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PLUSIndustry NewsRetailer InterviewQ&A Technology

MAGAZINEIssu

e 13

June

/July

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STAMPINGYour essential guide

Jewellery Making

This year’s top selling pastime

CRAFT FOR KIDSHow to encourage young crafters

KnittingBasicsHow to hook the beginners

CHASUMMER SHOW

We preview this

popular trade fair

WINBeading essentials worth £500

CHASUMMER SHOW

We preview this

popular trade fair

CRAFT FOR KIDSHow to encourage young crafters

KnittingBasicsHow to hook the beginners

WINBeading essentials worth £500

Jewellery Making

This year’s top selling pastime

STAMPINGYour essential guide

craftfocus 3

A N T I C O P Y I N G I N D E S I G N

M E D I A S U P P O R T E R

profi lecare and repair 44Stuart Caller talks to Craft Focus about the rich history behind the Korbond brand

metal magic 62We fi nd out more about L B Crafts

regularsindustry news 6New developments in the craft market

brand spanking new 15We reveal the latest product launches

competition 33Win products worth £500 from Beads Unlimited

retailer interview 34Sarah Reeve talks to Stamp Addicts about their successful craft emporium in Bedfordshire

q&a technology 67Beth Scott answers your retail queries

business link 68Peter Mulhall reveals what to consider when buying or setting up a business

up and coming 74We talk to a fabulous new mosaic company

June/July 2009 issue 13

Group EditorDemelza Rayner+44 (0)1376 535 609editor@craftfocus.com

Editorial AssistantJennifer Kettle+44 (0)1376 535 613jenniferk@craftfocus.com

ContributorSarah Reeve+44 (0)1376 535 614sarahr@craftfocus.com

Sales ManagerMark White+44 (0)1376 535 606markw@craftfocus.com

Advertising SalesTracy Voice+44 (0)1376 535 618tracyv@craftfocus.com

Design ManagerVicky O'Connor+44 (0)1376 535 616design@craftfocus.com

Graphic DesignersSarah BarnesSophie FarageLaura PerrySteve Mckea+44 (0)1376 535 616

Production ManagerStuart Weatherley

Kline Davis LimitedBroseley HouseNewlands DriveWitham, Essex CM8 2UL www.craftfocus.com

Cover courtesy of Crafty Kidswww.craftykids.co.uk

ISSN 1758-0900

Craft Focus is solely owned, published and designed by Kline Davis Limited. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The views expressed do not necessarily refl ect those of the publisher. Craft Focus is published six times a year. Subscription rates for overseas readers are £40 per annum (incl. p+p), Cheques should be made out to Kline Davis Limited and sent to Craft Focus @ Broseley House, Newlands Drive, Witham, Essex CM8 2UL.

Craft Focus magazine is proud to be associated with and supporters of:

featuresjewellery making 25How to capitalise on this buoyant craft sector

crafting for kids 39Find out how to secure the next generation of crafters

easy knitting 47Top products to encourage new knitters

retail technology 50Part three of David Mackley’s series on improving business effi ciency

craft intelligence 64Future publishing reveal some stats and facts about the UK craft industry

shows cha summer show 21Exclusive preview of this top US trade event

special featurespotlight on stamping 52Discover what the future holds for this popular pastime that appeals to all ages

most wanted 55Hot new product lines for keen stampers of all abilities

contents

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25

21

craftfocus 5

Child’s PlayIs enough being done to encourage children to take up craft as a hobby? That’s the question we ask of suppliers and retailers in our special feature on kids’ crafts. In today’s technologically-driven society, a child’s free time (and that of their parents) is often taken up with less-than-creative pursuits: computer-

games, social networking and on-demand tv for starters. That’s why it’s so important for retailers to ‘go the extra mile’ and devise imaginative in-store workshops that will appeal to all ages, using products that can easily be found on the shop floor. We reveal some of the hottest child-friendly craft lines about on page 38.

Also in this issue we take a look at a craft sector that continues to grow apace: jewellery making. The aisles at Craft, Hobby + Stitch earlier this year were packed with catwalk-inspired kits to appeal to the inner fashionista, so we speak to some leading suppliers to find out how retailers can maximise in store sales..

As usual, we have some great advice from our experts to keep your business moving forward. Beth Scott from Loud ‘n’ Clear shows you how to use social networking sites to raise the profile of your craft shop, while Peter Mulhall at Business Link offers some top tips on buying a business. We also have a great competition for you to enter, courtesy of Beads Unlimited. For your chance to win one of two retail packs, worth £250 each, simply turn to page 33.

Finally, as of next issue, Rebecca Winward will be taking over as Editor during my maternity leave. She can be contacted on +44 (0)1376 535 609 or at editor@craftfocus.com. I wish you all a successful 2009 and look forward to taking the helm again in 2010.

Enjoy reading

Demelza RaynerGroup Editor

6 craftfocus

We take a look at new developments in the craft market

industry newsMosaic Mad Romans secure high profile orderFollowing its debut at Craft, Hobby + Stitch earlier this year, Mosaic Mad Romans has received an order from a buyer at The British Museum for its educational and child-friendly mosaic kits. Initially, just the Roman Kits will be sold through the gift shop; however, with plans for new Bouddica and Perseus kits in the pipeline, Aimee at Mosaic Mad Romans is confident that these will prove a great fit for the tourist destination. “We’re thrilled that our kits were so well received and look forward to developing further kits this year,” she says. For further details, visit the website at www.mosaicmadromans.com

Intelligent Retail launches new shopping cart to increase conversion ratesIntelligent Retail, the multichannel retail specialist, has launched a new online shopping cart as part of its Connect multichannel retail system. In trials the new shopping cart has been shown to increase conversion rates by converting more browsers into buyers.

David Mackley, MD for Intelligent Retail said: “Retailers with stores are used to seeing conversion rates of around 25%, this means for every 100 browsers, 25 will buy. Many don’t realise that the average worldwide conversion rate for a website is just over 2%. By studying best practise around the world the new shopping engine will produce better conversion rates which can have a significant impact on website revenues. This improvement is possible without any additional marketing spend by the retailer.”

Intelligent Retail is planning to provide existing customers and new customers with the new shopping engine as part of its Connect multichannel system.

For further details call +44 (0)845 680 0126 or visit the website www.intelligentretail.co.uk

Craft, Hobby + Stitch welcomes Craft Focus magazine as official media partnerSince its launch, Craft Focus magazine has worked closely with the organisers of Craft,

Hobby + Stitch to promote the UK’s leading craft trade event. The magazine has now been welcomed as an official media partner to the exhibition, which will take place in 2010 from 21st-23rd February. For further details visit www.ichf.co.uk

Skill Challenge updateAs reported in last issue’s industry news pages, throughout 2009 Kirsten Lapping Designs will be working with several companies to introduce new people to craft. During March, Kirsten worked with Bridge Training and Education Centre for Women in Washington, Tyne & Wear. The skill that Kirsten learnt was Sign Language and, in return, she taught eight Bridge managers and staff how to make a special card project, with an appropriate “Bridge” theme.

If you would like more information about the Skill Challenge, contact Kirsten Lapping Designs on enquiries@kirstenlappingdesigns.com or telephone +44 (0)191 549 0777.

craftfocus 7

news&

events

One to WatchWho: Emma PeacockWhat: Original, contemporary needlepoint kits. There are 12 kits in the current collection, 11 of which are available in two sizes. These retail between £54.95-£79.Why: “Although my background is as a

graphic designer, textiles has always been a passion of mine. I did struggle to find cross stitch or needlepoint

kits that excited me. I would end up buying something I felt lukewarm about just to indulge in the hobby.

“I wanted to achieve two main goals - firstly to try and change perceptions about cross stitch and needlepoint and that would hopefully attract a new audience and well as people who already enjoy the craft. Secondly to produce designs that would be as exciting as any found in the contemporary interiors market.”When: “I will continue expanding my range of needlepoint kits, but I am also working on a range of cross stitch designs with a 21st century feel. I have two other plans in the pipeline. My first is to produce ready made versions of some of my designs. They would retail at a higher cost than my kits as this type of production is expensive, the idea being that you could buy ready made or add your own value by making the design up yourself.

“The second plan is to launch a range of cross stitch kits, with my own designs and with designers I admire. I am hoping to launch this range by early 2010.”

Further information: Find out more by visiting the website at www.emilypeacock.com

National Crafts relaunches websiteDespite the economic downturn, National Crafts is experiencing a record growth in business following the introduction of the ‘G18, Inspired

decoupage’ range of die-cut decoupage sheets. Partners Gwen Baird and Rob Snowden launchedtheir range last August and already sales of their products has reached the 200,000 mark with no sign of slowing up. With a strong salespresence in the UK and a distribution network spreading around the globe, National Crafts is certainly ‘bucking the trend’. New products such as ‘SnapShots’, camera iris effect and postage

friendly ‘slim’ designs, plus ‘DoubleTakes’, cleverly combining traditional pyramid and inverted pyramid designs on a single sheet, both of which are exclusively designed by National Crafts, show that innovation is alive and thriving!

The newly redesigned G18 website displays the product range for all to see whilst the retail trade are invited to visit the secure ‘trade lounge’, accessible only by registration and strictly password protected. Here, trade customers can use the online ordering service, together with downloading images of the full G18 range, finished card samples and company literature. National Crafts’ Gwen Baird explains: “Our products need to be seen to be appreciated and we have used the latest website technology to show them in the best possible way.” Gwen continues: “Equally important is the need to ensure that sensitive information such as pricing, imagery, literature etc. is restricted to the trade only as we do not sell directly to the public. Having spent many years in the craft business, we know how important it is to support the retailers wherever we can.

To find out more about National Crafts and the G18, Inspired Decoupage range of products visit www.g18.biz

President and Vice President re-elected at AGMAt its Annual General Meeting, the Shop and Display Equipment Association re-elected Geoff Fairfield, Managing Director of Fairfield Displays & Lighting Ltd as President and Nick Wraith, Managing Director of United Aluminium Ltd as Vice President. Ronald Cohen, Managing Director of Foxbarn Ltd remains Immediate Past President.

The AGM also saw two new members elected to the Executive Council: Steve Gilbert, Sales and Marketing Manager, Signwaves Ltd, and Steven Senior, Director, Luminati Waycon Ltd. Chris Shoebottom, Managing Director of Albion Design & Fabrication Ltd, Gary Pearce, Managing Director of SGi Ltd and SEV UK Ltd, and Colin Gregory, Managing Director of WP Display were re-elected onto Council.

They join existing Council members; Simon Olley, Managing Director of Stylo Ltd, Antony Behiels, Managing Director of Annequin and Creatif Leven Displays, Tony Moscrop, Chairman of Dufaylite Developments Ltd and Nick Flack, Export Manager, Clip Ltd.

www.trade.crazywireco.co.uk

UK supplier of Paverpol - the number 1 waterproof fabric hardener

Visit our website before all the other crazypeople beat you to it:

You will also see we have a wild range of other imaginative materials to stimulate your creativity.

Rat-A-Tat Crafts

24a Enterprise WayHardwick Narrows

Industrial EstateKings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 4LJ

01553 766380sales@ratatatcrafts.co.ukwww.ratatatcrafts.co.uk

craftfocus 9

news&

events

The LibraryDon’t forget to stock up on some of the latest book launches

New Complete Guide to SewingIn the current economic climate, more people than ever are taking up sewing as a hobby, or are renewing their interest in this popular pastime. That’s why the re-release of the New Complete Guide to Sewing, priced at just £15.99 rrp, couldn’t be more perfect. Packed with essential techniques, timesaving tips and 20 projects, the book will appeal to all

levels of expertise. Trade buyers can order through the website at www.davidandcharles.co.uk or by calling +44 (0)870 990 8222.

How to PaverpolFresh from Paverpol is a brand new book that provides all the information your customers will ever need about working with Art Stone, Paverplast, the new Wrappers, information about how to attach the ceramic heads onto the frames and much more. Titled How to Paverpol, the hard cover tome by Paverpol creator, Jossy De Roode, is 92 pages long with other 100 photos and over 20 new creations.

For more information, visit www.paverpol.com and follow the link to distributors.

Stitched ToysFeaturing 20 imaginative projects, Stitched Toysby Kate Haxell enables crafters to create a range of childhood friends, from glove puppets to rag dolls. Each activity is graded by difficulty and comes with handy templates, easy-to-follow, colourful step-by-step illustrations and beautiful photography. Published by Hamlyn, the book is priced at £14.99. For more

information, visit the website at www.octopus-publishing.co.uk

EQS launches new corporate logoTo coincide with the expansion of its range of products, EQS of Leicester has announced a new logo for the business. The design makes full use of the company’s initials to add the strap line: “Embroidery, Quilting and Stitching”.

Graeme Wright of EQS comments on the change: “During the seven years that we have traded as EQS, we have seen the addition of many new products, not just in our traditional area of quilting but also machine embroidery, hand embroidery, knitting, etc. We have also introduced many innovative products, most recently Soak which crosses over the majority of textile crafts.

“We are now extending our activities in the needlework sector with Zweigart fabrics being added to our successful Madeira handicraft threads. Against that background we decided not only to add the strap line but also to introduce a softer look to our style that reflects the tactile nature of our range.”

The new logo will be appearing progressively over the next three months. To find out more, visit www.eqsuk.com

New Design Studio for Oak HouseOak House Studio stamp designer, Lynnda Worsnop, is settling into a new design studio in rural surroundings.

Based in East Yorkshire, Lynnda finds much of her inspiration in nature so a studio alongside other designers on a farm at Bishop Burton was the perfect choice. The idea for the move came from jewellery and silver clay teacher Tracey Spurgin of nearby Craftworx, who is also relocating her studio to the farm.

“Tracey’s vison of her business growth through the move was so similar to our own needs we came on board almost immediately,” asserts Lynnda. “The move will enable Oak House Studio to develop a broader approach and, with flexible space available that can accommodate the company as it grows, we are sure we have made a very sensible investment.” For further details on Oak House Studio, visit the comprehensive website at www.oakhousestudio.co.uk

Craftynotions launches traders’ training daysDesigned to help retailers maximise sales of craftynotions products, the firm’s innovative traders’ training days launch on June 1st, 2009, with 25 participants.

For a modest fee of £25, stockists of craftynotions will learn about the products in hands-on workshops, be shown simple point of sale demos, and will be given ideas for holding their own in-store workshops.

Participating retailers will go away with fully made-up pieces that can be used as an in-store display, along with an exclusive goody bag! Light refreshments are provided.

For those of you who who want to know more about the traders’ training days, simply telephone +44 (0)1636 700 862 orvisit www.craftynotions.com.

10 craftfocus

industry news

Support grows for the CHA Summer ShowTaking place from July 28th-30th, 2009 at the brand new venue of the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, the CHA Summer Show is the craft trade show of the season.

