Jaime Bilbrey makes hand-made clothing out of vintage or recycled materials.* What: Garments made from recycled and vintage materials.
* Company: Handmade With Love
* Address: 165 Krupski Loop, Lookout Mountain, Ga.
* Website: www.etsy.com/shop/jaimebilbrey
* Telephone: 502-645-8089
* Owner: Jaime Bilbrey
* What's special: Most of the pieces Bilbrey creates originate from thrift store finds or secondhand clothing.
* The origin story: Bilbrey's grandmother taught her to sew at an early age. She began making her own clothes in high school. Unlike many of her friends, when she graduated, she asked her parents for a high-end sewing machine instead of a car.
* How long does it take to make: A T-shirt with ruffles might take 30 minutes, but more elaborate pieces like vintage dresses could take weeks to design and seven hours to sew.
* Where it's sold: Bilbrey sold her clothing at Chatty Crafty, a juried indie craft show, in November. Currently, her items are only available through her Etsy account.
* How long has she been making them: Bilbrey started selling her clothing online while looking for a job after being laid off last June.
* Plans: Bilbrey said she has recently become interested in creating more sophisticated pieces using higher-quality materials such as silk and lace. "It's definitely turning toward more of an adult, late-20s kind of look instead of teeny-bopper, cutesy cutesy ruffles," she said.
* Lessons of the trade: "In the beginning ... I was putting a lot of energy into each thing and overworking it almost," Bilbrey said. "People don't want to pay an arm and a leg on something just because I've spent 10 hours on it. People like what they already wear, so they want something that's just a little quirky, not something that's totally out there. I've learned to tone down things and keep the colors and textures more streamlined and elegant -- more adult."