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Good at Sewing and Want to Turn it into a Business?

Written by: Lee Lister

Article Overview: You are good at sewing, in fact you even make your own clothes, but you are not sure if you can make a business out it, now that everyone seems to buy cheap clothes from department stores?

Good at Sewing and Want to Turn it into a Business?

You are good at sewing, in fact you even make your own clothes, but you are not sure if you can make a business out it, now that everyone seems to buy cheap clothes from department stores?

First of all this is a beautiful skill to have. Modern life means that people do indeed now usually buy their clothes quite cheaply. This usually means that they don’t fit properly. With everyday clothes this may not mean so much, but for those special clothes for weddings, parties and days out it can be important that they fit well. So you should also look at offering adjustments as well as providing a clothes making service.

Adjustments will be particularly welcomed by brides that did not lose as many pounds as they hoped to as well as the bride’s mothers who are trying to look their best. You can also look at altering or making bridesmaids dresses as well. These services will give you an income without so much time being expected of you.

With respect to dress making, you can offer you services to brides, party and event goers as well as those rich enough to have their own clothes made. You might also look at offering assistance to dress designers who may not be as good with dressmaking as they are with their designs.

Here are a few suggestions to get your business off the ground:

1. Align yourself with one or more of the following: bridal dress sellers, wedding planners, party planners, cake makers, high end clothes sellers and individual clothes resellers etc. Offering your services to companies that already sell clothes may seem strange but they may just be happy with a % commission as opposed to losing a customer or bride. Offering adjustments and fittings will help them sell their clothes and give you some extra work.
2. Contact a number of local designers, and offer your services to them in order to help them make up their clothes quicker.

How you align yourself is to collect together some photos of your work, a sample dress if you have one and some testimonials if you have them. Get a clear idea of how much your charges will be and if it will be by dress or hour etc.

Contact your potential partner and ask if you can come in and talk to them at a convenient time.

Now get together a great looking flyer with a good quality picture of a dress that you have produced as well as the photos and examples. Say how you design and make your clothes from a picture, a design and/or your client’s instructions. Make sure you have your contact details on the flyer. Meet your potential clients and introduce yourself and your services. Be sure to emphasise how your services will help them sell their clothes and make their customers much happier.


Print off your flyer and walk around your area looking for suitable places to put it such as: Colleges, Hospitals, Supermarkets etc - anywhere your target market hangs out and place them, with permission of course.

Next offer to give talks to the local WI and other similar clubs that may be interested. Be sure to leave plenty of your flyers for people to take with them as well as some samples and photos for them to admire.

Lastly think about selling your clothes by the Party Selling Method – just like Tuppaware.

Good luck.

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Article Tags: bridal dress, brides, bridesmaids dresses, cake makers, cheap clothes, department stores, dressmaking, everyday clothes, few suggestions, goers, local designers, own clothes, party planners, photos, resellers, service adjustments, sewing, testimonials, wedding planners, weddings



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