Interview With A Fiber Tycoon

New to the 1000 Things Alpaca Team Blog...

SkeinYarns is an absolutely incredible fiber artist from New England, Australia. Known for her stunning color combinations and extremely high quality yarn and fiber. She registered her shop name in January 2010 and opened for business in May 2010 - less than a year ago. In that time, she's made over 1000 sales on Etsy!!

Get to know SkeinYarns and find out some of the secrets behind her unbelievable success...

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Creative. Perfectionist. Compassionate. Reliable. Independent.

Tell us about your business! How did you get started?

Ever since I can remember I have always been interested in Arts and Crafts. I draw, paint, sew, I love visiting art galleries and buy way too many arts and crafts books, magazines, pencils, sketch pads, etc...

When it comes to knitting though I am completely obsessed. I started knitting when I was around 11 years old, I used to watch my grandmother knit and wanted to learn. My mother taught me how to knit and purl. I made a few little things, mainly dolls clothes but my interest in knitting faded.

It wasn't until I was in my mid twenties and all of a sudden I got the urge to knit again and it never left. I knit every day, even if it's a few rows....I love it. Not long after I picked the needles up again I became interested in hand-dying yarn. It started with Kool Aid then progressed to acid dyes and after a few years of experimenting I had a huge amount of hand-dyed yarn. It was then, that I thought about opening an Etsy store and here I am!

I registered my shop in Jan 2010 and opened for business in May 2010. I sell all different weights of hand-dyed/kettle-dyed yarns, as well as fiber.

Do you have Alpacas or another kind of farm?

I wish! Maybe someday. :)

Describe your typical crafting day!

I get up at around 7.30am, have breakfast then sit in front of my laptop with a pot of tea checking and responding to emails and messages on Etsy and Ravelry. At around 9am I usually head to the Post Office and drop off my orders, then its home to my dye pots! I usually dye yarn/fiber until around 3pm, then its either skeining up yarns, making labels or packing orders until its time to make dinner.

I usually try to leave the nights free to relax, catch up with my partner Paul and of course knit. But at least once or twice a week I'm up late getting everything ready for the shop updates...this means taking and uploading pictures, getting the listings organized etc. I also try and squeeze in an hour or two of bookkeeping somewhere...my days really do fly!

What is your Etsy shop name and how did you pick it?

Its "Skein"... I wanted something simple, one word which describes what I sell.

What key things do you think have contributed the MOST to your success on Etsy?

The main key was having really good quality product photos. Another important key was advertising on Ravelry. This was and still is worth every penny. Also having good quality yarn and fiber... knitters and spinners invest a lot of time in making their projects and handspun yarns and if the yarn/fiber is of poor quality, they won't come back.

Tell us about your first Etsy sale!

My first sale was about 12 hours after I first listed my yarns... I was SO excited, it was the best feeling... it's ALWAYS a great feeling and makes all the hard work so worthwhile.

If you could offer ONE piece of advice to new sellers, what would it be?

Learn how to take great pictures of your items. There are so many wonderful tutorials on etsy and online. Read up on lightboxes (so easy to make yourself with a bit of cardboard), simple lighting tips etc... Its really easy and doesn't cost much money, you don't even need an expensive camera.

Tell us about your product photography! What is your process like?

Before I started my Etsy shop I spent a lot of time researching how best to photograph items for online sale. I use a simple "lightbox" which is just a white square of canvas laid over a table and curving up onto the wall (you can also use regular white cardboard). I set the table next to a window, so that I have natural light which reflects off the white canvas. I then set up my yarns and snap away!

I also use photoshop to brighten and crop photos...another wonderful tool. I have a Nikon D5000 which has been a wonderful camera, but when I started I was using a cheap digital camera which also took great lightbox pictures.

Note from the blog author - check out our Team's photography help discussion thread!

5 shops from your favorites list that you recommend?

In no particular order...

Falling Stitches... I love Ariane's designs, I highly recommend trying one of her patterns...all of them are beautiful. She also sells lovely beaded stitch markers, which you can never have too many of.

Ms Gusset... A fellow Aussie hand-dyer who has the most beautifully dyed spinning fiber (I know I brought some :) ). I Highly recommend Ms. Gusset to all spinners. MsGusset also sells sock yarn and I hear is about to start a sock club... I'm hoping a fiber club will follow!

