Seven reasons you won’t catch me complaining about Facebook, or see me jumping ship to another social media platform…

 

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Seven reasons you won’t catch me complaining about Facebook, or see me jumping ship to another social media platform…

If, like mine, your Facebook newsfeed is scattered daily with page owners feeling disheartened by the changes being made to the way business updates appear in your newsfeed, you might (also like me) be getting a teeny tiny bit fed up of the grumbling. Maybe? Just a bit? I am! It doesn’t mean that I don’t still love the beautiful things that the page owners make, or that I’m no longer interested in the brands I follow – I’m just tired of the moaning! Here’s why I haven’t jumped on the bandwagon…

1. I happily accept the generous freebie! The business service I get from Facebook – albeit diminishing a little each year – is free. It costs me nothing unless I opt-in to paid advertising. I use lots of digital services to help run my business – PayPal, a web host, and email client, banking, etc.etc. – and each of them charges me. Rightly so, too! We’re none of us in *business* to offer charity, and I’m cool with that.
2. I accept that things move on: times, they are a-changing! Okay, so Facebook used to offer us more, and its offering to business users has reduced over time, but that’s life! I’ve been running business pages on Facebook for almost five years now, and had a personal profile for about three years before that. In the beginning, almost everything I posted was seen by almost all of my page ‘fans’. How cool was that?! Thanks, Facebook, you got me off to a really good start! But – and here’s the thing – back in 2009, there were about 100,000 pages, posting an average of once every 15.7 days! Less than once a fortnight, I kid you not! This summer, Facebook estimated that approximately 30 million – THIRTY MILLION! – small enterprises were running Facebook pages, each posting an average of three times daily. Is it any wonder that photos of my latest cushion or my scatty ramblings are less likely to hit your newsfeed?! Would you really want to hear what I – along with every single other page you follow – have to say three times a day?
3. And you know, it’s my responsibility to engage my followers. If you see and like my posts, or photos of recent commissions, or snaps of my workspace, then you interact with me. If I’m boring, you scroll past. It’s really not rocket science, is it? Plus, the guys at Facebook also offer us some really fab information about our pages, called Insights. Insights can give a page owner loads of really useful statistics about which posts are most and least successful, and even what time of day our followers tend to be checking their newsfeed. We’re handed a really powerful business tool on a plate, and if we can’t be dynamic enough to roll with a few punches and adapt to a couple of rule changes, then tough luck! Seriously, I’d love for you all to see everything I post, but in the same way that I don’t see every single airing of an M&S television advertisement, it’s just not going to happen. It’s *my* responsibility to get *my* publicity seen by as many people as possible by posting lively, interesting, engaging and timely content, even if that means paying for advertisements to reach my followers. You know, like in the real world ;)
4. I like it in Facebookland, and I’ve made friends there! Over the last few years, the number of people who follow my page has increased steadily, and I really like those guys! Some of the people there are customers or even repeat customers, some are my own friends and family and some are just random lovelies who join in with the nonsense and say nice things about my work.  Do you know that this month, one lady saw a penguin hot water bottle in Asda, and told me she thought of my middley and his penguin obsession when she saw it?! How lovely is that? Someone I’ve never met, someone who lives inside my computer, thought of my son and pointed me towards a gift she knew he’d like! I’m not going anywhere, no sir, I’m staying right there on Facebook!
5. Which leads me to this: other social media platforms just don’t work for me. I’ve tried them all! Twitter is too fast-moving for my product. Almost everything I make is a unique commission, or has a heavy degree of personalisation, and my sales are generally driven through relationship-based marketing. I know it’s not really that nice to think that my Facebook interactions have a goal of sales, but ultimately I’m there for a business presence and happen to be making buddies and having fun along the way. Twitter moves too quickly for Hop Stitch Jump, and needs me to be succinct, which you might have noticed is not my strength. It’s a fantastic platform for driving traffic to your website, and perfect for impulse purchases. We didn’t get along that well. Instagram? Try as I might, I can’t take enough photos in a week to be successful there! Google+? Too few of my target market use it. LinkedIn? Too corporate networky! Tsū? Too new, not proven enough, I suspect it’s a flash in the pan, a knee-jerk reaction to Facebook’s changes. I’m not going anywhere, no sir, I’m staying right there on Facebook!
6. This social media lark can be really time-consuming. Of course, I could have a gentle presence in each of the major social media networks, but I fear I’d be spreading myself too thinly. Right now, Hop Stitch Jump works for me and my family by offering me masses of flexibility so that the top of my list when the children are awake is being there for them, and letting me work evenings and weekends. That won’t be for ever, though, and a more conventional, Monday to Friday full-time schedule is approaching faster than I’d like. When that time comes, and all of my children are in full-time school, I hope to get my evenings and weekends back to share with my family, not running five social media accounts! There might be a time that I can juggle them all, but that time has not yet come! There are some busy periods when I literally have to ignore my email inbox ping-pinging and my Facebook notifications ding-donging, because I would never get around to the important business of actually making! And finally...
7. Nobody wants to interact with a page that moans and grumbles all the time, right? I can hold my hand up to having 'unliked' a handful of pages over recent weeks, simply because I can't bear to hear any more complaining about how Facebook changes are going to ruin their business, or because they are are posting obvious gimmicks to encourage interaction almost daily. If I like the photos and stories that a page posts, I naturally interact, and therefore I keep seeing that page in my newsfeed. I could hazard a guess that I'm not the only unliker, and therefore, that there's something other than the changes in the pipeline that might be having a detrimental effect on Facebook reach. What do you think?

