Etsy just sent me an anniversary email, reminding me I opened my shop 14 years ago on June 9th, 2011.
A Lot has happened since then:
Fanciful Utility released in July 2012
Paisley, Plaid, & Purled released in January 2016
To Net, or Not to Net released in March or 2018
Etsy says I’ve had 2,613 sales to 16 countries with 1,153 repeat customers.
I’ve lost track of the number of hats and bonnets I’ve sewn. But, I can say they span 3 centuries.
I’ve written & published 3 workbooks, 5 patterns, and numerous mini-publications
I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your confidence and encouragement. Whether you’ve made a purchase, shared my site, or sent along a supportive note, you have kept me going all this time, I appreciate you!!!
It is always a disappointment to see photos like this. I put a lot of work into each millinery piece and take the time to make sure each is packed well.
This particular photo was a shock because it came in a review rather than a message from the customer.
Lemons:
As many of you know, I list my items with 3-5 business days for shipping, but I try to get items shipped the day after payment arrives. This usually means packing up the piece after work, taking it with me the next morning, and stopping at the Post Office after work. In this case, the bonnet was purchased on Monday, June 9th. Payment transferred on Tuesday. I boxed up the bonnet Tuesday evening. Wednesday and Thursday, I worked 11+ hour days getting out after 5, when the PO closes. Friday morning, I made arrangements to run to the PO near work to get the box out. This was within the shipping window in the listing.
Lemonade:
I am taking this moment to talk about the importance of ordering millinery (as well as many other garments & accessories) well in advance of any event. For millinery, I recommend a minimum of 1 month for off the shelf millinery and 6-12 months for custom millinery. 1 month for off the shelf millinery allows for processing of funds (2-4 days), packaging, and the actual shipping followed by the time you will need to line & decorate for wear.
You’ll notice the review mentions the bonnet arriving the day before the event she needed it for. In the message I received June 12th, the customer mentioned she needed the bonnet for the 21st. That gave only 11 days (8 business days) between purchase and need. I strongly recommend Not purchasing this close to an event.
Based on the comments about the bonnet not fitting comfortably and passing it along, I infer that the bonnet survived being inside a crushed box.
I just added a limited selection of high brim spoon straw bonnets to my Etsy shop.
I am making millinery and adding it to my shop in groups this year. Next: I will be shifting to the 18th-century to create a batch of Bergère hats for Fort Niagara and the 1840s to fill some bonnet requests.
I am diving into the history of rural and small-town milliners across New York State and a bit beyond. This ongoing research aims to piece together who owned, operated, and worked in millinery shops, exploring how this craft shaped the lives of individual women and contributed to the broader economic and social fabric of the region. This project is focused on highlighting the significance of women’s work in these communities, providing a deeper understanding of their roles in local industry and culture.
Research – Connecting Fancy Work
If I could call a research project “dabbling,” it would apply to this. I pick up and drop my on- going interest in Fancy Work throughout the year. I am fascinated by these creative yet functional projects that integrate aspects of math and science into women’s everyday lives.
Millinery – Experimenting With Conservation Techniques
I have begun appling techniques I learned in making reproduction straw millinery to repairing and conserving extant straw millinery. This venture is very much in the experiment stage. I hope to share my progress soon.
Presentations
After decades of multi-day costumed interpretation programs, I am shifting to small to mid-size lecture and discussion formats. I find this format allows me to share aspects of my research more thoroughly.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 