10 years ago all I did was make miniature bears. During my move I found this little unfinished head in an old box.
As long as I can remember, I've always had a hobby. Hobbies tend to fade naturally for me,
as I slowly move on to discover and pursue new ones. As a kid I made miniature dolls, then bears.
I remember my obsession with miniatures. I loved making small things that could be easily hidden
in a pocket and taken everywhere. It wasn't until my pre-teens that I made the venture into
garment design; clothing stayed my primary interest until this year.
as I slowly move on to discover and pursue new ones. As a kid I made miniature dolls, then bears.
I remember my obsession with miniatures. I loved making small things that could be easily hidden
in a pocket and taken everywhere. It wasn't until my pre-teens that I made the venture into
garment design; clothing stayed my primary interest until this year.
Since writing this post, I've thought even more about my decision to take a break.
In addition to everything I mentioned in the first post.....production sewing really took the fun
out of clothing design for me. As someone who always likes to try new things and incorporate
them into the design process; any kind of repetitive production sewing is not a good fit for me.
The speckle dresses were my way of testing the waters after break. Making them wasn't too stressful,
I even enjoyed the first few! However, after a certain number, I felt the familiar drag production
work has. At the same time I am not interested in outsourcing. I still enjoy creating a variety of things
(I actually have quite a few bits and bobs to share here...soon), but I'm not sure how I can make
that work from a business perspective.
In addition to everything I mentioned in the first post.....production sewing really took the fun
out of clothing design for me. As someone who always likes to try new things and incorporate
them into the design process; any kind of repetitive production sewing is not a good fit for me.
The speckle dresses were my way of testing the waters after break. Making them wasn't too stressful,
I even enjoyed the first few! However, after a certain number, I felt the familiar drag production
work has. At the same time I am not interested in outsourcing. I still enjoy creating a variety of things
(I actually have quite a few bits and bobs to share here...soon), but I'm not sure how I can make
that work from a business perspective.
The past couple months I've been a creative POWERHOUSE. I literally make stuff every free
hour I have, but the things I'm making are all over the place. I feel like the focus (on a primary interest)
I had when I began Hetterson is gone. I need to do something new and fun, something that
doesn't always require me to make the same stuff in mass quantities. What I enjoyed most
about running the Hetterson shop and blog was making and sharing (ideas and inspiration),
but that doesn't necessarily have to involve making clothing to sell. I'm not saying I won't ever
make clothes to sell again, but I am saying that's not my focus anymore. I guess it's time to
explore new ways to make and share.
hour I have, but the things I'm making are all over the place. I feel like the focus (on a primary interest)
I had when I began Hetterson is gone. I need to do something new and fun, something that
doesn't always require me to make the same stuff in mass quantities. What I enjoyed most
about running the Hetterson shop and blog was making and sharing (ideas and inspiration),
but that doesn't necessarily have to involve making clothing to sell. I'm not saying I won't ever
make clothes to sell again, but I am saying that's not my focus anymore. I guess it's time to
explore new ways to make and share.
Let's see what happens....
Posts
congratulations on your recent creative energy.. good luck with your new approach!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for you! I know exactly what you mean when you say that making things over and over sucks the fun out of it. And when you stop doing it for money and start doing it for you it is SO much more fun.
ReplyDeleteI strike that balance by only making a few of the same thing to sell, and then when I get sick of it, I stop. And move onto something else. Or don't make anything to sell for a while - whatever I feel like. I enjoy the process of designing, making and selling things but only as long as I can stop whenever I want. So I plan my life in a way that I pay my bills doing other things and just have fun being creative and making things with my hands.
You could totally keep a blog and never sell anything again. You should do what you want to do, and if that bores some people who are only interested in buying clothes then they don't have to stay. Some people will stay, and new people will be drawn here because they are interested in making and sharing.
I have to say it - if you have a phone that can run instagram, I think you would really enjoy using it. It is such a great place for sharing the process of making. I sound like some kind of sales person for instagram but seriously, I have gotten to know people in only a few months on instagram in a way that reading their blogs for years didn't achieve. It's really personal and social, and you can get feedback on the things you make see what other makers are up to. Ok, I'll stop talking about instagram now. ;)
It's good to see that you are alive and well and enjoying yourself. Oh and you must be a person with serious attention to detail to have enjoyed making miniatures so much.
Damn, I really wanna see the rest of that bear. The head's cute. I love that that was a hobby of yours.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a similar place to you right now. Still have a passion for being creative and running a business, but trying to find something that works for me. I'm sure, like you, moving on from the clothing line will open me up to being more productive and creative. Now I just have to get caught up first!
Thanks for sharing and good luck!
i tried to do the same thing with selling and it just became a massive stress. even knowing my nieces would like a few dresses makes me avoid my machine. i'm much happier, regardless of what marx (i think) said, working for someone else for my money and sewing for me. and then having everyone envy my clothes.
ReplyDelete