Custom Made Clothing

Status
Not open for further replies.
My grandmother was a seamstess/dressmaker, and she had a shop built onto the house with a large sewing room behind. My wife's grandmother was a dressmaker too. One on my daughters has trained in dressmaking, she can design, cut patterns and make clothing. Not what she is doing now, but something she can return to as she has everything required. As with most tradespeople she has found that customers have unrealistic ideas of what she does and how much she charges. They themselves obviously work for nothing.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Have you guys ever had an article of clothing custom made? If so, where did you go to get that service done? Do alteration shops ever do custom made clothing? I'm actually surprised that there's not more of a market for that service in this country. My gut feeling tells me that people in other countries outside of the U.S. have more options available in that sector.


Are you so misshapen that you can't buy regular clothing?

Originally Posted By: CKN
I would question how big a market there is for old ladys over 60's that still sew/repair clothes, since nobody under 60 does.

I know of a number of people under 60 who sew/repair clothes. Most do it for their own families. Walk into a guest/spare room in most farmers' homes and you'll find a sewing machine; even in the 30-60 age group.


1) people with athletic builds can benefit from custom [censored] especially.

2) agreed on seeing. My wife is early 30s and has two sewing machines and even longarms quilts. There are some things that just don't look right unless done "professionally", but other stuff, especially kids clothes, are super easy.
 
If I ever lost weight custom pants would be needed, unless if I didn't mind a loose waist. Shoes, I practically need custom, and might next time (men's 9.5B, possibly 9.5A).

My wife likes to sew, makes a good number of costumes for the performance studio she & the family goes to (modern dance, tap, jazz, ballet). Been doing so for years, although not much while in college, and a bit of a fiend of late--and she's only 38.

Just read a book about how the high cost of cheap fashion ( link ). Not as shocking of an expose as Fast Food Nation but same genre. As a result I've started thinking about what it'd take to get durable clothing, although to be fair, my sedentary habits don't really wear out clothes that much. Apparently sewing machines were initially expensive--no real surprise, but apparently women flocked to the initial ones, going as far as to lease machines.

I think my wife has three machines, each one does something different. Tool for each purpose.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Have you guys ever had an article of clothing custom made? If so, where did you go to get that service done? Do alteration shops ever do custom made clothing? I'm actually surprised that there's not more of a market for that service in this country. My gut feeling tells me that people in other countries outside of the U.S. have more options available in that sector.


I get my suits on Indochino.com
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Have you guys ever had an article of clothing custom made? If so, where did you go to get that service done? Do alteration shops ever do custom made clothing? I'm actually surprised that there's not more of a market for that service in this country. My gut feeling tells me that people in other countries outside of the U.S. have more options available in that sector.

Go to the Menswearhouse on east Shaw.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
... Apparently sewing machines were initially expensive...

Perhaps. The ones that are over 50 years old were better built than the ones made recently. Used machines can be had for cheap nowadays.
 
My mom used to work in a factory that made clothes large scale, and I grew up in one of the many factories that she used to work in, at least during the summer break.

It is actually quite easy, she became a "master seamstress" in only about 3 years working full time + overtime. She still does it once in a while for fun but with her $60 Singer she can only do decorative stuff rather than real clothes in better quality than large scale. You just cannot afford those machines for custom clothes, or find a lot of the fabrics and matching threads in the same elasticity locally. It is just easier to buy one or let a taylor alter one for you instead.

Wife got a custom suit when we visited Thailand for a vacation, they did the measurement and send it to us. Great quality for a good price.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Kruse, I wish I had your next door neighbor!

It has always been a dream of mine to know how to make my own clothes.


