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children's clothing elizabeth mcnair etsy

Everything’s White

One of the most exciting things about Etsy is that you can find beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces which might be difficult to find otherwise.  These items are much more personalized and have the potential to be heirloom items or treasured possessions.  The beautiful crotched items in Joyce Florence’s etsy shop Everythingswhite fall into this category.  As the name implies, almost everything in the shop is made of white thread.  Joyce agreed to do an interview where she shared some more about her lovely creations with us.

Baby Girl Dress- image c/o Everything’s White

Since you have been doing needlework for over 40 years, what prompted you to start your etsy shop “Everythingswhite”? 
I just love to make pretty things, preferably, white lacy things. I was crocheting doilies, doll clothes, bedspreads, table runners, sweaters and scarves for me and an occasional baby set for friends at work. But, you can only make so much and then you don’t have any place to put it all. I loved making things but I didn’t necessarily have to keep them. So I thought I might try to sell them.  I only knew about ebay for online selling so I asked my older sister who also does beautiful needlework if she had ever sold on ebay. She said “no” that she sold on ETSY. She got me started in 2008 but I didn’t actively “work” my shop until 2 years ago. 
All the work I do, whether in my job at the Fitness Center or making things for ETSY, I feel I must glorify my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to convey His love to everyone I come in contact with. I try to be as patient and understanding as I can be, which can be really hard when dealing with the public. When I started my ETSY shop, I asked the Lord how I could glorify Him in this endeavor. That is why in every order I include a beautiful crocheted cross, free of charge. I hope to brighten someone’s day when they receive this little gift. In a way, I feel like I am sharing God’s love to that person. 

Christening Gown- image c/o Everything’s White

Where do you get the ideas for your designs? 
I have to admit that I use a lot of patterns because of the time factor. I have created some items on my own or when a customer sends me a request for a custom order, but I haven’t had the time to really create a lot of my own designs. Sometimes I visualize something I would love to make but it takes a “back burner” when I have customers wanting items that I use a pattern for.  I had a customer who wanted a baby diaper cover so I checked out some patterns but hated them, so I designed my own based on her requests.  If that customer had not requested a diaper cover, I would probably have never thought about making one.  I also worked with a customer to design a baby cocoon. She devised the filet pattern I would use and I made her a baby cocoon that came out beautifully. Fortunately, my mother gave me all her old craft and crochet books that date back to the 1940’s. I probably have over 500 books and magazines that are loaded with some of the most unique and beautiful patterns. I have just barely scratched the surface in the books I have. I look through them periodically and always find something new and different. 

What are your most popular items? 
I sell a lot of baby items. I love working with my customers that are having a baby or grandmothers buying for their new grand baby. They are always so happy and thrilled at the prospect of a new baby. I get caught up in their excitement. Sometimes I hate to charge them. I almost feel like I need to make them a shower gift for free. Of course that would be hard for me to do. I have items in my shop that I think are unique to me. One is my lacy crocheted baby dress made in size 30 crochet cotton thread from an old Magic Crochet magazine pattern and my winter white mohair sweater. I also do very well with christening gowns. I have sold a number of them. My most exciting sale was a crocheted skirt and top that took me 4 months to make. 

White Romantic Women’s Sweater- image c/o Everything’s White

Do you think that living in the South has influenced your designs? 
I have never really thought about this much but now that you ask this question I can see how it probably has. All of my items are very traditional.  I use very simple, elegant designs in just about everything I make. When you think about lace and doilies you think about an old antebellum house with these furnishings. When I modeled my crocheted skirt and top, all my friends said that in the picture I looked like a Southern lady going to a tea party. 
What are your plans for Everythingswhite in the future?  
I really dream that one day I could quit my day job and do ETSY fulltime.  I am hoping to at least go part time in a few years so I can devote more time to my shop. I have sold knitted and sewing items on ETSY but again the time factor stops me from doing a lot of this because I have so many requests for crocheted items.  Sometimes I wish I could have more sales on ETSY. I hear some shop owners talk about having several sales a day.  However, I don’t know if I could make that many items.  I am a “one person show”. I make everything for my shop. I don’t employ anyone else. Right now I am pretty busy with a retail order and a couple custom orders for customers.  Usually I have about 1 sale a week and that keeps me busy. I work 8 hours a day and I am usually training for some running event so I only have several hours at night to work on items for my shop. I also have the weekend, which helps me to catch up somewhat.  Right now, I am training for a marathon at the end of February and I am running 9 and 10 miles every morning. Still I also love to knit and sew, and I do hope to add more of these type items to Everythingswhite one day. I also would like to open another shop on ETSY called “Everythingelse” so I can sell some items in other colors. And maybe eventually have a chain of shops with “Everythings_?___” as the title.
Thanks to Joyce for sharing with us.  Definitely stop by Everythingswhiteto see some more of Joyce’s beautiful crochet work.
Elizabeth McNair
Twitter: slowsouthstyle Facebook: Slow Southern Style

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