"Part of my business is selling dart shirts, the other is providing the darts community with some attire that promotes the sport." ~ Rags, March 2012
A message and a Thank You! from the man in the designers chair.
We've all had those moments when we suddenly say to ourselves Whoa! Where'd the time go!?, and today is one of those for My Dart Shirts and Rags To Stitches Productions. On this day back in 2007, MyDartShirts.com was born in an effort to provide dart players with a variety of options in casual dart shirts. Since then I've expanded and recently opened the new custom shop to offer more than just the casual look, and I look forward to adding more styles and selections in 2012 and beyond.
But why did I take it upon myself to do that? Allow me to share a short story.
Back in 2004 or so I found myself becoming more and more involved with darts than I had been in the past. I was (and still am) running a weekly luck of the draw dart tournament at my local sports bar, starting up the North Texas Dart Association and personally enjoying the sport more than ever. I soon became a local promoter of darts in the DFW area, spreading the word about when and where to play, recruiting players into leagues and encouraging venues across three counties to install dartboards and invite players to their establishments. I found myself referring to a rule of thumb I alwasy went by in the embroidery business:
Always wear your product, promoting yourself and your brand.
Quite simple really. I needed some dart shirts to wear. Unfortunately I sold my embroidery machine during a change in the role I played in my career with Imprinted Sportswear, so I jumped online one weekend to find me some darts apparel. I found a couple of Dead Stroke shirts and a Black Widows shirt from Laserdarts. That was IT.
After a long period of thought and consideration, I took on the project of My Dart Shirts.
It's hard to believe My Dart Shirts has come this far. It has been a pleasure and an honor to work with so many great people in the darts community. I take pride in lending my design work as a free service to sponsor youth and adult dart leagues along with occasional tournaments. It is a wonderful feeling to know that these images and designs have been decorating dart players from coast to coast, and from Texas to Canada. I am proud to work with Johnny K in designing the tee shirts for his annual Toys For Tots fund raiser at the end of each year, and I look forward to each and every holiday season when John gets all of us into that giving spirit.
Despite having been in the apparel decorating business for 16 years now, I've learned many lessons in addition to the experiences I've had over the years. Some enlightening, some humbling and some amusing. I'll share those in short time, but for now I'd like to thank all of you in the darts community for embracing my vision of promoting the sport through the shirts we wear, for supporting me by referring others to my products and services, for occasionally buying a shirt or two for yourself, and most of all for including me in the great sport of darts that we all enjoy.
Now, would someone please enlighten me as to what the hell I am aiming at?
~ Rags
