These inexpensive weaving looms are also a great way to start weaving without taking up a lot of space. Youc an even have more than one weaving loom so you can have multiple projects underway at one time. Being a project hoarder myself, I am thinking that is a great way to go. I have so many UFOs (unfinished objects) in my house it is unbelievable – but I will never want for something to do! My biggest fear is being bored, and with 10 (ok, maybe a smidge more than 10 – more like 100) projects underway, I never have to worry about running out of things to do!

The bright, clear colors of dyed wool are perfect for weaving – and you can create remarkably durable and useful objects like purse handles, guitar straps, belts, hairbands and other projects in a short amount of time while you hone your skills for bigger projects like pillows or purse panels. Wool that is too scratchy for knitting or wearing is still perfect for weaving. You can dye your own yarns in advance, or dip dye finished projects.

Check out the site, you’ll be amazed at the examples of gorgeous South American weavings that are made with just simple, truly inexpensive looms. http://backstrapweaving.wordpress.com/

No matter what you sell, these days customers are being extra careful about how they spend their money. That means we have to work a little harder to educate them about the value of handmade items versus those that are mass-produced. When it is so easy to find cheap faux-handcrafted items, especially in the decorating niche, it pays to help customers understand the quality of your items.

Here are 4 ways to market your crafts, all of them free:

• Write articles about your products. No one wants to read a commercial. Instead, share the exciting details about why you sell what you do, how it is produced, and what customers can expect. If you make handknit items for babies, talk about how these items are often saved from generation to generation. If you sell handcrafted cards, explain how customers say these cards make them feel and that your cards are unique. You can publish these articles for free on sites such as www.ezinearticles.com or you may find that local craft newsletters or weekly newspapers would love really good content. You don’t need to be a fabulous writer, you just need to have a good story to tell and be willing to rework the article until it shines.
• Blog. Yup, I said blog. Although millions of people are blogging now, a really good blog is still an excellent way to connect to your customer base. Your blog can be about your style of crafts, the products you use and make, or about things your customers like to read about. If you scrapbook, there are lots of ways to showcase your expertise. If you quilt, you can talk about the history of quilting, the kinds of quilts you make, quilt shows you attend, and many other topics. The important thing is to make it interesting to read – and to post often. Set a schedule for your business blog and try to write articles in advance so you don’t get caught without one when the schedule runs tight.
• Donate to a good cause. Be careful not to give away the farm. I get requests almost daily from people asking for donations and it is simply impossible to accomodate them all. However, a few well-planned donations can help those in need and still help market your business. Consider donating to PTA auctions or school fundraisers if your products would appeal to parents of small children. Of course, quiet donations are good too, but some strategic donations can help boost your business.
• Team up with a related business. If you offer a service or craft that meshes with, but does not compete with, a local business, try approaching the business owner about trading advertising. If you are a baby photographer, see if a local boutique would be willing to hand out coupons to their customers. In exchange, you can promote them on your fliers or website. Make pet accessories? Talk to a local vet, groomer, or dog walker about sharing your fliers with their customers. Be willing to reciprocate and, if possible, offer to help THEM first.

The details in this book are important for anyone who is opening a fabric store of any kind – even if you are going to be running it exclusively online. I was surprised at the amount of detail here.

So many women are looking for ways to make money off of thier hobby. I belong to a lot of crafting lists, and I frequently hear women lament that they are an hour or more from a fabric store of any kind. With the recent resurgence in handcrafting, there are literally hundreds of places where a local quilt shop would do well.

I am lucky enough to live in an area where there are a lot of fabric stores, even several of the big chain stores. Our local Quilt Shop Hop lead me to visit a dozen local quilt shops within 40 miles of me (now that was one fun day, but a LOT of driving). Every shop had its own flavor and was doing a brisk business.

When I travel, I always prefer to come home with sewing supplies rather than boring tourist stuff. Sure enough, I’ve located some wonderful little quilt shops all over the country. Opening your own quilt shop could be just the thing to making a real living off your hobby.

Here is my affiliate link agian for How to Open a Quilt Shop Be sure to visit and sign up for the free newsletter- it has 7 ideas for making money from quilting.

