The Dainty Squid (shop!) is coming back

by Kaylah Stroup

Unlike every single year ever previous to this one, for 2019 I didn’t write up a huge list of goals I want to accomplish. I did, however, take on one very big project that I am super excited to share…

The Dainty Squid is coming back!

The Dainty Squid in its original form, that is! I am back to sewing. FULL FORCE! What a way to start the year, right!?! I’m super stoked and basically just putting my all into this. I’m so very excited to share this news, and really get this party started!

A bit of history;
The Dainty Squid started around eleven years ago as an Etsy shop. I sold various handmade goods and eventually found my niche sewing zipper pouches and other small bags. Over the next few years, I sold thousands. Literally. I even sold wholesale to brick and mortars stores across the US. It was my life.

Eventually, I wore myself out. I was right one the brink of a HUGE life change (moving to Cleveland!) and basically wanted to ditch all of my old routines. I needed something new. I had been making pretty consistent money blogging so my sewing machine and I broke up. I sold all my supplies, put the remainder of stock on clearance and said ‘goodbye’ to my little sewing business.

Why am I coming back now?
Shortly before Christmas, I spotted an email in my spam folder from a man whose wife had purchased a pouch from me ten years ago. She’d been using it all this time but it understandably was pretty beat up after so many years. He wanted to know if I could help track down the fabric since it was such a fun pattern. My first reaction was ‘Aw, that’s nice but I am definitely over that chapter.” An hour later, I was still thinking about his email. ‘I guess it wouldn’t hurt to help hunt down the fabric.’ Another hour and I’m emailing the guy telling him to ship the fabric to me and I’ll make her a brand new pouch.

A couple days later, the fabric showed up in my mail box. I immediately got to work and made her five brand new pouches. You know what? It felt GOOD. Like, reeeally really good. Everything from the way my shears felt cutting the fabric to the smell of the iron was just perfect. I felt like me. Suddenly I missed The Dainty Squid. I wanted to be sewing again. I craved the feeling of creating something.

I woke up the next day thinking about starting The Dainty Squid up again. It consumed my mind. The day after that I was ordering fabric and other supplies to get started.

It just feels right. I had no idea how much I missed sewing. So funny how I went all this time never really thinking too much about it. That one little email sparked something though. It reminded me how much I truly loved making things and selling online.

When?! Where?!
I am planning the grand re-opening for Friday, January 18th! Mark your calendars! I would give you a time but my thought as of right now is that I’ll probably be listing things for a good portion of the day. I’ve been so busy building stock, there’s A LOT!

I’ll be opening up on Etsy under the name ‘thedaintysquid‘, of course. Right now, the shop isn’t open yet but you can still hit follow if you’d like to keep an eye on it.

I will absolutely be posting again here on the blog on opening day, and sharing more peeks over on instagram in the meantime.

Two last things…
▴ If you’re still using an old pouch of mine, I’d love to see! Since I started sharing peeks of my sewing projects on instagram I’ve been getting messages with photos of pouches y’all bought 8+ years ago. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing that feels. I’m proud my work has lasted and seriously tickled pink that anyone would hang on it. It’s just been fuel for my fire, inspiring me even further to create! Thank you for supporting me.

▴ I will be taking on wholesale orders!  If you have a brick and mortar store and would like my line sheet, shoot me an email! Be sure to include a link to your site/social media.

xoxo

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26 comments

Heather January 10, 2019 - 10:14 am

This is awesome! Congratulations! Do you think you’d branch into larger size pouches ever? Like 9×12? 🙂

Kaylah January 10, 2019 - 11:12 pm

Not sure if something that large would ever become one of the standard sizes I stock but I’ll definitely be taking custom orders.

allie January 10, 2019 - 10:16 am

I love my lil pouch and use it every day for my makeup! It’s the perfect size and the anatomical hand on the front is obv made for me. Good luck in all future pouch endeavors, I’m sure I’ll be adding more to my collection!

