Calling all Rosary Makers!!

[Penelope]

I'm thinking especially of RalphKramden and Herr_Mannelig, but maybe there are some more Rosary makers here at FE whom I just don't know of yet!

I'm looking for any advice you folks can offer. I've been making handmade Rosaries for a few years now, and last year I taught my boyfriend how to do it. The student has far surpassed the master, and his Rosaries are very nice, very beautiful pieces. He has made Rosaries for almost all of our friends in the past year, and they've all been very impressed. This past weekend, he donated three (that's all he had on hand at the time) to his parish's gift shop and the other parishioners became pretty excited about them. We're expecting that they'll be asking for more Rosaries soon.

Anyway, we've been flirting with the idea of making this an official business for a while now, but aren't quite sure where to begin. We are currently purchasing all of our beads and wire from craft stores like Michael's and Jo-Ann Fabrics (usually only when they're on sale!) and all of our crucifixes and centers from a local Christian bookstore. We like giving this small store our business, and the older ladies who run the store are so kind to us and also really like our Rosary work. Their prices aren't too high, but high enough that we can't afford to buy anything in bulk. Also, the variation in materials is limited, and certainly nothing as elaborate or ornamental as what I've seen on Ralph's and Herr's websites. We've looked at some bulk Rosary part suppliers online, but haven't felt the need to buy in bulk yet because we haven't had the demand (or, we haven't even tried to have the demand yet).

So, some questions I hope you can help me with are:

How did you get started? If you want, I'd also love to hear about why you got started making Rosaries and what prompted you to go into business. When did it change from a hobby into a business?
Do you mind revealing where you purchase your parts--beads, wire, crucifixes, centers?
Do you mind if I ask how much start-up cost you needed before getting your businesses going?
How long did it take for you to start making a profit?

I'm sure I'll have more questions later, but that's all I can think of for the moment.

My boyfriend and I are seriously considering starting our business now because we want to get married, but we're both broke and are trying to come up with some ways to supplement our incomes so that we can save enough money for a wedding. (Weddings are so expensive these days! It's almost sickening.)

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer us!

[RalphKramden]

I'd be glad to help if I can. Please understand that every situation is different and what works for me or Herr may not work for you. Also, I would stop looking at this as a business with a profit (I'll explain in a moment).

So, some questions I hope you can help me with are:

How did you get started? If you want, I'd also love to hear about why you got started making Rosaries and what prompted you to go into business. When did it change from a hobby into a business?

I initially started making rosaries out of frustration. I HATED being forced to buy a new rosary every six months or so due to the poor construction. A man can go broke spending $30-50 on a rosary two or three times a year!

I'd also like to mention that I sought out the best way to make rosaries, as far as strength and durability go. I'd never heard of wire wrapping, but learned quickly that it produces a nearly indestructible rosary. Seeing as how I was feed up with replacing rosaries I figured that if I was going to learn I wanted to learn how to make the strongest. (I'm not saying this to imply that anyone else's rosaries are not strong or anything like that).

The wire wrapping has only two downsides that bear mentioning, but the strength of the rosary far out weighs any downside. First the rosaries are generally longer due to additional space between each bead (10-25% depending upon the specific design) and the rosaries can become more twisted, also due to the added space between each bead. The length isn't an issue for anyone I've sold to as I list the size on the site and the twisting is caused by storage so a simple 10 second untwisting at the start of prayer fixes that problem.

The reason I started selling rosaries is because I got good at it (and am much better now) and many people seemed to love them. I was also faced with mounding tuition costs to send my daughters to Catholic Schools. Seemed to me that Our Blessed Lady was trying to answer a prayer of mine but I was to dense to get it.

Again, I may not use the word business but I'll address that later. The only other word to use is apostolate, that may or may not be better. I just think business carries a lot of bagage that will not be useful to selling rosaries.

Do you mind revealing where you purchase your parts--beads, wire, crucifixes, centers?

A few good links:

Do you mind if I ask how much start-up cost you needed before getting your businesses going?
How long did it take for you to start making a profit?

Well, I don't remember much about start-up as it was a hobby that morphed on me. I'd say all in all for tools, supplies, and website domain costs, probably a few hundred dollars.

