As our nights are drawing in, the days are shorter and our contact with the outside world is often limited to rushing between buildings and vehicles, it is time to turn our thoughts towards the season of twinkly lights, laughter-filled gatherings and gift-giving: Christmas! Much as we love Christmas here at Craft Insurance, we know it is not all glitter and tinsel; those festive gatherings can be stressful, we can become overtired and financial anxieties can overshadow the festivities. However, despite all this, and maybe even because of it, we are here to offer some suggestions of how you as crafters can not only find inspiration for a range of Christmas gifts but also how these can bring the real essence of Christmas to your customers. With all the busyness of the holiday period there is much to juggle; now is a good time to get your handmade craft insurance in place, leaving one less thing to do as the days fill up.

In the United Kingdom, we have a plethora of quirky and delightful traditions. Over the years, these have been woven into the fabric of our Christmas festivities, bringing giggles and smiles from children and a sense of stable familiarity to us all in a fast-changing world. However, the pressure to incorporate many of these traditions can, ironically, lead us away from not towards the true meaning of Christmas. So, is there another way that we can enter fully into the joy and sparkle of Christmas without succumbing to an overload of expectations which surround it? Maybe there is, and the key could be that it is in fact not just a UK celebration but a worldwide one.

As we consider this, our focus turns from the inward pressures of producing a perfect Christmas period to a broader outward gaze which digs into the root of a worldwide festival. The thread, of course, which runs through each country’s Christmas traditions is the historical birth of a baby to a yet-to-be-married teenage girl. This happened in a small town in modern-day Palestine, Bethlehem. The baby was born not in a warm cosy room, but in abject poverty, possibly in a cave room where animals were kept. Yet the birth of this child changed the course of human history and has been celebrated with joy through millennia. Can we recapture some of this joy? Can our gifts reflect the gift of Jesus to a broken world? A brief glimpse at Christmas traditions from around the world can offer inspiration for our own gifts.

In the Netherlands, St Nicholas is celebrated. He was a bishop in Turkey in the third century. He suffered and was imprisoned for his faith, but continued to do all he could to serve those in need. Many stories arose after his death, one of them being how he gave dowries to three girls whose father could not afford them. The tale goes that St Nicholas threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney which landed in the girls’ clogs, set by the fire. Today, children leave their shoes out on the night of December 6 in the hope they are filled with treats. This is a beautiful custom based on generosity. Could you use it to inspire a range of gifts? If you work with ceramics, what about small clogs which will fit a few chocolate pennies? This would be a fun, inexpensive tradition for families. Or, what about making a money box in the shape of a clog, taking the tradition back to its routes by giving children the opportunity to save a few of their pennies to help someone in need. Clogs could also be the theme of Christmas tree decorations in a variety of different media.

On a related theme, a large red candle is lit and placed in the window of Irish homes on Christmas Eve. This was traditionally either to guide Mary and Joseph on their journey or to welcome in those who needed shelter. The custom of lighting an Advent candle during the four weeks preceding Christmas was possibly started in Germany. Children all over the world enjoy this ritual now. Both these are opportunities for a candle-making business.

Another, most endearing candle-related custom is the celebration of St Lucia. St Lucy was one of the earliest Christian martyrs and is remembered all over Scandinavia on December 13. The eldest daughter in a family dresses in white and wears a wreath of candles in her hair. She serves coffee and baked treats to the rest of her family. This is such a lovely custom that it has been adopted in other countries, including the USA. Could this be a springboard for another range of gifts? Candles, hair wreaths, a basket within which to place the treats and possibly even a white cape?

An interesting aspect of international Christmas celebrations is that different nations celebrate with gifts on different days. For many European countries, the big day for presents is Christmas Eve but in Hispanic countries, it’s January 6th. This is the feast of the Three Kings, remembering the arrival of the Wise Men to visit the child Jesus. It also marks the last day of the Christmas period for us and often a dreary trudge back to work. However, jump on a plane to Spain or a Spanish-speaking nation and you’ll see fireworks, parties, presents and large-scale family celebrations. This represents an opportunity for crafters looking to sell online to Spanish-speaking customers who will be buying gifts in preparation for this date. With the technology that is out there to create ads in other languages, the sky is your limit!

In all the hurry leading up to Christmas, don’t forget to ensure you have the correct handmade craft insurance in place. We ourselves are a family-run business and as such understand many of the values and aspirations you have, as well as the challenges and financial decisions you will be making. Be assured that we will advise you of the handmade craft insurance that best fits your unique company.

Needless to say, here at Craft Insurance, we are quietly excited and looking forward to getting started to prepare for a wonderful Christmas!

In these times of financial squeezing, is it still possible for small craft businesses to flourish? To that question, we reply with a resounding “Yes!”. One of the great advantages of owning your own business is the freedom you have. You can mull over and research a new direction or opportunity, and if it looks viable and beneficial, you can follow your rainbow. This is true also for for your creativity; as you allow your imagination to run riot and come up with new designs and concepts you are free to develop them through to their fruition in a new product. You also have the opportunity to seek out the best place to sell handmade items UK to ensure your quality products can reach a wide customer base.  

This is all good, but in the equation, there is also the reality of producing a profit margin. In these financially challenging and uncertain times, we need to think out of the box to find ways to add value to our products. This, arguably, may be easier for a small company than a large one. To use a nautical analogy; it is easier to change the direction of a small sailing dinghy than a great ocean liner. So, as small craft business owners, this may well give you a competitive edge.

