Despatching road block sorted!

Whahey! I'm back - I never really went away but life got a bit too complicated for a while there and since this whole little business to be is still in a holding pattern it moved onto a back burner as well for the summer.  Amazingly for me I still want to do it!  Indeed have been getting quite pissy about not being allowed any time to get on with my project.  But, at last, here I am as the dust settles on the various shenanigans of the last 6 months.  

Hot of the press meet "Sylvia" gorgeouse gray lace with a few sequins for sparkle

I made 2 aprons in quick succession and am very pleased with both of them.  I've decided to chill out about the Glamour Aprons - they cost what they cost because they take a lot of time to make and that's not because I'm a slow sewer its because I make them well - haha and I'm a bit scared of my overlocker.  Well, there you go, there's one little challenge gauntlet to pick up.  But not right now.

One of the main things that has been blocking progress has been trying to get to grips with the packaging and postal stuff.  I'm am very proud to announce that I have just ordered my first batch of boxes, tissue paper, plastic sachets and bags!  I know this doesn't sound like a big deal but, since I'm not exactly dealing with large quantities, indeed I don't really intend to ever reach factory proportions I've had to make a few compromises as per my packaging desires.  I did want a really sexy box but since most of them come from China and are exorbitantly expensive I decided to dial down my delusions of grandeur.  I am thinking that the Glamour Aprons really do need to be in a box anyway, haha and the moment I'd located a box I realised that I had to buy another box to pack it in. 

Ginormous sigh here but a major thumbs up to the people at Raja who spent hours explaining to me how envelope dimensions worked and locating various products for me.  Indeed I have to say that my dealings with these lovely people completely made my day and made me feel that I can really do this.  They really weren't snotty when I explained that I was only just starting and didn't think I could use 500 plastic envelopes.

Next step must be to sort out my stationery.  My visiting cards came out rather nicely but I've now got 2 designs on the go and should really plump for one or combine them or something - bit more thinking needed there.  Nevertheless I'm going to need some sort of sticker for my boxes, cards to put in the box and probably letterhead for the bill. At least.

So, I've missed the summer and the outdoor photo opportunities but I'm sure I can come up with something really just need to give myself some time and space.  The aprons look really nice on my real Edwardian dress makers dummy so maybe I should run with that and just put the dummy in odd places.  I'm also thinking that odd angles and close-up wearing the aprons might work well and maybe play a lot with colour.  You see I just need to think a bit….

So, Where Do I Start?

Here is where, I start by writing down what I'm supposed to be doing - incidentally I'm wearing my own utility apron, though I think I'll have to come up with a better name than that.  

My mate Wend suggested that I get in touch with the local "Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie" which I hadn't thought about doing but would probably be as good a place as any to get started.  I'm rapidly getting to the point where I'll have to create the company just to move things along.  

Met with the bank manager last week and she asked me how I'd got the idea of making sexy aprons - embarrassingly I realised that if I'm a serious entrepreneur I should have all this "spiel" off pat, which I didn't but I did remember the first "Glamour Apron" and told her the story of my sister's hen night, so salvaged the moment.  

Think I'll have a bit of a surf for French structures for helping budding businesses. I mean, what am I supposed to do about accountancy? Stock and all that stuff?  There must be an app, but which one? 

Bought some fabric on line last week which was fun (if a bit naughty) but I got inspired by my projected men's range - yup those sexy waiter aprons haven't left me.  Even better, when the fabric I'd bought on line turned up, some of which I had chosen for the men's range the first thing my husband said was "can I have one?" I nearly fell over!  Since I was thinking about the men's cooking aprons I thought that meant that he wanted an apron to start cooking.  The next day, all became clearer; he wanted one of my utility aprons!  Its still brilliant that my entourage is asking me for my stuff - I can't remember any time in the 23 years that we've been married that my husband has actually asked me to make something for him, of course I do make things for him and then get miserable when he doesn't wear/use them but he's never actually asked for anything.

I've decided that this has to be a good sign.  However, unfortunately for hubby he had to get in line because mum's apron was to be the first off the assembly line.  

