Monday, July 6th, 2009
children’s clothing
It’s been a long time since I’ve made any children’s clothing, and I miss it. Last year when the New Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) law went into effect, basically requiring all items made specifically for children to be rigorously tested for lead, I decided I could no longer make children’s clothing to sell. Thankfully, around February those guidelines were amended and while I’m not clear on all of the stipulations of the law, it appears that small clothing makers can continue to make and sell clothing for children. Textiles are exempt from testing, but fasteners (like buttons, zippers, etc.) are not, but those items, if made in the USA, would be tested by their manufacturer, so are ok to use. Here is an etsy article with a PDF link to some easy to read guidelines on the subject.
While it is now ok to sell children’s clothing again, I’ve been thinking hard about whether I will actually continue to do so. This is something that’s been on my mind for a long time, and with the current economic situation I’ve been thinking about it even more.
The issue is one of cost. Children’s clothes take almost as much time to make as adult ones. Granted, there are simple skirts and pants that take no time at all to whip up, but those aren’t the items I’m talking about. There is less material, but in any garment, the cost to make it is really in the design and generation of the pattern and in the labor to sew it. So when I see beautiful items from some of my favorite children’s designers, like Le Vestaire de Jean and Maki, the large price tags make perfect sense. And yet, for an item a child will at best get a year of wear out of, and probably rip and stain in the process, I personally can’t justify the expense.
Since having children I’ve splurged a few times on well made, beautiful items and have never been disappointed. I feel lucky to be able to do this once in awhile. But the majority of my boys clothing is either hand me downs, thrifted, made by me or from one of the inexpensive chain stores.
I’ve always tried to keep the kids clothing I design and sell simple so that I can keep the cost down as much as possible. There seems to be a hole in the industry between high end and Old Navy/Gap/H+M, etc. I always tried to fit into that inbetween place. Now I wonder though, if there is a market for that inbetween.
I really enjoy designing for children and I’ve had many people ask me for my patterns for kids clothes, so that could be a new direction for me, although to be honest the idea of figuring out exactly how to do this -printing or developing a downloadable electronic file -scares me.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about the children’s clothing industry, pricing, brands, how you shop, etc. Do you ever buy special, expensive clothing items for your kids? Do you buy special pieces as gifts? Do you buy all good quality, more expensive items but purchase less, with the idea that they will wear better and last longer? Personally I’d love to be able to do that.
I’d love to have a real discussion, so with this post I intend to start answering comments in the comments section, and I would love it if others chimed in as well. Hopefully I’ll be able to continue to do this. Previously I’ve either been unable to answer or have emailed commenters directly.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:52 am:
If you’d asked this when my first child was 6 months old, I’d say, oh yes — fewer pieces of higher quality. But that has not worked out for me. It kills me to see something beautifully made get completely destroyed with stains and holes. BUT I also get really irritated when something from Target only lasts a few washes.
I’ll do something beautiful/handmade for a special occasion, like a wedding or birthday. (I sew my own sometimes.) I’ll do cheapie Target stuff or secondhand stuff for backyard play and craft time. But the majority of my stuff is in the middle — made well enough to last through 2-3 kids, as long as I can keep the stains away. We have a lot of Gymboree and Carters stuff with lots of pattern to hide the stains.
My oldest is very picky with clothes, so I have little choice. It needs to either be a dress or a comfy knit or she won’t wear it. And she won’t wear subdued colors either. I could only force my own taste on her for the first year or so.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:00 pm:
I am lucky in that most all of the girls’ clothes are bought by their grandpatents. That being said, I really get no vote in their appearance. I have noticed that clothing made from natural woven fabric will last through both girls..not so on the knits. The nicer clothes that have come from me have almost always been sewn by me. I would totally use a pattern you have designed where I know I could make more than one item out of the pattern. That would definitely make it worth the cost of the pattern.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:03 pm:
I hear you. I’m like you and the above commenter. more expensive stuff for special occasion. quality stuff at heavy discounted price for many wears (multiple handme down.. been working out very well).. chain for tear-wear playwears.. and some handmade for playwears as well..