One of the ways in which you could add a twist to your work and thus add value can be to mix the media with which you work.  For example, have you ever considered how your beautiful watercolours would look on a cushion? Or how block printing might work on napkins or floral prints on tablecloths. If this is something you’ve not tried before, it is well worth doing some research. Maybe you might be able to team up with a fellow crafter who works primarily with textiles and the fusion of your products could be a real winner for you both.

As we approach the season of gift-giving in a time of financial constraints, consumers will be looking for gifts which are both original and good value. As any entrepreneur will tell us, circumstances which are generally perceived as a threat to most can, with some out-of-the-box thinking, be an opportunity for a few. Thus, harking back to the small dinghy analogy, this could be an opportune moment for some creative thinking and novel ideas.

This blending of media can be used to bring elegance and warmth into any home.  For example, quality table linen decorated with stunning watercolour motifs will add an effortless charm to the dinner table. Table cloths, runners and napkins all provide gifts across the budget range, and combined with a unique watercolour print or motif will produce a thoughtful gift which can be treasured down the years.

As a pet-loving nation, pet portraits are popular and most certainly unique. Transferring a painting of a family’s much-loved pup onto a cushion could provide the perfect present and the recipient is guaranteed not to receive a duplicate! A similar concept could be applied to a family; a simple line drawing of the family group, transferred onto a cushion would be sure to melt a mother’s heart.

Another good outlet you might consider is the wedding gift market. Most wedding lists contain a selection of tableware. Family and friends who are seeking out a memorable gift will be willing to pay a little more for such a special occasion. This could also be an opportunity for a bespoke service, creating artwork reflecting the bride and groom’s unique story.

If you work with acrylics, have you ever considered what your designs might look like on a T-shirt? Clothing makes a popular gift, and in times of financial constraint, it is a particularly good choice as it is useful as well as fun. And, why limit yourself to T-shirts? You could create a whole range of child and baby wear, including baby all-in-one vests, bibs, bunting for the nursery and bags for mum to carry the multitude of essentials needed by babies and toddlers.

Once you have produced your range of high-quality and beautiful products, you need to market and sell them. So, where is the best place to sell handmade items UK? Online is certainly a good option and one many crafters will use. You can explore sites such as Etsy and Folksy, and it may well be worth building your website and selling directly from there. Then, there are the in-person options. These include craft fairs, markets and local fundraising events, e.g. school fetes or charity fundraising open days. For all of these, you will need the correct insurance; probably public and product liability.  As a family business ourselves we know the importance of offering a good service to our customers. So, drop us a line or pick up the phone and we can talk you through the best package for your individual craft-selling needs.

In a competitive market, another way in which your hand-crafted products can be ahead of mass-produced items is in the area of sustainability. As you use ethically produced or local raw products and employ staff from within your community, your businesses will have an authenticity which can be seen. Be sure to promote this well on your website, which might become the best place to sell handmade items UK, and any other locations where you see, all your products.

In our current climate, there is so much in favour of small handcrafting businesses. Your products are not only unique and of good quality, but they will often have a longevity which their mass-produced counterparts do not. So, be confident; be bold in your fusion of techniques as well as your mixing of media, and make sure you get your products out to a customer base who will love them!

When it comes to finding places to promote your handmade crafts, there are lots of different options to choose from. Not only can you look at selling crafts online directly from your website, but you can also use some of the many social media channels to make sales. Some of the most popular social media platforms for selling products are Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. They all have very similar styles, and it is possible to use them very effectively when it comes to getting your products in front of new people. 

However, there is a new social media platform that is worth looking at when you start out selling craft online – Threads.

Threads is a social media platform that empowers crafters and artisans to showcase and sell their handmade products in a visually engaging and community-driven way. It leverages the power of social media to create a unique and compelling space for crafters to connect with their target audience and turn their creative passions into profitable businesses.

At its core, Threads is designed to provide crafters with a user-friendly interface where they can easily upload photos and descriptions of their handmade products. These products can range from handmade jewellery and clothing to home decor, artwork, and more. Threads encourage crafters to also engage with their audience by commenting on other people’s threads. 

One of the critical features of Threads is its emphasis on storytelling. Crafters can share the inspiration behind their creations, the materials they use, and the craftsmanship that goes into each piece. This storytelling aspect adds a personal touch to the shopping experience, making customers feel more connected to the products and the artisans behind them. Crafters can also post updates and behind-the-scenes content to engage their followers and build a loyal customer base. This can be done by updating an existing Thread or starting a new conversation.

The platform also encourages interaction and community-building. Crafters can connect with other artisans, share tips and advice, and collaborate on projects. Customers can follow their favourite crafters, comment on posts, and ask questions about products, creating a sense of community and fostering trust.

At present, you need to have an Instagram account in order to have an account with Threads. The set-up is effortless, as it takes all of your existing Instagram information and sets up your profile. You can also follow all of the same people as you do on Instagram. This, therefore, speeds up the process of finding others to follow and also lets your existing followers find you easily. Your Thread profile will also be displayed on your Instagram page. 

Another option is that of X. This is the rebrand of Twitter, and it is a fast-paced social media platform that allows for the selling of products as well as building connections with your customers and your potential audience.

Crafters can effectively use X as a valuable platform to promote and sell their handmade products by implementing various strategies to reach a broader audience and engage potential customers. It is important that as well as posting on X, you engage with other people’s posts. This helps to boost your profile and enables you to build a community on the platform. 

