You can have a home-based business that it is a joy to work when you do teddy bear sewing. Teddy bears are liked by almost everyone. Fact,stuffed animal sales, along with the teddy bear,have already passed$1.3 billion in 2006. You may not want to go that big selling your teddy bears, however you might want to at least sell them at flea markets or craft shows.
And to get started, here are a few of some great sites that offer free teddy bear sewing patterns.
- www.allfreecrafts.com – How to Make a Panda Teddy Bear Sewing Pattern – A pattern for a panda-ish Teddy Bear
- www.teddybearandfriends.com – 6 inch Teddy Bear – Instructions to make a teeny tiny bear
- www.howjoyful.com – Howjoyful Teddy Bear – A tutorial and pattern to make an adorable Teddy Bear
Large Teddy Bear Sewing Companies that Grew into Large Corporations
There are two multi-million dollar companies that started out with just one person sewing in the beginning. One lady that wanted a toy bear for her son, Barbara Isenberg, started sewing just one bear at a time. That was the start of the North American Bear Company.
John Sortino didn’t like that most teddy bears were foreign so he began making his little son bears by himself. John and his wife started a teddy bear sewing business that turned into the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Which is the largest manufacturer of teddy bears in the country. See, you can start small scale and stay that way, or move up to the big time.
How To Get Started
First of all, you need a love for sewing and have at least intermediate sewing skills. The business of teddy bear sewing will require love for sewing in order for you to sit and sew for several hours per day. In fact, intermediate skills are needed it you want to them to be good enough to sell.
Basic Start up Supplies:
A heavy-duty sewing machine that won’t bog down sewing fur and heavy materials
Different sizes of sharp scissors
Many colors of threads to match fabrics
More than one bear pattern
Bear joints to make parts that move
Business Plan
To let others know about your bear sewing business you will need a business plan. You may want to use business cards and brochures to sell your teddy bears to customers one-on-one. The home party plan works for other businesses and will work for yours too to sell to friends and family.
Others sell their bears at craft shows and flea markets. Since teddy bears are very easily shipped to other parts of the country or all over the world, because many sell them on eBay or other auction sites and on their own websites.
Another fund-raising idea is to donate one of your teddy bears to be auctioned off in charity auctions or as a prize in contests. Both these methods listed above will help you get your name known as a teddy bear business.
Become a member of several craft business forums online and place your teddy bear sewing business in your signature as you contribute good advice and support to the forum. Also participate on some craft blogs on a regular basis and leave the URL to your website when you do.
We hope these two ideas of starting your home business have inspired you. Two different manufacturer began at home, just like you can, and have made millions. Now you have the basic information of what supplies you need to get your craft business started and some ideas for marketing. There is other small business information you need to know to start a teddy bear sewing business that can be found very easily on the Internet.
Teddy Bears Paradise is….well… a Teddy Bears paradise. Everything including cute teddy bears to teddy bear sewing patterns, and everything in between. Please click www.iloveyouletsmeet.com and go to Teddy Bears Paradise. Thank you.
