More FREE templates for Clutch PDF tutorial
For those who had purchased my $8 PDF tutorial, please use your password to access 3 new templates for FREE: 8×3 Classic Day Clutch(TM), 10×3 Cross-and-Carrry Clutch(TM), and 6×3 TeaTime(TM) clutch.
I made minor additions to the tutorial, which will further enhance the learning for novices. In addition, since most of you have easy access to quilting cotton, I’ve revised the instruction to add fusible interface to the inner fabric. If you are using heavier fabrics, you may opt from doing that. You just have to get a feel for what feels right to you.
In the make-your-own kits, I’ve also included 2 more pre-cut fusible interface for those using quilting cotton as this will help to add more structure to the clutch.
Here are pictures of all the clutches that can be made using my 6 patterns included in this PDF tutorial. Everything is still the same price of $8 — a bargain!
3 x 1.5 frame for coin purse
4.5 x 3 wallet
NEW 6×3 pattern!
6 x 3 TeaTime Clutch(TM) in Blue Birdies fabric on the right
Baguette Clutch(TM) using my 8x3 EleganceLock(TM) frame and chain with Robin's Egg Blue ribbon
NEW Classic Day Clutch(TM) pattern
Classic Day Clutch(TM) using my 8x3 nickel-free frame(TM) in kisslock with loops and matching nickel-free chain
NEW 10×3 pattern
Cross-and-Carry Clutch(TM) with my 10x3 nickel-free frame(TM) kisslock with loops and nickel-free chain
New clutches to show off my fine purse frames!
Snow days … guess what I’ve been doing?
I'm totally pimpin' my dog Pax!
I’ve got new clutches made with my fine nickel-free purse frames(TM). These are not for sale. But I’m using them to model my frames. So for those who’ve wanted to know what the 10×3 with loops with chains look like when done …. ta-da!
This clutch will also be coming out as a complete make-your-own kit. Using my classic PDF tutorial, I made a new template for my 10×3 nickel-free frame(TM) with loops! This is shown with the coordinating 45.5″ nickel-free chain with lobster claws.
Oh, I got that Michael Kors trench coat at Costco! Go get yours!!! I’ve been looking for a single-breasted, belted, classic trench coat for 4 years. And this one even has a detachable hood. It also has faux tortoise shell buttons. And it’s only $39.99. Fully lined.
Here’s another super cute clutch I made using my 8×3 nickel-free EleganceLock(TM) with loops and chain. I have the ribbon weaved in for an extra somein’ special! I used my Robin’s Egg Blue ribbon. Yes, the chain with ribbon is for sale at my shop.
I'm in the mood for Spring!
Look what Etsy is choosing for their front page Treasury. Looks like they are promoting Spring looks, already.
Start making clutches for spring ... and make your own Treasury!
Quick tip for “squaring off” the bottom corners of your clutch
To improve my time and hone my skills, I make my clutches in batches. I never make just one from start to finish.
This tip is for all handbag makers, but especially for those who bought my PDF tutorial.
The essential bottom seam allows your clutch to work for both non-directional and directional patterns.
This is an example of a non-directional pattern:
Any which way is up!
This is an example of a directional pattern. We wouldn’t want an upside bird on the other side!
Cute birdie! Using my 6x3 nickel-free frame(TM) with loops.
But for it to have stability, you need to “square off” the corners. Since I do it in batches, I save time by pre-marking my sewing machine.
Pre-measured and pre-marked!
Instead of getting out the measuring tape and measuring every corner, I pre-measured and marked those measurements on my sewing machine with a Sharpie.
(This coincides with Step #9, pg. 11 of the PDF main tutorial.)
Start from the needle and measure out in 1/4″ increments. And use as needed for the size clutch that you are making. Voila!
Those various measurements above cover me from the small coin purses that uses my 3×1.5 nickel-free frames(TM), the 4.5×3 wallets, the 6×3 mid-size, the popular 8×3 and the biggest of 10×3.
Enjoy your sewing!
Follow me on Twitter @PurseFrames
With Y helping me in the business, I finally crossed another item off my list!
I started a Twitter account to promote my handbag makers! Please follow me @PurseFrames and PLEASE RETWEET!
My goal is also to bring more exposure for handbag makers who support me by using the finest purse frames in their clutches. I hope to bring more people to the Facebook fan page and the SELLERS page on this blog where fans can go directly to their shops!
