Woolgathering

[apollinav]

Yes, actual woolgathering.  As you can see, I have quite a bit of it.  What's pictured is mostly folded and stacked against the wall knee-high, and I'm NOT picturing the really thick blanket weight wool which consumes much of my linen closet.  And yes, it's 100% wool.  I'm a fabric snob, and I will make no apologies.  (The linen stack is elsewhere, but it's nearly as high.)

I'm *thinking* of putting my small talents to use and sewing to make some side dosh by making cloaks and robes on etsy.com or ebay. 

I've been sewing for more years than I'm willing to admit, and making witchy things is much easier than churning out more Elizabethan gowns.  So I'm not sure yet.  I think I'm just going to make a bunch of things as my time permits, and when I have the inclination to sew, and if I get a custom order - that'll be fine too. 

Just for giggles I made this cape Sunday.  It's nubbly cotton velvet lined in taffeta. It's rather dishy.  I'm wondering if I can list it for $50 and if that's reasonable given the time and cost of fabric I have invested in it.  I think so.


So, now I just need a name to make fabric labels, and probably a tax ID so I won't get in trouble with the IRS.  Damn.  What should I call myself now?  Any thoughts?  

Help me flist - I suck at naming things.

These were horribly uninspired, but the best I could come up with:

Witchy-wear by AV
AV design studio
ApollinaV - Cloaks and Clothier

Comments

[voxangelus.livejournal.com]

Honey, you could list it for more than that. I paid $50 for a heavy cotton denim cape WITHOUT a hood.

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

I'm not a big fan of overpriced, especially when I expect the bulk of my customers to be other hp fans like myself. I do not like the idea of overcharging friends. And it's just a cape. I don't know if you can see the hem well enough in the pic, but it only hits mid-thigh.

But I'm a bit relieved that you think the pricing is reasonable.

[voxangelus.livejournal.com]

Oh, for mid-thigh then, that's very reasonable. I was thinking it was full-length - in which case I would fuss at you for underestimating yourself :)

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

Oh no, I'd lose money right and left if I did a full circle cloak in velvet at full length! That's why I think $50 is reasonable. I should show you a pic of the length, but I didn't want to overwhelm the post with pics.

[lily-bless-her.livejournal.com]

Your cape is lovely. You should charge a going rate for it.I make belly dancing outfits for friends and never charge what they would have to pay if buying from ebay, I am always being told off for not charging enough and under estimating myself. I usually only charge for fabric and materials, and yet a choli top can take upwards of 4 hours. Go for it and getsome lovely labels - I have yet to find the ones I want.

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

I didn't know what a choli top was, so I had to google it - lovely stuff. And I can see where that could get tricky. It's a small scrap of cloth, but it has to be functional, move with the body, and highly decorative. Not to mention keep certain assets contained during the dances.

I have to figure out what's reasonable for the market. I don't think I've done enough research. At the same time, I don't feel comfortable pricing things much too high. I'm doing this as it pleases me.

[tudorpot.livejournal.com]

Very nice, price is on the low side, so you should sell easily. I had camillo1978 make a logo thing for my bookbinding; Appolinav sounds great.

I joined the SCA last year and have fabric but need a good set of directions for making a cloak. I want to put arm slashes in for functionality.

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

I'm a member of the local Shire, and making SCA garb is pretty easy. There are alot of good beginner websites out there, the Atlantia A&S website comes to mind as having some great instructions : http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/

And if you're just looking to do a 1/2 circle or full circle cloak, that's pretty easy, and the arm slits go into the seams of the full circle. http://gothfashion.info/circlecloak.php

This website makes it look really too complex with the piecing, but there's other good info: http://www.reddawn.net/costume/oldcloak.htm

[beffeysue.livejournal.com]

I think the hooded cape is absolutely lovely and looks very cozy and warm. I also think you could ask for more and get it. But you have to feel okay with the pricing, and I understand you reasons for not wanting to list it for more. But you could and still be fair.

I love your pen name, so I think ApollinaV - Cloaks and Clothier is a great name. Whatever name you decide on, Go For It!

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

Thus far that's been the name that most have liked. I opened a shop on Etsy, so we'll see how it goes.

[critterel.livejournal.com]

As far as making and selling items, there is a yahoo group I lurk on called "hippiesew". Many women on there sell their items in various venues and may have some practical advice on how to go about this in a way as to not lose money and time invested.

I personally own only one cloak that I purchased at a local esoteric book store. It is velvet on one side and dark blue cloth on the other and was well over 175 dollars over 8 years ago. It is floor length.

As far as a name... you could take a hint from Madam Malkin and go with Madam Apollinav. I am awful with names.

You are awfully good at sewing obviously, the cloak is lovely. Thank you for sharing it.

Clare

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

Everytime I hear Madam I automatically think 'Madam' as in prostitution. I opened a store on Etsy, so we'll see how it goes. $175 seems reasonable if it's a full length and a full circle. This is just a cape, it's only mid-thigh, so $50 seems right.

[droxy.livejournal.com]

OOH that looks nice! Name: Fangarb for fangurls??? Apolina Apparel??

If you have things like pockets in it...charge more. Fully lined full length cloak, a good one, is at least 60 bucks in materials alone unless you get the cloth really cheap.

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

I'm a cloth bargain hunter. Though that's also a really good reason to go to Dallas where the huge fabric warehouses are. I opened a shop on etsy simply titled Apollinav. And the pictured cape, while pretty, is just a cape. It's only mid-thigh.

[droxy.livejournal.com]

Where are the warehouses you speak of? DO tell!

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

They're supposedly there. And not mythical.

I have to ask my friend again.

I know there are such places in the DC area, but I'm informed there are in the Dallas/Ft Worth area as well.

[christev.livejournal.com]

I agree with the others that $50 is probably undercharging. Consider how long it took, as well as the materials, and pay yourself for the hours that you worked. It really is beautiful!

For your name, how about combining some of the suggestions. "Madam Apollina's Apparel: (and as subtitle) Fangarb for Fangurls"

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

Fangarb fof Fangurls is fun. I'm going to ditch the Madam though. It makes me think prostitution. I've been looking around and $50-65 is a reasonable price. We'll see how it goes.

[persevero.livejournal.com]

Cloak and Dagger came to mind straight away, but, dammit, someone's already using it. Cloak and athame?

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

For the moment I'm just using apollinav until I can think up something better. I'm waiting for that 'ah-ha' moment when I know it's just right.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

You could easily get 50 dollars for that! It's lovely!

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was trying to price the market at $50-65 is reasonable. It's not a full length, it's a full circle, but it's only mid-thigh. We'll see how well it sells.

[persevero.livejournal.com]

NB Cloaks and clothier is almost right, but you are listing what you make and then who makes it, as if 'clothier' was a product. Cloakmaker and clothier? I've been looking at the list of livery companies on Wikipedia for inspiration (unsuccessfully, but the name are wonderful).

[apollinav.livejournal.com]

That's a very good point. A clothier is someone who clothes, like a tailor. But we'll see. I don't think I've hit the right name yet. Cloakmaker is good, thanks.

[junewilliams7.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest "AV design studio" or just "ApollinaV" -- don't limit yourself to "witchy-wear" or "cloaks and clothier". you could make all sorts of things!

[junewilliams7.livejournal.com]

ps -- I hope you don't mind, I just "friended" you.