I started selling vintage clothing on Ebay in 2002. I've always liked hunting through thrift stores and resale shops, so I figured I could try to make a few extra bucks doing it. Around that time, one of my friends sold a skirt she'd made on Ebay. It didn't sell for a ton of cash, but it was enough to make me go, "Wow... really?" I started looking at the other Ebay sellers that were doing "DiY" clothing, and I couldn't resist trying my hand at it.
It was really just a hobby when I started, but it's a very addicting hobby. I only really made enough the first year or two to buy more supplies, but I didn't really care. It was just supposed to be for fun. After a while, though, I started building a pretty good customer base. I decided to try selling on my own website, in addition to Ebay, still just thinking of it as a part-time thing. I was going to school for nursing, but once I graduated in 2005, I decided to do SmarmyClothes full-time.
I opened an Etsy shop because I realized that Ebay was starting to wear on me. It's awesome to see your stuff go for more than you expected, but it's a complete kick in the junk when you spend 3 hours making something that only sells for $10. Ebay is a great promotional tool, but the initial excitement of watching people bid on my stuff had faded. Etsy is definitely a lot different, but I feel like the community is a lot more appreciative of the value of handmade goods.
In addition to SmarmyClothes, I also run a sewing/reconstruction tutorial site called WhatTheCraft. I get tons of questions from people about how to make stuff, so I figured I'd save myself some time by posting my advice and tips for everyone to see. Plus, I learned a lot of what I know from awesome people sharing tutorials, so I figured this could be my way of paying it forward.
You can find my clothing at:
www.SmarmyClothes.com
smarmyclothes.etsy.com
and say hi at:
www.myspace.com/smarmy
tutorials and craft resource guide:
www.WhatTheCraft.com
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