| If you want to work from home, you will soon find out | | | | cushions and covers and curtains in exactly the right |
| that paid home employment is very hard to find. How | | | | colours and styles. The ability to design, make and |
| about starting your own business from home? If you | | | | hang fashionable window dressing is practically a |
| are good at sewing, you could use your skills to start | | | | licence to print money - at least it will seem that way if |
| your own home based sewing business. There are all | | | | you ever receive a bill for this service! |
| kinds of sewing from tailoring to delicate embroidery | | | | One of the nicest ways to earn money from sewing is |
| and most of them can be used as the basis for an | | | | by making soft toys. Somehow cuddly creatures have |
| enjoyable and profitable home based business. | | | | always managed to stay in fashion and there is a |
| In the past, home sewing work consisted mainly of | | | | market for everything from stuffed rats to dinosaurs |
| women at home working on industrial sewing | | | | to floppy rag dolls. It must be very satisfying to earn |
| machines assembling ready cut garments as | | | | money at home from making items that will be |
| outworkers for local factories. This was "piece work" | | | | cherished by a child, from infancy into the teenage |
| ie the woman was paid per finished piece of work. | | | | years. |
| The big sewing machines were noisy monsters, so it | | | | Starting a home based sewing business requires little in |
| was impossible for a woman to sew and listen to | | | | the way of financial investment. If you intend to do |
| music or carry on a conversation at the same time. It | | | | dressmaking, you will need a robust sewing machine |
| was hard work but quite well paid if you could work | | | | and an overlocking machine. Don't let anyone try to |
| fast. This type of working at home job is less common | | | | convince you a pressing machine is essential, it won't |
| nowadays because it is cheaper for factory owners | | | | do anything you can't do with an iron and a damp cloth. |
| to send the work abroad where wages are lower. | | | | These tools of your trade should last for many years |
| Doing sewing as a home business, does not involve a | | | | and will earn what they cost you many times over. If |
| return to monotonous, noisy piece work; there are far | | | | you have a room that can be dedicated to sewing, |
| more pleasant and creative ways to earn a living with | | | | that is great but in reality, you can run a sewing |
| needle and thread where you can be your own boss | | | | business from your kitchen table. If you want to build |
| and not a wage slave for a factory owner. | | | | up a stock, for example of toys for a Christmas fete, |
| The first thing that springs to my mind when anyone | | | | you will need some storage space but the stock is not |
| mentions sewing as a home based business, is | | | | perishable so any dry clean garage or shed space |
| dressmaking and wedding dresses obviously take top | | | | would be fine. |
| place. The vast majority of brides planning a white | | | | Apart from the obvious tools and accessories, your |
| wedding want a dress (and bridesmaid dresses) | | | | expenses will be for materials and advertising. Always |
| specially made for their big day. If you have a talent | | | | take a deposit to cover the cost of materials before |
| for dressmaking, bridal outfits will certainly offer a good | | | | beginning work on anything made to order so you |
| way of earning a substantial income. | | | | won't risk being left out of pocket. Advertising is |
| A less glamorous but equally necessary service is in | | | | essential to any business that is just starting up. You |
| garment alterations. Shops used to offer this service, | | | | can circulate fliers, buy advertising space in local |
| but nowadays it is usually only possible to find | | | | newspapers, put up a website and all sorts of other |
| someone to alter or repair a garment by making | | | | things which are fairly low cost. A good way of |
| enquiries of local dry-cleaners. It is a sad truth that we | | | | becoming known is by advertising in targeted |
| live in a wasteful society where perfectly serviceable | | | | magazines, eg if you are making toys, place your ads |
| garments will be thrown away because of a broken | | | | in mother and baby magazines and advertise a local |
| zip. However, there are still people around who will | | | | play groups. If you are making wedding dresses, |
| want to have a zip replaced in a favourite garment, so | | | | advertise in bride oriented publications and try to do |
| a business in repairs and alterations can be profitable, if | | | | some sort of joint venture or reciprocal recommending |
| your local dry cleaners do not offer this service they | | | | with the local florist or wedding planner. Once you |
| might be prepared to send customers to you. | | | | have a few satisfied customers you will benefit from |
| Making soft furnishings to order is a good money | | | | repeat orders and your reputation will become known |
| earner. The people who can't even sew on a button | | | | via the all important word of mouth. When this starts to |
| far outnumber the people who are good at sewing | | | | happen you are well on the way to having your home |
| and enjoy it. The people in the former group will be | | | | business all sewn up. |
| eager customers for someone who can make | | | | |