“The Summer Show is the best place to see all the major industry leaders in one place,” explained Steve Berger, CEO, CHA.“Despite the current economy, the number of exhibitors that have already signed on for the Show is a testament to the strength of the craft and hobby industry and the importance of trade shows during difficult economic times.”

There will be a strong international presence at the event with approximately 20% of attendance composed of international visitors from more than 30 different countries. There is also a significant international exhibitor presence, including several companies from the UK. Susan Balfour of Katy Sue Designs says: “This will be our fourth time at the exhibition. Chicago seemed a very popular venue, but we will have no way of knowing how Orlando will compare – let’s hope it’s just as good!” She continues: “We have set up our own company, Flower Soft Inc, which operates from Indiana and we have really begun to establish ourselves in the USA. Attending the CHA Summer Show is a great opportunity to exhibit and meet so many of our American retailers under one roof.”

Also exhibiting will be award-winning firm, Crafter’s Companion. Simon Davies, Managing Director, says: “Crafter’s Companion will be exhibiting at the CHA Summer Show as we feel it is important to generate new leads within the international market, as well as building on the relationships we have with current customers. We will also be using the show as an opportunity to showcase our new products.

“The change of location to Orlando is ideal for us, as our US office and warehouse are both in close proximity to the exhibition centre. The change in venue setting may also bring in new clientele to the show, especially given that there will be a retail show at the same location, after the trade show finishes.”

Over 7,400 craft professionals are expected to visit Orlando to view the newest products and trends.

To learn more about the upcoming CHA 2009 Summer Convention & Trade Show, including a complete schedule of all programs and events, exhibitor listings, travel discounts and other key show highlights, visit www.chashow.org. Online registration is now open. To read an interview with Steve Berger, CEO of the CHA, turn to page 21.

Craft Industry bucks the trendLooking ahead to their 35th Craft Hobby & Stitch International show in February 2010, the country’s leading craft and hobbycraft event organiser has confirmed attendance figures at their spring consumer shows reflect a growth in demand for stitching, knitting and hobby products.

International Craft and Hobby Fair (ICHF) have been organising craft related consumer and industry events for more than 30 years and, according to ICHF Ltd Show Manager Andrew Morton, they are even seeing a new profile of visitor attending their shows. Andrew said: “Not only did attendance figures exceed expectations for our consumer focused spring shows, exhibitors reported a good level of customer spend and we are increasingly seeing a diverse mix of visitors enjoying our shows. On the back of such success and the changing market place, stands for our autumn shows are already booking up very well, reflecting confidence in the market from all those involved in the industry.’

This trend bodes well for ICHF’s trade only event and Europe’s largest trade show for the art, craft, needlecraft & hobby industry, which also saw a changing visitor profile among the 8,000 attendees from 43 countries. ICHF Managing Director David Bennett confirmed: “We first saw a change in visitor profile at Craft, Hobby & Stitch International 2009, with many exhibitors reporting that businesses not usually associated with the industry are diversifying into the creative craft market to alleviate the pressures of the recession. Some examples include bakeries supplying wedding stationery alongside cakes and haberdasheries selling jewellery kits. This highlights how buoyant the craft industry is at the moment and suggests there is an increase in people turning to hobby crafts as a source of entertainment.”

With consumers of all ages and lifestyles enjoying a return to craft making, proactive retailers are taking advantage of these changing trends and can look forward to over 300 manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers from the UK and overseas showcasing innovative craft, stitch and hobby craft supplies at Craft, Hobby & Stitch International, Birmingham NEC from 21st – 23rd

February 2010.For further information, visit www.ichf.co.uk/chsi

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craftfocus 13

news&

events

The Needlework Trade Group Announces Three Summer ShowsFollowing highly successful shows in Gatwick and Bristol earlier this year, The Needlework Trade Group has announced three more shows across the UK this summer. The group will be bringing its trade show to the Inchyra Grange Hotel near Falkirk on July 5th, followed by shows in Warwick on August 2nd and Harrogate on August 23rd.

“We’re really excited to be bringing our trade show to Scotland for the first time,” said group member Simon Welsh of SoloCrafts. “It’s also going to be our first visit to Harrogate, and we’re particularly happy to return to The Honiley Court Hotel in Warwick. It was the second venue the group ever visited, and the feedback was so positive we had to go back again this year. We’re looking forward to another great show there.”

One of the main features of the shows will be the prize draws; four lucky buyers at each show will each win £500 worth of needlework stock. “The prizes have been very popular at previous shows,” explains Sid Swalwell of Derwentwater Designs. “We’re very happy that we’re continuing with them.”

The group will be sending out invitations during May and June, and details of each show are available on the group’s new website, www.theneedleworktradegroup.co.uk, or by calling Simon Welsh at SoloCrafts on +44 (0)1263 735 852.

Rat-A-Tat Crafts opens new showroomKings Lynn based craft wholesaler, Rat-A-Tat Crafts, has recently opened its first showroom to enable trade and private buyers to view their products close-up rather than solely through a website. “This is an entirely new entity for us,” says Lorna. “We only opened on Sunday 25th

April and have already had an excellent response.”The showroom contains plenty of wall displays, featuring cards that have already been made, to demonstrate the versatility of the products.

As the company has more than 7,000 product lines, those that cannot be displayed in the showroom are stored in a warehouse and may be ordered through the in-store catalogues.

The showroom is closed Wednesdays and Saturdays, but is open the rest of the week from 10am-4pm. To find out more, simply telephone +44 (0)1553 766 380 or visit www.ratatatcrafts.co.uk

Don’t miss this top summer trade showIt may only be early summer, but if you want to plan ahead for the busy Christmas season it’s well worth a visit to Home & Gift in Harrogate this July. Taking place from 19th-22nd July, this much-loved trade fair is ideal for picking up new gift and craft lines that would make great stocking fillers. For further details, visit www.homeandgift.co.uk.

New fascinator kits from MW & MoreMW & More has launched a new collection of fascinator kit, in six stunning styles - Mofe, Nicole, Zizi, Zoe, Zita and Chloe over the following colours: off-white, black, white, yellow, baby blue, turquoise, lilac, baby pink, purple, navy, chocolate, orange, black/white and lime green.

The kit contains all materials needed for feather lovers to make that lovely fascinator to wear, along with a material sheet and full step-by-step instructions, which are available in four languages. The kits retail at £17.25 each. For more information, visit www.mwandmore.com

C

• Only use original artwork which is exclusive to that title, no clip art used.

• Extensive range of titles. Everything a papercrafter needs• Craft shop on a CD open 24 hours a day.

• Membership club available with discounts for members plus many other benefi ts

• Trade enquiries welcome.• New CDs being launched very soon

(June 3rd on Ideal World)

Papercraft World

LATEST CD RELEASE

Are these for the guys

Defi nitely for the ladies

0871 2002 204 | www.papercraftworld.com

• This new number program from Express Yourself gives your customers the opportunity to personalise a card by applying

a number or a tag to any card they may purchase in your store.

• Other applications include:Enhancement for gift packaging

Scrap Books | Other stationery products

• With a recommended retail price of 99p, these “pickup” items are a perfect way to add value to your sales.

• Range includes: Numbers 0-9 and tags in purple, pink, iridescent, silver and gold.

• Packet size of- Numbers 50mm x 75mm

- Tags 90mm x 80mm

craftfocus 15

brand spanking newTake a look at some of the latest products around

Beads Unlimited

Product: Dagger Beads

Contact: Visit the website www.beadsunlimited.co.uk

Price: Prices start at just 2p each (retail) or £2.50 for 200 (wholesale)

Specifi cation: These sassy dagger beads come in two sizes (3x11mm and

5x16mm), two fi nishes (plain and AB/moon) and a myriad of

beautiful colours.

Retailer Benefi ts: These vibrant beads are sure to have broad appeal.

Other Information: Other new products from Beads Unlimited include 4mm Czech

glass bicones, cute organza gift bags and classic gift boxes.

Derwent

Product: Relaunch of the popular Watercolour Pencil

Contact: Visit the website at www.pencils.co.uk

Price: Available on application

Specifi cation: Derwent’s popular Watercolour Pencil has been relaunched with a new,

improved, softer texture and a contemporary new look.

Retailer Benefi ts: The washes created by the new pencil are stronger, more soluable and

will go further. This means that customers can achieve a variety of effects,

from bold, vibrant images to delicate watercolour washes.

Other Information: All the wood used in Derwent pencils is sourced from forests that are

SFI certifi ed.

Crafty Horizons

Product: Embellishment kitsContact: Telephone +44 (0)1752 407 178 or visit www.craftyhorizons.co.ukPrice: Available on application

Specifi cation: There are six kits in the range. All contain a variety of embellishments including ribbons, bows, acrylic gems, paper fl owers, ribbon string and jingle bells. The colours refl ect some of the beautiful colour themes found in nature.Retailer Benefi ts: All the boxes can be restocked from the fi rm’s range of craft accessories.Other Information: Five of the kits come with hinged lid boxes, while the last kit (acrylic fl ower) is available in a fl ower shaped box.

Funky Hand

Product: New Craft CD

Contact: Email trade@funkyhand.com for trade enquiries

Price: £15.99 RRP

Specifi cation: Funky Hand has just released its eighth craft CD Rom, created in response

to the huge interest in the word book collections that were included as an

extra on their last CD release, Funky Daze. There are 480 high resolution

images available on this CD release.

Retailer Benefi ts: The CD Rom includes 12 new word book collections, all with brand new

paper designs. There is also a step by step guide to creating a word book,

providing great value for money for customers.

Other Information: All the word books have been created with papers designed by Anice

McNamee in her usual brightly coloured, contemporary style.

news&

events

16 craftfocus

The Stitching Shed

Product: Palamino Children’s Needlepoint Design

Contact: Visit www.thestitchingshed.co.uk

Price: £14.95 RRP

Specification: Measuring 4.5” x 4.5”, the pre-printed full colour canvas comes with full 10m

skeins of Anchor tapestry wool, needle, graph and instructions.

Retailer Benefits: The kit comes in a luxury rope handled gift bag, and would make the perfect

birthday present for a young crafter.

Other Information: The Stitching Shed specialises in contemporary craft kits for cross stitch and

needlepoint enthusiasts.

B-C-E

Product: New Stencillo template set

Contact: Telephone +44 (0)1909 591 808

Price: £11.99 RRP

Specification: Kim Sutton has designed a new Stencillo template for A5 shaped cards with

a cuddly animal theme. Based on a template in the shape of a stuffed

toy bear, the set includes overlays to transform the animal into a monkey,

rabbit or elephant. As with all B-C-E templates, it comes complete with full

instructions and design suggestions.

Retailer Benefits: Simple to complete and effective when finished, the cuddly animals are

proving popular with paper crafters of all ages.

Other Information: Find out more about B-C-E templates at www.b-craft-e.co.uk

WaxPod Ltd

Product: WaxPod

Contact: Visit www.waxpod.co.uk

Price: £99 RRP

Specification: WaxPod is an innovative device that can be used for a multitude of

applications including hand moulding/casting at low temperatures, or candle

making at high temperatures.

Retailer Benefits: The WaxPod is ideally suited to in-store workshops, where customers could

learn about its numerous applications.

Other Information: The WaxPod was first launched at the Toy and Hobby Fair earlier this year,

where it was warmly received and generated great interest.

Tactic Games

Product: Formula Grand Prix set

Contact: Call + 44 (0)1483 751 267 or visit ww.tactic.net

Price: The suggested selling price is £16.49 inc. VAT

Specification: The Grand Prix set includes three race cars, four arches, three jumps, two

obstacles, 12 fences, a sticker sheet and rules.

Retailer Benefits: Ideally targeted at youngsters who want to create an innovative racetrack,

this simple set is sure to sell well.

Other Information: There are over 100 constituent parts and the toy cars can be used indoors

and outdoors.

brand spanking new

craftfocus 19

Silver Viscount

Product: The Silver 4084-D Sewing Machine

Contact: Telephone +44 (0)1933 311 888 or visit www.silverviscount.co.uk

Price: Approximately £300 SRP

Specifi cation: With 84 stitch programmes including many decorative stitches, and quick-access

buttons, this dual-feed sewing machine will be a joy to use by even the most

demanding of sewers.

Retailer Benefi ts: Electronic speed control and multiple needle positions make this sewing machine

ideal for any project.

Other Information: The machine comes with plenty of accessories including an edge/quilting guide,

clear-view, blind-hem, zipper and button-hole feet.

Express Yourself DIY

Product: Mini Toppers

Contact: Visit the website www.secondnature.co.uk to fi nd out more

Price: 99p RRP or £277.20 for the fully stocked counter spinner

Specifi cation: The new range of mini toppers includes numbers 0-9 and blank tags in fi ve

colours: purple, pink, silver, gold and iridescent.

Retailer Benefi ts: With a recommended retail price of 99p, these ‘pick up’ items are a perfect

way to add value to sales.

Other Information: The mini toppers can be displayed on a counter spinner with a footprint of

30cm and a height of 86cm. The spinner is free of charge and comes with 4

units (12 singles) of each design (55) at a cost of £277.20.

Buzzcraft

Product: Fairy Doodles

Contact: Visit the website www.buzzcraft.co.uk

Price: From £0.40 RRP (Backing Papers) to £0.99 RRP (Stackers, Waterfall Sheets and

Sentiments)

Specifi cation: Fresh from Buzzcraft are Oval and Circle Die Cut Stackers, Die Cut Sentiments, Die Cut

Waterfall Sheets with instructions and complimentary backing papers. Now also available

as rubber stamps.

Retailer Benefi ts: These lovable, fairy characters will literally fl y off your shelves.

Other Information: All the designs are designed to work with Buzzcraft’s fantastic range of Basic Glitter Card,

Polka Dot Card and Plain Card, in beautifully coordinating colours.

Heritage Crafts

Product: Calendar Cats

Contact: Visit www.hcrafts.com or call +44 (0)1889 575 256.

Price: The complete Calendar Cats kit is £54.99 RRP, while the individual Cat Kits are £12.99 each RRP

Specifi cation: The latest additions to Heritage Crafts’ range of cross stitch designs are ‘Calendar Cats’. These

have been produced from the artwork of Peter Underhill and are part of the ‘Cats Rule’ range.

Retailer Benefi ts: The main design has a cat picture for each month, thereby appealing to all cat-lovers. Each month

is also available as a separate kit, with its own saying.

Other Information: Coming soon are new Latin American dancers and a beautiful canal scene from artist John

Clayton, another design featuring Peter Underhill’s cat Tiddles, and a new canal map from Susan

Ryder. Heritage Crafts will be exhibiting at all TNTG trade shows this year.

news&

events

Available fromApril 27th 2009

w w w . c r a f t e r s c o m p a n i o n . c o . u k

For a full information pack contact Claire Hameremail: claire@crafterscompanion.co.uk

or telephone: 01388 660930

In the Garden Sun & Fun Friends

Playtime Dressing Up Celebration

Summer Stories Collection

NEW

Best Stamp of the Year!