i love your stuff. havent had a chance to buy one yet! but hope you find a way to continue in some sort of shape!!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:06 pm:
i think i’m in between on this. i’ve decided that it is worth it to see my kids in nicer looking things, stains and tears be damned than to see them look slobby. i have noticed that the things i spend more money on (tea brand) really last much better in the long run. don’t get me wrong, we have a steady stream of knits from target coming through the house, but it makes me smile to see a pretty dress, even if it has juice on it. i hope you continue to make some items martha. i would certainly spend like to spend money on your things.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:07 pm:
I predominately clothe my 13 month old son in previously owned/used clothes, as he seems to rip (pun) right through them. I will, however, sew him nicer items. I would definitely purchase a pattern for a well thought out, nicely designed garment, though probably not the finished garment. It is hard for me to justify the expense (even though I know the time and effort and that it is worth it) for something my boy will probably stain/tear/grow out of within months.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:16 pm:
I am also thankful I have a mother, who likes to buy Hanna items and such for birthdays. They definitely wear better and last forever. I think I am more willing to spend more on my oldest (girl), because it will be worn by the youngest in a few years. That said, I think I go more for quality. Kids don’t need a lot of clothes to begin with, they seem to gravitate towards their favorites and we seem to do laundry every day anyways, that there is always something to wear. I also like to make the girls dresses too, so that helps with costs. And we always love our uniform studio items.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:18 pm:
amy h -I’m glad you mentioned picky dressers. that’s another thing I’ve been wondering about. There are so many children’s designers I like (again LVDJ and Maki) who make simple, elegant clothing, but I wonder if that’s what the child would choose for his/herself?
I will buy more expensive clothing as gifts, especially baby clothing (which doesn’t wear out as fast), more than for my own children.
having two boys also helps -knowing that it will get more than one child’s wearing.
hannah -I agree. I love seeing them in things that are unique.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:19 pm:
I LOVE well made kids clothing, and YOU are my favorite children clothing designer. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your children’s clothing. I feel it’s very important to splurge on a few items and for girls splurging on dresses is really not a splurge. The designs you have are very simple to turn into a tunic/top as Memphis has grown taller. We still wear all the dresses I have bought from you and we just pair them with leggings. They wear so well, and when stains have been a problem I just used a little Oxy clean and they all came out. For boys a simple pant or a wonderful jacket would be what I would go for. I just recently realized that the kids, especially Memphis NEED more dresses from you….and if you do a jacket or pants for boys I’m on board. I LOVE the idea of you selling some patterns and if you do I seriously hope you will do the pattern for your simple dress which could easily also include the simple top. I also LOVE your halter dress! I know you could do it and I would buy any and every pattern you sold. I really and TRULY hope you still make children’s clothing. Whenever Memphis wears your stuff folks go gaga over it. I am crossing my fingers you will stick with making at least the simple less time consuming items….I really mean when I say you are a genius!!!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:23 pm:
I don’t have any kids yet so I don’t know what will work out for me, but I myself spill stuff quite often, too … I nearly have no light colored clothes because of this, as I know I would “ruin” them with something red quite soon. Sigh.
A lot of my friends have small kids and I would’t consider buying them clothes as a present - but I have knit clothes for them in the past, and I think I would enjoy sewing some for them, too. I love, love, love your style and would be very interested in buying (kids’) patterns to use again and again (not only for friends’ kids but for mine, too, looking in the future. It would feel terribly wrong to buy clothes for unborn kids – but a pattern is something completely different!)
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:26 pm:
First things first, I love this dress. And if you make this in a girl’s XL I would totally buy it.
Regarding children’s clothing…I know I’ve said it many times before, but we always get complimented on all the US pieces we own. They are all still very wearable and that says a lot about the quality of your workmanship and the materials you use. Of course selfishly I want you to continue your children’s line because #1, I love your designs and #2, I cannot find anything else like it–quality wise and at a reasonable price point and #3, I love supporting an independent designer such as yourself. I love Makie, but am not willing to spend that kind of money on children’s clothing. Personally I tend to buy plain t-shirts for the boys at Target/Old Navy/Uniqlo and jeans/pants at Gap/H+M/Muji. But I am willing to spend more money on well-made and well-designed shirts + pants since I find that these are pieces that actually last through 2 boys. I actually spend less money on “special occasion” clothing since I dislike knowing I spent a lot of money on something that is only going to be worn a few times.
I really feel like you have a special place in the children’s clothing market. I think selling your patterns would definitely be a great idea!!
[P.S. After sewing the boys some pants this weekend, I was thinking “I wish Martha was selling children’s clothing again.”]
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:28 pm:
Jen & Dawn -I love seeing friends kids in clothes I’ve made:) thank you.
Sally -it makes me happy to hear that the boy’s clothes I’ve made are lasting. That’s one thing I’m always worried about. As I try to be more sustainable in my business, it’s an even greater concern.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:12 pm:
hi martha.
i bought a pair of US pants for Miles a few years ago, and they were a bit large, so Mia wore them for a while, then Miles, then they were handed down to a friend, then the younger sibling. durable!
my kids wear primarily second-hand clothing, but i do splurge on quality outerwear, shoes, underwear, socks and tights, and jeans.
i would probably buy more handmade clothing for them if it was offered in their size! very little is offered over size 6. i would be less likely to buy special occasion clothes as i would everyday, durable items. i love dresses for girls as they can become smocks/tops as they grow.
of course, as they get older their own tastes come into play. but a dress like you’re showing here (please make it in a girl’s 10) could be layered/combined with other items to reflect mia’s style and personality which is what i love about the basics that you produce.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:21 pm:
Most of my children’s clothing is thrifted or sewn by me. The clothing that I buy new consists of mainly of underclothing, socks, tights, and garments to fill in gaps in the wardrobe and for special occasions. In general, I prefer to have fewer, but better quality items. I have two girls so I will occasionally splurge on pretty clothing knowing that it will be handed down to the younger child. I don’t usually buy new from the chain stores because this is what turns up second hand, and this way there is more of a budget for better-quality items.
