Paying flooring installers costs more than the flooring. Paying someone to bake and decorate a cake costs more than the cake ingredients. Paying a makeup artist costs more than the makeup on your face. Labor and artistry costs money. If you want the best, you have to pay for it. If you don't want to pay, leave people alone.
I agree with you, but in all those situations you know the price upfront. It's not a good business practice to tell a client you dont know how much your services are going to cost.
@@coz7891with sewing it depends upon how much work needs to be done and what the customer needs to be done. You can’t price it out upfront. This is why I stopped doing alterations for people. People want to treat/pay you like a sweatshop worker.
@@coz7891 Even in most of those instances, it's an estimate at best. Some include a range, others don't. There's almost always a clause in the estimate/contract for work that says "hey, if we run into challenges, and it takes more time/product/labor, then you agree to cover those costs." Admittedly, that's more true for the flooring comparison, which is a construction thing and you never really know with construction. But I definitely feel like sewing is more similar to construction than to baking or doing make-up. Mainly because with sewing alterations you're dealing with the work that came before you, and that can contain a lot of unknowns.
@@RochelleLangYes. With cheap clothing imports coming into the US, people assume that it must mean that sewing is an unskilled labor. Well, as you and I know, the labor costs are simply lower overseas, especially Asia, for myriad reasons. That doesn't mean that it is UNSKILLED labor, the workers just live in less developed countries with large populations relative to the industries available and are therefore paid less (Hopefully their cost of living is lower also). So clients HERE think that the price of these garments represents the low VALUE of this kind of labor and expect that to hold true in the US. When you really think about it, most people today didn't grow up watching their mothers sew and as a byproduct becoming familiar with the level of skills involved in doing it well. On the other hand, in the present day, the only images of sewing and seamstresses they have seen or read about either harken back to the sweatshops of over a century ago or the present day trope of desparate illegal immigrants and even imported slave labor. Neither of which illustrate the craftsmanship of skilled seamstresses (seampersons?) let alone something like haute couture. My God, in the couture industry there are literally only a HANDFUL of people in the WORLD who can do what some of these artisans can do. So in a world where there are fewer and fewer home sewers, the value of the labor goes up, but the clientele whose only familiarity with sewing is from TV show scenes of immigrant crowded sweatshops being raided by ICE teams in Kevlar vests, I guess the price of alterations by a skilled craftsmen probably does seem exorbitant.
Nonsense. Alterations are costly. You are almost undoing the entire dress to make a fix. You went wrong when you answered her after she was acting a fool blowing up your line in the first place. After 2 calls, send a text and wait. Especially after 8pm.?! Chile.
I guess I don't know how fast it is to undo the work but I would've done "pay me or I keep the dress". And also blacklisted both her and the acquaintance who introduced her
Alterations are more expensive than people realize… My daughter’s prom dress needed to be taken up a few inches, a simple slip dress, and that alone was $50… My pants are typically around $20 for the inseam…
@@xamyx725A "simple" slip dress hem can be more time consuming depending on what it is made of and especially if it is bias cut. Properly hemming a bias cut silk dress requires the client to wear the garment (preferably for a few hours) to mark the hem and skilled hand sewing for a rolled hem. $20 is cheap for taking in the the inseam. That's more work than it looks from the outside.
I feel your pain 😢. My mum was a seamstress and many times clients didn't want to pay after agreeing on the price previously. Many a time she gave them the pieces as she was a soft spoken, non confrontational person. My father on the other hand wasn't. One day my mum had an appointment. Someone had to collect 3 dresses for herself and 2 friends to attend a wedding that afternoon. They came to collect, with hair and makeup completed. They told my father they didn't have the money with them but will settled the next day. He told her, "See you tomorrow then." She stood there for a good 5 minutes before she realized that he wasn't going to hand over the dresses without payment. She left and returned a half an hour later with full payment. After that my father always made it his business to be around when clients were coming to collect. That was the end of her no payment problem😊.
@@FreedomofSpeech865some people are "always in a hurry" meaning they lack structure and routines in life and fail at life in general. The worst part is that they expect everyone else to cater them. They are the worst.
This client was beyond inconsiderate, your talent deserves so much more consideration and this client acts like a spoiled, entitled, inconsiderate brat.
@@carollopez3182 What a ridiculous comment. Do you just believe everything you read about celebrities and then go around repeating random hateful crap online?
