Have you known someone who has lost a limb or someone who suffers from an illness such as Parkinson's Disease, for which getting dressed in off-the-rack clothes can be difficult, at best? If you can sew, you can make life easier for these folks and bring in some money for yourself. You will need to adapt patterns to their individual bodies in some cases and in others, simply make the clothing easier to use.

My grandmother was in her fifties when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Within a few short months, she lost first one breast, then the other. It was devastating for her. Her once large bust was suddenly reduced to flatness and her clothes hung on her.

My grandmother isn't the only person who suffered from clothing difficulties. Anyone who has gone through a mastectomy knows the awfulness of losing a body part and trying to fix the lopsidedness. But others, for example, quadriplegics, also have difficulty with clothing.

If you can sew, you can make life easier for these folks and bring in some money for yourself. You will need to adapt patterns to their individual bodies in some cases and in others, simply make the clothing easier to use.

The first thing to do is talk to any friends or acquaintances you have who are disabled or have another difficulty. Ask them what problems they find with clothing off the rack and base your designs on their answers. For example, a person in a wheelchair might need something that slips on easily and has a zipper instead of buttons in front, so it is easier for fumbling fingers.

Once you have some ideas, get out your patterns and get to work. If you haven?t adapted patterns before, it is a good time to learn. You may feel more comfortable taking two patterns and copying the parts you want onto separate paper and making your own pattern in place of just laying down the one you want and cutting out the fabric differently. A short course in pattern making might be a good investment if you are really unsure.

You need to make sure your clothing is nice. Don?t whip up dozens of simple jackets in institutional green, for example. Take care to create beautiful outfits that rival those in the store and you ensure repeat customers.

Now for marketing. Depending on the type of clothing you are making, you will need to advertise in different places. For amputees, hit the veteran?s clubs, physical therapy centers, etc. Anywhere that your market crowd hangs out is where you should be advertising. Don?t forget ads in the paper are great, as well. As the business expands, you can move up to websites and such.

Pricing will be slightly higher than regular clothing, especially if you are customizing stuff for each person. But try to work reasonably and build your business through friendliness and having a good product.

In closing, here are a few other difficulties you might work on. Dwarfs will need special clothes, but generally customized. Preemie babies seldom are able to wear any type of normal baby clothing for several months, so there is a big market there if you are near a large hospital that deals with preemies. Amputees might want clothing with special pockets for their limbs to avoid having to pin up sleeves or pant legs. Put your mind to it and you are sure to think up many more possibilities.

Resources:

http://patternsthatfityou.com/

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/sewing/msg1222563728974.html

http://www.craftycrafty.tv/2007/10/fashion_freaks_clothing_patter.html

http://www.amazon.com/Clothing-Handicapped-Other-People-Special/dp/0398063990

http://pex.tripod.com/clothing.html

http://www.ableapparel.com/