selling stuff - business question

Oh, my my!  I love your quilts.  Is that clothes that you make into the quilt?  I really love it.  Very clever.  Cute blog too... welcome to the blogging community!  It was hard to read the post that were not typed in black, but I just love your sense of style.  Fabrics you choose are awesome!

thanks ladies for the kind compliments. i'm pretty proud of how these turn out. I can't wait to start on my next one!!  it's really fun and yes these are what i call "1st year quilts" they dont have to be just the first year but so far that is what i have done. i wanted to do something like the tshirt quilts for my daughter's 1st b'day and this is what evolved. I only started sewing a year ago!  I am so engrossed in it. I love it. I am a degreed interior designer so i have had a love affair with fabrics for as long as i can remember! sewing seems to be a natural alternative to not working as a designer while I stay at home with my daughter. I like this a whole lot more too!!!! 

If you have a small business development center near you, I'd recommend talking to them. Most are associated with community colleges and/or universities. They can give you all the information you need...I also got some free books on selling craft (by James Dillehay).

I'd also recommend talking to seasoned artists at arts festivals. The main thing you need to ask yourself is can you make the same thing over and over again or are you going to get bored? I designed and sold purses (since 2004) and have stopped because making 400 purses a year got old. And you also have to deal with rude people who don't want to pay you what you deserve.  And I rarely sold anything online - I don't like selling online because people steal my ideas. I made my money selling at arts festivals - but know what you are getting into. Craft shows draw a different crowd (who don't buy) than arts festivals.

Good luck!

I make for family & friends. I have 6 sisters so their coworkers always want stuff. I get alot of where is your shop online. Sorry don't have one.I don't know that I want to commit to that. I am thinking of making alot of different things & try to get into craft shows. We have 6 large ones between Thanksgiving & Christmas.I have not committed to anything but kicking the idea around.Thanks for all this info.

i have done several craft shows in my time but never for my sewing stuff. they are always hit and miss. we have some great ones here in OK in the fall/winter time. some of them cost so much just for the entry fee. ahhh..there is also a great consignment sale in the fall and their booths are like over $400...it just seems these days everyone EXPECTS you to have a store/website to buy stuff from online. I wouldnt mind having a website that had buying capabilities but figured that was more of a headache than etsy would be, esp in terms of the behind the scenes computer stuff.

An article from the IRS: Business or Hobby

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=172833,00.html

I've been reading these posts with much interest.  I am a small time crafter, but have not claimed any income for awhile now.  I started crafting when my daughter was an infant, she'll be 20 this year.  I stopped for many years in between when the kids were growing up coz I wasn't one to be totally committed to it.  That's why i consider myself a hobbyist, coz it's hit or miss.  I do about two or three craft fairs a year, which includes one at my house......we pitch up a canvas tent and I ask about 4 or 5 other crafters to join me.  Some of them just make food......that's good, too!  Thank you for the post from the IRS, I read that with MUCH interest.  Not sure what category I am after reading that.  All I know is that I am a TOTAL fabricholic, that's why I craft.  I have to use this stuff, it's invading my house!!!

You can be established as a DBA (Doing Business As) and operate using your own social security number or using an EIN although if using an EIN persons usually change their structure to an LLC or LLP. As a DBA you cannot have any employees. On a town level you may get a Trade Name certificate or on a state level a Sales and Use Permit. In order to sell your items, as well as establish financial accounts.
Laws are determined by what state you live in, so look into that.
Hope that helps a little!