Sage and Mage... Another Australian Etsy seller who has beautiful essential oil products including perfume, lotions and balms. I brought some ginger perfume and wow! I will be back for sure.

Pretty Twists... Has the most wonderful selection of mouth watering handspun yarn. I have a few skeins in my stash which one day will be knitted up into something special...but for now I just love to look and pet them. Pretty Twists is also based in Australia.

Mulberry Muse... Another Australian shop which has been a favourite of mine for a long time. I'm really taken with the whimsical/vintage/ornate designs... so clever and so beautiful!

What do you do to relax?

Knit! I love to knit and listen to podcasts. I also love to cook and will happily spend hours looking through cookbooks finding recipes to make when I have a free night. There's nothing better than preparing a feast while enjoying a good glass of wine.

Fun or obscure fact about yourself?

I don't watch TV. I love movies /DVDs (including ironically TV series like The Wire and Sopranos my two fav's) but I don't watch TV ever... not even the news. I used to watch way too much TV and found that it sapped a lot of my time, so I decided to try and give up for 1 month and that was 2 years ago...I don't miss it one bit!

Where would you like to be in 10 years?

I would love to have a little walk-in store where I can dye my wares out the back and sell from the shop as well as online.

Read more about SkeinYarns on her blog!

Follow her on Twitter!

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April Merchandising & Marketing Opportunities!

Straight from the Etsy Merchandising Desk (minus the fluff & filler, and with a little Well Criated flare!) - April trends, hot items, treasury themes, and more. Plus... an exclusive trends section at the end, JUST for Alpaca People!

Important Changes from Etsy:

(And how to benefit from them...)

• Significantly bigger emphasis on menswear and unisex items, meaning they'll be choosing more men or unisex-oriented treasuries, sellers, and items to feature.
• Vintage also, will start getting more love this April, with more featured treasuries, shops, and items! Think Vintage Alpaca sweaters, bags, and art.
• Shop Local - this feature has been around for awhile, but with events such as Euro Week (currently happening! March 21-25), this becomes extremely important. The wold-wide movement of "shopping local" is also growing larger every day. Make sure locals can find you with the Shop Local feature and the Local Filter, by filling in your country, state/province, and city!

April Marketing Opportunities:

(Turning April Events into April Profits!)

• Spring in the Northern hemisphere, but... Fall in the Southern hemisphere! Don't close up shop for the summer, with your lovely Alpaca knit sweaters and scarves! Just offer international shipping instead. :)
• Baby Season is upon us! Introduce baby blankets, booties, congratulations cards, and all sorts of things for little ones, their mothers, and baby showers!
• Prom Season is right around the corner. Etsy suggests glammed-up prom options with a touch of sparkle and edge: dresses, shoes, jewelry, bags, hair accessories, corsages, and make up.
• Wedding Season is coming up as well! Think white felt flowers, bobbin lace, nuno felt wraps, light crocheted shawls, wedding favors, bridesmaids gifts, boutonnieres, and more! Remember both the ceremony and after-party!
• Graduations are only a couple months away too! Most colleges end in mid-May, while most high schools end in mid to late June. Etsy suggests teacher appreciation items, and sentimental congratulation items for graduates.

• April International Guitar Month - Try some guitar, country, bluegrass, and music themed items and treasuries!

