ann31039

I lived in a rv for a couple of years while working out of state. I'd do it again. I did only take 3 machines with me and purchased a embroidery machine while I was out. The lot rent where I was was not bad. One place was 500 per month, but it included everything and decent internet. Pool, golf, bath houses, etc. very nice and was on the water. The other was on a mountain and rent was 385 a month. No pool, no lake, I got a seperate internet connection cause the one in the park was overused. (14 year old gamer was the cause of a seperate connection). There were a few places in between but not long term. My house was paid off so was not an issue in traveling. And I was getting per diem from my jobs since I was away from home, it mostly covered the lot rents.

Lew Schiller

CosPlay as in the ComiCon crowd - has resulted in a major increase in people learning to sew and making things (costumes). Before the Denver ComiCon certain fabrics are nowhere to be found. Makes sense that machines go up as well and I have noticed that now that I've looked again.
It's all good

ThayerRags

I had to look that up, since I wasn’t familiar with the term. I guess it hasn’t caught on too much in rural farm country, or else I’ve just not been paying attention well enough. I have seen youngsters interested in custom-made garments, especially semi-formal and formal wear for events, but they tend to have a previous generation in mind to do the actual sewing.

My wife and I were on the road for about 22 hours during Labor Day Weekend, and I did notice a slight uptick in the number of RVs on the highways. Not as noticeable as the startling absence of them back a few years ago when the gas prices shot up so high, but it seems like I saw more of them this time than in the past couple of years. The holiday weekend may not be a good indicator of RV sales and ownership though, since many of them could have just been summer-time or holiday rentals.

As for sewing to supplement an income, I have noticed a few more ads on Craig’s Lists around the area, wanting sewing work other than long arm quilting. Mostly craft, baby, and formal wear types of sewing, but a few including mending. I have no idea if they’re using new or vintage machines. I would suspect new machines. I also heard that the Dry Cleaners in a small city nearby no longer does mending and alterations. The lady that they had doing it retired, but I don’t know if they plan on replacing her or not. It may not be that easy to find someone.

CD in Oklahoma

amcatanzaro

My cousin does anime cosplay and makes her own. I have no idea what she sews on but she works at Joann's and does all of her own costuming.

When I was at PopCon in Indy over the summer there was a "costume repair area" and people in there hand sewing. I imagine a machine and repair person could make a killing there.

SteveH

When we do our "Victorian Sweatshop" shows we always put up signs letting folks know that they can use our machines to do emergency garb repairs or last minute fixes/finishing. We meet the most interesting folks that way....