It's that time of year... the 2024 Round Up!
So we've reached that time of year already when we are in a reflective mood about the achievements, failures, successes and disasters of the last 12 months. We say it every year and 2024 is no different... what a year!! Professionally and personally it's been a rollercoaster of a year with some enormous highs and some lows.
Bornella Fabrics has really seen a big year of growth, and whilst I still have a LONG way to go before I can consider myself a successful business, I'm definitely making inroads. (But perhaps that's more of a state of mind - I will always have imposter syndrome, so it doesn't matter if I run my business for 10 years, I'll still think I'm playing shops and I'll be found out at some point.)
Anyway, lets talk about the year that was...
Easily, the highlight of the year was exhibiting at The Stitch Festival as part of the Indie Business Village. I had dreamed about having a stand there for years and had made enquiries a couple of years before. But in 2024 the timing felt right so I pushed myself to do it. I woke up on January 2nd having night sweats. And those night sweats and anxiety dreams continued pretty much every night until Stitch Festival in mid-March. To put on a 4 day show like Stitch Festival is a massive commitment of time, energy and money. It is a RISK and that was clearly playing on my mind. I'd had to borrow money from my Dad to be able to afford to do it.
I figured that if I was going to do Stitch Festival, I was going to do it properly and bring out my own range of fabrics. This was pipe-dream no. 2. I have wanted to make my own fabric since I was a teenager. I remember sitting in lessons at school, doodling dresses and designs instead of doing schoolwork! I taught myself to sew when I was 39 so this is a dream a LOOOOONG TIME in the making.
Our Superbloom design was sent off to print in 2023 but those anxiety dreams continued as the fabric was delayed by HMRC at customs with no idea when I'd receive it (thanks Brexit). Eventually it arrived in February and I was thrilled with it.
Turning up to the Stitch Festival on the morning of the first day and seeing the stand set up, the fabric in pride of place and all the products displayed was a real pinch-me moment. I genuinely thought I'd be nervous after months of prep and honestly nothing could be further from the truth. I was so relaxed, happy to chat to customers and sewists. For an online business, meeting people in real life is such a joy. It never gets tiring.
I was very very lucky to have such excellent help on the stand too - Susan Young, Lena King and Sarah Richards all took a shift or two and were bloody brilliant. An old boss of mine always told me to hire people better than you, and I certainly did!
Running a business is nothing without your network of fellow business owners and I was fortunate to expand my network in 2024 and meet lots of other brilliant businesses. The old adage "it's not what you know, it's who you know" still stands. As a general rule, sewing businesses all chat to each other, encourage one another, share advice and gossip. My 'work wife' Lawratu who runs Seam Me Sew Supplies encouraged me to sign up for Stitch so we could have stands opposite each other - we figuratively and literally held each others hands. In fact we're back doing the same again in our same spots for 2025!
In all, Stitch Festival was a huge success for me - well worth the months of sweats and anxiety dreams - and I'll be doing it all again for next year!
I'd started 2024 with the aim to bring my online shop to more people in-person so I also had a stand at Threads Festival in Farnham, Surrey in June - which is a SUPER sewing show. I got to meet lots of lovely customers again, some I'd met a few months earlier at Stitch, and got to hang out with my sewing bestie Louise who runs Ethel and Joan for a night, which is a rare treat for me.
Disappointingly there were a few sewing festivals that I'd signed up for but the events were cancelled - at least 3 that I can recall. Proving that tough economic times still loom. It's also been another hard year for businesses and I was very sad to see some of them close their doors, in particular Sarah Richards' business Olive Road London.
However I did manage just one more sewing show in July... a never-to-be-repeated experience. I had an outdoor stand at a local summer fair. When I left the house on the way to the show, I drove past Screwfix and decided I'd buy a roll of plastic sheeting 'just in case'. That sheeting saved the day. The afternoon started off okay, before moving to gail-force winds, thunder and lightning, torrential rain and then back to sunshine. It was a battle against the elements.
At least I've learned one valuable lesson in 2024... NEVER do an outdoor show!
Personally it's been a fulfilling and also difficult year. On the plus side, in January I qualified as a karate instructor (I'm now Sensei Tanya) and have done quite a bit of teaching this year. On the downside, my parents have needed me more as their health hasn't been great and my son is having a tough time with his mental health so he's needed a lot of support. All of which have taken my focus and time away from sewing and my business. It just means that moving forward in 2025 I need to find a new normal so I can make time to sew, which helps me with MY mental health.
So lastly I'd like to say a huge thank you to all my customers, challenge organisers, sewists and fellow business owners for your continued support this year. It's a continued privilege to run Bornella Fabrics. And lastly thank you to my wonderful kids and husband Stephen who has been super supportive of my business ventures. I can't do any of this without their encouragement and support.
What's next for 2025? That's for another blog post!
Happy sewing and wishing you all a very happy Christmas and Hanukkah.
Tanya xx