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Amber Lewis
Seamstress / Purse Maker
Little Fish Bags

Amber thought it would be handy to have a special backpack when riding her bike. So instead of looking around at the store, she went ahead and made her own company instead! Meet Amber and see how she started her own business!

What are some of your job responsibilities?
All development and construction of purses/backpacks/totes/etc.

How did you find your current job?
I started sewing my own backpacks to wear while riding my bicycle... And it just spiraled into it's own little business.

Did you learn any of your skills from school?
MATH. First, geometry - when I'm creating a new design for the bag I have to think about things like circumference, area, radius and diameter to get all of the pieces to fit together correctly in the end. Also basic math comes into play quite often; I write down all measurements and adjust for seam width, etc. and use the calculations to figure out the overall dimensions. When I'm making a custom bag, I have to take measurements of the person ordering the bag and incorporate them into making the pattern. If a project I want to do involves patchwork, I use division to decide how many pieces will fit into the total size of the purse. Finally, when the purses are finished, and it's time for them to go to the boutique I use math to come up with their prices. I take into consideration the cost of the supplies (fabric, thread, buckles, etc.), the amount of time it took me to sew the bag, and average market price. These equations help me realize my ideas - and help eliminate room for error.

What would you tell a girl that was interested in doing what you do?
Start sewing. Talk to your grandmother/aunt/cousin (or me!) and learn the basics. Then explore all possible resources for fabric and other supplies and get started.

What are some of your hobbies?
Photography, painting, aquariums, plants, and any other creative outlet I can think of!

If you could talk to you when you were 12 years old, what advice would you give yourself?
Never be afraid of your brain - if you take care of it and fill it with as much as you can - it can take you absolutely anywhere you could want to go.