Here are some ways to find supplies at wholesale prices:

* Fabric coops – there are dozens, if not hundreds of coops on Yahoo and other group sites. Coops are run by one or more group leaders who arrange a group buy. They take orders in advance for materials, such as several prints of a designer fabric. They collect all the money, then send in the order. When it arrives to them, they cut it, package it up and collect shipping payments. Coop prices are usually a little above wholesale (to account somewhat for the leader’s time and materials), but the slight increase is definitely worth it when you can’t afford a whole order on your own. Some coops also order custom fabrics or have materials made for them.

Coop leaders vary in their phiolosphy about how much they should mark up materials. I ran a small coop for a couple of years. It is incredibly time-consuming and takes a lot of work. So, I beleive it is more than fair for a coop leader to mark things up 5-10%. On the other hand, I have seen some coops charge double or more what I can get a fabric for at wholesale. In my mind this violates the point of a coop, but if people are willing to pay the price, it is all fair. Just be aware of this possibility when looking at coops. Also, there are good coops and bad ones. In a good coop you may need to wait several weeks or months to get your stuff, but you will get it. In a bad coop, well, let’s just say a few coop leaders have run off with money. So, do your research and look for a coop where the leader has a good reputation over a period of time.

You can find coops by searching Yahoo groups or forums related to your products and materials.

* Wholesale suppliers. Try doing a Google search for suppliers by typing in the key word and “wholesale.” Be wary of scams and false sites, but you can often find great suppliers this way. If your first search doesn’t work, try using different key words such as name brands.

* Sales – It may sound silly to shop sales for your business, but when you are just starting out it really makes a difference. Anything over 40 percent off is pretty close to wholesale price, so you can assume you are saving enough to make it worth your time. Just buy as much as you can at once so you are not running yourself ragged. It is better to have 5 yards each of 5 prints of fabric so you can save time creating in bulk, than to have to spend the time taking pictures and listing items individually.

When shopping locally, be sure to bring a copy of your business license and tax certificate so you can avoid paying sales tax on materials.

Some places I find great sales online:

Fabric.com has great deals on fabrics of every kind. Watch for their sales and free shipping offers.

Create for Less has a huge selection of craft items and they are all at great prices.

Joann.com everyday prices are not great, but their sales are awesome. Watch for seasonal sales and weekly ads.

Your home based business can be selling almost anything, but you will have a much easier time of it if you love what you are doing. Why work for yourself if you will find it boring or if you are sick of dealing with what you sell? For instance, I could make a lot more money selling handmade boutique style purses than I do selling cloth diapers.

Cloth diapers are a low-profit business and they only appeal to a small percantage of people – but handmade boutique purses can sell for a lot and many women like to have several unique handbags to match various outfits or in various sizes. I can make really cute purses, they are just not something that I live for right now. I could make money selling them, but after a while I would get bored if that was all I made. I do enjoy helping moms get their babies off to a great start in cloth diapers, so for now, that is a better business for me.

So, your first assignment in creating a profitable home business is to make a list of things you love to use or make. For now, just make a list of everything that comes to mind. We’ll take a closer look later. Today you are just brainstorming. There are thousands of possibilities, so keep your eyes open for new ideas. You can try looking through sites such as Etsy.com to get ideas or Google “handmade.”

Here are some ideas to get you started:

* Scented soaps
* Twirly skirts
* Handmade diaper bags
* Earrings
* Personalized bracelets
* Unique hats
* Holiday decorations
* Baby blankets
* Personalized or funny t-shirts
* Shopping bags
* Soy candles

From as early as I can remember, I have loved to create with my hands. Three years ago I launched my first little online store selling baby things and soon began making many of those items by hand. Before long I was part of the vast online community of women who make things for their families or for sale. Like everything else I do, I have researched the markets for handmade goods and learned an enormous amount about making a small business prosper. I love to share what I have learned, so you’ll find all kinds of juicy tidbits about running a handmade craft business here, along with a lot of fun things as well.

Come along with me as I review craft books and patterns, play with new materials and discover new, fun things to make. If you happen to be serious about starting or growing a craft-related business of your own, I have information about that too. For in-depth business information, check out WAHM Solutions.