damselcorsets.com

Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Fabric Won in the End




Well, well...Here I am at 4 in the morning typing a blog instead of groggily dragging my truck and trailer through the outskirts of Wichita, KS. I SHOULD be currently making my way to my glorious home base in Utah so that I can procure the luxury of sewing madly for 4 days before I pack right back up and make the 15 hour drive to Vallejo, California. You see, here's what happened........

I started out this week wanting fabric. I wanted more fabric almost as much as I want chocolate cake on a nightly basis (It hits 9 pm, and the moist, crumbly seduction occurs.). However, I declined, as I must with the majority of the cake incidents. "Cake, thank you, but NO thank you. We need to keep this professional." With the fabric, I told myself that we FINALLY made a decent profit from our last renaissance festival, and it would be foolhardy to go and spent the money I just barely made. We've had a hard year, financially, and it's NOT because of lack of business. My customers are generous, profuse, and loyal. It's just that when you have to upgrade to a newer, bigger trailer, figure out that your pathetic van won't pull it, and then upgrade to a more powerful vehicle...the money doesn't adhere to the bank account properly.

So, I still wanted the fabric. This whole week, I've been obcessed. "Should I get it? Maybe not. Maybe So. I wouldn't regret buying more. The customers need more fabric options on the website. People keep asking me for more colors. Screw people. Wait, those people pay my bills and I like them. I should get the fabric. We won't have enough money to drive home. Who cares? Surely some money will explode out of nowhere and shower down on my glorious trailer filled with a treasure trove of upholstery. Should I get more fabric? No. I shouldn't. I will NOT go and spend the rest of my profits on fabric. I've got employees to pay, kids to feed, and plenty of fabric already. I will NOT buy the damn fabric."

Today, I went and spent more on fabric then I spent on purchasing my car. You've got to SPEND money to make money, right?? Yes, yes. I was on a total fabric high. My entire SUV was literally STUFFED to the gills with glorious stripes, romantic damasks, pale feminine hues, lurid contrasting patterns, and decadent aquatic colors of the sea. The sun was shining on a sweet, successful afternoon. We were to go back to my parent's house in Missouri, where we've been staying for the month of May, pack up, and embark on our path to Utah.....a brisk and effortless 20 hour drive! We started to unload our vehicle, and load our trailer the rest of the way full. That's when we realized we had made a huge mistake.

Our trailer axle has a capacity of 3000 pounds. The trailer itself weighs 1,400, thus we're REALLY only able to put in 1,600 extra. Before we were even 1/4 through loading the fabric, it was apparent that the axle would not survive the journey. The round metal covers that protect the top of the wheels were pressing down onto the wheels themselves, burdening them menacingly. OH, poo. We tried loading part of the fabric back into the SUV, but it was becoming apparent that we could either take our children home or the fabric.......Hmm....weighing options. I do like my kids. ARRggg.

My husband, who is normally a well of optimism and calm, threw up his hands and stormed into the house, proclaiming that we needed a new trailer. He was right.

And here I am, going crazy waiting for the trailer sales places to open up so that we can go in and trade in our current trailer (Yes, remember that part at the first of the store where we had gotten a new trailer to upgrade from our last one. Well...we're upgrading again.) and hopefully get a double-axle trailer that is rated for 7000 pounds! Just imagine! 7 tons of corsetry!

Oh, did I mention that I woke up at 2 in the morning to the news that my sister in law is in labor? My mind is going at a hundred miles an hour....now if only my CAR was making that kind of speed along I-70 right now.

7 comments:

  1. Ugh! Michelle, my heart goes out to you, hope things improve drastically in a most expedient fashion.

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  2. Now I feel bad asking just a few days ago if more fabric was coming.

    It was totally just to find out if I should buy my vest now or if I should wait because, if I did, a week later I was going to fall in love with a new fabric even though there is a fabric now that is great.

    As soon as you get the new fabrics on your website I'll help you pay for that trailer.

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  3. i'll second helping pay for the new trailer! mmm fabric, it can hold you, keep you warm, and doesn't talk back. -Bridget

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  4. Your "I want to buy fabric" inner monologue is the inner monologue every one of your customers have every time they look at your product! ;-)

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  5. Michelle -
    You would laugh how many times I have tried to post this - but here goes for the 6th time...lol
    I am such a clutz with blog postings.. !!

    I have an idea.. to feed your addiction (at least to fabric - to live to far away for me to send my famous Guiness Cupcakes) and as a loyal customer (not as loyal as usual as I lost my job but still I drool) I have run into some awesome deals on bolts of fabric in a downtown houston basement... at great prices...these are upolstry grade from fancy designers in houston.. if I were to buy the bolt and mail it to you...(given it meets your approval in a swatch) maybe in exchange for a bodice...or discount... then you would have more fabric than you could shake a stick at AND what you really decide you can't use (and EVERYONE who send you fabric must promise not to have hurt feelings if you don't like it) you could sell on etsy and make what you can from it...or if you didn't like our sample WE could sell on etsy.... then -- you don't have to tote so much fabric about in the trailer.... and maybe.. just as a "non-sewer" but love fabric it will allow your loyal friends a chance to feel part of the process...which we love seeing your business thrive - but THRIVE girl ! MAKE MONEY !!! We want to help !! lol.... sending you lots of good energy.. cuz when I wear a piece of your clothing.. it is a GOOD day!

    sheri

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  6. Is the red and white one fabric or bacon...because, BACON BODICES!

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  7. Sorry to hear about the struggles, but so excited to see you at the NorCal Pirate Festival! And though at the moment I won't be able to splurge on one of your corsets (because I have spent a ton on making a leather one for myself =/ )I will be there drooling!And hope to at least have a quick chat. Stay safe, and see ya there!

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