As voted by Origin Publishing Readers

WINNER:

RRP: £29.99or £14.99 individually

RRP: £12.99per Stamp Set

New for Summer 2009 the Summer Stories collection CD ROM contains new Panoramic front and inner scenes which can be used to create a dramatic backdrop on which to build your own unique story using the characters

from the coordinating stamp collections.

craftfocus 21

shows

flying high in floridaWe speak to Steve Berger, Chief Executive Officer of the Craft & Hobby Association, to find out if the Summer Show’s new venue in The Sunshine State is likely to boost visitor numbers…

This year marks the show’s debut in Orlando, Florida. What prompted the move to the Orange County Convention Center and how do you think the transition will benefit the craft exhibition? Rosemont, Illinois had hosted the Summer Show for almost 30 years while witnessing a steady decline in show attendance and exhibitors over the past decade. When CHA took over the Summer Show in 2004 it grew for two years (4 - 5% increase in exhibitors; 40% increase in pre-registered attendees), but the declining trend did not stop. At the 2008 Summer Show, attendance was down by almost 7% and exhibitors were down by more than 13%. To help reverse this trend, CHA decided to move the 2009 Summer Show to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

CHA has done a good deal of research over the past few years (including surveys sent out after the Summer Shows to exhibitors and buyers) to solicit member feedback on viable alternatives to Rosemont before making any final decisions. Based on responses from the 2006 CHA Summer Show Attendee Survey, 40% of those interviewed rated Orlando as either first or second choice of venues as an alternative to Rosemont. CHA buyers were also evaluated and there are 204 designated buyers in Florida verses 209 designated buyers in Illinois. Additionally, Orlando is a major destination location with frequent, direct domestic and international flights that can also meet the various needs of CHA’s international membership looking for both business and vacation venues. Furthermore, Orlando was ranked second by Tradeshow Week Magazine as the leading host city by number of tradeshows, share of market, and square footage. So it became a logical choice as we looked at venues and explored all options that would help us grow the show and stop the declining attendance.

How have retailers and visitors responded to the change of venue?The response has been mostly positive! The Southwest including Florida has the highest consumer craft spending in America at $12.1 billion dollars, almost twice that of the consumer craft spend in the Midwest at $6.9 billion dollars. Orlando has the attractions in the area with its theme parks etc. We have not gone live with our registration so will not have data on pre-registration until the end of May.

How will you assess the success of the move? Is the plan to make this a permanent change?We made the move to try to grow the show in all areas of the craft industry. We did so before we knew the economy was going to go into recession and so are having to revise our goals and estimates of the summer shows because of this. While we will not measure

its success purely on numbers, we would like to stay in Orlando and we have an option for 2010 to do so. We are a member driven association and so will be guided by our member response and results from the show.

How do you ensure the CHA Summer Show continues to meet the needs of exhibitors and visitors alike?Communication and member feedback are key to staying current on the needs of our exhibitors and visitors. CHA regularly speaks to our members who are both exhibitors and attendees, through various forms of communication throughout the year. We carry out post-show surveys to identify pros and cons of the previous show, conduct teleconferences to solicit input, and even conduct personal calls throughout the year to address individual concerns that arise.

22 craftfocus

What sets the CHA Summer Show apart from other craft trade exhibitions taking place around the world? In a recession you need to take advantage of every sales opportunity. CHA understands this and the CHA Summer Show brings together hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of buyers at the show. With changing buying habits of buyers who are looking to keep expenses down by making several purchases a year, many buyers will be making holiday buying decisions in July. Combine that with the 95% of CHA Summer Show attendees come to the show to buy and 98% plan on buying within a few months of the show, it is easy to see why the CHA Summer Show is the buying event of the season.

Why do you think the show is such a draw for international craft retailers?The location on the East coast is so great for cost-effective access for Europeans who make up the majority of our international attendance at our Winter Show. Now we are looking to expand that attendance to the summer event and this destination venue we believe will help. Our Winter Show is the largest and most important craft products show in the world and will continue to be the choice for most international retailers but we believe that Orlando can become increasingly important for them going forward.

How has the global economic crisis affected the craft industry in the US? Historically, the craft industry out-performs other sectors of consumer spending during times of economic downturn as people turn to crafts for to save money and create things they may have to otherwise do without. With the current global economic crisis consumer spending has only decreased about 13% in the US craft and hobby industry and remains healthy at $27.2 billion dollars.

Which craft sectors are currently seeing strong sales this year and why? It is interesting to note that while consumer spending has decreased the number of crafting households and crafting incidents have remained about the same as since 2006 at 56% of US households craft at least once a year. So what we are seeing is that people

are spending less money on crafts but they are crafting with supplies they have in their “craft stash” or from items readily available around the house. Trends in “upcycling” or “repurposing” are contributing to this.

Sectors like sewing, knitting, crochet, needlecrafts, fashion painting, floral arranging, and quilting are witnessing tremendousgrowth in popularity and/or sales despite the slumping economy.

What do you enjoy most about your current role as CEO? Whether we are working with global manufacturers, large corporate retailers, small independent craft stores, our designers or professional crafters - CHA members are definitely the best thing about my job. Every day I have the opportunity to work with amazing people and companies that are changing the way the world interacts with crafts. Collectively we empower large and small businesses, national trade law, international economics as well as daily crafts that help individuals save money, relax, recover, spend quality time with friends and loved ones as well as create loving home environments around the world.

How would you like to see the show develop over the coming years?By working with our members we want the CHA Summer Show to grow in size, attendance and relevance. Traditionally, the Summer Show has had a scrapbooking and paper crafts focus and we are working hard to make it more representative of the whole craft and hobby industry.

This year to help drive this forward, CHA is introducing the Craft SuperShow consumer event from July 31st and August 1st, 2009 in Orlando, Florida that will provide consumers with the same level of professional-grade education and access to a wide range of craft products that will help introduce crafting consumers to different sections of crafting. We are hoping that if the SuperShow is successful we can duplicate our efforts by rolling out this type of consumer event into other cities around the US. It is the goal of our association to reach every type of crafter and every area of the US as well as globally.

Further informationFind out more about the CHA Summer Show by visiting the website at www.chashow.org

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flying high in florida

brand new templates

My Fair Lady and Ruby Tuesday

for further details please email:steph@jsmsalesagency.co.uk

colourmyworld.co.uk

• No minimum order value or quantity• Silver sheet and wire• Loose Chain• Precious Metal Clay• Silver fi ndings

www.bettsmetalsales.comt: 0121 233 2413

BETTS METAL SALESExperienced staff to help with your jewellery project needs

B E T T SMetal SalesF O U N D E D I N 1 7 6 0

craftfocus 25

jewellery m

aking

We investigate why jewellery making is creating such a craft revolution…

In recent years, the craft industry has reached out to an entirely new demographic. Rather than occurring as a result of the effor ts of one par ticular sector, this shift has arisen as a consequence of an united movement to keep the industry moving forward. Indeed, from cross stitch and papercrafts, to stamping and jewellery making, new designs often reflect colour palettes and motifs seen on the catwalks. This fashion-forward thinking, par ticularly with regards to beading and jewellery making, has attracted a huge craft contingent comprising teens, students and young professionals. We speak to some of the leading jewellery-making suppliers to find out more…

Kathleen Cooper, La Fourmi

How would you describe current demand for jewellery making supplies in the UK and how has this changed over the past couple of years?Demand for jewellery making remains strong and this makes a lot of sense at a time of recession and uncer tainty. You may think beads are frivolous ornaments, but for little cost, one can change the whole of one’s “look” with a spectacular piece of jewellery, without having to spend a lot of money on new clothes. It’s “the little black dress” story, you can keep wearing the same old clothes and change everything with a snazzy piece of jewellery.

Why do you think there’s such renewed interest in jewellery making at present?Jewellery making is clean and easy. Not everyone can take the time or want the mess of spreading paint and papers all over the kitchen table, but anyone can string some beads on a tray and make something nice, even while watching TV. Moreover, you can wear jewellery, it serves a purpose and makes the wearer feel good.

What has prompted you to introduce jewellery making kits into your existing product offering?We realised that many “wish they were creative” and that people need to build confidence in combinations and choice of colour. Buying loose beads can be expensive if you don’t have the precise idea of your design, so by creating simple kits that cost the same as buying the loose beads, we hope that the market of jewellery makers will expand as would-be creators will gain in confidence.

What are your best-selling product lines and why would you say this is?Our best selling lines are usually our newest items. This is because there is a constant thirst for new and different and people want originality.

The satin finish beads and large wired and worked metal beads are par ticularly popular just now, as these are inexpensive and make up into statement jewellery.

jewellery making

26 craftfocus

Colin Ells, Creative Beadcraft

How would you describe current demand for jewellery making supplies in the UK and how has this changed over the past couple of years?Jewellery making continues to be a growth area. This is reflected in the growing number of craft shops now stocking beading ranges and the increased availability of specialist magazines and websites.

Why do you think there’s such renewed interest in jewellery making at present?Beading is a great way of relaxing and creating something unique, whatever your skill level and budget. It’s very rewarding to be able to create your own look or a twist on the latest trends.

What are your best-selling product lines and why would you say this is?Our best-selling lines are the Swarovski products - we stock hundreds of different beads and pendants. Swarovski is renowned for its high quality crystal and sharply cut facets which reflect the light beautifully. The beads are also very versatile - they look great on their own or with other beads - just a few sparkling bicones give a

real lift to a necklace or bracelet. Swarovski flat back stones and hotfix are very popular for embellishing clothes and accessories.

Charlotte and Gill, Beads and Crystals

How would you describe current demand for jewellery making supplies in the UK and how has this changed over the past couple of years?If anything, the demand has increased; jewellery making is for everyone, young or old alike.

Why do you think there’s such renewed interest in jewellery making at present?People are pushing the design boundaries incorporating anything from crystals to car par ts into their designs! Different components are readily available in the retail high street shops as well as online.

What are your best-selling product lines and why would you say this is?Flatback crystals are our best selling products; you don’t need to be skilled to apply the crystals but creativity helps. You can crystallize almost anything and give it a new lease of life, hence saving you money.

Which of your beads are particularly popular with jewellery makers? Our 4mm and 6mm bicone beads are popular with the AB effect to give it that extra sparkle.

jewellery making

Creative Beadcraft

Beads and Crystals

Bead Time5 Church Road,

Ashford,Middlesex

TW15 2UGTel: 01784 252438

A new and exiting company supplying a vast range of findings to shops

and internet retailers onlyHeadpins fancy head pins, ball head pins, crimps 3 sizes,

crimp covers, wire protectors, jumprings, round and oval, clasps, lobster, toggle, magnetic, multistrand, diamante, flower toggle,

elasticated bracelets, bracelet blanks, earrings, fish hook,lever back, screw on, stud, box clasps, bell cap ends,

diamante charms. Faux suede, Lucite flowers and leaves, Jewellery Kits and cotton cord.

www.beadtime.co.uk

For a catalogue contact

CThe UK’s leading magazine

for the craft industry

www.craftfocus.com

To advertise here telephone Tracy Voice

on +44(0)1376 535 618

CRAFT RANGE COMING SOON…..

Whitecroft EssentialsA leading supplier to the trade of haberdashery products in the UK

Export option also available

Contact us for further product and distribution information:

Whitecroft EssentialsWhitecroft, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 4QG, UK

Tel: +44 (0)1594 562631Fax: +44 (0)1594 563662

Email: sales@whitecroft.co.ukwww.whitecroft.co.uk

craftfocus 29

jewellery m

aking

Gill Ferris, Bead Time

How would you describe current demand for jewellery making supplies in the UK and how has this changed over the past couple of years?I feel that the trend for jewellery making is on the increase. Customers can make a piece that fits in with their budget, whether it is a luxury piece or a budget item. Plastic beads are back in fashion now and the quality and styles have improved tremendously. I remember the days of plastic button earrings!

Why do you think there’s such a renewed interest in jewellery making at present?People want to customise an outfit, and the easiest way for most people is with a piece of hand made jewellery. With the economy the way it is, people are not going out so much and they are turning to their more creative side to fill their time. I think this can only be good for the industry.

What are your best-selling product lines and why would you say this is?Our best selling lines are our Bali style beads and Lucite flowers and leaves and, of course, our findings.

Most of our basic findings come in five colours: silver, anti copper, black, gold and our newest colour, Champagne, which matches with Beadalon’s new Silverose coloured wire.

What are your newest product lines?We continually add new products as we are in China every three months choosing and designing new lines. We are a very new but enthusiastic new company: our strength is in the range of components that we carry, including headpins (ball and fancy), crimps, jump rings, split rings, clasps, chain, crimp covers, wire protectors, all in a range of five fabulous colours.

Our newest range of products is our

increased range of Bali style beads, book marks, watch faces and fancy chain, and Lucite flowers and leaves.

We carry a comprehensive range of glass and metal Pandora style beads, our metal beads screw onto the bracelet, so that when taking off your bracelet or necklace the beads will not fall off.

The complete range comes in a specially made clear acrylic display cabinet that can create an extremely profitable line that only takes up a small amount of retail space.

Wyatt White, Beadalon

How would you compare the demand for jewellery making supplies in the US with the demand in the UK?During my time at the show in Birmingham UK recently, I was surprised by the demand for our newest technologies in jewellery making supplies. Both the US and the UK have strong demand for products that make jewellery making easier and more efficient. Because of the size difference between the two, the US is much larger, but I believe the enthusiasm that I saw in the UK was at a higher level than that of an equal show in the United States. The show was smaller in Birmingham therefore the attendees had more time at each of the booths.

Bead Time

Beadalon

What would you say the key jewellery making trends are for 2009/2010 in terms of wires used?Exposing wire is a nice new trend in jewellery making, it uses less beads and allows for the new extremely shiny wires to show through and be par t of the design instead of simply the structure for the jewellery. It seems that “big” is also making a comeback but will probably be shor t-lived.

What new innovations have there been in the market recently with regards to flexible wires?The newest innovations in Beadalon flexible wires is the introduction of the “metallic series” of wires in 49 Strand wires. A new way of making our 49 Strand metallic wires has allowed for the same look at a lower price. This same technology was introduced in our 19 Strand product early last year and now it’s available in 49 Strand.

Beadalon has also introduced a 7 Strand wire utilising silver plated wire along with copper wire for the first multi-color wire called “Silverose”, this wire is really beautiful and is meant to be seen in designs that feature the wire as a decoration.

Beadalon just introduced Satin colors in 49 Strand, the coating of these wires is either a satin silver or a satin gold color softening the “look” of the wire through clear beads with all the flexibility of 49 Strand wires.

30 craftfocus

Leading bead suppliers offer their advice on maximising sales of beads and kits for jewellery making…

Kathleen Cooper, La Fourmi“The most impor tant rule is to stimulate the customer into wanting to make a piece of jewellery. This is done with having superb examples for people to copy and preferably very enthusiastic and creative staff willing to help and advise. Of course, step by steps and story boards also help, but seeing finished products on displays and worn by staff, really gives added value to the customer.”

Charlotte and Gill, Owners of Beads and Crystals“Inspire your customers with new designs, and become a one stop shop, supplying all the findings.”

Colin Ells, Creative Beadcraft Ltd“A good range of beads with all the basic findings, threads and tools is essential. Presentation is very impor tant and, as well as helping retailers select their ranges, we can provide loose or pre-packed items and a range of flexible display systems.

“Workshops are a good way of promoting products and building a customer base. Displaying pieces of jewellery and project sheets also helps customers see how they can put products together. Books such as our Easy-Does-It series are a great way to give confidence and inspire design ideas.”

Richard Burhouse, Burhouse Beads“I’d suggest craft retailers could promote jewellery making in store via free demonstrations on jewellery making and eye-catching displays and free information on making jewellery.

“I would also suggest printing jewellery design leaflets along the same lines as ‘recipe cards’ which supermarkets give out.”

Gill Ferris, Bead Time“Classes, classes, classes; there is no better tool to create your own customers by passing on your skills and enthusiasm.

“If you don’t have the skills to do the classes yourself, there are several good tutors around. Why not put up an adver t in the shop? You probably have a customer who could do a class for you. We have noticed a significant difference in the days takings after we have run a class.”

Perfect PromotionCreative Beadcraft Ltd

C

THE PACKAGING THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

www.cleartecpackaging.co.uk

sales@cleartecpackaging.co.ukTel: 01952 678822

Sales Agents RequiredVarious Regions

Craftynotions has been established for 15 years and is now looking to recruit creatively minded sales agents in a number of regions across the UK to assist

in the marketing of our innovative and exciting range of crafting products. Our ranges include:

• Twiddlybitz Laser Cut Chipboard

• The Crafter’s Workshop stencils and papers

• The British-made Craftynotions creative colour range ofsprays and glazes

• Artgirlz Charmz and rubber stamps

• DHF wool tops and kits

• Valdani hand-dyed variegated threads

• CraftMistress water soluble films

• Angelina fusible fibres and films

We would love to hear from enthusiastic, self-employed commission based sales agents who can grow and develop our existing customer base in many

areas across the UK. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to bring a sample portfolio of their own

crafting projects to our Newark base for an informal interview.

For further information, please telephone Sarah Lawrence for a chat, or send a CV to us at the address below:

Craftynotions Ltd. Unit 2 Jessop Way, Newark, NG24 2ERTel/Fax: 01636 700862 Email: sarah@craftynotions.com

ANYTHINGANYTHING

TM

HOBBY, CRAFT, CARDMAKING & SCRAPBOOKING RANGE

For a complete product guide go to:

www.stix2.co.uk

NEWPRODUCTSFOR 2009

CLEAR FOAM PADSS57126

CLEAR FOAMON A ROLL

S57127

GLUE GLIDERPRO CARTRIDGE

S57129

GLUE GLIDERPRO RUNNER

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sales@stix2.co.ukt: 0191 4873255

craftfocus 33

com

petitio

n

Fantastic products from

Beads Unlimited!Beads Unlimited products are stocked in leading craft and bead stores around the UK, and since 1986 the much loved institution has been supplying the beautiful people of Brighton and beyond from its base in East Sussex with beads, pendants, findings and threads.

The company’s impressive assortment of products includes a huge range of glass beads along with metal, bone, wood and humble plastic styles. Beads Unlimited buyers leave no stone unturned in their worldwide search for directly sourced highly manufactured or hand crafted miniature works of art, which are complemented by an extensive range of findings, threads and accessories.

Over 3,000 lines are crammed into the extensive Beads Unlimited on-line shop. The most competitive prices around plus super quick turnaround and the best of old fashioned personal service are offered as standard, all of which explains why the company has such a loyal and growing band of happy customers.

Visit www.beadsunlimited.co.uk to find out more about Beads Unlimited and their products or call +44 (0)1273 740 777 and mention Craft Focus to receive a free retailer’s pack.

THE PRIZEIn our competition two lucky winners will each receive £250 worth of Beads Unlimited’s brilliant packeted range of beads, findings and thread. Easy to merchandise and restock, these products have proved a hit with retailers and customers alike.

To enter the competition, simply visit www.craftfocus.com, fill in your details and answer the following question:

“In which English county is Beads Unlimited based?”

The deadline for entries is 31st July 2009.

Terms and Conditions1. Competitions are not open to employees (or their immediate families) of Kline Davis Ltd.2. The competition closing date is subject to change without prior notice.3. The winner will be notified in writing.4. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.5. The prize is not transferable and has no monetary value.6. If an advertised prize is not available, we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value.7. No purchase necessary to enter and there is no charge to enter via the website at www.craftfocus.com.

WIN!

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34 craftfocus

sisters in craftSisters Sarah Bewick and Vicky Adams have crafting in the blood. Following in their mother’s footsteps they run family owned business Stamp Addicts in Bedfordshire. As busy mums and business partners the pair have a hectic schedule but remain seriously hooked on stamping.Sarah takes up the story so far…

When did you open the shop?We have been in business for nearly 17 years and started with our first shop in Barnet, North London. We outgrew that shop and couldn’t find anything large enough (we needed a shop and a warehouse) locally so we decided to make the move out to Bedfordshire nine years ago. We have been in our current shop for nearly five years. We built the shop into the warehouse so we have the convenience of everything in one place.

Was it your first retail venture?Yes, this was our first venture into retailing.

Are you avid crafters and how did your interest begin?As kids our mum used to make us clothes, toys and amazing birthday cakes. Creativity was always encouraged. As young teenagers we used to make bags and then I moved on to making jewellery before we started cardmaking

and rubber stamping. Unfortunately these days we travel to lots of shows and have far less time for crafting, occasionally I manage to squeeze in a bit of scrapbooking as well.

What was your personal brief when first starting out in terms of product lines, aims and objectives?When we started stamping we struggled to find stamps in England. There were only a handful of companies so choice was very limited. Then in 1992 we went on holiday to California and discovered a rubber stamp store, we were amazed with the variety. There were hundreds of different stamp manufacturers, so we then decided to start importing some of the ranges that we couldn’t find in the UK. We started small, selling at craft fairs and with visitors by appointment to the house - with a view to expanding the business to a shop. We wanted to be able to show as many people as possible how much pleasure

they could get from stamping. As we were importing stamp ranges that no one else had we also wanted to be able to supply these to other shops.

How important is your location and what is your main customer base?We soon discovered from our first shop that we were a destination shop and did not rely on local customers. We were on the main road next to a supermarket with ample free parking and now we are situated in a unit on an industrial estate.

Our customer base is hugely varied from very young crafters right through to the over nineties. I would guess that the majority of our customers are 40 plus with teenagers or grown-up kids that have left home, so they have more time for themselves.

When did stamping start catching on in the UK?Rubber stamping has been huge in the USA for the last 20 years. Although since 9/11 scrapbooking has overtaken stamping in the USA. We weren’t the first stamp store in the UK but it was a slow build and took about 10-12 years for stamping to become a well established craft.

What are the latest trends in stamping?There is a big trend towards unmounted stamps and clear stamps at the moment. Unmounted stamps cost less and take up far less storage space and clear stamps have the advantage of not requiring a stamp positioner for placement but have the disadvantage of a shorter life and some are incompatible with

Sarah Bewick

craftfocus 35

retailer interviewretailer interview

retailer interview

solvent inks. I think I will always favour a wood mounted rubber stamp over unmounted is it just feels so much nicer to hold a piece of wood than an acrylic block.

As a specialist supplier how do you keep your stamp product offering fresh and interesting?We work closely with our manufacturers to develop new designs and products. And we always keep our eyes open for new and exciting products.

How and where do you source new craft products?Attending trade shows is always a good source of new products as manufacturers often save big launches for these events. But the internet is now a huge resource and is invaluable when looking for specific products located anywhere in the world.

What are your best selling lines?Diamond Glaze has to be our most popular product, followed by JudiKins Shrink Plastic and Eclipse Masking Tape. Then we have thousands of stamps designs and other

accessories to choose from. The Scor-it scoring board is proving to be a very popular tool.

What trade shows do you attend?The CHA Winter show in Anaheim, California, is a must for us as it is very close to a couple of our manufacturers, which means we can visit the factories and talk new designs and products. The internet is amazing but nothing beats a face to face meeting. We also attend the Craft, Hobby + Stitch trade show at the NEC, Birmingham in February, we alternate attendance with exhibiting at this show. The CHA summer show can be a useful show to attend and we have attended several which were held in Chicago, this year’s edition is the first show that will be in Orlando. But as always this coincides with the school summer holidays which makes things a bit trickier for us.

What yardstick do you use for measuring the potential of a new craft product?Generally we just go with gut instinct and keep our fingers crossed. There is no fail-safe method when it comes to launching a new product. If we can see lots of uses for a product then we will probably stock it but if it only has one purpose then we have to think very carefully as to whether we and our customers really need it or can we use an alternative multi-use product to achieve the

same end result. We are shopping on behalf of our customers and they need to trust that we are selling them the right product and not a one-use wonder.

What sort of relationship do you enjoy with your suppliers?We have known JudiKins for over 15 years now and they are like family, we often go and stay with them for a holiday and vice versa. It is very important for us to be able to work closely with the manufacturers as there are differences between the US and UK markets and, if we are involved in the design process, we can.

How can you compete with the larger craft multiples?We are the UK exclusive distributor for several manufacturers so you won’t find our products in the majority of larger multiples. Our speciality is high quality wood mounted rubber stamps and we aim to offer excellent customer service and in most cases same-day despatch on orders. For visitors to our store we can help them solve their stamping problems or questions with a demonstration or advice. We are a rubber stamp store and not a craft store so customers know they can come to us with any stamping related queries that probably couldn’t be answered in a large chain store.

Describe the style and presentation of your shop - how important is visual merchandising to you?Light, clean lines, we try to avoid clutter. We have just re-arranged all the gondolas in the shop so they are no longer in straight lines, we found that the customers often missed the end of the gondolas as it was like reaching a dead end. So now all gondolas are arranged to create more flow around the shop and to lead the customer somewhere. We try and keep all new products together in the same area for a week or two so any regular customers can easily see what has arrived since their last visit. We do regularly re-arrange the shop as customers do get used to the layout and often won’t see things as they assume it is the same as their last visit. When we re-arrange things they see everything with fresh eyes and often purchase things that we’ve had for some time - they just didn’t see it before.

36 craftfocus

It is vital that the customer can clearly see the products, if they have to look too hard to find something they will eventually give up.

Do you run workshops or in store demonstrations?Yes, we do run workshops and we offer in store demonstrations that run most Saturdays and are available any other time according to customers’ needs. We offer a variety of workshops and often have guest teachers.

How important are they to the success of the business?I think demonstrations are vital as a selling tool. If a customer can see how useful a product is they are far more likely to purchase it. We exhibit at lots of shows and always demonstrate our stamps and accessories. It could be that someone watching has never stamped before but can see how easy it really is and are then tempted to buy their first few stamps or a seasoned stamper watching us demonstrate a technique they have never seen before or the latest must-have accessory. If we don’t demonstrate the products, how will they know they need it?

How important is customer service to you?Customer service is very important to us and we do strive for 100 per cent perfection. We may sometimes fall a little short of our goal but as long as we keep the customer informed of any problems we are encountering, be it late deliveries from our suppliers or just an error on our part, they are usually understanding. A quick phone call to tell them of any problems lets them know that their order is important and is high on your priority list.

How important is your online presence?In today’s world an online presence is an absolute necessity. The majority of shops have a website where you can purchase products so if you don’t have an e-commerce site then you will definitely be missing out. We do still have a few customers with no internet access but that number is falling every year and these customers are now in the minority.

Our first website had online shopping but no payment facilities, the cost of online payment facilities was too prohibitive. Online

shoppers were in the minority 10 years ago. Now online shopping is so popular there are numerous online only stores that don’t feel they need a bricks and mortar store to sustain their business.

Personally I do a lot of my shopping online but nothing beats going into a store and browsing. I do find browsing online gets boring as everything is so two dimensional and you can’t feel it, but I can’t always get to the shops when they are open and if there is something I need I will order online.

During both my pregnancies I did most of my food shopping online as I just couldn’t face going to the supermarket, but as a rule I much prefer to go in store so I can compare and choose products, see the quality of the fruit and veg. I also want to see what just leaps off the shelf and takes my fancy - that doesn’t really happen online!

What have been the major changes you have noticed since opening?There have been so many changes in the crafting world over the last 17 years but they have all been very gradual. When we started we grew into our first shop and continued to grow slowly into our first warehouse and our current 1,000 sq. ft shop. Over the last five years we have seen lots of shops open and then close again as they had jumped straight

in with both feet before learning about the market. Since scrapbooking became big in the UK it has created this need for continually introducing new products on an almost monthly basis, instead of the once or twice a year it used to be. The growth of the internet has brought with it blogging and a huge online community of people that share their ideas and artwork, again creating more demand for product and new ideas and techniques.

Your views on the state of the market?I’ve been told that in previous recessions the crafting market is one of the few markets to grow as people spend more time at home and crafting is something they can do together as a family. In theory this sounds great but in previous recessions the internet - facebook, twitter, etc - did not have as much of an impact on our lives as it does now. Do families still spend time together? Will they craft together? I don’t know the answer to this but we have to be sensible and cut costs where we can, not hold too much stock and focus on our core market. This way we will be able to come out the other side of the ‘credit crunch’ a much stronger company.

Working closely with our suppliers to find the right products at the right price will be beneficial to us, our suppliers, the stores we supply and the end user.

Plans for the future?Wow, you should see my calendar for the year - we have so much planned I’m not sure how we are going to squeeze it all in. We film a lot of pre-recorded shows on Create & Craft and have started to record some live shows. If these go well then we might be live on TV every month. We will also be exhibiting at around seven shows this summer and autumn, we need to be out there reminding the customers how versatile stamping is and to show people that have never stamped how easy it is to start stamping.

We are the UK distributor for JudiKins rubber stamps and accessories, DeNami Design rubber stamps, Printworks Collection rubber stamps and clear stamps, Stamps by Judith rubber stamps and Scor-it scoring boards as well as numerous other accessories.

For further information visit the website www.stampaddicts.com. C

sisters in craft

LONDON TRIMMINGS WHOLESALE LTD

26-28 CAMBRIDGE HEATH ROAD, WHITECHAPEL, LONDON E1 5QH

Tel: 0207 7919766 / 0207 7902233Email: terisa@londontrimmings.co.uk

enquiries@londontrimmings.co.uk

Wholesale & RetailHaberdashery & Craft Suppliers

• Feathers• Sequin Braids• Buckles• Buttons• Embellishments• Wool• Zips• Threads• Knitting Accessories• Ribbons• Diamante Buckles• Haberdashery• Flowers

• Bows• Dress Net• Handbag Accessories• Scissors• Elastic• Colour Dye• Snap Fasteners• Cotton Webbing• Lace• Cord• Labels• Bias Bindings• Insertion Piping

• Eyelets• Interlining/Wadding• Toy Filling• Trouser Patches• Jeans Buttons & Rivets• Shoulder Pads• Embroidery Accessories• Hook & Loop• Covered Buttons• Curtain Accessories• Toggles• Hangers• Garment Cover Bags

Marathon Machine Embroidery Thread and much more

Please give us a call we are always happy to help

For a catalogue please call:

Tel: 0845 2300 969Fax: 0870 3500 969

or visit our websitewww.craftybitz.co.uk

Ring us for 100’s of special offer items

22 Seymour Gardens, Ilford, Essex, IG1 3LN

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kids' crafts

kids' crafts

The Little ExperienceTel: +44 (0)1903 713 888Award-winning firm, The Little Experience, specialises in simple craft kits for children. There are several collections, each individually targeted at a different craft discipline, from ‘stitch-it’ and ‘knit-it’, to ‘build-it’ and ‘create-it’, there is something for everyone. New kits for 2009 inlclude the stitch-it dolly kit, shown here, which is ideal for young crafters aged between six and 12 years old. All boxes are printed inside so they can be recycled to make something cool. Even the mini kit packaging can be recycled into a colouring sheet.

Crafty KidsTel: +44 (0)1329 661 161Award-winning craft company, Crafty Kids, specialises in fun, imaginative puppet kits for children aged four and over. Her newest releases include Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Bird and Tiger (pictured on the cover of the magazine). Later this year she will be launching an exciting Christmas-themed range, including Santa and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

As usual, all kits are EN71 passed and include full instructions, all constituent par ts, paints, glue, a good quality brush and special tags for threading the puppets. The puppet kits will stay in the cylindrical spotted tubs but the craft kits will be in lovely spotted rectangular boxes with integral carry handle.

All cardboard kit par ts and packaging are made from post consumer recycled waste paper and can be recycled again once finished with.

kids’ craftsWe run down the best children’s craft products about

Creative CharlieTel: +44 (0)208 980 1860Creative Charlie recently announced a new addition to its range of environmentally friendly ar t and craft products for kids - the make masks kit. The box contains everything children need to make four fun masks.

There are four recycled cardboard cat shaped mask templates, and three water-based paints that are biodegradable and phalate free. Also included is a pot of washable glue which, like the paint, is wheat, gluten and nut oil free (ensuring that children with these allergies can play safely), a paintbrush, glue spreader and a pair of scissors.

There is recycled sugar paper, feathers, pom-poms, paper shapes, paper straws and a recycled pencil to decorate with, along with elastic thread and an instruction sheet. The make masks kit is an ideal gift for kids, par ties, making fancy dress costumes, or even for Halloween.

Crafty Kids

Creative Charlie

The Little Experience

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kids’ crafts

Creativity InternationalTel: +44 (0)1384 485 550Creativity International has launched a new range of licensed craft kits with a strong range of four sets of craft drawers aimed at children aged three and above. These include Ar t Attack Craft Drawers, Mister Maker Doodle Drawers, Numberjacks Craft Drawers and Mr Men Craft Drawers, priced at £14.99 each.

They each contain over 1500 pieces and four projects which relate to the licensed characters. The kits are not only a lot of fun, which will keep children amused and stimulated for hours, but they are also educational and will encourage hand-eye coordination. The kits also stimulate creativity and imagination and children can create puppets, bookmarks and many other things using the items contained in each box.

Crafty KitsTel: +44 (0)1825 890 030Crafty Kits has launched three brand new children’s craft kits for the retail market. Packaged in plain recycled boxes for children to decorate and keep, the three cases are: The Creative Collage Case, The Mess-less Creative Case and Creative Cards. Using quality recycled card, some fantastic unique die cuts and a colourful range of collage materials, each box comes complete with an instruction sheet and is crammed full of creative ideas to keep young children occupied for hours.

Keeping packaging to a minimum, contents to the maximum and retailing from £10.95 - £12.95, the kits are sure to be a big hit with parents and children.

For more information check out the website at www.craftykits.co.uk C

CulpittTel: +44 (0)845 601 0574 Cake making and decorating may not be a traditional craft pursuit, but there’s no denying it requires plenty of creativity.

These delightful, edible cake decorations from Culpitt are individually hand piped using royal icing. They make great cupcake or cookie decorations, or they can be combined in a pattern to decorate a full sized cake.

With 12 everyday and three Christmas designs to choose from, these cost effective decorations are in a space efficient hanging pack, making them easy to display.

The products are packed in 12s, priced at £2.20rrp, perfect for decorating a dozen home baked or bought cupcakes. Visit www.culpitt.com for further details.

StitchclubTel: +44 (0)845 838 7210First launched at Craft, Hobby + Stitch earlier this year, the new range of sewing kits from Stitchclub are perfect for children. The Sew Easy Kits teach children hand-sewing skills and contain easy-to-use full colour instructions, patterns, fabrics, needle, threads and trims. Find out more by visiting the website at www.seweasykits.com

SilverdaleDESIGNS

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We speak to Stuart Caller to find out how Korbond, initially an Australian supplier of stiffened belting to the garment trade, has tapped into the lucrative UK craft market…

Who founded Korbond and what prompted them to do so? Korbond was established in Australia in 1956 by a Polish migrant, Henry Korski, who supplied stiffened belting to the garment trade. Henry was an engineer and his wife a chemist. Together they expanded their business to become a major coater and laminator of textiles for the garment and shoe trade, specialising in thermo plastic coatings. Various products were developed including different types of fusible interlinings, belt backing, bra strapping, shoe and garment labels and curtain linings. The knowledge passed down by Henry and his wife has formed the basis of our “iron on” technology and expertise.

Korbond entered the UK market in the early 1980s and positioned itself in the market as a “Care & Repair” brand. Korbond is now the number one haberdashery & clothes care supplier to the UK grocery sector; having traded with large retailers for more than 25 years, as well as an established supplier to major high street multiples and large national wholesalers. Korbond is a respected haberdashery specialist with the reputation of a

brand established on product quality, supported by excellent service, representing value for both the retailer and consumer.

How has the product offering evolved since this time?The range has remained largely constant since 1973 when a decision was made to concentrate on high volume, “must have” care & repair items. At the time this decision was based on the market demand to drive profitability through considered space management, which is ever more prevalent in today’s climate.

Using our experience in the category we ensure our proposed product offering contains the best selling items such as hemming web, needles, pins and threads; so even with a limited amount of retail space we can recommend a tailored and credible offering delivering proven high gross profit returns per square foot to our customers.

How important is craft to the overall Korbond product offering? Is this a market that you believe has a strong future for the Korbond brand? We are intrigued by the growth of the craft sector in the UK marketplace. Our products

provide a core range which complements the fashions and trends within the craft

industry. It’s still early days for us, but we are flexible and innovative in our approach to movements in the market and new products, but always mindful to the necessity of return on investment.

What are your best-selling craft lines and why do you think this is?Our best selling line is certainly the children’s needlework kit. The fun and exciting licensed starter kits are perfect for children to enjoy either on their own or with the guidance of a family member. The reasonably priced kits are designed to provide the essentials to create a miniature masterpiece within a few days.

Have you ever taken on a product line that didn’t do as well as you’d hoped. If so, what was it and why?We tend not to follow the radical trends and employ a sense check on all lines by asking the question; do they fit the care and repair core philosophy? If not, will they drive volume? If lines do not meet these basic criteria then we must question their appropriateness for our brand and our customers. To date we have not entered into any product line that we regret.

Do you exhibit at any craft trade shows? If so, which ones and why?Craft, Hobby & Stitch International 2009 at the NEC was our first time exhibiting at any show. We were very pleased with our involvement and results. Our overall aim was to increase brand awareness among retailers, wholesalers and independent stores, whilst showcasing and promoting the Korbond offer and proposition. We established many new contacts and the overall feedback from the show was very positive. Most were refreshed by our flexible and direct business model; we offer all trade

care and repair

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customers a direct order system, with no minimum order quantity, removing the middle man and sales rep to ensure the maximum margin is passed to the retailer and value to the end consumer. Overall we were delighted with our first experience at the show and will certainly look to attend more trade shows in the future.

How have retailers and crafters responded to the recently re-launched website? Have you succeeded in building a community through the Sewing Solutions section?We are absolutely thrilled with the feedback we have received from the trade and the sewing community since the launch of the new website in February, 2009. Total hits to the site have increased tremendously and we are engaging with our customers and consumers at a much deeper level.

The Sewing Solution section is a new development for Korbond and is still in its infancy. This is a community driven initiative designed to impart sewing, mending and crafting skills to the wider community. In this tough economic climate we have seen a shift towards a “Make Do & Mend” culture from the recent throw-away society mentality. This has highlighted a generational skill deficit when it comes to sewing and mending, mainly due to the changes in the National Curriculum and reduction of classes such as Home Economics over the years. Korbond is driving this community activity by launching a forum for individuals to participate and share their knowledge with others.

I would encourage readers to log on to the site and post and share their top tips, step by step guides, advice and other material that will be useful for others within the world of sewing, mending, altering and crafting.

How would you like to see the website develop over the coming months?Our vision is that the site will become a prime destination for solving care & repair problems and a source for new and interesting craft ideas “Your first stop shop for handy hints & tips to fix those fiddly bits” Our site will provide advice for all levels; from tasks such as threading a needle for the beginners, to

creating elaborate quilts and masterpieces for those more advanced and experienced in the world of sewing, mending, altering and crafting.

How do you support your retailers?We have worked with many of our retailers for some time now. By working closely with them we understand their challenges and are quick to adapt to changes in the market to ensure that their range remains fresh and invigorated. Combined with our value proposition we work hard to provide positive growth within the most difficult climates. This detailed category management approach works well for existing retailers and we look to employ the same approach as we continue to grow and expand relationships with our new customers.

How did the collaboration between DMC Creative World Ltd and Korbond come about? Is this a partnership that is working well for you?We have worked with them for some time now. We acknowledge that there is a demand for creative and licensed craft within our retail base, and we work closely with DMC Creative World Ltd to ensure that our products meet the specification and the needs of our consumers. The partnership is working well and we see some interesting future developments from this collaboration.

How are you being affected, if at all, by the current ‘credit crunch’ and are you taking any significant steps to minimise the impact to your business?Over the years we have developed very sophisticated management systems to help us cope with such situations and they are demonstrating their worth in the current climate. Like every business we are experiencing some challenging times as our customers adjust to the new conditions and as consumer habits evolve.

We feel that our product range and brand is

geared very well for the economic downturn we are all facing. Consumers are adopting the “Make Do & Mend” mentality to ride out these difficult times. We are therefore working even harder during this period to promote our range and value proposition to ensure that Korbond Care & Repair becomes a recession proof brand on the shelf of many craft retailers and independents.

How do you plan to grow your existing retailer base?We plan to grow our retail base in a number of different ways. Firstly we feel that there are growth opportunities within our existing customer base and we aim to maximise core and promotional opportunities to drive profitability for both parties.

New retailers of all sizes and shapes will be approached with the Korbond offering as we look to promote breadth and depth across the many available channels of distribution. Our aim is to convey the Korbond proposition and open the communication with retailers to discuss how we can help to service their requirements. Our direct, low contact ordering model allows the retailer to dictate the range that suits their store environment and their consumer base, providing the maximum available return for their investment. Currently a variety of methods are underway to widen and strengthen our distribution; direct calls, trade shows, marketing activity and a greater use of the Korbond website.

How would you like the company to develop over the next few years?We would like to grow soundly, with an increasing number of equally reliable retailers with the aim of providing both parties a satisfactory return on their investment. Our strategy and philosophy to business is very simple, we work on the principle of well founded and grounded business decisions to provide a strong and sustainable future for Korbond and our business partners.

profi

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knittin

g

We speak to three leading yarn and knitting suppliers to fi nd out what the future holds for this popular craft…

Julia and Matt, Cornish Organic Wool LtdTel: +44 (0)1736 350 905Web: www.cornishorganicwool.co.uk

How would you describe current demand for knitting-related products? How has this changed over the past few years?Having recently launched our Cornish Organic Peruk range (25% alpaca blended with 75% Cornish Organic Wool) into the retail sector at the Stitches show at the NEC, it is clear from the response that customers are looking for British produced products. We think this is due to two factors - fi rstly, the recession makes people turn inwards with a desire to support British industry and secondly, the current exchange rate now makes our home produced products attractive with regards to price.

Three or four years ago customers were buying relatively cheap man-made fi bres from Turkey and China during the “scarf ” craze and they are now turning to natural fi bres (wool and alpaca) from local sources.

As a result of the current trend, our shop “Knit Wits” in Penzance has produced its own range of British wool called “Wool Britannia” - the product is Aran weight and is farmed, spun and hand-dyed in the UK and all the colours are named after places in the UK (for example, red is Reading, black is Blackpool and so forth).

Have there been any new innovations in the knitting sector over the past 12 months?There appears to be a growing movement

(supported by the UKHKA) to bring knitting back into the classroom and teach our youngsters to knit. This has to be a good thing! There have also been some initiatives to use knitting as part of therapy to help stop smoking, eating, depression etc. The research is far from conclusive at this stage but we knitters know of the therapeutic benefi ts!

What, if anything, are you doing to encourage new crafters to take up knitting as a hobby?At Knit Wits we are organising some workshops for this autumn with Tina Barrett, who designs for Cornish Organic Wool and has had numerous designs in magazines. Dates yet to be confi rmed.

Which are your best-selling product lines at present? Why do you think this is?From a wool shop perspective, ie Knit Wits, Cornish Organic Wool continues to be one of our best sellers, along with multi-coloured yarns such as King Cole’s Mirage and the entire James Brett range.

At the top end of the market Debbie Bliss’s Rialto and Donegal Tweed are consistently good sellers at the moment.

What new products can we expect to see from Cornish Organic Wool later this year?We have just launched our new certifi ed dyed 4ply range. This is already proving to be very popular and is selling from the shop very well. We will also be introducing, for autumn/winter, new colours in Chunky.

Mary-Anne, ViridianTel: +44 (0)845 062 44593Web: www.viridianyarn.com

How would you describe current demand for knitting-related products? How has this changed over the past few years?Demand for our products is excellent at the moment. There has been rapid growth throughout this year, following on from a steady rise in demand in the last fi ve years.

Have there been any new innovations in the knitting sector over the past 12 months?The biggest innovation for us has been the launch of Knit-Pro’s colourful range of needles- interchangeable circulars, Tunisian hooks, straight needles, double pointed needles, and crochet hooks. We have also seen the introduction of some new treated yarn - Schoeller & Stahl are now doing ranges with added Chestnut Oil, which acts like a balm for the feet, as well as their more well known Aloe Vera ranges.

What, if anything, are you doing to encourage new crafters to take up knitting as a hobby?Knit-Pro has proved an instant hit with our retailers, and Trekking’s colourful sock yarn is still a best seller. There’s defi nitely a renewed interest in all things crafty, and this is refl ected in our sales. Things like Clover’s Wonder Knitter, and Pom-Pom Makers, which provide a simple

a stitch in time

48 craftfocus

a stitch in time

and easy introduction to crafts, especially for children, are also strong sellers.

Which are your best-selling product lines at present? Why do you think this is?We are about to launch “Sock Stop”, an innovative product which allows knitters to add grip to their own sock and slipper creations, with an easy to use washable adhesive, which can be applied in any pattern, in black or white. I’ve attached a PDF which illustrates this product.

What new products can we expect to see from Viridian later this year?We have new products to look forward to from Knit-Pro: a range of sock blockers and chart holders will be with us this summer. Further on in the year, we will have some children’s sock yarn in 50g balls, in fun colourways as well as fresh ranges from Opal and Trekking.

Marie Wallin, Head Designer, RowanSarah Brook, RowanTel: +44 (0)1484 681 881Web: www.knitrowan.com

How would you describe current demand for knitting-related products? How has this changed over the past few years? MW: The interest in hand knitting has defi nitely increased over the last 12 months as we see a general resurgence in craft and everything hand made. People are taking the decision to stay at home and make their own as an antidote to the current economic situation. Despite the recession, I do think that there is a general growing trend towards traditional values and the learning of the traditional craft skills.

Have there been any new innovations in the knitting sector over the past 12 months? MW: Ethical and sustainable yarns continue to

see a growth in demand and there is a growing interest in British made yarns and products.

What, if anything, are you doing to encourage new crafters to take up knitting as a hobby? SB: Rowan has a long standing workshop programme that aims to teach new techniques and share expertise and is held up and down the country. We also encourage new crafters in the following ways:• Our established Rowan Design Consultants, based in John Lewis stores nationwide, ensures help and advice is on hand at all times for anyone who may need it • www.knitrowan.com - our website boasts a range of free patterns to entice new knitters into trying something different. We also have an online tutorial section offering step by step advice and tips • We offer a range of Learn to Knit kits • We publish help books such as The Ultimate Knitting Bible which act as a comprehensive tool for knitters everywhere.

Which are your best-selling product lines at present? Why do you think this is? SB: We are currently seeing a huge boom in all crafts across the board, not only in knitting but also in sewing and needlepoint. We have just launched a new sewing workshop held at Rowan and have also helped relaunch the Liberty Sewing School. • In the knitting sphere, the Colourscape yarn

by Kaffe Fassett has proved to be a best seller since its launch in 2008. Its self striping nature makes it attractive to the novice knitter ; equally appealing is the fact that it is a ‘quick knit’ yarn • There has also been huge interest in our Purelife range, the hub of which has centred around The Organic Cotton Kids Collection and also our British Sheep Breeds yarn, which is catching the imagination of the socially responsible knitter by supporting British-based hill farmers • The interesting composition of the Lenpur Linen™ yarn combined with its vibrant colour palette ensures that this yarn hits two of the biggest trends of the season.C

UK Distributor forOpalTrekkingZitronLucy Neatby

Knitting Needles& Accessories

Trade enquiriese: viridianltd@googlemail.comt: 0845 062 4593

www.viridianyarn.com

Sock Yarn Specialists

Books, Patterns & DVDs

50 craftfocus

improving business efficiency in tough times

Third in the series looking at ways in which technology can improve business efficiency by looking at the three main cost areas; staff, property and stock. This article looks at how retailers can improve efficiency in the unlikely area of property costs. The reward for those who get it right is a stronger and more profitable business when the economy turns upwards again.

Unless you are in the fortunate position of owning your own premises, your rent is likely to be one of your biggest costs. Of course your shop rent buys your product display area, office space, it may contain an amount of warehousing space and it can also be your main marketing tool because of its location. Your shop is a significant asset, so what can technology do to improve efficiency from the money you spend on premises? Squeezing more value from your

retail locationPart of the reason you might be paying so much rent for your shop is its location. If you get natural footfall past the door then this marketing aspect will be built into the price. So is there anything else you can do to extract more value from the shop’s location? Is there a way you can advertise to people in the wider area to know you are there?

Well, here is one idea. Through 2009 Google are putting more focus on what they call ‘Personalised Search’ and ‘Location Search’. They are working hard to produce better results when people are looking for businesses in a particular area. They are also working hard to identify what someone’s personal interests are. For example, if they are into crafting and have done searches on ‘craft goods’ and other crafting accessories before, and then they type ‘Card Shops Leeds’ into Google, Google is likely to display craft shops in Leeds. However if they have a history of looking at gift cards, that same search will produce gift and card shops in Leeds.

Because more people are using Google to find things in their local area, you have a good opportunity to promote your website in Google’s Local Search and help more people in the wider area find your shop. To add your business go to: www.google.com/local/add

MultitaskThey say that women are better at multitasking than men. Wouldn’t it be nice if your shop could multitask? Well it can. Multichannel selling is about selling in more than one place at one time. The opportunities include catalogue mail order and selling online via a website.

How does this improve efficiency? Well let’s take the example of running a website. You will need the following in place; somewhere to hold stock, an office and place to fulfill orders.

As a retailer you will probably already have these resources in place and have already paid for them! You will also have reseller agreements and stock ready to sell, as well as people who are trained in customer service

Part 3

“But the key point here is you can maximise effectiveness of your shop premises by selling across more than one channel. Making your shop multitask!”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if your shop could multitask? Well it can. Multichannel selling is about selling in more than one place at one time.”

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retail technology

and can probably do the order fulfillment (pick, pack and dispatch).

The extra cost then is the internet design, the updating of the site and the marketing. If you have some quieter periods, the updating of the site can be done then. This leaves the main additional costs as; a) the design of the website and b) the marketing.

So, because two thirds of the costs of running a website have already been paid for, the gross profit from the website really only has to cover the two additional costs above. After that you are looking at incremental profit for your shop. And you know what, the

process of selling in a shop and selling online can mesh beautifully together.

Setting up and running a website isn’t for everyone and of course there are things to watch out for, some of which I have covered in previous issues, and will cover in future issues as well. But the key point here is you can maximise effectiveness of your shop premises by selling across more than one channel. Making your shop multitask!

Efficient use of space Every cubic foot is costing money and when times are tough it is even more important to maximise the use of the available space. Where technology can help is in merchandising. Both visual merchandising, i.e. the art of displaying products in a way that is appealing to the customer, and stock merchandising, i.e. having the right product available in store at the right time.

Good visual merchandising can achieve the following:• Make it easier for the shopper to locate the desired category and merchandise.• Make it possible for the shopper to co-ordinate and accessorise.• Provide detailed information on sizes, colours and prices.• Inform about the latest fashion trends by highlighting them at strategic locations.

Technology can help in visual merchandising by monitoring trends and hot spots in the shop.Without keeping accurate records it can be difficult to know if your visual merchandising is working or not. For example, say you want to put together a range of accessories around a particular buggy, you can use A/B testing by trying out a particular setup for an amount of time then measure it. After a period of time the display can be moved around and measured again. The ratio of main product sales to accessories can tell you how successful the merchandising has been.

Visual merchandising can attract customer attention, be informative, provide compelling reasons to buy and cross-sell, but it needs trial and error to get it right, this is where some clear measurement can help. Yes if you have an EPoS system then this should do the job, or a spreadsheet could do it as well by measuring sales for each iteration.

Stock merchandising is about getting the right products in front of the customer at the right time. This is another area that requires a mix of art and science. A shop till system can help you to identify the sales trends and colours that work for your customers. With good analysis of what is selling, you can order the right products thus improving availability and increasing the chance of selling. Getting it wrong can mean increased stock-outs, missing sales and reduced customer loyalty

Both disciplines of merchandising require skill and experience, but technology can assist in providing clear information to evaluate what has been successful as well as making it easier to get the right products in front of the customer at the right time.

Further InformationDavid Mackley MBA BSc is MD of Intelligent Retail, award winning Multichannel EpoS and eCommerce for giftware retailers. He can be contacted on +44 (0)8456 800 126 or dmackley@intelligentretail.co.uk.

“Technology can help in visual merchandising by monitoring trends and hot spots in the shop. ”

“A shop till system can help you to identify the sales trends and colours that work for your customers.”

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52 craftfocus

We talk to some leading stamp suppliers to fi nd out about future stamping trends, changes within this popular sector and much more…

Stamping can be enjoyed on so many different levels, creating simple forms of artwork using a standard black ink pad, to sophisticated works of art using more challenging techniques such as embossing.

Clear stamps have now taken over traditional rubber-mounted stamps as the tool of choice for enthusiasts, providing easy, accurate placement on the page and simple storage solutions.

Retailers who want to introduce their own, exclusive, line of stamps may be interested in the bespoke service offered by Imagepac. Simply by sending the company original artwork, the fi rm will translate these designs onto stamps, ready for retail. All stamps are made from high grade photopolymer, have an excellent back adhesion and are available in two standard thicknesses. Find out more by visiting www.photocentric.co.uk.

BEVERLEY FLETCHER, BANANA FROGwww.bananafrog.com

Which are your best-selling stamps and why?The best selling stamps at the moment are the It’s all about... collection since it is the newest. It is a great collection since each 8” x 6” set features versatile basics (hearts, arrows, fl ourishes, etc) with a modern twist. Our other best sellers are Fireworks and Whirligig, which are both ideal for backgrounds as well as feature stamps, Build a cupcake and Build a bloom since you can make your own and, of course, Take Note and Journaling for scrapbooking those important details.

How has demand for stamp-related products changed over the past couple of years?The rise in clear stamps has led to a renewed interest in all stamping and people are enjoying the versatility that stamping brings. Also, in the current fi nancial climate they are a great tool to invest in as you can use stamps time and time again, in so many ways and with different techniques, that they don’t have to look the same each time.

Why do you think stamping has such broad appeal among crafters?Stamping is something that can be done at any level from beginners to advanced. For example, my children love the effect of stamping and enjoy using Banana Frog stamps on cards. You can also make it more advanced using different inks and powders, different surfaces and applications. I love experimenting with stamping and seeing what effects I can get.

HAZEL STARNES, HORSESHOE CRAFTSwww.horseshoecrafts.co.uk

Which are your best-selling stamps and why?Our best selling stamps are the Great

Impressions range of designs - in particular their cute animals. These are wood mounted stamps and, as such, are very easy to use straight away. The stamps are well cut and so they give good clean images each time they are used - which is important! We also bring out new designs in this range every month and back them up with sample artboards full of ideas to inspire our customers. We now fi nd that people are waiting to see what the new images will be each month and this helps sales of course, as anything that brings people into the shop has to be good for business.

How has demand for stamp-related products changed over the past couple of years?We have certainly found that people are getting more discerning. They buy stamps that can be used in many ways and not just for one occasion. For instance, in the past stamps that were complete scenes would be popular but now people are buying individual elements that they can mix and match to create different looks. We have also noticed that after the initial rush to polymer stamps we are now seeing a return to rubber. So brands that offer unmounted rubber designs are proving popular. This means that customers are able to get the high defi nition quality that they want

fi rst impressionsBanana Frog

Banana FrogHorseshoe Crafts

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but also helps to ease the storage problem of block stamps.

Why do you think stamping has such broad appeal for crafters?I think that stamps appeal to people of all ages and from all walks of life. So many of us enjoy being creative but need a little help to get going. We are not all artists, able to draw, but we can all use stamps to give us a starting image and then let our imagination run wild to create an individual work of art! It’s a very satisfying craft that can be started for minimum outlay and of course there’s the social side - meeting up at clubs, having stamping evenings with friends and stamping up pictures with the children. What could be nicer?

CAROL CLEMENTS, STAMPATTACKwww.stampattack.co.uk

Which are your best-selling stamps and why?Flourishes and Alice in Wonderland are our best selling images. There has been a trend for fl ourish style images over the past 18 months and we have sold out whilst exhibiting at the various shows. Alice in Wonderland characters are popular and many stampers have a fondness for the books by Lewis Carroll. Stampers are never short of ideas in creating amazing artwork with the characters.

How has demand for stamp-related products changed over the past couple of years?Serious stampers are always interested in new products. New inkpads and colour wash sprays have hit the market and stampers are keen to use the latest products and invent techniques themselves. These results are avidly shared across the internet through blogging and You Tube. Stamping trends are created by stamp manufacturers and pursued by stampers. The bird theme is a strong contender at present.

Why do you think stamping has such broad appeal to crafters?Stamping has a broad appeal because the artwork has already been created for stampers, thereby eliminating the need to be able to draw.

Stampers are inventive, as mentioned earlier, and with the combination of crafting products, the results are endless.

JUDITH BREWER, WOODWARE CRAFT COMPANY LTD www.woodware.co.uk

Which are your best-selling stamps and why?As Woodware are distributors for Stampendous and Magenta wood-mounted and clear stamps, we feel we have something

for all occasions and styles; along with our own range of stamps designed by British designers. The clear polymer stamps are the most popular at the moment as they represent great value for money and take a fraction of the space usually required for storage. Anything swirly seems to be popular at the moment closely followed by summery cupcake and ice cream motifs.

How has demand for stamp-related products changed over the past couple of years?Over the last few years, crafters have become more adventurous, incorporating stamping into mixed media projects, shrink plastic etc. But always sure to receive the ‘wow’ factor is heat embossing, this again has reached greater levels with products such as Deep Impressions embossing powders and Stamp & Bond powder etc.

Why do you think stamping has such broad appeal for crafters?I think stamping is such a versatile craft, it can be used for the obvious card-making or scrapbooking, but can just as easily be used on fabric, leather, wood surfaces to name but a few. Images can be stamped over and over to created images for decoupage or pyramage projects, tea-bag folding etc etc. It can be used to make patterns for embroidery and cross stitch – the list goes on…

Stamp Attack

Stamp Attack

C

European wholesaler for Great Impressions, Rubber Romance,

Embossing Arts, Stamping Sensations, Our Craft Lounge and

Oyster Stamps.

Over 70 artboard packages available complete with

FREE artboard to promote sales

• No minimum quantities• New stamp designs and artboard brought out each month • Full instruction sheets available for ready made workshops

• Fast, friendly service

Contact: Hazel - The Old Horseshoe, Horseshoe Lane, Ellesmere,

Shropshire, SY12 9JT

01691 690113 or 0845 833 0332www.horseshoecrafts.co.uk • horseshoecrafts@hotmail.com

Need Clear Stamps?

For Crystal Clear Polymer Stamps,email your designs to:

info@photocentric.co.uk

www.clearstampmaking.com

Tel: 01733 349937

42 Catforth Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4 4SF, UK

Tel: 01253 764466Email: stampattack.carol@googlemail.comwww.stampattack.co.uk

STAMPATTACK

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most wantedWe run down some of the best stamping products about…

FISKARSwww.fi skars.comBest known for the iconic orange handled scissors and other cutting technologies, Fiskars has recently diversifi ed into other craft fi elds, including rubber stamping. Aside from ink pads in a range of vibrant colours, the fi rm has developed a range of clear stamps for a multitude of special occasions. All clear stamp mini sheets retail at £8.45 RRP each.

ART AND CRAFTS DIRECTwww.crafting.co.ukThe latest addition to the rapidly increasing range of clear photopolymer stamps from Art and Crafts Direct is World of Watercolour.

This stunning design range features Cottage designs, Landscape designs – both originally hand drawn by Stephanie Weightman – and also a Waterways set which features canal boats, seaside scenes and more. Acrylic blocks sized to fi t the designs are also available to trade. For further information or to order the range please contact Art and Crafts Direct Ltd on +44 (0)800 954 0070 or +44 (0)1246 251 212.

STAMPATTACKwww.stampattack.co.ukFresh from Stampattack is a new bird stamp sheet with popular sayings and other birdie designs. This has been created to accompany the existing series of bird house stamps, called Twitter Lane, which are available as single images and retail at £6 each.

BUZZCRAFTwww.buzzcraft.co.ukBrand new from Buzzcraft is the adorable Fairy Doodles range, comprising backing papers, stackers, die cuts and now rubber stamps. The stamp sheets each contain a range of designs, including cute characters and special occasion phrases. They retail at £9.99 each and are sure to have broad appeal. Find out more by calling +44 (0)1535 271 671.

56 craftfocus

HORSESHOE CRAFTSwww.horseshoecrafts.co.ukHorseshoe Crafts has just launched two new ranges of Great Impression wood mounted stamps, one with men in mind and a more general floral one. These are all available wholesale, and Horseshoe Crafts can supply all the stamps individually or as artboard packages. Indeed, the company has over 70 packages of the best selling designs available.

DESIGN OBJECTIVESwww.docrafts.co.ukThe new Papermania stamps from Design Objectives are sure to be a big hit with makers of Artist Trading Cards. Now, rather than trying to cram all that essential information on the back of the card, crafters can personalise their designs using these new ATC stamps.

Featuring a selection of intricate and ornate information panels, the stamps can also be used on invitations, mini books and other handmade gifts. The set is priced at £5.99 RRP.

BANANA FROGwww.bananafrog.co.ukThe new ‘It’s all about...’ collection from Banana Frog, takes basic elements such as hearts, stars and scallops and turns them into journaling spots, borders and embellishments.The stamps are great for scrapbooking, cardmaking and all papercrafts.

The stamps are crystal clear, non-yellowing and are British designed by Beverley Fletcher. The It’s all about... collection follows the trademark Banana Frog style of a fresh and contemporary graphic look with a retro twist. Each set of stamps measures 8" x 6".

CRAFTER’SCOMPANIONwww.crafterscompanion.co.ukCrafter’s Companion recently launched the new range of Cute Companions on Ideal World, comprising a double-disc CD set (RRP £29.99) and six stamp plates (RRP £12.99 each). Each stamp plate has a key theme, from ‘In the Garden’ and ‘Friends’ to ‘Sun & Fun’ and ‘Celebration’. All sheets contain a wonderful mix of child-friendly characters and phrases.

most wanted

01543 459550www.diamondcardcraft.co.uk

Diamond Card Craft for shaped cards with a difference.

Birthday, Anniversary, Party Invitation’s, Graduation, 18th, 21st Birthday and more....

58 craftfocus

MICHAEL POWELL ARTwww.michaelpowellart.comMichael Powell is about to launch a brand new range of clear high quality rubber stamps based on one of his very successful Cross Stitch Ranges – Little Gems. Initially there will be six designs with features such as borders and particular elements extracted from the designs and three alternative phrases to use. This range builds on Michael’s earlier rubber stamp ranges and helps create a wonderful cross-over between cross stitch and card making. Call +44 (0)2920 496 000 for further information and pricing.

WOODWARE CRAFT COLLECTION LTDwww.woodware.co.ukWoodware ClearMagic stamps have many great features; because the stamps are clear, and the acrylic blocks used to mount the stamps are clear, it makes positioning the stamps simple.

The stamps are supplied on a carrier sheet, so after use they can be returned to it to avoid the loss of smaller stamps, and makes storing the stamps easy. There are plenty of innovative designs, from jungle friends and cats to stylish borders and circular greetings. New designs are launched regularly, so visit the website for further details.

most wanted

OAK HOUSE STUDIOwww.oakhousestudio.comNew designs from Yorkshire based stamp company Oak House Studio feature, among other things, backgrounds, borders and frames. Oak House Studio uses a strong rubber like polymer for the unmounted stamps which makes them ideal to use with all sorts of mediums and as well the traditional ink pads.

PAPERARTSYwww.paperartsy.co.ukThe latest addition to PaperArtsy’s very popular Squiggly Ink Stamp range is the Crowns & Castles Collection. The red rubber stamp plates have three-nine stamps on each plate and are available unmounted (£5.75 each) or individually trimmed on EZ mount (£9.20 each).

Consumers can create their own fairytale castle by stamping a different combination of turrets, walls, doorways and blockwork. Versatile for many situations, this theme can be regally elegant, girlie pink, or grey-blue for boys.

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With quality, versatile, innovative, must have craft products such as The Harmony Collection - the original interchangeable craft stamps and The Enchanted Collection - top quality embossing powders that can be

cut and punched. You will be sure to bring a touch of magic to your craftswith Kirsten Lapping Designs.

All orders placed during 2009 will receive free stock with their order and all new trade customers will receive a free demo pack with their fi rst order.

For trade enquiries please contact Kirsten Lapping Designs on 01915 490777 or email enquiries@kirstenlappingdesigns.com

0191 5490777www.kirstenlappingdesigns.com

Using Square Magic Stamps fromThe Harmony Collection

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Linda Brown, owner of L.B. Crafts rubber stamp store in Olney, Bucks, talks to Craft Focus about bringing Ten Seconds Studio across the pond.

Linda Brown has owned L.B. Crafts for the past 16 years. Primarily a rubber stamp shop it is centred around her love of “anything inky, painty, metal, polymer clay and altered stuff ”.Three years ago, while on a

sourcing trip to a trade show in America, she ended up with more than she bargained for.

“ I was really just out there looking for new products,” she explains. “In the distance I spotted a booth with fabulous, bright, shiny artwork and like a magpie I was drawn to it.”Ten Seconds Studio, specialists in metal embossing tools and supplies proved a powerful magnet for Linda. Her keen eye drew her to the stand and the products had immediate appeal.

“They had a little table of do and make and I just knew I was going to love it,” she enthuses. She made an order for her shop, marking the start of a relationship, which has since blossomed to see her become the sole distributor for Ten Seconds Studio in the UK.“At the time I didn’t really know what I was ordering,” she recalls. “I came home and when the order arrived, I went to a show at Alexandra Palace in London, demonstrated the products there and was sold out in the first hour. I placed another order straight away and it just snowballed from there.

“I enjoy working with the products and they sold well with the other lines I stocked.”

Having introduced the Ten Seconds Studio range in her own shop she noticed other retailers were becoming interested too.

To promote the products more widely she approached the company about wholesaling to other stores.

The range has been growing fast in the last year, with new double-sided moulds and wider

choice of aluminium in a host of sumptuous colours from bright vivid green and plum to periwinkle and Tiffany pink.Metal embossing has a variety of applications from card making to covering boxes and journals to creating unique wall coverings, home décor and artwork.

Demand for products in the UK has steadily increased particularly since Linda starting running demonstrations at weekend retreats. “People post details about what they’ve been doing on their blogs and interest spreads. It’s all about awareness and a lot of people who had not even heard of it are now getting involved,” she explains.

To help maintain customer interest, new additions to the range are being introduced two or three times a year rather than just at CHA in January.

“They are about to launch two new colours of metal, one a golden colour and another mocha one and are working on new moulds as well,” Linda adds.

“Retailers are always looking for something new, something that will work with their customers and that will bring people into their shops to spend.

“I have certainly been pleased with the number of new accounts we have secured this year.”

A further development has seen Linda working in collaboration with stamp manufacturer PaperArtsy to produce a range of stamps specifically for working with the Ten Seconds Studio tools.

The Metal Xtra stamps were launched at the end of March and feature geometric patterns that can be used with metal. There are seven plates of stamps, with a total of 21 different designs and more in the pipeline.

Texas based Ten Seconds Studio was founded in 2004 by Cheryl Darrow, joined the following year by her daughter Megan. Both women spend a great deal of time travelling, teaching classes and workshops to people of all ages, helping them to “metalise their worlds”.

Further informationVisit the following websites: www.lbcrafts.comwww.paperartsy.co.ukwww.tensecondsstudio.com

metal magic

Selection of photos of metal work using PaperArtsy Metal Xtra stamps

Projects created using tools and materials from Ten Seconds Studio

For the love of sparkles andfeathersWe are a leading supplier of Fascinator craft (DIY) kits, Crystal Embellishment, Candle favours, Feathers, Flowers, Mini hats, Felt hoods, Dyes, Sinamay, Trimmings, Delicate butterflies, Paper hoods, Stiffeners, Thinners, Straw hoods,Swarovski crystals, Wooden blocks, Accessoriesand MANY MORE...

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Website: www.mwandmore.com

64 craftfocus64 craftfocus

Taking the intelligent approach to craft marketingNew research demonstrates craft participation is widespread among British females, with a staggering 51% of the adult female population engaging in craft. Research analyst Nick Keating reports on the latest consumer participation data from Craft Intelligence.New insightConsumer research underpins decision making in many industries, but is somewhat of a rarity within craft. Craft media specialists Future Publishing have begun to fill this data gap with Craft Intelligence; the first research study tracking participation in craft-based activities among the British female population.

Findings have been both confirmatory and surprising. Having data weighted to give population estimates provides a view on the relative size of different craft sectors, the demographic profile of these customer groups and level of crossover between them. A selection of some of the most interesting discoveries are discussed in this article.

A sizeable opportunityThe bigger picture statistics from Craft Intelligence indicate craft is anything but a niche pursuit among British females. On the last wave of the survey, it was estimated around half of British females aged 16+ (12.5 million) had taken part in a craft in the last 12 months, with participation stretching from the young to the old (see Figure 1). Additionally, around one in three females (around 9 million) claimed to pursue a craft as a hobby they regularly take part in.

Crafting clearly plays a strong role in the lifestyles of a broad spectrum of females. The breadth and diversity of the market offers a compelling opportunity, but one not without its challenges. For example, a young cross stitcher in her late twenties is likely to have vastly different tastes, priorities and needs compared to one in her late sixties. Product positioning, branding and design tailored towards different age segments may be much more effective in stimulating sales among different crafting demographics. A one size fits

all marketing and product solution in a market so vast could be a limiting strategy.

Similarly, where and how crafters choose to buy materials varies with age and life-stage. Attitudinal data indicates younger crafters are much more predisposed to both research and making purchases online, whereas more traditional routes to purchase, such as mail order catalogues, still hold weight among the older groups. Where and how crafters are going to part with their money is another key consideration in order to give a product the best chance of success.

Fresh prospectsOne aspect of the research investigates drivers of craft participation in relation to life-stage and life-events. It is clear that bouts of crafting are intrinsically linked with special occasions (e.g. making wedding stationery, knitting items

for a new baby) – one of the key ways new customers are attracted into the market. This presents an interesting suite of prospects for attracting new spend (e.g. price promotions and deals targeting these specific crafting need-states) and developing new customer relationships (e.g. effective data collection and management). Capturing the imagination and interest of the casual crafter is an important aspect of industry growth and longevity.

Addicted to craftSome craft sectors, notably knitting and cross-stitching, attract more highly dedicated and enthusiastic consumers (see Figure 2). These desire-driven crafts (which tend to be the ones that are easy to pick-up/put-down and have more instantaneous relaxing qualities) can be considered in a different way to those which are predominantly based around need

Craft participation over last 12 months (split by age)

Figure 1. Craft participation over last 12 months by age (all females)

Num

ber

of B

ritish

fem

ales

(m

illion

s)

Age group

Source: Craft Intelligence 2008

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ce

(e.g. home décor sewing). Here is an opportunity to form a close

bond and truly profitable brand-consumer relationship. If a crafter is going to be purchasing materials to support their activities on a regular basis, manufacturers want to work as hard as possible to raise awareness, desire and purchase intent among these individuals. Marketing on this level may take a variety of forms; from clear branding and visibility at point-of-sale, through to customer magazines, clubs and loyalty schemes to grow affinity and preference towards the brand.

It is also wise to think about creating advocates for a brand – customers who rate the product so highly they will recommend it to others and generate sales through positive word-of-mouth. Developing and nurturing relationships with these individuals across any craft sector should always result in a positive effect on the bottom line.

One another interesting note, dedicated crafters by and large tend to be rather compartmentalized in the scope of their interests - that is they tend to focus on just one interest in the main and only occasionally dip in-and-out of other craft activities. Positively, this means across different disciplines, industries are not fighting for share of time or spend on their craft among the more dedicated enthusiasts. Also, having a more focused consumer means relationship marketing, as previously mentioned, is an even more relevant strategy. One may also see this as an opportunity - a market of crafting converts or warm prospects where there is an opportunity to encourage more

experimentation and accomplishment of additional craft skills - moving crafters on from a ‘singular’ hobby and driving their spend across more craft categories.

