Sewing Business Blog

It’s Spring and Summer Sewing Time Once Again

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I don’t know about the weather where you are, but here in Florida it appears that Spring may have been left out this year and summer jumped right in!

Regardless of the temperatures, it’s very much time for all of us to begin our regular “new season” sewing.  I’d like to recommend you check out our recently re-vamped PatternsThatFitYou site for dozens of great patterns.

Sewing for plus size children can be the hardest thing to do as there can rarely be anything found that will fit the overweight children.  PatternsThatFitYou has pattern making classes and regular packaged patterns for those hard to fit children.

If you’re looking for something for yourself, whether a regular size or full figure, PatternsThatFitYou has pattern classes designed just for you.  There are classes for slacks/shorts, blouses, dresses, sport bra and many others.

I’m so excited about getting my spring/summer wardrobe made and already have fabrics lined up for myself as well as for my grandchldren.

Let us know what YOUR sewing projects are!  Happy Sewing!

 

How To Save On Packing And Shipping

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For those of us who ship items that we’ve designed and crafted all around the globe, there is the constant issue of prices going up. Postal Service rates have gone up once again as well as prices on products we use for packing our products. We have learned, through trial and error, a few things dealing with the packing and shipping aspect, and want to pass them on to you.

** I’m sure we’re not the only ones who’ve gotten “stuck in a rut” when it comes to the type of packaging we use. Well, now is the time to step out of your comfort zone and try new packaging products. For example, for years we have used the bubble type padded manilla envelopes for shipping soft, really unbreakable products. Recently we decided to try the tyvek type envelopes. WOW! The tyvek envelopes worked GREAT — they were more lightweight than the manilla padded paper packages, therefore brought the shipping cost down, plus they are untearable which the paper manilla packages were not. In addition, we found a supplier on eBay where we could get a large lot of 1000 tyvek bags for about 1/3 the price of only 100 manilla bubble packages.

** Before simply making the call or visit to an office supply store for your packaging needs, check out eBay to see what might be available there. It’s been our experience that you can get larger lots of the shipping item for less. However, if you are still wanting to use the local office supply store, be sure you check the newspapers and flyers that come in the mail for discount coupons.

** When you get ready to actually package the items to ship, it would be wise to check the various shipping companies (USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc) to see where you can get the best shipping price. I usually think that if my product won’t fit in a USPS “flat rate” box of some kind, it will be cheaper and quicker delivery to send the box via FedEx. Once again, I had an eye opener yesterday when I was shipping a rather big/heavy box (12 pounds and in my own cardboard box, not any flat rate type box). I was doing my online shipping label at FedEx and got down to the price area and it told me the price would be $23.85. WHAT?? And this box was going to a BUSINESS so didn’t even have all the “residential” surcharges tacked on. I immediately opened a new window to check out the US Postal Service rate —-sending from my zip to their zip – box size and weight —- the priority mail price was $13.59! You can guess right away that I closed up the FedEx label window and finished the label using the US Postal Service. Never “assume” that one carrier will be cheaper than all the rest —- when you have a package that is a little different than those that you normally ship, be sure to check the various options before making any assumption about which would be cheaper or faster.

** One other reminder on the shipping supplies – remember that the Postal Service provides a wide variety of flat rate boxes as well as regular priority mail boxes and shipping envelopes — all FREE to you, the customer. This can make a big difference in the final cost for shipping your items, where every penny saved can add up to additional profit for you.

How To Make A Purse From A Girls’ Skort

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A couple weeks ago I talked about attending the local Mom2Mom kids resale event.  Not only is this a great place to buy ultra cheap clothing items for the kids/grandchildren, it is also the most AWESOME place to find items to recycle into craft/sewing projects that can be used for gifts, selling at your craft fairs or bazaars or make into decor items for yourself.  This year I found several things that I just couldn’t resist!!!  The first item was a size 2T tan girls’ skort that had pink embroidery on the pocket flaps and pink checked shorts under the skirt.   I just KNEW this would make a fantastic purse, and my little granddaughters simply love their purses.

The girls’ skort into a purse project was pretty much quick and easy because all I had to do was sew up the bottom legs of the shorts part:

After sewing the legs closed I sewed a short distance up the center front/back seam to make the purse into two separate “compartments” within the purse.

To make a strap for the purse I found some solid pink fabric in my scrap box, cut the strap 20″ long and 4″ wide.  To complete the strap, fold in half with right sides together and sew the long edge with a 1/4″ seam.  Turn the strap right side out, press, then topstitch 1/4″ edges on both of the long sides.

Attach the strap to the new purse:

This skort cost $1.00 at the Mom2Mom kids resale event, and by using scrap fabric for the strap, the only “extra” thing for cost was my time.  I’m so happy to say that I actually bought 8 of these skorts (various colors and sizes) that I’ll be making into child’s purses for gifts this Christmas.

One Stop Shopping Spot For Sewing/Crafting Items

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There is a semi-annual “Mom2Mom” consignment sale held at our local fairgrounds that draws huge crowds of buyers as well as consignors.  This year my daughter and I participated as a consignor (for the first time), so on Monday I stood in line for our 10:00 a.m. drop-off appointment time.  I was there at 9:30 and was first in line, but almost immediately after that other consignors began coming in with their “drop offs”.  As I was talking to other ladies who were there to drop off their items, it was very apparent that the economy has taken a huge hit on all aspects of life!  A couple ladies were saying that they normally simply take the outgrown clothing items and toys to the local Good Will, but this year they NEEDED whatever cash they could get from selling the items at the consignment sale and had put together everything they could in order to make a few bucks.

The actual “sale” began today (Thursday) at 10:00 for those people who wanted to get in early and pay $1.00 entrance fee (the $1.00 was for a particular charity).  I was there at 9:30 just to see how many people were in line already waiting to get in —- here’s a picture of part of the line:

At 9:30 there were approximately 87 people already in line waiting for the doors to open at 10:00!  I’d driven by the fairgrounds a little after 9 heading for the Post Office, and there were already probably a dozen people standing around the door at that time.

Why would sewers and crafters go to a kids’ resale consignment affair?  This is where I get LOTS of great deals on clothing items that I can make into craft items for craft fairs, bazaars, etc.  You can find jeans for those jean purses for about a buck a pair, plus blouses, shorts and other items that can be made into craft items.  I also look for sheets and pillow cases, as the fabric from the sheets/pillow cases can be used for dozens of things.   At a previous kids consignment sale I found a really nice girls skort – had pink checked shorts under a khaki skirt, that I’m using for a project tutorial for this blog in a few days.  I’ve even found small bags of jewelry findings that I’ve re-used for various projects.

Check around in your local areas for consignment sales such as this – I guarantee that you’ll find many things CHEAP that you can use for your own sewing/crafting projects without spending big dollars at the fabric stores.  You’ll be helping the consignors make a few dollars in addition to saving yourself some money.