I read a saying once that I loved. "Asking a quilter to do mending is like asking Picasso to paint your garage".

Love that Suzan! I have to hem my daughter's school uniform skirt and I'm sweating just thinking about it! I'd rather do paper piecing and Y seams. Blindfolded! Okay you chickens, send me hemming vibes. I need you!

I am one of those people that can quilt but I can't sew or mend. You should see some of my attempts. I've tacked my husbands pockets backwards twice. I've sewn rips together that looked like he has a hair lip on his thigh and I had even sewn them thinking I had already turned the pants inside out. That wouldn't been as bad if I did not use varigated pink/purple thread. My looks at my quilts and can't understand me. I can't even sew a lining together for a plastic canvas gift box. Even sewing by hand did not make the lining fit any better.

My mom did mend some socks when I was really little. I think she used a light bulb instead of a darning "egg."
BTW, I love the puppy in the high chair in your avatar.

How about "sure. be glad too. I charge$5.00 an inch." or "I'm really sorry, but I am booked so far out, you will outgrow it before I could get it done,."

When my kids ask me, I say no, but I'll show you how to do it yourself. or Only if you cook dinner this week.

You could pretend you're hand-stitching a binding!

I have a B.S. in apparel design. I use to have my own business custom sewing.... people want a designer gown for Walmart clearance price....
My favorite quote "I thought if I had it custom made it would be cheaper" ha ha.. ONLY if yo make it yourself

That is exactly the way you hem a skirt. no difference... the basic blind hem stitch

I tried telling my husband that my machine couldn't handle denim jeans. He said, "You paid xxx for that machine and it only sews cotton?! I said, "Wrong. It only sews quilts!"