Listed sellers on this blog and those who posted their clutches on the Facebook fan page have seen their views go up and sales, too! That’s the hope! If you are successful, then I’m successful!
Take a look:
Screen capture of one of the clutches made using my fine metal purse frames posted on my Twitter @PurseFrames
Please follow me on Twitter! And please retweet!!!
I will be trying my best to have each post be a pic of one of the clutches made by handbag makers. Twitpic provides a great forum to post this, and with the new design of Twitter, you can see how well the clutches will be seen!
@PurseFrames
@PurseFrames
@PurseFrames
@PurseFrames!!!
Quality Control procedures for my fine metal purse frames
I take great pride in making the highest quality metal purse frames on the market, along with the best customer service you will receive.
Here are my quality control procedure:
1. A machine laser eye inspects each frame and rejects the ones that are defective.
2. An inspector at the manufacturer hand inspects the batches. If the visual defective rate is higher than my contract states, the entire production is rejected. (Not to worry, it’s all stripped, melted and re-used for a new production. Nothing is wasted.)
3. My sister, Y, and I hand-inspect each frame before it is sent out to you.
From orders of 1 frame to 500 frames … every frame goes through this Quality Control process.
Because I stand behind my frames 100% with a 30-day full refund no hassle guarantee, only the best frames go out. Returns and exchanges due to defects could become costly. And my defect rate is less than 0.01%. Yup. It pays to do it right the first time!
It takes about 2-3 hours to fully inspect 50 frames. That’s why orders of 50 or more frames require a 48-hour processing time. With all other smaller orders to do, when I get several of those 50-frame orders and I can get backed up pretty quickly. It’s never taken me that long to send it out as 95% of all my orders are shipped out the same day or within 24 hours, but it gives us a cushion not to rush.
But after inspecting tens of thousands+ frames, I can tell you that mistakes do happen, though rare. And it’s all about the lighting. Too bright of natural light and you cannot see the “feathers” in the finish from the glare. Too dim and the same thing will be missed due to poor illumination. Holding it at certain angles will miss a pock or mark that is not readily apparent. We can take up to a full 2 minutes to inspect each frame!
It is through these quality control measures that allows us to have the highest-end, best quality frames on the market.
UPDATE: Gutermann glue on RESERVED status
I am in the process of getting a couple of shipments by sea for the glue. For those coming late into the blog, read this post to find out more about how I import it.
As per my previous announcement to you all, I am limiting my sales of glue until that shipment comes in. Only single quantities can be purchased at this time. I am RESERVING all remaining glue to handbag makers who are buying Gutermann glue to use with my fine metal purse frames. You can only purchase larger quantities of glue when buying frames with the order.
Please convo me for a custom listing.
This ‘liquid gold’ is hard to come by and hard to import. But it is so essential to my clutches. I’ve tested many and have not found anything close to its quick setting properties and permanent adhesion. This adhesion is so critical when you’re handling clutches day-in and day-out.
Speaking of sticky … take a look at our latest snowfall in NJ. It’s the third snowfall this month and, coincidentally, the third snowfall that my husband was out of town and missed out on the shoveling! His timing is quite suspect … 😉
We dug just enough for the minivan to get out ...
Y was here to help me shovel out every time!! She didn’t know it was part of the job-training … but when you own your own home business … hahaha 🙂
And speaking of Y, her flight home to sunny Florida was cancelled yesterday, which was also her birthday! So she’s here, filling out orders, shoveling snow. Kinda like Groundshog Day for her!
It is pretty though! I hope this pic below inspires you. Think blues, whites, silvers, bird perched on a branch there … 🙂
Snowy branches.
As always, I will keep you updated!
~Winn (and Y)
(Etsy) Feedback is a 2-way street
A kind customer just tapped me and said “remember that feedback is a two-way street”.
You all have been so wonderful in giving me positive feedback that has been timely. I sooooo appreciate that.
And it’s time that I apologize for my extreme tardiness in doing the same for you!
I'm sawwweeee 😦
Next thing I know, 3 months have gone by and I’ve got close to 800 feedback to give.
How did I let this happen?
Well, I simply did not have the time.
The time I did have, I focused on:
*getting orders out the same day or within 24 hours (99% of my orders are out in this manner)
*answering convos and emails promptly (I spend about 3-4 hours a day on convos and emails)
*blogging marketing and selling tips and offering sales on my blog (depending on the topic, another 1-2 hours of research and writing)
*promoting and marketing my handbag makers via the Sellers page of this blog and my Facebook fan page. (My sellers have been their views gone up as well as sales!)
