty limes and sun yellows are key colours for this season, giving a young fresh vibe.

■ Simple pendants will be multi layered, with love hearts, geometric shapes and icons such as arrows, keys and stars.

■ Charms will have playful twist in the themes of varsity, comic books and cartoon fruit.

high street. Large statement necklaces and bracelets have been in real demand because they have the potential to transform the plainest of outfi ts into a stylish new look.

In contrast to these big bold necklaces and bracelets, there has also been a trend for small pendants on thin chains. The pendants that hang on these dainty necklaces are often symbols, such as wishbones, hearts and stars, that have some signifi cance to the wearer.

Sally Scoffi eld, owner of The Beaderie, says: “Here in Cambridge, our bicycle charms are a huge hit. Also, the fi ndings associated with our 4mm braided leather range, such as the charm carrier and magnetic clasp, are very popular items too.

“In addition, Macrame knotting techniques for bracelets are really taking off with our customers this year, and they can easily incorporate beads, charms and fi ndings within their designs,” Sally adds.

Laura Ells, manager, Creative Beadcraft, says: “Kumihimo bracelets and necklaces are very popular and look good with a pretty pendant or charm and an ornamental toggle.

“At this time of year ladybirds, bees, birds and dragonfl ies are popular, while our seaside themed charms also do well,” she adds.

“The overall popularity of charms has increased recently as they allow personalisation of jewellery pieces,” says Claire Humpherson, marketing manager, Beads Direct. “You can add different charms to the same design to make sure it suits a certain person. Findings have moved from delicate to chunky, to balance with materials like leather and thick cords, which are popular at the moment. Pendants are now often created from various components rather than just used as they are. Soutache and beaded

• Over 7,500 quality beads, findings, tools and accessories• Very competitive trade prices• Dedicated trade website• Exclusive trade ranges• Loose beads, strings, hanging tubes and candy tubes• Retail ready branded and unbranded packs and strings• Starter Selections• Low prices on Swarovski factory

packs• Display racks and floor stands• Friendly service and advice• Please quote CB0614 for your free

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information no matter what your media; internet, store or telephone.”

One way to show customers the true quality of the products you stock and what can be achieved with them is to make up some pieces for some design inspiration.

Ms Humpherson says: “All these products can have a variety of different uses and sometimes they are not immediately obvious. Think about the different uses and put together samples as well as describing different applications.”

Make sure that you and your staff are able to answer any questions customers have regarding the samples and the products used, which should in turn help encourage them to make a purchase.

bezelling techniques are helping to drive this trend.”

TAKING ACTIONOther than offering the best customer service and an extensive, selection of beads, pendants, charms and fi ndings, what else can be done to gain customers’ attention and encourage them to make a purchase?

Wyatt says: “To keep on trend, make certain that you are talking to young people to see what they are interested in and what they are wearing. There is a vast amount of information about trends readily available, so make certain that your shop has the latest innovations and that your staff can communicate the

100 ISSUES WITH...

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Lin Chan Working title: Marketing and publicity executiveCompany name: Search Press

The history: Search Press is an independent family owned art and craft book publisher. In the last 10 years we have experienced huge growth but we remain a small dedicated team, publishing the very best in art and craft books.

Can you offer any advice for retailers? Today, retailers have to be proactive in getting customers into their stores; they need a range of books to help sell products. Books act as an inspiration and shopping list for materials. Retailers can also offer their expertise and a social environment that online sellers cannot compete with.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business? Social media exerts tremendous infl uence over the way people around the world obtain and share information, so when the way our customers browse books changes we change our marketing strategies in order to preserve our online presence. We dedicate more time to social media than we did fi ve years ago.

How has your business changed over the last 12 years?Over the last 12 years Search Press has seen tremendous growth. We now publish more than 100 titles each year as well as an ever growing list of distributed titles. We are producing more books each year, allowing us to expand and develop our list with new exciting ideas from across the industry.

100 ISSUES WITH...Name: Wyatt WhiteWorking title: Product manager and

education directorCompany name: Beadalon

The history: WCS was created in 1976 to manufacture miniature steel cables for the automotive industry. As the automotive industry changed so did WCS; the company now manufactures and distributes products into six different markets. One of its biggest markets is jewellery craft. The multi strand wires are a staple in the jewellery making fi eld and are constructed from stainless steel and other green metals with a nylon coating.

