Among the many pebbles in my stream of consciousness is the knowledge that many, many people are responsible for helping me get to where I am in this business, and like any grateful recipient, I should give them my thanks. So while I have this chance, I thought I'd share their names and deeds with you.
1.Grandma Kleisly. My maternal grandmother, as anyone who knows me will know, is a figure of paramount importance in my life. Besides being a gracious and unerring source of comfort through my youth, she was also the person responsible for the seed money to start Beqi Clothing. The 60 year old muted pink all-metal Singer I've sewn most of my merchandise on was hers once, too, a fact which pleases me greatly. I owe her no small debt of gratitude for her help, her encouragement, her grace, and her love. It is with her blessing that I do what I do, and I thank her.
2.Big Eddie. Let's be frank. I couldn't do this job without the love and support of my husband. Besides bearing the lion's share of the bills for the early part of the business, he's also been instrumental in keeping me going during the lean times of the latter years, both psychologically and financially. So here's to ya, sweetie. You've earned it.
3.Sylvie. Sylvie is a friend of mine who was running her own hatmaking business when I was deciding what I wanted to do with my life, and her advice went a long way towards demystifying small business ownership for me. Although she's since retired from millinery and we don't get to talk as much these days, doing what I do now would have been a lot harder without her help. For that, she will always have my gratitude.
4.Mom. My mother still has the first thing I ever sewed in my life on her dresser: a bubblegum pink, polyester double-knit heart pillow made out of scraps I found in her rag bag. A baby sitter taught me to hand sew using this durable (and flammable) stuff, and the seeds of a lifelong obsession were sewn. Over the years, mom has lent me her ear, her sewing machine, her house, and innumerable babysitting hours when I had to pack off and sell at events. So thank you, mom. You can keep the pillow.
5.Joy, my stepmom. I sewed by hand for a while in my preteens, but my stepmother got me my start on an actual sewing machine. Her ancient black Singer brought hundreds of doll clothes, patched jeans, and clumsy quilting projects to life during my teen years, and she was always helpful when I just couldn't figure something out. Because let's face it; hand sewing is fun, but it's not terribly efficient time-wise. I picked sewing back up in the early 90's when I was on my own, but without all those hours logged in my teen years, I don't think I would have had the impetus to keep going.
6. My awesome friends. Shelley, who has been with me on this thing from day one, always encouraging me to do what makes me happy, even in the times when it doesn't. Robin, who has offered her house in which to help me sew while my kid's in day out. Mia, who's responsible for arranging Craft Nights which allow me to work while still getting to socialize with others in small businesses. Jill and Mona, both of whom have watched my kid for me when I've had something business-wise I've had to attend to during Big Eddie's working hours. I love you all, but you already knew that.
7.The host of ladies who worked with me at the Kirkwood Hancock Fabrics. Linda, Wanda, Pat, Cathy, Carol, Jan, Sharon, and too many more to count. Besides being unbelievably funny and fun to work with, they were also a fount of practical information on sewing. They took me from my first year when I couldn't sew a zipper to being able to make a fully lined coat with cover buttons. Sometimes your elders do know a thing or two, and it does us whippersnappers a world of good to listen.
8.My hilarious friend Allison, who's shared so many booths with me at various events it's impossible to list them all. She makes the most wonderful quilts and hotpads at Squaresville, her etsy shop, and she helps save the earth by taking my leftover scraps and recycling them into usable, durable goods. She's a good one to have next to you when you're stuck in a tent for eight hours, because she's whip smart and milk-snortingly funny.
9.The store owners, magazine editors, festival planners, and everyone working for them who have helped me sell my goods and promote my business over the years. Handmade goods wouldn't have made near the progress they have as viable merchandise without the DIY culture that's spawned and nurtured them. There's too many people to list all of them, but I'll make a stab at it: Bust, Bitch, Venus, Rockabilly Monthly, Garage, and Varla magazines--thank you. Fifi's, Masulla, Cranky Yellow, Apop, Subterranean Books, Cooperella, Pistol Bazaar, Circa Boutique, Cheap Trx, Avalon, the Time Boutique, Jolie Handmade and more--thank you. Rock N Roll Craft Show, St. Louis Craft Mafia, Strangefolk, Gypsy Caravan, Tower Grove Farmers' Market, Gifts To Go, Crammed Organisms, Girls for Gender Equity, and Wintermarkt--thank you. To anyone or anything who's helped me and the hundreds of small businesses like me in the STL area over the years--thank you.
10. Everyone who's ever bought my clothing, my bags, or my jewelry over the years, whether online or in person, whether for themselves or as gifts, I thank you most of all. Because without you, I couldn't feed my fabric and bead addictions, and that's just not a pretty sight. I love you all, and I promise to keep doing this for you as long as my eyes can still see and my hands can still sew. I love what I do, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Give yourselves a hand.
Well, the phone's ringing. Off I go, chicas.