I prefer the more simple clothing for children often found with high end manufacturers (and US), but favor the price range of your collections. I think the in between you mention is an important yet neglected niche. I hope you continue to make chldren’s clothing, Martha.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 1:31 pm:
Martha,
Like you, I have two boys, which certainly helps justify spending the extra on better design & quality. (the little one actively looks forward to when his brother will grow out of some things).
I am very fortunate to have an amazing clearance place not far from me, which at least once a month has high quality children’s clothing. The only problem there, is one that all mother’s of boys find - namely children’s clothing stores tend to be stocked 80% girls and 20% boys. The lack of choice meant until the boys were about 3 yrs I sewed a lot of their clothing, most often using beautiful Italian suiting fabrics. To me, better than the jeans, khakis or army pants available in most kids stores. Now the boys are bigger, fabric alone can’t save a boring pattern.
A very long winded way of saying I would absolutely LOVE to have a pattern (or more!) for some well designed clothing for my boys.
(I love your work/process, thanks for sharing)
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 3:09 pm:
great post, great questions.. i think it would be good to have more children’s labels with a lower price range with the beautiful styling of makie, lvdj.. is this impossible? i tend to pay more for one off christmas, bdays clothes. i also go to ebay for knitwear by bonpoint, old i golfini. these items are rarely very worn, and wear well.
patterns for your children’s clothing? yes please.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 3:12 pm:
oh. and to answer myself. no! us clothing being a great example.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 4:04 pm:
I have a girl and a boy so handing down is limited. Like most parents I have relied heavily on hand me downs and thrifted, though as kids age this dwindles! I buy cheaper basics from chain stores and the occassional high end piece on sale, but I sew and knit a good amount too. I use good quality fabrics and yarns and the things I make always get passed on to friends kids. I would love patterns from you! Love it!
Unlike many parents I don’t really distinguish between everyday and special clothing. I encourge
my kids to choose what they want to wear and I really only object when it is clearly inappropriate. I make and buy clothes to be worn and would rather see it run into the ground than left on the shelf.
On the question of aesthetics my kids most certainly do not share my love of tasteful neutrals! Amy wants pink on pink with frills and all the trimmings. The point of sewing with her is having a few options in narrowing choice and discussing what goes well together. But in the end she has her own style and I’m not really keen on denying her the opportunity to work out for herself how she wants to dress. I figure as long as I can halt branding I can cope with a riot of colour, stripes, spots and prints!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 4:38 pm:
Stephanie -I like the idea of neutral pieces that kids then can then add to as they wish -with tights, t-shirts, etc. this way it seems like both the kids and parents are happy.
and from what I’m hearing you all want patterns:) any advice on the publishing end would be greatly appreciated:)
thanks for all the great feedback everyone!
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 5:57 pm:
The main justification I find in a higher price point is ethical. I taught myself to sew because it got expensive.
So I would love to see patterns from you and it may be simpler than you think. For instance, this isn’t even in english but I understand it:
http://www.kokka.co.jp/so-ing/sewing/pdf/l_bro.jpg
You could just hand draw them, and then scan them (or take a picture of them with your camera :o) and post!
I like your style of simple clothing because its so easy to change up, a great base to start from. Along the lines of that, have you heard of http://www.theuniformproject.com/? This girl wears the same dress every day for 365 days, she keeps it interesting by changing up the look with accessories and layers. It’s a fun idea.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 6:05 pm:
I have a few criteria when buying clothing for my kids. I don’t want them to be advertisements for anyone. I want them to comfortable. And I don’t want them to be ordinary, in the same stuff as everyone else. This is much easier to accomplish with girls. I shop at a local boutique and a few online sellers for most of my kids clothing and I make them a fair bit too. I get basics like tees and jeans from places like Target, Gap, etc.
