oh dear, Kim, OH DEAR !!!

we can solve some of this stuff, you keep the kids........

Sounds like you are a weee bit overwhelmed, so let me just suggest, we aren't in posession of any mystical answers pertaining to organization either.

I think maybe we could all relax about what is a professional slipcover........

For a few laughs, I can tell you my idea of what it isn't..... it doesn't look way different on the right and left. Unless it is way different of course.

It's sturdy enough for reasonable use by humans. Cannot count on dogs to follow written directions.

It's of the fabric the customer chooses unless we really really really can't stand to do it.

It's the best we can do with the furniture presented without reinventing the furniture presented ( unless paid to reinvent it ). Solutions within our usual particular scope of practice are fine, but we get to choose that scope of practice. Personally I don't patch cigarette holes deeper than three inches and wider than the ice cream bowl I am holding.

It's made by humans ( I think.... ) and it's a crafted item, made one at a time, for the first time each time. There's a couple flaws.

They zip up the back without pulling with a crane. There's copious tuck in, think rivers. The people in the printed pattern are right side up. Ditto for the dogs.

It's tight enough to be custom and loose enough to get cleaned later. We tell'em how to clean it......

They are clean, cheerful, what was asked for, delivered on time, sewed well enough to serve and protect, and they get better each one we make.

I'm doing as well as that chicken right before Sunday dinner...bawk! (Oh they can't screech with no head can they...)
A very interesting situation was dumped in my lap. Out of the blue I found out that the oldest upholstery shop in town decided to close their doors on April 30. They had employeed 3 full time upholsterers, 3 other workers (cutter, seamstresses). And now the void is to be filled by the "other" oldest shop and...me.
The month of April I spent a lot of time at the closing shop watching how they do things, looking at the shop arrangement, storage, etc. Got to be really good friends with all of them very quickly! They started sending all their business to me and now I'm in the process of renting a real shop (moving out of my garage) and trying to hire at least one of their upholsterers.
I only wish they could have hung on one more month, as I'm trying to move out of my house this month and put it up for sale. It's in shambles and needs quite a bit of handy work! My 3 teen agers are sick of school, sick of life, self destructing all at once. Oy!
I've been getting more and more slipcover jobs (yay!). A lady about 2 hours away found me on my website and is renting a uhaul to bring her living room set to me to cover.

What I would like to see at the next summit? (wish I'd gone to this year's!):
1) Professional slipcovers start to finish. Not pinning technique - how to manufacture...serging, where to put closures, how to put them in and finish them out ( like the top and bottom of the zipper) How to line or hem - you know to make it a really nicely made sturdy cover that does not look homemade on the inside. Does that make sense?
2)Portfolio, website, advertising help. I've seen poloroids tacked to the wall and binders of photos on the counter - any other ideas to guide the customer to pick from the styles you want to make?
3)Workshop organization- more! I want more!
4)Useful forms and how and when to use them. Estimate, Purchase order,inventory, calendars etc.
5)A million pictures of slipcovers
6)A hands on class. One I would like is making decks on several types of chairs. The crotch areas leading to the tuck in areas are what I struggle with on every piece - and they are all different!
7)A survey of how labor time. I don't know if you've done this already but my upholsterers board has it all broken down in time increments from removing the dust cover to replacing burlap to putting on the skirt. It's a great guide when trying to bid a job.
8)A "fits like a glove" slipcover class. I missed Janelles and would really like to see how she does it. Especially her tips: for example putting velcro on the bottom of the chair to snug and attach the unskirted slipcover.

Ok that's my wish list so far! Aren't you glad you asked? :)
Happy Mother's Day everyone!
Kim

The Slipcover Network Forum

Kim I am so glad you have joined us. So how are you?

If I had three wishes for things to learn at the Slipcover Summit in Phoenix 2006.....?????

1)I want ideas for embellishing slipcovers

2)I want to find new ways to market my business,so I will make lots of money

3) I want to learn how to sew slipcovers fast but with quality.

K with SA

3)

pretend that you are absolutely certain you are coming to the next Summit ( june 2006 ) that you KNOW for sure that the Summit is designed for you personally, and that you have your genie offering you three wishes.

what do you most want ?

Yes, but... who are you REALLY??!! :D

I'm in!!!! Woohoo!!! Thank you Karen!
Kimel aka Kim, kimsupholsteryshop.com

The Slipcover Network Forum

Yes, we did miss all of you. Hope you can make it next year in Phoenix,AZ.