 Crafters can make the most of X by working through the following steps:
1. Create a Professional Profile: Crafters should start by setting up a professional X profile. This includes using a clear profile picture, an engaging header image, and a concise bio that highlights their crafting expertise and products.

2. High-Quality Visual Content: Crafters should share visually appealing images and videos of their products. High-resolution photos that showcase details and craftsmanship can attract attention and entice potential buyers.

3. Engaging Descriptions: Crafters should pair their visuals with engaging and informative product descriptions. Explain the materials used, the creative process, and any unique features of each item.

4. Use Hashtags: Utilise relevant and trending hashtags in tweets to increase the discoverability of your products. Research popular hashtags within your crafting niche and incorporate them into your posts.

5. Consistent Posting: Crafters should maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep their audience engaged. Regular updates about new products, work in progress, or behind-the-scenes glimpses into their craft can help keep followers interested.

6. Engage with Followers: Interacting with followers is essential. Respond to comments, questions, and messages promptly. Building a personal connection with your audience helps to build up trust, and this can then lead to repeat business.

7. Promoted Tweets: Consider using X’s advertising options to promote key products or special promotions. Promoted tweets can help you reach a broader audience, and you can target specific demographics that align with your customer base. This can be perfect when you are looking at selling crafts online.

8. Run Contests and Giveaways: Organise contests or giveaways to boost the engagement on your posts and to increase your follower count. Encourage users to participate by sharing your tweets or tagging friends, which can help expand your reach.

9. Collaborate with Influencers: Working together with influencers can help you increase your followers by utilising the following that they have. Influencers can endorse your products through reviews or sponsored posts, driving traffic to your profile.

10. Pin Important Tweets: Use the pin feature to keep a specific tweet at the top of your profile. Pinning a tweet that features your most popular or newest product can ensure it’s the first thing visitors see when they land on your profile.

11. Share Customer Testimonials: Retweet and share positive feedback from happy customers. Authentic testimonials serve as social proof of your product quality and customer satisfaction.

12. Leverage Twitter Lists: Create X lists to organise and follow potential customers, influencers, and competitors in your niche. This allows you to stay updated on industry trends and engage with your target audience more effectively.

13. Track Analytics: Utilise X Analytics to monitor the performance of your tweets. Analysing data such as engagement rates, impressions, and click-through rates can help you refine your marketing strategies.

By employing these strategies, crafters can leverage X as a powerful tool to not only showcase their handmade products but also connect with a broader audience and drive sales. Building a strong X presence requires consistency, engagement, and a strategic approach to marketing and promotion. And, when you have become an ace at selling your craft online, why not call for some expert help with your Craft Insurance? We’d be delighted to help you.

It’s the dream of many; a business based on your hobby, working hours which suit you with people you like and turning over enough of a profit on which you can live. Is this only a dream, or can it become reality? A brief scroll through our Instagram page or an internet search will tell of many such stories; homegrown businesses which started as kitchen table projects. How did they achieve this? What are the hurdles and challenges they have had to overcome? Are there any secrets to their success? We will look at some answers to these as we hope to encourage you to work towards your dream business!

If you ask anyone who has started a business from scratch what contributed to their success, most of them will respond with a wry smile and the response, “sheer hard work!” There is no getting away from it; you will need to put the hours in, and then some more. This will probably mean making decisions about how you spend your time and may mean some sacrifices of previously enjoyed free time. You will need to be disciplined and organised if you are to see your dream become a reality. However, this is something we can all do, it just takes some intentionality and streamlined thinking.

Before you start your business, it is important to ensure you have some solid foundations in place. These are the more mundane things, like an efficient computer filing system, ordered accounts, platforms for promotion and selling and of course the correct craft insurance for small businesses. While, in your enthusiasm, it would be easy to overlook these more tedious aspects of a business, making sure you have these in place will save you time and quite possibly money in the long term. A house built on solid foundations is much more likely to withstand the occasional storm.

You are probably raring to go by this time; you have talent, creativity and a vision. Yet it would be wise to show still more restraint as you do a little market research. Again, there is much good advice online which we won’t repeat here. It is worth looking for gaps in the market, who your potential customer base might be, marketing strategies and how your business could expand and diversify from its initial small beginnings.

Having done all this, you are ready to go! You can start creating and building up your initial stock. Bear in mind to whom you will be selling, when and where. For example, if you are launching pre-Christmas, there will be a plethora of fairs and markets you can sell from as well as online outlets. The type of fair will determine to some extent your range of stock. For example, a school fete will attract children and distracted parents, so it’s probably best to go for low prices and high sales while a more artisanal fair would draw in customers from a larger radius looking to pay a bit more for a unique and beautiful gift. Remember to make sure your craft insurance for small businesses is in place before you start selling; pick up the phone or drop us a line and we will talk you through the best options for your unique needs.

Many homespun businesses begin alongside a day job, with the intention that they will, in time, become the main source of income. Although this requires long hours and not much time off, it does minimise the financial risk. It also allows for your hobby business to develop organically, at a pace and in a direction which suits you, rather than having to make decisions out of financial necessity which could draw your dream business away from your initial vision.