One thing to consider with higher priced clothing is resale. Clothing that is well made is likely to last longer and look better which means that a parent can recoup some of their original cost. I’ve been fairly successful doing this at our community yard sale but I know there are some who have a lot of luck selling on ebay. I haven’t sold any US pieces yet though, just can’t let them go.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 9:54 pm:
My mom is the best garage sale buyer in the world so my daughter is dressed 90% in look-like-new, cute, second-hand clothes my mom drops off. I buy tennis shoes every 6 months and she’s basically good to go. That said, my child is VERY opinionated at age 3.5 which is fine when my mom has spent $1 on a second-hand item but not so cool if I were to buy a US piece for example. Sadly, therefore, I probably wouldn’t be buying your children’s clothes even though I love them. I do sew for her but have about a 75% failure rate even when she chooses the fabric she mostly refuses to wear stuff I make and I refuse to fight over clothes so she wears the same 3 stained, knit dresses every day. Anyone need some homemade girls clothes in size 3T?
Also, about pattern making, I wonder if Sew Liberated http://sewliberated.typepad.com/sew_liberated/ would be willing to trade advice for clothes with you? She has her own tiny pattern business and a new baby boy. I don’t know her personally but admire her work.
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 10:04 pm:
when our four yr old daughter was two, i was lucky enough to purchase a dress made by you, and it was well loved+worn and still looks great on a younger friend of ours. the smart style worked as a dress and then later as a tunic - we loved it.
i am willing to pay for an item which has a personal stamp and is a style that may last over seasons (dress/tunic or pants/capris). i sew, so i like to see a handmade garment (mine or someone else’s) last a long time so it can be appreciated as it should! this works well since i have some friends who appreciate handmade w/younger children than mine to with whom we can share when a special piece becomes outgrown.
i buy mass-produced basics (tees, leggings, socks) and look for sale-prices. then have fun adding handmade dresses, tops, and skirts, which either i make or purchase, and since i make a good portion, i feel fine paying for handmade (because i save w/what i make and i know the worth of someone else’s effort). i try to strike a balance.
as said, i also like to allow her a voice when it comes to what she wears, but it’s not too difficult as long as i keep in mind who i am shopping/sewing for. some days, my choice of neutrals are fine w/her as long as she can add her bit of color+fun. other days she’s not as flexible, but i’m ok.
i would love to have more US items (please!) but would happily invest in a pattern you made too. thank you for this conversation.
ps - i really like that dress!
color
on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:31 pm:
I find having a boy makes finding clothing that I am willing to dress him in more difficult. For some reason even the mid level clothing is all covered with logos, sports images or teddy bears doing things (why would anyone think to put a teddy bear driving a submarine on a piece of clothing). I try to find as many plain or striped shirts. For anything beyond basic pants I tend to make my own. But even that usually involves creating my own extremely pattern because there are so few good patterns for boys out there.
I have to agree with some of the previous posters that I would rather have a few well worn pieces of good clothing rather than a dresser stuffed full of crap (excuse my language)
While I have never bought any of your pieces I have admired them for their simplicity. If you were to create patterns, especially gender neutral or boy one, you would find a lot of sewing parents interested in having the option.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 1:15 am:
Martha,
I don’t have children yet…but most of my friends have had their first babies in the past year. I have made and purchased higher quality garments and objects for these children. My rationale is this: these little ones will only be 1month, 6 months, 1 year, etc, once- so why not give/ make/ buy something special- something that will become an heirloom in the family, or passed on to others as a unique gift/hand-me- down.
I think there is a market for the “in-between.”
Especially because of the economy, people are looking for quality goods, that have longevity, and are classic, timeless.
I think people are willing to spend a little more on something that is going to last longer because of the care that went into it’s design and production.
There has to be something in between cheap necessities, and ‘luxury’ goods.
Also, (besides being scared)…I bet it excites you to think about how you would create & distribute children’s clothing patterns. In my humble experience, when you feel like this…I think it’s a sign that you should go ahead and try!
I love your work, and would support you by purchasing your patterns!
xo
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 1:16 am:
Oh, I hope that you would continue your children’s line because it is durable, well-made, well-designed, and I do not sew!
I have found your clothes to be very lasting. Audrey continues to wear the simple summer striped dress I bought for her in 2007! I think it will make it into 2010 with leggings. Everything I have bought is still with us, most still being worn by Audrey and a few pieces awaiting wear by our new girl expected in September.
I would prefer to spend more on quality and well-designed clothing for children. I have found that my daughter really doesn’t need that many clothes. A few dresses and tops and sturdy jeans and a pair or two of good shoes seems to be enough. Purchasing cheaper pieces ends up not being worth it. Either she rarely wears it because it is not as comfortable or lovely, or it does not fair well through the wash. I don’t find stains to be that much of an issue. But, I am pretty much of a maniac at stain treatment, and I often handwash or at least hang dry most pieces of handmade clothing, which I find keeps them looking new longer. Now that I am expecting another daughter, I think I am more inclined to purchase well-designed, handmade clothes at a fair price point because I know I can use them for a long time.
I do purchase a fair amount of tea collection clothes because I feel like I am supporting a local business in my area, and I feel like they are well-made. Usually, you can wait for a sale and purchase the high-end brands a good prices (especially at sample sales, ebay, etc.). But, I do depend on Gap, Old Navy, Gymboree for some plain tees and to fill in wardrobe gaps.
I think that I would spend more on everday clothes than dress up clothes because they would be used more and enjoyed. I usually include one special piece I have spent more money on as a Christmas gift or birthday gift.
I do hope you continue with your children’s line! I am glad that I snagged what I did. (I have 2 dresses that won’t fit Audrey until next summer, so at least I have a stash…but my wouldn’t the above dress round out her wardrobe!) Thanks for your beautiful things. Maybe if you only do patterns, I will have to take up sewing….
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 1:28 am:
Martha -
Your work is so beautiful and well-conceived. I would buy any and all patterns you produced for your children’s clothes in a heartbeat.
It kind of goes without saying but patterns solve one of the issues brought up in a previous comment - the taste of the child. My daughters are becoming increasingly more specific in what they will wear (even my 2 year old) but I find if I let them choose the fabric, I have a decent chance of getting them into what I make regardless of shape. We all get to be creative and we’re all happy. Unless it’s itchy.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:43 am:
I just love hearing about clothing I’ve made that has been passed on and on. Love it. So glad it is wearing well.
and I hear you all on the boy’s clothing issue. I wish I had time to make all my boys clothes. not only is the design/embellishment an issue, but the sizing! why are boys t-shirts square? seriously, they make them so wide and short it’s like they’re made for spongebob squarepants.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:53 am:
this is such a good thread, martha. i am so glad you started this discussion.
for me, hand me downs do not exist. although jane and kate are two years apart, they wear the same size. and they don’t share. oy. that said, i still buy them quality over quantity. they wear uniforms to school so i feel like i can splurge on what i do buy for them. we buy boden and gap primarily for play and i will spend more on a couple of dresses for church and special occasions.
i would love to see patterns from you. i would also love to buy some finished garments, especially dresses, from you. as stephanie said, it’s hard to find handmade over size 6. size 10 would work for us too.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:57 am:
i can’t speak practically, because my first is due any day now, but i have been purchasing small amounts of nicer clothing items for him (and was so excited to find out about a sale at bu and the duck a few weeks ago!) while also accepting lots of hand-me-downs and target items. like a previous commenter noted, i’d prefer to see stains on a nice garment that will last through washings and that can be passed down than on something that will just be tossed before it’s outgrown.
that said, it is also incredibly difficult to find nice clothing for little boys so i do hope that you will either continue making them or offer patterns for sale! your work is beautiful.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 10:29 am:
patterns please! i’d like to make myself a wrap dress. helloooooooo!
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 11:48 am:
i love those well made clothings.
i also love those simple, well tailored clothings…especially for boys.
of course they get worn out, especially their knees, but the more i spend on high quality clothing, the harder i ‘lltry to mend it.
it’s worth mending the high quality clothing than the those mass produced affordable version(and it’s easier to let go the cheapos ).
i am looking forward to your pattern. so i don’t have to bite my nail everytime i miss your shop update.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 12:38 pm:
For the under 2T size set - I go with hand me downs when I can. I’ll admit to buying gymboree with Seth. You splurge more on a 1st born because you don’t see at 1st how it adds up. I’ve hardly bought any clothes for Eleanor. I say unless there is a special occasion or it’s for a gift - no pricy clothes for this group.
Now for those sizes and designs that will last for at least a year if not 2, I’m more willing to buy fewer items of better quality. Hand me downs where I can and I need to be better at thrifting. But 1 or 2 nice outfits are important. I just spent $60 at a surf shop in FL for a shorts and shirt outfit that will last Seth through next summer baring any major growth spurts. That’s not a ton but it’s significant for me.
I love your children’s designs but every time I have my finger on the buy button the price stops me. We don’t really have dress up occasions like church or weddings so I have to keep in mind that this is just for play. Play is every day. I’m now getting a little more savvy at picking out clothing that will last and I’m sure girls clothes will be different than boys. Girls need (wink) a good dress or 2 every year. And being able to choose a style that can go from long dress to short dress to tunic/top is huge. I’m not sure how you do that with boys clothes - croped pants to shorts with adjustable waist?
I think you should consider pattern making. For some reason I’m willing to spend money when it also provides me a hobby. And if you do make more children’s clothes consider showing how a dress would look on multiple sized children. Broaden they way people see your design and they’ll be more willing to pay more.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 12:38 pm:
Holly crap - I wrote a lot!
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 12:47 pm:
I would love it if you did patterns…. and if you want to talk about it more, please email me. I’ve realized many things over the past year…. and it has shaped the direction I’d like to go. I really enjoy doing patterns, and seeing the fabrics others choose.
