What Next?

Sometime in the next 18 months I will be retiring. It might be this June, it might be next January or, at the latest, the following June.

The details of how I will make my determination are the subject of another, probably never to be published, post. (More of an internal dialog put in writing.)

The question of the day is: what next?

It is on this question that I am hoping for some feedback. Keep reading to see what I think might be possible.

For as long as I have been able to control my fine motor skills I have been crafting. My endeavors have provided years of blog fuel (go back to when this blog was last active) and I get great satisfaction from my hobbies.

As long as I have been crafting there have been those who have said “you should sell this,” about whatever I was making at the time. Up until now that was simply not feasible. The amount of time that I put into a hand made garment is significant and the cost / time ratio just did not allow any significant hourly wage.

Sewing, however, is a different beast. I can make a good looking pair of workout tights in a day. A tee shirt in a unique fabric in an afternoon and a pretty dress in a pair of days.

But I don’t want to make stuff at random and have inventory to deal with.

What I would like to do is:

• Pick a pattern

• Pick a couple of different fabrics

• Put up the garment for pre-orders

Garments would be made to the client’s measurements and in the fabric chosen.

Price would be based on fabric cost plus time estimated to make the item and would be pre-set at time of ordering with the costs averaged out to accommodate all sizes (larger or smaller quantities of fabric) and assuming the same amount of time for construction of each garment.

Is this feasible? Would you or people you know be interested in this?

Please comment either here or on the social media site that led you to this post.

Thanks!