GO SHOPPING

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September 2010
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We Are Now On Holiday

These are the times for the summer holiday

Saturday 7th August open 10 to 5

We are then closed and will reopen

Tuesday 17th at 10am

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T Shirt Printing

We have now been doing T-Shirt printing for a few month and it has been very popular.

Great for special occasions and also work wear.

We can offer a complete service where we get your order and give you back the finished garment.

We also offer a service where we can cut out your design and you can affix the design using a household iron. This works out  cheaper and also means you can attach the design to what you want, when you want. Great for businesses that need to buy in bulk and use when necessary.

We give good discounts for larger orders.

Turnaround is usually a few days although we aim to do most orders for the next day.

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Prices

Please note all prices are approximate and depend on complexity of design. The prices quoted are for  standard complexity affixed to an item of clothing that you supply.

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Full Width Line

Each line typically about 10 to 12” wide and 2 to 3” high

1 line £6

2 lines £8

3 lines £10

If a line is wanted on the reverse side an extra £1 is added.

Small Chest Logo

Each line typically about 3 to 5” wide and 1” high

1 line £3

2 lines £4

3 lines £5

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Discounts

Qty 1 to 4 no discount

Qty 5 to 9 10% off

Qty 10 to 19 20% off

Qty 20 plus 25% off

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DIY method.

We cut and weed the vinyl and you apply with a domestic iron.

Discounts

We give a 33% discount off the above prices.

Pressing Instructions
Low pressure at 150°C for 15 seconds.

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Foam For Boats. Measureing Up.

This time of year  we get a few boat owner in trying to update their boats.

Boats are the most complicated to do a good template as the foam is often curved and they have an angle where they meet the hull.

Her is the procedure for making a template.

1. using newspaper or wall paper make the template of the cushionso it fits nicely on the bed/seat.

2. Decide on the size of foam required. Once you know this get books and layer them so the come to the same height as the foam.

3. Put these books at one end of the paper and put against the hull.

4. Measure between the edge of the books and the hull using a rule placed on top of the books.

5. Mark this length on the template.

6. Repeat down the template every 12″.

7. We now have a template for us to follow.

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So Long Since The Last Post

Ok sorry for the long delay since the last post but thats because a lot has gone on.

Highlights for last week were doing 180 T-shirts for my daughters school for their “Save the rain forest” awareness week.

They wanted 8 different rain forest animals attached to t shirts they had bought. This they wanted ASAP so the design of each animal was kept as basic as possible. Manage to cut and attach the vinyl to the shirts within a day.

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New flags coming

Over the next couple of weeks we will be increasing our range of flags.

There will be an increase in country flags.

We will have some celebration ones like “baby boy”, happy birthday.

A range of pirate flags (which are always popular).

Historical like Richard the lion heart.

Patriotic and political like ensigns, Europe, NATO.

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DMC Threads Now Available.

We just taken delivery of our new DMC stand.

It contains

The complete range of

DMC Mouline Stranded Thread

36 shades of Variations

36 shades of Light Effects

36 shades of Satin threads.

We will have them on-line asap and there will be a discount if you buy more than one item per colour. This should make us one of the cheapest on the Internet.

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10 Reasons To Choose Us Over Hobbycraft

Since we are thinking about getting a new shop, and we found out that Hobbycraft was going to have a large retail outlet within a couple miles, I thought we would goto our nearest Hobbycraft and have a look at the competition. I went in with apprehension thinking about how the big boys would be cheaper and better but whilst in there found that they mostly were not.

So here’s my top 10 reason to shop at us (or maybe a smaller craft shop near you) rather than Hobbycraft.