The greatest news, we now have a Slipcover Summit Board of Directors, and this means there is a group organizing the event instead of a few people. It is a very time consuming task to organize an annual event such as this. 5 years into this Annual retreat, we keep moving ahead.

Plan now.... Save your $$....

We had 3 scholarship awardees, we have a scholarship fund available for folks who never have attend a Summit. Happy to announce more about this later.

I am in Arizona doing 2 days with Claudia at the Sun Festival and then home. Finally home, after talking about slipcovers for almost 3 weeks.

Education is the key... Remember all of us educate the public about slipcovers.

Bye for now
K with SA

We missed all of you who were unable to attend this year’s Slipcover Summit in Tampa. It was an awesome opportunity to learn some new techniques and learn from each other the many different ways to do things.

Next year’s Slipcover Summit will be in June in Phoenix, and even though it is more than a year away we want to start planning for it now. The workshops that are offered are determined by what you, as slipcover professionals and as those who are new to slipcovering, want to learn. You may have heard of some of the classes that were offered this year. A few of the topics covered included cutting double on half, using zippers and other closures, taking better photographs, the business of slipcovering, cushion fillings, washing fabric, covering a headboard.

So, please let us know if there is any topic that you would like to see offered next year in Phoenix. Just post your suggestions here so that other people can benefit from reading your great ideas and start thinking of what they would like to see offered.

Or email me: mail@naturalslipcovers.com

Jeannie

so happy to have gone to the summit and seen everyone, but darn! I was too spacey to think to get pictures ~

I want to put togther a scrapbook for Judit and I, if anyone would be kind enough to share some pictures with me.

Looking forward to the next one, and boy the topics are popping up like weeds. How many can we have ?

Suggestions: lining slipcovers. telephone estimates ( question tree ).

*sigh*

Heading North for the Summit! Talk about cushions! Down here in South America there is nothing soft and comfy. They use a lot of cotton or fill with no loft, every thing is lumpy here. I'm leaving Uruguay at 5:50 today and sit in Buenos Aries for 5 hours and then fly a 9hr 45min flight to Mami.. I'm looking forward to the summit as well as getting home to the US. Everyone have a save trip to FL.
Claudia

here in Baton Rouge, headed for St Pete, see everyone wednesday at four~ish.

so excited now I am hardly stand it. Makes all my brain cells fire and once ( not like my hand writes that fast either ).

bring every single problem, disappointment or curiosity you ever had about a slipcover.

this is the place THE SUMMIT !!!!! YAY !!!!!!!!

click on http://www.slipcoveramerica.com if you don't know about it yet.

bring it to attention as soon as you arrive, heck, bring IT. Problems are our children, they only need reassessing. Bring it right at the beginning, don't be shy.

Shirley, they only held rooms for us at the discount rate until 21 Mar. I have a room reserved in my name just in case it was needed. Claudia is sharing with me on Wed nite and Shannon Williams on Sat. nite. If someone else needs a room, I think we will be ok. Told seamsXclusive she could have my bed on Fri/Sat nite. If anyone else needs space, hopefully we can work it out. I do believe that the hotel has sold out of space or is almost at that point. Also, any rooms that can be got now, will be at a much higher rate.

what is the room situation, are there still suites available ?


various people are looking share, maybe a whole new bigger room will work ?

Karen - I really, really appreciate you finding a photo with me in it, then going to the trouble of cropping me out of it. Unfortunately, you didn't have much to work with...

I'll see what I can find around here. Sadly, what I have isn't any better. :(

Anyway, thanks again. And sorry to have put you to all that trouble.

Dede

Dede it is the best photo I have, as I went through all photos taken of you at the last two events. I had to crop you out of photos with other people.

If you can get another photo to me I am happy to put it in for the next issue.

By the way, think of something to write about. You are starting to be a regular.

Yeah I think the Press looks the best ever. In color and a lot of good information from everyone. That is what the Slipcover Press is all about.

Now if we could just get a few more advertisers... That would be great!....

Received the Spring 2005 issue of "Slipcover Press" - wow! Looks good! (we are all soooo talented). *grin*


Oh, and Karen - if that's the best photo you have of me... I think I'd better find you a new one... Actually, that's a NORMAL photo; I want a GOOD one (with airbrushing - LOTS of airbrushing).

"Mr. DeMille..."