Betty Frocker's House of 50s Frocks
Donation protected
Hello all.
My name is Anna, but I hope to one day establish a business by the name of Betty Frocker -- it'd be a dressmaking operation (in addition to a vintage goods store), you see, hence "Frocks".
I, however, need a bit of help to get started.
(Scroll to bottom for more donation options!)
(Now also on Indiegogo !)
>TL;DR:
I am raising funds for a tiny house to be built, which would serve as my living quarters and sewing studio. By owning my accommodations, I hope to be, one day, free (for the most part) from the unsustainable obligation of paying more rent than I could afford, which would both eliminate the prospect of returning to the emotionally abusive environment that I’d escaped, and allow me to begin my entrepreneurial efforts. It is my hope that those efforts would one day culminate in a combination dressmaking-and-vintage goods business of my own. Indeed, seeing an end to the prospect of paying exorbitant rents, would free me to offer my dressmaking services to nonbinary and trans people at little to no cost -- who are often hard-pressed to find beautiful (dare I say fabulous?) styles at the correct size from the majority of fashion retailers. In addition, to be guided through the process of building and maintaining a tiny house, would impart to me knowledge that I could one day use in hopes of building similar, affordable structures for low-income and needy people.
Please spread word of this funding drive – which would, in itself, be an immense help. I am grateful for any amount donated, and supporters may receive a customized reproduction vintage garment, sewn by yours truly and made to your own measurements.
>Background...
First, a bit of background: I live in Vancouver, having moved here from Hong Kong to escape unbearable turmoil and discrimination for being queer. As many of you may have heard, the cost of housing is obscene in Vancouver, being second highest in the world after that of my ex-home-town. The price of a detached home often reaches $1,000,000, and the price of even the smallest flats, a third of that. It is no exaggeration to say that, to pay off one's mortgage, one would be indebted to the bank for the majority of one's lifespan.
Struggling with three concurrent mental illnesses -- Depression, OCD and PTSD -- the effort it takes me to exist from day to day alone is immense. Lethargy, anxiety and apathy seem to cloud my mind at every waking moment, and I am often reminded of my painful past by sight and sound; try as I have, both are only improving at a snail's pace. And, try as I might, work is hard to find in Vancouver -- especially so when one barely has energy to spare. I have, therefore, little income to speak of, even as my job search is under way.
As you can imagine, merely renting a home in Vancouver is unaffordable with such little money; even the smallest flats are far beyond my means, and I daren't think of purchasing one. My family members, who have been generous enough to keep me afloat, may not be able to do so for much longer, as our finances have taken a turn for the worse, rendering renting unsustainable. I simply cannot return to Hong Kong, and risk being mired in an abusive environment, thereby undoing any progress I have thus far made with my mental illnesses. I therefore am in search of more permanent accommodations, which I hope to achieve by investing in a tiny house.
>Tiny house?
The Tiny House movement has been gaining steam for awhile now. As the name implies, that involves eschewing conventional houses, with the million-dollar price tags, mortgages and property taxes that invariably come with them, to live in a small and portable dwelling that could be towed by vehicle. Whereas purchasing a full-sized house, or even a small apartment, would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in Vancouver, a tiny house would only cost around $50,000, and an RV trailer, less than half that. With this portable dwelling, the only remaining monthly costs would be that of renting a driveway from a person who rents or owns an existing, full-sized house, which would include the cost of electricity, water, and as far as I know, no property taxes. Such overheads would be neatly covered by even part-time employment.
The tiny house, if built, would serve as my living quarters and sewing studio, from which the dressmaking operation be first based. Owing to the niche appeal of vintage clothing and goods, it is of the utmost importance that the overhead costs be kept as low as possible -- which I hope to achieve when the tiny house is fully funded. Low overhead costs are especially important to make feasible a dressmaking operation that, in part, takes on charity requests -- as I hope to do with nonbinary and trans clientele.
A local builder of tiny houses has estimated that, in a year's time, he will be able to begin work on my own, which he estimates would cost upwards of $40,000. Being the thrift store vulture that I am, I intend to keep costs down by using as much materials from architectural salvage operations as is practical. Nonetheless, one cannot escape the fact that a tiny house is -- true to its name -- tiny, and needs to be accordingly fitted with miniaturized versions of such fixtures as sinks and refrigerators that I may not be able to salvage. Furthermore, components of the plumbing system and various other vital materials on which I am not yet clear, should best be purchased brand-new. The goal that I have set for this funding appeal, $30,000, reflects an optimistic estimate of the total cost of building, which I intend to -- and must -- supplement through other means than begging.
As with all funding appeals, even a little means a lot, and I fully expect to fall far short of the $30,000 goal. Nonetheless, I must gather enough funds to put a down payment on the tiny house so that the project can even begin.
>So what's in it for you?
>>Dresses! Reproduction vintage ones, of course.
