Excellent!! Thanks so much for replying. Since I will need to remove about 8 inches 61 to 51” is 10-2 inch heels it seems like a good amount but I was going to make graduation over 2-3 inches to preserve enough length for the sweep train. It seems like a more dramatic graduation but I worry that if I try to graduate more slowly it won’t have the same effect. I meant to tell you that I love ❤️ the sound of the rain ☔️ too! Absolutely love your videos. You explain and demonstrate the why's and how’s with good visuals that really help you to see and understand. I am learning so much. While I won’t open an alteration shoppe…I do love pretty dresses and tops and your videos are really helping me build my sewing skills with working with fancy fabrics and importantly…my confidence! Thank you so much! 😊
Thank you so much!! I hope it’s going well. I hope you were able to fade in the new length of train easily. Do you have a mannequin or way to hang it so you can visually see it fade? I like to get the length I want marked. Then I visually do the fade. More by eye on the first side and less by measurement. Then to match the second side I do measure it according to the first one. Or I fold it in half and match the shape. I hope that helps. Hope you are having a great weekend. -Christa
I Mrs Crista!!! I enjoying and learning from you. One question: How much do you charge for all those alterations, is a lot of job and dedication. Thank you!!!!
Thank you sooo much Wendy! I base it on my average time to alter each part. I aim for $50 per hour but usually don’t hit that these days especially with filming. lol and I’m getting slower in my old age. 😂 I also figure in, the area I live in, the amount I need per hour to make it worth my while and a few other factors. I cannot remember what I charged in this case, but average bodice work in my studio on a mother’s dress (it’s different than bridal) runs $75 to $120, and hem $75 to $120, to take in the shoulders was probably $75 on this one?? I take into consideration lace, beads, how many layers etc. I hope that helps. The best thing to do is start keeping a journal of times and expenses for each alteration you do. Break it down to bodice, hem, shoulders etc. keep notes about appliqués etc. Then you begin to know about how much to charge for each. Thank you so much for watching! -Christa
I was curious as to why you don't use a seam gauge for measuring seam alterations rather than a tape measurer? Additionally, when I'm sewing soft tulle or chiffon I cut strips of tissue paper and pin it under and on top of the seam line I'm going to stitch. It helps to prevent the fabric from catching on the feeders and it gives the fabric some stability while sewing.
Hello 😊 Great questions! I used a seam gauge way back in my earlier days. 🤔 But I’m trying to think why I stopped. 🤔🤔 I don’t know. Maybe because I always have a measuring tape around my neck and it’s just easy to grab. 🤷♀️ The tissue paper idea is a great tip!! I’ve done that in the past. And especially on hard fabrics or to start out a rolled hem that’s on a slit. To keep the it from bunching up into the plate. Thank you so much for two great tips!
Christa can you briefly explain what you do if the client wants to leave the back hemline to create a mini brush train? You mentioned that in the video but didn’t address how you approach that alteration. My husband and I are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in August with a marriage vow renewal beach ceremony.. I’m only 51” hollow to floor (yup I’m a shortie!) and so I always have to hem everything. I wore a suit for our first wedding and so this time I have purchased a gown and want to leave the back hemline to create the brush train look. I’m adding appliqué to the bodice waistband and was going to add appliqué to the back hemline too. Do I hem the front as per usual and then at the side seams begin a tapering for 2-3 inches? I’m just about finished adding the appliqué to the waistband but wondered about how to manage the back hemline before I begin to sew on the appliqué. The fabric is a silky satin. The hem has been finished as a rolled hem as you show for the chiffon hem video so I was going to follow that. Many thanks if you can confirm if my thinking on the approach is correct. 😊
Hello 👋 Congratulations on your anniversary! Yes, you are correct. At the side seams start fading it out to the desired length. I’ve always called it a sweep train or Walt’s train. I’m assuming the brush train is the same thing. Basically just “sweeping” the floor in the back. But yes, just fade it out to your desired length. And finish it off with a rolled hem, continuing from the front. No bustle is really needed for those, unless you just want to get it off the floor with a small low single point bustle.
Just discovered your videos. I have sewed for years but haven’t done much alterations, my hubby tells me I should consider alterations. Just not that confident. I thought maybe I might begin of some of my own clothing. When I sew am I usually making my clothes not altering, which is way different. Thanks a bunch. This red dress you are working on what would you charge for the shoulder, the waist and hem alternations individually? How would a person figure out how to charge?
