Monday, August 29, 2011

In the beginning...!!!

I was remembering the other day when I first started making Knappy Knickers, or just knickers for over nappies as they were then! It was sights like this that got me reaching for the sewing machine!
Not a very good photo, but it was taken in the mosh pit at a Wiggles concert in 2005! That's my daughter on the right giving her best friend a bear hug. And what do you see hanging out from underneath her dress....?? Yes a saggy, baggy nappy/diaper - NOT attractive!! I actually thought I had a better photo of the offending nappy, but this is the best I could find.

I had had some little stretchy knickers that had come with a couple of her dresses, but they were too small, and I couldn't find any replacements - no matter how hard I looked. And I looked all over Perth to find some. So I did what any good mother does when she can't find what she wants - she makes it!!

I worked out my pattern, bought some fabric and gave it a go. The first few pairs weren't too flash, and the little girl being swamped by Elyse in the photo above was a guinea pig for the first prototypes as well as Elyse. I finally refined the pattern, got better fabric and then we had the following.



















Perfect for when you aren't sitting like a lady, or when you're hanging out with Grandad's dog on the farm in summer!

The other benefit to the knickers was that Elyse couldn't get them off, which meant she couldn't take her nappy off!! Yep, we've all been there - when your toddler decides it's time to take all their clothes and nappy off!! Well, the knickers at least meant that she still had a nappy on!

So while Elyse, and a friend, had covered nappies, it wasn't until 2007 that I decided to take the plunge and try selling the knickers at a market. So I sewed like mad to build up enough stock, and stood in the sweltering heat for a day - and sold lots of Knappy Knickers! I have to say, the great response I got at the market did surprise me a little, never having sold something I had made before. I continued on, selling Knickers at local Perth markets for the next year. In that time I decided to reward myself and buy an overlocker/serger from the profits - best decision I ever made as it really takes the Knickers up a notch. Although I must admit I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it!! 

Fast forward to October 2008 and my husband was transferred to Houston, so sadly just as I was starting to do really well with the Knickers and see benefits of the last year of hard work, I had to pack the Knickers up. 

It took until May 2011 until I decided it was time to do something with my Knickers, and listed my first item on Etsy. Nerve wracking to say the least!! I've had a few sales, but I'm in a bit of a lull now while I try to improve my sad photos, rewrite the descriptions and tags. There are so many gorgeous diaper covers on Etsy so those photos need to be good to stand out. I think I am the only person making stretchy diaper covers like this, so it's hard for people to get away from the idea of the big cotton bloomer type diaper cover. It's also hard taking great photos when my live in models are now far too old for nappies!

Meantime, I finished the swim/bath robe for Elyse and I'm really pleased with it. It's an Ikea towel and some gorgeous Michael Miller fabric. Here's my grown up girl, modelling poolside!



2 comments:

  1. Hi Rene' - I only lined the sleeves for the turn up at the cuff, not all the way up the sleeve. I wanted to keep the fabric of the towel next to the skin as it's more absorbent than than the cotton trim.

    ReplyDelete