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Jean O'Rourke, whose husband was a forest ranger there for six years, solved the problem both pleasantly and profitably for herself. Her skill and ingenuity and love of creating beautiful things suggested that the answer was specialized children's blouses.

For Christmas in 1950 she had made blouses as gifts for her nieces and nephews and received so many compliments on them that during the month of January, with eighteen inches of snow covering the ground, the idea was born—"Why not blouses for sale?" Before her marriage Jean had attended Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, specializing in dress designing, art, textiles and styling and had worked in a dress designing shop in Evanston, Illinois, for three years. Enthusiastically she set to work. She designed five blouses and made them up in sizes 2, 4, and 6, got advice about prices and called on dealers in Fort Collins and in Cheyenne, Wyoming, but was turned down because they thought the price was too high for their trade. Undaunted she contacted wholesale houses, bought the finest material and exquisite trimmings and went to the very select shop "400 Downing" in Denver where she was thrilled to receive her first order for one dozen.

WHEN MRS. O'ROURKE arrived home, the sewing started in earnest with three working—Jean, her sister, who was visiting her, and Marge Stegleman, the wife of a neighboring forest ranger and a former school teacher. Until 4 o'clock each afternoon the sewing machines hummed and needles fairly flew in nimble fingers as they stopped only to get lunch for eleven, although Jean's husband, Joe, remarked, "I don't see how you women get anything done with so many kiddies underfoot!"

Mrs. O'Rourke says now they wasted time at first because they lacked experience in getting such a business started. For instance, their first blouses were ready to deliver and the labels hadn't arrived yet. So they ended by painting the first two dozen labels by hand with textile paint.

But the first order was duly delivered and as soon as the check was received it was turned in on another order of material at the wholesale house. The saleslady there gave advice freely. Jean's sister set up a bookkeeping system and business was in full swing.

From the first they realized they didn't need lots of backing or money to get consideration and helpful suggestions from all wholesalers. The printer even though unable to make up the labels sat down with them and made suggestions. At the paper company where they purchased their boxes, the man gave them a lengthy lecture on not selling on credit. The yard goods saleslady stressed not letting any hard feelings arise to destroy the partnership, advice which was remembered and followed.

MRS. O'ROURKE designs all her blouses on paper; then a sample blouse is made up so that any changes can be made before production starts. Next she cuts the pattern according to Federal Bureau of Standards measurements in sizes 2, 4, 6 and 8 for girls only, with the exception of the cowboy blouse which has been sold to boys as well as girls. She uses the assembly line plan of production to speed up the process. The next day she spends cutting out blouses, four at a time in each size. All required cutting is done so that bolts of material can be put away before sewing starts. Then another day she sews on from eight to sixteen at a time. She does all her sewing on a portable electric sewing machine, though a salesman hearing of her success has been trying to sell her a cabinet model. She follows these systematic steps in her sewing:

1. Shoulder seams in all blouses. 2. Sleeves. 3. Collars. 4. Underarm seams. 5. Front or back openings. 6. Hems. 7. Trimming and button holes. 8. Buttons and labels. 9. Pressing and boxing.

Mrs. O'Rourke's orders usually call for an assortment of various sizes and styles. She works only in her spare time and usually keeps about sixty surplus blouses of various styles and sizes on hand. She uses a good standard quality of fabric in wash fast material but buys it by the bolt wholesale and saves about 40 per cent. She cleared her investment the first year besides having a good supply of blouses and material on hand which was clear.

She is a careful seamstress, her work is neat and shows great skill of detail and handwork. All her blouses are artistic and original. New creations are added as time goes on. At present her product is sold under seven distinct trade names:

There is the "Ice Cream'" blouse, which is a dainty number of sheer material such as nainsook or batiste and comes in lemon, blueberry (pale blue), and strawberry (pink).

The "Ice Cream Sundae," in the same colors with lace trim.

The "Candy Stripe," with stripes stitched in aqua and coral, red and blue, or yellow and green on plain colored sheer dimity.

The "Petal Point," in white only with pastel stitching and little petal-like trim on the neckline.

"Storyland," white with novelty buttons of tiny animals, etc.

"Penny Pocket Lariat," in yellow or green with plaid yoke of tissue gingham.

"Cowboy Penny Pocket," suggested by the dude ranches nearby, in yellow and green. The pocket is under the appliqued hat of the cowboy. Her appliques are put on with a "zig-zagger" attachment to her sewing machine. This blouse has been the most popular; it also costs the most in both materials and labor.

THE COMBINED names of Jean and Marge suggested the label under which the blouses are sold: J e M, which is a registered trademark and was printed for them by the Artistic Weavers of New York.

The O'Rourkes have three children, James, 10, Jack, 8, and Janice Sue, who is 3. The blouses are subjected to trial and error treatment from her. If they can't stand up under her wear, and washing and ironing, they don't go on the market.

In September, 1951, Jean's husband asked for and obtained a transfer to the Bayfield (Colorado) Ranger Station in the San Juan National Forest at the end of Wolf Creek Pass close to the New Mexico line so that the boys could attend school regularly. At their previous location business was interrupted twice a year when the opening of school in September made it necessary for Jean and the children to move to Fort Collins and June meant a move back to the ranger station.

The partnership with Mrs. Stegleman was dissolved in December, 1951, because they were now too far apart to work together successfully but the business is continued by Jean under the same trademark. Now she has visions of adding skirt making to her blouse industry.

Mrs. O'Rourke's blouses are now being sold by exclusive shops such as Wilbur's in Colorado Springs, 400 Downing in Denver, Smugglers in Aspen, Colorado, and others in Bronxville, New York, Oakland, California, and Kansas City, Missouri. She also fills many individual orders. Friends are always suggesting new shops. Her sister procured the market in Oakland; a friend is arranging for a new outlet in Chicago.

Mrs. O'Rourke sells the blouses at from $36 to $48 a dozen wholesale and shops in turn sell them at $5 to $6.95 each. Her work is recommended to friends by satisfied customers and relatives. After her hobby was written up in the Durango, Colorado, News she was deluged with orders.