Market Research

[callistotoni]

Our travels north were wonderful (I (heart) AnTir :-) ) and the Emprise of the Black Lion was a fabulous event! But I will write about our adverntures later. Right now I want your opinions on the following:

I'd like to know if there is a market for machine-embroidered stuff that uses historic/period designs, including poly-chrome designs. Heraldic designs also. Examples I can think of are:

- Late Elizabethan
---- sleeves
---- stomachers
---- caps
---- jackets

- Various 18th C items (cuffs, waistcoats, lapels, etc.)

- Medieval/Heraldic/SCA
---- Hem garding with large-letter (of appropriate font) personal mottos, or Chivalic Virtues (might be useful for fighting surcotes)
---- undersleeves
---- badges
---- anything that fabric or leather that someone might want their device/arms on.

If you think there is an interest, what do you think the price points would have to be? Badges might be the cheapest, but long strips of large lettering might be much more, and an Elizabethan jacket covered in appropriate motifs might run into $$.

I'm researching to tools necessary to make this happen as a side business. But a key bit of data is to see if there's a market, and what prices the market would bear. Need to be able to pay off the required investment and start making money, obviously, so I'd like a sense of what timeframe that might be if the idea is at all feasible.

I, actually, think there would be a market. I know and love and appreciate real hand-done embroidery, but in period there were shops that worked on large peices. So I don't feel too guilty about giving people the option of machine-embroidered goods that use period designs and colors. (Of course, I'd do custom work for non-period designs if that's what a customer wanted. ;-) ).

What do y'all think?

Comments

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

Hells yeah. 16th-c. caps (bec. white is soooo boring) - I have one nice little machine-embroidered one that was in the $30-$50 range (bought a while ago so my memory is hazy) for a large design covering the back of a small, round, muffin-ish cap. Coifs w/designs in black or red would be super.

What about shirts, partlets, & shifts? Running a fat line of embroidery along the cuffs & neck of a basic shirt makes it fab. Undies in general -- shifts, camicas, chemises, & bloomers of any era are much more interesting with embroidery. Don't have to worry much about sizing garments, construction is basic, but with standard or custom embroidery, w00t! Victorian petticoats & camisole covers for Dickens Faire & Civil War ladies too.

Check on eBay & Etsy to compare w/what ppl are selling. Also, there's this woman who has sold at SCA events, Costume College, & SF/F cons - mostly embroidered patches but also kits for 18th-c. pockets, pirate coat cuffs, & 16th-c. blackwork pieces.

more price comparisons

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

Someone else was selling kits for 18th-c. pockets last year after CoCo too. I think the price was $40 for the embroidered piece & coordinating fabric for the back of the pocket.

This 16th-c. shirt with embroidery sells for $120, & is pretty darn nice, ime.

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

if its our Anne, she still does them but mostly on a "hey, can you make this for me?" basis. I got a couple of her table banners and they're way cute :)

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

the weather guy on the local NPR station described this morning as "cozy fog" :)

I used to live down in the bay area (santa cruz) and agree its different. fortunately for me, I prefer the weather up here!! :)

[acanthusleaf.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted a cotehardie embroidered all over with something beautiful, like cross fleuries or twining vines or something out of FITAOTBP. No idea about price points, though. Would many repetitions of a smaller motif be easier/faster than fewer reps of a larger design?

Klaus was throwing ideas around about a 'merchant collective'. I'd like to get together with a bunch of us and talk it over.

[joycebre.livejournal.com]

when last I digitized, it wasn't as easy as one might think to get a good design. I hope things have gotten easier, but remember to add in the cost of creating a good stitch out.
(and I'm looking to get my machine fixed so I can do some embroidery too!)

About digitization...

[callistotoni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm told digitization is an art. I had an informative conversation with a woman who specializes in these machines at my local sewing shop (the Dublin Sewing Center). One of the things she strongly suggested -- at least to get started -- was to contract out the digitization. So you have your jpeg image (or whatever format) and you give it to someone to make it workable for the machine (PES format, I believe). That's what most of the small businesses she supports do, at least until one learns the fine art of digitization.

Re: About digitization...

[joycebre.livejournal.com]

interesting. I have to reinstall my software (I have the digitizing software, although it's older) and start working on it again. Hearts are easy, and I think I have a laurel wreath done somewhere, but those wolf heads are hard to do. :-)
(your device would be pretty easy)

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

"embroidered" patches/badges can be applied to horse barding, just sayin'....

yes, I think there would be a market for well done, researched machine versions of period pieces. there may not be a market for off the rack, though. most SCA folks arent willing to pay what stuff really costs (they keep thinking they can make it themselves) but you may be able to build a niche market in custom, ie a gallery or "catelog" of possiblilities and the person commissions you to make their ideas into reality :)

a machine emboidered elizabethan coif (even a simple one of black or red on white, a la Janet Arnold) would definately be worth $50, I think....even if you did 'em flat, so folks could then sew them up to fit their heads?

[thelbk.livejournal.com]

May I suggest you contact Lacis and see what you can do about getting your skill set out there to the Renn Faire world.

When I was unemployeed and making costumes from the skin out for the White Eagle guild (for free and for friendship - silly me) the manager at Lacis told me that non-sewing Renn faire types would pay up to $3000.00 for full sets of costumes. Now that was 2003/4, but still, could be a market to tap...

[duchessletitia.livejournal.com]

You might ask Aurelia what she charges and what the market is. Also Rolf and Aurora have a big embroidery machine and may be able to give you information though I do not think they the really fine work.

[love3angle.livejournal.com]

yes Yes YES! I would be your first customer!

[broider-barones.livejournal.com]

Aurelia does the coifs, collar and cuffs - charted from historic items
Another merchant lady does badges and other stuff
considering the time to do a really good set up and the equipment necessary........and 2 current merchants in the West....

[aastg.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it will come as no surprise that, in general, machine embroidery used for "historical" purposes is repellent to me.

However, using it for the kind of repetitive, production-work that wore medieval embroiderers out is a little less creepy. For example, I'm thinking of repeated Heraldic badge designs, like Queen Philippa's gold squirrels that covered a whole purple velvet gown/mantle/ghita (whatever that is).

Another item you might add to your list: hoods. They are a great vehicle for needlework, especially badges.