It was a really long year! Full of happiness and disappointments, big starts and falls, everyday learning and everyday fixing, chasing the dream and losing it.
In february 2015, right before my birthday, I opened a quilt shop.
A tiny pretty place, full of beautiful fabric and quilts was located in an ancient historic building in a city center. I was so proud and happy, so full of hope and faith in what I was doing! I was just shining and flying every day and when I finally got the first order for a quilt, I thought I would die of happiness that my dream came true.
But... some weeks later I was told that very soon the street where my shop was located would be closed for construction works for at least three years: there will go a tram. I was upset seeing how my neighbours were leaving to the other places, and started to pay attention to the other shops for rent to move too...
Very soon I noticed an advertisement in a shopping mall. Well, it is hard to call that a mall, but there were a big grocery store and some little shops-satellites with clothing, cosmetics, toys, gifts and I thought - why not? Why not to try this? The parking is always full of people, the place is doing well and the shop I wanted to rent was right in front of the entrance to the grocery, so people could easily see my bright and colored shop while entering or leaving.
And I dared.
The fees were extremely high. Monthly fee, cleaning, guards, 'donations' to the mall. Also taxes and salaries to my sellers - yes, I had to hire one more girl for weekend, because according to the mall's rules the shop had to be always open. So, it was also double salary wastes...
Anyway, the first two months went sooo well! I was buried under the orders, can you believe, I made a king size a day and many many small things like lunch mats, tableclothes, curtains, aprons, bags etc.etc.etc... I slept 3 hours a day and was trying some sewers to hire, I so much needed help!
Paying attention that I am also a mother of two littleones and a wife and nobody denied the housework - I was like a zombie. But a happy one! We did very well, the sales were incredible, people just loved my work and brought friends to my store. I ordered 300 extra rolls of fabric in the US and tried to find people to hire for sewing...
The school ended in June and people started to leave city for vacations and the parking in front of the mall was not crowded anymore. The people were still coming and ordering, but not that many as before. I felt myself better as far as had more time for rest and kids. But some time later realized that we are earning right inside the budget we waste. Woo-hoo, not good. The people around were telling me about these three summer months when all the city is having rest on the ocean coast and I tried to accumulate my forces and finances to stay in budget. I was using this time to make more quilts for September, Haloween and even Christmas to be prepared to the time when customers come back as a hungry wave and buy out all my quilts and fabrics. Right as some months before.
Time passed. We payed everything we earned ending up with zero.
In September the situation was still the same. I was nervous. What's going on? Where are the people?
My searching brought me to a new shopping mall where all the people moved. Comfortable parking, bigger choice, new, clean and shiny grocery... People were there. The parking was full like hell. But the worst happened next.
Very soon the road in front of 'my' shopping mall was closed. Totally closed for the same tram. For three years. Jesus.
Leaving that time was a torture.
I was given only one night to leave the mall with all my goodies. We brought a mountain of fabric, quilts and supplies, dropped that all in my leaving room in a chaos. I was looking at that mountain and thinking: this is how my dream crashes. It was very painful. I mean - really painful.
It seemed I have no more power and energy inside to move ahead. Like dead I was painting and reorganizing the garage to turn it into a quilting studio.
Now we totally changed our work conceptions. I am still in sewing business, but in a quite boring and no-creative sector of it. We reorganized our thinking and goals and the work begins to give it's fruits.
But you know what turned to the best?
I again feel myself happy while quilting and piecing quilts! When your hobby (even the most most most favorite one) becomes your main work - it is like you've lost something very important. You don't enjoy the process anymore, you're looking at these gorgeous fabrics with frozen eyes and don't feel the heart beating faster when you switch on the long arm. This becomes routine. This becomes work.
Did this experience kill me?
No. Now I know that I am able to do that.
Do I still dream about a quilt shop?
Yes. But in a better time and a better place.
A few days ago one friend on FB wrote me: Go big or go home.
Thank you my friend! I really printed out these words and have them on the wall behind my sewing machine to see them every minute I am working.
