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Quote:

Originally Posted by lisahughes0204

Quote:

Originally Posted by madamekelly

I once answered yes when asked to make a wedding dress for the little neighbor girl. She and I agreed that she would pay whatever she thought it was worth, (stupid, I know) She brought me white, heavy weight satin, and beautiful silver shot white lace. The pattern was a simple sheath dress, that she wanted lace puff sleeves, with satin cuffs. I am fast with a sewing machine, and had the dress done the next day. It was elegant! She took one look, and decided it was too plain. I told her to go get some trim she liked and I would add it. She came back hours later with the UGLIEST 1/2 inch round silver sequins, that she wanted sewn around the neck, hem and kick- pleat. (Oh, and could I get rid of the gray thread they were strung on?) I did it.....by hand, since my machine was made on this planet, and cannot sew over anything that huge. Her dress was NOT pretty any longer, but she was thrilled with it. She left the next day on her honeymoon. Can we say last minute anyone? When she came back a week later, she stopped by to pay me. Imagine my DELIGHT when she handed me $10! NO, I do not do command-sewing anymore!

I wish I had read this a few months ago! I was asked to make 3 of 5 flower girls dresses with gauntlets and multiple skirts. They said they'd pay for my time and efforts and since it was for a friend, I said they could pay what it was worth it to them. I handed the dresses over after one week, fully done and 4 months before the wedding. I didn't hear anything but I thought I would after the wedding. Then, a month before the wedding (which was 2 weeks ago) the bride emailed me and asked me to make 5 purses for the flower girls, without a pattern and going off of a photo in a magazine. After a day of figuring out how to make an ice cream cone shaped purse that was lined, I went to work and had them done in two days. It's been 2 weeks since the wedding and I haven't heard anything, except how lovely the dresses and purses were. Oh well, "que sera sera."

I would be mailing a bill to this lady.
Charlene

Part of me feels that since I said, "Pay what it's worth to you" that I walked into that one myself so I just need to bite the bullet. I really do like to help people out and the bride is a close acqaintance but they also insisted that they would not let this slide. I guess I just got my hopes up on those long nights when I was figuring out patterns or struggling through puckered overskirts.

My family learned years ago that I don't mend. I would just say "put it in the mending basket" and then, some time much later, I would go through the basket and toss the item because it was either out of style or no longer fit. My exceptin of cours is when either of my grandsons want anything for whom I would drop quilting and mend favorite jeans or shorten dress pants or paint the moon.

they just pull on your heartstrings don't they???
My children have figure out that for me...."Spoilin' is my game, and Grammy is my name". Sometimes I wish i had them first, grandchildren are just too much fun.

I love this answer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D

Replace zippers? Yep, for $50 and you supply the zipper!

I'd rather have a colonoscopy!

Grandchildren are your reward for not killing you children.

I must share my latest grandson story----he is 10 yrs. old and asked if I could possibly mend his very favorite lucky underwear. He says I'll need some new material and purple is the basic color. I haven't seen them yet so don't know what the print is, but he is willing to pay me with the money he gets for an allowance after he does his chores. Some adults should take a lesson.