Messages

2 of the people I liked most are now dead.  I've maintained a few contacts (mostly teachers) and as they've died off I have to say that, generally speaking, I really don't care 2 straws about my high school years.  It was OK, but OK is enough to tell me that those years were little more than the excavation for NOW.  Any desire to retread that lonely, isolated path?  I don't think so. 

It's not so much about skills, the real thing is about having the tools and the MONEY to get through the first year/two.  A lot of people have the skills, but precious few of them have the BUSINESS PLAN in place.  And the "business plan" is ALL about the money, you guys.  Set yourself up to weather your first year/two. 

I don't care where you live and I don't care how much dough you think you "have".  If you don't have the money HONEY, sit down, pay attention, and LEARN.  The deck is stacked in favor of the Big Boys, the guys who're important on K Street.  Get used to it, and Gene will tell you all you "need to know" lol. 

Refresh our collective memory, Gene...  precisely how, exactly,  did you get to your vaunted, successful business position?  Hmm?

A custom shop, I make welting for each job.  I prefer to use bias cut welting.  I mark the goods and use (sharp!) shears or my hot knife (acrylics).  I prefer to join the cuts rather than forming the "loop" and then cutting along lines to get the "continuous" run.  My machines have tack/trim so backtaking and cutting every segment is not an issue.  I also overlock my welting; easy with a high speed overlock machine. 

I don't prestitch welting over the insert, either, this makes it easier to clean finish the start/finish of the welting on each piece.  I consider this an important part of "custom" work and the time to accomplish this step is part of my labor estimate. 

I do all my cutting at once (duh).  I do all  my set up work at once (duh, again).  I move from one machine to the next in a logical pattern and frankly, the biggest time hog I have is cutting!  Assembly is a swift, accurate, and the easiest part of what I do. 

Easy fix.  Make and bring your lunch to work (have a lunch box and a thermos?).  Or  (in my case) go into your home and make your own. 

Wendy's, Chili's, Applebee's? no thanks! too much money for something I can make for myself and that won't come loaded with fat and sodium... (and for a lot less $).

It depends... not what you want to read, I'm sure, but it really does depend on a lot of things. 

I started my own business after spending a lot of years slugging it out in someone else's shop (make your mistakes with someone else's money).  In that time I patiently amassed the machinery I felt would be important to crank out the sort of quality work I ultimately wanted to do.  With every paycheck I added a new tool or put money aside to buy more expensive pcs. of equipment.  I also put money aside to "bankroll" my shop for a solid year.

I knew I  had all the technical skills and I knew I had most of the necessary equipment/tools, but what I didn't have was "recognition"... the bankroll was key!  I can't stress that enough.  Having the "bankroll" allowed me to say, "NO" to the garbage I didn't want to do because I knew I had the funds to pay the bills without the necessity of taking on garbage work.

My personal favorite is hearing protection, a lot of people overlook its use.  I always use safety glasses when using my stapler or chemicals for stripping old paint (respirator, too!).  But, whenever I use my foam saw, the lawn mower, any loud power tool I don the hearing protection.  Former Boss always looked at me as though I was nuts and took my use of my personally owned hearing protection as a judgement on the shop's equipment (it was).  NO safety equipment was available in the shop so I provided my own. 

Jeez, I thought Sharon from Google was calling me directly...

I haven't heard from Sharon in about 3 wks. me.  Mercifully!

I was quick to unload my "newtome" but still used Juki 562 when the opportunity presented itself.  I put the $600 toward the purchase of my Juki 1541.  Best move I've made in a l o n g time!  I have a lot of equipment that is directed toward clothing and drapery work and that makes it very versatile for me.  I may not use it every single day, but I still use it frequently enough for it to be valuable to my business. 

And I'm always on the hunt... anytime I see something for sale that fits a niche and is priced "right", I'm on it! and if that means a longtime resident in the stable has to go "bye-bye"... so be it!

Since I've been self-employed I've "lost" very few designers because of my pricing.  Sure, there are some I don't "see" regularly, but not every designer needs my skills on every job.  And when the long "lost" come back to me I never assume they've been "price shopping". 

I work really hard to crank out nice work, be fair with my pricing, and so far I think it's working...

I hate calls like that.  I find it very frustrating to get off call lists.  But I take my best shot. 

I run a business.  I did my homework and I have a business plan.  I know what I have to earn to "keep this vessel afloat".  My price is my price.  No jack-assing around.

I work with designers and every time I "establish" a working relationship with them I'm asked about "what kind of deal I can work with them".  See my first paragraph.  I know what I need to make to keep things moving forward for me on a personal level... .  NO jack-assing around.

My price is my price.  Built into "my price" are my many years of accumulated skill, my attention to detail,my ability to do what's asked of me in a timely and convenient manner, and my  connections to professional suppliers.  End of story!

If you can unload something you don't use all that much, but runs smoothly and reliably Then go for it! Be honest about its performance and offer nothing more.  I have several machines, some are "specialty" machines, and I fully understand the importance of floor space vs. regular use!

Practically speaking CASTERS are "not a plus".  But they are "correct" for a piece of the vintage shown.  Just sayin'... (and the era-appropriate casters are important to shoppers with keen eyes). 

You guys amaze me with every post.  Your knowledge of proper technique and materials has taught me so much... you don't have to worry, though.  I don't have the time to spend suffering the "learning curve" required for upholstery... I'll stick to marine interiors, cushions, and slipcovers!

As repugnant as the defense attorney's (alleged) closing argument may've been, it is the job of a defense attorney to defend the accused to the best of his/her ability under the law, Virginia.  I think the greater issue is that we ("the law") need to put more weight behind addressing animal cruelty and adjusting penalties accordingly. 

"The greatness of a society and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals" Mahatma Gandi

Try a #16 needle and #69 or #46 thread (lighter than #69).  Loosen your tensions and check to see of the tensions are still in synch. by stitching through one layer of fabric along the true bias.  Hope this helps.