11/20/11: Zipping Along

I have some updates for you concerning my newly fashioned home-based sewing/knitting business. Through the two ads I placed in my local shopper's guide for the weeks of November 6 and 13, I have been given at least four zipper replacement orders and one custom sewing project. I haven't done any work for another person outside the family so it has been such a learning experience! 

At this moment, I just finished replacing the first zipper (in a winter coat, by the way), and will be dropping it off tomorrow. Fingers crossed the owner will be satisfied! I have some zippers coming in the mail tomorrow so I will be starting on the rest as soon as I can. 

Replacing a winter coat's zipper is not an easy project to take on and I remembered from doing my own coat, as well as my two sisters', is that the hardest part of the whole process is figuring out how to put it together in the right sequence. As you can well imagine, every single coat design is different. Some have wind breakers, others don't. Some, like the one I just finished, have an added button band making it a little more difficult to sew. 

That is why I did something different this time. While I was removing the dysfunctional zipper (whose zipper end was entirely frayed and useless), from the coat I took digital pictures and video along the way. 

This way I know exactly how each piece is seamed. And by using the video, I can dictate quickly and easily those important measurements that might be lost if I simply ripped out the zipper without stopping to investigate. Such as the measurement between the edge of the zipper teeth and the line of stitching that is made to piece the zipper to a fabric strip, (yeah, sounds vague but it something I had to know!). 

So my new idea really helped me move along quicker and now I have a brand new zipper installed:

So what about that custom sewing order I mentioned? This order is not something you would expect, or at least I didn't. It is for two custom made dog outfits that resembles the Marine Corps blue uniform and the camouflage suit. You have to smile when you hear that. :) This will be my first dog outfit and I can't wait to have all my materials at hand to get started on this project. I'll keep you posted on how it is coming along.

And so before I run off I wanted to show you a few shots of some newly designed business cards I ordered from InkGarden.com. Here they are: 

Don't they look like something straight out of this blog of mine? That was my objective when I was designing it. Thanks, InkGarden, for the wonderful printing job!