I had to laugh at the spongebob comment…. my sister was just hear for 5 days and we were talking about the fact that so many patterns for kids, and kid clothing in general, is cut very square (short and wide). It’s so frustrating, not to mention unflattering! Even on kids.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 2:43 pm:
I used to make and sell children’s clothing, and I found that I just could not charge what I felt was a reasonable price (what I would be willing to pay for handmade), and still make ANY profit at all.
So I have now switched to sewing home goods instead, which is fun, but I miss the kids’ stuff too.
That being said, I would definitely buy patterns from you- I LOVE your style and as I can sew it would be well worth it to me to have cool patterns to follow for my two daughters.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 2:58 pm:
i agree, boys are really hard to dress! leon is nearly 5 months, and i’ve been lucky because he hasn’t outgrown things too quickly. i love makie’s hadagis, but i’m not sure what he’s going to wear once he’s older. for now, i’d like him to dress like a baby (i.e., no ‘little boy’ clothing).
i want leon to be as comfortable as possible i don’t mind prints, but i’m pretty picky about them. i prefer stripes or lowkey colorways–charcoal, natural, navy…and natural fibers, of course. i think tuss is a great line for boys and girls, so i’ll probably buy more stuff from them.
sizing is a huge issue for us because leon is long and very lean. baby gap onesies fit like spongebob squarepants on him. we’ve had better luck with flora and henri’s basics (very pricey, but so nice) and petit bateau (another bank account killer).
for white onesies, i usually stick with a 4-pack of gerbers or carter’s. at some point i’m going to get him a pair of stretchy denim pants from lucy’s place and a bunch of striped tees.
leon doesn’t have a lot of clothing (no hand me downs available, alas), and most of it is the same. striped footie, jersey kimono jacket, and onesie. our family is all about uniforms, i guess!
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 3:24 pm:
Our income is so limited, that it is difficult to justify purchasing new most of the time, even from big box stores. Luckily, Sarah and Joshua have been on the receiving end of some quality hand-me-downs. I hit the consignment stores and Goodwill with some regularity, but as kids get older it is harder to find good stuff. Style for girls is also a factor. When did buyers decide 9 year olds (and younger) should dress like whores? As a result, Lizzie has the most limited wardrobe of the lot. I’ve also been sewing for her more lately.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 6:37 pm:
although i have no children of my own, so i can’t really contribute to the discussion, i’d just like to say that if you do start selling children’s patterns i would definitely be buying some. i can’t afford the cost of a pre-made piece of high-end/hand made clothing as a gift for others, but i would love to have good patterns to give as gifts to mamafriends who sew, or to make for my nieces/nephews.
i’m sure you know of oliver + s, (http://www.oliverands.com) but just in case you don’t - great children’s patterns, perhaps you might find some ideas about the process here?
also -i don’t know if it’s something you’d ever considert, but if you made adult patterns as well, i for one would be thrilled. your designs are wonderful, but i’m never quite quick enough to get the things i love!!
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:24 pm:
erin (and stephanie) -I would love to make larger kids sizes. there seems to be a hole in the market for the pre-teen age.
valerie -congratulations on your new baby to be:) boys are so fun, although it’s true it’s hard to find cute boy clothes, especially when they get past the infant stage. I would love to see what beautiful kids clothes you would make….
amy -you offer PDF downloads, right? I will email you…
Dana -the whore-like girls clothes really bother me too. I just don’t get it….that, and baby camoflage -huh?
katy -The oliver + s patterns are presented so well -really beautiful illustrations and packaging. I need to do some research for sure.
on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 at 9:54 pm:
Prior to having my son (he is 10 months), I thought I would dress/style him like myself–a few excellent high quality pieces with some low end staples–onesies. That has not been the case. I’ve found that quantity sometimes matters more than quality when it comes to the first year of life. My son can go through 2-3 outfits in a day. Due to that and the fact that he is growing so quickly, its not worth it for his clothes to be high end/quality. THey just need to be able to be put in a washing machine (who has time to hand wash with a child) and last at least 3-4 months I find that now a days I tend to look ahead at the seasons and buy middle of the road items way in advance of his current size so that I’m not held hostage to shopping because he is in needs of a certain item. I’ve stashed away great pieces for him till he is age 2.
I’m excited to see your childrens clothing!!!!
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 7:48 am:
Such a great topic for discussion and so many interesting comments to read through!
With my son’s wardrobe, as with mine, I prefer to have less stuff of better quality, that gets worn and worn and preferably worn out.
I look for things free of branding and slogans and war imagery, with generous sizing so that they can be worn for a decent length of time (but not ill-fitting like all those too short T-shirts!! Spongebob indeed!).
I tend to try to spend as little as possible too, so lots of handmade, hand-me-downs, careful selections from cheaper chain stores, and occasional sale purchases from high quality/design brands. Many of the garments I’ve made for C come from a couple of Makie designed japanese books.