• April 1 April Fools - Gag gifts, practical jokes, and humor are going to be popular. Emphasis on the sillier side of handmade and vintage! Try some fun, unexpected themes and items, such as our "Paca Beans" (candies that look like alpaca poo)!
• April 3 Mothering Sunday (UK Mother's Day) - start tagging items for "mothering sunday" and "mothers day" right away! Anything that a lady would like, can get tagged! Also using the tags "handmade gifts" or "unique gifts" in conjunction with "mothers day", is a good idea.
• April 4-10 Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta - Golf theme! Goes along with the menswear themes, too. Also think Alpaca golf caps and mens sweaters.
• April 5 Ching Ming Festival (Hong Kong) - Also known as the Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day, or Tomb Sweeping Day. This is a day for remembering and honoring one's ancestors. Think memories, family, and history, with a Chinese flair!
• April 15 Tax Deadline - Some interesting themes could come out of this one! Think numbers, paperwork, organizational tools, money, and office supplies. Vintage stapler anyone?
• April 19-25 Passover
• April 22 Earth Day - All things eco, earth, and woodland! Etsy suggests themes such as recycling, repurposing, upcycling, and the use of reclaimed, naturally sourced, self-sustaining, and environmentally-friendly materials. Alpaca fiber is eco-friendly, environmentally-friendly, natural, AND sustainable, so don't forget those keywords and tags for your items and treasuries!
• April 22 Good Friday
• April 23 St George Day
• April 24 Easter Sunday - Easter bunnies, rabbits, eggs, baskets, candies, toys, chicks, children's spring formal attire, religious momentos, brights, and pastels!
• April 25 Liberty Day (Portugal) - Portuguese flag colors.
• April 27 Freedom Day (South Africa) - South African flag colors.
• April 29 Greenery Day (Japan) - a day to commune with nature and be thankful for blessings. All things green, natural, and forest-themed.
• April 29 Arbor Day - a day to encourage tree planting and care! Think woodlands, forests, trees, plants, new growth, new life, woodgrain, wood.
• April 30 Queen's Day (Netherlands) - a day of national unity and "togetherness". Think Netherlands flag colors and all things Dutch: cuisine, fashion, history, etc.

April Trends:

(Trends, Explanations, Alternatives, and Ideas!)