Another pathway towards a thriving kitchen table business is one walked by many women at home with small children; in search of some additional income and with latent creative talents, they turn their hands to their chosen craft. Starting with a school fete, they grow in confidence one fair at a time and as their children grow so does their fledgling business. This is a way of life common to countless women over the centuries, who have combined caring for their children and running a business around their families. Generations of children have been brought up by strong and resourceful women who have managed to be present for their families while also bringing in an income from home. One example is the classic cottage industry of the pre-Industrial Revolution where mothers spun or made lace whilst running their homes and caring for their children. A cautionary note is that, in our current fast-paced world it is important to put rhythms and boundaries in place to avoid burnout. However, with the slow, organic growth of many a successful home business, this is more likely to be avoided.

A few final tips to keep in mind as you determine to turn your hobby into a hustle. Make time to talk to real people who have done exactly that. While we can glean a good deal from reading others’ stories online, it can’t replace real-life conversations and the connections that can be made from these. Finally, in the midst of all the hard work, carve out time to restore yourself. This isn’t selfish, it is ancient wisdom. You may even choose to take one day of rest a week, completely away from your business. Until the early 1990’s trading was not allowed in the U.K. on a Sunday and our nation did indeed slow down. This rhythm of regular rest is often cited as a key ingredient by entrepreneurial businessmen and women.

So, as your dream business develops, allowing you to work around your family or chosen lifestyle, employing staff from your local community with a work ethic which you decide, take time to pause and look back at how far you have come, and forward to where your vision could lead you next!

And remember, we are here to support you so drop us a line and make sure you have your craft insurance for small businesses in place.

How resin is fast becoming a versatile, inexpensive craft material of choice

What comes to mind when you think of a cottage industry? Maybe it’s a gentle-faced woman, hands rough through many years of hard work, spinning peacefully and quietly in a small nook of her overcrowded home. Maybe a group of similarly clad women might come to your thoughts, chatting and sharing their joys and worries as they dextrously manipulate their lace bobbins. Or maybe it’s more up to date; a friend of yours whose online handmade soap and bath bomb business started at her kitchen table. Or a potter with a kiln in the back garden, decorating a set of crockery before the next craft fair. The great news is that all manner of cottage industries have survived and thrived throughout the ages and with the ever-expanding range of textiles, tools and raw materials which can be used in our homes, they are set to continue to be an income of choice for many.

One material that is becoming an increasingly popular choice for crafters is resin. Natural resin is not a new substance; it can be found in the bark of trees, in herbal flowers and the buds of some shrubs. The ancient Greeks used it for oral hygiene, chewing it for its antibacterial properties. Other ancient civilisations used it as a fixative for weapons. However, it was not until the 1930s that resin composites were discovered and their commercialisation began. Since then, we’ve seen it used in a vast array of products, from aeronautical and marine components, and industrial and electronic applications, to the everyday adhesives and coatings we find in our homes. While it is utilised extensively in industrial settings, it can also be used in non-factory locations and thus lends itself to the cottage industry of the twenty-first century.

There are numerous types of resin composite, but epoxy resin, used initially for dental and industrial purposes, became popular within the art community in the 1940s and 1950s. Whereas plastic requires heat to fashion it into the required shape, the resin can simply be poured into a mould and left to harden; a chemical reaction, rather than heat, causes this to happen. One niche market that has made excellent use of this is the miniature reproduction model industry. Cast your mind back for a minute to the last time you saw a model railway. Focus on the tiny, perfectly constructed houses, complete with fine detail brickwork, roofing tiles, vintage features and roses around the door. It is the resin that allows for such keen attention to detail. Resin miniatures are also essential now in the world of fantasy or historical modelling, an area in which there has been a resurgence since the rise in popularity of games such as War Hammer. Dungeons and Dragons has also undergone a resurgence in the number of young players, and while many play online, there are in-person games too. Part of the delight of these is the huge range of exquisitely detailed miniatures available.

Away from the gaming and miniature modelling world, the use of resin in creating handmade jewellery in the UK has opened up a wonderful plethora of creative opportunities. With the addition of powders and colours, glitter and botanicals, the sky’s the limit when it comes to creating a unique range of jewellery. If you are new to resin and considering stepping out and starting your own business selling handmade jewellery in the UK, there are a plethora of tutorials and blogs online to inform and encourage you. While resin is generally easy to source and use, you will need to become familiar with the different types of composite and which ones are needed for a particular use or product. For example, a casting resin, used to pour into a mould to create a ring or pendant is different to a resin used to coat a surface with a glossy finish. If you have not experimented already, have a go and have some fun!

Another advantage of building a resin-based business is that it requires relatively low start-up costs. You will need some basic resin supplies and a few tools, but this really can fit around your budget, meaning you can start with what you can afford. Much of your initial promotion and selling can be done online at minimal cost to yourself. You will need to ensure that you have the correct craft insurance in place, both for selling online and if and when you branch out into craft fairs and markets. As a family business ourselves, specialising in craft insurance for several decades, we have learnt from those who have gone before us and are continually listening to and learning from our customers. As such, we are confident that we can talk you through the insurance needs of your business and offer you a package suited to your unique circumstances. Pick up the phone or drop us a line; we look forward to hearing from you.

As we continue to look towards times of financial squeezing, many are looking for ways to supplement their income. Customers are also looking for gifts within a tighter budget. Using resin to create stunning and unique handmade jewellery could tick both boxes. As we have recognised in previous blogs, the handmade jewellery UK market is fairly full, but given the small financial investment required, it is something to consider. Have a go at designing something unique … take a look at what is already out there and go for something different. Develop your range of products. With Christmas not too far away, gorgeous jewellery that won’t break the bank may well be the answer for many a shopper.