There is no getting away from the fact that Facebook - along with other social media platforms - is going to keep moving the goalposts and bending the rules. In fact, it's entirely their prerogative and we've all done well to get this far for free. Yes, it makes it difficult for business to keep abreast of the changes, and yes it can be a bit of a pain in the rear, but all successful businesses have to stay current in both real and virtual life. It *is* possible for page owners to reach more of their followers by either working hard to post engaging content or by paying to target posts more closely. Page owners are wrong to say they're being forced to put their hands in their pockets to make a success of a service that has so far been free. And in all honesty, if a business relies entirely on an one of the popular social media networks as the way to reach existing and potential customers, then Facebook making a few changes is least of their worries.

So there you have seven reasons that I'm staying put on Facebook for a while. How about you? Do you run a page and have a different take on the changes? Or if you only have a personal profile, how do you feel about Facebook changes streamlining your newsfeed? Will it change the way you interact with the pages you've chosen to follow? I'd love to hear...

Catherine x

Why I can't take in any more commissions for Christmas, and why I can't encourage people to copy my work...

 

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"You see the handprint cushions? They were inspired by MY children, whose hands I held on a late winter walk as we stepped across stones in the stream. I shed a tear at the speed my six-year-old's hand had transformed from other, pudgy, almost-two-year-old hand I was holding..."

I have turned down many, many requests for custom items this month, and it makes me sad. Not just sad that I can't grow my business at the speed that my customers can support me with, but also sad because in all honesty I could do with the extra boost to Christmas funds! Like everyone else who celebrates Christmas, it's pretty expensive for us, too. It's also my son's birthday in December, and extra money would be really useful. But I just can't take on any more work at the moment. Bear wih me...

I'd love to be able to help people out when they come to me a few weeks before Christmas, but I have already been working really hard for months to maximise best use of my time in the run-up to the festivities. I've been taking Christmas orders since July, offering an early reservation scheme to those who follow me on Facebook, because those are the people who are with me all year, and I think it's only right they get first dibs! Then there are people who have only just heard about my work, and who are really keen, so I save November for them. But still there isn't enough time.

Here's why I can't keep squeezing in "just one more cushion" or that Doodlebroidery commission that "would mean the absolute world" to your mum. You see, if I take on three more orders, that's another day's work. Like everyone else, there are weeks when I'd love to be able to tag a day onto the end so I get time to do everything on my job list, but - like everyone else - I'm stuck with the seven days! I'm also stuck with postal cut offs, and you are too: you need to receive your orders in time to admire them, wrap them and send them on to your Granny or your sister.

Bigger than all of that is that if I take on too much work, I risk jeopardising every commission I have in my order book. Nobody wants to think that the special embroidery they've worked hard to save for gets rushed off late on Saturday night after I've entertained a hall of five-year-old boys and I'm too tired to give 100% of my attention to the positioning Granny's glasses! When you commission a piece of work - something handmade, unique and extra-special - there's an unspoken agreement that there will be extra attention to detail and a piece of the maker in the finished item. If we makers take on too much, that is lost. 

