Consignment with Evermore Nevermore and Storenvy

So I did it. I now officially am a consigner with a great store called Evermore Nevermore in Mesa. They are carrying some of my bustle like the ones below.

I also opened a store on Storenvy Selling the bustles and knitted scarfs. Why scarfs truthfully because I like them.
Check me out at www.Craftygypsycat.storenvy.com

I'm really excited about everything going on.

SteamPunk Is good for me

Yes you are going to be hearing that a lot if all goes well.
 It started with just a simple thing Steampunk. I had seen some outfits heard the basic description. 
Decided for fun to make a Halloween costume as I have blogged about. What started to happen though would take me by surprise.

I made my outfit for Halloween. My work on adding to it got set a side with the Estrella war and coronation in the SCA. Figured I get back to it. Then I found out a friend of mine was working on a Steampunk Web series. She had an event she was going to to promote it but didn't really have a costume. All I did was throw together a quick Bustle for her. Something she could wear over another shirt. I don't remember seeing her wear it during the event but I was not there the whole 4 days. But she thought it would be a great item to sell. Of course It have been told I can sell my stuff but had not had any luck. So I didn't really think about it.

Then an Art walk came up where my friend was going to promote the movie and I decided to go with her. She wore her bustle I had made her and I wore one I had made up the night before for myself. What happened still has me wondering if I dreamed it.

We were in one of the Store that had a little bit of everything art, clothes, jewelry, books, and cd. A lot of stuff from a lot of local artist. When the owner makes a comment about the bustles. My friend tells her I made them. The next thing I know I am being asked if I would like to consign them. From agreeing to call them after the weekend to getting the email with the contract I have not believed it. I will be calling them on Monday to set a time for me to go in. Once I know that my Bustles are going to be in the store I will be Blogging and tweeting my experience to let others know and I will then give out the names to the Store, the movie and my friend because in all honesty this is the quick version of the Story and each part deserves it's own Blog.

Wish me luck.

Coronation

So since my last post coronation has come and gone.  Whether we were going or not was up in the air for a while. It was actually decided the Tuesday before coronation that we were definitely going and got the babysitter so the kids didn't have to be bored all day.

Which left me 4 days to cut and sew a new outfit from scratch. SIGH.. yeah. Does the term Don't Panic mean anything to everyone out there.  So I decided on an outfit Simplicity pattern 2573. I was going to post a link but simplicities website seems to be having an issue right now.
Anyway I got it cut sewn and finished or at least mostly finished by Friday night. I will probably still do some twiking to it. Her's the finished product. Excuse the squinting the sun was very bright.

Sewing Slump

There is nothing worse than a deadline. Except when you don't have one.
Almost always there is something I have to sew for...An Event , a SCA War, Something needs fixed.
But when I have the freedom to take my time and do what I want I sometimes have so many ideas I don't know where to begin.
 Do I start on a new outfit, Do I make some felt toys for the kids, do I reorganize the room and hope inspiration hits.  The last I have learned is a bad idea because then I end up starting 5 or more project ideas and have a tough time deciding which one to start first so I'm back at step one. 
Luck for me a deadline will be coming up. SCA Coronation in May.

What Next

Estrella War has come and gone so all my sewing projects got as close to done as possible for the war. Now I have a few other SCA events to sew for and Phoenix Comic Con as well.  Then there are the plans For next years war and at least one Sci-fi convention that I missed due to the war that I plan on going to next year.

I also am going to reconsider my Etsy Shop to kind of a craft of all trades or Cat of all Trades.  Sometimes you just make stuff to make because you like it or want to try something new. So it will sell a trove of stuff. Planning to take pictures this week and Post during the weekend. If I don't get to many distractions. 

So what can you expect. Well really the unexpected. I have a lifetime of sewing skills, making everything from Cloth baby wipes to costumes, Accessories to felt toys. Who knows what I may pull out of the depths of my memory to sell?  Maybe I'll even take some of that new hat making skill and design something.

I think I've reached the point were I just want to create to create.

sewing to selling

So as from my last post I realized I could sew and not everyone else knew how. The next step was to think of what I could do with this realization.
I also stopped to think what I like to make. I mean just because I know how to make Curtains doesn't mean I want to spend all day making them.
As one of my favorite quote goes "See a need, Fill a Need". I looked around for a need and actually found one in the SCA sewing I was doing. That gave me the option of having fun with my kids too.
Childrens play clothes seemed to be missing. Oh there are plenty of nice court stuff but what about just everyday wear. Like Tunics, warm Hats, or even coats. Things that can get dirty and are fully wash and go.
So I've decide I will sew and sell these items. I've opened an Etsy shop.
www.craftygypsycat.etsy.com go check it out.

I plan on adding things over time. Got the hats there now fully fur lined. So they are nice and warm.
Look for new things to be added over time.

Sewing History

So after Halloween I had a ton of friends saying how great the kids Halloween Costumes were. The number one question I kept getting was why don't I sew for a living?  To be honest I had never thought of that.

I grew up watching my mother sew everything from regular clothes to costumes, pillows to bags. I was shown how to cut patterns and sew basic things together.  Then there were several years there was  no sewing done in the house. I moved out on my own. Sewing was not something I was doing.
Then a bunch of friend and I were going to Windycon in Chicago and I needed to make my own costume. No problem I thought I grew up doing this.  You can guess the disaster of my first attempt.
I cut my pieces easy enough but I could not figure out why the sewing machine was not working. Needless to say if your ever sewing for the first time on a new machine remember to put the sewing foot down.

I slowly drew out the memories of watching my mother sew to actually design and make really good costumes.  I started to reteach myself and learn new techniques from anyone that would teach me.

A few years later I joined the SCA, Society for Creative Anachronism, and learned a whole new set of skills. One side effect of the SCA is that everyone sews or has someone that sews for them. Same with the Convention crowds.
The thought that I could sell my sewing never crossed my mind because everyone sews so who would want to buy what they can make.

I have recently had it explained to me that this not the truth. I have also recently realized that I do have a talent for sewing. So I have decided to give selling a chance. But what to make and sell. That will be on my next blog.