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Seven Money Making Plans Using a Sewing Machine
With advances in modern appliances and household equipment, many more women are finding themselves with extra time on their hands. This allows them the leisure to pursue other activities. Given the state of the world economy, however, many families find that an extra income is necessary in order to make ends meet.
In an effort to help in this regard, we have compiled a list of several different plans that would allow women (or men) to make a decent amount of money in the comfort of their own homes using a sewing machine. Most women have the needed skills passed down from their mothers and grandmothers. Take a look at these different plans, you may find one or more to be a perfect fit that will help you make some extra money.
Plan 1: Open a mending service.
Anyone with a minimal amount of sewing skill can make a lot of money by offering mending services in their community. People are always popping buttons off their clothes, and many do not have the time or the sewing skill needed to make these simple repairs. Sewing torn seams and patching are also options for mending that many people would be glad to have offered in their community.
Reaching prospective clients is fairly simple. One could simply place a small classified ad in the local newspaper. The ad should outline the services offered and have a phone number at which one can be reached. When customers start calling, one can arrange for them to drop off their clothes needing repair or to pick them up for customer.
If the work is of good quality, word will spread quickly and one could get a lot more business in a very short time. Setting the rates for repair work should be done according to the condition of the clothing and the amount of time a repair is expected to take. Ideally, the posted rates for repairs should allow one to make an average of $7 per hour and up. It should be very easy to earn over $100 each week working from home.
Plan 2: Sewing Curtains and Drapes
This plan calls for some very specialized sewing skills that are not very common. If you are able to perform this type of sewing, you will have a very good chance of being successful in this business. The key is to offer custom work at or near the same prices as one could buy curtains or drapes from a store. Your custom work will draw customers in. As with the mending service plan, the easiest way to attract customers is with a classified ad in the newspaper. Tell people what you are offering and give them a phone number at which to reach you.
You can put together swatches of material to show potential customers at little or no cost to you by contacting a fabric wholesaler and requesting samples. If it is understood that they will be supplying the material when a customer orders, they will generally give you free samples to show. Occasionally, a small deposit may be required. It is possible to find instructions for measuring material and hanging drapes free or at a low price from drapery and hardware manufacturers.
There is no limit to what you can earn in this business. For Example, Mildred began offering custom drapes for sale and worked about 5 hours a day at first. In less than two years, her husband was able to leave his job and go to work for her as an installer. She made it her policy to check the prices on standard drapes and curtains at the local stores, then offer higher quality, custom drapes for the same price. Once word began to spread, she was approached by several housing contractors who hired her to make the drapes for their new units. It is not uncommon for her to net a minimum of $500 each week now.
Plan 3: Create Area Rugs
One can use any heavy material, such as burlap or canvas, as a backing for an area rug. Draw a pattern or use a transfer pattern that can be picked up almost anywhere. The next step is to wrap yarn around a guide and stitch it to the material. Once you have practiced a little, you will be able to create even the most delicate of patterns within your rugs.
Each rug that you finish will be an original work of art, and selling them should be very easy. You can offer them on consignment at gift shops, furniture outlets, and appliance shops near your home. One good system is to offer the store a 30% commission on each sale. You should be able to make a substantial markup on rugs of this quality so that an average sized throw rug brings about $12. Even allowing for the commission, that is still about a 6 to 1 return on investment.
These rugs can also be sold in flea markets and swap meets. There is one woman in San Jose, CA who sells an average of $200 each week at a flea market. Better yet, most of her customers are either repeat customers who like the quality of her work, or people who have heard about the quality of her work from friends and family. Producing high quality work can bring you the same type of success.
Plan 4: Lettering and Emblems
Many schools and sports teams have a difficult time finding someone put letters and emblems on their uniforms and sweaters. Anyone interested in this plan should contact the local sporting goods stores and offer to contract with them to provide the lettering and school emblems for all the uniforms they sell. Most will be thrilled to have a local supplier rather than having to send everything out of town to be done. This business is seasonal, depending on the sport, but future sales are guaranteed as long as the work is top quality and the income from such a business could go into the thousands of dollars each year. Many of the new sewing machines have settings that will perform these functions automatically. If you own one of these, this may be the job for you.
Plan 5: Custom Sewing for Big and Tall or Extremely Petite Women
Many women have a great deal of difficulty finding "off the rack" dresses and clothing. Some are a little heavy, others are very tall for females, and still others are very tiny, but fuller than a child. It is possible to create a very profitable business in a short time making dresses for these ladies.
The first step is making a study of the best materials and styles for dressmaking to work with special sized women. Planning a unique wardrobe to fit the needs of each customer with stylish clothing at reasonable prices will keep them coming back. If they are happy with the quality of your work and taste you show in the recommendations you make, word of mouth advertising will land you more business than you would have ever imagined.
This is a very specialized area of sewing with a demand already in place. Clothing stores are not able to meet this demand because the factories that make women's clothing are set up to create just a few "standard" sizes. With your custom fitting and sizing, you will have no competition.
It is important that you gather a wide variety of specially sized patterns and learn the proper methods of measuring and fitting a woman. This information is available at no charge from the local library.
Plan 6: Creating Stuffed Toys
If you have ever visited a toy store, especially around Christmas, you have seen huge numbers of stuffed toys. Making these pretty creations does not require and particular special skills, just a sewing machine and the ability to follow a pattern.
All you have to do is cut and sew together patterns. These can be dolls, teddy bears, or any other stuffed animal you choose. Once sewn to near completion, stuff them and make the closing stitches. Finding outlets should be easy enough. You could offer them on consignment or sell direct to stores in your area, or you might consider flea markets and swap meets. People will pay a fair price for quality workmanship and with a little imagination, you can create your own line of original stuffed toys. Some large stuffed toys have sold for as much as $120. That was mostly profit because the cost of materials is extremely low.
Plan 7 Specialty Products
Believe it or not, very few people make aprons any more. If you could design and create a few different ones, possibly even offering to monogram them, you could make some quick sales at a high profit margin.
You can also offer other custom products, such as monogrammed towels, face cloths, pot holders, and scarves. The options are nearly endless and the profit potential is unlimited. These items could be offered on consignment through local gift shops and become a money maker that goes full time almost overnight.
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