And here's why I can't recommend someone else who might be able to rush you off a copy of my work. I have put almost five years of my life into Hop Stitch Jump. I have worked late at night - sometimes through the night - to build a business that helps to make ends meet while allowing me to take care of my children, too. It's hard, it's not that glamourous, and it doesn't pay that brilliantly, but I love the flexibility it offers us as a family and I have enjoyed every minute I've spent learning new skills and pushing myself. You know what else? It's MY work. Those are my ideas, my skills and my expertise in that near-perfect embroidery of your child's beautiful family portrait. Before those entirely handmade cushions that are designed and washed and cut and embroidered and piped and zipped and ironed and filled and packaged, there were mistakes: there were zips I couldn't attach properly, embroideries that were too big for the cushion fronts, handwriting I wasn't happy with. You see the handprint cushions? They were inspired by MY children, whose hands I held on a late winter walk as we stepped across stones in the stream. I shed a tear at the speed my six-year-old's hand had transformed from other pudgy almost-two-year-old hand I was holding. I went home and drew around three little hands, each one an echo of the one smaller, and I made myself a cushion. My own children and our memories of that lovely day are in every handprint cushion I make for you and your beautiful families, in the very fabric of the gifts you give. I didn't do all of that to hand it over to someone else at the last minute.

I'm genuinely sorry that I can't guarantee any more commissions in time for Christmas. I am very grateful to those of you who have already booked in to keep me busy in January, and to those who have ordered cushions for Mother's Day instead of Christmas. I am delighted that so many people are happy to give gift vouchers instead. Your dedication to supporting handmade is amazing! Thank you all.

Catherine xxx

What do you get when you cross Angelina Jolie, Versace, embroidery and a wedding dress...?

 

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Wowzers, what a week it has been!  If there was ever a time that I didn't expect to drop everything for a work-related excitement, it was the first day of school. Who would have thought that Angelina Jolie's wedding dress would have been literally covered with Versace's version of Doodlebroidery by Hop Stitch Jump? Wait, scrap that! Who would have thought that Versace embroider children's drawings?! Not me, that's for sure, and I can't believe how many people have been in touch to let me know they've told people that they saw it at Hop Stitch Jump first! Huge thanks to those of you who have championed me this week: you're amazing.
When the photographs were released by Hello on Tuesday, my phone began to beep almost instantly as my more celeb-savvy friends saw the link between the gown and my work. It was a busy couple of days, culminating lots of lovely and exciting new orders, some possible new working relationships with bridal stores and this press release. But first, one more look at THE dress of the week! 

Amazing, isn't it? I've often been asked to embroider children's drawings or messages from loved ones as a wedding gift, and I have thought it would be nice to include something really unique into a wedding dress - possibly in the lining - but I never imagined a celebrity couple of Brangelina's stature would incorporate so much into their wedding day, and so boldly! I respect Angelina's efforts to shun fashion in favour of family on possibly the most talked-about day of her life. Never has she been in a brighter spotlight and still she kept her beautiful children at the forefront. 

There's no doubt that this dress is not for every bride, and I imagine that those without children of their own would be horrified at the thought of childish scribbles on their beautiful gown, but not Angelina. She embraced everything it means to be a mum and paraded it beautifully. I admire her for it.

And here's the press release...

Yorkshire Business Woman Paves The Way For Angelina’s Statement Wedding Dress

Wakefield textile artist Catherine Knowles has been inundated with orders from around the world since the photos of Angelina Jolie’s wedding dress were made public this week. Specialising in the embroidery of children’s drawings similar to those adorning the Hollywood bride’s gown and veil since 2010, Catherine is now being recognised as a leader in her field as the A-List couple follow suit.

“My inbox has been pinging away since the photos of Angelina Jolie’s dress hit the media earlier this week! Versace’s embroidery on Angelina’s wedding gown mirrors the type of work I do every day. It’s a beautiful way to involve children in a big day, and I’m not at all surprised that other brides are inspired.”

The wedding dress, designed by Atelier Versace, was covered in embroidered versions of drawings created by Brad and Angelina’s six children, and has been at the centre of fashion and celebrity news coverage this week. Catherine said, “Angelina managed to incorporate her  family story into her wedding dress, and made their children feel like a special part of the special day, just as they are every day. With every commission, my customers tell me that they want to create something that captures a moment in time and that will include their children in their home. By including their children’s artwork in the very fabric of their wedding, Brad and Angelina have echoed their sentiments exactly.”

