Hello there!
This post is an excerpt from the guest post that I shared on Ayeina.com on starting a sewing business.
Secondly, based on the popularity of this post, I think How to Start a Small Sewing Business is quite a hot topic, therefore, I have added more links to reliable resources that I discovered on the internet. These resources can help you in starting your own sewing business on the right foot.
(Note: some of the links are affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make any purchases through them.)
For example through the book Sewing to Sell you can learn and get patterns for 16 different projects that are perfectly easy to sew and sell. (You can read my review on this book on the post Sewing to Sell – Book review). However this book will not show you how to set up an Etsy shop and the tips that you need to run your business successfully. And that’s where the awesome courses on Creative Live come in handy which will show you the following:
(PS. Use the code APWELCOME20 to get 20% off on your first order on Creative Live)
- How to Launch Your Handmade Shop: In this course you will get 14 lessons and you will learn how to:
- Set up payments and shop policies
- Begin branding your store
- Create enticing listings
- Make your first (and future) sales
- Turn Your Etsy Shop into a Sales Machine: This class is jam packed with 43 lessons which will teach you 3 baisc things; how to Build an Etsy Storefront That Sells, how to Market Your Etsy Shop to Sold-out Success and Advertising for Creative Business Owners. 5.4k students have enrolled in this class and 98% totally loved it so it must be worth giving a try.
- Craft Photography Fundamentals – where you can learn how to take beautiful pictures to attract the customers and increase sales.
- The Art of Selling What You Make: This class has 44 lessons and this course will give you the concrete, pragmatic tools to connect with customers, make sales, and share the unique things you make with the world.
- How to make a living selling what you make: This class has 44 lessons and you’ll learn how to:
- Generate revenue from the beginning while balancing longer term growth
- Find the best and worst revenue streams for your products
- Set targets, create profitable pricing, and evaluate market demand
- Deepen your product line and build your brand
- Grow your email list and use social media for long-term growth
- Develop production strategies as you start creating more product
- Start a Handmade Business:
- Secrets of Selling at Craft Fairs: How to Get In, Make Sales, and grow your business: In this 39 lessons class learn how to:
- Find and apply to the right show
- Develop your “look” using basic branding
- Prepare for shows with products, checklists, staff, and a pitch
- Merchandise and display products for maximum effect
- Deal with pricing, permits, and taxes
All these classes are taught by experts who have mastered their fields and they have shared their best techniques in these classes.
You might also want to check out the following highly rated books on Amazon about starting and running a successful home based sewing business.
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Work From Home Sewing for Absolute Beginners: Work from home sewing for absolute beginners (Only $0.99 on Kindle)
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How To Run A Successful Sewing & Alterations Business From Home
Lastly, for more ideas on types of sewing business you can start, read my guest post on the blog Ayeina.
Jazakillah Khair Javeriya. We loved your post. You’re most welcome to join us again anytime 🙂
Ooh, I am sew excited to read the post Javeriya 🙂
Hope you find it really helpful! 🙂
Hi my name is Beatrice and I am a beginner in sewing and love to learn more.
I especially like your suggestion about choosing alterations as a good route. I own an alterations business called “The Dreamstress” and can tell you that business is good! 🙂 There are not many who specialize in alterations, especially formal wear/bridal wear. I suggest learning techniques to do formal garments because: 1) the profit is much better 2) those garments are made to be altered; ready-to-wear is not. I meet clients in their homes for fittings (I live out of town quite a ways) and sew at home. Other than the initial investment for the equipment, the overhead costs are very minimal (just have to buy thread!) The hardest parts about doing formal wear alterations are probably learning the techniques, and the fear of ruining something expensive. If you already have solid sewing skills, you can learn alterations. I suggest the site “Sew for Dough” and taking some Craftsy.com courses on fitting. I suggest Linda Maynard’s fitting class. Also, Susan Khalje’s couture dress course, which was a game-changer for me, and gave me the confidence to go into alterations myself.
Thanks Lacey. I do alterations, the do come to my little shop over my garage. I call my self, laughingly, The Village Idiot. Who else does this. 🙂 My business has been unreal. I still think that I don’t charge enough, always afraid to be on the too high side. I do alterations for a friend’s rental gown business. Always need tips on how to improve my mad skills. It’s wedding season. I plan on checking out Susan Khalje’s course. Thanks. Be brave ladies! If you are good, flexible, and friendly, this could be for you. Am I getting rich? No, but I have something o do, I meet lots of people, and I get paid! Priceless.
Great information! Thank you
Oh! this is great information. I am a beginner in sewing. I want to sew and sell cos most times when I work on my clients fabric am so afraid of ruining it. I know that this course will give me the much confidence I need. Tanks.
I have been sewing for 60 yrs and could not live without it. I have sold handmade clothes on Ebay.. but had to slow down due to an ill parent I cared for. I have always wanted to learn alterations. For some reason it intimidates me. People (customers)can be difficult and demanding. Where is the alteration course held? I live in central fl on west side of the state. Thanks in advance
I consider myself as a beginner. I mostly sew aprons and tote bags for gifts and if someone has a request for something I will make it. I do sell my stuff to friends and family for a low cost. I never thought about doing alterations. I do my own but I think it’s a great idea to start a home business. Thank you for all the great information.
Thanks so much for the tips. I have been doing a lot of alterations for friends and I am doing what you said not to do… under value myself. 🙁 I do have a client who knows my value and she is very willing to pay. I have also looked on line for pricing on items and that is how I have been placing my value. It helps me a lot and I’m surprised at the value placed on the work.
Hi, I’ve enjoyed sewing way back when I had first learned how to sew back in junior high school. Went on and started living life and some how I found my way back to this love of cloth milipulation aka sewing. I bough my first sewing machine back in 2008. Since then I’ve been buying sewing machines and equipment, and also joined ASG; American Sewing Guild. Even though I feel that I have learned some things I’m still no expert. I would love to start some short of sewing business but I’m not sure as to what type of business I should start, If you don’t mind I would like to here some suggestions you may have. I was thinking what if I opened up some sort of shop where I could help educate my neighborhood on sewing, or try and find some students or graduates from a sewing institute who is looking to start there own brand and we could partner up. When I say that I have been buying sewing machines, I really have! I own 5 industrial machines about 5 home machines plenty of notions 2 steam irons 1 steamer pressing equipment, I’ve also built up a decent library of sewing and tailoring books. I have a passion for sewing but I don’t have the time to so or the space to get set up like I’d like too. I came across your web page and thought let me send you a text to see what someone else may have to say or could help steer me in some sort of direction. I hope I have said plenty and now I hope that you, your family and friends had a great Happy Thanksgiving and I look forward to hearing what you have to say or even ask.
Sincerely: Robert Falls
Oops sorry for the errors and misspelled words I didn’t proof or run a spell check.