I’m so glad you found me! 🤗 It is my greatest desire to help seamstresses learn how they can take their skills and turn it into a flexible income to help their families. To start to figure out how much to charge, start by journaling any alteration you do. Write down all the time you spend on it and the expenses involved. You will be gathering this information for a while and begin getting an average of how long it takes you for certain, similar alterations. This will help you to make quotes down the road. Then you have to take into consideration the area you live in, how much you need to be paid per hour to cover expenses and make it worth your time. You can also ask other local seamstresses or in Facebook groups etc. keep in mind there is a wide range of pricing according to where they live. Example- I live in a smaller city in Idaho. 2 hours away is a very large city. I cannot charge as much as they can there because our income level is lower here. But I can be close. I take all these things into consideration. I also slowly raised my prices each year with my experience. Prom, Mother’s dresses and bridesmaids are hard to charge as much as bridal. I cannot remember what I charged for these shoulder seams. But probably around $75 because it was a mother’s dress. If it was a wedding I would be around $125 or $150 depending on beadwork etc. I hope that helps. In my experience, pricing has been a journey. Slowly I’m gaining more and more confidence in charging what I’m worth and how much work these alterations are. But I’m incredibly blessed to be able to make a living doing what I love to do. And being flexible enough to work around my families needs. Happy sewing and God bless! -Christa
Hello ♥️ Yes I don’t mind. In fact I think I have a video showing one of my invoices. I’m trying to remember which one. Let me think and I’ll get back with you
It might have been on the sewing tip- transferring a diagram. I show my invoice in a few different videos. But I will try to show it again in future videos
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Great job
Thank you so much Lorraine!
Danke mein Kleid ist super geworden 👍👍👍❤️
That’s awesome! I’m so glad that it turned out great. Thank you for your beautiful comment. ♥️
Excellent!! Thanks so much for replying. Since I will need to remove about 8 inches 61 to 51” is 10-2 inch heels it seems like a good amount but I was going to make graduation over 2-3 inches to preserve enough length for the sweep train. It seems like a more dramatic graduation but I worry that if I try to graduate more slowly it won’t have the same effect. I meant to tell you that I love ❤️ the sound of the rain ☔️ too! Absolutely love your videos. You explain and demonstrate the why's and how’s with good visuals that really help you to see and understand. I am learning so much. While I won’t open an alteration shoppe…I do love pretty dresses and tops and your videos are really helping me build my sewing skills with working with fancy fabrics and importantly…my confidence! Thank you so much! 😊
Thank you so much!!
I hope it’s going well. I hope you were able to fade in the new length of train easily.
Do you have a mannequin or way to hang it so you can visually see it fade?
I like to get the length I want marked. Then I visually do the fade. More by eye on the first side and less by measurement. Then to match the second side I do measure it according to the first one. Or I fold it in half and match the shape.
I hope that helps.
Hope you are having a great weekend.
-Christa
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and talent!
You are soooo welcome Rose! And thank you so much for watching and for such an encouraging comment!
Happy Sewing!
-Christa
Great though video. Great explanation especially for newbies.
Thank you so much Terry!! 🤗♥️
Hermoso trabajo, gracias por enseñarnos.😊
Gracias!!! 😊 ♥️
Awesome!
🤗
I Mrs Crista!!!
I enjoying and learning from you.
One question:
How much do you charge for all those alterations, is a lot of job and dedication.
Thank you!!!!
Thank you sooo much Wendy!
I base it on my average time to alter each part. I aim for $50 per hour but usually don’t hit that these days especially with filming. lol and I’m getting slower in my old age. 😂
I also figure in, the area I live in, the amount I need per hour to make it worth my while and a few other factors.
I cannot remember what I charged in this case, but average bodice work in my studio on a mother’s dress (it’s different than bridal) runs $75 to $120, and hem $75 to $120, to take in the shoulders was probably $75 on this one?? I take into consideration lace, beads, how many layers etc.
I hope that helps.
The best thing to do is start keeping a journal of times and expenses for each alteration you do. Break it down to bodice, hem, shoulders etc. keep notes about appliqués etc.
Then you begin to know about how much to charge for each.