  1. Although their fabric range covered a large area the actual fabric was minimal. They had about 5 colours of polycotton we have at least 20.  They had a 4 rolls of felt where we stock around 20. Vinyl, we stock about 25 they had about 5. Dress net we stock about 20 colours they had about 10.  Most people are often after as near a match as possible. In the polycotton range they had 1 blue. We have around 5 from baby blue to navy.  Just because it’s bigger doesn’t mean your going to get the variety you expect.
  2. I guess we’re all conscious about prices especially in todays climate. I found a fair mix of cheaper items than what we sell, more expensive prices that we sell items at, and some the same. Here are a couple of items we sell cheaper. Fimo, Gutermann beads, Gutermann threads, some fabrics, button (they only sold them on packets which made them more expensive and you had to usually buy two packs of 4 even if you only wanted to buy 5. Just because it’s bigger does not make it cheaper.
  3. From what I saw every thing was sold by the meter. In our shop we will sell you the amount you want. If you want quarter of a meter of satin fabric as you want to make a backing to a scarf we will sell you that amount. Even at a sometimes more expensive price we can still be cheaper.
  4. Service. I won’t say I’m brilliant but most of our customers know they can always count on us for helpful service. If you are looking for something we will always give it 100% in showing you all the alternatives. Perhaps your looking for velcro for a duvet but are not sure, i will point out your options, popper, snap tape, buttons, zips. We’re always there to give you help.
  5. Unusual items. As you can see from our ecliptic range of items we are not your run of the mill stockist. We are always sourcing our products from many sources. We have the more off beat items along with the common. We are often called a treasure trove because of the range we stock. Bigger doesn’t mean better.
  6. Whilst at Hobbycraft I saw a great deal. It was “Buy 2 get a 3rd for free …..£1.50 each” and on the shelf was a very large bottle of PVA glue. Cheaper than I could buy them for my shop of the wholesalers. We wandered round and saw this offer a few times. It was only when we came to a stand that had a few different sized PVA glues on it that we took a closer look at the sign. The fine print said “from”. The £1.50 pot of glue was so small it would have lasted 5 minutes. The larger one was £7-£8. Needless to say we didn’t get any. It must be embarrassing for a customer who picks up th large expecting to pay £3 but get charged £15. We will always be straight on prices.
  7. Hobbycrafts to me is shop that is there to make money. That’s it. It stocks the basic lines that bring in the money and the local specialist craft shop is left “Surviving”. From what I’ve gathered most crafter won’t use hobbycarft, much preferring to support their local friendly shop. They know they can get some of their items there at the same price, but when they want specialist parts for their hobby, hobbycraft is very limited. Crafter buy all their craft items from their local supplier as it keeps them in business allowing them to do their crafts in full.
  8. Service. Done this one already. Sorta. A couple of years back after the Christmas shopping in Crawley we decided to go to Hobbycarft. One customer had a query about a price that they had promoted in the store but at the checkout the customer was told bluntly the price ticket was right and no matter what the sign said on the shelf she would not honor it. What got up the customers nose was they were not even willing to look at the sign in the store to check the price. Needless to say they lost a sale and a customer.
  9. We negotiate. If you want to buy items in bulk or if there a price you’ve seen, tell us and we will try to price match or offer you a discount for buying in bulk. Try and do that in Hobbycraft. We are flexible in price.
  10. Not really a proper reason but request to try us and see for yourself.
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10 Ways For You To Help Us And Yourself.

We have lots of satisfied customers and are always looking for ways for us to grow. You can help us by….

  1. If you have bought from us and have liked the prices or service please link to us with a comment about us. This can either be by a direct link from your website, tweet, blog, face book or if you participate in a forum by mentioning us with a link. http://ukbeading.co.uk/
  2. Word of mouth. If you have used us we usually put a few business cards in the sent parcel. Give these to friends and other crafter. You’ll be doing them a favor.
  3. Leave feedback. If you ever have a problem please contact us so we can see where we are going wrong. If you’ve had a problem with the website. Contact us and we will be able to give you help perhaps by taking your order over the phone.
  4. We stock hundreds of items not on the website. If you need something let us know and we will try to help locate the item you require. Most people that visit our shop call it “Aladdin’s Cave” because of all the unusual things we stock along with the normal essentials.
  5. If you have bought anything from us and would like us to link to you, please contact us so we can arrange a reciprocal link and perhaps a story about you on this blog. Just supply us the text and a image to go with it. We wont be able to use all stories but will try to do what we can.
  6. Is there an item you would like us to stock. We are always on the lookout for new ideas to incorporate into our store.
  7. Bookmark us.
  8. Tell people about us in emails.
  9. Check out our prices before you check out the competition. We constantly check our prices and try to be as competitive as possible.
  10. If you need help on a particular item contact us using the comment box attached to this blog post and we will try and answer you the same day. You can call the shop but we can be extremely busy and unable to give you the time needed to sort out your problem satisfactorily.
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10 Reasons To Buy Gutermann Threads

  1. Number 1 reasons is we give 10% off all Gutermann threads compared to RRP (which most suppliers adhere to) with a chance to get another 10% off when you buy in bulk.
  2. Gutermann have a thread for every job. Whether you want a strong jeans thread, hand sew quilting thread or elasticated shirring thread, there is usually a thread that will suit your application.
  3. Colour consistency. Gutermann thread are made to constant colour. we sell the real thread charts so you can use that to pick your threads.
  4. Range of colours. Literally hundreds of colours to choose from to get the best match possible. (Another reason to buy the chart)
  5. Quality. Perhaps this should be number 1 in the list. Many of our customers will not buy any other thread due to its error free sewing especially while using a sewing machine.
  6. Easy identification of threads when reordering. All threads have the details on the thread bobbin.
  7. Non-cellophaned reel – allows the customer to colour match more accurately.
  8. Tall reel with cross-wound thread – this for an smooth and even pull off during machine sewing ensuring consistency in machine sewing
  9. Tie-off facility – winding the loose end of thread around the tie off facility ensures that thread is kept clean and neat in the work basket.
  10. Well to plug it again they do a handy thread shade card which allows you to order the exact colour even when you cannot visit us in person
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How To Identify Gutermann Thread

If you are trying to identify a Gutermann thread here are the ways to figure it out.

