Just dabbling my toe in the water

I get request from time to time for a dress (usually a military camouflage dress). About a month (probably longer) ago I got a request from a friend of an old friend. And I thought, perhaps I'd give it a try and see if I could get a dress done. I warned her that it would probably take me about a month. Sadly, I wasn't over estimating. I just don't knit like I used to. Sometimes it's because I simply don't have time, and other times I find my hands and arms start to hurt if I knit for more than ten minutes.

However, I did manage to finish this one dress. It's a very simple cami marine camouflage dress, but for as long as it took me you'd think I'd knit up a turtle neck long sleeve.

So close...but so far away

I've all but given up on the idea of pursuing all that is now required to legally sell my hand knit dresses. It's a crying shame, but I haven't much time these days to knit, let alone figure out how to accomplish all the bureaucratic &#!* that I would need to do to fulfill the new CPSIA laws. I've tried to keep up, but it's too overwhelming.

I just want to knit and sew dresses and not worry about breaking some law.

This morning I came across the address for the CPSC...it's practically in my back yard!

It's not lost on me that I still have about six completed dresses sitting in my sewing room, which I'm too afraid to list on Etsy...because they haven't been lead tested, nor do they have tracking labels.

I've always labeled my dresses with a sew on, cotton tag. That label includes my name, and my website address. Also included is a hand written label that describes the fabric/ fiber content, care instructions, my e-mail, and my name (again), and that the article is entirely hand made.

I try to think of everything. I even include a disclosure on my listings that I have a dog...just in case they're allergic to dogs.

So, the CPSC is just 15 miles away...and it's tempting to just go and show off my dresses to these folks...what else can I do with them? I'm wondering if I should send them the remaining dresses...I don't know why...like it would do any good...but it's as if nobody sees what they've done to the American work at home mom who loves to make children's clothes (diapers, toys, and so many things).

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,an independent federal regulatory agency, located at 4330 East WestHighway, Bethesda, MD 20814 Toll-free hotline: (800) 638-2772