Clutches for sale by many handmade artisans-- just in time for Valentine's Day!
Which did not leave me with much time left … and the feedback was on that large pile of to-dos!
I wish this was my list of to-do's ... 🙂
But with my sister, Y, here helping me with the business, I’ve been able to tackle and do a better job of the “90% of the business”.
I just got done with the feedback pile! *phew!*
With Y’s help, this will never happen again. I promise to leave feedback promptly — within 48 hours.
Thank you for your patience in this matter. You all are way too kind to not have tweaked my ears on this issue! (It was a new customer who made that remark.) Do yank my chain if I’m lax in anything. 🙂
~Winn
SALE – the hottest thing on the clutch market!
Update on the business:
You all know that I am very transparent with my business to you. I think it is this quality that I’ve come to earn your trust, your loyalty, and your continued business.
I am very disappointed to have to tell you that I am out of the antique brass and antique brass with loops.
Behind the scenes: When it was time to get them manufactured back in December (with the manufacturer that I had been working with in the Mid West) I had been in negotiations with the owner for several weeks. And since he raised the salary of his workers to $15/hour, he had to raise his prices and was demanding $5 per frame. That’s my cost. There was no way I could produce it at $5 a frame and sell it at a loss. I could not raise the prices to stay competitive. So I went with a new manufacturer in January and the first production of antique brass was run and should be trucking to me soon. I will have antique brass available for sale within 2 weeks. However, I have to wait and see how this batch goes before placing an order for antique brass with loops. The previous manufacturer strove for a 98% rate of accuracy — or only 2% defective. But I will not know the actual defective rate of this new manufacturer until I inspect them.
I am as disappointed as you are. 😦 I really strive to have my stock ready for sale. But this is just an unfortunate business decision that I had to make. And it’s costing me time and money, but I think one that will better sustain my business. I simply cannot raise the prices, and I simply cannot make them for more than I can sell them for and be competitive. I still demand that my frames meet our Environmental Protection guidelines and that they have the special coatings that is trademarked to my company. There are no shortcuts.
I hope you all understand the predicament that I’m in and I would hope to have your business once they are back in stock. I expect to have the antique brass with loops for sale around the end of February.
So to make up for my misfortune and your inconvenience, I’m putting on a spectacular, unbelievable sale that will benefit you and your customers.
Please don't be offended... 😉
As I’ve been telling you all, the hottest thing in the clutch market is clutches with chains. To help you to stay on top of this market trend, I lowered my prices on my frames with loops. My frames with loops are lower than many sellers anywhere.
In addition, I am putting a tremendous sale on effective tomorrow 1/25/11. I will have two kinds of frames with loops that come with bonus chains.
For example:
50 frames + 50 free chains (worth $74.99)
The 50 chains themselves, cost $74.99. But order the 50 frames, and get (50) coordinating nickel-free clutch chains with lobster claws for FREE!
Again …
Apart from feeling that I want to make up for my running out of antique brass, this tremendous sale will allow you to offer what the market wants right now: clutches with chains.
It gives your customers 2 looks:
- As a clutch to carry at the crook of your arm, in your hands actually clutching it (ergo a “clutch” handbag), under the arm pit when you need to use your hands …
- Or carry it with a chain when your arms are full.
This sale will be up tomorrow.
While this is NOT a replacement of the antique brass (nothing is), I hope that you will take advantage of this offering especially with the Spring collections coming.
If anyone wants to get first dibs on the antique brass that is coming in 2 weeks, convo me for a custom listing at the prices below and I’ll take 10% off the frames. (I’ve kept the same price and volume discounts as before.)
| Price/Unit | Sale price | |
| 1 | $6.50 | $6.50 |
| 3 | $6.00 | $17.99 |
| 5 | $5.40 | $26.99 |
| 10 | $5.00 | $49.99 |
| 20 | $4.80 | $95.99 |
| 25 | $4.68 | $116.99 |
| 50 | $4.26 | $212.99 |
| 100 | $4.03 | $402.99 |
| 200 | $3.52 | $704.99 |
| 500 | $3.25 | $1,624.99 |
Please feel free to convo or email me with your comments or concerns. As always, your comments are welcome! ~ Winn
Shop transition: Shipping update and Marketing your shops.
As I prepare for my family’s move to Viet Nam for 3 years, I want to keep you updated on my business and what it means to you.