I would be very very excited to be able to buy your patterns. .pdf download would be the way to go I think - I recently downloaded some free patterns from http://www.scribd.com/ -might be worth investigating?
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 8:35 am:
I have my own brand of children wear and so reading your post today felt much like reading one of my own.
I try very hard to design simple yet elegant and fun cloth for kids. I think little girls, especially, like to have nice things like their mom. The problem is always the price. As a small designer brand, I can’t produce the large quantities that would allow me to have middle range prices. I would love to fit that in between market because nobody is filling it rignt now appart maybe Petit Bateau in France (I live in the south of France)
Getting better prices is one of my hardest and every day battle. I have no interest in doing luxury clothing. I want to dress the everyday kid, the one that smiles, eats like a little piggy, or falls… trips… kicks…
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 10:04 am:
[…] Uniform Studio is having a great discussion on handmade kids’ clothing, their role in it, the new regulations on items for children, and so much more – head to the site to join in on the discussion! […]
on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 7:29 pm:
hi martha,
i am in paris france. what i see on kids, especialy girls is great care in matching everything together, creating a look.
the shoes will also be picked carefuly. i must say i sometimes look at a little girl in the metro and her mom and the clothes would be more “special” for the little girl.
the moms would dress with practicality.
then i have my sisters in law and the kids clothes thazt are passed on from one to another.combining what i see from the outside and what i know, i’d say parents spend on good quality and very pretty clothes.
this spending money doesn’t go to waste as the clothes are passed on.
in my opinion you would sell less garnments in number for kids but the price and quality will be worthwhile, rather than cheap clothes that wear out with just one child: pretty clothes that lassssssst.
OX good luck, not an easy decision.
so i think that
on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 8:29 am:
Every season I buy the kids one or two ’special items’ usually a jacket or jumper in Winter. These items either get handed down (& then kept if special) or I sell them on ebay so that someone else can get some wear out of them!
Most of the rest of the kids stuff is from (cheaper) chain stores & gets worn until it is worn out.
I sew some clothes for the kids but sometimes it is hard to find the time & sad to know that I could buy something much cheaper than what I could make it for.
As my kids get older, don’t grow out of their clothes as quickly & can care for them a bit more, I find that I am happier to spend a little more on their clothes.
on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 1:46 pm:
In general I want my kid’s clothes to be plain yet stylish: no logos, no characters, no princessy stuff, not a lot of synthetics, if I had the cash I’d say nothing that wasn’t organic…someday. Because I sew, I can’t justify the cost of any boutique children’s clothes. And there really aren’t that many stylish patterns for kids out there–besides the library of japanese ones, which are sometimes impossible to figure out. There is definitely a lack of good boy clothes (and boy clothes patterns) out there, and with 2 boys I know you would be part of the solution. I think it would be amazing if you did patterns! Kids and adults. I would be first in line.
on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 5:23 pm:
i don’t mind spending more on quality coats and jackets and i spend heaps on shoes for my young toddler. these items are worn so much that i think the cost is justified.
otherwise, i make or buy almost everything else secondhand. i live in a city where there are regular markets for kids where i can be very picky with my choices and only choose very well-made clothes that last and look good.
on Saturday, July 11th, 2009 at 11:54 am:
When my daughter was a small baby, we were given many hand-me-downs. Despite what the movies tell the rest of the world, regular people in LA live in small homes and love to unload stuff they don’t need any more.
I bought white onesies and such from dharmatrading.com and tie-dyed them.
http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2006/02/more-dyeing-adventures.html
http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2008/02/onesies-twosies.html
I also used the Kwik Sew books, Sewing for Babies (Toddlers, Children). I made the basic pants and t-shirt dresses over and over. They were used, abused, and then passed on to others.
Some of them were made from old adult men’s t-shirts. People still give me their old t-shirts because they were amused by the fragments of t-shirt printing on her baby clothes.
We also buy second hand from charity shops and rework them. I posted pix of several projects under the Wardrobe Refashion tag on my blog.
Twice a year, she gets 1-2 pairs of quality shoes from Nordstrom, LL Bean or Lands’ End. I also order clearance clothing items for LLB, LE and Hanna.
Socks, underwear, tights and some knitwear basics come from Target. I don’t shop Gap or Old Navy because they so frequently are caught in child labor scandals. IMHO, I don’t think kids should be making clothes for other kids.
I make the rest of her clothes, especially the special occasion dresses (which are a collaborative design effort with the wearer). They are used, reworked as they get stained or become too short and then passed down.
It sounds like we don’t spend much $, but a dedicated sewing room and several sewing machines is actually a luxury in LA. Time is also the ultimate luxury. So far, my daughter and I enjoy our collaborative effort in dressing her. But, she is asserting herself more and more.