• Spring - Themes such as spring cleaning, spring fashions, spring planting, spring break, fresh outlooks, rejuvenation, and splashes of light, bright color will be popular! Also... don't forget about "April showers"!
• Gardening & Farming - Etsy suggests tools, plant markers, composting solutions (alpaca manure!), gloves, scrubs (alpaca?), seeds, plantable papers, organic methods, farmers markets, organic meats and dairy, dairy farmers, cheese artisans, seasonality, planting calenders, tips, recipes, and vintage industrial farming references.
• Japan Relief - Japan's flag, japanese art and cuisine, scenery, fans, koi fish, etc. Tagging donation items "prayforjapan" and "artistaid" will help people find them!
• Little Red Riding Hood - since the new movie, this fairytale has been growing in popularity. Esty suggests forestry, red capes, wolves, werewolves, the moon ("blood moon"), young love, legends and dark fairytales. Wolves, werewolves, and moons are a recurring theme in modern culture right now (Twilight books/movies, the Vampire Diaries TV Show, etc). Red Alpaca cowls, scarves, and hair accessories will fit in well! If it's red and goes near your head, tag it as "Little Red Riding Hood"!
• Gadget Accessories - accessories for tablets and smartphones are becoming increasingly popular. Think iPhone, iPad (now iPad 2), iPod Touch, Droid, etc. We fiber people have no excuses here! Felting, knitting, or weaving an iPod case would be a cinch compared to some of the incredible products I've seen from this team!
• The Indoor Garden - spring makes us all want to be outside! During rainy April bringing the outdoors in, is at a height in popularity. Etsy suggests glass domes, terrariums, air plants, window herbs, succulent plants, garden markers, and planters. Also, think garden or woodland themed wall decor, mobiles, felt sculptures (plants, trees, mushrooms, etc), and things for the home or office.
• Vintage Designer - all things that USED to be hip, are back IN! And I'm not just talking clothes. Etsy suggests vintage designer fashion, collectibles, bikes, and even auto accessories.
• The Butcher - Etsy suggests cuts of meat, diagrams, butcher paper, knives, bacon, and aprons. This isn't a very relevant category for us Alpaca people. Alpaca meat is actually starting to be sold in the U.S., which I think is terribly tragic. :( Who would want to eat an adorable Alpaca?! Anyways... Think kitchen and cooking supplies! Felted fiber trivets, anyone? :)
• Food Trends - year of the homemade pie, whoopie pie, and macaroon! Think coconut, chocolate, cream, fresh fruits, and anything "pie". Felted "play food" versions of these things will also be hot!
• Writable Surfaces - Etsy suggests chalkboards, whiteboards, and fingerprints. And don't forget about journals, notepads, notecards, chalks, handprints, and footprints. Maybe even 'paca prints?!
• Personalization - especially influential as wedding season approaches. Etsy suggests monograms, initials, text, numbers, zodiacs, constellations, portraits, custom labels, stamps, fingerprints, and family trees. For Alpaca people, also think custom logos, farm names, pet and animal portraits, and custom felt pet sculptures.
• Vintage (Travel & Farm) - Etsy suggests globes, maps, crates, baskets, barware, industrial appliances, farmhouse, typewriters, cameras, letterpress, brass, and cast iron animals. This is right up our alley! Don't forget about farm animals (felties, photos, etc), woven baskets, gourd bowls, and all sorts of other farm-themed things. Plus... spring time means travel season. Felted passport cases, quilted travel totes, crocheted luggage tags, and other fun things like that, will be great products this time of year!
• Geometry - Etsy suggests geometric shapes, patterns, triangles, and chevrons. A perfect one for weavers and quilters! Woven scarves and accessories featuring diamonds like this one, are going to be hot! Don't forget to tag them "geometry" or "geometrical".
• Beards - Apparently... they have transcended the mustache in popularity! Think knit hats with attached beards, like this one, for instance.
• Redheads - Don't forget... that even if your MODEL is a red head, you can still tag your item as redhead!
• Color Trends - Etsy suggests black paired with white, gold, or navy. Also, orange, camel, chartreuse, neons, and brights.
• Fashion Trends - Etsy suggests emphasis on basics, spring and summer dresses, lightweight bags and carryalls, sunglasses, swimwear, hair accessories, jewelry, and sandals. Unique shoulders: structured, elevated, outlined, embellished. Lace (think bobbin lace or crocheted lace), faux reptile skins, 1970s revival, structured wearable art (just tag your beautiful felt accessories as "wearable art"), sporty (knit/crochet head bands are perfect for skiing!), nautical, American classics, tribal influence (think African and even... Peruvian for the Alpaca people!).
• Secrets - Etsy suggests secret hiding places, lockets, skeleton keys, and silhouettes. Think felted mini-pouch pendants, little bottle pendants, key necklaces, and all sorts of other little cache places. Maybe even custom pet/alpaca silhouettes?
• Feathers & Arrows - Feather hair extensions and accessories have been trending up non-stop this month, and will continue in April. Also think woodland scenes and Nottingham Forest!
• Birds - Etsy suggests "namely birds" (birds that people know the name of), owls, feathers (again), nests, and eggs. Or... all of those things... out of felt!
• Woodland Creatures- Etsy suggests woodland/forest animals, squirrels, hedgehogs, chipmunks, bunnies, and butterflies.
• Nature - Etsy suggests natural history, woodland/forest themes, acorns, leaves, trees, branches, wood, woodgrain, and natural colors.
• Fortunes - Etsy suggests Fortune Cookies (another Chinese theme!), wishbones, and fortune tellers. Also think crystal balls, dream catchers, horse shoes, and all things lucky, fairytale, and folklore!
• Diamonds - The April birthstone.
• Aries & Taurus - The astrological signs of April (Aries: March 21 - April 20, Taurus: April 21 - May 20). Think Rams and Bulls!

April Trends For Alpaca People:

(Hot Alpaca-community trends this April!)

• Cria Coats - people always end up with early babies! If you're thinking about buying a cria coat, or even starting to make them yourself, check out this post.
• Organizational Supplies - things to make peoples' lives easier! Alpaca people are notoriously busier this time of year, as babies start being born, and craft shows and festivals pick up in the warmer Spring weather. Fiber display boards, paper weights (show booths aren't always in the best spots!), business card holders, organizational totes, guest sign-in books, and signs and banners will all be hot items for business people and vendors.
• Crafting Materials - craft supplies, yarn, roving, batting, clouds, felt sheets, kits, supply organizers (shelves, totes, knitting needle pouches, etc) will be on demand with crafters right now!
• Unique Gardening Ideas - there are TONS of fun ideas out there, for incorporating Alpaca fiber into gardening... such as felted bird houses, bird nesting material dispensers, and using fiber seconds for weed control (if you put them in your garden walk-ways, they'll felt up, preventing weeds)!

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