by elizabeth farina, Midlothian Exchange.com
efarina@midlothianexchange.com

Stripes & Polka Dots owner Lori Eggleston is creating her own pattern of success with personalizing a number of items used on a daily basis. Her craft-vendor business, which began with the encouragement from friends and family, has expanded from baby blankets and baby gifts to purse valets, koozies wraps, laptop cases, and all-age gifts. This week, after months of preparation, Eggleston will debut a new gift line at the 17th annual Spring Bizarre Bazaar at the Richmond International Raceway from April 3-5.

“Every show is different to what is the “hot” item,” she said. Eggleston, who has attended past Bizarre Bazaars, has a good idea of how popular the event is in the Metro Richmond area. After a three-day holiday show in Fredericksburg, Eggleston made the decision to be a part of the spring market. “It gave me the confidence,” she said.

She has worked tirelessly nights and weekends since the middle of January, but isn’t complaining of the long hours. In fact, the business has created a seamless way to involve her husband Tom, their two daughters, her mom Judy McGee and her best friend Kim Ober in a day’s work.

The former Circuit City employee had left the corporate world when her oldest was born. Eggleston launched the home-based Midlothian business as a creative, profitable contribution with baby “stuff” such as bibs, burp clothes, and blankets. Lori recalled sharing with her husband the idea for “Stripes & Polka Dots” being the fledgling business’s name. “He smiled and I ran with it,” she said.

“My husband is a huge help,” she said. Tom and their daughters have stopped by the booth to offer a ‘hello’ and some help during a local festival. In fact, the oldest has “worked” side-by-side with mom Lori on the toy sewing machine while the youngest is napping. 

She stepped up the creativity and added a designer label that adds the whimsical fun of Eggleston’s products. “It has evolved. It kind of came together with all the things I love thrown together,” she said.

Another indispensible help has been Ober. She has assisted Eggleston in cutting fabric, packaging gifts, and helping at the booth. “I can’t say thank you to her enough,” Eggleston added.

Her mom, who encouraged Eggleston to start the business, has had additional time to spend with Eggleston as well as her grandchildren.  It is reminiscent of Eggleston’s youth spent with her grandmother Louise Nelson of Sandston, Va. “In the summers, I’d spend days with her and she would take me to the craft store,” she said.

Nelson inspired Eggleston with a needle, thread and fabric. True to sticking with teacher-student habits, Eggleston does not sew from pre-packaged sewing patterns, but creates her own product pattern. “My mom’s mom was an expert seamstress. She could sew anything she wanted to,” Eggleston said.

Eggleston has taken the open-ended ideas flowing with pens and covers for beverages. Last spring, her product made it to store shelves at Tweeds in the West End and Just the Thing in Chester and now in Williamsburg. “It has already grown so much bigger than I could imagine,” she said. 

To learn more about Stripes & Polka Dots, visit www.stripesandpolkadots.com