Being a student dressmaker, I could definitely sweeten the deal by sewing reproduction vintage dresses in return for especially generous donations, or skirts and blouses for smaller -- but still immensely helpful -- sums. Such projects would take at least a week to complete, as I must first purchase (or thrift, the latter preferably) the material from which the garment would be made, and go on to sew the garment afterwards. Indeed, if I were backlogged with commissions, the wait would even be longer. You may browse my instagram account (https://instagram.com/cerements/) for a better idea of the patterns that I have in my possession at the moment. If the request deviates a fair amount from the original pattern, I may have to make a muslin (which is a mock-up of the finished garment or part thereof). An additional few days of wait time should be expected if that is the case.
The patterns are cut to my size, which is around a size 20 (vintage) or 14 (current North American sizing), and they can be enlarged and/or taken in a few inches at the bust, hip and/or waist. I may also deviate from the existing pattern by, for example...
- sewing a tie collar where there was a peter pan collar
- adding pockets where there were none
- shortening the skirt (by quite a bit if you are so inclined)
- changing the style of the skirt (gathered? circle? how many gores?)
- adding detailing (ric-rac? buttons? bows?)
- buttoning all the way down the front? or only down to the waist, with a zipper opening at the side?
- color and/or fabric print
The $700 donation would also cover the price of a pattern. If none of my existing designs suit you, you are welcome to...
1. Find a pattern that is approximately your size, from Etsy preferably, which I would buy
2. Request any alterations in size or detailing (and the all-important prints and colors) by e-mail or private message
3. When the pattern has been mailed to myself, I will back it with fusible interfacing for preservation and sew the dress according to your request
4. (Optional) Request that the pattern be mailed back to you! If you would rather I keep the pattern, it would most certainly be used many times over when the dressmaking business begins in earnest.
>>Skirts!
Skirts, especially gathered skirts, are easier to make, often times without the help of a pattern. Therefore they could be made to more diverse measurements. The following would be customizable (that I can think of):
- # gores
- skirt style (gathered, circle, A-line...)
- pockets
- detailing (zipper side? button front?)
- color and/or fabric print
I would also be more than willing to mail out some of the vintage garments that I own -- mostly winter coats -- in exchange for donations. Pictures of those coats will be uploaded to Instagram shortly.
Any donator who contributes enough to warrant these projects, or is thinking of contributing such a sum, should contact me by e-mail to detail their request.
In the event that the garment doesn't fit, please take pictures and/or describe the ill-fitting part and mail it back; I will gladly remedy it to the best of my ability.
Thank you for your consideration!
You may also donate to my PayPal account. The same reward tiers apply.
If you choose to donate in instalments, I would gladly tally up the amount you intend to donate over time, and reward you with the garment that corresponds to that total, when the sum (or a large part thereof) has been reached.
My name is Anna, but I hope to one day establish a business by the name of Betty Frocker -- it'd be a dressmaking operation (in addition to a vintage goods store), you see, hence "Frocks".
I, however, need a bit of help to get started.
(Scroll to bottom for more donation options!)
(Now also on Indiegogo !)
>TL;DR:
I am raising funds for a tiny house to be built, which would serve as my living quarters and sewing studio. By owning my accommodations, I hope to be, one day, free (for the most part) from the unsustainable obligation of paying more rent than I could afford, which would both eliminate the prospect of returning to the emotionally abusive environment that I’d escaped, and allow me to begin my entrepreneurial efforts. It is my hope that those efforts would one day culminate in a combination dressmaking-and-vintage goods business of my own. Indeed, seeing an end to the prospect of paying exorbitant rents, would free me to offer my dressmaking services to nonbinary and trans people at little to no cost -- who are often hard-pressed to find beautiful (dare I say fabulous?) styles at the correct size from the majority of fashion retailers. In addition, to be guided through the process of building and maintaining a tiny house, would impart to me knowledge that I could one day use in hopes of building similar, affordable structures for low-income and needy people.
Please spread word of this funding drive – which would, in itself, be an immense help. I am grateful for any amount donated, and supporters may receive a customized reproduction vintage garment, sewn by yours truly and made to your own measurements.
>Background...
First, a bit of background: I live in Vancouver, having moved here from Hong Kong to escape unbearable turmoil and discrimination for being queer. As many of you may have heard, the cost of housing is obscene in Vancouver, being second highest in the world after that of my ex-home-town. The price of a detached home often reaches $1,000,000, and the price of even the smallest flats, a third of that. It is no exaggeration to say that, to pay off one's mortgage, one would be indebted to the bank for the majority of one's lifespan.
Struggling with three concurrent mental illnesses -- Depression, OCD and PTSD -- the effort it takes me to exist from day to day alone is immense. Lethargy, anxiety and apathy seem to cloud my mind at every waking moment, and I am often reminded of my painful past by sight and sound; try as I have, both are only improving at a snail's pace. And, try as I might, work is hard to find in Vancouver -- especially so when one barely has energy to spare. I have, therefore, little income to speak of, even as my job search is under way.
As you can imagine, merely renting a home in Vancouver is unaffordable with such little money; even the smallest flats are far beyond my means, and I daren't think of purchasing one. My family members, who have been generous enough to keep me afloat, may not be able to do so for much longer, as our finances have taken a turn for the worse, rendering renting unsustainable. I simply cannot return to Hong Kong, and risk being mired in an abusive environment, thereby undoing any progress I have thus far made with my mental illnesses. I therefore am in search of more permanent accommodations, which I hope to achieve by investing in a tiny house.
