Going Professional

Vendor's apron as per pattern free from http://kitschycoo.blogspot.fr/2009/05/craft-vendor-apron-tutorial.html

Had a bit of a design epiphany last week and started investigating the utility apron.  Ended up putting together 2 from free patterns (http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/2011/10/utility-apron-tutorial.html and http://kitschycoo.blogspot.fr/2009/05/craft-vendor-apron-tutorial.html)  on the internet and then coming up with my own design for me - the idea being to replace the need for a handbag.  Hmmm now that its made I'm not entirely sure, but I know that I'd be quite happy to wear it around the house and the usefulness for sewing and gardening can't be underestimated.  Its always the issue: where do girls get to put their phones?  And for me that ends up being phone, keys, glasses, tissues - if I'm in the garden that's secateurs, scissors, seed packets, wire ties, gloves and, I'm guessing because I haven't tried one yet but scissors, pin cushion, tailors chalk, stitch unpicker for sewing.  So, I'm still in the gift category and if I keep them simple they shouldn't take too much time to make.

So, I'm moving away from the glamour aprons and into the utility aprons, I'm also realising that I want to make really stylish aprons that can go into the washing machine - sort of "now I'm baking I want to wear a pretty apron" there are aprons out there in particular from "Anthropologie" but I'm sure I can do just as well, if not better.  Definitely need to get the price down a bit for them.  

I think all my aprons can still be unique but I do need to be able to mass produce them using a selection of patterns (as opposed to making the pattern up as I go along  - and not keeping a record of it!) So, that makes 3 different ranges: the sexy/glamour hostess aprons, the relentlessly utilitarian but stylish utility aprons and the pretty protections for people who enjoy being in the kitchen and what you wear is part of the experience.

They're all going to be "aprons you love" I'll stick to the all being unique since its definitely going to be a struggle to find the fabric.  Talking of which I've spotted my first fabric on the internet, maybe I'll treat myself, more my business when I get back.

Got some bad news this morning: the overlocker can't be repaired, she said difficult to find the part and that her guy had just given it back.  Embarassingly I'm guessing that the overlocker is possibly more than 20 years old so maybe it is time for a new one.  I'll have to see what I can still do with it and see if I can't manage without an overlocker to start with.  Definitely need a new sewing machine though and a decent iron wouldn't go amiss.  So suddenly the business plan comes into focus again, doesn't it?  

I need to work out how much I can spend on fabric, of course this is all rather vague at the moment since I don't even have any patterns so I don't know how much fabric I need to make these lovely things.  Only the sexy/glamour aprons are really a unknown quantity .  The utility aprons are going to be variations on a theme and should be quite easy to cost out.

Here's a thought, are there baking aprons and cooking aprons? I want my aprons to be the sort of thing that you can be wearing when your guests arrive, even part of the outfit?

Here's the odd thing, the new ranges feel really quite contemporary as opposed to the original vintage feel of the hostess aprons.

So, I'm off to Paris am hoping for a lurk around the fabric shops, maybe even getting to buy some useful bits and pieces, haha namely things that I've seen people using on "the Great British Sewing Bee"

Ah yes, I started writing about being professional.  I know a lot about being an amateur, I've always thought of myself as a "gifted amateur" and I have always believed that the difference between an amateur and a professional is that the former doesn't get paid for what they do.  Early on I learnt that some sort of training could make a difference, qualifications, establishments frequented and contacts gleaned from them all goes some way to the identity of the professional, not least the confidence that these things give to a person in the marketplace.  But, all in all, I have always believed that success is often brokered by just "how much" a person wants it.  And I always assumed that I just didn't want it enough.

I came to a bit more of a grounding conclusion last Thursday when I churned out my 2 utility aprons during another rather short day - so not so bad on the timing front as it happens.  Professional is about the attitude and with the attitude comes work practices, disciplines and efficiency.  None of which I have!  Of course, I could have; I am by nature rather organised and careful and really quite self disciplined when I need to be.  But last Thursday, in the throes of making aprons, I made a right old mess of my workroom, I must have lost at least an hour continually looking for a pair of scissors or a stitch unpicker, kilometers trotting around the table to get my pin cushion and fabric was left on the table both used and unused when it should not have been there at all!

All it really needs is some thought, but when you're a merry little amateur, gifted or not, non of that matters you're just playing.  I actually got annoyed with my own mess!  So, the work room still needs a bit of work.  I think I need a hand sewing station, somewhere covered with a nice blanket or something.  The ironing board needs to be on the same side of the table as the sewing machines.  Need to have some sort of storage for haberdashiery and maybe get some stock in (enough for 1st year's activity?).

The utility aprons are bouncing around my head at the moment: gardening apron, sewing apron, knitting apron, cooking apron, vendor apron, cleaning apron, handbag apron. festival apron?

I keep thinking about that woman who makes aprons and keeps telling her customers "buy her some beads"  There needs to be something to stop women being offended by being given an apron as a gift.  Maybe I need to write something about apron traditions - the finery, given to each other, not domestication and work part of our heritage as women.  We need to own our aprons.

Going to Paris means that I might be able to meet up with someone for some advice about how to set myself up - its all whether I want to pay right now or not.  He's a lawyer and I'm sort of wondering if it isn't more a sort of accountant that I need - probably both.