Did you know? + Tips from the Trenches

I want to introduce two little regular columns.

Did you know? will cover all sorts of random and regular things that you might not know about myself (Violet) and the kung fu bambini line.

Tips from the Trenches is a quirky guide to running an independent cottage industry, geared primarily from my experience manufacturing in the US and including random research from every aspect of my business.

I believe that as independent designers we need to support each others growth and I hope these little columns might help in some small way.

Now on to today's topic which is a combination of both columns:

Did you know that all kung fu bambini garments are now exclusively handmade in our studio? After years (literally) of manufacturing struggles with the small cut and sew houses that I've used, I finally made the plunge to bring it back in house. I've invested in upgrading our machines, built a new cutting table and bought some handy new tools. Miss Janean has come back to work with me part-time and has spent many hours sewing away on the Spring line while we watched multiple seasons of Project Runway online, side by side. You can call us "Team Fierce". We do.

So.... Today's Tip from the Trenches centers around electric cutting tools.

I've recently done a lot of research on the fabric cutters. I was looking at a straight knife, but it just seemed like too much machine for what I'm doing since the smallest I could find was a 6" blade. The rotaries are more my size, but they won't do the intricate corners that I need them to do. Perfect-Fit carries both of those styles. They have an 8" straight knife that they call a "foam cutter". Perfect-Fit is at 2345 N Ross Ave .... (503) 234-9325

SO... I went there and checked out both and still wasn't happy with what they had and how it was going to work for me. I started talking with an upholsterer that happened to be there (making friends with shoppers... who, me?) and he said that he uses these electric scissors from Home Depot for $19 that he uses until he kills them and then buys another pair. I was skeptical. Until I cut 562 garments with them over the weekend. Seriously. I cut 562 garments over the weekend. They cut 8 layers like butter and 16 not so happily :) They have them at Home Depot and Lowe's.

Here's a linky. That means CLICK HERE.


Go out and get these!!! Seriously. It will make your life as an independent manufacturer easier. Who doesn't need that?

Oh Glorious Cutting Table

A couple of weeks ago I built a new 8' cutting table. It was well past due. I'm hoping to add a twin to the table family along with extensions to make the whole length 24'. Here is the finished product. This is a pic of making one of the markers for the Spring line.
 

Layers and layers of beautiful cotton. Eighteen layers to be exact.
 

Does that look like 99 pair of lounge pants? It is... or at least it was after quite a bit of sewing:)
 

Table in progress. Please excuse the messy studio in the background!
 

At long last, the project I've been waiting for!

Many years ago - six to be exact - I was inspired by the most wonderful Amy Butler to start a business. I had attended Quilt Market with my mother and was distraught at all of the moose and evergreen trees I was being subjected to. My mother's color and style are a little different than mine to say the least.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear!? Yes, it was that dramatic for me. Like a kid at the North Pole. It was Amy's Gypsy Caravan booth. In that instant I was inspired to turn my little one of a kind couture biz into a full-on line and wholesale business. Gypsy Caravan is still my favorite line that Amy Butler has designed. The colors speak to me in a way that no other line has. As a designer myself, I tire of almost everything that I or anyone else designs after a certain amount of time. Gypsy Caravan still captivates my attention after all this time.

I've had this beautiful stash of fat quarters from the line stowed away for years and it is finally time to cut. I'm using the original quilt pattern designed by Amy Butler and pieced by Marsha Evans-Moore. I am following the pattern about 50% of the time and altering prints, sizes and placement the other 50%. The original quilt is 49" square and I'm creating a queen size quilt approximately 88" x 92" finished. Wish me luck. This is yesterday's progress:


 
The uncut fat quarters in all of their glory! I have 54 fat quarters total. The line originally consisted of 44 prints and the quilt pattern incorporated 32 of those. I have multiples of some prints and have 40 of the original 44 prints. I'm missing four - and of course they are four that were used in the original pattern, but there are many other lovely prints to take their places.
 
Playing with some weird pinwheel piecing - making it up as I go.
 
 
Three rows started. W00h00!

Said and Heard.

Things said to me this week that I hope I NEVER say:

"I have too many sales to keep track of and don't have time to keep track of slow payments also."

"you get what you get"

"... I don't recall asking for any such favor."

"I run my auctions like a business. The personal lives of my buyers are not my concern, nor should they be. We all have problems, illnesses, etc. but business is business."


AY, yay yay, yay yay.


My customers are important to me. Every person that I send my clothing to is like a friend to me. I care about my products, my customers, my business. In general, I just care. What ever happened to customer service? I worked in a customer service capacity for over 10 years before I changed careers and now here I am sort of back in a customer service position again. I have always cared - whether it was my product or someone else's, I've always cared.

I feel no ill will toward this person. As she also said to me, "We're all adults, running our lives and our businesses as we see fit." I definitely choose not to do business with someone that treats me this way though. My hard earned money is reserved for small businesses that care about other people and other small businesses.

The 'as we see fit' part means a lot to me. There have been times over the last year that I felt my business was running away from me a bit. The year-in-advance requirements of the wholesale portion of the business became too overwhelming for me and other things began to slide. Customer service definitely being one of them. I had to make a tough decision not to prepare the lines a full year or even a full season in advance.

My goals for the next year include better showing appreciation for my customers, enhance customer service and provide the best quality, ridiculously cute, hand-made-in-the-good-ol'-USA product available. My customers' success is my success. I just don't understand how anyone could think otherwise.

In a nutshell, this is what WE say to THOSE unconcerned people and we do it with a smile: