Fall Scarves Are Here!

I actually managed to get some pictures taken this weekend. The weather cooperated and I spent several hours on the screened in back porch clicking away. There were periodically neighbors outside enjoying the weather and they shot a few strange glances my way but it didn't slow me down. Mike and I tend to be a bit standoffish with our neighbors which is something I've been trying to change. I think we are seen as quite but a little odd by most of them to be honest.

I'll be starting to list some items this week and will hopefully get my shop filled up before the cool weather hits. I like how the top shot turned out. It's a real statement piece and I think the drama comes through. This next one is another favorite. It was my first attempt to felt a scarf and it ended up shorter than I expected. So I cut a few button holes and added the ceramic buttons and called it a wrap. The colors really pop in this shot.

I kept the photo shoot simple. I used my new fancy tripod that was a gift and it helped tremendously. I usually waste so much time setting my camera down, focusing, and then making sure I'm holding the camera still. With the tripod I could click and then start walking around to set up my next shot. I didn't get too fancy with my shots either. I used my mannequins and got at least two different angles of each scarf and then a few macro shots of the details. This gave me at least 4 shots of each item. I did still end up taking too many shots but I know that sometimes colors wash out or something gets off so if I like an angle I will take a couple just to be safe. With the tripod I noticed how slow my shutter speed actually is on my camera. I've never noticed the seconds in between shots before since I'm usually using that time to make sure my hands are steady.

I spent the rest of the day on Saturday going through the pictures, picking the 4 or 5 that I'll use for each scarf and deleting the rest. I then cropped them to a square and brightened them up a bit with my camera software editing tool. I sometimes use GIMP if I need to do something more intricate with a picture, like change the size, but for the most part my Canon Powershot software is easy to use and sufficient for my editing needs.

Stay tuned for more about my new Fall inventory. I used that term this weekend with a friend and she laughed. She said it always sounds funny when I say my inventory, but hey it's business baby!

You Touch it You buy It

A new study discussed in Live Science finds that people were likely to pay more for an item if they were allowed to hold the item first and form an attachment. This is exactly why I prefer selling at craft shows over on-line. Here is a quote from the article by Andrea Thompson, Senior Writer:

"A new study suggests that just fingering an item on a store shelf can create an attachment that makes you willing to pay more for it.

Previous studies have shown that many people begin to feel ownership of an item — that it "is theirs" — before they even buy it. But this study, conducted by researchers at Ohio State University, is the first to show "mine, mine, mine" feelings can begin in as little as 30 seconds after first touching an object."

Understanding this concept from a seller's perspective is really important. If I can get my scarves into people's hand where they can touch and try them on they are much more likely to buy. Pictures just can't recreate that experience. The scarf above is made from 100% alpaca. You don't know from the picture how amazingly soft and indulgent it feels. I can tell you that it really is worth more than the $43 I'm asking for it but unless you feel it and fall in love you won't get it.

This really solidifies my business plans for next year. I want to not only do more craft shows but also try to get my items into people's hands at boutiques in the area next fall. On-line sales are just not going to cut it for me. I will continue to build a presence on-line and have a place to send my customers that find me at craft shows. I had at least one good sale come from someone who touched my items at a show this year and then came on-line to buy 3 scarves the next week.

I can totally relate as a buyer also. I know that when I pick something up and start to picture the item in my life I am much more motivated to "buy now". I have a pretty good imagination and as long as the pictures are good I can have a similar experience shopping on line. I really try to have my pictures not just accurately reflect the colors but also the tactile experience of the fabric. I don't know how well I did with this scarflette. I don't know if you can really see how amazingly soft the Extra Fine Merino Wool/ Angora/ Nylon blend yarn is. The scarves that sell quickly on-line are ones that I'm somehow able to capture that softness in a picture. I think some people are also more "visual shoppers" while others are more tactile. I would love to find a way to reach both of them on-line but for now I will just have to work on my pics and continue to look for venues to carry my items in person.

What's New Wednesday

I haven't taken the time to show off any of my new items lately so please indulge me for a moment while I share some new additions to the shop. It is actually easier for me to promote other etsy sellers than it is for me to toot my own horn. I don't really know why that it, but that is a topic for a whole other session.

Here is my latest listing. I bought a box of lace and buttons at a garage sale a few months back and had fun making some wrist cuffs out of the scraps. I'm calling this one the Bumblebee. I used 2 lace ribbons and knit them using a lace stitch to make lace out of lace.



I got on a kick where I was making what I called Art Scarves by using coordinating yarns in a wild mix of textures. I named this one after Gustaf Klimt since I think the vibrant colors are reminiscent of his work.


I have a number of my knitted necklaces listed now but I have a lot more to get up. I have a lot of fun making them and picking out the beads to use with the yarn. I call this one China Blue and I love the little beads that have a willow ware look to them like the plates I hang in my kitchen.



I have several of my knitted wire bracelets listed now. This is the first one I made with a gold colored wire and I used some lovely looking citrine beads.

I have also been listing a bunch of scarflettes like the Bamboo Blues one above which is a super soft bamboo yarn.