Part of reason for this I think, was ever present threat of someone else doing same work for less. Many women find it hard to charge a decent amount for their work. A lady in our community constructed an unlined jacket for someone for ten dollars. I was made to look like a very high priced villain. A simple alteration costs more than that.

If you are contemplating sewing for any sort of income, please check around to what others are charging. You may be selling yourself short. You may also be surprised to see quality of work involved. I have been surprised to see very shoddy workmanship with some while others work tirelessly for a few paltry dollars. Always make sure all your threads are neatly tucked under and secured. Perfect your buttonholes, collar points, even hemming can become an art. Make sure inside of your garments are as well finished as outside. I was told many years ago that this was sign of a quality garment.

Lumber is available in 2 main categories, hardwood and softwood. Quite simply, hardwood is harvested from any deciduous (leaf bearing) tree. While softwood is from coniferous or needle producing trees. However a wood worker also needs to decide if an engineered wood product like plywood is better suited for job.

We will demystify these 3 classifications by taking a close look at 3 main choices a wood worker has to face when buying project wood.

Hardwood Looking at hardwoods first, it is important to remember that these classifications really have no bearing on true hardness of wood, not all hardwoods are "hard". Species like poplar are much softer then pine even though poplar is classified as a hardwood.

Some of more common domestic hardwoods include, oak, maple, birch and poplar although your choices certainly aren't limited to these four. For exotic species there are too many to list but teak, mahogany, rose wood and purple heart are just a few.

Softwood Softwoods on other hand include species like spruce, fir, pine and cedar and are often cheaper to buy then hardwoods. This is mainly because softwood trees grow taller and straighter than hardwood trees. This yields more lumber per log. Along with fact that most softwood is harvested domestically it is project wood of choice for most outdoor projects and for many indoor ones as well.