Can you offer any advice for retailers?Stay current by following the latest fashion trends because they are much easier to follow. Keep in contact with your customers and make sure they know they are appreciated – it’s a simple thing to thank someone for their business, but how often do you really do it?

What do you think the future is for bricks and mortar shops? Bricks and mortar shops have to differentiate and offer classes, while paying extremely close attention to online retailers’ pricing. Crafters have become incredibly saavy on pricing. Many crafters don’t have the time to ‘drop-in’ on a bead or craft show, while the online shops continue to make it easier to order. Bricks and mortars have to survive with that personal service.

Name: Claire HumphersonWorking title: Marketing managerCompany name: Beads Direct

The history: Beads Direct is a one-stop online shop for jewellery makers, established in 2004 as an online only company. Beads Direct goes beyond selling by educating and inspiring others through wide use of social media (including more than 100 YouTube video tutorials and a Facebook community of more than 25,000 fans). The company has been established for 10 years this year.

How has the industry changed in the past 12 years?Jewellery making has become more fashion focused rather than hobby-based, which has broadened its appeal and made it more accessible to all.

Has the rise of ‘social media’ affected your business?Yes, in a very positive way. When Beads Direct began in 2004 there were very few purely online businesses in the craft sector. Customers expected to be able to visit a bricks and mortar shop. Making the decision to stay solely online was tough but social media provided a fantastic channel to reach out to customers, and show that we were real people and build relationships.

How has your business changed over the last 12 years?We have become much more focused on providing inspiration, projects and how-to videos to support our product range.

EfcoProduct: Paracord braiding

Description: Paracord braiding is a new twist on an age old craft. No more hairy, ‘hippy’ string, this is macramé with attitude! The range offers 4mm and 2mm braiding cords in a polypropylene / polyester mix in more than 40 outdoor colours, plus matching snap clips. Paracord braiding is a fun craft for all ages and skill levels, and it’s perfect for making belts, watch straps, bracelets, leads, key fobs and more. Paracord is available by the reel, in a mixed pack and in a range of 14 starter sets, which retailing at around £5.00.

Contact: 01737 245 450, [email protected], www.efcouk.com

BeadalonProduct: Conetastic

Description: Create custom bead cones and bead caps for strung designs, earrings, Kumihimo and more. The three different sizes of cone mandrels fi t into the base of the tool for easy storage. To use, simply insert the desired mandrel into the base and tighten into place with the included Allen wrench. Place your wire into the insertion hole in the mandrel, hold it in place with your thumb, then gently twist the mandrel until the wire spiral reaches the top. The mandrels can also be used with the Professional Coiling Gizmo Chuck. The tool can be used with a bench vise by inserting the base into the vise. Spiral a coil around a large gauge wire for a custom cone.

Contact: +001-610-466-6000, [email protected], www.beadalon.com

Art Van GoProduct: SolarFast sunlight-developed dyes

Description: SolarFast sunlight-developed dyes from Jacquard Products are used to create beautiful continuous-tone photographs and sun prints on paper and natural fabrics. SolarFast is also great for painting, screen printing, stamping and more, plus it doesn’t require heat-setting, chemical or steam-fi xing. Simply apply SolarFast to a surface and expose the design to sunlight and watch the colour magically appear. Place objects or negatives on the coated surface before exposing. Prints are washable, lightfast and archival leaving fabric completely soft. Available in 14 colours, plus SolarFast wash and SolarFast thickener in 118ml and 240ml.

Contact: 01438 814 946, [email protected], www.artvango.co.uk

DaylightProduct: The MAGnifi cent LED lamp

Description: The new innovative MAGnifi cent LED Lamp is an ideal tool for cardmaking, scrapbooking and crafting projects. It offers great fl exibility as it converts with ease from a fl oor magnifying lamp to a table magnifying lamp. This conversion can be made in seconds by simply removing the extension pole. The large 14.6cm semi-rimless 1.75X magnifying lens allows excellent vision for close work activity, perfect for those who want to enjoy their favourite hobbies. The Daylight LED’s provide high contrast and accurate colour matching, making it easier and less tiring to read, work and see detail clearly. Also, LEDs never need replacing and use very little energy.

