NNSL (Mar 30/98) - Margaret Nazon just got her first professional sewing gig.

During the Artists Trade and Marketing Show last week in Yellowknife, one of Nazon's capes was noticed and purchased by the NWT Development Corporation's executive officer, Glenn Soloy.

"At the trade show is where Glenn Soloy first learned that I could sew. He didn't know that before but when he saw the cape hanging up, he bought it and asked if I would produce six more," says Nazon, a resident of Tsiigehtchic.

Soloy purchased the cape as part of a cottage industry program he developed earlier this year in an attempt to ensure that NWT artisans who had trouble finding a viable marketplace due to distance would be picked up by the Development Corporation and given a helping hand to produce and sell their products.

While Nazon is thrilled at the prospect of getting an official contract to produce more of her capes, she says she is also really quite intimidated by the whole idea.

"Someone just asked me today how I feel and I feel excited but also overwhelmed. I have to do six of those by May 15 and it's just overwhelming," says Nazon.

She adds that the whole experience has taught her quite a bit about business.

"I've got the order in for fabric and I had to do the research for cheaper fabric and phone the wholesalers. I know there's pressure which I don't usually have when I'm dealing with friends and I have to make sure they're quality. I have to concentrate and not do other things," says Nazon who learned to sew when she was 10 years old by patching mukluks.

Nazon says her capes are reversible and made of both melton, a stroud or duffle like material, and cotton commander, an outer wear material. They are decorated with raven appliques and Nazon says she is always learning new methods of embellishing her clothing.

While she refuses to say how much she was paid for her cape or how much her contract is worth, she does say that the more capes the Development Corporation sells, the richer she will be in the end.

"The corporation has to sell these things to make a profit and if they all sell, they'll place more orders and pay me more and if they don't sell, I'll have to try another item," says Nazon.

Soloy says he is very pleased to have contracted Nazon to produce more of her capes.

"We're excited about Margaret's raven coat and we feel the uniqueness of the reversible factor will be very attractive as one side is water resistant. It should be well received on the west coast," says Soloy.

He says he went to the trade show to get a better sense of what was available in the arts and crafts communities in the NWT.

"It gave us the opportunity to contact the artisans from the outlying communities while in town thus cutting expenses to travel out and also to provide a broad overview of the many wonderful things produced in the communities. It's a drawing card to visit the communities and view the total arts and crafts opportunities in the area."

Soloy says that while his program is still in its early stages, he expects it to be up and running by the middle or end of April.

He has however, already started to purchase products from artisans.

"We did visit Deline and we were pleased with the purchases we made. We bought $4,500 of arts and crafts from the community and the artists were paid immediately for the product on site. Now, we'll monitor the product in the marketplace...and look to forming many joint ventures with (the artists.) We want to keep a constant flow of good quality products...that will enhance the revenue to the communities," says Soloy.