Doodlebroidery from Hop Stitch Jump transforms a child's drawing into a wonderful, and entirely unique fabric keepsake, perfect for parents, grandparents, teachers or even for the budding artists to keep for themselves.  There are no computerised embroidery machines involved; it’s all about understanding the child’s interpretation and paying close attention to detail. Catherine tells us that she works tirelessly to remain as true to the original artwork as possible, studying the drawing closely and using the colours the child has used.

Catherine’s commissions are many and varied, and have included the restoration of 40-year-old handwritten notes, special first drawings to be hung on the wall and collaborative pictures from a class of five-year-olds to present to their teacher. “I can recreate drawings and messages onto almost any textile item. Most of my work is framed or on cushions, but I especially love working on heirloom table runners embroidered with messages and drawings from a whole family: I love the thought that a moment in time has been captured for the family and will be at the centre of the table for every celebration for years to come.”

Featured in a special 2013 edition of the BBC show Songs of Praise, which focussed on Wakefield’s thriving entrepreneurial spirit, Catherine’s work is commissioned by parents and grandparents alike. “In my opinion, there is no better way to preserve the magic of a child’s imagination, and it appeals to anyone who can see that magic sparkle.” Although her customers haven’t yet included big-screen stars, Catherine has an established customer base both in the UK and overseas, with commissions coming from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand, and even from remote places such as Ascension Island. “My clients tend to email me photographs of the child’s drawings, which means they can be in any part of the country, or even the world!” She is also part of Created In Yorkshire, a cooperative craft shop in The Ridings Shopping Centre in the centre of Wakefield.

Originally from Leeds, mum-of-three Catherine had a fulfilling career as a teacher at schools in Chesterfield and Doncaster before following her creative yearnings and starting her textile career and her business, Hop Stitch Jump. She now works from a home studio in Normanton.

School's out for Summer!

 

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School's out for Summer
(and the teacher gifts were a hit!)...

Could you have drawn a more diverse and beautiful collection of flowers yourself? Me neither!

 

I love these little guys. Their faces are adorable, aren't they?!

Picture the scene: it's a hot, sticky afternoon and The Boys and I are watching Girl at her first proper school sports day. Between races, the parents, grandparents and childminders are enjoying the chance to have a little natter and a catch up in the sunshine on their bonus afternoon off work...

"Have you thought about a present for their teacher at the end of term?" asks a Grandma. "Yes," I say, "I'm going to make something." "Do you think you could make something from all of us?" Erm, I wasn't sure! Could I? I thought I probably could, but I had no idea what could be special enough that it would be able to come from a big group. I did have a plan for our own gift, and it will be no surprise that it involved Doodlebroidery: Beatrix had asked me if she could do a wall picture for her teacher and an apron for her TA. Actually, she swapped and changed between a wall picture and a rosette for her teacher, but I managed to pin her down! A couple of years ago, when she left pre-school, we decorated a big plant pot, wrote "Thank you for helping me grow" on it and filled it with a lovely hibiscus that would flower in the staff room for a few months of the year. We planned to do a variation of this as a Doodlebroidery for her class teacher this year, and she was going to draw flowers for me to embroider.

It dawned on me that I might be able to adapt this idea slightly to incorporate more flowers, and make a pretty, embroidered flower garden with the same sentiment on the picture. I talked through the idea and there it was, a plan! Facebook and text messages started flying back and forth between tip top organised mums, and very soon I had a pile of 27 flowers drawn by 27 little artists on my desk.  These were soon followed by a pile of beautiful self-portraits after some parents discussed what the TA might like to have to remember our children by, and decided upon a cushion. Their TA has been completely amazing: she is a Nursery Nurse and has been with many of the children since January 2011, moving with them from the nursery class into full-time school. It's not enough to say that she's been a rock.


So, there you have it, and here it is! The picture took about eleven hours of scaling, planning, embroidering, appliqueing, ironing and framing to complete, and the cushion was around 6 hours. I have to tell you, though, I enjoyed every minute of both project. I think they are so very beautiful, and reflect the personality of each child who contributed to them. I could not have drawn 27 more different flowers or 17 more different faces if I had tried, and together their beauty blows me away.
 
To see the original drawings on which these Doodlebroideries are based, please join me on Facebook, where you'll see the whole bunch!

The confessions of a cobbler

 

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My name is Catherine and I'm a cobbler...