Contact: 02089641200, [email protected], www.daylightcompany.com

Creative Beadcraft Product: New Starter Selections

Description: Creative Beadcraft continues to expand its very popular range of Starter Selection packs, strings and tubes, which is the ideal way to add something new or develop existing ranges. New hanging tubes include a variety of Japanese and Czech seed beads and Swarovski bicones and fl atbacks. In addition, the company’s new strung beads include bestselling ranges crystal puffy rondelles and neon beads. These retail ready strings come with loops and labels and make a great display feature. More than 80 Starter Selections are also offered in retail ready bar-coded packs which include fi ndings, charms and beads. Floor stands and display racks also available for packs, tubes and strings.

Contact: 01494 786924, [email protected], www.creativebeadcraft.co.uk

Product InnovationsBeading & Jewellery

BEADING & JEWELLERY


Club GreenProduct: New range of haberdashery

Description: Wedding and party favours are constantly changing as new ideas and trends emerge, but they still need to be affordable. Club Green has expanded its range of ribbons, lace, hessian, lace buntings, glass holders, luggage tags and fl owers to refl ect the latest styles with retro, vintage and shabby-chic themes. From pastels to brights and glitz to glam the range offers the just the right product to suit any chosen theme or colour. Club Green’s extensive range of products also caters for weddings, baby showers, graduation and hen parties and a variety of celebrations.

Contact: 01483 281313, [email protected], www.clubgreen.com

Beads DirectProduct: Loom Band Kit

Description: With this exclusive rubber band loom, which includes hook, bands, charms and S-Clips, crafters can make trendy rubber band bracelets. Rubber band jewellery and accessories have really taken off; kids (and adults) have been going crazy seeing what cool things they can create. There are lots of different colours of bands to experiment with in this amazing kit, including exciting styles like glow in the dark, half-and-half and UV change bands. The included S-clips securely fi nish of bracelets so they can be worn with ease.

Contact: 01509 218028, [email protected], www.beadsdirect.co.uk

W.HobbyProduct: Matchbuilder

Description: The hobby of modelling with matchsticks used to be a creative pleasure for a limited few. Matchbuilder has taken this attractive and rewarding hobby and made it possible for a much greater number of people to enjoy a creative art form which refl ects their own ability and individuality. Matchbuilder uses a method of carefully designed pre-formed shapes as a basis for a range of interesting models. Matchbuilding is an absorbing and therapeutic hobby, which is also perhaps a little like a jigsaw but with a prominent end product. The models can be simply varnished on completion or painted and decorated.

Contact: 020 8761 4244, www.hobby.uk.com


ClinicRetail

Each month we speak to experts about how to deal with some common queries

Meet the

expertsSimon Horton Founder,ShopIntergrator www.shopintegrator.com

Giles PalmerCEO,Brandwatchwww.brandwatch.com

Sarah Hurley Owner of SarahHurley.com and CHA UK board directorwww.cha-uk.co.uk

Got a query for our panel of industry experts?Email [email protected] @craftbiz

GET IN TOUCH

Q We are fairly new on Pinterest and while I love using it to help generate

ideas, how can I use the platform to increase sales?

Mr Horton says: Pinterest is an ideal place for craft businesses as it’s a very visual platform where good looking items generate the most buzz, driving visitor numbers onto your website. In addition, 80 per cent of Pinterest users are women, which tallies with the target audience of craft sites.

To increase sales I suggest the following fi ve steps:

PLAN Instead of creating a pinboard and sticking all your items onto one giant board, stop and plan a series of boards. Group your

Q I’ve recently introduced a new range into store, but how can I go

about effectively marketing and promoting it to all my customers?

