Off day.

[bladespark]

Or is that day off? I couldn't really work on anything today, everything's in limbo. I need supplies to arrive, I need downpayments to be made, there just wasn't much I could do today on the really big projects, so I took the time to make a prototype raccoon tail. I've wanted to do this for quite some time, and today seemed like a good day to do so.

http://bladespark.topcities.com/costume/sparklecoon.jpg

Spiffy, isn't it?

I have a problem though. The prototype tail was partly just so I could have one in my gallery to show off, but also so that I'd know how much work they are and how long they take so I can know how much to charge.

Well, to do a proper coon tail like this took 14 seams, about five hours, and nearly half a yard of fabric. That's not really good.

See, my normal size of standard tail, the fox tail, like this one, has two seams in it, and takes no more than an hour from start to finish, and uses less than a quarter yard of fabric.

So this coon tail is twice as much material, seven times the work, and to pay myself the same hourly wage I make while sewing a regular fox tail, I'd have to charge around five times the price. Since a fox tail is $35, times five would be $175.

I'm torn over this. I'd love to sell coon tails, but I can't imagine somebody paying $175 for one! Even one as awesome as that! I could redesign it to be skinny, shaped more like the fox tail, and that would cut it down to seven seams and just a quarter yard of fabric, so I could sell for $70 or so and make a good profit, but the smaller tail just wouldn't be as cool.

*sigh* Ah well. Perhaps after I have a sewing machine set up a working I'll be able to cut down the production time enough to sell these for a reasonable price.

Comments

[errickfoxy.livejournal.com]

Agreed, very much spiff. :)

[silveradept]

It's a thought. The tail does look good, however, so if you can manage to make those in a reasonable amount of time and fabric, I'm pretty sure you'll have a client base.

[doran-eirok.livejournal.com]

It sure is pretty and impressive! I see what you mean about the hard choices though. :}