Merk, you need to talk more with the older ladies at local church/library/grocery. even the barber/cut hair place...

safety (sewing machines): keep fingers out of needle's path. will punch trough your finger quite quickly (hmmm, i don't even have scars after 25 years)

for a prime on how to start to make your own clothes, i would check if you have a shop/dealer who sales/services sewing machines around you. they may get you a used one, and some starter projects....

use good thread. cheap one will break or twist like crazy

couple more skills, related also with your custom-size socks thread:
-how to knit (Tricot in french)
-how to knit using a hook (Crochet in french)
 
I live in NYC, there are a few places that advertise custom clothing. I have had suits and dress shirts made at one of those shops. Expensive, but came out very nice. The place I go to takes the measurements and sends them off to their contacts in Hong Kong. In 6 or 8 weeks, they clothes are ready and any remaining alterations (generally not needed) are made on the spot.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2


1) people with athletic builds can benefit from custom [censored] especially.

2) agreed on seeing. My wife is early 30s and has two sewing machines and even longarms quilts. There are some things that just don't look right unless done "professionally", but other stuff, especially kids clothes, are super easy.


I just love when typos get filtered.

Back to bashing PR, who apparently has misshapen people skills
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
If so, where did you go to get that service done?

You go to a tailor, Merk. If you happen to know the origin of my nick, you'll know why I had to reply.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
If so, where did you go to get that service done?

You go to a tailor, Merk. If you happen to know the origin of my nick, you'll know why I had to reply.
wink.gif


(Start Trek?)
I think Merk left this thread....
also the one with the custom size socks from couple months ago...

and here we are getting fished while actually giving him sound and good advice....
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Yes, DS9


That was one of my favorite shows. I always liked Quark,he cracked me up!!
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
You go to a tailor, Merk. If you happen to know the origin of my nick, you'll know why I had to reply.
wink.gif



There's about 30 tailors in town and none of them do custom made clothing unless you're willing to spend $1000 for a suit. There's nowhere to go to take seamstress classes either, but the 14 year old girl in Bangladesh India is an expert I'm sure.
 
Well, I'm sure even at $1000 a suit, he's spending a fairly good deal of time on it. He doesn't get to work for what the girl in Bangladesh does, and his overhead and materials costs are significantly more.

There are places online (and that have been for a few years, so should be legitimate) that let you upload your measurements, and they'll send you bespoke shirts and whatnot. They won't be as cheap as off the rack, but they still are cheaper, since they do use the girl in Bangladesh.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Garak
You go to a tailor, Merk. If you happen to know the origin of my nick, you'll know why I had to reply.
wink.gif



There's about 30 tailors in town and none of them do custom made clothing unless you're willing to spend $1000 for a suit. There's nowhere to go to take seamstress classes either, but the 14 year old girl in Bangladesh India is an expert I'm sure.




Well, Merkava_4.....you go and treat yourself to that thousand dollar suit. If it turns out well, I would probably much prefer that to two generic or four shoddy suits.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: Garak
You go to a tailor, Merk.


There's about 30 tailors in town and none of them do custom made clothing unless you're willing to spend $1000 for a suit. There's nowhere to go to take seamstress classes either, but the 14 year old girl in Bangladesh India is an expert I'm sure.

Merk, if you care about people from another country, you move there or giveup your born privileges....I don't think you understand poor here, really does not equal poor in many other places....

not back to topic: if you manage to take some classes, you still cannot compare with somebody with 10+ years practice even if once a week....

take my advice again and look for any local ladies doing that as a hobby/side business...

back to BITOG (oil) topic: spend an ounce of your precious 0w20-5w20 and oil that lady's sewing machine... you will be a hero forever and you will always cut the waiting line she usually has from her customers....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

H
What has happened to customer service?
5 6 7
Replies
128
Views
7K
Hermann
S
  • Locked
I feel I have the best Customer Service
2 3 4
Replies
62
Views
19K
OVERKILL
T
Strange customer dilemma regarding lawn service
3 4 5
Replies
81
Views
5K
Jdeere562
D
Cell phones and work for work
2
Replies
23
Views
2K
tom slick
Falcon_LS
  • Locked
Dealing with angry customers
2 3 4
Replies
65
Views
22K
cbear
Back
Top Bottom