What supplies would be good for me to keep with me and to sell IC?
Currently I have a selection of strong threads, buttons, needs, and hooks.
Is there anything in specific you’d possibly have to look for, or would be interested in whilst IC?
Without trying to sound stupid here, what sort of thing did you have in mind?
Those that would be comfortable in repairing in the field are likely to have a small sewing kit with them specific to their costumes, thread that matches, spare buttons, off cuts of materials etc. Those without the skills or confidence to repair in the field are not likely to want to consider it. You might find it more useful to look into upgrades, for example cloak pins etc, someone might see a nice cloak pin and be prepared to pay for it.
I think you have a small target audience here to begin with, firstly it needs to be faulty, secondly it needs someone who has forgotten something and thirdly and most importantly needs to be something someone is prepared to want to repair in the field. I’ve only once repaired in the field and that was because I happen to have time and everything I need to do it. Most of the time it gets a quick stitch up then repaired properly when I get home.
I think you need to look at specifically what you want to offer and who your target is.
I like the upgrade idea!
My character is a traveling general trader, so I’ll have a fair number of bits and bobs around. As an RPG player, I always end up buying bits from general goods traders so I wanted to aim for that kind of thing.
I guess the tailoring supplies would just be basic bits because of that.
My advice is this, the upgrades as I mentioned but also maybe think about fabrics, I brought some awesome fabric the other day for no reason other than it was awesome! I have no need for it…YET!!! While you might get lucky and sell the odd needle and thread here and there, I think my other options would be better. However on the note of fabric mos people would want a few meters not scraps, just something to think about. I always buy more fabric than I need as I like to have backups and also it’s good to use the same materials in costumes. I made a costume which had an awesome material I had left over of it, so I made briefcase lining with he spare to make the character even more interesting.
To give you an idea on volume of fabric, I’m 5’4" so short!!! But for a jacket I would use 2m, for a long coat I would use 3.5m, a cloak or cape as much as 5m depends on the style and complexity of it, a hood 1m. Suddenly it you start needing some serious amounts of fabric.
Also make sure you know what type of materiel it is and what it’s properties are! A cotton drill will not likely shrink, a wool on the other hand will. Some synthetics and mixes can have odd properties and not perform as you would expect and so need pre-treating.
I have a local bulk fabric place so that’s an awesome idea! Thanks 
I was considering knitting/crocheting gloves for people as well, but that might be too much effort and way too warm in the summer!
TO GOOGLE!
I agree a lot of effort!! E4 would be a good market there, however I don’t thin you would get a good return on them. Might be better off buying in bulk something which looks IC. Also people have different sized hands so you need a range of sizes.
I’m not too bothered about return, it’s more for the hell of it. The different hand sizes is why I thought of making them 
Well just for the record like most of my clothes they come from the Kids section. My hands are SMALL!!! On the postive side I wear the latest fashion treads and hottest labels for a fraction of the price 
Haha I’m 5ft2in so I’m short too! I’m also a little bit fluffy (not fat!) so I can’t wear kids clothes any more 
Another option is patterns as well, if you can redesign the package so it’s more IC and your not selling for real money you shouldn’t have any legal issues either.
It’ll all be IC, so packages and whatnot are being redone
There is a lady in traders row who sometimes has haberdashery stuff. I buy nice embroidery thread, braid, buttons, that kind of thing.
I am one who makes my own kit and fixes stuff in the field so i do have needles and thread as suggested above but pretties for my next project are always worth looking through!
There was a fabric person there once, and she did what looked to me like quite a bit of business, mostly plain fabric, and a very good bargain table. Haven’t seen her again so not sure if logistics or income stopped her returning though.
I agree that a fabric seller could do well, if you can afford to loose the money in the real world.
That works for almost any purchase from anyone dealing in pound sterling.
There is a person who wanders around the camps selling rings for IC. he has a cool wooden folding sowing box full of foam.
Things like decorative pins, Hat/stick pins, feathers, dried flowers… things as I would describe as decoration. Things that make a costume more like clothes. These would sell well in field I think.
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Much as I’d love it if an IC fabric trader turned up, I think you’re definitely best looking at the trim/haberdashery side of the market, particularly stuff that’s harder to source on the high street. Some things that spring to mind: metal buttons, (especially in larger quantities as the medieval-style dresses and robes used in Empire can take dozens of buttons), cloak clasps, more ‘rustic’ trims like tablet weaving and lucet strings and fingerloop braids, fancy veil pins (you can make them yourself from silver wire with minimum equipment).
Little pouches, particularly ones with both drawstrings and a belt string/loop, are always useful (you may need to fancy them up with embroidery or similar to carve out a niche in the market). If you can embroider fast, you could charge to customise with initials or whatever! Relatedly if you’re selling small things and have the time and scraps to spare, making up some simple bags to pack things in for people to take away really adds a little something to the experience for your customers.
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