Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Jan 21/02) - The North is one place where business-minded people can keep their good ideas at home.

Imagination Fabric Creation's Kathleen Henderson mixes her adventurous spirit and entrepreneurial nature to end up with a busy home-based business in Rankin Inlet. - Thorunn Howatt/NNSL photo

"I've always thought about different business ideas," said Rankin Inlet's Kathleen Henderson, owner of Imagination Fabric Creations. Henderson is one of Rankin's 43 home-based business owners.

"I thought about the fabric store because you couldn't find anything here."

So Henderson invested in a $50 business licence and set down a business plan -- a real turnaround for someone with a degree in aviation.

Operating from home has a lot of appealing facets, and working in cozy slippers is only one of them. Splitting household costs with a business can save money that would have been spent on office or retail space. Also, there is a real advantage at tax time.

An entrepreneur can often deduct part of their home expenses. Mortgage interest, home insurance, repairs, maintenance and utilities are some of the costs that can be deducted.

"The original business plan, in a lot of ways, is not what I ended up with," said Henderson.

When she first started out, she intended to do more custom sewing and home decor, she said.

"What I found was most people are interested in outerwear and fabrics."

She put up some posters and word spread quickly enough to keep her in business and busy.

One of the cheery rooms in Henderson's home is painted with rows of colourful bolts of fabric. Buttons and accessories sparkle from jars. Customers drop in and pick out materials or search out ideas.

"My favourite is kids' clothes," she said.

She is also kept busy making parkas. Her goal is to make a parka as warm as it can be without being too heavy.

"The wind-proof layer is the key -- whether you have an outside layer that is wind-proof or not," she said. But fashion is also important in parka-making. Last year yellow was a big seller. This year's hot colours are orange and navy.

"If I know the person, I make it to fit the personality."

She doesn't repeat her original designs, she said. Home-business owners in Rankin Inlet can buy a licence that is valid for a year from the hamlet office.