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….

Mrs Apron on Pinterest

Haha! That's me! Me and hundreds of others of course, but I like to think I'm doing something different but given the scope of the Web there's bound to be someone out there diddling around with all this social media stuff and possibly even making a bid to be Mrs Apron, at least on Pinterest.

I'm getting the feeling that it really doesn't pay to think things through too much as far as social media is concerned and that the way to go is "with the flow".  I rambled on about gift suggestions and clever marketing, I've even signed up to some sort of Pinterest marketing blog.  I well and truly got my knickers in a twist about what I should be doing and when and for how long and then, thankfully, I read a blog that just said "Chill, just be yourself".  Sound advice in all matters as it happens but in this particular instance it allowed me to put my knickers back on.

1943 Cocktail apron by Mainbocher. The peplum would have been the ultimate decorative apron worn purely for effect rather than function. The construction is such that it is form fitting and has an interesting shape around the hips. The bouquet of flowers used to accent this piece is a testament to the fact that all Mainbocher's artificial flowers were beautifully crafted and voluptuous. Via MMA metmuseum.org.

Creatively I find Pinterest to be an amazing tool, I, like millions of others, mostly women I think, also really, really enjoy the pursuit of images.  For anyone who doesn't know Pinterest yet; its sort of the 21st century's digital answer to scrapbooking - not something I ever learnt to do but this modern version is a lot of fun.

So, rather than using my Pinterest account to push people to my Etsy shop I've decided to use my account as an inspiration tool for ideas for my apron making industry.  What has happened is that, where most people on Pinterest have a few hundred boards and one of them is about aprons or vintage aprons, all of my boards, well, nearly all, I couldn't resist a quick vintage dresses board, are about aprons.  I've ended up categorising the world of aprons.

The mind boggles at all the different sorts of aprons there are out there, and there's a few that I haven't added because I think they are off subject... for the moment things like butchers' and bakers' aprons, nurses aprons.  Ha! even as I write that down I'm thinking "but nurses aprons are sexy" anyway, "not now" is my attitude.

Here's the list as it stands today: hostess aprons, cocktail aprons, half aprons, full body aprons, smock/cobbler aprons, drop waist aprons, bib aprons, transformation aprons, festive aprons, wedding aprons, craft aprons, working aprons,  barbecue aprons, funny or theme aprons, children's aprons, antique aprons, national costume aprons, crochet aprons, contemporary aprons, apron patterns, photos of aprons, dirty kirtle... phew! impressive heh? I had a bit of a marathon session last night on crochet aprons and was truly amazed at how many lovely things there are out there, and, of course those are just the photos I found on Pinterest, I haven't even started looking elsewhere.  I reckon to be valid all of my boards need to have at least 100 aprons on them - well, I've got to aim for something haven't I?

The whole process ends up being quite instructive, I mean, I had no idea what a wedding apron could be, a quick look last night came up with 4 possible uses: a) as a hen party gift that the guests at the party could write messages on b) as a his and hers gift c) as a protection for the "somewhat pricey" wedding dress from food and drink and d)something to wear as part of the wedding outfit.

What is becoming clear to me is that the world of aprons is remarkably complex and, what initially attracted me to aprons, the glamorous 1950's hostess apron is just the tip of the iceberg.  Women have been wearing beautiful aprons for centuries and the idea wasn't to protect their frock, possibly to display their handiwork but mostly to wear some finery.

At some point during my pinning someone mentioned that black aprons were for mourning - now there's a thought, that I should maybe research before creating the corresponding board.

Whenever I come across someone else's board that is dedicated to aprons I follow it and this morning I am following 347 people!  Its true that not all of those people are going to be passionate about aprons that that's just my off the cuff following, I still need to look for the apron fetishist pinners.  The world may have shrunk with the internet but social media seems to have made it infinite.

I now know that the spanish for aprons is delantales I'm sort of wondering what the singular must be, but its cool that I learnt that while I was having so much fun.

I'm going to have to bite the bullet and put a blurry photo on the last post and I think I'll try to post my favourite find from yesterday's trawling.

Aha, yes, for info there are 4 more aprons finished and photographed just got to get their descriptions done then I can launch them on my unsuspecting, if somewhat scattered and minuscule public!