Ms Hurley says: There are a number of things you could do to make sure your customers are aware of the new range. Firstly, ensure it’s placed next to related products, especially the popular

and bestselling ones, so if it’s a new line of stamps, then next to existing stamp lines (maybe highlighted with some kind of promotional material or samples made with it) or colouring pens/pencils. You could consider holding a demo day showing off the product line (there are lots of demonstrators available for hire if you don’t have a design team yourself). You could incorporate the new product into a class or workshop held at your store on

online, via livestream or YouTube – there is no better way to sell a product than showing it being used and providing inspiration – if the product is completely new then this is defi nitely something I would highly recommend. Social media will help a lot too, tweeting, posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram and highlighting on your website if you have one, this will get people to share and you may even consider doing a giveaway across your social media.

TACKLING PINTEREST

SOCIAL SCARES

PRIZE PROMOTION

QDespite much encouragement from customers, I’m still wary about taking

my business on Twitter and Facebook – what are the pitfalls small business owners should watch out for when socialising their businesses?

Mr Palmer says: When thinking about socialising your business, it’s best not to jump straight in. There are different social media platforms cropping up every day that could be benefi cial for your business to varying degrees, so as mentioned before you fi rst need to identify which platform you need to be active in. Once you have created a presence you also need to be committed to it. There is no point in creating a Twitter account for your business and not being active on it. Another tip, don’t assume that your audience will stay the same; you need to make sure that your business continues to engage and

communicate with the audience as the relationship grows. When it comes to social media and customer service there is also a fi ne line between being responsive to the queries/concerns that are raised and equally fi guring out why those comments have been made and adapting your business model in order to ensure they do not happen again. One of the benefi ts of being a small business is that you have the fl exibility to be responsive and change as and when is needed.

products into collections and create boards where you re-pin other things of interest to craft lovers to help grow your own following.

PIN ITPlace a ‘Pin It’ button on every page on your website to encourage visitors to share the beautiful things they see in your store. It acts as a visual wishlist that is associated with your site.

WHAT’S HOT?Look at your Pinterest analytics to discover what receives the most views and click-throughs to your website. This lets you focus your future designs and stock on what your visitors like most.

DON’T BE SHYAlways include the price in your description. A study by

eConsultancy on Pinterest marketing found pins showing a price received 36 per cent more ‘likes’ compared to those without.

A PIN IS GOOD, A RICH PIN IS BETTER!Ever wondered how Etsy’s pins contain extra information on the pin detail page, such as price, stock availability and special offer pricing? ‘Rich pins’ give you the power to add extra details by using hidden meta data from your web page.

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• Papercraft: Stamping & Embossing

• Knitting: Tools & accessories

• Beading & Jewellery: Customising with beads

• Stitching & Haberdashery: Dressmaking

• Plus: Topical Interviews,

Show coverage & Emerging Trend Reporting

For more information please contact: Sophie on 01206 505 116 or email: [email protected]

August ~ Issue 101 ~ Published 18th July


StockFour retailers give us the lowdown on the success of Yarn Shop Day’s debut on Saturday May 3

Take

Sharon Newman, owner of AvicraftWool in Bromley, Kent fi rst opened her shop in 2004

Joan Hubbard and Louise Hough, owners of Crafty Stitches in Northwich opened their shop in 1998

Sue and Steve Amphlett, owners of Cottontail Crafts in Settle, North Yorkshire opened their shop in 1956

Rachael Price, owner of The Sewing Box in Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea opened her shop in 1997

ABOUT THIS SHOP: We are a family-run business with traditional values. We are very warm and welcoming and our staff are able to sort out most knitting problems customers might have.

HOW MANY CUSTOMERS PER WEEK? We get around 80-90 customers visiting us each week.

BESTSELLING PRODUCT? Rico Baby is popular because of its wide range of colours and very affordable price.

HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE YARN SHOP DAY?We launched Sirdar as a new company to our shop. Customers bought the new line of Sirdar Cotton to make a tiered cardigan for a child from the Sirdar pattern (which I’m also knitting for my daughter).

SUM UP YOUR YARN SHOP DAY IN THREE WORDS:Busy, busy and busy!

Saturday May 3 saw the launch of Yarn Shop Day, part of the Love Your Yarn Shop year-long campaign and the brainchild of leading craft magazines, Let’s Get Crafting and Let’s Knit.

The campaign was the fi rst of its kind and saw more than 160 yarn shop retailers from across the country sign up to celebrate and spread the word about the fantastic, irreplaceable and personal service bricks and mortar stores provide their customers.

