And it's been a busy one!
Almost a year ago I decided to try sewing from home for profit. I told myself that I would give it a year and see what happens. Here is what I have learned so far:
1. Unless you are a professional seamstress, sewing takes time. I *think* an average bag takes me 12 hours to make. But it is hard to tell when you add in all the daily family life, interruptions and repeated trips to the fabric store for forgotten items.
2. Know your margins. If you charge $10 for an item, spend $5 on materials, and take 4 hours to sew that single item, you are only making $1.25 per hour. Ask yourself if it is truly worth it.
3. Life doesn't always work around work.. When I started this venture Baby C was still immobile and content to play in a playpen while I sewed. It was also summer and the older C's would play outside all day. Now it is winter and we are confined to the house a lot of the time. Baby C is mobile to the point of climbing onto the sewing table and messing with my tensions while tangling herself in thread. Finding the time to work is more work than the work itself.
4. Fabric breeds. We are moving in 4 weeks and I packed up my sewing room this morning. I have no less than 5 large boxes of fabric. Some bought, some given to me and I swear - some of it just appears out of nowhere!
I have enough fabric to make my girls a whole new wardrobe for summer plus pj's for all.
A year later I am making the decision not to sew for profit anymore. I'm sure I'll miss it, but I'm looking forward to sewing for fun again. It's been a long time since I did that! Yesterday I picked up a sewing magazine filled with little ideas for kids clothing and other around the house items. And some day I'll have a camera again and be able to post pictures here of the fun little things I am creating. Until then, I have no idea if I'll even keep this blog or if I'm going to join it with my other blog. We'll just have to see where time takes me!
