Sweat Shop

 

It's been a very strange week so far, and that is mostly because I've been sewing like I own a sweat shop! I took some time to walk when it's not raining, bake some Christmas cookies, answer emails and run our 3D Kids program last night, but then it was back to the machine. 

I had a Janome machine that someone gave me used back in 2009 and it served me well. It was just a basic machine and I used it for all sorts of sewing projects, including things it was never meant to do. But it died a slow and painful death and gasped it's last breath this week just as I was finish up a stocking.

But my mom and grandmother came to the rescue after hearing about the machine, and bought me an early Christmas gift. What a huge blessing! This is still a basic machine but it has a few more bells and whistles than the last one and sews nicely. 

So after losing half a day, it was back to work! The reason I'm sewing so much is that I sold a lot of merchandise last weekend and this weekend I have to make my items stretch over two locations. I'm participating in a large 3 day craft show at the state fairgrounds with friends who own a tea company. I went in with them on the cost of the booth which is hefty, and while it is mostly their booth with their hand blended, organic teas, I will have teapot cozies, table runners and adult aprons there. I'm hoping to do well there as the shoppers that come through number in the thousands.

Our church is participating in a town-wide craft event on Saturday and I decided to bring children's aprons, some runners, stockings and the rest of my items to that event. On Sunday afternoon, the last day of the other event, I'll bring whatever didn't sell at our church's craft fair. 

But it's making for kind of a crazy week and just reinforcing that I probably won't be doing double events next year. And depending how I do, I probably won't be doing that big event next year. I find that once it becomes about having to produce so much inventory, that sewing loses its enjoyment. And the reality is I don't have tons of inventory - about 10 or less of each of the larger items. The only other option to this is just to sew a bit all year round so I have it for these type of things.

Anyway, I'm making a couple of aprons this morning then I'm off to Syracuse to set up for tomorrow's event. I'll be there from 9-3 tomorrow, our church from 9-3 on Saturday, and then on Sunday I'm back at the other event in the afternoon following church.

Have a blessed weekend!