The mojo went. I don't know where to, but it definitely left the building. My best bet is that the baby stole it. Wherever it went, I can see it on the horizon and I'm trying to persuade to come back and stay a while. 

I thought that a special project for my own children might entice it back, so I'm experimenting; I've ordered the materials, and I almost have a pattern I can use. It's an idea I've been contemplating for a while and one I know that Beatrix and Jasper will love if I can get it all to come together, so why didn't I make it sooner? The truth is, makes for my poor babies have been repeatedly put on the back burner since I started Hop Stitch Jump, and even more so since I've been juggling the baby in the equation. I rarely seem to be able to coincide the time and the inclination to make for pleasure.

The irony is that I started making children's gifts as thrift measure, but now I spend my time at the sewing machine making for paying customers because they put food on my table, and I end up buying presents for my own little guys!

A beautiful castle on a sunny day - not embroidered by Mummy.

It seems I'm not on my own. I'm part of a couple of small business networks, one of which is Yorkshire-based and bursting at the seems with crafters of all disciplines, from metal workers to ceramicists, and fine artists to cake decorators. The members all say the same thing: once your hobby becomes your work, it's no longer your hobby! There's a wonderful landscaper and garden designer in the group who's embarrassed by the state of her own lawn and flower beds. There's a lady who makes the most beautiful cushions for children and who, thanks to an order book that's full until next summer, hasn't had time to make one for her own son. How about the fashion designer who spent the day before her holiday frantically sewing to make clothes for her own suitcase? And here I am, with a boy without a superhero cape, a girl who needs a new hairclip holder and a giant pile of their drawings that I keep putting to one side ready to create my own gallery of Doodlebroidery.

Little notes everywhere!

It really is true: the cobbler's children go barefoot!

So here I declare, publicly, that I will make my children a mail centre in time for Christmas. I will, honest! It will have a beautiful post bag, a plethora of letters and more than one place to deliver to. I will do it because they adore playing postie and I adore them. I'll do it because they love writing notes and drawing pictures for us and finding places to leave them. I will do it because it's the game that they play most nicely together and it will make them so happy. I'll make it because I owe it to my children. You know why I'll really be making the cobbler's children some shoes though, don't you? Yup, because I've told you I will, and I know you'll crack the whip!

If Daddy were a dinosaur. Again, not transformed
into Doodlebroidery by the cobbler!

How DO you DO that?

 

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It's all in the making!

Last week, I was approached by a fellow fabric crafter who was keen to know more about how Doodlebroidery is created. Here's how it unfolded!

Doodlebroidery Cards

I received an email early last week from a lady who had seen some of my Doodlebroidery that was given as a Christmas gift to her friend and wanted more information about its creation. I explained to her, as I do to everyone who asks, that customers send me their child's drawing either by email or in the post, and I embroider an interpretation of the drawing onto fabric. Sometimes the fabric is for framing, sometimes it's an apron or a shopper, and more recently I've been preparing some small pieces to be mounted in cards. Then it's all gift wrapped and sent out.

PING PONG! No sooner had I sent my reply email than another popped into my inbox from the same lady. "Thank you very much for your reply," it read. "I don't think I was clear enough in my question, sorry. What I meant was which embroidery machine and software do you use?" Erm, software? Embroidery machine? Are these trick questions?

Framed Doodlebroidery

I was really, really flattered that she thought my work wasn't actually all mine, but that it was created by an automated machine; it felt good that she has such faith my translation of drawings. The thing is, it's not automated, not one stitch! Every part of every piece of Doodlebroidery is created using a simple domestic sewing machine. There's nothing complex or sophisticated about my machine - a bog-standard Brother JS-23 costing less than £70. In fact, although it was brand new when I got it, it was actually a gift from my sister to our Mum (who is an avid knitter) to get her started with machine sewing.  It certainly isn't a fancy, computerised embroidery machine! 

Stitching by numbers

All of my embroidery is done using a free motion embroidery foot, my two beady eyes and my two steady hands. A free foot works in much the same way as a standard presser foot, but instead of having the feed dogs move the fabric along in a straight line, it allows you to move your fabric around between stitches so that you can determine the direction and length of the stitch. Free motion machine embroidery has traditionally been used in quilting to create nice squiggly patterns rather than a traditional diamond shape, but it seems to have had an explosion in popularity in the last couple of years with many stitchy people using it as a way to "draw with thread". I begin by creating the outline of the image or drawing it with thread.  Then I do any "colouring in" and I usually finish by adding any necessary text. The last step is to frame if necessary then do a bit of labelling and gift wrapping before sending off the parcel. And ta-daaah! A unique piece of fabric art, done!