I'm not 100% sure I'm making what could be called a profit now. I'll explain briefly; sales can be very erratic, seems like one month (Christmas, Easter, First Communion times) you'll be so busy you can't think straight, then you'll be dead. I believe that's part of the blessing (once you've admitted this is an apostolate and not a business) because Our Lord and Our Lady will bless you with sales when they've deigned you need them and they'll bless you with the down time needed to work on your rosaries. I my situation I get swamped with custom orders at those times and the down time is used to work on 'ready made rosaries', that is rosaries that are ready to ship at any time.

Again, I don't look at it as a profit (especially if you think about how much time it takes to wire wrap a rosary and you're used to making upwards of $20 an hour driving a bus) but it seems Our Lady always comes through when new uniforms are needed or more school supplies or something like that. If no immediate school need is there and the tuition so paid then I just spend the money buying more supplies, so it's still very much a hobby for me as opposed to a business.

I'm sure I'll have more questions later, but that's all I can think of for the moment.

No problem, I just realized how I've gone on and on, sorry. I could talk rosaries all day!

My boyfriend and I are seriously considering starting our business now because we want to get married, but we're both broke and are trying to come up with some ways to supplement our incomes so that we can save enough money for a wedding. (Weddings are so expensive these days! It's almost sickening.)

I would warn against getting into a business mentality. This must first and foremost, in my opinion, be about prayer and serving Our Lady as Her unfit instrument. As I wrap each bead I pray the prayer, so I get the privilege not only of being the first to pray on some wicked nice rosaries, but I get the most beautiful privilege of weaving many crowns for our Heavenly Queen, though I'm totally unworthy of this grace.

Seeing as how it is very uncertain what orders will come in and for how long yo must turn this over to Our Lord and Our Lady so that their will may be done. Your desires may not be theirs. I'm not trying to discourage you in the least, I just want to be clear that you won't get rich or even make much of a profit off rosaries, what you will gain in abundance is grace. I think the grace will be far more valuable to a new couple than a nice centerpiece or cake or whatever. Those things make for nice memories and photos, but fade quickly. Our love and fidelity to Our Lady can live on forever.

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer us!

Not sure I was of any help and others may not agree with everything I've said, but I've been totally honest about my experience, your may be different. Do seek out Herr as he has more experience and probably a different perspective on some things. Also, he makes 'normal' rosaries as I don't so he will have knowledge about something other than just wire wrapped rosaries.

I pray for your success and I pray for Our Lady's boundless blessings on your pending marriage. Sorry once again for being so long winded. I hope you haven't found it to be too annoying.

[RalphKramden]

I forgot to fill in the links I wanted to give you
Great if you don't want to go bulk, also they have cheap stuff up to sterling and gold (this is my prefered wire supplier):
http://www.rosaryparts.com/

Great for cheap centers/crucifixes and devotional medals:
http://www.madonnashopsonline.com/

Best source for bulk centers/crucifixes, IMO:
http://www.stjosephsmailorder.com/

Great source for bulk beads (thanks Herr!):
http://www.firemountaingems.com/

[Rosarium]

I didn't read RalphKramden's response yet, so I may say the same things or contradictory things. I'll read his post after.

How did you get started?

I bought: http://www.rosaryparts.com/pages/specials/introductory.asp

The reasons why I started would be on my site.

If you want, I'd also love to hear about why you got started making Rosaries and what prompted you to go into business. When did it change from a hobby into a business?

It isn't a business for me at all. The site used to primarily offer free rosaries to anyone who asked, but due to time constraints, I cannot do this any longer. The custom rosaries were just a side thing because I disliked making the same sort of rosary all the time (which was necessary given the high number of requests I had). I often charged less than the cost of parts when I could.

The jump from hobby to Internet site/service was short. I made a bunch of rosaries for practice and tried to find someone to take them. I found a place online, but I also found there was a lack of a place where an individual could request a rosary and have it sent. So, I filled this gap while I could.

Do you mind revealing where you purchase your parts--beads, wire, crucifixes, centers?

Trade secret.

Do you mind if I ask how much start-up cost you needed before getting your businesses going?