BTW, she says that neutrals are not fashion. She wants bright colors.
A pattern line would be very interesting. I notice that many of your comments come from Australia. Think of the carbon savings if they bought your patterns in pdf and used local fabrics.
on Sunday, July 12th, 2009 at 7:22 am:
I buy a lot of things in the middle ground, mostly from the US and local (Australian) smaller designers.
Gymboree is the everyday clothing for my toddler. I enjoy buying things from craft markets and am happy to pay a premium as I know the effort involved in developing designs.
I chose brands/styles that suit my child’s body type: long and skinny.
I would be interested in with garments or patterns.
I sew and knit but I keep that for special occasions and gifts, where my time is worth the effort. My craft time is quite limited.
I have many independent sewing patterns, adult, children and home dec and the equality varies widely.
It isn’t too hard to get patterns printed on heavy weight A1 paper and folded. Many printers have this equipment the hardest thing is working out how big to make each print run and keeping up the supply.
It is quiet in the printing industry at the moment so it is a great time to test the waters.
It will be a learning curve but home sewing is an area that is growing again after a rather long hibernation.
Best of luck.
on Sunday, July 12th, 2009 at 12:58 pm:
Hi Martha - I do hope you continue to make your children’s clothing. I for one love your designs and would buy them for sure. I bought one of your wool tees for my son last year and it was great - simple but with a little kid appropriate edge to it. He loved it too and I will save it for my daughter to wear when she is the right size.
The two brands you mention Makie and LVDJ are two of my favorites as well.. I have carried Makie in the past and would love to have LVDJ (and you know I’d love to have US too).
I buy a bit of variety for my own children ranging in price from Target to Wovenplay and Album (luckily carried at Twig). I totally believe in the quality of handmade and enjoy seeing my children dressed in something a little different.
We hand me down our children’s clothing to nieces and nephews so I know they will be well used.
One of these days I will have to learn how to sew myself in case you do create a pattern as right now I may as well be all thumbs!
Here’s to future US kids collections!
on Monday, July 20th, 2009 at 10:38 pm:
I have two boys. Age 4 and 6. They destroy everything. So nearly everything we own is hand-me-down or second hand. I am lucky as Berkeley is full of great second-hand kids shops. And I am picky so I peek in whenever I am in the neighborhood and collect things for future years.
That said, the boys clothing options are mostly dreadful unless you pay $$. But I want my boys to grow up with a sense of style and a reasonable pride in their appearance along with an appreciation for quality. I also want them to be conscious of where things come from and where our money goes. So I feel good about having relationships with the local shopkeepers.
And thankfully, the grandmas keep us in good supply of Hanna Anderson unders and jammies at the holidays. Plus my sister worked for many years for Patagonia so we have a good stash of very well-made outerwear.
We love stripes here and stick to simple styles. When I splurge I go for a handsome shirt. Do you know Dagmar Daley’s stuff? I think you’d like it.
http://www.dagmardaley.com/
Our splurges come almost exclusively from her since I know her and usually shop her sample sales. But I love your style, especially for kids. And would buy your kids’ clothes as I buy Dagmar’s.
Best of luck.
Cheers!
on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 4:38 pm:
I dress my daughter (now 6) in quality hand-me-downs and thrifted clothes, I sew for her (Ottobre), and buy quality shoes and underwear new. We pass all of this along as she outgrows it. Come to think of it, this is how I dress myself, too. I would be delighted if you would offer patterns for sale.
on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 at 12:10 am:
I know I’m quite late on this thread, Martha, but I’m really enjoying it. I mostly dress Otis in Tea Collection (and homemade pants), not only because of the quality but also because they have regular sample sales and so they are quite affordable. When he was younger, I was willing to spend a little more on his clothes — cute and stylish boys’ clothes are hard to find, so when I did find something good, I was willing to spend a little more. Nowadays, however, he’s at preschool, and they play HARD at school. His attempts to become the new incarnation of Pig Pen are admirable, so there isn’t as much in his wardrobe now which is interesting or dear to me. But I would still definitely spend a little more money on something that I loved, especially outerwear and cute tops, since those are things that I find I usually don’t attempt to sew myself.
What’s interesting is that for Bee, who’s now 15 months, I usually won’t buy as much, since I feel like I can sew much of what I see out there. I drool over the Makie and Mor Mor Rita, but have yet to splurge on anything for her. It’s just so darned pricey that it’s hard to take that plunge, even though I know I’ll love it each and every time she wears it. One of my favorite pieces for Bee was a basic Makie sweater that we received as a present, and we’re still wearing it, one year later.
I was never lucky enough to buy one of your pieces, and I’ve been waiting and waiting for you to make more. I would definitely buy some boys’ clothes from you. Please think about it!!