Thank you very much Friend Of Customer! You gave me a great chance to reflect on my work and a boost in confidence that was much needed in the post-Christmas lull!

Wrapped and ready

Tip
Fancy giving free motion embroidery a go? You might find it useful to have an embroidery hoop to hand to keep your fabric taut and either lower your feed dogs or cover them with a darning plate.  :o)

Out with the old and in with the new - the one with loads of bits and bobs to talk about!

 

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Out with the old and in with the new - the one with loads of bits and bobs to talk about!

Well, it came and went - I trust you all had a peaceful Christmas and have had a happy start to the new year! 

Ours was lovely. We started on Christmas Eve with our (now traditional) trip to the panto with friends and a yummy lunch that I didn't cook; it was fabulous! The pantomime was a brilliantly entertaining version of Cinderella, performed by Far Out Theatre at Holmfirth Picturedrome. The stars of the show were without doubt Munter and Minger, Cinderella's ugly sisters, whose crazy flamboyance kept the kids giggling while their cheeky innuendo kept the adults entertained, too. There is something really special about a Christmas Eve performance that gets everyone ready for the festivities, and the offering from Far Out Theatre was so good that we will do our very best to get tickets for next year's show. Oh crikey, I mean this year's show don't I? Wowsers, 2012 already!  

An ugly sister, my best big girl, Prince Charming and Buttons.
Oh, yes they are!  :)

After the panto, we went next door to The Old Bridge for lunch. The party atmosphere in the theatre made for an extended show and we arrived for lunch much later than our reservation. Thankfully, the dining room was almost empty so the children were able to play and burn off some of the energy they'd be storing during Cinderella!  The last time we ate at The Old Bridge was the day after our wedding party and it was hard not to reflect on the differences between the two days: I seem to remember there being a great deal of sunshine, alcohol and grown-up conversations that moved smoothly and completely in the Summer of 2006, whereas the Winter of 2011 found me as sober as a judge, heavily pregnant with Number Three and scrabbling around on my hands and knees to play cars with kids while snatching snippets of conversation wherever I could!

My rascals with the bounty from their stockings <3

Christmas Day itself was the usual whirl of visitors and excited children, followed by dinner on our own for the first time since 2006. It was very strange to only be feeding four, but it was surprisingly peaceful and really lovely to have time to enjoy the day with our small people and the explosion of plastic that happened when we weren't looking! I didn't work at all in the week between Christmas and New Year, and so I brought in 2012 feeling quite refreshed and rejuvenated.We had a Noon Year's Eve party for the Small People and some close friends, followed by a lazy evening with a little sofa snooze while I waited for Jools Holland to do his stuff!

And here it is - 2012 in full throttle. Trimmings down, done! Back to school, done! Tying up the odds and ends for work, nearly done! Which just leaves the baby to get ready for. In four weeks, or thereabouts, we should be meeting Baby Number Three. It's so exciting for us all and although we have loads of stuff to get ready physically, we're definitely all looking forward to welcoming a new member of the family and ready to meet him/her.   I just have one little niggle...work.

Dinosaur hoody for a little man
who'sdelighted with it!

2011 was a great one for Hop Stitch Jump and Sock Monsters, and I even managed to do a little better than stay afloat. I learned some really cool stuff, launched some (I think) ace products, worked some ridiculous hours, and still got to spend loads of time with my Small People. I made at least 220 Sock Monsters (with some emergency last-minute help from some amazing people!), 40 superhero capes, about 80 pairs of hair clips, 21 hairclip holders, 15 dinosaur hoodies, 6 name plaques and 12 pieces of Doodlebroidery. Or close to that, anyway! All-in-all, it was harder than I expected but also more successful, so the balance was in my favour. Now my maternity leave is just around the corner though, I'm finding it tricky to stop all together.

An apron made for a Grandma
affectionately known as "Poppet!"

It's not that I've changed completely and want to work more than I want to be home with our new family, it's just that taking maternity leave from my own business feels really different from taking leave from another job. I've never lost track of the reason that I work nights or of the benefits of juggling fledgling humans and a fledgling business. When you are "employed," you know that your job will be held open while you're on maternity leave and that you are entitled to a proper break from work, but when you're "self-employed," and especially when you're a sole trader who has no employees to keep things ticking over in your absence, it's frightening to let go for a few months for fear of there being nothing to return to! Is it feasible that a business can be put on hold after a successful first year without there being serious detriment? For my tiny business that relies on social networking to communicate with customers and potential customers, how hard will it be to rebuild relationships with my followers and fans?

