Tuesday, February 03, 2009

will work for fabric


About a week and a half ago, I was contacted by someone who wanted to buy some doll quilts and pillows. I have toyed with the idea of opening an on-line shop more than I care to admit. But in the end, I always freak out. I don't want to run a business, I want to spend that time quilting. All the details of the business side of things would drive me crazy. (Not to mention the CPSIA fiasco.) So, we ended up setting up a swap instead. I think bartering is way underrated. I now have a pretty pile of fabric (my first jelly roll and layer cake!!!) and some of the doll quilts and pillows I made have a new home and have made one mama and her girl very happy.

The fabric can be found here.
This has to be the very best kind of cake.
Ever.

70 comments:

Sipiweske Quilts said...

Oh what a lovely stack of fabric! I can't wait to see what you have planned for that. The doll pillows and quilts are adorable and I am hoping to get some made and donate at Christmas time . . . those pillows are soooooo cute! Have fun with your new fabric. - Marlene

Thimbleanna said...

I'm with you -- bartering is the only way to go! I bartered some boxers once for a weld job to fix the front axle on our lawn mower. Great stack of fabrics!

rachel griffith said...

oh absolutely...
barter, barter, barter.
:D

oh cherry oh is such a fun line!!!i can't wait to see what you make with it.

Barbara Brown said...

fabulous idea. good thinking. thanks for the link to the store.
barbara brown

Lynn said...

I saw the 'oh cherry oh' line at the same link last week and cannot stop thinking that I must have some of that. Lucky you it is a good deal.

jenclair said...

Great idea! Makes terrific sense...especially as you would probably spent the money on fabric anyway!

Cindy said...

I love the PHAT Quarter shop in Galena Illinois. It is chock full of fabrics. I could have spent all afternoon in there. There is also one in The Amana Colonies in an old church I think it is. That place was 2 levels of fabric. I was in heaven.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic idea!! I'm making my sister a pouch and she's going to get me something from etsy as payment. Bartering is fun!

aSprinkling said...

That sounds like a great idea! How fun!

Judy said...

I like that idea. I did try to sell online but I wasn't aggressive enough and I hated the pressure to keep the shop stocked with items, and it took the fun out of sewing.

nettie said...

bartering IS way under-rated. I myself have an online shop and at least once per month I want to shut it down...you're probably smart to never start.

Aunt Spicy said...

Brilliant! Working for fabric is a great idea! I also bartered a quilt for a beautiful painting!

Unknown said...

Bartering is the best! I do it whenever I can.

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

It's a win-win for all of you. Can't wait to see what you create with Oh Cherry Oh. My charm squares from that line just came in the mail today. It's such a fun fabric!

Sara said...

I am a firm believer in bartering! Good stuff - see - you won and she won...and nobody really spent "cash"

Amy said...

I would barter with someone, but always afraid to ask the seller.I used to live near the Amish in Ohio and some of them will barter with non-Amish.. the fabric line is gorgeous.. you got new fabric without shopping, thats a winner to me. have a great day

Patty said...

I did a barter job last year, I made a twin size quilt and was paid in fabric scraps; we both walked away feeling like we got the better end of the deal.

Opening an online store is great fun; you might consider giving it a try. If it doesn’t work out you could always close the store and use your inventory for future gifts.

Marie' said...

I have to agree with you about having a business. It would take the fun out of creating, I think. I used to teach piano lessons to many children, and I absolutely hated running the business. I used to envy those lucky teachers whose husbands took care of the business side (bad cop) and they could just enjoy teaching (good cop).
Nice fabric.

Joyce said...

You're right, that's the best kind of cake. Especially since it won't put an inch on my hips.

Anita said...

I'm trying out my first bartering gig with a photographer friend. I'll get professional pictures of my daughter and she will get a very cute portabello pixie dress for her daughter. I really like the idea of bartering as well. Congrats!

lera said...

Jelly roll? And layer cake? It all sounds good to me. Fabric or food.

Sheree said...

