If/When someone asks "Can/Will you fix this ....."
03-30-2015, 06:09 AM
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 520
We have a handy capped son that always needs his cloths adjusted. For years ( about 45 yrs) I struggled with this Then the Good Lord sent me "Dorothy" She is a seamstress, and she took the stress out of my life. There must be one in your area that you could have the phone # on hand for them.
03-30-2015, 06:23 AM
#42
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Posts: 16,105
I tell everyone I only sew for those I want to and don't know I'm making them something. So it's a surprise. I used to be a hairdresser and a few relatives would stop by my folks house with hair in curlers and expect me to do their hair for nothing. Told one relative who arrived shortly after I did, "I'm sorry you went to all that trouble. I'm off work." She wanted to know what my folks were going to do about it. I was 35 years old at the time. Once again I was the rebel of the family. Oh well! Her family still talks about it and she's been gone for 20+ years.
04-04-2015, 07:27 PM
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SC
Posts: 2,027
I don't usually repair thing for others. One of my son's friends just got a job and I am hemming 5 pairs of work pants for him. They are really easy and I don't mind helping him since he just started working again.
A friend at my sewing group asked everyone if anyone could fix her husband's silk tie he had purchased in Hong Kong when he was on a business trip. No one volunteered but I did. It was fun like working a puzzle. It had to be done by hand. She did it as a surprise for her husband and he was thrilled to have his favorite tie back!
I have a friend who has a "cat" quilt which is coming apart and she asked me if it could be fixed (hinting for me to repair it), I told her the material was too old and it would be a lot of work but I told her I would loan her a machine and she could work on it. I was not going to waste my time and get tangled up with that mess that cats wallow all over.
I just am selective but rarely do any sewing for others… mostly just immediate family members...
A friend at my sewing group asked everyone if anyone could fix her husband's silk tie he had purchased in Hong Kong when he was on a business trip. No one volunteered but I did. It was fun like working a puzzle. It had to be done by hand. She did it as a surprise for her husband and he was thrilled to have his favorite tie back!
I have a friend who has a "cat" quilt which is coming apart and she asked me if it could be fixed (hinting for me to repair it), I told her the material was too old and it would be a lot of work but I told her I would loan her a machine and she could work on it. I was not going to waste my time and get tangled up with that mess that cats wallow all over.
I just am selective but rarely do any sewing for others… mostly just immediate family members...
04-05-2015, 04:42 AM
#44
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 5,051
Originally Posted by coopah
And have you had anything repaired at a local tailor or dry cleaners lately? HOO-EE! The prices they charge are steep. If you wanted to get extra cash, I suppose it would be okay, but just to fix something for somebody...not me. Unless it's my son or hubby.
Worth every penny charged! Those who do not sew...have no clue the expense of equipment and the expertise required. Even I take my clothes to an alteration shop and I gladly pay her. I hate alterations. I won't get them done for me as fast as she will. Pony up!
sandy
04-05-2015, 07:49 AM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South West Ontario
Posts: 2,235
I did repairs once to a jacket - had to replace the entire zipper in a winter jacket. Took me all day but it turned out good as new. Did as a favour to grandson as it was his favorite jacket (per his mother). Turned out she broke the zipper slamming the jacket against a brick wall to get snow off of it.
Never seen him wear it since either so I think it went for a yard sale.
Further repair requests came from this one woman, and I provided her with an older working machine, with owners manual (as one excuse was that she had previously had an old machine but it didn't work anymore). Offered lessons too.
After the last request ( to downsize a quilted vest she bought on sale) - I deflected the request as it came at Christmas dinner with the entire family (she likes to put you on the spot where it's difficult to say no).
Nothing mentioned since and I have decided I will tell her I will help her to do it on her machine.
She must sense my resolve because it's been over 3 months and no mention of "fixing" the vest she bought on sale that's too big.
Never seen him wear it since either so I think it went for a yard sale.
Further repair requests came from this one woman, and I provided her with an older working machine, with owners manual (as one excuse was that she had previously had an old machine but it didn't work anymore). Offered lessons too.
After the last request ( to downsize a quilted vest she bought on sale) - I deflected the request as it came at Christmas dinner with the entire family (she likes to put you on the spot where it's difficult to say no).
Nothing mentioned since and I have decided I will tell her I will help her to do it on her machine.
She must sense my resolve because it's been over 3 months and no mention of "fixing" the vest she bought on sale that's too big.
04-15-2015, 05:40 PM
#46
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South West Ontario
Posts: 2,235
Originally Posted by GEMRM
I did repairs once to a jacket - had to replace the entire zipper in a winter jacket. Took me all day but it turned out good as new. Did as a favour to grandson as it was his favorite jacket (per his mother). Turned out she broke the zipper slamming the jacket against a brick wall to get snow off of it.