Each store that signed up to the campaign was encouraged to host its own special events to draw in consumers and from the resounding response on Twitter and in shopes across the country, great fun was defi nitely had by all who got involved.

Would you like to share your views with other retailers? Get in touch today. Email [email protected]. We’d love to hear what you have to say.

ABOUT YARN SHOP DAY

ABOUT THIS SHOP: We are a little shop, with a lot of stock in the heart of Cheshire. An Aladdin’s cave brimming with fabulous, up-to-date yarns from all of the big suppliers, including Sirdar, Patons, King Cole, Debbie Bliss and many more.

HOW MANY CUSTOMERS PER WEEK? On average around 400 visitors.

BESTSELLING PRODUCT? Currently Sirdar’s 100 per cent cotton DK. Everyone loves the feel of this pure cotton yarn; its mercerised look gives a great sheen and the pattern support is fantastic.

ABOUT THIS SHOP: We are a small craft shop in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, selling knitting yarns, sewing, haberdashery, craft and children’s crafts. We pride ourselves on our knowledge and high standards of customer service.

HOW MANY CUSTOMERS PER WEEK? We get around 200/500 customers depending on the season.

BESTSELLING PRODUCT? On the wool side, the Rico Essentials Cotton is a new addition to our range and is fl ying off the shelves. Our bestselling impulse buy is the Prym Needle Twister.

HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE YARN SHOP DAY?We held our event over three days and we gave away 150 goodie bags

to customers. We had an expert guest each day and a local handspinner sat outside, plus big discounts and a window display showcasing the talent of our customers’ work.

SUM UP YOUR YARN SHOP DAY IN THREE WORDS:Successful, buzzing and inspiring!

HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE YARN SHOP DAY?With a big bang! We yarn bombed the street in front of our shop, with fl ags and a hanging basket knitted/crocheted by our ‘Chicks that Knit’ knitting club and designer, Tracey Todhunter provided her crochet services to customers too.

SUM UP YOUR YARN SHOP DAY IN THREE WORDS:A fabulous day!

BESTSELLING PRODUCT? It has to be Stylecraft Special DK wool because even for a value yarn it’s very soft and smooth and wonderful to knit with. Plus it is a very good value yarn.

HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE YARN SHOP DAY?We had a programme of events running outside under our marquee, with demonstrations on felting and yarn embellishment, a crochet taster class and a Sparklemouse Knit and Natter with the lovely Jane Burns, which was all washed down with lots of tea and woolly cupcakes.

SUM UP YOUR YARN SHOP DAY IN THREE WORDS:A great experience!

ABOUT THIS SHOP: Our customers like to describe us as an Aladdin’s cave of knitting, sewing and craft materials.

HOW MANY CUSTOMERS PER WEEK? We get approximately 240 visitors each week.

DOING THE BUSINESS…EditorZoe Monk01206 [email protected]

News & Features WriterSarah-Jane Lampe01206 [email protected]

Group EditorCharlotte [email protected]

Advertising ManagerRichard Honey01206 [email protected]

Advertising ExecutiveSophie Hudson01206 [email protected]

SubscriptionsMaria Doyle01206 [email protected]

Group Advertising ManagerSam Reubin01206 [email protected]

AccountsAnne-Marie Hartley 01206 505902

Design/TypesettingMS Typesetting & Design

Publishing Director Helen Tudor

Printed in England

Published by:Aceville Publications Ltd21-23 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JY

©Aceville Publications Ltd

Disclaimer:The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the veracity and integrity of the companies, persons, products and services mentioned in this publication, and details given are believed to be accurate at the time of going to press. However no responsibility or liability whatsoever can be accepted for any consequence or repercussion of responding to any information or advice given or inferred.

For information on the full EQS range of products, including Sew Simple:web site: www.eqsuk.com phone: 0116 271 0033 e-mail: [email protected]

BatiksBeautiful batiks, both polos and stamped, from Indonesia atexceptional prices. See our new range of stamped batiks -seven designs in up to 30 glorious colours.

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ISSUE SPECIAL - Craft Business Magazine

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