Job Opportunity

Are you looking for an additional way to earn some extra cash each month using your sewing skills?

You may have thought it wasn’t possible, if you have kids running underfoot and your sewing skills aren’t perfect yet.

Or, perhaps your sewing skills are just fine, but you want to be able to stay at home and work.

Whatever the reason, I have the job opportunity for you!

I’ve worked on uniforms for Hockey, Soccer, Football, Baseball, and Karate, (like this uniform).

The moms want their kid’s patches sewn on, but they don’t have a sewing machine.

I was thinking of that as I worked on 8 uniforms today.

You can do this job for others right there in your own home!

The beauty of it is that you can sew these patches on at various times throughout your day, a few minutes at a time, in between making peanut butter sandwiches and driving the kids to practice.

You might be wondering how you can advertise.

Well, first, you can mention it to the other moms on your kid’s team.

You can also utilize Facebook, Facebook Marketplace and Instagram

Then, go to other teams, neighbors, friends, etc. and tell them.

If you want even more business, go to the local sporting goods stores, ice rinks, gyms, etc. and let them know of your services.

I used to sew the patches for the local college Football team and the local high school teams of various sports here in town. I even sewed on Greek letters for the frat and sorority houses!

You can sew patches on for Local chapters of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and similar organizations. Maybe your church hosts Awana programs. They need patches too!

You don’t need to have special skills to do this job…you just need to know how to stitch a straight line (and sometimes a curved one).

Actually, some people like theirs sewn on with a zig zag stitch.

The main point is to realize that your sewing doesn’t have to look perfect. People just want the job done so the patches look good and won’t come off in the wash.

To get started, I have the customer iron on the patch to hold it in place.

If the patch doesn’t have the iron on residue on the back, have the customer place a couple pins in the middle of the patch to hold it tight. I have the customer do this process so I know exactly where they are to be stitched.

You can have the customer put the item(s) in a bag and drop them off on your front porch. When they pick it up later, they can leave you payment on the porch in an envelope or a box or whatever you designate for payment. So, this can be a totally contactless service if you want. That works well in these uncertain times, doesn’t it?

To sew the patches on, load your machine with a color of thread that matches the outer area of the patch.

Then, I like to use the color of the garment in the bobbin. In the case of this karate uniform, I used red. When the customer looks inside, they see red thread and it looks nice that way because it matches the garment. However, it is not necessary and you may like to keep the same color bobbin thread for every job.

In the photo above, the customer had ironed on the patches. This long, skinny patch was easy to sew because the curve was gentle and I could maneuver the shirt as I stitched without stopping the machine to adjust the patch.

To sew on a circular shaped patch, take a few stitches and leave the needle in the patch. Lift the presser foot and pivot the patch just a little. Lower the presser foot and take a few more stitches, then lift the presser foot and pivot the patch again. Repeat this process until you have stitched all around the patch. Be sure and backstitch to hold the stitches in tight.

By the way, I like to sew patches on in a clockwise fashion. Maybe it’s because I am right handed. Whatever the reason, it just feels right. Test that out for yourself and see which way you like best.

As one mom to another, don’t let this be your only sewing job and don’t sew these for hours on end. You will burn out and it might be hard on your wrists to do the same motion over and over all day long. Mix it up. Do some of these for awhile and then switch to another alteration. Or, switch to something else all together for awhile and then come back to it. Sometimes, this is a seasonal job. There seems to be more demand in the spring and fall.

Having said that, this can be a very lucrative job depending on how much business you can drum up. Essentially, it’s pretty easy. No mother in her right mind wants to spend several evenings hand sewing these patches on. They are usually thick and sometimes you have to use a pliers to get the hand sewing needle through. So, advertising should be easy. And you can charge more than you think for these. Just ask any mom. They will tell you that they don’t mind paying for something their kids need and they can’t do themselves.

Give it a try. It’s easy. It’s fun and you’ll make some extra money on the side while you’re at it!

P.S. While I was typing this, I thought of another popular alteration…hemming baseball pants for kids. There are all sorts of ways you can use your skills and talents to make money. Wherever there is fabric, there is opportunity! Hospital scrubs…advertise at a local hospital, nursing home, or dental office. I even remember altering uniforms for the Marines, so check with your local recruiters and military installations. Surely, they will have all sorts of needs.