Early Bird

Winter Morning

   Yet another dark damp morning with just the sound of early traffic heading off to work and yet again I was up at silly hour after not much sleep at all. So with kiln on and coffee in hand I thought I'd get some thoughts wrote down.
   A customer and good friend mentioned to me that a few bead makers she obtained beads from were having a hard time with lack of sales etc and some were thinking of packing up all together. Well, I'm sure there are more in the same boat as there are in other crafts, myself included and I'm sure over the coming year it won't get any easier, with the amount of bead makers now set up and selling their beads online it can only make sales thin out, great for the buyer who gets a bigger selection to pick from but not so good for the makers. I can only give it from my point of view and the only answer I know is to keep up the hard work, look to see what people like, by which I mean are there any beads that are in fashion more than others or like me just try out different designs.
    As we talked I mentioned how a buyer called me asking me to make a set of ten beads all the same size as the lady she normally buys from couldn't do them and I knew why straight away. When I was starting out making beads I spent hours and hours making spacer beads or sets of ten beads, just plain beads with no fancy tricks, After months doing this making sets of ten or more beads the same size became the norm, I could get sizes pretty much ok every time and I guess this as stuck with me all these years after.
   Some people who learn today seem to start making their first beads one day and a week later are trying out all the fancy designs that they see online in forums or read in books and to me this is the reason they don't like making sets of beads all the same size. Lets say you ask for ten beads all the same, I would make around 12 beads to make sure I cover any slight size changes and then pick out the best ten. But Some people have to make maybe 20 beads to get enough to make that set of ten, making it hard work and really not worth their time doing so. It's a real shame really but I guess it's just the way things are now and just goes to show that people want to run before they can walk.
   I think this is part of the reason so many are finding it hard, the market is flooded with the same type of beads and it just can't carry on like that as more people start up every month, they see what others make in the bead groups and straight away make the same and in the end some buyers will get bored and start looking for something different.
   My feeling is that if more bead makers started looking to make their own type of bead, a bead design that they could start getting known for, then it would not only be better for them but also better for the buyers. If you think about it there must be hundreds of fashion houses out there who all make a great living but they are all known for their different styles making them all individual, they don't just all go out and design the same dress, yes they use colours that others are using that season but they use those colours in there own way. Well to me beads are the same and why can't it work like that in our craft, yes I know there will always be those who can't be bothered to come up with their own beads and find it better to just copy designs they see else where but there are a lot of great bead makers out there who I'm sure would make it work and to be honest wouldn't it be great to see the work of say ten bead makers and see every one made something different so very unique to them.
   I know we all need to cover most styles when making beads for a living as this helps cover more buyers but it is nice when you get people telling you they like your beads as they are different to most. With me I guess it's my rock effects and more natural looking beads with others it can be dot designs or flowers or maybe hollow beads, so maybe thats the answer.
   Ok cuppa time over and my rant for the day done and to any bead makers out there finding things hard at the moment all I can say is don't give up and if you love making beads and you put the hard work in then you can't do anything more and fingers crossed it will get better for us all.