When Erin Maupin was little, her mom used to make a version of Hungarian goulash she called Hungie Gungie. All these years later, she chose that name for her Etsy shop, where she sells her homemade (mostly) little girls’ clothing.
Always the creative type, Maupin was a pastry chef before she chose to stay home and raise her children. She discovered the kids’ naptime was a perfect window for her to get crafty.
“I had friends who’d asked me to make things for their daughters. Then they encouraged me to make things to sell,” she said. And Hungie Gungie was born.
Besides enabling her to sell adorable outfits, the small online shop supports her addiction to textiles.
“I love fabric!” she laughs. “If I can make enough throughout the year to cover the cost of fabric, I don’t feel so bad buying it.”
Erin has a few favorite designers and buys most of her fabric online. She uses many others’ patterns, but her signature “bloomers” for older girls are her own design. She averages sales of five dresses per month between her Etsy shop and requests from locals who know her products.
She’d like to do more, she says—maybe even teach a sewing class for kids—but wants to keep expansion plans in perspective. After all, her 8-, 6- and 4-year-old keep her plenty busy.
“I don’t know about the future,” she says, “but for the time being, it’s exactly what I want to be doing.”