Meet Rajyalaxmi Pradeep, a woman who is sewing sustainability with home business

Rajyalaxmi or lovingly known as Raji started Home Maker’s Hustle in Hyderabad in 2012. A Neuro Physical Therapist by training, she decided to be a full-time parent after the birth of her son in 2010.

A recipe blogger and a fantastic cook herself, once in her spare time watched a Youtube video on sewing by Vanessa Wilson of Crafty Gemini. It was at that moment, her creative juices started to flow, and she started taking an interest in sewing.

She bought her first sewing machine from her savings and with little help from her husband. She started sewing small things and would gift them. No wonder, love, and appreciation started pouring in from her friends, neighbors, and relatives.

She was excited just like a baby, but the journey wasn’t all that easy for her. She had invested her meager savings in a sewing machine, but she had no background in sewing. Neither anyone else in her family knew how to sew. With no access to fancy tools and separate space, she started her venture from her room. She still works from her room, but it has become her home-based studio now.

But she didn’t get discouraged. With support from friends and family especially her husband and mother and with intense yearning and desire to do something creative as well as productive, she learned sewing by watching Youtube videos.

Gradually, her skills improved and work orders started coming from customers.

Soon, her hobby turned into an opportunity to earn income, and her passion and childlike enthusiasm took her on the path of making a livelihood.

She is a master sewist now and makes beautiful wallets, handbags, cutlery pouches, bottle holders, coasters, quilts, and summer hats.

She says, “I want to make products that have a value and are useful in day-to-day life for people of all age groups without compromising on quality.”

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Her products are unique as she customizes her products based on the needs of her clients.

She tries to keep a balance between style, durability, and sustainability.

She is presently focusing on designing a line of products that use organic and upcycled material, to reduce the environmental footprint.

She says, “ I do not compromise on quality. You can hand-wash my products as many times as you want.’

She is also the first bag maker from India to release her sewing pattern internationally.

She writes PDF patterns and has around five patterns to her name and about ten patterns under the name Home Maker’s Hustle Sewing Patterns. You can buy patterns here.

She exhibits and displays her products at local markets in Hyderabad where she takes charge of the stall and her husband assists and helps her.

Her customers love her, and most of them come back for her products again and again.

Some of her must-try products are Lunch bag, Cool caddy bottle holder,purselet and Cutlery pouches.

She has few tips for women who desire to be a sewer or a sewist, “Whether you are young or old, it is never too late to challenge yourself. Always start small and concentrate on the quality, rather than the quantity. Work your way up. Work hard and have patience.”

She lists her products at Facebook and Instagram