Fun research, good ideas, your ideas

It is quite possible that you are the mother of invention. Why not?

If not, it is because you are the father of invention - let's be inclusive shall we?

Everyday, you think of things to eat, think of activities to do with your loved ones, you think of things you'd like to try. Invention. You are doing it all the time.

So, how do you get from idea to thing-a-ma-bob?

In my case, when I started to toss around the idea of mimiTENS, I did direct and indirect research. First, I asked my friends and family. What do you think of kids mittens?

They all had the same complaint - most mittens fall off and it is so annoying to have to stop a million times to put them back on your equally annoyed child. Then they suggested other qualities that would make good mittens. I heard that mittens should repel water, be warm, be safe, be cute and many people added ethically-made and eco-friendly to their wish-list.

So, I started to get a sense of was required. Next, I needed a sense of what existed, so I Googled.

I used obvious search words and found that the kids mittens problem is apparently an international one. Parents and designers had seized on it. Knowing what was out there on offer, I was able to refine my idea so that I did not replicate other people's ideas. It also gave me a chance to find ways to differentiate my product and build unique qualities.

Then, your next step, is to GO!

I went to Marina's house and borrowed her sewing machine. Then I went to Designer Fabrics and stood there overwhelmed. I chose some fabrics and ran home giddy. I started cutting and sewing.

As you can see from the posted picture, the first mimiTENS prototypes where made of denim - hardly water-repellent. Also, I cut out some shapes out of felt rather than the embroidery we do now.

It doesn't matter. You just have to get going and the ideas will come to you in the process. I still love looking at these very first attempts at mimiTENS. They make me pretty proud.

The next steps are about editing and refining. This is when you need to nail down your design, your materials and your company's principles.

When you have come up with a product or approach that is a bit special, you will feel like you have a bomb full of sparkly gold in your pocket.