Business Spotlight: Jesi Josten of Hip Violet

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We love highlighting makers who use their craft to earn extra income. Sewing is truly a superpower: sewists can create, mend, alter, and earn money doing so. Today we talk with business owner Jesi Josten of Hip Violet.

Sew News: Tell us a little bit about yourself and how sewing came into your life.

Hip Violet: My fascination with sewing started around middle school. I had this little Kewpie doll that I wanted to make some clothes for, so I remember getting out my mom’s sewing basket and some leftover terry cloth scraps. I did a terrible job and made a huge mess, but something about it made me want to keep trying. When I was in high school, I decided I wanted to sew a pair of pajama pants. Much to the horror of my Grandma Ginny (who taught home economics and was a sewing judge for the local 4-H fair), I laid the fabric out on the floor and traced my legs. I then hand-stitched the pants since our old Singer sewing machine was notoriously cranky. Those pants fell apart pretty quickly, but I later made a pair of corduroy skater-girl pants with a tie waist—and guess what? They stayed together, thanks to the magic of this thing called a “backstitch,” and my life was changed. (P.S. I still have the corduroy pants!) I sewed for fun for the next few years, and when my daughter was born in 2007, my interest became rekindled when I started adding patches and appliqués to her onesies—and making her some oversized baby bibs, which ended up becoming the backbone of my business, Hip Violet.

SN: Where and how do you sell your products? Where can people learn more about you online and shop for your merchandise?

HV: I sell my baby bibs, appliquéd bodysuits, and can coolers online at HipViolet.com and on Etsy. I also have a wholesale shop through Faire Wholesale. I have a ton of fun posting on my social media, too: Instagram @ItsHipViolet and Facebook/TikTok @HipViolet.

SN: Describe a day in the life of running Hip Violet.

HV: On days when I’m sewing, I’ll go over my orders and map out what needs to be made. Although I try to make multiples of each product as I go, that isn’t always possible, so I often make things to order. I usually start with quick and easy things like can coolers and regular (not appliquéd) bibs since I love to tick things off my to-do list. Next, I’ll tackle my more time-consuming items like appliquéd bibs and onesies. When I get larger wholesale orders, I may spend a day on each kind of product. Either way, I love working assembly-line style. And I’m always looking for ways to shave a few minutes off my time, so batch sewing is the way to go!

If I have a lighter sewing day, I’ll spend time adding new products to my websites, making social media posts, or designing new products. Almost every day ends with a quick trip to the post office to drop off the day’s orders. Luckily, there is a USPS branch right across the street from me!

SN: What’s one thing you wish you knew before starting your business?

HV: I wish I had thought a little more about my business name. I had no idea Hip Violet would still be going strong 15 years later and how important your name can be. My daughter Violet had just gone through treatment for hip dysplasia when I started selling, so it seemed fitting to name it after her. Little did I know that I would have another kiddo (my son Will in 2009), who doesn’t love the fact that his sister has a whole business named after her. Whoops! I do love that my business name has brought more attention to kids with hip dysplasia, and it’s unique enough to remember—but it’s something I wish I could go back and rethink.

SN: What is your best business resource?

HV: Being a bargain shopper! As we all know, the prices of fabric and supplies have really gone up over the past few years, which can make earning a living with a handmade business especially tricky. I pretty much only buy fabric and supplies when they are on sale. I definitely stalk the sales flyers and emails that come from my favorite shops! I also love thrifting, and I love the “thrill of the hunt.” I’ll grab fun yardage at a thrift shop if I can find it. Plus, Denver has several thrift shops that specifically sell craft-related items, where I can often find awesome designer fabric for a bargain!

I also love the crafty vendor community. Not only have I made some lifelong friends because we happened to be “booth neighbors” at a craft show, but there are also some really helpful Facebook pages where we can all share tips and tricks and bounce ideas off each other.

SN: What are Hip Violet’s next steps? What are Jesi’s next business adventures?

HV: This past year has had a lot of changes for my little business! I’ve been making baby bibs since 2008 using a similar formula: find cute fabric, make cute bibs. But this year, I’m venturing out into using my graphic design skills to design and print my own fabric for bibs that are exclusive to Hip Violet. I started out with Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater, and now I have a whole line of baby bibs and can coolers featuring some of the most popular national parks. I’m also concentrating more on wholesale orders. I’m proud to say that more than 25 shops across the country now carry my items!

And after selling at craft shows for more than 15 years, I realized that I might be able to help people who are new to the craft show scene. I have so many friends who would love to start selling their items but are overwhelmed with exactly how to begin. So, I started a craft show consulting company called The Crafty Works. I have an e-book that explains everything from choosing the right shows to how to set up and display your items. I also offer one-on-one consulting and graphic design services. I’m really excited to help the next generations of crafters start their successful businesses!

SN: What one piece of advice do you have for makers who are thinking of turning their craft into a business?

HV: My very best piece of advice is to price your products correctly! I see so many amazing makers who never make it past the 2-year mark because they aren’t charging what they are worth, so they never make a profit. There are some great handmade item pricing calculators online that can give you an idea about where to start your pricing — and I bet it’s much higher than you thought! We all love making things, but if you want to do it for your job, you also need to make a profit and not feel weird about it.

SN: Describe the best and worst parts of being your own boss.

HV: The best part is definitely the freedom to do what I want when I want! I love that working from home means I can spend the morning on a field trip with my son or running to the fabric store (I have to go; it’s my job!). And if I’m swamped and running behind, I can still be at home while I sew late into the night since my studio is in my basement. I also love that when I have a big success, it’s all me! I did it! It feels great to look at where I started versus where I am now and know that I accomplished it on my own.

The worst part is dealing with all the not-so-fun business things like taxes and licenses and insurance. I hire out whatever I can, but I still have to know how to handle a lot of things that give me a headache just thinking about.

Another downside is that I often feel a bit lonely sewing away in my basement all by myself. I wish I had a few other people to bounce business ideas off of and get advice from. I’m a one-woman show, so often, those things are discussed at the dinner table instead of in a board room. A special thanks to my family and friends for putting up with all my business talk over the years!

SN: Social media is a great way to connect with customers and promote your business, and you do a fabulous job utilizing it. What’s your favorite platform to use?

HV: Because running a handmade business does tend to be a little lonely, I absolutely love connecting with my customers through social media. I think part of the draw of buying handmade is you can really get to know the maker and their story, so I try to have fun with my social media and let my customers see who I am as well as what I make. Instagram has been my favorite over the years since it’s easy to use and my posts are seen by the most people. I had a pretty large following previously, but unfortunately, I had to restart from scratch a few months ago—I’m glad to be back! You can follow me on Instagram @ItsHipViolet.

Find Hip Violet at www.thecraftyworks.com and on Instagram @itshipviolet.