Why I don't sell

Upcycled Autumn coat for my mum

Being someone who sews garments and posts online, naturally I get asked a lot if I sell, or that I should sell. And while this may seem like a grand idea, it's actually really not the best path for me to go down right now. Here is my list of reasons why. I am also going to include some images of the garments I have made over the last few months.

Upcylced winter coat

I'm not very good
It's hard to tell from photos (or even meeting me in person) but my garments actually aren't great quality. I have only  been doing this for a year and have a lot to practice and a lot to learn. I've never studied sewing and am still refining my techniques. Almost every garment I've made has seemed fine at the time, but after some wear and a few washes has presented some major problems (from my own experiences and friends reports) that would result in a complaint if they were a paid order.

Money/Insurance

Fleece skirt and felt winged shrug 

I've been down this road before with my (failed) toy making business and it's so expensive to start up. We don't have any money to fork out the start up cost to cover me, and if you can't afford insurance you can't afford to do business. Most markets won't let you sell without basic insurance. So while it can seem logical to "just make a few things and list them online" it's not really smart.

                                               Time

Upcycled woodland jacket

I outright don't have the time. I barely have the time to make my own wardrobe and passion projects. I have both kids five days a week, my son six days and I work the one day I don't have either. My son is a shotty sleeper so sometimes I don't even have the evenings free (and really, I should be sleeping as he could be awake for 2-3hours overnight), if I had orders, they'd just never get done. My last commission I ever did took over a year, that was way too long. My husband is also in uni full time, so I get limited help from him over the weekends and in the afternoons as he is usually swamped with work (he also works full time). In the time I have written this blog, I have already had to go and re-settle him, forty minutes after finally getting him down in the first place

Winged shrug and purple panel skirt

Stress
It is so stressful! I love to sew, it's my vice, it relaxes me, I get to be creative. having orders or making something perfect so it won't be sent back just makes me want to quit. When I do have them, I avoid my sewing room like the plague, and when I do work on something for myself I feel horrible the whole time as I know there is an order waiting. Plus, if the project is something I don't like, I don't have the will to "power through it" for the money.

So, does this mean I will never sell? Well, no of course not! But this is not the time in my life, I have two pre-school aged children, one income, a mortgage and a studying husband. It's just not the time for my career. I know that it is the done thing these days for mums to study and work hard whilst their children are very young, but that's not me. "Living life in the fast lane" just doesn't appeal to me at all, Take in to account that my mother suffered an adrenal burnout in her 30s from pushing herself too hard and has had her life limited ever since, I'd rather take it slow. Right now my children need me, and I need sleep when I can get it. Once my husband gets his "out of uni job" (by then our eldest will be in school) and we can afford things like a cleaner, it will be my turn. What will I do? Well, that's still three year away... who knows?

Upcycled Jacket for my daughter

I have some exciting projects in the works to show you all soon! I'm also hoping to get this blog active again, even if it's just posts like this, where I just talk.