Per my previous post, my sister Y will be doing all the packaging and shipping from her home in Florida.
What this means to you:
*The shipping rates remain the same: I ship using Priority Mail flat rate so it’s the same cost as long as it fits in the small, medium or large flat rate boxes.
*The shipping time frame remains the same: As per USPS’s guidelines, Priority Mail takes 2-3 days nationwide.
You will get the same fine metal purse frames — with a 30-day full refund guarantee — for the same rates that you’ve been paying and within the same time frame you’re used to.
With Y here in the last 2 weeks, it has really allowed me to tackle my to-do list. With the success of the WhileBabyNaps Facebook fan page, handbag makers who have posted their clutches are getting another venue for exposure. In less than 3 days, I’ve had close to 6000 fan page views. My blog views continue to go up with SELLERS page being the most searched page. Call me biased (it won’t be the first time I’ve admitted to that so fire away! 🙂 ) but I really feel that my WhileBabyNaps.Etsy.com Facebook fan page is really geared for the fans. The more successful you are, the more successful I am. I know that if I support you in your endeavor, I will get that support in return.
My favorite part about the fan page??? The comments that you are starting to post about each other’s creations. I am so proud to see you all supporting each other. Remember my post on taste uncertainty, I would love for the fans to come to know that this is THE place to go for clutches. It increases your chance of having a sale then going it alone.
More clutches added by handbag makers -- getting ready for Valentine's Day!
In addition, Y was invaluable in providing me with the different national arts and craft fair directories that were presented in a previous post.
She’s already been a tremendous help and I feel strongly that it has allowed me to take my dreams of putting women in business to another level. I’ve been getting some great feedback and I want to thank you, for your support.
Here’s one recent note:
You’re so sweet – thank you for adding the 4th chain to my order for free; that’s why your shop is so popular, Winn. You take care of all of us, even little old me, who just orders 5 or 10 frames at a time. I received very good customer service from my previous frame supplier, but you beat her prices, even with the loops, and your blog is a wonderful perk!
Take care and I hope to be adding my clutches to your Facebook page soon!
Patti
(http://www.etsy.com/shop/pattispretties)
So to Patti and all the “little old me’s” out there, please know that my business depends on you and all the little old me’s! I really try to treat everyone with the same amount of attention and thought — whether you buy 5 frames or 100 frames. And as my customers, knowing how exacting you all are about having the finest frames 🙂 I know that you all take every sale of your clutches with the same care.
It’s this level of care that you will continue to see from WhileBabyNaps.
Thank you ~
Winn (and Y)
Over 2900 Facebook Fan page post views.
Take a look guys!
These are the stats for Day #2 of my Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/WhileBabyNaps
Stats for day #2
With over 500 million worldwide Facebook users, I expect this number to go up much higher.
THANK YOU for becoming fans and passing it to your friends. Thanks for the clutch handbag makers who have quickly and pro-actively posted their clutches (made from my fine metal purse frames)! Whenever you have a new clutch, please feel free to post it on the wall. The more eyes to see your clutches, the higher the profile of your shops, and the bigger chance of selling your handmade creations!
Take a look at the wall:
Some clutches available for Valentine's Day gift-giving!
Please continue to post your clutches that you think would make great gifts for Valentine’s Day. Sell it! Give those guys and gals a nudge!
About
I am the #1 US seller of purse frames and I’ve been incorporated since 2001. This blog is mainly aimed at my audience of clutch handbag makers. I have a very small niche that is comprised of 99.9% women. I am loyal and promote handbag makers who are loyal to me by using my fine purse frames. When they are successful, then I am successful.
The two businesses that I own are:
*purse supplies, Gutermann glue, and DIY clutch kits at whilebabynaps.etsy.com, whilebabynaps.com
*up-cycled purse supplies PurseFramesOutlet.etsy.com
To find clutches made using my fine metal purse frames, LOOK to see “Trademarks of WhileBabyNaps.com and H&D LLC” and you’ll know the clutches are made using the finest metal purse frames that are tested for lead and that have a protective coating to lengthen the life of the clutch. You can go to any of the sellers on the Sellers page.
****NOTE: If you want someone to make a clutch for you, please contact any of my sellers and inquire. They will gladly make custom orders!****
Interested in reaching my audience? Advertise. Contact me here.
Thank you for stopping by for a look.
Warmly,
Thy Khuong
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My Etsy shop
#1 US Seller of Purse Frames
My Main shop
Wholesale purse frames for clutches
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