My Ms Midge

It has occurred to me since returning to my sewing machines a few weeks ago, after a Christmas/New Year/School Holidays/Couldn't be bothered hiatus, that I need to work out what it is that I would like from my little business.  Each day when wasting time trawling through the pages of Facebook, I see at least one post from one page telling giving suggestions to other businesses how they could be doing things better.  How they could get more "likers", more business, more traffic through their business.  I used to read these articles with much interest, mainly because I thought I should 

read them with much interest.

In Ms Midge's infancy, I joined in on "liking ladders" - where you would post your business's link under someone else's, and everyone would go and like each other's pages.  I did this because it seemed to be what everyone else was doing?  But I opted out of that pretty quickly.  Firstly because I ended up liking pages that were Photographers from other parts of the land, Real Estate agents from other parts of the land and some were even businesses I would never, ever use the likes of - as they were on a completely different continent!!  I just didn't see the sense in it all?

A lot of the steps I have taken in building my business have been successful.  It has steadily grown, and up until Christmas I physically (nor mentally) could have taken on any more sewing that I had!  Every spare waking hour was spent filling orders and making relentless trips to the post office.  I needed the hiatus.  I needed to re-group.  And I did.

So mid-January, I took tentative steps back into my sewing room and filled the orders I had for art smocks and library bags.  I couldn't let all of the kids down who were relying on my goodies to prepare them for school!  But then I sat back.  What to do now?  How do I get back in to it?  

How do I grab people's attention?

I'm glad to say that orders are starting to filter back in, and I'm enjoying using my imagination.  I'm trying new patterns.  Have bought some new fabrics.  And am pleased with what I am achieving.  

What I have now worked out, is that I don't want to be like all of the other businesses I am potentially "competing with".  I want to be able to let my imagination run free.  And I would like to think my lovely customers want me to do so too?

I also would like to share the things I am learning as I go along.  Only two years ago I would have been lucky to have spent an hour on a sewing machine - in one whole year!   Now, it's a daily passion.  And I'm amazing myself with what I can achieve.  What I can make.  The self belief.  I will endeavour to share my lessons here with you!

My latest creations - Gorg-wah Pinafore dress and divine little Capelet!

So that's what I'm going to do.  Each day I have to create, I'm going to just do that.  Pull out patterns and fabrics that "grab me".  Create something I would love to see my kids wearing or owning and hope that it tickles someone else's fancy as much as it does my own!

And just for sentimentality - I would like to thank all of my wonderful friends and customers!  Your faith in my ability is lovely, and without you all - I wouldn't even have a business!  

Stay tuned - Ms Midge has lots more to offer! xxx