Never seen him wear it since either so I think it went for a yard sale.
Further repair requests came from this one woman, and I provided her with an older working machine, with owners manual (as one excuse was that she had previously had an old machine but it didn't work anymore). Offered lessons too.
After the last request ( to downsize a quilted vest she bought on sale) - I deflected the request as it came at Christmas dinner with the entire family (she likes to put you on the spot where it's difficult to say no).
Nothing mentioned since and I have decided I will tell her I will help her to do it on her machine.
She must sense my resolve because it's been over 3 months and no mention of "fixing" the vest she bought on sale that's too big.
Never seen him wear it since either so I think it went for a yard sale.
Further repair requests came from this one woman, and I provided her with an older working machine, with owners manual (as one excuse was that she had previously had an old machine but it didn't work anymore). Offered lessons too.
After the last request ( to downsize a quilted vest she bought on sale) - I deflected the request as it came at Christmas dinner with the entire family (she likes to put you on the spot where it's difficult to say no).
Nothing mentioned since and I have decided I will tell her I will help her to do it on her machine.
She must sense my resolve because it's been over 3 months and no mention of "fixing" the vest she bought on sale that's too big.
04-16-2015, 09:52 AM
#47
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: So. Central MO
Posts: 2,759
I have a slight vision problem and when I am approached to "fix" something, I tell them that I am having trouble seeing well enough to thread the needle. They are not here when I actually sew, so they don't know any better. LOL
04-16-2015, 09:54 AM
#48
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 4,299
People don't usually ask me for clothing repairs. Maybe they've noticed some of my crappy hems and know I'm a bad choice for anything garment-sewing related. (Blind hem...smlind hem, I'll just sew all the way through!) My DH is the only one who asks, and I don't mind fixing his stuff if he can't. He can (and does) sew his own buttons on but I do anything machine-sewing related.
I do get asked for quilts - or sometimes not even asked, I'm told things like "Oh, you can make a quilt for my baby!" (Oh I CAN?!? How generous.) The most egregious was when I was on vacation and the valet at the hotel noticed me unpacking a lot of new fabric to take up to my hotel room (had to pet it!) and asked if I were a quilter. When I said yes she started describing this t-shirt quilt she wanted made and asked me how much. I said I don't do commission quilts, it's just a hobby and I offered to ask around to find someone who would be interested in the job, but she didn't want to hear that and would NOT stop badgering me. Even my DH was getting annoyed and starting to look like he was going to step in, so I finally said I would do it for $5,000, half due up front, and I needed a 3 year deadline to finish. She goggled at me and asked (rather nastily) why it was so expensive for "just a simple t-shirt quilt". I just said (in my best snobby voice), "Because I'm an artist, and art is EXPENSIVE."
That ended THAT conversation. LOL!
I do get asked for quilts - or sometimes not even asked, I'm told things like "Oh, you can make a quilt for my baby!" (Oh I CAN?!? How generous.) The most egregious was when I was on vacation and the valet at the hotel noticed me unpacking a lot of new fabric to take up to my hotel room (had to pet it!) and asked if I were a quilter. When I said yes she started describing this t-shirt quilt she wanted made and asked me how much. I said I don't do commission quilts, it's just a hobby and I offered to ask around to find someone who would be interested in the job, but she didn't want to hear that and would NOT stop badgering me. Even my DH was getting annoyed and starting to look like he was going to step in, so I finally said I would do it for $5,000, half due up front, and I needed a 3 year deadline to finish. She goggled at me and asked (rather nastily) why it was so expensive for "just a simple t-shirt quilt". I just said (in my best snobby voice), "Because I'm an artist, and art is EXPENSIVE."
That ended THAT conversation. LOL!
04-17-2015, 06:01 AM
#50
Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: New England
Posts: 64
My friends and relatives know how to sew and I'm not asked by them. Hubby and my son, do ask. My son knows how to sew, I taught him many years ago. He doesn't live close, so doesn't ask often. My response is always the same, though. I'll look at it and see if I can do it. If not, it's up to the guys to decide what they want to do.
At one time, I worked at a high school. They knew I could sew and they pretended to be too strapped for cash for new athletic uniforms. They wanted to know if I could fix them. I said I'd look at them and see what I could do. I thought I could fix some of them, but warned that they might not last more than one or two seasons. I also said I charged for my services. I told them it was $20/hour. I got the job. They didn't pay me that much to do my regular job, but they would for repairing uniforms? Amazing.
At one time, I worked at a high school. They knew I could sew and they pretended to be too strapped for cash for new athletic uniforms. They wanted to know if I could fix them. I said I'd look at them and see what I could do. I thought I could fix some of them, but warned that they might not last more than one or two seasons. I also said I charged for my services. I told them it was $20/hour. I got the job. They didn't pay me that much to do my regular job, but they would for repairing uniforms? Amazing.
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