Photo by Susan Carpenter Sims / The Taos News

Sacred Ceremonial Wear: ‘Clothes to go see God in’ – Taos News
A major help in this was beginning to practice Lakota spirituality about five years ago, and it’s also now cleared the path for her business sewing Lakota ceremonial clothing. “I prayed about doing something that was more in line with my spiritual path

Photo Credit: SavannahNow.com

Savannah Grandmother Sees Her Hobby Grow Into an Online Business – Savannah Morning News
Arlene Ferrino’s love of sewing began in childhood. “My grandmother was my teacher,” she recalls of the Italian immigrant who made her living as a seamstress in New York’s garment district. “I remember sitting by her side, watching with wide-eyed

Photo Credit: Mobile Press Register

Janet’s Chili Peppers in Wilmer makes glamorous gowns and more – Everything Alabama Blog
For Hollinghead’s business, the couple purchased property that contained that she has worked with a broken wrist for about four weeks and she hasn’t stopped sewing,” Hollinghead said. The two Wilmer residents not only bond over sewing, but

Dad still makes SHeDaisy girls do the dishes – Deseret News
Through the years, the one constant for the Osborns has been the sewing business that his father opened the year Dave was born. At first, the original Osborns sewed for companies such as Pendleton, Eddie Bauer and White Stag, but when cheap overseas labor

Her sewing business was launched a year after the birth of her second child, daughter Ruth, 3. Hometown : Born in Rome, Ga., now lives in Rossville. Education : Bachelor of Science in family and child development from Auburn University, and a master’s Read the article

Dolls By Mary

Mary Ciske of Dolls by Mary creates these wonderful classic Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, as well as traditional styles and custom orders.  Her handcrafted dolls are available in two sizes – 15″ and 20″, and they are very reasonably priced at between $15 and $30.  They’re available with different embroidered faces, skin and hair colors, and all of the dolls’ clothing is also handmade of crisp cotton fabric.  My favorite thing is that they all have the traditional heart embroidered on their chests, just like the pair my mother made for me as a child.

Mary learned to sew from her mother when she was about 7 years old and she enjoys using those skills to make some extra cash.  She takes orders for dolls on her Dolls by Mary website and she travels to nearby craft shows to display the dolls that creates at home in ”a terrific sewing room.”  The independence to make what she wants and work when she wants to are the best part of self employment for Mary, but she tells us her least favorite part is the unpredictable income.  She wants to “keep the business small enough that I can handle it alone but large enough to make a little bit of extra $$” and says she’ll “continue making the dolls as long as doing so makes me happy and brings me some income.”

More Dolls by Mary!

Lauren Darby of Originals by Lauren makes and sells all sorts of gorgeous handmade items in her Etsy shop like these neat Amy Butler Lacework potholders.  You’ll also find matching aprons, quilts, reusable lunch bags, table runners, wall hangers and lots more.

Lauren has been sewing since her mother taught her how in the sixth grade and now she sews full-time for her business.  In addition to her Originals by Lauren shop where she sells assorted kitchen and household items, she has another Etsy shop called Originals by Lauren Too where she lists her handmade original children’s clothing and hospital gowns for men, women, children, and maternity.

She creates her designs from a studio in her home and says “I like being my own boss, although I think I put more pressure on myself than a boss would sometimes.”  Her latest projects include a new line of PDF sewing patterns – the first one went on sale last week and is for a vendor apron, the next will be for a child’s twirl skirt which she plans to also offer as twirl skirt kits so busy moms don’t have to shop for fabric as everything they need will be provided.

Badia Bentley is a seamstress and sewing instructor from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.  She started her business, Sewing With Badia, in October 2007 but she says her passion for sewing began in the 6th grade when she learned how to sew, darn and do needlework from her mother and grandmother.  After high school Badia’s first job was in a sewing factory where she worked for several years, then after having children of her own she made clothing for them and taught them how to sew.

For Badia, sewing presents the opportunity to see one’s accomplishment from start to finish. She wants  to show and teach others that sewing can be fun and easy to learn and she’s accomplishing just that!  In addition to teaching sewing with and without patterns, teaching workshops and group sewing, Badia also creates and sells specialty items such as clothing, adaptive clothing, comforters, quilts, handbags and purses.  She also makes business apparel (i.e. salon client smocks, scrubs, pajamas, pants, uniforms) and is available for contract work.

Badia enjoys working from home in a sunroom that is dedicated to her sewing business and although she says she struggles at times to make a living, the best part of being self employed is “being independent, living your passion for something you love to do.  I struggle to make it financially but I have such peace of mind and happiness within and it gives me joy to teach and help others how to sew.”  She plans to expand her business into the Philadelphia area and hopes to take on more contract work.  Visit her website at SewBadia.com or click here to view her products and rates.