We’ve only touched here on a few of the multitude of uses for resin. It is an amazingly adaptable and versatile substance and in the hands of a creative and resourceful individual could prove the foundation for a flourishing cottage industry whose products will delight many.

Social media plays a huge part in most of our lives and the majority of us are aware of Facebook and LinkedIn. However, those of us who hail from the older generations might not be quite as conversant with new players on the social media block. One such player, it would be fair to say, has shaken up everything in its field (and in the world of crafting too) becoming a major player on the social media scene. I am of course referring to TikTok.

The rise of TikTok

The reason why TikTok has become so popular is that it works purely on a short-form video format. In other words, you don’t need to write anything to get your point across, you can just make a video about it. This has meant that there is a whole new audience out there to reach and also to view. Initially, people used TikTok to put out amusing videos about aspects of their lives or even their pets’ lives. This has given rise to an army of content creators who are all vying for the attention of the public and an ocean of entertainment for young people to dive into, only to surface at mealtimes!

However, this social aspect has started to run alongside the business applications of the app as well.  Goods and services can easily be promoted through TikTok without the need to spend any larger amount of money on advertising and marketing. The question of Where to sell handmade crafts UK-wide or anywhere else for that matter has another answer: it can be sold on the internet via a TikTok account.

What is TikTok exactly and how can it help you?

It was created in September 2016 by a Chinese company called Bytedance and allows users to make and share videos over a short period. The average length of these videos is anywhere between 15 to 60 seconds, which might be a contributory factor to short attention spans.  There is also the option to discover new videos as well as make them, enabling people to spend entire evenings watching short TikTok videos instead of regular television. TikTok has captured the younger market initially as it seemed like a good alternative to Facebook which had become dominated by older generations. However, the same situation (the encroachment of savvy oldies) has begun to occur with TikTok and a more mature audience is beginning to understand the technology and use it to its advantage.  As with any social media, the algorithms behind the app begin to sense what the viewer likes to watch.  Every time that someone is on the app it registers what they have seen and begins to offer these as a preference later on. Therefore, if you produce a video based around your crafting there is an excellent chance that people who have already viewed it once or viewed similar content will be directed to you again.  This means that the question of where to sell handmade crafts in the UK, or internationally, becomes considerably easier as you will be reaching your target audience without even having to look for them. If you can produce a TikTok video of you making something, rather than having to reach out to your existing and potential customers, there’s a good chance that they will come to you.

The advantage of TikTok is that it features a particularly user-friendly interface so that it is simple to pick up quickly and use effectively. It also has a wide back catalogue of visual and sound effects that you can utilise and, if your video is picked up by a considerable amount of people, it offers the chance for an idea to become viral quickly and reach huge numbers, globally, in a relatively short space of time.

This gives the crafter an immense opportunity to be able to sell and exhibit their wear without even having to leave their crafting studio.  We have already talked about the advantages of having an online shop for your products, but this is one way to enhance sales dramatically.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to take people through your process? Many people ask if they can see how you create your work. It’s not the case of revealing secrets, but simply showing people how you can achieve the wonderfully artistic results that you do. With TikTok, you can begin to show people how you produce a piece of work and if you have already sold something you can review the stages of the commission to your customer as you go through.

TikTok acts as a marketing tool so people can see the amount of work, effort, skill and love that you put into everything that you produce. This will convince them that your product is worth purchasing because it has so much credibility behind it. The premise would be that you would release a short video at each stage of your production or produce a longer video and fast-forward the process with additional captions to show where you are in the making of the product. Given TikTok’s global reach, the possibility of being able to show your work to people outside of the UK and beyond becomes an actual reality. It also allows you to be able to communicate with people who are doing similar work in our country and beyond.

If you can follow the principles of using TikTok and make sure that you consistently put out videos with content, you will begin to gain a following. People will want to know where your products are, so knowing where to sell handmade crafts (UK) becomes a much easier prospect. Watching the platform will also allow you to understand what trends are out there and what your contemporaries are creating so that you can adapt or follow suit.

Using TikTok will allow you to be able to become part of a much wider community and also allow you to influence others in what they make and produce. The short videos will also bring authenticity to your work that simply inviting someone around your workshop or merely talking about at a craft fair could never hope to reach in the numbers that this platform can.

Imagine for a moment…an autumnal afternoon is drawing to a close; dusk is gently falling and the skies are changing from a clear blue to a soft grey. Outside you can hear the chatter of children as they head back home after an afternoon of sport or playing in the park, soaking in the last rays of warm sunshine before the winter sets in. You make a steaming mug of tea and sink into your favourite old, comfortable, overstuffed armchair. Maybe you pull a throw around you as you settle into down-filled cushions. The chair enfolds you. Peace permeates your soul. This is your small space of comfort and restoration.

Many of us have a favourite chair. When we are invited into a friend’s home, we may well ask where we should sit, conscious that some chairs may be inhabited by particular family members. We may have childhood memories of curling up in a specific chair, reading, listening to stories or sitting on a parent’s knee. Or we may have memories of rocking or cuddling our babies or small children in a special chair. We might welcome a new foster or adopted child into our family by placing a small chair in their bedroom, a safe space that is just for them. At the other end of life’s rich spectrum, Granny and Grandad will almost always have their chair, complete with an ideally sized cushion and a small table at hand on which to place drinks, books, a crossword or whatever else will minimise the amount of walking required. Most of us will have fond memories of grandparents in their chairs. Whatever our own stories, chairs will often be woven into our history.