And I will go.
In february 2015, right before my birthday, I opened a quilt shop.
A tiny pretty place, full of beautiful fabric and quilts was located in an ancient historic building in a city center. I was so proud and happy, so full of hope and faith in what I was doing! I was just shining and flying every day and when I finally got the first order for a quilt, I thought I would die of happiness that my dream came true.
But... some weeks later I was told that very soon the street where my shop was located would be closed for construction works for at least three years: there will go a tram. I was upset seeing how my neighbours were leaving to the other places, and started to pay attention to the other shops for rent to move too...
Very soon I noticed an advertisement in a shopping mall. Well, it is hard to call that a mall, but there were a big grocery store and some little shops-satellites with clothing, cosmetics, toys, gifts and I thought - why not? Why not to try this? The parking is always full of people, the place is doing well and the shop I wanted to rent was right in front of the entrance to the grocery, so people could easily see my bright and colored shop while entering or leaving.
And I dared.
The fees were extremely high. Monthly fee, cleaning, guards, 'donations' to the mall. Also taxes and salaries to my sellers - yes, I had to hire one more girl for weekend, because according to the mall's rules the shop had to be always open. So, it was also double salary wastes...
Anyway, the first two months went sooo well! I was buried under the orders, can you believe, I made a king size a day and many many small things like lunch mats, tableclothes, curtains, aprons, bags etc.etc.etc... I slept 3 hours a day and was trying some sewers to hire, I so much needed help!
Paying attention that I am also a mother of two littleones and a wife and nobody denied the housework - I was like a zombie. But a happy one! We did very well, the sales were incredible, people just loved my work and brought friends to my store. I ordered 300 extra rolls of fabric in the US and tried to find people to hire for sewing...
The school ended in June and people started to leave city for vacations and the parking in front of the mall was not crowded anymore. The people were still coming and ordering, but not that many as before. I felt myself better as far as had more time for rest and kids. But some time later realized that we are earning right inside the budget we waste. Woo-hoo, not good. The people around were telling me about these three summer months when all the city is having rest on the ocean coast and I tried to accumulate my forces and finances to stay in budget. I was using this time to make more quilts for September, Haloween and even Christmas to be prepared to the time when customers come back as a hungry wave and buy out all my quilts and fabrics. Right as some months before.
Time passed. We payed everything we earned ending up with zero.
In September the situation was still the same. I was nervous. What's going on? Where are the people?
My searching brought me to a new shopping mall where all the people moved. Comfortable parking, bigger choice, new, clean and shiny grocery... People were there. The parking was full like hell. But the worst happened next.
Very soon the road in front of 'my' shopping mall was closed. Totally closed for the same tram. For three years. Jesus.
Leaving that time was a torture.
I was given only one night to leave the mall with all my goodies. We brought a mountain of fabric, quilts and supplies, dropped that all in my leaving room in a chaos. I was looking at that mountain and thinking: this is how my dream crashes. It was very painful. I mean - really painful.
It seemed I have no more power and energy inside to move ahead. Like dead I was painting and reorganizing the garage to turn it into a quilting studio.
Now we totally changed our work conceptions. I am still in sewing business, but in a quite boring and no-creative sector of it. We reorganized our thinking and goals and the work begins to give it's fruits.
But you know what turned to the best?
I again feel myself happy while quilting and piecing quilts! When your hobby (even the most most most favorite one) becomes your main work - it is like you've lost something very important. You don't enjoy the process anymore, you're looking at these gorgeous fabrics with frozen eyes and don't feel the heart beating faster when you switch on the long arm. This becomes routine. This becomes work.
Did this experience kill me?
No. Now I know that I am able to do that.
Do I still dream about a quilt shop?
Yes. But in a better time and a better place.
A few days ago one friend on FB wrote me: Go big or go home.
Thank you my friend! I really printed out these words and have them on the wall behind my sewing machine to see them every minute I am working.
And I will go.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий