Uncategorized Archives - T Shirt Quilt Makers

Resistance to not promoting your business.

The number one resistance to not promoting your business is "I have plenty of business". I always think of what Mike Tyson said. Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth. You think people will always be in line to have a quilt made until the line stops. The biggest problem with this way of thinking is you may accept a job that otherwise you would refuse. Accepting a job that takes up a lot of time will cut into your profits. In the t-shirt quilt business time is money. Making t-shirt quilts is labor intensive. If…

Help customers find your business

Help customers find your business. You can make the best t-shirt quilt BUT ....if potential customers can not find you it is for naught. In my business I get several calls a year from people who had Project Repat make their quilt. Now they want me to take it apart and "fix" it. They say why didn't I know there were other t-shirt quilt makers? Most of us are small businesses. We cannot afford big advertising budgets. The average dollar amount that larger t-shirt quilt businesses pay to reach a new customer is $50. Don't wait to get your name…

The Third Most Asked Question is….

The third most asked question in the t-shirt quilt groups always makes me scratch my head! The question is do YOU wash the t-shirts before you cut them to make the quilt? Like the other questions some folks say yes and some say no. That is a hard NO for me. Several reasons why you should not wash the shirts are:1. The washing machine could damage the shirts.2. There is a chance a shirt could get misplaced.3. Are you charging enough to do other people's laundry? Customers do not expect you to wash the t-shirts. They really don't expect you…

The Second Most Asked Question

The second most asked question in the t-shirt quilt groups is whether to use interfacing to stabilize the t-shirts. As with the first most asked question you will get 20 answers. Ten people will say yes and ten people will say no. What is the correct answer? Quilters interface the t-shirts for a lot of reasons. One reason is that interfaced t-shirts are easier to sew together. You can definitely sew faster. This will not be an issue if you only make a couple t-shirt quilts a month. You have the luxury of time. If you are making over 10…

T shirt quilt business and making t shirt quilts.

Operating a t-shirt quilt business and making t-shirt quilts are not the same. Lots of people make t-shirt quilts but few have the drive to put in the work to make it into a business. Facebook has many groups you can join to learn the tips to making t-shirt quilts. The groups are full of hobby quilters. They make t-shirt quilts to sell. But do they make a profit? YouTube has lots of videos that show how to prep the shirts, cut the shirts, sew the shirts, and do the quilting of a t-shirt quilt. But not many videos to…

Stay in your own lane

To stay in your own lane is the process of deciding what you do best. And then delegating the tasks that you don't have the ability to do or the desire to do to others. An example would be taxes. I can do my business taxes but do I know what I don't know? Best to leave it to my accountant because taxes are not in my lane! Making t-shirt quilts. I know how to make t-shirt quilts and I enjoy the process. Are there parts I can delegate? Yes! I have a friend who preps the shirts. That is…

Making Your Business Unique

Making your business unique is what sets you apart from the hundreds of t-shirt quilt makers. With the tools and basic sewing knowledge you can make a t-shirt quilt. It is not rocket science. YouTube has dozens of videos showing the process of making t-shirt quilts. Books have been written with the instructions. Your challenge is to make your business stand out from the pack. Why would a buyer choose your shop over another shop. Do you have the lowest price? How is your customer service? Do your t-shirt quilts look different from everyone else's? I have studied t-shirt quilt…

If I Open a Etsy Shop Customers Will Flock to it…….

If I open an Etsy shop customers will flock to it and order t-shirt quilts is a common misconception. Etsy is still the quickest way to get started in the business of selling t-shirt quilts but it does take work. I have worked with many sellers to get their Etsy t-shirt quilt shop up and running, The same mistakes happen over and over. Selling person to person is a lot different than selling online. Face to face customers can get a "feeling" if they can trust you with their t-shirts. Online you have to build the trust. How do you…

The number one question that is asked over and over.

The number one question that is asked over, and over, and over. Have you ever had someone ask your opinion? Then they go to the next person and asked them the same question. Drives you crazy right? In the t-shirt quilt groups I am in the question comes up at least once a week. Twenty people give twenty different answers. Which one is right? Which one is wrong? How do you know? The question is: How much do I charge to make a t-shirt quilt? Mary will not charge the same as Sally who will not charge the same as…

Why is it Critical to have your own website?

Why it is critical to have your own website in 2021? Do not put all your eggs in one basket is advice we have heard our whole life. If you sell t-shirt quilts on Etsy, Facebook, Instagram or Amazon you could be out of business through no fault of your own. Search the internet and you find many articles from people who were selling on Etsy, Facebook or Amazon and overnight their shop was shut down. How can this happen? Easy. You are building your business on borrowed land. The customers who buy YOUR t-shirt quilts are really Etsy, Facebook,…