Utility apron for gardening/shop keeping mum

The original pattern instructions called for "awesome fabric" for the front pocket.  This is one of my favourite vintage fabric finds and is supposed to be reserved for making a sofa cover but I keep telling myself that I can spare a bit to make this or that.  And last week "that" turned out to be my mum's utility apron.  Yes the name has stuck.  I'm still not quite there with the design but I'm getting there.

Getting this one out there pushed me into getting some documentation sorted out.  Well sorted out is probably a bit generous; I flung together a postcard to try to explain what it is and why she shouldn't be offended to receive an apron as a gift.

I'm getting quite excited about the social implications of the apron and how it is in deeperate need of love and rehabilitation. Without doing any formal research (yet) it looks to me like the sixties saw the end of the apron, or more likely its move into a craft apron because we women got liberated and apparently didn't just burn our bras.  Then we worked out that we still needed aprons so we started wearing men's aprons (the one's I call the barbecue apron).

Last week at my friend Wend's house we were chatting in the kitchen while she made dinner and she'd put on her apron (yes she is on my list of people to get a new apron, but since I'm going to design it specially for her it might take some time) and she pointed to the back of the kitchen door: a whole load of aprons.  I realise that I too have the collection of aprons hanging up in the kitchen and you know what they're all the horrid barbecue variety often with something funny written on it but not really loveable.

So that's my mission to get people back to loving their aprons.

Looks like the name "utility apron" is going to stick by the way.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, hubby really, really wanted that apron so, in the end I dug up my prototypes and had him try them on.  First lesson: he wasn't that keen on tying it behind. Second lesson: he really really didn't like the zips.  So he ended up with the sugar bee crafts prototype and promptly stuffed it to the gills with mobile phone, keys, gloves, hat, tissues, torch and specs. So, there will be a fourth utility apron: the man apron.

Still need to find something to gauge a price for rental of my facilities, my first attempt at contacting an accountant ended with an automated email reply saying "busy for a month go away" which didn't really make me want to work with them.  I suspect I can do my own accountancy anyway, but I do need some way of keeping the books.  Get thee hence to the Chamber of Commerce woman!  

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. 

More Pinterest!

Phew! That was a bit of an absence.  It was only supposed to be for a week, although, in retrospect I suppose  I should have mentioned that I was popping off, indeed I would have if I thought anyone was reading this.  2 weeks ago the weather was gorgeous and, I have a big garden to deal with so I took a "garden break" to try to steal a march on the weeding and planting etc.  Other people go on proper holidays this is what I do.  Holidays for me constitute limiting my time on the computer so that's what I did... for 2 weeks.

I couldn't, however stop my urge to make aprons so, the next four are ready for launch.  Haha launch means actually taking their photos, hasn't been done yet but the photo studio is up and nearly running - that might be what gets posted here, the photo studio.  According to my book I can even furnish videos of my my work space and methods etc.  Well, for anyone remotely interested, drop me a line!

My little photo studio

It turns out that making aprons isn't the only work on my horizon.  I finally decided to create a business account for Glamour Aprons on Pinterest and that has opened up a whole giant can of worms in the form of how I'm supposed to be doing things and general tips and advice floating all over the place and, yes, you've guessed it, I need to spend some time getting to grips with Pinterest.  Good job I've already got Blogger under my belt, eh?

The way I see it, Etsy is turning out to be the shop, Pinterest should perform as my shop window and this little space here performs the function of Me in my shop.  So, in that respect why would people want to visit this blog other than to get to know me and my ethos for my aprons?  If I were out there in the real world with my shop full of aprons I wouldn't be offering another service to my clients just to get them to come into the shop, would I?  So why would I do that on the web.  This is a reference to my previous blog about making gift suggestions to stop this blog being just me burbling on about creating a web presence.

Just as well really, since that idea wasn't going to fly anyway.  Its my mum's birthday next week and I've just had a really difficult time working out what to get her.  That is something that other people, not least my little sister, come to think of it, have a gift for, not me.

