Nashville Part 2

I really have mixed feelings about the classes I took this year. The whole point, in my opinion, is to find out ways to make your business better. The first class I took was taught by a designer. It was a lovely design but I learned squat about anything that could benefit the shop. Some designers should just not teach. I guess by the same token not all teachers can design either. I came home with a lovely project to do and no way of using it in the business end of the shop. The second class was much better. I had a class with this teacher/designer last year and still haven't figured out how to do tubular peyote beading. But this year was much better. I learned how to take cross stitch charts and use them for beading. We learned how to do the herringbone stitch. Much easier than the peyote stitch. Anyway now I can take a cross stitch chart, sell you some delica beads and help you bead a beautiful bracelet. The third class was absolutely outstanding! Lynda from Forever in my Heart is an awesome teacher. She took one of her small free charts and kitted it up a dozen different ways. She then showed the models that went with each kit. It's a wonderful way to demonstrate how to step out of your box and use materials not specified by the pattern. I can't tell you how many customers want to use exactly what is called for by the pattern. I can show them fabric that's very similar to what's called for and nope, they'll insist on ordering the other. I plan on stitching all the kits and having them on display to show people how to use their creativity to make a design all their own. I say it's time to step out of our boxes and make each design our own!

Well, I guess it's time for me to get off my soapbox and finish my homework for the needlepoint class I'm taking at work. I'm almost done and when I've finished I can return to working on Cirque des Triangles. That's incentive enough for me.