Today's "Brief Introductions" post on Scoutie Girl features the artwork of Beauchamping. (Amy Sharp of Little Alouette writes/contributes these posts each Tuesday.)
As I was editing the feature, this quote jumped out and bonked me on the head, just before it made my heart go thumpity-thump and my neck go noddity-nod. I have been going round-n-round with myself about a new collection of organic fabrics I am going to offer at *wholesale* - a major production run of yardage that will cost major dollars! My major dollars. It's a huge risk, but I'm ready, willing & able to put myself out there. The wholesale inquiries I've gotten over the past year also pound me on the head everyday, "What are you waiting for lady?!"
Well, the designs are ready - have been ready - have been shelved for various reasons for months - have been unshelved - have been dusted off - now....the hard self-examination comes into play. Do I go with my gut & original concepts that are somewhat non-conformist? Or, b/c this is such a huge financial risk, do I go with a more mainstream introduction? The difference being that the former is more simple & very mod / very retro with only 1 color & white per design, while the latter would be the same collection but with more than 1 color on a few of the designs so you have more "overtly" relatable companion fabrics? They'll be printed on a soft quilter's weight cotton - does the type of fabric dictate what the collection should look like? After reading all the incredible projects you're all working on (in the big May Giveaway Day comments), there a lot of savvy sewers and hobbyists out there who might have a feeling or preference about this. I'd love to hear from you! I am not a quilter; I am a sewer of things - I see things from that perspective and that may very well be an advantage or a disadvantage. The self-taught artist and marketing graduate in me tends toward differentiation as an opportunity - but maybe I'm all inside out about this. What if the very attributes that make my work distinct sink my ship instead?
If Daisy Janie were a big company with an experienced art and merchandising department and had a budget for taking calculated risks, we would sit around a big table with our coffees in a Monday meeting and hash this out - so pretend for a minute. As much as I like to think I've got this all figured out, something comes along that casts shadows of doubt. When I think of the thousands of dollars I will be spending and the precedent I'll be creating for my business, it really becomes a stress-inducing mottled mess for me. Add to that a turn-around time of 4 mos - and it increases the pressure tenfold b/c I don't want to piss around any longer about this.....just get it done already! Any insights or thoughts you'd like to share?