I use a free host, I did my own programming (and as you can tell, I took my own pictures. I make rosaries, program websites and take pictures. I'm good at only two of those things). There was no cost. If I were to make it it a business, which would be possible, the cost wouldn't exist, as it is based on things I make custom anyway, so any costs would be the initial costs of parts before being first paid.

How long did it take for you to start making a profit?

Since as I explained this isn't a business, I make no profit (in fact, I'm probably thousands under), however, if I were inclined, I'd have made a profit on the first rosary.

My boyfriend and I are seriously considering starting our business now because we want to get married, but we're both broke and are trying to come up with some ways to supplement our incomes so that we can save enough money for a wedding. (Weddings are so expensive these days! It's almost sickening.)

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer us!

My advice: anyone can make a rosary and in the end, a person wants a rosary. So, the best way to get people to want your work is to offer something unique. I get requests for rosaries which cannot be bought anywhere, and I get asked because I am able to make them and show it. RalphKramden gets hits because he offers a type of rosary which is rare and prohibitively expensive from others. Any wire wrapped rosary I make gets taken up immediately by anyone who sees it. Even I want to buy his work just when I look at it, even though I prefer stone beads (and I don't think he uses them much) and I'm perfectly capable of making one myself. My rosaries get attention because Skull Rosaries are rare and apparently appealing to people, and habit rosaries are actually difficult to find, I imagine religious orders make their own, but apparently, not all do.

My site is out of date and I am going to update it to restrict it to Memento Mori Rosaries, Habit Rosaries (with greater variety of photos. I have some wonderful natural wooden beads I hope to use soon, but 150 decade rosaries are not quick to make) and custom chaplets.

Restricting one's work will increase attention. Focus on something which you cannot find easily, and then make it available easily. People will find you.

[Rosarium]

I initially started making rosaries out of frustration. I HATED being forced to buy a new rosary every six months or so due to the poor construction. A man can go broke spending $30-50 on a rosary two or three times a year!

Funny, I grew up using a rosary my mum made for me when I was an infant. I still have it, and it is still in perfect condition. It isn't particularly fine or anything, it just uses materials designed for a good rosary, instead of whatever is cheapest and easiest to machine make. I didn't realise what typical rosaries were like from stores and how over priced they were until I paid attention to them. Because I use stone and pearls, I know very much how over priced anything made with pearls or stones are (jewelry and rosaries alike). For example, a $99 dollar "pearl" necklace likely has only a few dollars worth of pearls on it if that.

I'd also like to mention that I sought out the best way to make rosaries, as far as strength and durability go. I'd never heard of wire wrapping, but learned quickly that it produces a nearly indestructible rosary. Seeing as how I was feed up with replacing rosaries I figured that if I was going to learn I wanted to learn how to make the strongest. (I'm not saying this to imply that anyone else's rosaries are not strong or anything like that).

I learned about making a whole rosary like that from your site, however, I knew the techniques which I always used for parts of rosaries. I personally do not think the strength is the main virtue, but its aesthetics. I never had anyone want a wire wrapped rosary (I try to talk them out of it, then refer them to you) for strength, but for how they look. The links are strong, but if there is force applied, it deforms them, so personally I prefer the rosary to separate at a single point which is easily repairable, no matter how much force is applied. I never talked someone out of wire wrapping, because they were after how it looks.

[Rosarium]

I forgot to fill in the links I wanted to give you
Great if you don't want to go bulk, also they have cheap stuff up to sterling and gold (this is my prefered wire supplier):
http://www.rosaryparts.com/

Funny, I only use them for crucifices and and centres.

Great source for bulk beads (thanks Herr!):
http://www.firemountaingems.com/

They are also good for wire and findings and tools. They are primarily for jewelry makers.

I just got something in the mail coming in a few minutes ago. I am satisfied with the order, so: http://www.moscompany.com/ They have a lot of stuff, but I only ordered from them for a particular piece, which was more expensive than I think is fair, but that is the law of supply and demand.

[RalphKramden]

I didn't realise what typical rosaries were like from stores and how over priced they were until I paid attention to them. Because I use stone and pearls, I know very much how over priced anything made with pearls or stones are (jewelry and rosaries alike). For example, a $99 dollar "pearl" necklace likely has only a few dollars worth of pearls on it if that.

