We are excited to have Eileen Roche, Editor of Designs in Machine Embroidery share this content with you, which was originally posted on Eileen’s Machine Embroidery Blog:
My daughter and I were on our way to BJ’s Wholesale club to purchase groceries and I happened to check out the plush blankets they had in stock. BINGO! Gorgeous plush blankets in a few colors were on sale for $8 each! Lindsey and I dug through the shelves and yes, 17 gray blankets were found. The gray color is a perfect backdrop for a variety of thread colors and is a bit masculine.
I took a photo of one blanket and texted it to my friend for approval while I shopped. After she replied we loaded all of blankets in a cart. The blankets will be embroidered with the college name and the player’s name in the colors of the new school. Let’s just say people were giving us some strange looks as we proceeded through the store with a car entirely full of gray plush blankets!
My first reaction to the phone call was to just say I could not fill the order, but as a mom and parent of recent graduate and athlete I wanted to help. I made a nice profit even if it was a rush order. The blankets turned out great and the parents were thrilled that I could help with such a short notice.
When working on a rush order if you are a business owner; remember the following:
- Make a profit
- Charge a rush fee
- Get all names and information in writing not over the phone. (email or text)
- Plan and simplify the embroidery design as best as possible –guide the customer and direct them as to what font/embroidery design will stitch quickly and look appropriate on the specific fabric.
In the finished photos you can see I used a college block type font for the text in a generous 1 ½ inch tall size. I also added an extra underlay to hold down the plush fibers and I increased my density to .40. Always stitch a simple stitch out on a similar weight fabric (not on a final product). Use a water soluble topper to hold down the fabric’s nap.
Join me in my Craftsy class “How to Start a Machine Embroidery Business” with Marie Zinno.
Click the link to save with this coupon.
https://www.craftsy.com/ext/MarieZinno_4963_H
Thanks for reading!
Reprinted with permission from Eileen's Blog.