Upholstery in our modern era can be traced back to Elizabethan times when wealthier families began to have cushions stuffed with natural products such as hay or feathers which were laid upon a wooden chair and roughly tacked into place. It wasn’t until the seventeenth century that stitched edging appeared. This paved the way for the beginning of upholstery as we know it today with some elaborate and ornate designs, maybe as a reaction to the Protestant Reformation. Since then, we have followed a continuous and fascinating thread of fashion in furniture and upholstery design.

Much more recently, the concept of upcycling has become popular; not only making use of and recycling otherwise obsolete items but also increasing their value. The skillful craft of upholstery lends itself particularly well to upcycling and it’s an area where the concept is not new. Over the last couple of decades, as we have become more aware of our responsibility to walk more lightly on our beautiful earth, upcycling upholstery has seen a resurgence in popularity. It is also a way to breathe a new lease of life into items of much-loved family furniture, and to bring objects of charm into our homes; beautifully handmade in the United Kingdom.

What starts with a skill may turn into a passion and from there into a flourishing business. If you are considering this pathway for yourself, there are a few basic questions that might help to set you off in the best direction for your unique skill set, personality and location. Maybe the first consideration might be whether you want to market your skills per se or start your own upcycling business. If the former, you may think about offering a restoration service to places such as the National Trust, stately homes or antique dealers. If this sounds like a good fit for you, the next step could be to do some research; and find out what other upholstery restoration services are in your area and what prices they charge. Then make contact with some antique dealers, auction houses or organisations that take care of antique furniture.

Another avenue would be to start your own business to upcycle furniture; either items belonging to your clients or items you have bought, re-upholster and then sell on. There are various blogs and websites out there giving detailed instructions on how to go about setting up your own crafting business, but here are a few basic tips. Firstly, you don’t need your separate workspace; many businesses selling unique handmade products in the United Kingdom have grown from the humble kitchen table. You will need a basic set of tools and sources of fabrics, wax finishes, paints etc., so it is worth researching these to ensure you invest wisely. Check out what other upholstery businesses are in your area, what services they offer and their pricing.

Write down your vision. It is always good to have something to aim for and even though your business will inevitably change and adapt over time, having a written vision statement to look back on when you meet those “crossroads moments” can be very helpful.

You will need to set your new upholstery enterprise on a secure business footing, and part of this is ensuring you have the correct insurance. As a family-run business ourselves, we understand both the unique opportunities and challenges of small businesses and would love to hear about your business and talk you through the best policies for your requirements. Pick up the phone or send us a message and we’ll take it from there.

Maybe you already have a flourishing upholstery enterprise and are ready to expand your boundaries. It could be the time for a website and social media update. Be confident in what you do. You will be bringing life back into items of furniture that may otherwise have been cast aside; make sure your sustainability credentials are prominent on your site. Reach out to customers who might be looking to have some of their own family favourites reupholstered; if you take on commissions in this way, it’s a good idea to send photos and updates of progress. Finally, don’t forget to extravagantly populate your website with amazing photos of your stunning upcycled upholstery. Be bold as you promote your work, part of our ever-growing and spectacular lineup of handmade products from the United Kingdom.

Autumn brings with it a subtle change in the air; blue-skied mornings with a distinct chill that hits us as we walk out of our homes and embrace a new day. Autumn is traditionally the season of abundance, where hedgerows are laden, cottage gardens overflow with prolific produce and fields bear the satisfying stubble of recently harvested grain or hay. Early autumn brings a riot of colour to our flower beds, as purple and blue Michaelmas daisies stand tall amidst gaudy red and orange nasturtiums, deep pink sedum attracts a continuous bevvy of butterflies and late roses add their more gentle scent and colour tones.

Woodland walks are a forager’s joy, with nuts, berries and many other nutritious and delicious finds. It is the season for mushrooms and the variety of colour, texture and shape of these are a constant source of wonder. Orchards are laden with apples, again of infinite colour tones and variety. For those living near the sea, autumn tides and stronger winds add to the seasonal interest and constantly changing seascape. Autumnal walks are a delight for both young and old. For children, our wayside lanes, canal paths and woodlands are a natural playground, with blackberry-stained hands and mouths, and pockets filled with conkers bringing joy to modern-day children just as they have throughout the centuries.

Autumn is also a season of preparation, both in the animal kingdom where we may spy squirrels hiding away their secret stores of nuts or notice winter plumage fluffing up our garden birds. For centuries it has also been a busy time of preparation for our ancestors, too. When supermarkets could not be relied upon for a year-round supply of food, extended families and communities would work together to bring in and store the harvest, ready to keep them through the long winter months. This may sound idyllic now, but it was arduous work as men and boys laboured long hours in the fields and women and girls bottled fruit, made chutneys and jams, salted meat, spun honey and made cold storage clamps for root vegetables alongside all their other work. It is no wonder that the village harvest festivals were such a time of celebration.

While many of these skills are not practised regularly anymore, they are not lost completely and as we are arguably living in an increasingly unstable world, it may be that there is a resurgence in these homesteading skills. Alongside this, there does seem to be a desire to reconnect with the natural seasons and to build up community networks. From city dwellers to those living in the remote Isles of northern Scotland, we can all be a part of this gradual movement towards self-reliance, home and local community.

