Some thoughts

Just, some thoughts here.

I am happily sewing the sleeveless version of the Chambray cropped top over the weekends, hoping to list it up onto the shops by Tuesday or Wednesday. And whilst sewing, you got that loads of time to think about lots of things that are happening in your life currently. Don't worry, I'm still concentrating on my sewn piece while thinking stuffs.

It was the business statistics that got me into thinking. Currently there wasn't any sale yet, my shop is only officially launched for less than a week till today, so I'm in no panic state. The thoughts I have include:

1. Pricing strategy of my shop, are they priced too high?

2. Amount of time I spent on a piece completed

3. Cost of materials is it too high?

4. Photography-beauty

Firstly, for the pieces that I have listed so far, the prototype/first piece is always hand-sewn 100% by me. They are not for sale. And they took days to complete. Thus this is why I decided to do away hand-sewn 100%. In addition I have asked around on forums and replies that I've got are, handmade (sewn by machine by yourself) is very well appreciated enough.

Plus I have make it a point not to incorporate any form of serging in my pieces. My reasons are serging is a waste of threads and there are always ways to obtain clean finishes. French seams and blind stitching are good examples.

Local fabric stores in Singapore have good quality fabrics, even though the prints are quite limited, basics are wide varieties for you to choose. And with quality comes the hefty price tags. I could say that every price tag on my pieces, material cost is almost 20 to 25% of them. Sadly I could not purchase in bulk to lower the material cost as I am not making ready-to-wear pieces and the storage in my current working area is only a 1-metre length table.

A big fat confession. The pictures taken foe my pieces is using Iphone 3. Yes, its not even Iphone 4. One reason is Im am waiting patiently for Iphone 5, another reason is that I am not a camera-kind of person. I have never had a camera in my life, and its always the other friends that took pictures of me. I have no idea how to make my items look deliciously-appealing, but I guess have to learn some photo-editing skills sooner or later. Space-constraints again, I cant beautify the background of my pictures either. Oh well.. More to work on the photography part.

Lastly, pricing. As much as the shops being my hobby, my dream and my future career, profits are very important. And I finally decided to further reduce my price tag. I will not compromise the quality of the fabrics to reduce the costs, I will have to earn lesser. Or I will have to sew more and more to improve my sewing turtle-speed.

Just, some thoughts again.