My mother was a wonderful seamstress and her business just kept growing, she was always being referred to by her clients. She was also one of very few that would even work on leather. The leather store in the mall sent all their work to her. My mother would have been so proud of how you handled this!! She would have loved the idea of bringing out your seam ripper and threatening to undo all your work. You gave that woman more grace than she deserved! You knew your worth and didn’t back down. Sewing/ alterations is a dying art/profession and if you want something done, you pay for it and shut your mouth! You certainly don’t want to start being added to the blacklist of professionals. Signed-the proud daughter of a wonderful seamstress.
Well , a knockoff dress, That looks great on you is worth the alternations . I figured the clients knew that . You were trying to be considerate . You do excellent work .
Amen!!! I’m the daughter of an excellent seamstress also and have been there a saw my mother deal with belligerent customers! So…I approve and support this message!!!
I got so frustrated just listening to the toing and froing with this woman, I would have charged another “extra” for all the bull s**t you had to put up with, I did what you do years ago, except I also made bridal and holiday Trousseaus, after nearly pulling all my hair out I got a “normal” job you must have the patience of a saint xxx
People do not understand that a garment ordered online can not and will not be form fitting because you are not there to be fitted. Taking apart a garment in order to remake it to a person's exact want/need is creating a garment from scratch so they are, in fact, paying for a new garment. Working with fabric that is not good makes it more difficult. You want something perfect fitting and one of a kind...try New York garment district. Bring your best credit card.
She's lucky you even did the work, and what she paid for the dress is not your problem. She sounds like a crazy person. Put her on the do not do anything for again. I sure wish we could have seen the dress. Love watching your videos.
Back in the ‘70s, I naively started a handcraft business. A woman contacted me; she had a quilt that was pieced but not quilted. I told her it would be very expensive, and she said that was fine. I finished one square, and thought I should let her know how much it was: $50. She was horrified. “I thought the whole thing would be $50!” I learned that “very expensive” meant different amounts to different people. I gave her project back and advised her to look for a church group, and from then on, I have been very specific, especially if I don’t want to do it. Many people back in the ‘70s would walk away from commissioning a $500 handknit sweater. 😊
You were absolutely not wrong. You did better than me. I would not have taken her as a client. Her rudeness and inconsideration was a red flag for me. You handled that very professionally. Cudos to you!!❤
I’m so glad she paid you. You did exactly the right thing to offer to take out all the alterations. Putting her on a blocked clients list was definitely the right thing to do. I once did something similar with a customer who wanted a chair seat woven. We verbally agreed on a price (never again) and I did the work. She then wanted it for half as much as the price I initially gave her. I told her she could pay the original price or she could have the chair back without the seat I made. She didn’t agree so I cut the seat out that I had made. The chair was undamaged. She just didn’t get my work for a bargain price.
Applause. Glad you undid your work. I spent the better part of a day shoveling out a heavy snowfall. My father had agreed to work on my house the next day. As a senior, he would need a place to park and a safe path to my door. It was heavy work for a woman and I was not very young myself. What angered me was the man next door. When he drove home from work, he pulled into the spot I had cleared, walked across my shoveled sidewalks, then stomped through snow to his front door. He parked so close to the drifts, you'd have to climb on top of his car to get out to the street. I went back out and shoveled a new path for my father and out of pure spite, I shoveled snow back onto the path that led to my neighbor's car.
Please don’t judge, she obviously was acting out of her stress, perspective, timing etc and may have just LIKE YOU - good and back qualities, times and moments
People who do not sew don't understand or appreciate the amount of work that goes into alterations. You were much more gracious than I would have been.
It's not just sewing. It's all the crafts. So many people who don't try their hand at crafts have no idea how long it takes to do these things. Then, because of that, they pitch a fit over paying.The price of the dress has absolutely nothing to do with the time and effort that was put into the alterations. That's why I don't sell my crochet!
In my case it's because I'm not talented at sewing that I value those who are able to make things happen the way Ms. Monde does. I would pay whatever she asks.
I'm a professional quilt maker. My clients who can no longer do the work themselves never question my price. It's a education process for the uninitiated.
My paternal grandmother never had empty hands. She taught me how to sew, she made clothes for our dolls, I used to spend whole days sewing and quilting with her. I'm so grateful, because I only grew to 4'11", so everything has to be altered. Thankfully, a nice couple nearby does pants legs for $12/pair, so I'm not stuck with that drudgery.