Thank you so much for watching!
-Christa
I was curious as to why you don't use a seam gauge for measuring seam alterations rather than a tape measurer? Additionally, when I'm sewing soft tulle or chiffon I cut strips of tissue paper and pin it under and on top of the seam line I'm going to stitch. It helps to prevent the fabric from catching on the feeders and it gives the fabric some stability while sewing.
Hello 😊 Great questions!
I used a seam gauge way back in my earlier days. 🤔 But I’m trying to think why I stopped. 🤔🤔 I don’t know.
Maybe because I always have a measuring tape around my neck and it’s just easy to grab. 🤷♀️
The tissue paper idea is a great tip!! I’ve done that in the past. And especially on hard fabrics or to start out a rolled hem that’s on a slit. To keep the it from bunching up into the plate.
Thank you so much for two great tips!
Christa can you briefly explain what you do if the client wants to leave the back hemline to create a mini brush train? You mentioned that in the video but didn’t address how you approach that alteration. My husband and I are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in August with a marriage vow renewal beach ceremony.. I’m only 51” hollow to floor (yup I’m a shortie!) and so I always have to hem everything. I wore a suit for our first wedding and so this time I have purchased a gown and want to leave the back hemline to create the brush train look. I’m adding appliqué to the bodice waistband and was going to add appliqué to the back hemline too. Do I hem the front as per usual and then at the side seams begin a tapering for 2-3 inches? I’m just about finished adding the appliqué to the waistband but wondered about how to manage the back hemline before I begin to sew on the appliqué. The fabric is a silky satin. The hem has been finished as a rolled hem as you show for the chiffon hem video so I was going to follow that. Many thanks if you can confirm if my thinking on the approach is correct. 😊
Hello 👋
Congratulations on your anniversary!
Yes, you are correct. At the side seams start fading it out to the desired length.
I’ve always called it a sweep train or Walt’s train. I’m assuming the brush train is the same thing. Basically just “sweeping” the floor in the back. But yes, just fade it out to your desired length. And finish it off with a rolled hem, continuing from the front.
No bustle is really needed for those, unless you just want to get it off the floor with a small low single point bustle.
Just discovered your videos. I have sewed for years but haven’t done much alterations, my hubby tells me I should consider alterations. Just not that confident. I thought maybe I might begin of some of my own clothing. When I sew am I usually making my clothes not altering, which is way different. Thanks a bunch. This red dress you are working on what would you charge for the shoulder, the waist and hem alternations individually? How would a person figure out how to charge?
I’m so glad you found me! 🤗
It is my greatest desire to help seamstresses learn how they can take their skills and turn it into a flexible income to help their families.
To start to figure out how much to charge, start by journaling any alteration you do.
Write down all the time you spend on it and the expenses involved.
You will be gathering this information for a while and begin getting an average of how long it takes you for certain, similar alterations. This will help you to make quotes down the road.
Then you have to take into consideration the area you live in, how much you need to be paid per hour to cover expenses and make it worth your time.
You can also ask other local seamstresses or in Facebook groups etc. keep in mind there is a wide range of pricing according to where they live. Example- I live in a smaller city in Idaho. 2 hours away is a very large city. I cannot charge as much as they can there because our income level is lower here. But I can be close.
I take all these things into consideration. I also slowly raised my prices each year with my experience.
Prom, Mother’s dresses and bridesmaids are hard to charge as much as bridal.
I cannot remember what I charged for these shoulder seams. But probably around $75 because it was a mother’s dress. If it was a wedding I would be around $125 or $150 depending on beadwork etc.
I hope that helps.
In my experience, pricing has been a journey. Slowly I’m gaining more and more confidence in charging what I’m worth and how much work these alterations are.
But I’m incredibly blessed to be able to make a living doing what I love to do. And being flexible enough to work around my families needs.
Happy sewing and God bless!
-Christa
@@christasdressshoppe. Thanks for telling how much you charge
Would you mind sharing you invoice or at least a good example of what it may look like? Thank you :)
Hello ♥️
Yes I don’t mind. In fact I think I have a video showing one of my invoices. I’m trying to remember which one.
Let me think and I’ll get back with you
It might have been on the sewing tip- transferring a diagram. I show my invoice in a few different videos. But I will try to show it again in future videos