Success at City Market

Sept 21, 2o10

If ya'll recall a few weeks ago I told you about a "city market on Main" that they were having in our downtown area. It is held at the museum courtyard every Friday in the months of Sept. and Oct. You basically take what you want to sell and set up the booth and hope that you make enough to at least pay for you to set up there.

It is smack in the middle of our downtown area, and I thought it would be a good place to get some exposure and hopefully some sells. Now mind you it is still in the 90's here so you really have to have some kindof shelter, a canopy, and of course you have to have the things you are trying to sell.

So I have to carry this canopy and 2 big totes with my clothes in it plus my chair, a table so I can set out my oven mitt sets and the buisness cards, and the 3 racks to hang the clothes on so people can see them.

You have to move your car to a garage a block away, walk back and proceed to set all this stuff up, sweating like nobody's business and the collapse in the chair and wait for the money to roll in. You are set up for 4 hrs. and after you had a fablous day, you have to take down what you did'nt sell pack it all up, walk a block to get your car, load it back up, and on the drive home, think "AM I TOTALLY CRAZY".

The first week I did'nt sell a thing, not one thing. The second week I sold an oven mitt, which didnot cover the price of setting up. Last week I actually made a profit, which I was so happy about, I felt success at last. Now on the 2 previous weeks I had alot of people stop and look and they said that my clothes were really cute and made very well, but no buyers.

I can't tell you how happy I was to actually sell some of my things, it made the day alot better even knowing all you have to go through to get to that point. I will be going back this Friday, even though it will be 90 again, I'm so ready for cool weather, and hopefully will have more success. The one thing my kids keep telling me is " Your getting out of the house" so it is worth it.

I hope ya'll have a great week and I will let you know how it goes.

dsthreadsdownsouth out for now.

What I've made for myself

Sept. 9, 2010

I told you in an earlier post that I was going to make something for myself for a change, have'nt done it in quite awhile. So I got them finished and was so thrilled with them that I had my son take a few pic. of them so I could share them with you.

Let me start off by saying you can't really tell how old you are getting till you see your self in pictures. I really do not like seeing pic. of myself, but I thought it would look better than hanging on a hanger. This top, I have to say, I love it. It took only about 2 hrs to make, the material was on sale, always love that, and it's just a fun top. The two top sides drape down the front and make a cool feature, then the back is longer, covers the butt, which I like. I love the colors, it reminds me that fall will be here soon.

Now for the winter suit. I have to admit something right off hand. When I look at a pattern, if it has a lining, or cuffs, or zippers and waistbands, I have to think twice before I try to do it. I saw this pattern and loved the way the jacket was made, it just looked like with the right material it would be really snugly in the winter.

I'm not the best at picking out the right material for the right pattern, but I was looking and saw this chocolate brown tweed, on sale, and thought that it would really be "rich" looking. So I put my fears aside, bought the pattern and material, took them home, started reading the instructions and thought I had lost my mind! There was like 11 pieces for the jacket alone, but I knew it would really be a nice winter outfit when I got done. So I started at the beginning and just kept plugging away at it, and I'm very pleased with the way it turned out.

You can't really tell what the material is like, but it is a dark brown tweed with light brown threads running through it. I could have made a few adjustments to it, like the cuffs are a little long, the waist is a little high, I forgot that I usually cut the top of the pants down a little, but all of this was after the fact and it still works for me. The jacket really is'nt as bulky as the picture made it seem, I think that's from me posing. As you can see the butt of the pants fit really well. My son kept saying just don't stand there, pose or do something so I did.

Let me just say that when you work with tweed it is a BIG MESS it ravels like nobody's business. I have carpet in my sewing room, and I had to vacuum a total of 4 times by the time I was finished. I had to be extra careful in handling it just to keep the raveling down. I forgot to mention that the jacket is lined, thank goodness, and that was a challenge to me also, but as far as the fit and the look of the suit, I could'nt be happier or more proud of it.

Thanks for sharing in my accomplishments with me, and the more I venture out the more I will be able to make any and all future customers happy.

dsthreadsdownsouth out for now.

Absent lately

Sept. 5, 2010

I have to apologize for not being on here in awhile. I was busy making a few outfits for my granddaughter and grandson for when school starts. They turned out really cute, and I always forget to take pictures until after I have given them to them, then I have to wait for their mom to do it, and let's just say that she does'nt get in a hurry for to many things, God love her. I actually only made 1 pair of shorts for my grandson, his mom buys the material and then brings it to me to make. It was cute material, blue and grey big checks, from what I can remember, but it had the pockets on the sides and then one on the side of the pants leg, turned out good, and I will get pictures up very soon.

I have to tell you that I think my granddaughter good become a designer when she gets older, she definitely knows what she likes, and what she does'nt. Her mom picks out her material to, and she had multi colored for a pair of capris, it was really cute, but my fashionista granddaugher said " the pants fit really good grandma, but the colors embarrass me, mom needs to let me pick them out from now on", she is 7 people!!!! I will get pics of them both soon, I hope.

I was also busy getting some oven mitt sets done up in our rival college football teams here in the state, Carolina gamecocks, and Clemson tigers. They are having a "city market" in our town on Main St. every Fri. for the month of Sept. and Oct. and I wanted to take my clothes and the oven mitt sets and see what kindof response I would receive. I didn't realize it was a holiday week-end and was a little discouraged by the turn out, I sold one oven mitt set. A lot of people loved my clothes but not enough to buy them I guess. Anyway I will keep going and see what happens, and in the mean time I will sew for my beloved public, my GRANDKIDS.


One last thing, I'm starting to sew for myself again, and am working on a kindof suit, jacket and pants for this winter, if it turns out good I will post a pic. of me wearing it, when I can get my husband to stand still long enough to take the photo. I've been busy sewing for everyone else and trying to get some coustomers that I have forgotten how to sew for ME.

That's all of my news for now, I promise it will not be so long the next time.

dsthreadsdownsouth out for now.