Unboxing a Print Run of Children’s Books
Why I ordered a print run (and why it matters for wholesale) This week Iām prepping for the New England Made wholesale show, and that meant making a real production decision: I placed a print run of two of my books so my per-book cost is lower than the inventory I...
Felting 3D Curves
Step 1: Shape first (before you add details) In this episode, I focus on felting 3D cures by getting the fin shape ājust rightā before I add any stripes or lines. Hereās why: when the silhouette changes, your details shift with it. If you add lines too early, youāll...
Structuring Buying Options for Wholesale Books
What Iām working on in Week 5 Iām Hillary Dow, the author-illustrator behind Binding Tales. I publish childrenās books illustrated with my needle-felted wool artwork, and Iām sharing the behind-the-scenes realities of being an indie publisher week by week. This weekās...
The Secret to Creative Flow: Stop Splitting Your Time
In Week 4 of my 2026 author-illustrator journey vlog, Iām needle-felting āStellaā while talking about time management for creativesāespecially the overachievers. Iām changing my morning routine to protect creative flow, and Iām moving my self-imposed illustration...
2nd Print Run: Print-on-Demand vs Domestic vs Overseas
Week 3 of my 2026 vlog is all about printing decisions for fully illustrated, full-color childrenās books. Iāve tested print-on-demand, domestic/local printing, and overseas printing, and Iām sharing what Iāve learned about cost, quality, reliability, and...
Early to Bed, Early to Rise: The Power of Habits
Welcome to Week 2 of my 2026 vlog series! Iām Hillary Dowāauthor/illustrator, needle-felting artist, and founder of Binding Tales. This week Iām sharing the foundation habit that makes everything else possible: waking up at 4:00 a.m. (yes, really). Iāll show whatās on...
2026 Vlog Kicks Off
Prefer the transcription? Here you go!January 1, 2026 Happy New Year! I'm Hilary Dow, the owner, author, illustrator, and publisher of Binding Tales. And I'm kicking off 2026 with a series of weekly videos. And my plan is to capture everything from the habits of my...
Felting Needle Gauge Guide
Below is a clear guide to felting needle gaugesāwhat sizes exist, how they differ, and when to use each in both needle-felting sculpture and surface/flat felting. Felting Needle Gauges ā Overview Felting needles are sized by gauge:ā¶ Higher number = thinner needleā¶...
Maine’s Fiber Community
The tagline forĀ Binding Tales is From Farm to Bookshelf. I love to know that the wool I use in the artwork made for my book illustrations is sourced from healthy sheep living happily on Maine farms. Whether time is spent visiting farms, roaming fairs, or a smattering...
Hanging Fiber Artwork – Framing with glass or no glass?
Do I put glass over my wool artwork when I hang it on the wall? Over the years Iāve gotten this question a lot. Some artists do use stretcher boards (like a stretched canvas), shadowboxes, or traditional frames with or without glass, but my answer to this question is...