Sewing for money?

I have just started sewing in the past few months.  To be fair, I did take a couple years of sewing lessons when I was a teen, but I didn't retain much from then and have been re-teaching myself. I am super happy with my progress and am loving it!

I was wondering how many of you sew to make money?  This is very appealing to me as I have medical issues that make it difficult for me to have a normal job and being able to sew when I am well is a great solution for me. 

Is there any advice you can offer to someone looking to get into sewing things to sell?  How do you decide on a price?  Where do you sell your stuff?  What type of stuff sells?

Thanks!!

I have 2 Etsy shops.  I sell my sewn items there.  I've been selling on Etsy for 2 and a half years, and I love it.  But it is a lot of work (besides making items to put in your shop).  It is important to be internet savvy and learn how to market and promote your shops.  If you don't, customers won't find you.  So, the most important thing is to do your homework, and learn everything you can before getting started. 

Etsy has a sellers handbook/guide and tutorials, etc., that will pretty much answer all your questions about selling and setting up a shop with them.

In case you want to look at my shops:

http://zaftigdelights.etsy.com   (plus size clothing & jewelry)

http://knitzyblonde.etsy.com    (knitwear and handbags)

As far as pricing.  Look at others who who sell what you would be selling, to get a feel for what the market price is.  Be sure to figure in your cost of supplies, your time and labor/overhead.  Many people first starting have a habit of undervaluing their time and way undercharge for what they are selling.  So be fair with yourself.

If you have any other specific questions, you are welcome to ask me. 

Sandie

Thanks so much for your reply.  I love your stuff by the way - particularly the bags and the hats!!!  I know I have a lot of learning and practice to do still before I start trying to sell stuff, but it's good to have some info on what direction to take when looking to sell stuff.

Thanks again!

I've been making items and selling them for about a year and a half. Primarily, my clients are friends and friends of friends. Personally, I have stayed away from Etsy because I don't want my bags to be compared to those selling for much less. (I refuse to put 6 hours into something and sell it for $35.) I have all the business I can handle via word of mouth. I have also done a few art shows/boutiques, but don't like to do too many of those due to left over inventory. I would recommend starting slowly. Send out an email to a big handful of friends and family, attach some photos (or refer them to your Flickr site) and see how it goes. You can always lower your prices and go to a site like Etsy later if you can get your time and costs down.

Here is my Flickr site, if you want to get a sense of what I'm selling. Most of my bags sell for $55 - $125. (The simple totes are a bit less.)

Good luck and try to still have fun with it. There's danger in turning your hobby into a job.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michellereneedesigns/

Thanks so much for your reply MichelleRenee!  Your purses are gorgeous!  At this point I am thinking that as I sew, I will just put the stuff aside and maybe sell it at a craft fair closer to Christmas.  And then maybe word of mouth.  I find that people love home sewing and there are a lot of things that seem like they would sell quite well.  I have a huge in with parents of young children as I am a preschool teacher.  I love sewing for my children and although I have only made one purse, I love that I can make them too!  I have never been one to carry a purse and think it's quite funny that I am so obsessed with wanting to make beautiful purses.  The thing is... I WOULD carry a purse that I made!  I love homemade purses and there really is nothing in stores that I like for purses.

Anyway,... thanks again for sharing!!!

BTW:  How do you decide on prices?  Do you work in an hourly rate plus cost of materials? 

Thanks so much!

As for the amount I charge, I first calculate the cost of my materials and round up. For example, I figure $9 per yard for quilting material used even though I usually buy it on sale for less. The rounding up accounts for needles, wear and tear on the machine, etc. Then I try to get at least $15 per hour for my time. After working both of those things out, I add or subtract based on what I think the market value of the item is.

As a preschool teacher, you could definitely sell some diaper bags and smaller totes for little girls. I'm just moving in that direction since I've had so many requests for those items.

Also, (at least where I live) everyone loves personalization. I'm monogramming or putting applique letters on more and more of my items these days.

Best of luck!
Michelle

Thanks for the advice Michelle