I never thought I would be the one to need help

[tblue37]

32. BTW, I also used to sew, as an extra side job.

Last edited Thu Nov 20, 2014, 11:24 AM - Edit history (1)

Do alterations, too. You can make money that way without paying for a lot of materials. Hemming, especially, is quick and easy, yet those who can't do it are willing to pay well to have it done properly. Since some seamstresses do a sloppy job, I often ended up having to repair bad work others had done, and when that happened, the customer became a loyal client, since he/she had learned that not all seamstresses are created equal, and that paying to have it done right the first time is cheaper than paying less and having to then pay again to have the lousy job fixed.

BTW, when I made a dress or other garment for someone, the customer purchased all the materials, except for things like thread. My sewing business was quite cheap to start.

I live in a college town. Young women often don't sew at all, so they paid well to have a simple skirt or a pair of pants hemmed or altered, and they told all their friends about me, so I often ended up doing jobs for everyone in a sorority or a dorm.

One fraternity on campus had an annual "Fiji" party (I don't know if that is still a thing). All the young men and women who attended wore sarongs to the party--and I ended up making them for everyone. Since there is a new pledge class each year, that meant that each year I had a bunch of new people to sew a sarong for. Obviously, those were very simple to make.

I also used to make a bunch of Halloween costumes every year--for little kids, but also for college students.

Some young men will also pay for alterations. Many young men from Middle Eastern countries liked to have their shirts altered for a better fit, so they were repeat customers, too, because I did a better job than other seamstresses in town.