The reason I’ve put fingers to keyboard is that I’ve had a kind of awakening last week. I’ll explain: One of the things in my life that has kept me positive was my sewing. I call it my sewing but it’s really more than that, it’s the creativity which sewing, crocheting and perhaps sugar craft bring out in me and that makes me content. So, after many years of home sewing, 4 years of college courses which I put myself and my family (I am married and have 5 children)through, I started my sewing business. Not being fussy about what I sew, work soon started rolling in. A short time later I needed to rent a studio away from home and then a bigger one and a bigger one. Studio number three now and I host sewing classes there and customers come in for fittings. There are shelves with cotton fabrics, trimmings and books that I sell too. However, the best thing in the room is my huge cutting table, that was custom built for me. I mean just look at it, isn’t it impressive with its 3.40m length and 1.5m width. We can do some serious work on there.
This is our cutting table after one of our Christmas decorations workshops
Last year we had a commission of children’s clothes to do for a new company and I had to employ staff because I was getting very busy. Whilst doing this work I came up with the idea of having my own collection of clothes. Now, the market is pretty congested with all sorts from Far East, so in the past I’ve always just done bespoke clothing like bridal and Mother of the Bride etc outfits. But, I soon realised that there isn’t really enough choice out there for people like me. People like me, are people who are a size 20 or above. The ones that are called plus size in other words.
So coming back to my first sentence where I spoke of the awakening…..Well, there you go, I found out that rather than people wanting more choice, fatosphere bloggers (not my word there, I saw it on a plus size blogger’s page and stole it) were telling me that they were campaigning for clothes to be made available in all sizes from the smallest to the largest. Ok. Fair enough, I have no problem with that. But……Coming back to choice though. We don’t all, thin or not so thin , want to wear the same outfits, or do we? I’ll gladly make someone who’s a small size a dress they can help designing (changes to necklines, length, sleeves and or their own fabric choices), if they decide they want something a bit different. What I found a little bit limiting though is being stuck with the stuff that is already there. Where is your individuality girls? Or is it because of the extra fat we’re carrying around we can’t be dressing differently as well and must be blending in? Because lets face it, that’s something that’s unlikely to happen anyway. So why not go the whole hog and be proud to stand out.
you can see some more of the Big Girl's Blouse images by going to the tab Big Girl's Blouse on the main menu.
