say no. Maybe I should sell my sewing machine.

I barely have enough time to do alterations and repairs for Hubby, Mum and myself. In fact I sat up all last night unpicking the waistline of 3 PJ pants (of mine) because the elastic had lost its stretch and they wouldn't stay up.

Don't you just hate when the elastic is stitched TO the waistline, then folded down and stitched again!!!!!!.

Thankfully I don't get asked to do repairs and alterations any more, just digitising and embroidery and I LOVE doing those. I just have to learn to start charging people instead of doing them for free.
Hugs n roses, Meganne

1 comment

by beatie58 17 Oct 2010

OMG! I have just done the same and it is really frustrating when the elastic doesnt last as long the the item...
Yes! you need to start charging for you digtising and embroidery...even if you love doing it most people who cannot digtise like me would be more than happy to pay...Sally

It is very hard to say no but better than having to do the alterations. I now say no I embroider not repair and give them the alteration shop phone number up the road..mostly people want trousers taken up and shop charges for that but you are expected to do it for nothing...Not anymore....except perhaps for family.
I agree with sciencewidow charge so much they won't ask again.

My family always asked for alterations so I started giving them a list of supplies needed that they had to find and purchase for the repairs and alterations and it seems the items never got dropped off. My sister did try to make a skirt for her sons wedding and found a stretchy skirt that she liked the fit so she found the fancy non stretchy fabric and didn't cut it big enough and then she chopped off too much hem so I did make gussets for the sides and serged the hem so it could be turned up a scant half inch. Will give help for some instances.

Don't sell it, just hide it for your own use. If a friend asks you, tell them your machine is in repair, or simply learn to say "NO".
I've been there, done that.
Sukiray

I have a home business as well. Out in front of the house I have a small sign that says..Custom Sewing and Embroidery, By appointment only. I have people that sit out front of the house and ask if I do alterations. I just tell them I do custom sewing and embroidery, not alterations. I had someone call me to see if I could sew a button on a pair of pants for her. To me...that's getting really bad if they can't even sew a button on a pair of pants. I did alterations for a while, but people around here want you to do it for nothing for them. Besides, I'm to busy doing my own thing now.

WOW, I think I could write a whole story about this...lol

I truely believe that women who sew are genetically inable to say NO with ease....I too do alterations, and they do pay well, but I don't like doing them. I now mostly just do them for a select few special people. I much rather do the classes I do, and sew from scratch the things I want to.

OMGosh-that is what I do for my home business-I DO do alterations, hemming, mending, zipper replacement-haven't really incorporated the embroidery into too much of my business. I have so much of that kind of sewing, that I don't get time to sew from scratch(altho, I love to)-I do LOVE the alterations business and people are so greatful-
The thing that everyone assumes I do is quilting because I sew....I hate quilting, no desire to do it-don't have the room or time for it-even tho I do have tons of patterns and the equipment to do it lol. Sorry guys,I do love what I do-just wish I had more hours in a day to do my own sewing and embroidery ~linda~

2 comments

by fannyfurkin 16 Oct 2010

I am pleased that someone enjoys doing alterations and repairs. I am not a quilter either, I have no patience for it.

by lindalee757 16 Oct 2010

I don't either Alice-my mother keeps telling me that someday I will enjoy quilting-I just tell her that at 53 I have my plate full with what I am doing now but she points out the fact that she took it up I think when she was in her 50's- Nope-not happenin' for me-I can almost guarantee that. Besides that-if I added quilting to my list of do's- I wouldn't have time to stop in and enjoy this amazing group-Yup-I have to admit I am addicted to Cute =O)

I use to do alterations when I lived in Oregon, tried to do them moving here. I took a pair of jeans that should of been thrown away. Sense it was a friends of my daughters, I only charged 5.00 to sew them. They stunk, had not been washed. They got mad because I charged that much LOL and never came to get them. I throwed them out after 3 months.
Iva

I hate to say "No" to anyone as well. But I just tell them that I don't even do my OWN alterations, because it is not something that I do well. I will sew something from scratch. I embroidery, I will not do alterations.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 16 Oct 2010

Good to get some feedback from strong women.

Alice, why can't you just say NO? I always just say - that isn't the sort of thing that I do. I do embroidery, not sewing or alterations. *4U

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 16 Oct 2010

You would think after 21 years as a psychiatric nurse I would be good at saying no. I will definitely start to say no.

Thank you for your statement and for all the wonderful answers..I too get asked to do alerations and I do not like it either...I rather start from scratch, more fun...will practice the NO thing..thanks again.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 16 Oct 2010

Yep being creative is what I enjoy most also.

This is my biggest dislike with sewing. I despise any kind of repairs. I have not been able to say "NO" in the past--then I would be mad at myself all the while I did the repairs. Finally I said to myself, "self this is ridicules--grow some backbone and say "NO". I do it in a nice way--tooo busy. I also tell them I do not even do repairs on my own cloths--which is true most of the time. H&*

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 16 Oct 2010

Yep I will definitely start learning how to say no. starting with the two pairs of jeans that are sitting on my cutting table with the backside torn out of them. Why would anyone want to keep them anyway?

I used to do alterations and repairs for a living so that's why people expect me to do them. It makes more sense than your problem. They are not as fun as making new things and being creative.
You can do it if you have the time and it helps to keep your customers happy. Or you can find some good alterations experts in your area and politely hand out their cards.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 16 Oct 2010

That is a good idea too.

oh my gosh- I also hate to do alterations, but am always doing them because I also can't say no.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 16 Oct 2010

See Sciencewidow's response, I think we should both do what she says. hehehe