Why couldn't you turn your sewing hobby into a new side hustle? Or even a new career?
My teen years and my 20's had me convinced that I was fat. Full of insecurity and self loathing, I struggled hard to feel like I looked good in the clothing that was "my size."
(Which, NOW I know it was because the clothes were my size, but definitely NOT my shape. And don't even get me started about bras!)
In my late 20's, I was so frustrated with my clothing that I decided it was time to sew my own clothes because NOTHING at the store was shaped the way I was.
I knew how to thread a machine and sew in a (mostly) straight line. But, in terms of making clothes fit me… I did NOT know what I was doing. At. All.
My friends joked that sewing time was actually swearing time at my house (I yelled at my machine, as if that would help…).
That's when I devised a plan to get sewing know-how. I planned to find a sewing job, so they could *train me in the things I needed to know.
I think back to my first sewing job and I really knew *nothing when I started. But, if you really look at sewing, it's like building any other skill.
Over the next 10 years, I learned…
☑ There's nothing wrong with my shape, or the shapes of other bodies, it's the clothes that aren't shaped like humans.
☑ Alterations are the fastest way to change that shape to create a well fitting garment.
☑ Start with simple projects and work towards more complicated ones.
☑ Inspect the work with a critical eye and redo it if something doesn't look professional.
☑ Treat each new project like leveling up in a game.
It didn't take long before I was working on all manner of projects, from parade floats to wedding gowns, patching farmer pants to hemming $200 designer jeans.
But… a funny thing happens…
Once people know that you sew, they ask you to do all sorts of sewing tasks, but…
❌You don't have a system in place for taking customers or charging for your work (or establishing good boundaries!).
❌You are terrified that you will make a mistake, so it's easier to say you hate alterations than to do them.
❌You find tutorial on sewing that turn out to be "hacks" on the internet, but you aren't sure if it's the "right" way to do the work.
I'm not going to lie to you. I'm not offering you a quick fix or a get rich scheme. I'm offering you the chance to build a skill into a trade, but you'll have to put in the work, consistently.
We've been in business for more than 30 years now, and a word-of-mouth reputation keeps us busier than any ad would ever accomplish. (This could be you!)
If you're wrestling with the cost of your sewing hobby, you need to start your own business to generate the funds ? for your hobby to sustain itself.
-OR- If you've hit a breaking point with your job, like so many people after all the workplace changes of the pandemic, you need to make that career change and take your sewing full-time!
More importantly, the MARKET NEEDS YOU to step into the gaps that are being created by the sewists that are retiring. What if you had a mentor to talk you through your first few projects? The process I use with clients is simple, actionable steps, and something you can build from shoestring budget beginnings.
Topic in this post: #SewWithUs
Kristen sews because clothes don't come shaped like humans and people often think their bodies are the problem, which is a problem.
Skipped to the end? I get it!
Checkout our Everything Page. There are links to... well(?), everything! You'll find quick, free wins for sewing as well as Step-by-Step Trainings.
Our Everything Page
If you have any sewing friends, we'd love it if you would share our links!
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Whether you're sewing or hiring a sewist, your clothing will be shaped like your undergarments. Therefore, it is imperative that you learn to buy the right bra. Checkout our post on bra fitting.
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