>Tiny house?
The Tiny House movement has been gaining steam for awhile now. As the name implies, that involves eschewing conventional houses, with the million-dollar price tags, mortgages and property taxes that invariably come with them, to live in a small and portable dwelling that could be towed by vehicle. Whereas purchasing a full-sized house, or even a small apartment, would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in Vancouver, a tiny house would only cost around $50,000, and an RV trailer, less than half that. With this portable dwelling, the only remaining monthly costs would be that of renting a driveway from a person who rents or owns an existing, full-sized house, which would include the cost of electricity, water, and as far as I know, no property taxes. Such overheads would be neatly covered by even part-time employment.
The tiny house, if built, would serve as my living quarters and sewing studio, from which the dressmaking operation be first based. Owing to the niche appeal of vintage clothing and goods, it is of the utmost importance that the overhead costs be kept as low as possible -- which I hope to achieve when the tiny house is fully funded. Low overhead costs are especially important to make feasible a dressmaking operation that, in part, takes on charity requests -- as I hope to do with nonbinary and trans clientele.
A local builder of tiny houses has estimated that, in a year's time, he will be able to begin work on my own, which he estimates would cost upwards of $40,000. Being the thrift store vulture that I am, I intend to keep costs down by using as much materials from architectural salvage operations as is practical. Nonetheless, one cannot escape the fact that a tiny house is -- true to its name -- tiny, and needs to be accordingly fitted with miniaturized versions of such fixtures as sinks and refrigerators that I may not be able to salvage. Furthermore, components of the plumbing system and various other vital materials on which I am not yet clear, should best be purchased brand-new. The goal that I have set for this funding appeal, $30,000, reflects an optimistic estimate of the total cost of building, which I intend to -- and must -- supplement through other means than begging.
As with all funding appeals, even a little means a lot, and I fully expect to fall far short of the $30,000 goal. Nonetheless, I must gather enough funds to put a down payment on the tiny house so that the project can even begin.
>So what's in it for you?
>>Dresses! Reproduction vintage ones, of course.
Being a student dressmaker, I could definitely sweeten the deal by sewing reproduction vintage dresses in return for especially generous donations, or skirts and blouses for smaller -- but still immensely helpful -- sums. Such projects would take at least a week to complete, as I must first purchase (or thrift, the latter preferably) the material from which the garment would be made, and go on to sew the garment afterwards. Indeed, if I were backlogged with commissions, the wait would even be longer. You may browse my instagram account (https://instagram.com/cerements/) for a better idea of the patterns that I have in my possession at the moment. If the request deviates a fair amount from the original pattern, I may have to make a muslin (which is a mock-up of the finished garment or part thereof). An additional few days of wait time should be expected if that is the case.
The patterns are cut to my size, which is around a size 20 (vintage) or 14 (current North American sizing), and they can be enlarged and/or taken in a few inches at the bust, hip and/or waist. I may also deviate from the existing pattern by, for example...
- sewing a tie collar where there was a peter pan collar
- adding pockets where there were none
- shortening the skirt (by quite a bit if you are so inclined)
- changing the style of the skirt (gathered? circle? how many gores?)
- adding detailing (ric-rac? buttons? bows?)
- buttoning all the way down the front? or only down to the waist, with a zipper opening at the side?
- color and/or fabric print
The $700 donation would also cover the price of a pattern. If none of my existing designs suit you, you are welcome to...
1. Find a pattern that is approximately your size, from Etsy preferably, which I would buy
2. Request any alterations in size or detailing (and the all-important prints and colors) by e-mail or private message
3. When the pattern has been mailed to myself, I will back it with fusible interfacing for preservation and sew the dress according to your request
4. (Optional) Request that the pattern be mailed back to you! If you would rather I keep the pattern, it would most certainly be used many times over when the dressmaking business begins in earnest.
>>Skirts!
Skirts, especially gathered skirts, are easier to make, often times without the help of a pattern. Therefore they could be made to more diverse measurements. The following would be customizable (that I can think of):
- # gores
- skirt style (gathered, circle, A-line...)
- pockets
- detailing (zipper side? button front?)
- color and/or fabric print
I would also be more than willing to mail out some of the vintage garments that I own -- mostly winter coats -- in exchange for donations. Pictures of those coats will be uploaded to Instagram shortly.
Any donator who contributes enough to warrant these projects, or is thinking of contributing such a sum, should contact me by e-mail to detail their request.
In the event that the garment doesn't fit, please take pictures and/or describe the ill-fitting part and mail it back; I will gladly remedy it to the best of my ability.
Thank you for your consideration!
You may also donate to my PayPal account. The same reward tiers apply.
If you choose to donate in instalments, I would gladly tally up the amount you intend to donate over time, and reward you with the garment that corresponds to that total, when the sum (or a large part thereof) has been reached.
Organizer
Betty Frocker
Organizer