Oh girl, I'd love to barter with you any day!! I actually wanted to do some shop publicity for fabric bartering with folks but I did not get any takers. I thought it would be fun to send folks boxes of fabric from the shop and they make up things for me to show what can be done with the fabric.

It is alot of work running a business, even if it is small and online. but I do love it (most days!).

Seriously, if you want to go slow with a shop, consider Etsy. That is how I started before I opened my online shop. Well before that, I sold my designs on ebay, but that was years ago when you could get good prices for your things.

Can't wait to see what you make with this! Off to check out your other posts!

Rebecca said...

Oh, I totally agree that bartering makes it worthwhile. I recently bartered some sewing for a meal and baking - totally worth it! Time spent sewing is also time away from the kitchen. :)

Calico Road said...

Cute fabric. You are so smart to barter for fabric. I haven't tried jelly rolls yet, or layer cake, but i love the thought of getting little pieces of each fabric.

Anonymous said...

That's a great idea! I've been playing around with the idea of quilting in exchange for piecing. In otherwords, the piecer makes two identical tops, includes the backing & binding. I quilt both tops on my LA using my thread and batting. I get to keep one and send the other back. This way I get quilts too!

Sweet P said...

Bartering can be fun! You received a wonderful stack of fabric! Have fun using it.

Unknown said...

great swap! Great stack of fabulous fabrics :)

Pamela said...

lucky duck with the swap! the CPSIA have postponed regulations while they work everything out. visit www.tomandlucysartshoppe.blogspot.
com for more information.
p.s. love the blog!

Needled Mom said...

What a wonderful idea. I love the names "jelly roll" and "layer cakes." Whoever came up with those names deserve a great deal of credit.

Mama Urchin said...

I'm big on bartering, especially with you :)

Julie said...

Great idea. I bet you have a wish list of fabric a mile long.

Anonymous said...

Bartering is great and it has actually seen a rise on sites like Craigslist due to the economy.....of course your bartered items are so much prettier.

sheila said...

great fabrics can't wait to see what you do with them

Karen said...

Love your new fabrics...as for bartering...I agree with so many others...bartering is the bomb;)

Sarah said...

That is some beautiful fabric! Bartering rocks!

Renee said...

Now that's my idea of great cake!!

Linda said...

Such pretty fabric! The first time I saw that line of fabric I thought of you. :)
Thank goodness they decided to wait another year and to review the whole CPSIA deal. That has been a nightmare for me as well. :P

Helene said...

I would say sell your stuff on Etsy.com!!! So whenever you feel like selling you do and when you don't feel like selling, well you don't.
But i prefer your idea... will work for fabric! I would too!
Helene

Unknown said...

I love Oh Cherry Oh! I may be purchasing my first charm pack very soon!

driftwood said...

what a lovely idea of a trade, and some truly gorgeous fabric - cant wait to see what you make with it!

dutchcomfort said...

Great idea to trade like this!!

Annie said...

Brillianat, I love this sort of thing. The other week I helped my friend weed her garden and she helped me with my work program. We traded our talents and it was great.

Sew Create It - Jane said...

That sounds like the perfect exchange. I've sold quilts before and I never enjoy working on them as it is something I "have" to do. I plan on keeping my quilting as a hobby...at least for now.

Heidi said...

J.S.G. Boggs is an artist that draws accurate replicas of money. He then uses these drawings to barter for other things. This has landed him in some sticky situations with the government because they feel it is close to counterfeiting. I like the idea though of trading for services. I am in the process of creating a quilt for an anniversary present. Instead of payment, I am just having them purchase all the stuff and I will make it for them at no charge. It makes me feel good :)

linda said...

I think that a way to get around that CPSIA thing would be to have your customers buy the fabric themselves, and all you're really doing is cutting it up, and putting it back together. Great bunch of fabric, delicious!!

Laural said...

I love that line! I have one of those charming jelly cakes lying around here just waiting to find a muse for them.

I love your whirlygiggle quilt. The colors are perfect!