I had a similar experience. A guy wanted some work done on clothing he wants to sell. I told him it is best to have new clothing made it will cost cheaper. He ignored me and went ahead and bought premade clothing from China and brought it to be altered. After working on this project, he did not want to pay and called the police on me, accusing me of stealing his stuff. I told him unless he pays me, I will keep everything he brought to me. The police gave him a warning to not show up at my place and handle the matter in civil court. Well, he did not pay, and I kept the stuff. I then decided that I will not be doing any form of alteration anymore. What most people don't understand about alteration is, you are taking apart something to put it together again without changing the design. It is a delicate skill that takes a lot of focus therefore it cost more than having the garment made. People should appreciate those who specialized in such skill. The one mistake we both made in these experiences is collecting full amount or deposit before starting alteration. Sometimes alteration takes more time than you anticipated and that has to be factored into the final cost. Thanks for sharing your story❤❤❤❤❤❤
@@deborahpollitt7533, yes, both of these seamstress ignored the red flag that was given to them. The lady in the video should have told that customer she was booked and cannot after this lady appeared untrustworthy through prior phone conversations.
@@deborahpollitt7533 oh my goodness you are right. I gave in because I was doing my friend a favor who begged me to take him on. It backed fired so badly🤦♀🤦♀
I have frequently used the response, "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part!" You were too kind to try to accommodate her, how much over your estimate did you charge her? I love your videos!
@@MondesThreads she was always planning to leave thursday. She said wednesday to pressure you. Also, do not disturb has saved me from a few unwanted calls. Only two numbers can get through until morning.
Oh you are so right! I had my bosses sister come into work ( I make my living as a nurse, I at one time was only a seamstress and still enjoy that work) she handed me a 2 piece bathing suit and ….TOLD me…not asked…to take it in in areas on the bottom and “ fix” the gapping on top piece and I had 3 days to accomplish the task…I told her I never do alterations on swim suits…she pleaded…I stood firm….then she yelled…then told me she would tell her sister…my nurse manager….I never heard another word
There it is!!! Keep it to yourself, if you want to avoid the cheapskate entitled gimmepigs who are always looking for victims to get over on!!! I know I was once a victim and I've been sewing for 40 years!!!
And for some reason they think they can just bring you something unannounced and you'll be able to take care of it in 5 minutes. I do not understand why people think it should be quick, easy or cheap for a skill they don't have.... if it's so easy they would be doing it themselves!
I've been in business for 15 years. #1) You can absolutely have a block list. Unlike you, mine is very long! #2) Getting paid upfront is a must! Glad you stated that you should have...#3) If you don't receive calls after 8pm, put your phone on do not disturb. You can actually set it to allow calls from your loved ones only. #4) When you see the first red flag, stop ✋️. As women business owners, we put up with a lot. Set healthy boundaries and trust yourself. Lastly, I'm glad you finally put your foot down and set the terms in the end and got your paper 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Good advice. We need to remember that all businesses have hours. You can't just go any time you want. It's taken some training, but my clients know when I'm available and when I'm not.
You took the words right out of my mouth. Especially with points 3 & 4. Additionally: 5. I would've put the acquaintance in check. I do not give out others' personal phone numbers without their permission so please extend the same courtesy to me. 6. Perhaps a separate line for personal versus business calls may be considered, if it's a solution. 7. Perhaps a written and signed contract should be considered for all rush services. 8. Hopefully it doesn't get to this point for you but, regarding the topic in general, if all else fails, discontinuing "emergency" services to the general public may be a last resort. (In fact, it's a known scam tactic to create a false sense of urgency to rid you the opportunity of thinking something all the way through.)
Never ever ever ignore red flags. No matter what you’re afraid of, and I know because I did custom sewing for many many years. You’re a darling, by the way. ❤
My daughter got married in May the alterations were very expensive and I asked around and the people I spoke to all said the same thing ALTERATIONS are harder than making a dress from scratch. I thought of you but we’re in New York and didn’t have time. You were right to charge a rush fee, you were more patient than I would EVER be and yes you should’ve charged ahead of time. She was wrong in everything. Girl you do amazing work and people should never underestimate your work. God bless you talent and your patience ❤
I bought a wedding dress off a cheap site, knowing I would have to pay for alterations even though the dress was supposed to be custom to my measurements. I paid the same amount in alterations as I did the dress and was very happy with the outcome. So in the end I had a beaded ball gown wedding dress for a total of $150 after alterations. My husband even gave her an large tip because of how great she was, so really I paid more for the alterations. It was well worth it. Did the same for my maid of honor. I'm so sorry you had to deal with such a rude human.
I am so sorry that you were treated like that. You are an expert craftswoman and an artist and anyone would be lucky to have you work on their clothes!
So many times our tailor's charges are more than the clothing item, but we understand that and are always happy with the results! Your skill is so amazing!
