RagsReborn is planning for 2018.

Guess what, guys? Spring craft show season will be here before we know it! Shows usually begin in March and run through the summer. I'm still in the process of researching shows that will be a good fit for RagsReborn; I have a couple on my radar but haven't finalized my spring craft show schedule, yet, but I plan to very soon. And when I do, I will have it posted for you guys. I promise!

For 2018, I plan to aim for quality over quantity. My approach when I first started RagsReborn was to participate in whichever show I could get accepted into...which meant sewing up a storm and travelling to craft shows several times per month. I enjoyed staying busy but I believe that by being a little pickier, I can 1) choose to only participate in reputable & well established shows that I know will have an atmosphere that is best for my inventory and 2) spend more time perfecting & improving the quality of  my products. In my last blog post, I mentioned that one of my goals for the year is to become a better sewist. I just registered for a Sewing II (intermediate) course at a local vocational college. Classes don't begin until March but I am already excited to start! I also plan to attend more American Sewing Guild meetings in the upcoming months. Not only are the women in the Oklahoma chapter extremely friendly & welcoming, they also represent a fountain of knowledge and I love picking their brains to get new ideas & advice.

I Googled "color trends 2018," and this is what came up on the image search. Do you agree or disagree?

Another goal I mentioned was to cater my product more toward the general public (but I'm stubborn so I'm not completely getting rid of pattern blocking, for better or worse!). That's where I need your help. All last year, I kept hearing potential clients tell me that they're done decorating with pillows. They either no longer use pillows in their home decor or they have already amassed enough pillows and therefore don't need any new ones. So... if you are a popular blogger or community figure, please bring back pillows. Tell all of your fans that pillows are totally rad and everyone needs more pillows! And new pillows! Please and thank you. LOL All joking aside, I really would like some feedback. Can you please tell me what styles, colors, sizes, and patterns of pillows you'd like to decorate with? Also, what animals are popular with children, babies and new parents? I plan to continue to sew pillows & stuffed animals but plan to toss around some other new ideas. So, what are some other sewn items you'd like to see in my booth? My "vendor category" is sewing and home decor so I would like to stay within those boundaries. I made several flags (wall decor) for friends and family as Christmas gifts. Should I start selling those at craft shows? Any comments, whether negative or positive, are appreciated.

I Googled "fabric trends 2018," and this is what came up on the image search. Do you agree or disagree?

With all that said, I have a lot of work to do... but I'm super excited to see where 2018 takes RagsReborn. Thanks for continuing with me on my journey and I hope to see you at a craft show or two!

And here's an adorable picture of Sadie and Athena to keep you going until my next blog post.