Also nationwide, autumn is the time we shift our focus from summer outdoor living into our homes, with cosy fireside or candle-lit evenings, mugs of tea and hot crumpets around the kitchen table and the warmth of friendship. And crafters yet again are placed at the vanguard of this shift. Crafters not only have the skills to provide products beautifully handmade in the UK with which to adorn our homes, but we can also provide the community networks to gather in. And, we can teach and inspire others as resourceful and resilient small business owners.

The abundance and variety of autumn has always been an inspiration for the cfreative crafting community. Whether it’s autumn-inspired front door wreaths, bursting either with finds directly from outside such as pine cones, dried fruit, flowers and berries, or with knitted or crocheted leaves, acorns and pumpkins. Using similar materials, mobiles are a beautiful addition not only to a child’s room but to anywhere in a home.

For those of us who work with ceramics, autumn inspires candle lanterns or holders that are rich in colour and texture? These are guaranteed to bring a warm and inviting atmosphere to our lengthening evenings. 

It can be fun to add an autumn theme to our home decor, and this can be done by pulling out rugs to sling on the back of chairs, inviting a guest to curl up and enjoy a cosy evening of company and chatter. The colour and texture palette of blankets inspired by nature offer infinite variety and appeal and will bring delight to your customers. Cushions too can be a delightful addition to a living room, bringing accents of the outdoors inside. Children as well as adults will enjoy the rhythm of pulling out a seasonal cushion of two; something to consider when making whatever textiles you work with.

For customers with a smaller budget, fun mushroom or pumpkin-shaped pincushions are a tempting buy, to encourage them in their autumn crafting. And as our focus shifts more to evenings spent indoors, maybe you could put together some craft kits to encourage your customers to learn or practise a crafting skill at home. For complete novices or those who want to refresh their skills, you could think about offering workshops alongside this.

With cooler, darker evenings, a warm bath may be very inviting and what better way to enhance this indulgence than with some handmade soap or beautifully scented bath bombs? Autumn scents and colours lend themselves to these, with rich pumpkin spice and cinnamon to add fragrance and star anise or fallen leaves to decorate. To continue this theme, handmade beeswax candles are a must during our autumnal evenings, enticing in both colour and aroma.

As well as adorning our homes with some autumnal accents, your customers too will need to dress for the cooler weather, and what better way to slip into this than with a few gorgeously coloured and textured seasonal items? Brown acorns, deep red berries, golden leaves, and orange pumpkins can all inspire an infinite variety of fun and elegant earrings. For those with knitting or crocheting businesses, shawls, jumpers and socks in autumnal shades are guaranteed to tempt and inspire.

So, amidst your busy lives, try to find time to get outdoors and be inspired by the stunning autumn landscape, ready to create your beautifully handmade UK products.

What would you give to be able to see into the future? Or, maybe, what would you give to slow down the pace of time? Do we want to see what’s coming, or is it in fact best that, however much we try, we can’t? Complex questions, but when it comes to planning new ranges for our craft business, a certain insight into future trends can be helpful. The movie industry has long thrived off producing films which delve into the future. Just as fascinating are those which throw us back to the past as well. The 1980’s blockbuster “Back to the Future” wove together past, present and future and its huge success indicated that the theme, as well as the characters and special effects, resonated with its audience. Simply looking at the aesthetics of the three films e.g. clothing, decor and car design is an interesting exercise in how, or even if, we can predict trends by studying the past.

Looking back over the last century, and each decade’s distinct trend, from the frugal make-do and mend of the wartime years to the wild abandon of the a-go-go movement in the 1960’s we can also see where a resurgence in vintage and retro styles has happened. Could we currently be heading for a throwback to times gone by?

Are we about to see a resurgence of some of these trends? We might be able to more accurately answer that question by looking to the past and observing the backdrop from which these trends took off. Some were born of necessity; both scarcities of finances and access to new products drove the ‘make do and mend’ wartime culture. With the huge and ever-increasing hike in prices for most of our daily living necessities, it would not be too far a stretch to see a resurgence in this. Crafters could be at the leading edge of a fresh movement of make-do and mend. Many crafting businesses use recycled products which not only keeps raw material costs down but also minimises the need to access materials from what might be a slow and complex supply chain. Crafters, by dint of being good with their hands, will have many of the skills needed to mend and upcycle clothes, furniture or other household goods.

Established crafting communities with regular meet-ups, such as sewing bees, group textile projects or more informal ‘coffee and catch ups’ in shared studios or workshops could become the engine houses for a return to crafting in these times, a place where young people can become immersed in this colourful, wonderful world. Could you offer sewing/mending/upcycling workshops, where for a given fee, local residents can come and receive some instruction on the basic skills needed to fix torn garments, knit a pair of socks or re-cover a kitchen stool? Incidentally, Instagram is currently awash with crochet patterns for bags and clothes, with many young people helping each other to discover the joy of making their own unique items.

While the actual reasons for the frugal lifestyle of the wartime years were horrific and caused many to suffer huge pain and loss, they are often now remembered with nostalgia as a time of community spirit, where neighbours pulled together and fast friendships were formed in the face of adversity over steaming mugs of tea. Could some of this be captured in upcoming product ranges? As many in our nation are indeed going through times of financial hardship and uncertainty, maybe a chunky mug or earthenware teapot might bring a ray of hope into some kitchens. Might there be a resurgence in the demand for knitted socks (with darning workshops available to teach this skill over warm mugs of tea and cosy chats). With this in mind, a make-do and mend theme, with the right balance of hope and camaraderie alongside could work well for window displays in independent craft shops UK.