I feel you girl, I had clothing made for a friend of mine in Nigeria, Lagos it was a suit. The person she was making it for lives in Lagos.. If you could see that suit it was a hot mess. I sent pictures and written details. Her name is Tamara. The name of her place is Tamara's Palace in Lagos. Tell me how can you take measurements and still the suit comes out to small. Every one in Nigeria ,lagos thinks just because they buy a sewing machine that Automatically makes them a Tailor/ seamstres. Their people say the same thing about them they can't sew. Then if they happen to come here they bring that bad sewing with them and charge a ridiculous price for it.. So sister I completely understand. You did right. You do excellent work.
As a former florist I completely understand. They try to make their problem yours then have no grace, courtesy or gratitude. Don’t even want to pay what they’ve been quoted and approved.
I love sewing and have occasionally sewn for some very nice considerate people, but only do it for those I know personally. The truth is that this client was never going to be happy with this dress no matter what you did with it. It didn't meet whatever expectations she had. I think you handled it the best way, but I was stressing out hearing you tell the story because I would have declined to help her myself. Keep up the good work, you are a gem!
74 yr old woman here and have been sewing since I was 11. Been watching your videos for a while now and I am amazed at what what I see. As others have said, alterations are so much more difficult than making the garment in the first place. Your skills, can-do attitude and lovely personality are so very praise-worthy. This client just boggled my mind. You went way beyond good customer service. I'm glad she did pay you in the end. It's so important to set your boundaries and know your value. Yes, set your phone to do not disturb. And pay attention to those red flags. It's okay to say NO. FWIW, I think you handled this situation very well and I applaud you. I look forward to seeing the magic that you do with others' garments. Thanks for posting them.
@@NewportMamabear Always for who? Not me! I'm not calling anyone's house after 8pm unless it can't wait or we've agreed to a time. 😄 I might call a business number before 10am but not before 9am.
Rush jobs cost more & you gave her an estimate range. You’re not at fault for an ungrateful client. Love that you held the seam ripper, great visual😮. ❤
I had a dress I found eBay for 24 dollars and took it in to be altered (taken in a bit and hemmed a good 6 inches). Alterations cost 35. Thing is, I had already clocked the rack price of the dress at over 200. In my head I’m saying ‘I’m out just under 60 on a dress over 20? This is a STEAL!!” Monde, ladies and gentlemen like you deserve EVERY PENNY you list in an invoice and more!
People must understand that proper fit makes ANY garment, even cheap stuff, look much better, and YOU look better. That is something people who see you pick up on subconsciously. Most are so accustomed to ill fitting clothes on EVERYONE around them, that good fit makes an impression far more valuable than the garment itself.
I think your idea with the seam ripper was genius. Some people just don't get it otherwise. If the alterations are more expensive than the dress then the quality of the dress probably sucks big time.
You know who is the worst when it comes to giving out your phone number? Mothers. No matter how sternly I admonished my mother not to give out my number, if an ex-boyfriend she liked called her at the same landline number she’s always had, she gave out my number.
You are very skilled and very kind....and have a great deal of patience! I have been sewing for 55 years, from Barbie clothes to wedding dresses. Most people don't understand sewing. They think...it's easy, just take it up or take it in. NO....as more thought has to be put in to doing an alteration, then making the item! Whether the dress came out to the clients liking or not....you did the work and you had every right to be paid and to charge a RUSH fee. I would never do work for her again.
I'm an illustrator for a living and I have been called some very nasty names (that would get this comment axed by the YT comment nanny) over my commission prices before. I'm sorry you've had to deal with rude entitled potential clients, too. Oh and I also had a client show up AT MY HOUSE completely unannounced at ALMOST 10PM once. I wish I had that kind of audacity.
I've had SEVERAL skirts, blouses/tops, pants, dresses, suits, jackets, coats that I paid more for the alterations than the actual garments. When they were complete it elevated the value of the pieces because cut and fit are everything in fashion, apparel. I never complain. Your price is your price, rush jobs are always extra.
The fact that she didn’t do what you asked straight away, shows that either it was not the emergency that she said, or else she totally disrespected you and the work you do.
Good for you! Why you are being nice enough to protect the client by not showing her dress is beyond me. You cannot price the alterations based on cost of garment, it has to be based on the amount of time and labor involved.
Oh, Monde, you are a class act! You handled the entire situation perfectly. There is nothing else you could have done. Your work us some of the most astounding and creative tailoring i have ever seen.
