$40 per hour for Alterations, Upcycling, and Repairs

Some common alterations have a set fee, such as hemming pants (see below). Many alterations and repairs can be done in an hour or less. I charge in 15 minute increments. I can give you an estimate when you bring the item in for a consultation. I do not give estimates over the phone or from photos.

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Pants Hemming - $20 for plain, blind and stretch hems (additional fee for cuffs, lining, wide hems and special fabrics or construction)

I accept cash, debit, credit and Apple Pay. I no longer accept personal checks. You can pay in person or I can send you a link to pay your invoice online through Quickbooks, which also accepts Paypal.

Typically my turnaround time is 2-4 weeks. Sometimes it's longer, especially during the summer season. In general, I spend about 3 hours per day working on alterations. The rest of my day is spent on clothing design and construction, and all of the other tasks that need to be done in a small business. If you have a deadline, please let me know up front, so that I can let you know if I can meet it.

Life has its various sewing emergencies, so I do try to accommodate rush orders and faster than current turnaround time when I can. Please keep in mind that a rush order means you’re cutting in line ahead of other clients. So use those requests sparingly. Currently I do not charge a rush fee.

Would you want to work on my dirty clothes? But seriously, in the interest of health and hygiene, and respect for me and my other clients whose clothes will be hung next to yours, please wash or dry-clean your clothes (both old and new) before you bring them in for alteration or repair. This includes clothes you might not wash all that often, such as wool sweaters, jackets, selvage jeans, etc. New clothes will sometimes shrink in the wash, so it’s best to go through this process before having them altered. Also, new clothes often contain chemicals from the manufacturing process, so washing them helps to remove them before wearing and/or altering.

Zipper replacement can be tricky. I can repair most zipper pulls, and can replace some zippers. Sometimes just the zipper pull needs tweaking or replacing. If the teeth or tape are damaged, the whole zipper needs to be replaced. Replacement generally takes 1-3 hours of sewing time, depending on if the item is lined or unlined and the complexity of the construction.

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Here are some typical costs for zipper repair/replace:
Jeans/Pants

• Zipper Fly replacement - $40 (unlined)

Jacket

• Slider Only Replacement - $10-$20
  
• Full Replacement - Unlined Jacket - $40-$60 plus cost of zipper
  
• Full Replacement - Lined Jacket - $80-$100 plus cost of zipper
  
• Full Replacement - Long and/or Complex Styling - $100 and up

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For zipper repair on waterproof and technical clothing (Gore-Tex, REI jackets, etc) I recommend RainyPass.com

• Sweaters
• Leather
• Waterproof Jackets
• Quilts
• Home Decor (curtains, etc)
• Upholstery 
• Heavy Duty Non-Clothing Items (backpacks, couch cushions, etc.)
• Outdoor Items (cushions, covers, tents, sails, etc.)
• Marine Items (cushions, sails, etc)

For outdoor and heavy-duty items, I recommend SewRugged who is also in Blue Hill.

For zipper repair on waterproof and technical clothing (Gore-Tex, REI jackets, etc) I recommend RainyPass.com

I do most hems and alterations on bridesmaid and Mother-of-the-Bride/Groom attire.

During the busy summer season, I do get booked up. If the wedding is sometime in June-October, contact me as soon as know you will need alterations with the wedding date and the estimated date that you will receive your dress, so that I can give you a time slot. Once your dress arrives we'll set up an appointment. When you come in for a fitting, please bring the shoes and any undergarments you plan to wear with the dress, as these can affect both the fit and the length of the hem.

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I do not work on dresses that are worth (or have a replacement value) over $3,000 due to the liability involved.

The best place to get your wedding dress altered is usually at the shop you bought it from. If however, you bought it online or you want to get your alterations done closer to home, I may be able to help you. I do not have the setup to work on huge ballgowns with lots of layers. Also, I do not work on dresses that are worth (or have a replacement value) over $3,000 due to the liability involved.

If you would like me to do your alterations, feel free to contact me and we'll set up a time for you to come in to talk about your dress and your timeline.

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During the busy summer season, I do get booked up. If your wedding is sometime in June-October, contact me as soon as know you will need alterations with the wedding date and the estimated date that you will receive your dress.

I do tailor suit pants (hem, taper, take-in/let out waist), and some tailoring on suit jackets.

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For extensive traditional "mens" tailoring, Andy's Tailor is located in Bangor, and is likely faster and less expensive.

I do take on some custom projects. If you have a custom project you'd like me to consider, feel free to contact me or stop in during drop-in hours.

If you need a small piece, I have tons of scraps in house that we can choose from. I also have lots of thread and other notions (buttons, snaps, etc.) Sometimes I will order an item from one of my suppliers, if it is clear when we need, such as bra cups or elastic, but if you require special materials or color matching, you will need to find and purchase that yourself. As a first stop, I recommend Ebb and Flow Fiber Arts right here in Blue Hill, which is a fabric thrift store. They have a ton of pre-owned fabric, yarn, notions and tools. If they don't have what you're looking for, three other options are Fiddlehead Artisan Supply in Belfast, Marden's in Ellsworth, and Joann's in Bangor.