Another area where crafters are uniquely positioned to be the vanguards is in the realm of bringing beauty into our homes. We all crave beauty, whether that be found in nature, in fine art, in a multi-coloured patchwork quilt or in a sturdy but delightful kitchen table. It is fascinating to observe how beauty is manifested in architecture during different periods in history.  One excellent example of this is in Krakow, Poland, where the plain and utilitarian buildings of the Soviet communist era stand out in stark contrast to the stunning and intricately adorned Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic structures. During the communist years of Eastern Europe, families and groups of friends huddled together, often in small rooms, to read excellent literature, listen to good music and appreciate any vestiges of a former, more aesthetically-minded era. Could it be that in an age of increasing anonymity, AI and digitalisation, our souls are being starved of beauty, simply for beauty’s sake? Crafters are in a prime position to bring beautiful objects into the homes of our nation. For managers of independent UK craft shops, your premises can be a treasure trove of delightful and elegant craft products, a visual feast and inspiration for each and every customer.

Vintage and retro have been trending for a couple of decades. It seems that as the rate of change in our world continues a-pace, consumers are increasingly hankering after products which root them to what they perceive to have been more stable times. If you manage or sell products in an independent craft shop in the UK, this could also be an eye-catching theme for your shop windows, inviting customers into your Aladdin’s cave of delightful, hand-crafted, long-lasting and totally unique products.

Finally, and linked to the fragmentation of many of our communities, might there be a resurgence in demand for regional crafts and foods? Owning a piece of knitwear or ceramics from a particular region of our beautiful nation can bring a sense of rootedness and belonging. As crafters, we are uniquely positioned to weave together the best of the past to bring hope and beauty into our present.

For any business to succeed it needs to have a thoroughly constructed business marketing plan. This business plan must be developed with key data analysis and research carried out carefully. One of the areas most focused on in modern marketing is that of search engine optimisation or SEO for short. All marketing has to be based on a data-driven decision-making focus and understanding of what customers want. It also looks at where the market is going and how best to operate at the highest efficiency. These are all included in such planning.  What can crafters looking to expand their business use in analytics to help them develop theirs?

A craft business plan is successful by using the following examples of data and information.  Firstly, market research plays a vital role in deciding how best to formulate a plan for a crafter.  Looking at demographics will enable the crafter to be able to shape what their target audience is.  This covers a multitude of areas within that target audience such as their gender, their age, where they are located, how much they earn and other factors such as what they watch or listen to for leisure – all this information can play a huge part in forming your plan. These chunks of demographic data are combined with the study of market trends. Seeing these trends develop will provide the analytics to show the crafter what they should be focusing their product range on for the coming seasons and the sales that they bring in.  Another useful element is looking at what competitors are producing and doing.  Understanding what their price points are should enable the crafter to be able to focus on their own.  This means that when crafters do produce work and put it up for sale, they will not be underselling their items compared to what others that are out there are retailing at.

If you have access to it, the data that you yourself have gathered about customers is of great value to you. You should be able to detect what buying patterns are being shown by your customers. A simple stock take for example will show what lines have performed best over others and how you should also be able to ascertain what are the seasonal favourites throughout the year. It should also give you the potential to see what upselling opportunities there are as you begin to build your craft business plan.

Don’t be afraid to gather feedback directly from people that buy from you. Maybe there is something that they particularly do not like about your operation, or conversely, something that they really do like. Knowing this enables you to integrate it into the plan so that you focus on it when you come to finalise how you are going to market overall. Using this data should also enable you to consider what new and adapted products are going to look like and where your focus should be when it comes to what you are going to produce in the future. In this way, you can return to the market selling lines that you are confident with in terms of getting a decent profit and return. This replaces the trial-and-error basis that you may have had when first starting out and exhibiting either at a fair or online. You can do this through the creation of either gathering anecdotal oral feedback or you could produce surveys both online and on the day of trade to give to customers for them to return. There is nothing wrong with offering a little incentive for people to complete the form and then either email or post it back to you.

Your own financial recordings should also be used.  From your sales data, a plan can be drawn up as to when your optimum performance months are and when you are making the most of your money.  This should enable you to learn exactly where and when you should produce and sell items.  This is usually done through stocktake inventories and turnover rates.  Armed with this data, you should then be able to see and build up a trading history throughout the year.  Another thing that you could use as part of the basis of your craft business plan is where you have interacted with compliance and regulatory bodies about your long-term existence as a trader and crafter. Use this information to be aware of where you must seek out new licences to build a long-term strategy and also map out when these are required again.

A long-term goal that can be achieved using these systems and strategies is for you to be able to see what your continuous improvement will be. Regularly looking through data provided by SEO, traditional feedback and surveys plus physical stock takes and chats with accountants will enable you to draw up a long-term growth plan so that you know that you are operating when and where you should be. Then you can keep your focus on what customers want and what they are expecting of your products and where you are going to be so that they can purchase them.

As you can see, data is such an essential part of business and how it grows and operates that you cannot simply ignore it or its functions.  As we have touched upon earlier, there is also a regulatory requirement to make sure that your business is healthy and financially sound so that should auditors come to inspect your accounting and financial dealings all should be in place.  Data is not something to be taken lightly but it can be an extremely useful ally in your continued striving to be the best that you can be and to produce good quality products that people will want to buy. It will also show the thoroughness of your business and its success.