The Sewing Lady

The Sewing Lady

Craft: Sewing

Patricia sewed.

She loved sewing and had always made her own clothes and those for her growing family.

She enjoyed making sweatpants for the six months to two-year old age group.

Small Business

She decided to try to sell her made garments and began with some kid's pants.

With a simple design and elasticated waist and cuffs sweatpants were the first item she focused on.

After many evenings creating samples with a variety of jersey cloth, she felt she was ready for the big wide world upon which to unleash her creations.

Samples

She stitched up her samples and stated to take orders from her friends.

Next there was a small commission from the local kids clothing shop.

It was small potatoes, but she kept going.

She enjoyed working with her hands.

Retirement

Patricia was recently retired and now had the time to give to her sewing.

She placed her craft table in front of the window and was ready to begin.

She only sat at her machine during the day and only when the light was good.

By starting sewing at 10am Patricia worked until 3pm each day in the first week from Monday to Friday.

Orders

At first, she sewed in the colour and with the cloth she liked.

As time went on, she took orders for ten blue and ten red sweatpants. these were the popular colours for the pants.

The Sweet Spot

The Drapers

By buying the material in bulk, getting a little discount from the draper and making ten blue and red size small, all in one sitting she soon reached her sweet spot where she could not be any more efficient. 

At this stage she could make 19 pants a week.

This was not that many really, but more than she used to make as a hobby.

Sewing Timetable

This was how her production weak was structured:

• Cutting out on Monday
• Sewing the main seams on Tuesday
• Finishing off the garments on Wednesday
• Pressing the pants on Thursday
• Packaging and posting her finished items on Friday 

Week in and week out.

Full Production

Capacity

Now whilst this is good in the short term (six months) there comes a time when you can't keep up with the orders. 

The kid's shop that took ten a week had a branch in another city and wanted ten for that shop as well. 

What to do?

No Work No Pay

If Patricia got ill, she couldn't sew. 

She was turning over $40 and making $160 each week at full tilt. 

But 19 garments were all she could make.

She could only make nineteen sweatpants a week.

If she took a day off, she made less money.

It was a case of no work and no pay.

Time and Money

Maxed Out

The realization eventually came to her that she could never make more money, but only make less. 

That no matter how hard she tried there was a physical limit to how much she could do each week.

The worst part was that it all depended on her doing it.

All of it.

Burnout

With no one else to help and no more time, she could do no more and earn no more money. 

And because the sweatpants kept her so busy she couldn't do the other creative work which had drawn her to sewing in the first place.

The Challenge

Piecework Doesn't Work

This is a challenge faced by many crafters.

Between earning some money, which is important, and being creative and enjoying what you do. 

This is known as piece work when you are paid by the item.

If there are no items to sell there is no pay for you. 

But piecework is an entry into having an independent micro business and this is what attracts many people every year to the potential freedom of it all. 

Overarch

Steady

Piecework as a way of making money does work.

It has its place and can be sustained indefinitely.

It is what I recommend to crafters and creators to get them going and just start.

Take the plunge and get you stuff out there.

Creators

The principle of piecework does not just affect sewing ladies, you could be a crocheter, woodworker, pie baker or metal worker.

Whatever your creative outlet, there is a place for piecework within that.

I believe that it works better at the beginning of your creative journey, but in time you may wish to change things up so you are not yoked to the principle of no-work-no-pay.

But if you are not just a craftsperson, you are a creator, you will want to make new and exciting designs, garments or other pieces.

I'll be talking more about these options soon.

Author Bio

Alison Heathcote writes about living creatively and building a meaningful life on your own terms. Through gentle reflections on solo living, home and everyday creativity, she explores how to shape a life that feels calm, intentional and deeply your own. More