If you are looking at the thread full on it will say Gutermann. Further along on yhe other side it will have the number CA 02776…….This means nothing.

You can tell the type of thread by looking at the colour of the bobbin and checking it with the above pictures. It is also found on the lower ring.

On the bottom ring it will say what the thread is made of and length in meters and yards. Ie    100% polyester  ,  100m   110 yds. On some older threads the colour will be stated there. I.e Col 919

The colour can be found on the top. It will be on a adhesive sticker usually just above a bar-code. Ie Col 800.

On some older ones the colour will be stated there. I.e Col 919

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Just Updated Our Large Glass Pendants

I have today updated the large pendant category.

This can be found here

http://ukbeading.co.uk/pendants-and-charms/large-glass-pendants-1/

These are glass and most measure either 40mm square or 60mm by 35mm.

These can easily be made into great looking necklaces with just a simple cord.

My favorite is using multiple colours of cord that tie in to the colours present in the pendant. This keeps the cord in balance with the large pendant.

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Large Flags Now In Stock. Countries And Special

I’ve just started adding our range of 5 foot by 3 Foot flags.

These are made from polyester and have been screen printed and are meant for indoor use although a few day out would not do them harm if the weather is right.

We have approximately 60 various designs and will be getting more in soon.

There might be a possibility of personalizing them using our vinyl stickers but I will have to look at that at a future date.

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Easy Hot Fix Gem Application Paper.

I have just added  easy hot fix application paper to the website.

If you use hot fix gems and studs you will love this easy to use application paper.

Here’s a demo of how it works.

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Looking For Another Shop

We are currently looking for another shop around Wallington and close surrounding areas.

This will allow us to have more items available to you and increase stock levels so order are more likly to be in stock as we will have a backup supply if one shop is out.

We are actively looking and hope to have a new shop up and running within the next couple months.

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How To Get To Us

Location Of Shop

We are located on a main road with parking nearby, either on the main road itself or in the Caterham Morrison’s or Waitrose car park.

Traveling times by car are approximately 20 minutes from Sutton, Wallington and Croydon. 10 minutes from Coulsdon and Oxted.

Local Bus Routes

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Hot Fix Gems. I Believe We're Very Competative In Price

We now have hot fix gems and believe we’re excellent on price.

I’ve looked around and from what I’ve seen we’re one of the cheapest.

These can be affixed using a special tool or a domestic electric iron.

We will soon have hot fix Mylar adhesive film available for £1.50 per meter. This is a clear plastic sheet which is adhesive on one side. Gems can be placed face down on it into a design (heart for example). this can then be placed on the garment and a iron is applied for 20 seconds on medium heat.

Video of hot fix using mylar/application sheet

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Fimo Now In Stock

We now have Fimo in stock in both Soft and Effects range.

Price is £2 per block.

We also have a couple of kits and hope to increase the range soon.

I’ll try and get them on-line today or soon.

Effects obviously have special properties like glow in the dark, translucent, glitter Etc.

The reason we went for Soft Fimo rather than Classic Fimo is on recommendation from the rep. Most average users prefer Soft. Classic he said tends to be use by a crafter who need to use it for finer items like petals on a rose, since it is firmer it’s more likely to hold its shape where the Soft might wilt a bit.

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More Unusual Card, Box Embellishments

Impex has a product which it calls Mosaic stickers.

They are pads that can be placed on items close to each other to produce a mosaic effect.

They can be used to revamp old items or decorate simple items and given as lovely presents.

They come in four different colours and five designs per colour.

Blurb from the back of packaging

“Acid Free

No special equipment is needed , create your own mosaic art picture.

Create your own mosaic art. Simply place the plastic coloured mosaic pieces on jewelery boxes, lamp, photo frames, cups, glasses, and more. Bring an artistic touch to your home.

Clean intended surface before decorating.

Do not wash in dishwasher.

Not to be used in contact with food or drink.

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IMpex Card Craft Items Added

We have some nice items from Impex who are one of the biggest suppliers in the craft market.

First off is their Nursery Time range of topper. These are all in limited quantities so grab them while you can.

These are quite different from the normal paper topper in that they are made from thin  MDF and would be suitable for not only cards but items that need a more resistant object placed on top like a memory box, room entry sign, name plaque, cupboards Etc.

They come in baby boy and girl designs.

Size of package is approximately 5″*4″

From the back of the item it reads

“Decorative elements are great for

Place cards

Greeting cards

Collage art

Memory boxes

Gift cards

Scrap booking

Invitations

Gift bags and

Home decor”

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Sorry For Not Updating The Site Recently

Well after the trip to Birmingham we’ve been busy getting things ready for the new craft items, and they have finally started to come in. I have started to put them on the website and hope to give a bit more background information on the items introduced.

So here are a few quick posts coming up…..

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