Knitting comes out on topThe most prevalent craft in the British marketplace is knitting, with 5.3 million female participants recorded. This opportunity is illustrated by the growth in circulation of Future Publishing’s market leading Simply Knitting magazine and recent launch of The Knitter. As with many other craft sectors, knitting includes a broad spectrum of females from young to old. The core knitting market however is skewed towards the older female – a vast 3.1 million knitters fall into the 55+ age bracket. This generational skew, which is apparent in all the major ‘soft-craft’ sectors (knitting, cross stitching, sewing), demonstrates how craft has a rich heritage within the older female demographic. These females are more likely to have had crafting skills passed down through family members and to have been exposed to craft as part of their education. These, perhaps more traditional consumers, form the bedrock of the craft market. Logic dictates, with the sheer scale of the total craft audience aged over 55 (5.2m - more females in the 55+ age group craft to some degree than don’t – see Figure 1), they contribute a major volume of spend to the market. It is also interesting to consider how they can play a role in the future of the craft industry, particularly in terms of encouraging them to pass their crafting knowledge and skills down to the younger generations.

Crafting through a recessionThere is no clear answer as to how the current economic climate will affect craft participation and spend in the short and long term. As there is no participation data from previous recessions, there are no market wide data comparisons to be drawn on.

Amidst the doom and gloom of reports consumers are cutting back on spending, craft does seem to be in a more fortunate position for a number of reasons. During a recession many consumers revert to more resourceful behaviours and spend more time pursuing activities at home. A time of thrift and tradition is the perfect opportunity for crafts to figure more strongly in the lives of British families.

Looking aheadWith a new set of measurements due in late 2009, we will be able to gauge how craft participation is weathering the storm of the recession and also build our overall view on how key markets are changing over time. For more details on Craft Intelligence reports and how to gain access contact Amanda Haughey (Sales Manager) at ahaughey@futurenet.co.uk. For any technical queries relating to the findings or insights discussed in this article contact Nick Keating (Research Manager) at nkeating@futurenet.co.uk.

Hobbyist vs. Casual participation by craft segment

% p

artc

ipan

ts

Knittin

g

Cross stit

ching

Card m

aking

Fashio

n sew

ing

Scrapb

ooking

Home déco

r sew

ing

Jewelle

ry maki

ng/

beadi

ng

Figure 2. Hobby vs. casual participation by craft segment

Source: Craft Intelligence 2008

Craft Intelligence - research facts:• Craft Intelligence was conceived and is run by Future Publishing.

• The in-depth survey is carried out over the telephone

• 3000 females have taken part to dateand Craft Intelligence currently tracks participation across seven major craft segments on an annual basis.

• Participation is measured on three levels – casual, hobbyist and new entrants - delivering an enriched view of activity

• Craft participation among males was tracked on the first wave of research (but low numbers recorded!)

• The research is contracted out to the British Market Research Bureaux – one of the UK’s leading market research agencies

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Profile raisingWhat is “social networking” all about? I’d like to find out how I can make the most of these sites to raise the profile of my craft business online.It does seem as though everyone’s talking about social networking services these days, posting their photos on Flikr, finding old schoolmates on Friends Reunited, checking out new bands on MySpace and keeping in touch with everyone on Facebook. But what are they for and can businesses make use of them?

According to Wikipedia, “A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web-based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and various instant messaging services.”

We’re going to look at two examples, but there are hundreds of others - Wikipedia has over 130 social networking services in its non-exhaustive list of main active sites!

Facebook (www.facebook.com) is a free social networking site where people can add friends, send them messages, share pictures with them and update their status and personal profiles to keep friends informed. Users can also join networks (geographic, work, educational) and groups (with common interests, ranging from serious to utterly frivolous) to connect and interact with other people. There are also many applications available for Facebook users and these can be shared with other users either through profile updates or by actively sending an invitation.

This sharing of information is the appeal of Facebook to the business owner: you can set up a Facebook page for your business that will be visible to everyone. People can become “fans” of your page, which will be flagged in their profile, leading their friends to see what they are fans of and hopefully then looking at your page. You can also set up an event (such as a craft fair) and invite fans of your page and your friends, giving them the option of inviting their friends in turn.

Advertising on Facebook is another option that can be used, along

Loud-n-Clear.com Ltd have been making websites for over a decade, specialising in e-commerce sites for craft businesses. They created the Internet Craft Fair at www.craft-fair.co.uk to help UK-based crafters. Beth Scott from Loud-n-Clear.com answers your retail queries.

Beth Scott from Loud-n-Clear.com Ltd looks at social networking sites and how you could use them for your business…

q&a technology

Further informationWe welcome readers’ questions for future issues. Please visit our web page at www.craft-fair.co.uk/craftfocus to see previous questions and answers or to ask further questions.

with your page, events and profile, to deliver a very targeted set of prospects to potential customers.

LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) is a business-oriented social networking site, mainly used for professional networking. You build up a network of colleagues and business associates, and you can use the network to answer questions, find a new job or a new business opportunity. It’s a good place for a business to have a presence, especially if you can build a network of customer and professional contacts that will recommend you. You could also use it to research new suppliers or outlets and see what other people are saying about them.

Extend your reachHow can I encourage people to “post my content” onto social networking sites?In addition to joining social networks yourself, it’s very beneficial if people on those sites are also talking about your products or services. To make this easy, social networking sites provide codes that you can include on your web pages so that people can easily post your content. So if someone likes one of your products or thinks one of your articles is interesting, it only takes them one click to add it to their favourite site. You could add codes for all the sites yourself, but there’s a much easier way: AddThis (www.addthis.com). This free tool provides a simple way to add your page to a host of social networking sites, as well as bookmarking the page or emailing it to a friend. And you can see analysis of where and when your site is being listed.

“In addition to joining social networks yourself, it’s very beneficial if people on those sites are also talking about your products or services. To make this easy, social networking sites provide codes that you can include on your web pages so that people can easily post your content.”

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setting up shop?

Firstly why do you want to open a shop? I know, to sell your products. But have you considered other routes to market, for instance the Internet, mail-order, craft fairs, or a market stall etc?

If you have successfully tried other routes to market and genuinely feel that you have an opportunity in ‘bricks and mortar’ retailing, you must have a solid business proposition in the form of a business plan. Speak to your local Business Link for help on this.

Have you got the skills? If you are already running a business don’t assume that you have what it takes to run a shop. You will need solid retail skills: buying, merchandising, display and selling skills, in addition to the general business management and commercial skills required of any business owner. This is important because running a bricks and mortar shop involves higher fixed overheads and is therefore more risky than other businesses.

On the subject of risk, are you prepared for that? The cruel fact is that most retail start-ups fail in the first few years. A profitable online, mail-order or market stall business can easily become loss-making if it fails to cover the extra costs of a retail shop.

If you have never run your own business before, but dream of owning your own craft shop, you will be taking an even greater risk. There is advice and training for start-up businesses - ask your local Business Link for more information.

If you are looking to buy an existing shop, don’t assume that a change of ownership on

its own will result in growth. It is true that a new owner can invigorate a tired business, but the reverse can also be true if the existing owner has a very loyal customer following for some reason.

Due diligenceThis is jargon for investigating and researching to ensure that the business you are targeting is worth the investment and is viable. There are two main elements to due diligence: 1.The market i.e. will it support another craft shop at the income you need; 2. Financial: particularly if you are buying an existing business you or your accountant will need to examine the books and accounts to assess performance and to ensure you are paying a fair price.

The three key areas for due diligence are: • What is the true past performance? • What are the prospects for the future?

• What is a fair value for the business? The second question involves a bit of crystal ball gazing, but your own knowledge of the sector, your and others’ local knowledge and the past performance trends of the craft shop will all contribute to your estimate of the future potential.

Location, location, locationFamously said to be the three most important elements of the retail mix. Whether you agree with this or not, it is important for you to research the right location because you could have the best product but if no one can find you it will remain a secret. Prime sites are more expensive and secondary or tertiary sites attract fewer customers, so your marketing budget will be higher to try to attract the customers.

Once you have found your ideal site, research it thoroughly. Count the customer traffic at different times of the day and days of the week, speak to neighbouring shop owners about the area, check what future plans exist for the area with the local authority. If you are buying an existing craft shop you will still need to research the location thoroughly but you will also have access to the past and current accounts and performance records of the shop.

Your next point of focus should be on the shop itself Look through the eyes of the customer: what impact does the shop have from the street? What about the interior : the amount and quality of selling space, storage space and amenities? How much work will be needed on the shop front, windows and interior to convert it to your needs and vision? Measure it

If you are thinking of taking the plunge and opening your first shop, Peter Mulhall of Business Link looks at some of the important questions you will face.

“If you are looking to buy an existing shop, don’t assume that a change of ownership on its own will result in growth. It is true that a new owner can invigorate a tired business, but the reverse can also be true if the existing owner has a very loyal following for some reason.”

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out and draw up your initial plans and drawings to see if it works visually and practically.

Crunch the numbers! Sorry, but it has to be done. You will need to budget for any conversion costs (i.e. alterations, decoration etc), equipment, fixtures and fittings, display window and shelving, signage, stock and contingency to name just the obvious ones.

Also, budget for monthly overhead costs such as rent and rates, light and heat, marketing, staffing and your own wages etc.

An important cost element will of course be opening stock and a buying budget for regular purchases based on sales projections.

Estimates of sales will be a lot less precise, but being certain of your costs will help you calculate the turnover and gross profit needed to cover the costs and make a net profit, and then you can decide whether or not the required level of sales is realistic for this particular site.

Get specialist helpAn accountant, a solicitor and a surveyor (if you’re buying the premises) are important. You should also seek free help and advice from Business Link.

Agree the priceIf after the research and due diligence is completed, the prospects look good and you decide to buy, the next step is about getting the shop or the premises at the right price.

You are likely to need help with this, particularly if the other party has representation. Either way you should negotiate rather than accepting the asking price. Don’t rush it because the other party may well be keener to sell than you are to buy. Rather than a lump sum you may choose to offer any of a variety of payment options: for instance, a proportion on contract completion and the rest over a period of months, or quarterly payments. You may even secure the services of the existing owner for a period depending on your own level of experience and the degree to which you respect her or his skills. This is common in ‘earn-outs’, where a proportion of the price is dependent on future business performance.

How will you raise the money? Make sure your costings and financial forecasts are as firm as possible and that you have a well thought out business plan. There is no doubt that money is tight at the moment but banks and others are still lending to viable businesses. However, they are being very picky, so make sure your business plan is watertight. Your local Business Link will advise on sources of funding including grants, although grants are rare for retailers.

If you are under 30, The Prince’s Trust may help. Otherwise there may be other local schemes for lending to business if you are refused by the bank. Few lenders will lend 100% of what you need, they are more likely to offer 50%. So, including your own money, you will possibly need more than one other source of funds.

Timing is an issue, particularly in a highly seasonal business. Sellers will want to sell after a busy season, but do you want to have weeks

or even months of low sales and to have to fund the overheads without a head of steam from the peak sales period? If you have no choice, you will need sufficient working capital to survive the early lean weeks or months.

An action plan for the exciting stuffIn parallel to this, and as the legal and contractual aspects grind slowly along, you can plan your shop decor, layout, visual merchandising and product mix as part of your project planning up to opening day. You may even be recruiting staff (don’t forget existing staff generally come with the business and with their service rights intact under TUPE rules). Careful project planning at this stage will pay massive dividends.

Fast-forward to opening dayPre-launch marketing successfully completed, crowds in the street waiting in anticipation, the local celebrity cuts the tape and you’re open.Good luck!

Further informationFor more details on all Business Link services, including details of events in your area, visit www.businesslink.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)845 600 9006.

“Once you have found your ideal site, research it thoroughly. Count the customer traffic at different times of the day and days of the week, speak to neighbouring shop owners about the area, and check what future plans exist for the area with the local authority.”

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“There is no doubt that money is tight at the moment but banks and others are still lending to viable businesses. However, they are being very picky, so make sure your business plan is watertight. Your local Business Link will advise on sources of funding including grants, although grants are rare for retailers.”

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Issue 14August/September 2009

Available from: 3rd August 2009

Advertising deadline: 17th July 2009

Plus• Latest Products• Expert Advice• Industry News

ChristmasTop festive lines

Craft on the MovePortable pastimes

next issue…

next issue

Autumn Fair PreviewYour essential guide

ScrapbookingMarket developments

72 craftfocus

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74 craftfocus

The classic question, ‘What have the Romans ever done for us?’ is often met with a long and illustrious list of achievements, and now craft kits for children can be added to the answer.

Mosaic Mad Romans was set up in 2007 by Aimee and Mark Harman, a couple that had utlised Aimee’s 10 years of experience as a mosaic artist to teach mosaic making workshops in schools under the affectionate Roman names Minerva and Markus Annoyus Constantus. Following the couple’s wedding in the same year, Aimee and Mark were inspired to combine their love of mosaics and self confessed ‘madness’ for dressing up as romans by launching their own mosaic craft kits for children. “Our collection of products was developed in 2008 as a follow on from a mosaic kit we had been selling for a few years, which was an abstract mosaic idea. We wanted to produce a kit that could be something more when it was made,” says Aimee.

Aimee and Mark noticed that there was a lack of mosaic kits for children in the craft market, which was due to the fact that most of them contained glass tiles that made them unsuitable for children. “We looked into the safety aspects of every component and this led to us making our Markus and Minerva Roman Range, and Cakes and Angels in our Modern Range,” says Aimee. The kits fall into the Modern or Roman range and have a CE mark that makes them suitable for children over

the age of seven, or under this age with adult supervision. Each kit contains full instructions, glitter in the place of grout, white glue, a glue stick and, in some cases, a cocktail stick to help crafters keep stones in place. The Guardian Angel kit in the Modern range is a particular highlight, available in three bright colours with plenty of stones, beads, gems and feathers to attract young crafters.

Designed with children in mind, lovingly put together in Sussex and good value for money, Mosaic Mad Romans seems to have identified a hit product, but as Aimee explains the company has had its share of battles to contend with too. “We had a lot of teething problems producing the kits and still do, but each time a problem comes along we find a solution and the kits improve. A few weeks before our launch at Craft, Hobby + Stitch we found that the gift box bag that we planned to use was being discontinued, so we decided to make our own using the template of the bag box and it looked much better!” This can-do attitude and the company’s fantastic products attracted a lot of attention at Craft, Hobby + Stitch in February with interest from

Hobbycraft, the National Trust, English Heritage and the British Museum, which as a particular highlight will be stocking the company’s Roman Mosaic kits this year.

Future plans for Mosaic Mad Romans include continuing links with its local Chamber of Commerce to promote the business, maintenance of the company’s website to afford a certain level of control, and plenty of fun and practical new kits, which Aimee explains is as exciting for Mark and herself as it is for consumers. “We are constantly coming up with new ideas for kits, but we have to rein ourselves in and take one step at a time for now! Our plans for the future are to live in the moment and to keep making and designing kits for children, as I feel the kits encourage childrens’ creative confidence as you can't make a kit badly!”

The popular mosaic making kits created by Mosaic Mad Romans’ Aimee and Mark Harman look set to find a place in history. Aimee reveals the inspiration behind the company’s success...

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roman empire

Further informationTo find out more visit the website www.mosaicmadromans.com

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