Cutting the Apron Strings

by Kaylene Canfield
(Overton, NV)

Starting with fun Christmas aprons, during July with fabric that I had purchased the day after Christmas my business in crafting was launched. Sewing has been a part of me my entire life, but with the kids grown and no grandchildren yet I had let my machine get lonely. I also wanted to try supplementing my income.

Aprons seemed a fun choice, not requiring specific sizes, not very expensive to make or for the customer to buy. So the stitching began, this was followed by learning to take photos of them. I find a real model or mannequin shows the shape better than lying on a floor or on a hanger. Watch for shadows (including you) in the pictures.

Selling venues I tried included ebay, etsy and finally building my own site. I have began flea markets and now with a group of other crafters hold open houses. Still on the list to try is craft parties.

Most important is developing a schedule for working on the projects, keeping in mind this is your new job. An example may be Monday sew, Tuesday photograph items, Wednesday update online sites, Thursday shop for materials.

Keep a budget in mind and determine what you would like to earn and what are the steps to get there. Many craft fairs have high booth fees, plan on visiting as many as you get to get a feel for the amount of traffic and if you think they would stop and look at your items.

Keep booth, website, work areas tidy. You will feel better and more productive.

You can purchase Kaylene's handmade aprons at www.bestdressedchefs.com