First outfit February 21, 2007

I finally finished this little number. I am calling it the “Sophia”. It is a little big as I was ignorant of how to use a pattern and added a 5/8″ seam allowance when one was already included in the pattern pieces. It will, however, work out to my advantage as she can wear it a little big this year and she can wear it fitting just right next summer(although the pants will probably look more like a capri).

I am still on a learning curve, so I don’t expect to make such simple errors in the future. Also, I am going to draft my own patterns, so if I make such a daft error, than I don’t deserve to have a sewing business. The photos I take for selling my line on ebay will hopefully have a better presentation and be more artistic. We shall see.

p.s. I know the pants are huge, but they are sooooo adorable on miss Sophia. And don’t worry Liz, when I get around to making clothes for your boys I won’t make them look like hippies!

Self employed February 20, 2007

The task seems a little daunting, but it is one that I a more sure of than any other I have contemplated. I am going into business making *boutique couture* children’s clothing. I won’t start right away as I think I have much to learn. I have started by making a few outfits already. One for Tim and Leah’s daughter Rachel, and one for Sophia that only needs a few buttons and some finished armholes. The outfits so far have come from a pattern, but I am sure they are original as the fabrics I used have likely not been used in for those patterns before. I also wanted to embellish those but I was just learning how to use a pattern and construct a garment.
Anywho, I will start slowly, hopefully selling a few things before summer, but I really want to be up and running shortly after we settle somewhere for grad school. My hope is that we have three bedrooms so one of them can be used as my “studio”. I have already done some research, and these outfits go for anywhere from $70 to over $300. For one outfit. Crazy, I know. These are the steps that I can forsee for now that I still have to take:

1) Purchase a serger so I can have a professionally finished garment

2) Learn how to use the thing

3) Draw up at least five to ten original designs

4) Draft patterns for my designs with cheapo fabric in sizes 12 m – 6 years (pants and skirts should be easy, shirts, not so much)
5) Purchase many good quality, vintage-funky-chic fabrics with which to make my garments

6) Learn to make matching accessories. Crazy, I know, but it is what the people want.

7) Learn some more html so I can put together a nice presentation on ebay or wherever.
Start saving for a digital SLR camera so I can take good quality photos of my designs.

9) Come up with a name. Oh yeah, I already did, but it is not yet open to the public;)

10) Think up the other 20 steps that I am probably not yet aware of.

So there it is. If y’all are skeptical go to ebay and search for ‘Lilyplum’ or ‘custom boutique’ and you will see what I am talking about. Oh, and hopefully I will have Sophia’s outfit done my tomorrow and I can post a picture.

Is it time to make the stylish move to a minivan??? February 8, 2007

Yesterday Zac and the kids and I made a trip to Sam’s to get some yeast, wipes and long grain rice. A trip to Sam’s is no longer so simple and quick though. Our Sam’s is being renovated so they have displaced everything. In our walk around the store we found some additional items we could not live without (ha!). A movie for Zac, two boxes of diapers that were marked down on the “as is” cart, and half a ton of napkins (we had company over last Thursday, he got the last napkin and the rest of us used washcloths). With our overflowing cart we happily payed for our goods and made our way outside. We got to our CAR and realized we had no room for all this stuff.With some creativity and not an inch of spare room we got all of our goods into our car. This is when I thought to myself “why don’t we have a minivan”. Well I suppose the reasons are obvious. It was another reminder for me to be content with what we have. It is indeed what the LORD has provided for us. He has given us no more or no less than what he wants us to have. He owns the cattle on a thousand hillsides and everything in between.

So the answer is, no it is not time for a minivan. It is time for us to be content with our little car, and everything else we have and don’t have.