It Pays To Be An Old Sew-And-Sew

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The fact is that alterations bring in more money in less time than basic garment-sewing. To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, I charge a flat $3.00 to adjust the waist size of a pair of trousers. (I determined my alteration prices by calling some of the local laundries and finding out what they charged for similar jobs.) All this involves is removing the center back belt loop from the pants, taking in or letting out the center back seam, and reattaching the belt loop ... a 15-minute procedure. Figure it out for yourself: That's $12 an hour.

Yes, I do find it somewhat boring to work on a garment someone else made ... but in the interest of profits, I can force myself to overlook a little boredom!

NOTIONS CAN PROVIDE EXTRA INCOME

When I first started sewing for others, I always required my customers to provide everything (not only fabrics and patterns, but threads, fasteners, etc.) necessary to make a garment. The only trouble was, I had forgetful customers. No sooner would I sit down to sew than I'd discover that one of my patrons had neglected to bring a spool of red thread, say, or a zipper.

I used to handle this situation by putting the work aside, calling the customer, and finding something else to do until that particular client brought me the missing item(s). Then I got smart: After a little searching, I found a mail-order company that sold notions at unbelievably low prices (zippers for 250, and so on) ... and right away, I ordered large quantities of thread, buttons, etc., to keep on hand for my forgetful clients. From that point on, whenever someone forgot to bring something, I'd supply the item myself, charge full retail price for it, and make a little extra profit.

Everyone liked my new system so well that before long, the majority of my customers chose to bring me only fabric and patterns and let me supply the notions. I increased my profit quite a bit this way, and at the same time solved the problem of my sometimes having to wait for a client to bring me essential (but missing) supplies.

WHY PEOPLE GO TO A DRESSMAKER

Have you ever stopped to wonder why people patronize a dressmaker or seamstress in the first place? I've found that most of the people who go to a dressmaker do so because they're unable-for one reason or another-to buy ready-made clothing. Some of my customers, for instance, are handicapped and must have their wardrobe custom-made. (Note: In my experience, local groups that work with the handicapped are thrilled to discover competent seamstresses and will gladly provide a steady stream of clients. This may be something for you to look into when you're just getting started and need customers.)

Then too, some people must have clothes custommade because of a weight problem. My steadiest repeat customers, in fact, fall into one of two categories: [1] very, very overweight ladies, and [2] extremely skinny teenagers. These two types-as you'd expect-find it virtually impossible to buy ready-made clothes that fit well and are stylish.

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