You are so right about that, what people will pay for what is essentially a cheaply made piece of junk is amazing. If it is made properly then it is higher priced still.

I learned about making a whole rosary like that from your site, however, I knew the techniques which I always used for parts of rosaries. I personally do not think the strength is the main virtue, but its aesthetics. I never had anyone want a wire wrapped rosary (I try to talk them out of it, then refer them to you) for strength, but for how they look. The links are strong, but if there is force applied, it deforms them, so personally I prefer the rosary to separate at a single point which is easily repairable, no matter how much force is applied. I never talked someone out of wire wrapping, because they were after how it looks.

I agree with you as far as the ascetics being better than the strength, but I've found people will look into it more if you sell them on the strength. Once they look into it more they fall in love with the ascetics without being pushed into that direction. Also, for most people the strength is a perk they'll never need to test. Most people are careful with their rosaries because they respect them so you don't find many people who are too rough with them. As far as normal wear and tear go, wire wrapping is way strong enough to handle even the toughest person.

Herr, how do you approach the crafting of your rosaries? Do you try and focus it on pray as I do or is the rosary making a distraction to prayer for you? I could see it either way.

I also agree with what you said as far as finding a little niche. You've got the whole skull/habit thing going on that works very well for you, but you still do some more mainline things as well. I try and make more unique designs and stuff that you don't see as much. I do some standard type designs, but I really like to be creative and make things that will be unique to someone.

I feel that they will kinda bond with a rosary if it's different and they like it because of that. You are correct that I don't use much stone beads (hardly any in fact). I use mostly glass and some crystal. I also like wood and some pearl. I've just recently started working with goldtone stuff and that's been fun.

[RalphKramden]

I just got something in the mail coming in a few minutes ago. I am satisfied with the order, so: http://www.moscompany.com/ They have a lot of stuff, but I only ordered from them for a particular piece, which was more expensive than I think is fair, but that is the law of supply and demand.

I've ordered from them lots in the past (never rosary related, just general religious articles). I love them! They have lots of trad stuff and there prices seem to be lower than many other places for most things. I use them more that Leaflet Missal any more. They are cheaper and seem friendlier.

I'm not sure what you ordered that was over priced, but that hasn't been my experience with them at all. At any rate I'd recommend more people to look into them, they seem pretty unknown.

[Rosarium]

I'm not sure what you ordered that was over priced, but that hasn't been my experience with them at all. At any rate I'd recommend more people to look into them, they seem pretty unknown.

The individual piece was over priced, however, it is not common, so maybe that is why.

[Rosarium]

I agree with you as far as the ascetics being better than the strength, but I've found people will look into it more if you sell them on the strength.

Ascetic is a different word

Herr, how do you approach the crafting of your rosaries?

Sitting.

Do you try and focus it on pray as I do or is the rosary making a distraction to prayer for you? I could see it either way.

I cannot pray while making a rosary, but I see rosary making as something more than a craft and a form of prayer in itself. I do not make rosaries unless I'm in the proper state of mind.

I also agree with what you said as far as finding a little niche. You've got the whole skull/habit thing going on that works very well for you, but you still do some more mainline things as well. I try and make more unique designs and stuff that you don't see as much. I do some standard type designs, but I really like to be creative and make things that will be unique to someone.

Yes, rosary making is very generic. Someone who makes specific types of rosaries is very  capable of making almost any sort, however, when people see a person making something unique, I find that they were be inclined to ask that person about something less common. I get many "Could you make <some obscure chaplet or criteria for a rosary>?". I'm sure those churning out generic rosaries do not get such requests so often. Even my most commonly made design is unique each time and cannot be found anywhere else, although, you or anyone with rosary making skill could make them.

I feel that they will kinda bond with a rosary if it's different and they like it because of that. You are correct that I don't use much stone beads (hardly any in fact). I use mostly glass and some crystal. I also like wood and some pearl. I've just recently started working with goldtone stuff and that's been fun.

I prefer stone and wood. I do use some glass beads, usually faceted though.

I forgot to give this source I use: http://www.beadsandpieces.com/ They have some very good selections there.