You were more than professional, accommodating, and patient. You gave her a ballpark figure of what to expect upfront. She made a decision to move forward. The work is the work. The only thing I would say for next time is, 'Trust your gut!' Her not complying with your simple requests coupled with the inconsistencies, showed you the type of client you were dealing with. That was the time to either cut ✂️ & run 🏃🏾♂️ or get at least half of the nonrefundable deposit. 😅 I loved this storytime!
I don’t even deal with Nigerians anymore. Their gowns are made with no expense compromised! These women are great seamstresses themselves and understand the work that go into making these events pieces they love to show off! I once had a Nigerian tell me that she could go to Ross and get a dress for less! So I told her how blessed she was, to be able to get what she needed for less, at a last minute’s notice, and to enjoy the celebration. These people enjoy playing in your face. And I’m not even mad at her because God, was screaming at me, “to just say no, and run.”
I run a hair shop in south Africa. But man I can't agree more. We fell there's some culture differences, they are so rude and never want to pay for their orders.
I love the fact you set boundaries for phone calls after 8pm,I do the same and would never ever expect someone not in my immediate family to answer my call after 8 at night. It's so freaking rude and disrespectful. It's also very good practice to use text so you have printed proof of what was said. PEOPLE NEED TO RESPECT YOUR BOUNDARIES ❣️❣️❣️
Thank you for sharing all of these videos. At 72 yo, I've been sewing for 60 years. I never enjoyed alterations but did them for a side hustle as a single Mom. My responses that I 'said' to difficult clients very often in my head were way different from what I allowed to come out of my mouth. You are a treasure, indeed. Anyone would be blessed to have you as a mentor.
People do not respect small businesses. If you were a chain or department store type seamstress she would have respected work hours and the cost. It’s like people who decorate cakes, everyone wants a four tier wedding cake for $20! ETA, no I’m not a cake maker/decorator but I know some. 🙂 BTW, I love your glasses!
Side note: I agree with your point about calling after 8 pm. I think we should bring back the custom where you don't call before 8 am or after 8 pm. I was brought up to not even call people from 5-6:30 because it was dinnertime.
My MIL would constantly just show up at my house on a Saturday morning, before 8am. There I am making coffee in undies and a tshirt. Did I mention, she had a key to my house?! Took YEARS of saying "please do not drop by unless you've made plans or without calling first". I did change the locks by taking them in and having the guy add a new kink in the key, her key just magically stopped working.
Bless her. She only behaved that way because life has taught her it gets her what she wants. Good for you for standing firm. That was the kindest thing you could have done (barring refusing to work with her when she refused to send you photos of herself in the dress.) Perhaps she learned a valuable lesson.
So funny how she went from "you come highly recommended" to "you want how much?" 😅 You are a woman of great grace and patience, and she benefited greatly from those qualities. Your handling of the situation was extraordinary. I pray one day she learns to appreciate you and kind people like you. 😊
I have a LIST too! sewing professionally 22 years. I'm happy to say my List is not that long. But I learned that lesson years ago. When a person is in a real RUSH...they understand the extra cost. Glad you made it thru . love the story. Thanks for sharing.😅
I would have dropped her when she said, "I need it for Wednesday." Like: Gurl, bye. If it was needed by Wednesday you should have submitted the dress last week. God bless your patience with such ungrateful customers. Loved the story, thanks for sharing!
The cost of a garment is irrelevant. You provided a service of which you have certain fixed fees (hours spent, complexity of the task, and $ impact on client work that is already in the que). Glad you held firm on the value of your work. As an aside, my MOB dress alterations came close to the purchase price of the dress; was worth every penny because the work was executed beautifully and the dress fit perfectly.
Her reasons for everything were ridiculous. You took a cheap and badly made dress and upgraded it for her on her insistence and the way you handled it was astonishing! I loved that you stood there with your seam ripper!! That was brilliant!!!! Love your videos! Keep them coming!
Thanks for the reminder to never ignore red flags. That blowing up my phone, forced phone call Instead of texting, not following on boarding instructions. Issa chop. NEXT CUSTOMER! You are patient and gifted.
I was listening to this while doing something else. But I had to stop for a little bit to cuss this client out. You are an angel for still trying to help! The one that gave your number deserved to also be included in the blocked clients, imo. They knew their colleague or whatever would be bombarding you on a timeframe that you wouldn't normally be entertaining anyone. So insane! I also think this other person let the terrible client think they're close with you or something. I hope the terrible client does recognize this and be better since it's a long time ago. I love your alterations and I hope more clients with better manners come your way.
Every you explained you did was professional clearly stated before the work was done/agreed to and your response to her threat was stellar…chef’s kiss 😘
