Maker Monday: Alfie + Iris

After searching for dainty and feminine bows for her niece Birdie, Gabrielle decided to teach herself how to sew and started Alfie + Iris in the Fall of 2017. Alfie + Iris sells the most adorable hair bows for girls of all ages and source 90% of their fabrics and supplies from Canadian small businesses.

You can read our last Maker Monday interview with Sun & Soil Handmade here.

Tell us a bit about Alfie + Iris.

Alfie + Iris specializes in handcrafted hair bows for girls of all ages, made with childhood wonder and adventure in mind. Each bow is made from a variety of carefully curated textiles, such as cotton and linen fabric, faux leather, lace, felt, and most recently; reclaimed fabrics!

My vision is to create simple and timeless accessories that can be worn day to day, or dressed up for special occasions. They’re delicate and soft for your sweet new babes, and stretchy enough to grow with your child throughout the years, or get any bow on a clip, for extra versatility!

How did you get started?

Alfie + Iris first came to be the Fall of 2017, months after the birth of my first niece, Birdie. It was such an exciting time for my family to have this beautiful little girl in our lives, and I was on the hunt for dainty and feminine bows that fit my more classic style. I was discouraged after months of searching, not being able to find the style of bows I was looking for.

Being the life long crafter that I am, I took out my glue gun, taught myself how to sew, and Alfie + Iris was born! It’s been an exciting, challenging, and rewarding ride since then, and I’m so proud of everything it has become in just shy of a year.

Where do you get all of your materials to make your products?

I can proudly say that I source over 90% of my fabrics and supplies from Canadian small businesses! This was so important to me from the start that I buy as much of my materials as I can from fellow Canadian business owners to support Canadian entrepreneurs, and to also support our own economy.

New this fall, I’ll also be introducing reclaimed textiles into the shop. I’m super excited to be offering unique, and small batch items, and to be able to give new life to fabrics that otherwise would have gone to waste.

What has been your favourite product to make so far?

My favourite product to date would have to be all things felt. I love working with felt because it’s so versatile and the options are endless as to what you can make with it. If I’m ever in a creative slump, I always turn to felt to play around with and make something new and exciting. I’ve made everything from indicate flower crowns, to simple pinch bows with it, and they’ve all become some of my favourite pieces.

Do you take custom orders?

I love custom orders! I’m always open to push my creative boundaries while still keeping within my style realm. I recently was asked to make a set of bows for a bride to be, to give to her girls to ask them to be her bridesmaids. I think it’s so special that I get to be apart of special moments like that, so I always love to hear your ideas, and I do my best to create something special, whatever the occasion.

Do you have any tips for other makers who may be looking to start selling their own creations?

My biggest tip for makers who are looking to start selling their goods is to not be afraid to put yourself out there, and to reach out to other makers. Community is so important, and 9 times out of 10, other makers will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Reaching out to makers will also help you network and find out what opportunities there are out there for you to get your items seen.

You can find out more about Alfie + Iris on their website www.alfieandiris.com. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

Emily Franceschini

Emily Franceschini is former full-timer and lover of all things purple. In a past life, Emily worked as a marketing manager and spent her free time searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Now all of her time is free time and she's spending it exploring the world.

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