Kaylah January 10, 2019 - 11:11 pm

Thanks, Allie! 😀

meescha dare January 10, 2019 - 12:33 pm

This is awesome to hear! Congratulations! Will some of the fabric be of your own creating as well? I’m loving all the fabric choices so far and the style of your overall aesthetic! Best of luck!

Kaylah January 10, 2019 - 11:09 pm

YES! I have one of my own prints in the launch but definitely plan on getting others made as time goes on.

Thanks! 🙂

Emily Fife January 10, 2019 - 1:45 pm

YAY! I’ve been following you for years, and I’ve always regretted not buying something from you when the shop was open. I’m looking forward to finding something special!! xoxo

Kaylah January 10, 2019 - 11:05 pm

<3 <3 <3

sPOOKYVALENTINE January 10, 2019 - 4:52 pm

That is amazing news!
I bought some pouches from you a couple of years ago and I still use them! I get so many compliments when people spot them.
I am so happy that you are re-opening your store again, and can’t even how nice it must feels to create all these things again!
Really happy for you 🙂

Kaylah January 10, 2019 - 11:02 pm

Aw, thank you so much!!! <3

Stassney January 10, 2019 - 5:25 pm

Are you going to take custom orders in your Etsy shop? For example, I am addicted to my happy planner. They sell snap in pen cases for these. I have one, but I would LOVE to switch it out for one of your pouches. Is this something I would be able to commission?

Kaylah January 10, 2019 - 11:04 pm

Yes to custom orders!! I’m not super familiar with the happy planner but I’d definitely be open to discussing some ideas.

Eliza January 10, 2019 - 6:04 pm

This is so exciting! I started reading your blog around the time you closed your shop, and was bummed that I had missed the chance to buy one of your pouches. Congratulations!

Kaylah January 10, 2019 - 11:00 pm

Thanks, Eliza! I’m super excited to be back at it. 🙂

Emma Knapton January 11, 2019 - 4:40 am

So exciting! I remember I found your blog when I was really into nail art about 6 years ago. Loved reading the blog and finding out you liked sewing too. I’ve had an Etsy shop for nearly five years mainly making planner pouches but now I’m focusing more on my hand embroidery. I worked on a lot of zipped pouches for one of my customers last year it’s hard work but so fun. I hope your re-opening goes well, and I can’t wait to read more about it!

Kaylah February 13, 2019 - 9:34 am

<3

Marine Leisy January 11, 2019 - 12:33 pm

Yay! I’m so excited for this next chapter for you! You seem so genuinely jazzed about it!

Kaylah January 25, 2019 - 9:16 am

Thanks so much, Marine! 🙂

Kristina B January 12, 2019 - 11:44 am

I am SO excited for you and I LOVVVVVVE pouches (some would call it an addiction. I call it ‘being committed’) and I totally know what you mean about feeling creative again. When I quit cards, I missed making stuff but I didn’t want to make cards anymore. When I started making pencils I felt all this inspiration again. YAY FOR MAKING!!!

Caroline January 12, 2019 - 1:07 pm

Yay I’m so excited to see what you’ve made! Just FYI, I just visited your Etsy shop and it says “Coming January 18, 2018!” Thought you might want to fix that year 😉

Kaylah January 13, 2019 - 9:51 am

LOL. Thanks for the heads up! 😛

Samantha January 14, 2019 - 8:39 am

this is so exciting!! I’m, of course, going to have to purchase AT LEAST ONE!!!

Kaylah January 17, 2019 - 10:26 pm

<3

Whitney January 14, 2019 - 8:27 pm

So exciting! I would definitely be interested in ordering a custom sized pouch for carrying reusable straws!

Kaylah January 25, 2019 - 9:15 am

Noted! 🙂

one year of the dainty squid - THE DAINTY SQUID January 18, 2020 - 9:30 am

[…] It just took one email and all of a sudden I’m buying the supplies. (You can read that story here.) I went full force right from the […]

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