Mom turns free time into business opportunity

Katrina Hollon of St. Petersburg, Fla. had an epiphany when her second child, a daughter, was born. "My second child was born with peanut allergies, which changed my idea of heading back off to work anytime soon,'' said Hollon, 38, who was a teacher at the time. So instead of returning to the classroom, she started making children's clothes in a home business that she calls Strawberry Farm.Go to www.sugarsandwich.etsy.com to see a selection of her girls clothes. After her daughter Tenzin's first birthday in February, she listed a wide selection and had begun sewing at least a dress a day. She took nearly all of the listings down in August to focus on her family -- she home schools her son Kingsley, 6 -- and to prepare for shows this month. In November, Hollon hopes to replenish her Web site and, she says, "plunge into my little endeavor fully, creating new styles and listing a full selection.''Here is what Hollon had to say about her home business, what she offers and her advice for other momma-preneurs.Q: How long have you been sewing? A: My family has sewn for generations. I was always too impatient to thread a needle, but with the birth of my daughter (Tenzin), my mother bought me a sewing machine and I was determined to sew up a square blanket with these amazing fabrics I found online. After months of struggling with tiny little parts and things to figure out, it seemed to suddenly become easy.Now I feel confident about the pieces I make and moreover, I genuinely enjoy the work. It's art to me, because I create my own patterns, I draw them out on paper and then make it. I usually get it right on the third try. So my own daughter has all the first and second tries.Q: Why did you start sewing? A: I started making them just for my own daughter. Everything in the stores just seems so typically pink and frilly. My daughter is closer to a firecracker than a princess.Q: Did you have a job in your pre-kids life? A: Before I had children I was at the University of South Florida as a history major with hopes of going into the anthropology master's program. My son came along and changed my ideas of what was important and I knew I needed a career that fit with family. I became a first-grade teacher.Q: What made you decide to be a stay-at-home mom? A: My second child was born with peanut allergies, which changed my idea of heading back off to work anytime soon. So my little sewing career is my way of making ends meet for now, and as my children grow, I hope to grow my business.Q: What kind of products do you offer?A: I started with pillowcase dresses, taken from the vintage ones my grandmother used to make from flour sacks. I also have blanket sets, peasant dresses, reversible pinafores, pajamas, little matching Scrappy Dolls, and a mod-looking, '60s-inspired dress. I usually stock smaller sizes but will make any size by request, the pillowcase dresses are $25 each and the others vary. I had been ordering the same fabric over and over because it was a great seller, but I am moving away from that now and just buying enough to make possibly three or four items with my favorite fabrics.Q: Do you have advice for other moms who might be considering starting a business at home? A: If I were to give advice I would say to find something that works for your family. It is easy to get excited and entertain every single custom order requested, but that gets out of hand and can cut into too much of your time. So set limits, put the kids to bed and get going!E-mail Sherry Robinson at robinson(at)sptimes.com (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)