Chatbug Karen

I got so caught up in new sewing projects that I completely forgot to post pictures of my completed, revamped sewing room.
What started out as covering up some black sponge painted walls turned out to be a major overhaul of the room.

You might remember the picture of the horrible mess I had when I put all my fabric and supplies into my spare bedroom. I needed a bluetooth barcode scanner to know what I had and where it might be. Suffice it to say, it was a while before any sewing got done in my house.

Once I had the paint on, my husband decided the carpet needed to be changed. Not one to argue against getting something new, I helped him tackle that project. I moved the bed and cabinet back in and then sorted through all my bins of fabric. I bought some small totes and separated all my fabric according to color. Now, I can find things easily and it doesn’t destroy the whole room every time I try to find a fabric to use for a project. I love my organized room.

Today’s plans have changed! Instead of clearing all the tax papers from my office furniture, I will be sewing. Often, on Saturday, I work in my office to avoid interruptions that can cause me to make mistakes when working with numbers. It is crazy how much more quickly I am able to get things done without the interruptions. Hubby usually runs the customer side of our business on Saturdays. I’ve always thought that if he would work in the store instead of installing, we would sell so much more carpet. He can dig through stuff and satisfy the customer’s needs much more so than I can. It isn’t that he is pushy; he knows what he is talking about when it comes to how things should be done. He installs to make sure things are done the way they are supposed to be done. These attributes have afforded us thirty one years in business.

I digress to the topic as to why I will not be pushing numbers but the pedal of my sewing machine instead. I had a customer this morning! She saw a Colt’s purse I made for a friend and wants me to make one for her. I have the fabric and the time. Off to sew I go. Have a nice weekend everyone!

Beginning our 35th year of running a floor covering business started a recollection of memories and changes in our industry. It seems surreal that we could have passed the 35 year mark! I still remember the day we decided to become our own bosses. I had a migraine that day. I have learned more about yarn, petroleum and customer service than I ever thought possible. I feel fortunate to be in a business that sells products that are mainly produced in the USA.

Things have changed a lot over 35 years. From the types of floors we sell to the use of a Honeywell Barcode Scanner. Times change and we have to flow with them or get run over.

Thirty five years ago, inlaid vinyl was our bread and butter. We rarely sell vinyl sheet goods these days. We sell vinyl tile and laminate more and have added area rugs to the mix. We install all of our own products and that means a lot of training for my husband and our installers. I am constantly reading trade magazines and brochures to keep abreast of new products. Floor Covering Weekly is a great source of information. I have recently learned of a new yarn approved by the FTC. It is rare that a yarn is allowed its own entity. Yarn has always fallen into three major categories; polyester, nylon and olefin.

The new kid on the block is PTT (Mohawk’s Triexta). This new fiber is as tough as nylon and cleans like polyester. Triexta was originally classified as polyester which made it a difficult yarn for us retailers to promote. The creation of the triexta subclass gives retailers the ability to emphasize and focus on the outstanding features and benefits of the product, instead of defending the negative perceptions sometimes accompanied with the word polyester. Triexta needed a classification of its own. Mohawk and DuPont realized this and went to bat for the retailers. The following excerpt from an article at Floor Covering News by Steven Feldman, explains the difference in the yarn and why the FTC agreed it deserved a class of its own. This is the first time that the FTC approved a new classification since nylon was classified in 1959!

After a near three-year process, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined that PTT, the fiber used in Mohawk SmartStrand carpets and previously classified as polyester, merits its own subclass. The ruling comes in response to a petition jointly initiated by Mohawk Industries and DuPont in 2006.

Going forward, the fiber of which Mohawk’s exclusive SmartStrand carpets is constructed, will be referred to as triexta, which is marketed by DuPont under the trademark Sorona. The two companies petitioned the FTC to establish a new fiber subclass for triexta after independent testing and retailer and consumer testimonials revealed it takes durability, stain resistance and softness to a new level and shares with polyester little more than a chemical structure.

The ruling is significant, not only for Mohawk and DuPont but for the carpet industry as a whole. This is the first extension approved by the FTC for textiles in five years and the first for residential carpet since nylon in June 1959.

Mohawk said it filed the petition in response to retailer feedback that it was difficult to clearly communicate the benefits of SmartStrand when it fell into the same category as traditional polyester products. “There did exist some real world confusion amongst retailers, sales associates and consumers on this product,” said Tom Lape, president, Mohawk Residential.

Good things are happening in the floor covering industry!

I grew up as an Air Force Brat. My dad fabricated with sheet metal. He was also an instructor who taught aircraft repair. His profession was useful after his retirement from the Air Force. He worked for a major airplane manufacturer and traveled to Saudi Arabia to teach sheet metal, honeycomb repair. This job allowed mom and dad to travel the world. I have a special place in my heart for the art of metal manufacturing.

My husband and I own a floor covering store. Everywhere we go we notice the floors. We don’t walk into any building without noting what kind of floor covering they used. I am sure it was that way with my dad. Take a moment and think how much custom metal fabrication is used throughout everything we see. Look at the ceiling the next time you attend a rock concert. Check out the benches in the park the next time you take the kids to play. While you are there, look at the floor of the merry-go-round. Yes, those are all made from fabricated metal. Accurate Perforating is a major manufacturer of perforated metal and materials. They are seriously dedicated to offering superior products and services. Accurate Perforating’s forming and fabricating capabilities are an art to be respected. You have heard the saying, “stop and smell the flowers.” Take a look at metal and notice the art in the fabrication. It is amazing.

I want to sew today but since I was gone all day yesterday, my desk is covered with notes of things to get done. I have ordered carpet from several distributors today and have to straighten out one order that a salesman placed for me. Thank goodness the big mills use supply chain management software. I can remember twenty years ago when all the orders were place by hand. If a mistake was made, it was hard to rectify the order.

Fortunately, warehouse workers use a new system from Cadre Technologies that has revolutionized data capture in the warehousing industry. Employees are able to capture data through touch-screen, scanner (bar-code), camera, radio frequency identification (RFID) or voice technology on a single hand-held computer. This gives the employee the ability to make changes immediately when notified from the order desk. The system makes everyone’s job simpler, accurate and efficient. The end results make me, the customer, very happy.

I have enjoyed helping a customer pick out coordinating paints for her home. I usually only help customers pick out their flooring since that is what we sell. However, this customer and I seem to walk to the beat of the same drummer. Everything I put together, with the exception of a few items, were ones that she liked. It helps that she was picking from a clean slate. From carpet to bar faucets, everything in the home is being updated. I suggested new pendant lights for over a pub table in the kitchen. I saw those in another customer’s home and they added so much to the room. I am so excited to see how the paint, that is on so far, looks and if she is happy with it. We went a little darker on the paint chart because I have found that when you play it safe, colors turn out lighter and the choice of a beautiful color is lost. I did that in our bedroom here at home. I wanted the walls to be a mocha color but was too chicken to go with the dark color on the paint chart. I ended up with cream walls. I am going to be so jealous when I see her colors.