The Doodlebroidery created for the winner of my
December competition. Please see my FB page
for the original drawing and more examples.

The feedback I've received since Christmas from my customers and the people they gave gifts to has been phenomenal. It's so lovely to know that people like and enjoy my work.  Like most people I find it hard to sing my own praises and I pick over the tiniest imperfections in my work - the influx of positivity has come at a great time for me and Hop Stitch Jump. It's also given me a real boost and the confidence to think that maybe, just maybe, there might be a "proper" long-term future in this or something that evolves from this. I guess for that I'll have to wait and see! What I do know is that I'll be making the most of the days that I can work while on maternity leave (10 "Keeping In Touch" days as allowed by Government regulations) and hoping that when I return in the late Summer/Autumn I won't have to pick up from the very beginning all over again. Fingers crossed!

I've also had to do some serious rationalising and soul searching, and I know I'm going to have to consider the future of Sock Monsters.  It seems that since I first started making my favourite inanimate critters, their popularity has exploded exponentially.  Without eating too much into a topic broad enough for a blog entry of its own, there are so many "hobbyists" now who can make and sell sock creatures for prices much lower than I can charge. I am 100% confident that I source and use the very best materials. I am meticulous in my development and making and I pay for quality, from the socks to the super-safe stuffing, from the time I take to double-stitch by hand to colour-coordinated gift wrapping for every order. I run a legitimate business through proper channels and I incur expenses in line with that. Unfortunately, potential customers don't always see that and with times being as they are right now, price is often the only comparison that's made. Hmmm...food for thought for sure.

And there we have it - the end of one year and the start of a new one! Thanks to the great reception I've had so far, there is much promise for Hop Stitch Jump, but this year will bring its own, new challenges. Ooh-er missus, how will it all pan out? xx

It's Competition Time!

 

Join us on Facebook at Hop Stitch Jump and at Sock Monsters :) 

It's here - your chance to win a unique piece of Doodlebroidery! 

Doodlebroidery is my name for the process of turning your child's amazing work of art into something you can keep forever. Essentially, I use free motion embroidery to apply the drawing to pretty much any textile item you want; onto canvas to frame, onto an apron, shopping bag or even a hoodie, and they make the perfect keepsake gift.  Stuck for a special present to give your husband or wife this year? I can even embroider drawings that have been sat in the loft for twenty five years!  If you want to read a little more about Doodlebroidery, read the last edition of the Hop Stitch Jump blog here.

Right, on to the fun bit!  The idea of the competition is that you submit a child's drawing that you would like to have embroidered and sent to you ready for framing in time for Christmas. Seemples!  (Guidelines for the drawing are below.) Once all of the entries are collated, they will be posted to a new entry on this blog and my very own little doodler will choose the drawing that she likes best. Then I'll embroider the winning entry onto cotton ready for you to frame, and it will be sent out in the post! Your very own, one-of-a-kind, entirely original piece of fabric art - what a prize! :)


And there we have it - a competition, a prize and the chance to spend an afternoon with a quiet, crayon-wielding child!  Happy doodling, and please share with your friends

Guidelines for Entrants:

• All entries must be received by email to catherine@hopstitchjump.co.uk no later than 8pm on Friday 25th November 2011.
• Entries should be no bigger than A4 in their original format (210mm x 297mm).
• Please include the following with your email:
• your child's drawing as an attachment in .jpg format. Your image can be either scanned or photographed at high resolution and then attached to the email.
  
• a description of the image - sometimes a little bit of interpretation can go a long way!
• the first name and age of the child who drew the picture.
• your name and postal address.
• By submitting an entry, you give me permission to use your child's drawing, including the finished piece of Doodlebroidery, in my own promotional materials.
• The competition is open to entrants worldwide. However, by submitting an entry, entrants from outside the UK agree to pay a small charge towards international postage.
• Winners will be notified by email by Monday 28th November 2011.
• The winner's prize will be dispatched using the Royal Mail Recorded service no later than their published last date (the Royal Mail website has been down for a few days, so I'll update this bit when it's live again!).