I'm a seamstress, AMA!

amother

Sienna

Mon, Nov 12 2018, 6:59 am

Hi. I'm a seamstress too. Only by word of mouth, no advertising as I'm a mom with kids so don't have a lot of time to do outside jobs. I started doing it for friends and now I have a lot of local customers. I'm self-taught but good with my hands so it wasn't very hard to learn. I'm an artist so I definitely like the most creative jobs. You too?

My worst job is zippers on coats. Especially fluffy ones or stretchy sweatshirts. In theory, they aren't difficult. I take out the old zipper, and put in the new. The problem is, most of the time, I can never get them lined up evenly and have to redo a side or both. I charge a certain price and once in a while it comes out fine on the first try and it's worth my time. Most of the time though, it takes so many redos before I'm happy with the results that I regret taking the job! I often put in basting thread first as well as pins and it still never matches up by the time I'm done with it. Any advice?

I often do have more modern religious women come and hem pants for them. I'm not sure if I can say no to them. I can just give them the benefit of the doubt and tell myself that I am sure they are wearing them in the house and therefore no problem with my doing work for them. If they decide to wear them outdoors, there's nothing I can do and that is their choice. I hope it is like selling them a quart of soup before Shabbos and know they need to heat it beforehand. If they heat it up after Shabbos starts, it is their aveirah. I wonder if I should ask the rav but when its for parnassa, usually you just sell something kosher and they have to use it properly. I wear pants in the house when I'm not going out and no one is coming over.
You're lucky you deal only with religious women.

Iymnok

Mon, Nov 12 2018, 7:16 am

A man called me erev pesach, after Bikur chometz, "can you shorten the sleeve of my suit jacket? It’s kavod Yom Tov".
I get a lot of men's pants to hem. I don’t work after chatzos on Friday. I told a man that the halacha is to not sew after chatzos, he responded that it’s okay because itsfor kavod shabbos. Uh-uh, notmy kavod shabbos, plan ahead!

What’s your most common job?