Anonymous said...

Boy oh boy do I hear you about running a business. It is so flippin' time consuming that I hardly have enough time to make stuff to put in the shop!

jacquie said...

i've been back and forth on the business thing a million times. i'm good with bartering!

Stephanie @ My Answered Prayer said...

I do a little sewing for others here and there...tried the craft fairs and stuff but having to have inventory for those is kind of a pain...plus most are right before Christmas and I got way too busy.

I bartered most of my Christmas for the girls and will for next year too. Wish more people would do that!

ilovebabyquilts said...

I would totally trade someone some doll quilts I had made for all that fabric! Best of all worlds: you get to make people happy and have more fabric to continue!

SuzyQSparkles said...

I too love barter and working for trade. I think it's highly underused in today's society. Currently, I'm trying to arrange a trade of lessons... sewing (her daughters) for piano (my sons).

Anonymous said...

It is the best kind of cake ever! So pretty!

Karen said...

Great idea, bartering! Love those cakes and to think they are calorie free! Can't wait to see what you do with these new fabrics!

Anonymous said...

How funny! I wrote almost the opposite post today because, due to a mathematical error (did you know 8 does not equal 12? Me neither?) I find myself with too much fabric: http://www.jennicakes.com/blog/?p=143

Andrea said...

What a fantastic idea. That way, you can do the quilts you love, and earn the fabric you love too!

That fabric is adorable. You have transformed my tastes from bold colours into sweet girlie things. What am I going to do? I only have boys here! LOL

Anna Lea said...

What a terrific idea! I usually just end up buying more supplies anyway, maybe i can find a way to barter for donations for the breast cancer 3-day I am walking in.......hmmmmm

Crisanne said...

I love bartering! Right now I have a great trade going on with a friend, she teaches my kids dance lessons in exchange for violin lessons! That is some beautiful fabric, can't wait to see what you create with it!

Darci said...

I think bartering is the BEST! If only I had my husbands talents at it. I love this line of fabrics and have been contemplating buying them, maybe I will wait to see what you do with them.

Roxanne said...

Oh yeah, fabric is always better than cash! With cash you might have to buy groceries or pay bills or something yucky like that! I'm actually considering a little job at a yarn store just for the yarn - no intentions of any cash coming home with me!

Katherine said...

I'm with you on bartering being underrated. Swapping is great fun and then there's the benefits that Roxanne mentioned above... It's a win, win deal, I think.
Great fabrics - what have you planned with them???

Cristin said...

I agree - Etsy is the way to go! Minimum time, but THOUSANDS of buyers... and your quilts are so fabulous - you could sell them... THEN BUY MORE FABRIC! ;-)

Rebekah said...

fun! Can't wait to see the results of your bartering :)

sulu-design said...

I know the world would be thrilled if you opened an on-line shop, but I know how time-consuming such a shop can be, and I totally understand why you don't want to do it. That being said, I think swapping is fabulous - I see lots more requests to do so coming your way now that you've posted about it!

Anonymous said...

Three cheers for bartering! Will we get to see the doll quilts? Or have we already seen them....

Amanda Jean said...

rose,

you already saw two of the three doll quilts. (the red and aqua ones.) i don't really have a decent photo of the third one.

aj

Carrie said...

Well, maybe you don't want to make quilts as a business, but I think you would be a great instructor. I love your quilts. I am taking a class now to make my very first quilt and then I want to try the ragged squares for my 8 year old niece.
Great blog! Thanks for the inspiration.

Anonymous said...

A great idea, and most importantly, a process that you will enjoy!!

Sherry said...

Wonderful idea. I just bought a layer cake and some charms of Oh Cherry Oh...love that fabric. Can't wait to see what you do with yours. :)

Anonymous said...

Barter, barter, barter! I love bartering too. Win-win, and looks like you both won-won big!!!

Anonymous said...

Nice fabric! So where do I get involved in a fabric swap? Any online? Please email me cheryl(at)allison(dot)net