interview

I found Lauren’s shop, LP by LP through the comment she left on my blog. I followed the link she left and found this clutch bag made out of ikat fabric and drift woods! So unique. I am always intrigued by small business owner especially in the area of handmade business. I’ve read some statistics that 50% of Americans are self-employed now, and the trend is on the increase (The article was from etsy. I can’t seem to find the link). When I first started my etsy shop, I had no idea what it would entail – I thought I could just make whatever I wanted and someone would buy it. But the reality is that owning your own business has a lot more tasks that are not visible, like book keeping, marketing, lots of emails, photography skills, HTML to make your own website and more. I asked Lauren a few questions what it is like to be a small business owner. I hope you’ll enjoy a little peak in her life!

My business is named Limited Production by Lauren Patrell, LP by LP for short. I started making purses to sell about 3 years ago, before that I was just making bags for myself or gifts.  I design, draft, cut, and sew every bag and all the patterns for my bags.  The name came from my initials and that every item I make is unique.

I live in White Lake, Michigan, United States.  It’s a suburb of Detroit.

3. What is your #1 source of income and why do you think that is? 
My #1 source of income is, well, my bags!  I think its because I strive to make the best product I possibly can and people can see that in my work.  Quite often a bag won’t even make it to the web.  Like the little black bag sitting next to my machine, was sold before I could even take decent pictures of it.

Everything has changed sense starting my business.  The first couple bags I made were sewn completely by hand because I didn’t have a working sewing machine.  I got my Mom’s old Viking sewing machine and started sewing every day, soon after I did my first craft show.  Now I’ve out grown the Viking (it died : ( ) and am shopping for an industrial sewing machine.  At first I made each bag unique because I wanted to but also had limited materials. I would sew with whatever I could get my hands on, old jeans, blankets, eventually I depleted my Nana’s stash of fabric.  Now I make my bags with new and re-purposed materials.  Canvas and bottom weights like twill, the new; upholstery fabric samples, leather and suede,the re-purposed.  I also use all new zippers and hardware.  Fabric samples aren’t very big, most often I can only make one item with each sample, so it keeps each bag unique.

Currently, I’m working on a group of little cross body bags and just getting my online shop ready for it’s first holiday season.

6. What is something you find you struggle with?
I struggle with writing!  Any task that requires it I procrastinate, like writing product descriptions.  I’m also not very tech savvy.  Maintaining my website and my blog has really been a learning process.

 I guess my motto is perfection to a point.  I’m a big perfectionist, sometimes I can really drive myself crazy.  For example ripping out and redoing a line of top stitching multiple times just because each stitch isn’t completely perfect.  Thankfully, my boyfriend, Kyle, is the complete opposite.  He’s always reminding me that I’m the only person who even notices these tiny imperfections.  I guess perfection is also a struggle of mine, my best is only good enough until I can do better.

Be sure to check out her shop and website!find me elsewhere: shop, facebook, etsy, twitter, pinterest}