So, the idea of the blog and Pinterest is to drive people to my Etsy shop and get them to buy aprons from it.  Of course I have to add to that Facebook and Google+, StumbleUpon, Twitter and I have signed up for but am only mildly interested in Tumblr (I think its out of my age bracket).  Oh yes there's Flickr too.

Essentially, anyone who's looking for aprons I've probably got it covered, even just carrying on as I am here should manage OK for the apron people since I will wax lyrical about the history of aprons and all the wonderful things about aprons, as I am coming to discover.  Which is probably what I'd talk about if you came in to see me in a physical shop.  I'd talk about the inspirations and why I make aprons, wouldn't I?

Of course, because I'm an antisocial sort of a girl if I went into an apron shop I would hope that the shop assistant would leave me alone to look around... OK so that's what I'm going to do, I'll try creating a post for every apron and explaining in more detail than is available on Etsy about that apron....

So, fine, people who know that they are looking for an apron they'll probably find me but what about the ones who don't know that they're looking for one of my aprons?  Well, I dare say if I'd got that one sussed I would already be a millionnaire and not pondering the question on blogspot.

Onwards and Upwards

Blimey! I've just realised that I really have to try and do something interesting here now. 

One of the side effects of my getting properly digital in order to sell my totally undigital aprons is that I've ended up finding a whole load of old school friends on Facebook.  Hello Dunalley Primary Class of '73 if any of you have tracked this down! Lots of wandering down memory lane and has had me rummaging around in all the boxes of old school stuff that I've just moved from pillar to post all these years.  And by "all these years" I mean a lot of years. I am staggered at how dull I was!  I've just posted onto the group the timetable I put in my project for a visit to Goodrich Castle and Tintern Abbey.  Even my school report has nothing of any interest in it.  No quirks no character at all!  To be honest I'm amazed anyone in the Dunalley group remembers me at all, I'm not sure I would.

So, now, here I am and I need to be interesting.  I suppose I need to be more "of interest" than interesting.  I need to give this blog some sort of focus, its not going to be enough for me to dribble on about nothing in particular if its going to get people interested enough in my aprons to actually buy one!  So, I've decided to use this blog to try and thrash out some sort of strategy.

1. The aim is to sell my aprons

Just having my aprons for sale on Etsy is not enough to get them seen and the blogs and facebooks are about getting the aprons found so that when someone does a search on Google for that special gift they end up finding my aprons.

Of course there are lots of people who love aprons already and even collect them, so I need to be visible to them too.

2. This blog needs to furnish a service in order to get read by the maximum number of people.

Yes it can furnish links to aprons patterns and the like but that doesn't really feel right or enough.

My idea right now is that I should help people find gifts...I'm sure loads of other people do that already but they won't be doing it quite like me, will they?  Hang on, I'll just have a quick surf to what that little niche is like. (...) Of course! its mostly shops selling their stuff! So, now I'll check the blogosphere (...)Oh wow there are some real heavy hitters out there - check this one out http://www.thegiftinsider.com/index.php.  

Of course there will be loads of people out there suggesting gifts but its definitely an area where its a question of horses for courses.  That's OK so far as it goes but... what about the "Dirty Kirtle" aspect of my aprons?

I've deliberately avoided any mention of this aspect of my aprons on Etsy deciding that the use for the apron is in the eye of the beholder.  Maybe here I could be a bit more daring?  Sort of subtle sexy ideas for gifts for example?  The whole reason I made the first apron all those years ago was because I was uncomfortable with the options available for my sister's hen party. (...) Ooh just ended up on Glamour's 15 naughty but oh so nice holiday gift ideas makes my possible contributions sound positively "vanilla" as they say, well, why not?  maybe that's the missing link? A bit of subtlety.

Lists seem to work quite well on the web, OK, I'm the one who like lists.  Not to mention the fact that it would be fun to do all that virtual shopping on the web and the blog posts can be backed up by a Pinterest board... on no! another online logo required.

Sort of more in the line of sensual gift ideas perhaps?