plans

This is our sun room. It used to be a car port from what we can tell, so it comes off the kitchen on the side of our house, with one door facing the street and another going out to our deck along the side and back of the house.



I've always wanted to be able work from home, and I've always wanted to have more time to sew and make things to sell. So we decided to try to make this happen.



I've settled on alterations and clothing repair, and custom sewing (like sewing from a pattern with customer-specified fabric, etc.) And then if time allows, I might make some small items to put up in an Etsy shop or sell at craft fairs, etc.



This room is so perfect for my plan. It is where I was planning to have my sewing machines and work space set up, anyway. But it is perfect for an alterations shop because it has a separate, front entrance- so when people come in they will not have to step over toys and fight off our attack dog- and it also has a closet large enough to be a fitting room. So once I am set up, I'll be able to schedule appointments in the evening when Jason is home, and my customers can come in and have a fitting for an alteration or sit down and chat about a custom project.



Aside from appointments, I am going to be setting aside at least 10-12 hours per week in order to work uninterrupted. This equates to 2 evenings after dinner and one weekend afternoon, where Jason will have the kids and I will be able to stay confined to my room and focus. To work for hours at a time without having to stop and change diapers, prepare food, clean up messes, and all the other things that keep me from being able to be productive.



So, now that my Halloween sewing is past, I am settling in to really focus on this dream. There is a lot of work to be done to turn our junky sun room into My Studio. But I've already started taking a few alterations and have 2 different custom sewing projects underway, so I feel confident that I'll be able to have steady work. The coming week or two I plan to work on making the space more cozy and clearing out some of the stuff that belongs elsewhere, as well as completing the projects I have in process. I think by the first of the year I'll be able to be in full swing and really advertising my services by word of mouth around town. I'm sure things will change and evolve quite a bit as I work through the process of getting set up and seeing what people want. I'll post pictures as the space develops! Thank you so much to everyone who has already been so incredibly supportive to me in this endeavor. It has been a long time coming and I feel it all falling into place now so nicely.