Sewing

So, today I did a lot of sewing. I got a special order that needs to go out tomorrow, and while I was sewing it, I went ahead and made four of the same things. It's faster for me that way...to be able to cut out four of each piece, sew all of the same pieces together at the same time, etc. It helped that I was making everything the same color today, so I never even had to change my thread out! I'd like to sort all of my fabric into stacks for the different products, an then spend a whole week sewing notebook holders, another week just sewing one style of my purses, etc. That would do wonders for my stash!

I'll be taking some of my products (purses mostly) to an arts and crafts store this week to be sold on consignment. Hopefully that'll do pretty well and get a little cash flow going here! Even if purses don't move fast, they'll go faster than sitting in my living room! Mom says I should send samples to some of the stores she's selling soap to, so I'll probably do that soon.

After I finished the special order today, I decided to use up all of my gingham making shopping bags. I bought several yards of gingham a long time ago, in a few different colors. I also have a bolt of muslin just laying around...it was orginally going to be petticoats, but not today. So, I combined the gingham and muslin, and I'm making "green" shopping bags. After I get going and get an assembly line of sorts set up, I'll be able to turn these bags out pretty quickly, and be able to sell them for a little cheaper. I whipped one up just to see if I thought it was a good idea, and it didn't take any time at all...and I was designing it at the same time. So, I figured they'd go really fast if I had a set idea of what I was doing to start with! I'm planning on spending tomorrow making several of them so I can take them to the store maybe Wednesday.

I've also been braiding a lot of leather. I'm in no hurry, so I'm not working myself to death doing that. It doesn't take any time at all to get blisters braiding this stuff, so I'm taking it slow...a few leashes now and a few more in a hour, that sort of thing. I already have some blisters, but they're not bad and I'm trying to keep them that way! I'm also trying to decide what order to make the leashes in...I'm switching things up from how I used to make them, spending a little more time on each one making sure it's prefect. They were nice before, but this time...this time they'll be perfect! I'm enjoying spending more time on little extra things on each leash...things that don't have to be done, and things that can't be done when you're pressed for time, but they sure make a difference. Anyway, I have a ton of braiding to get done, and while I'm not really in a big hurry, I do have that annoying insurance bill problem, so I'm not sitting around doing nothing here. If these things sell, I'll be fine...I certainly have enough of them...somewhere around 150 of them, I think.

Time to get the dogs fed and get to bed. The weather here has been great today...we've had the windows open all day! Actually, it rained all day, but that's what was great! I don't remember the last time it rained here, and it's been raining steady all day. It's been in the 60s all day, too! A vast difference from Saturday, when the thermometer read 105*!

See ya!