January 20th 2006: babyfairies

1 How did you come up the name?

The name comes from a saying from my grandmother. She once said, “"You know when new babies' eyes dart around... you know they are looking at the baby fairies?"

2 How long have you been making clothes for babies?

I have been making baby clothes since my first daughter was born, over 14 years ago. However, I only started selling them about three years ago, right before the birth of my second daughter Isabel. I actually started with selling soakers (wool diaper covers) based on old vintage knitting patterns, then Mei Tai Asian baby carriers, and now clothes.

3 When did you start youre shop?

I think it was about a year and a half ago that I opened up my official website.

4 How are youre biggest fans?

Who? Hmmmm…. I actually have many customers in Northern Europe, but I feel like my customers are diverse. I love encouraging emails from these people – they make it all worthwhile. I think the one thing that ties us all together is a love for Vintage and retro things, especially the reinvention of these things.

5 do you design youre web site?

I had help putting it together but I rather knew what I wanted. It is still not perfect but I did it on a trade. I do like the simplicity of it. I am always a bit bothered by busy sites that have a lot of options and images other than the products. Some day I may have a professional site, but this seems to be working alright for now. (There is always more to do and create!)

6 what do you about having youre own shop?

What do I like/love about it? If that is what you mean, then, just about everything. Let me say that my husband does the taxes for me, so there really is not anything I do not like about it. What I like the most as a business owner is the ability to control all aspects of the business, even though there are financial limitations.

7 Is there alot of shops that make baby clothes and sell?

So far I haven’t seen any sites that make clothes like mine. I also get many encouraging emails from customers who feel that I have really created a niche for myself; they insist that my items are rather unique. I really love this. I think the market is saturated with baby clothes, but many people are looking for unique and handmade goods, and I am not sure if there are that many others who do this.

8 have you down any shows?

Have I done any shows? Nope, not yet. Frankly, I have been so busy with trying to build my site up closer to my own expectations, which leaves not much for anything else. When I move back to my hometown Seattle in a year I will probably do local markets and street fairs, since I am familiar with the area.

9 what is the one product people cant get enough of?

Really, it was Pack-Pack Mei Tais, but I got rather bored of making them and so stopped. Second to that are the baby kimonos and cloche sun caps.

10 what si the coolest thing a customer has told you about a item they bought from you ?

Wow – I had one customer tell me that her father worked in the clothing and alteration business for over 30 years and said that he kept looking-over my products and was amazed at the quality. That was really wonderful to hear. Also, someone said that they couldn’t even believe that I made the item (assuming she meant it didn’t look “homemade.”)

11. what 3 words describe youre shop?

Three words that describe my products: charismatic, inspirational, psychotomimetic

You can find babyfairies here.babyfairiesItem to check out .2-d Zoo Blue changing pad!