My First Sewing Contractor Experience
June 1st, 2007
Sometimes after you’ve gone through something and left it far behind, you forget what it was like to go through that experience for the first time. Enter our first contractor experience.
It was going to be our first season – I had all the pieces in place, the sample fabrics I needed and the patterns I needed. One tiny little issue was that I was running late in the season – but, not a big deal, starting small, only need a couple of salesman’s samples to make it to market.
Well, the Big Deal was that being late in the season ensured all the *good* sewing contractors were good ‘n busy. Including the ones who were recommended by my pattern maker. I thought, ok – I’ll find someone by calling around, just like I found the pattern maker. So I started calling and finally got the number of a lady who had some experience with children’s apparel.
Called her and she was available. YES!
So, I went and met with her, showed her my patterns and she said she could do it. I was so clueless at this point that I took her the whole rolls of fabric. Expecting her to do the cutting. She didn’t say anything except “OK”. Here’s the mistakes I made, which, by the way, are mistakes that any respectable contractor wouldn’t even have let me make:
- Dropping off the rolls, instead of the cut pieces – why in the world she was ok with this, I have no idea. My current sewing contractor wouldn’t even consider the idea of doing the cutting. He does the sample making and handles the production.
- Not providing prototypes. I expected her to make the samples from the pattern and fabric swatches alone. Everything that you hand over, to any contractor along the stage, has to be VERY CLEAR and VERY ORGANIZED. I had patterns, with fabric swatches attached to the spec sheet, in the order they were supposed to go in (from left to right, staple the fabrics that are used in the item – self, contrast, trim – to the top right corner of your spec sheet). By the time I’m ready for salesman’s samples, I should have a few prototypes to hand over to my sample maker. Basically, give your contractors as many tools as possible to make the job as easy as possible.
- Did I mention I was late in the fashion season cycle? It should have been a red flag to me that she was even available. (I say this because she was a small shop – I’m sure there are large job shops that can handle rush orders). So, with her doing the cutting on top of the sample making, on top of whatever the heck else she had going on, ended up being a disaster.
Now that I’ve owned up to my part, I get to say that she was the worse contractor I’ve worked with yet. Not only did my stuff come back 6 weeks late (yes you read that right), but about 50% of them came back basically re-designed. Different trim on items, even self and contrast backwords. I can attribute some of this to not providing the sample, but why in the world wouldn’t you call and say “you need to come down and show me what you want”?
Needless to say by now, that season didn’t happen – at all. I still have some of those damn samples like a big gray cloud over my head and the kicker is, now that I’m doing a few cash ‘n carry shows, I’m actually selling them off (the few that were made correctly). So, in the end, those things have given me confidence in my designing ability again. That something I designed a few years ago is selling well today. The colors are even still “hot”…which is pretty amazing to me.
I remember being so nervous making those first calls to pattern makers and sewing contractors. I think I was nervous enough that I let it hold me back from asking a million questions. At that point, I was still worried about being new, so I’d work it up in my head to more than it was. Remember this through the entire process – asking questions is a sign of strength, the more you know about something, the more you’ll ask about it.
My current contractor is brilliant, was recommended by my pattern maker, and is patient enough with all my newbie mistakes to help me learn as I go along. I’d love to hear some other experiences, as I’m sure we could all learn from each other’s contracting dramas.
I forgot to mention my poor husband had to go down to the contractor’s when the samples were finally “complete”, so he didn’t even know what was right or wrong (I didn’t provide him with prototypes either). He counted the number of items, handed over the money, scooped up our daughter and the extra fabric, and away he went. And her parting words were “don’t forget about the little people”.
It’s definitely an experience I’m happy to have behind me. But I learned a zillion things about manufacturing, working with people, project management, and setting expectations. And not being late in the season!!!
Entry Filed under: Product Development,Production
No Comments yet Add your own
1. ayomide&hellip | June 1st, 2007 at 10:34 pm
Hey, sorry that happened. I guess you have to make a few
(costly) mistakes trying to figure out what you need to do for your line. One thing I have learned in the industry, working with oversees manufactors is that you can’t assume that anyone besides yourself will understand what you want. They won’t call you even if you know the mistake you made was big and any thinking adult would not go ahead and make your product with that mistake. You will have to explain things like you are expalining to a child. Even though it will feel so wrong. It still sounds as if you are doing well. Keep up the good work!!
