An idea for business
Jun. 5th, 2010 08:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
twistdfateangel I've been trying to find a way to supplement my very meager income for a while now, and I may have stumbled upon it.
I can sew, sort of. I can fake it pretty well, anyway. I'm getting involved in the ABJD community and it's amazing how much they'll spend on stuff (I don't blame them, with my own doll, I haven't even bought her and I can expect to spend at least $100 on stuff for her). But, everybody makes clothes and, without a doll to use as a guide, I just can't see making outfits.
But, I just bought $10 worth of fat quarters, a few yards of very narrow bias tape and will be seeing about getting hold of poly or cotton batting. Yup, I'm making doll sized quilts.
So far, I'm not ready to sell yet. This first one is only a test run and will probably be set aside for my doll. I haven't figured out the right proportions (I can't get equal 3" squares out of a quarter yard of cotton), but I know that your average SD (60 cm) doll can probably handle a 30 inch quilt and still have some to tuck around the feet. I just talked with Tim's grandmother, who quilts and she's given me pointers (cut off the selvage or it'll wrinkle in the wash, 1/4 inch seam allowances, etc.) and with any luck, I can have at least six cranked out by September.
Tim says I should charge $50 for quilts and $10 for pillows. I think any more than half those prices is gouging people, but we'll see. At two quilts a month, I can have my doll in a year, plus some extra for wigs and such. Plus, I can sell them as baby blankets, because the SD sized ones should be the right size.
And there's other ideas, too. Darkover in November usually has an esoteric track and now, should be having a steampunk track (and I'm doing a panel on Non-Western and Non-TotC Steampunk *flail*). I have a few design ideas for quilted banners and I would happily put those designs in the art show, where they would probably sell well, along with quilted tabards, vests, and shawls. I still remember one of the few projects I actually managed to do in 8th grade Home Ec. (long story), though it was never finished and if I can remember how to do that technique, I can get some beautiful effects. I don't even remember what it was called, but, if I remember, it involved sewing the lining and the front together, sewing around the design you want (or sewing on the applique), then cutting into the lining under the design, and stuffing the sewn area to make it puff out.
And still more ideas. I don't expect to make a living out of this, but I can at least save up to buy the little luxuries I want (a new iPod, a new desktop computer, the neat clothes I want, etc.).
Gah, Chickens, Eggs, whoa. I shouldn't be getting so excited. Start with the quilts, pillows and banners and then start buying crap.
I can sew, sort of. I can fake it pretty well, anyway. I'm getting involved in the ABJD community and it's amazing how much they'll spend on stuff (I don't blame them, with my own doll, I haven't even bought her and I can expect to spend at least $100 on stuff for her). But, everybody makes clothes and, without a doll to use as a guide, I just can't see making outfits.
But, I just bought $10 worth of fat quarters, a few yards of very narrow bias tape and will be seeing about getting hold of poly or cotton batting. Yup, I'm making doll sized quilts.
So far, I'm not ready to sell yet. This first one is only a test run and will probably be set aside for my doll. I haven't figured out the right proportions (I can't get equal 3" squares out of a quarter yard of cotton), but I know that your average SD (60 cm) doll can probably handle a 30 inch quilt and still have some to tuck around the feet. I just talked with Tim's grandmother, who quilts and she's given me pointers (cut off the selvage or it'll wrinkle in the wash, 1/4 inch seam allowances, etc.) and with any luck, I can have at least six cranked out by September.
Tim says I should charge $50 for quilts and $10 for pillows. I think any more than half those prices is gouging people, but we'll see. At two quilts a month, I can have my doll in a year, plus some extra for wigs and such. Plus, I can sell them as baby blankets, because the SD sized ones should be the right size.
And there's other ideas, too. Darkover in November usually has an esoteric track and now, should be having a steampunk track (and I'm doing a panel on Non-Western and Non-TotC Steampunk *flail*). I have a few design ideas for quilted banners and I would happily put those designs in the art show, where they would probably sell well, along with quilted tabards, vests, and shawls. I still remember one of the few projects I actually managed to do in 8th grade Home Ec. (long story), though it was never finished and if I can remember how to do that technique, I can get some beautiful effects. I don't even remember what it was called, but, if I remember, it involved sewing the lining and the front together, sewing around the design you want (or sewing on the applique), then cutting into the lining under the design, and stuffing the sewn area to make it puff out.
And still more ideas. I don't expect to make a living out of this, but I can at least save up to buy the little luxuries I want (a new iPod, a new desktop computer, the neat clothes I want, etc.).
Gah, Chickens, Eggs, whoa. I shouldn't be getting so excited. Start with the quilts, pillows and banners and then start buying crap.
