more than a way to ….
more than a way to make art. It became a way to celebrate body positivity.
“I moved into clothes because of my daughter,” Trisha says. “She is the inspiration for me to try to offer a line of inclusive children’s clothing celebrating all body shapes and sizes.”
Trisha has slowly gotten into kid clothing, offering grow-with-me styles that will last a number of years. She also started adult clothing this summer, with hopes that by the end of 2021 she’ll have clothing available in all sizes.
Colby-Schwantes isn’t just making bows for people. She says she’ll have an upcoming animal line on her website, www.cluckcluckcraft.com, called Furry Friends. It will include bows and shirts for dogs and cats, and dog bandanas. Trisha expects more ideas will come along as the business grows.
One year in, and Trisha says she’s already learned so much. She’s made changes to her inventory since she opened Cluck Cluck Craft. Some of the changes involve the materials she works with, making sure her fabrics are tested and safety-compliant.
“We found a printer overseas, but it’s been hard to find stores where the fabric is the quality we like, and that’s tested to European standards. We use all exempt fabrics, so cotton, lycra, stuff like that. But I don’t do pajamas because of flammability issues. With bows it’s mostly lead testing, and my stuff is only for ages three and older.”
Even so, Trisha says she wants to get away from stock images, and into creating her own designs as she moves forward with Cluck Cluck Craft.
“I found a factory that will do custom prints, which brings me back to the art part. I can print whatever I want, so what I would like to do is get away from the stock images I have bought from other people. I want to make my own designs.”
Her son, Oakley, races, and she has photographed his car, and illuminated the background to make a tossed print to make beanies. She also wants to get involved in hand drawing to create her patterns. She says others share her excitement for handmade products.
“I think the excitement that people have is the most rewarding part. I started right before COVID hit, so I couldn’t do the in-person craft shows like I had hoped to, but there’s a huge handmade market out there.”
She’s also found that this market extends beyond Wisconsin. With the aid of the internet and social media, she now has a broader reach than what a brick and mortar building could ever give her.
“I ship most of my stuff out of Wisconsin, and it’s a lot of fun seeing people post things to the Facebook group, and their excitement for having matching sets, having clothes that everyone can wear and enjoy, and have families be able to wear matching sets.”
That online community has helped Colby-Schwantes grow her business and put her in touch with people searching for handmade, quality clothing.
“I think it’s been huge to be able to expand it. Around here there’s sticker shock with handmade clothing, but that’s for everything you pay for - the quality, the longevity of the clothing.
“It can be expensive for some budgets, and I get it, because I was a Target clearance shopper - if it was more than $5, we were going to wait. So I’ve really gotten into a good community where everyone builds everyone up.”
She still has her local roots though, and her bows can be found in several local businesses, and people from around the area are some of her best customers.
“I think the bows were a good introduction, and I have bows over in the Coffee Coop in Colby for sale, and these are only $5-$10. As I started getting into the clothing, I’ve had more people get involved and try it out, and then they’ve been hooked. I’ve got a few local people that purchase quite a bit. They like the quality and the fabric and the styles and prints.”
Colby-Schwantes has made the most of online communities, social media and ordering items off the website, but as COVID-19 restrictions relax across the country, Trisha wants to get out and meet people and attend craft shows.
She wants to continue growing her clientele, and with everything that has happened in the last year, she’s extremely proud of where her business began, and where it’s going.
“I like to make things and I am very proud of where I came from. To build this up to something that started as something that was for my art and for my mental health, and to be able to say I am making money off of this.
“It’s very rewarding and I am very proud. It’s helped me redefine myself. I’m not sure where it will take me, but I’m excited about the future.”