2. amber&hellip | June 2nd, 2007 at 8:05 am
After seeing the factories, it’s easy to see why you have to spell everything out – provide a map, a picture, anything and everything you can. I agree with you – this can’t be stressed enough.
We learn so much from mistakes and if youcan’t think, or believe, that you won’t make any. The best we can do is share.
Still, as I’m “growing up”, I think of all the mistakes my parents tried to save me from, but words just don’t compare to hands-on experience.
Not to mention, I made my fair share of “major” mistakes in my previous career-life (technical writer), even after I had years of experience.
People get tired, stressed, and busy – and things happen. Making everything as clear as you can is the best you can do to reduce the potential for mistakes.
Congrats on getting into school!!
3. Melissa&hellip | June 15th, 2007 at 6:02 am
WOW! I love your site…amazing. Makes me feel so much better and more motivated! Thank you. I actaully just found a seamstress YESTERDAY so I feel your pain that you describe here in this post. The seamstress is not in my home state- I will have to mail her the materials and then have her mail everything back to me. This seems like the only way to get the ball rolling, as everyone else either fell through or the prices were through the roof! I’m confused as to my next steps?!? I have a website live, it’s more of a portfolio right now, but my plan is to start selling online, and while doing so, begin bringing samples to baby boutiques, sending pics to magazines for editorial pieces, etc… Thoughts? Comments? Tips? Thanks again. Keep up all of your hard work. : )
4. amber&hellip | June 18th, 2007 at 5:12 am
Hi and welcome Melissa! Sounds like you’re doing good. A lot of people have to deal with shipping samples back and forth for approval, so I don’t think that should be much of a concern.
For selling to boutiques, you’ll want to start working on your catalog / look book, your line sheets, and your terms & agreements forms.
Thanks for taking the time to write!
Amber
5. Tanya&hellip | February 21st, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Hi, your comments on this first experience hit so close to home. I’ve spent the last 6 months or so dealing with the WRONG patternmaker, making all the mistakes you’d expect out of a first time situation. I don’t have much experience with pattern making or sketching so this particular patternmaker totally used that to his advantage. Now I’m shopping around for another one and only now I see how much more “upscale” these other patternmaking services are. I wanted to ask you, in dealing with patternmakers, how can I clearly express my designs (I’m designing children’s clothes as well), when I don’t have the sketching skills that I should. I feel incompetent when talking to patternmakers and they want details spec sheets with perfect sketches of my designs. Can I do this without such knowledge?
Thanks!
Tanya
6. Monique Fletcher&hellip | February 29th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Hi Tanya,
If you still need a patternmaker let me know.
I have designed and made all the patterns for abandonfashion.com and gypsiesandlords.com.
Where are you located?
Best regards,
Monique
7. Tanya&hellip | March 6th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Thanks Monique,
I’m in the LA area. where are you? I’m definetely interested in someone local, so that I can sit down with them and explain exactly what I want done.
8. Carolyn Clark&hellip | April 11th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Hello, and thanks for sharing your story. Today, I mailed my first prototype to a sewing manufacturer for a quote. I hope this experience goes well because I am having trouble finding sewing manufacturers in the US that allow LOW minimums for children’s accessories. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help,
Carolyn
9. Nancy Garrison&hellip | June 25th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I was very intrigued to have come accross this site. I am a model-maker of soft goods (mostly plush characters) and this was all very helpful for me. It showed in prespective what all my clients go through in shopping for someone like me. It also informed me what I’m doing right, what I can do better and how to better assist my clients. Thanks forthe insight and for sharing your experiences so that I could improve my services.
Nancy
Rainbow Sewing
10. Paige&hellip | July 1st, 2008 at 8:51 am
I am considering starting a clothing line of cutome shirts poly/lycra type materials. The shirts will have beading/crystal detailing. How or who would find companies that would do the detailing on the shirts? Me or the sewing contractor? What is the industry name for this type of detail work? I am in the very beginning stages of doing searches for contracting/pattern making and I am still approx 6 months away from getting everythiing in motion. Any help/advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
11. jamie Zumbro&hellip | November 29th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
hi im looking for a great childrens pattern maker. if anyone knows of anyone please let me know
i live in the San Diego area
thanks
Jamie
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