Wednesday, May 22, 2013

to market, to market

I'm in sewing production mode these days. Last week was all about cutting, and this week is stitch focused. I'm adding reinvented coffee sack market bags to to my product line. There have been far too many requests to ignore, and the farmer's market season is upon us out here in the northeast.

 I am currently only making items for the Squam Art Fair, but am hoping to do a shop update upon returning. There is only one to show you because making in multiples/mass requires a certain formula for maximizing efficiency. I completed this in one fell swoop, but my usual method involves doing each step over and over again for all like items before moving on to the next step. This means my studio has piles of different things at various stages of readiness. Not so easy to blog about... unless you'd like some tips on production sewing. You would? Great!
Production Sewing Tips:
  1. Check your supplies ahead of time, and make sure you're stocked up. Who wants to run out of thread and needles when you're in your sewing groove?
  2. Thread lots of bobbins before you begin. 
  3. Cut everything first. Even if there are multiple projects, do it all at once.
  4. Keep your iron set up and ready.
  5. Sew in stages, as said above. Make all handles at the same time, sew zippers all at once, etc.
  6. Snip obvious threads as you go, but leave the last threads on everything to do together as you watch a movie and drink a glass of wine (or whatever your preferred beverage is).
I'm sure I'm forgetting some tips... want to help me out? When you're sewing lots of things at once, either to sell or during gift giving season, do you have some good shortcuts to share? 



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12 comments:

  1. Love this bag. Do you need an industrial sewing machine to make this? I'm just worried about my little machine and the canvas!

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  2. Not at all! A sturdy home machine is all you need. The burlap should be a fine weave, though. It's lined with a heavy twill and there was not one broken needle in the making!

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  3. Great bag to stuff market purchases!
    By the way, did you add the writing "MAYACERT" or is it a lucky coincidence? ;-)

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  4. Bobbins ahead of time - great idea! It's such a pain to wind a bobbin half way through sewing time!
    I also like the idea of thread clipping in front of the TV. I often trim as I go because doing it at the end seems to take so much time (when I'm in front of my sewing machine). Thanks for the tips!

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    1. I clip all my threads as I go because I know where they are. If I wait to clip 'em later, I'd probably miss some. I do lots of work in front of the TV though!

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  5. I love it! Thanks for the tips. Kisses from Venezuela.

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  6. I love the bag. These are really great pictures of you! You look so healthy and vibrant. Thanks for keeping me inspired!

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    1. Thanks Kristine- trying to take good care of myself these days...

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  7. Put your scissors on an elastic and loop it around your neck. I waste a lot less time searching that way. Turn on the tv to something you don't really need to pay too much attention to, or some music. It keeps you from being bored or thinking of other things you need to stop sewing and do. Stay organized - make piles, again so that there's less searching.

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