finding a tailor

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Where do you find a good tailor?

I've tried the cleaners and an alteration shop in town. Niether were good.

There is a bridal/formal gown shop next to my kids' pediatrician. Should I try there?

Oops, sorry. I meant to post this under "Everything else"

16 years ago

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12 replies

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Anonymous

That is a good question. I started a series of blouse construction classes today. The teacher knows the business so I will ask her tomorrow how a person should go about finding a tailor.
Even this first class was a real eye opener on how patterns fit.

16 years ago

NCyogini

Active Member

Hi KH,

My friends may have found this annoying, but I sent out a mass email to everyone I know, asking for their personal recommendations. Lots of people had no idea but I ended up with 3 names, all of which I use, depending on the piece. One tailor is very inconvenient and expensive, but does flawless work. I take my very best dresses there. One does a very good job on things like sun dresses, taking in tops, and altering my good jeans. The third one is very convenient and inexpensive and perfect for very simple things such as hemming pants.

After I tried them all out, I sent my findings to everyone on my email list who didn't know of a good tailor. Now we all have someone to go to that we can trust!

Good luck!

16 years ago

Anonymous

That is great NC. You are very creative.

16 years ago

carissa

(website)

Active Member

A good way to find a talented tailor is to call a high end fabric store in your area and ask who they recommend.

Thats how I found my tailor in Dallas. I called the most expensive fabric shop in town and they referred me. Often the high-end fabric stores know who's the best at custom making garments, and that will be the best tailor in your city.

16 years ago

carissa

(website)

Active Member

I think that tip originally came from The Pocket Stylist by Kendall Farr.

16 years ago

Anonymous

I love that advice too Carissa. The tailor who is teaching my class is teaching them at the sewing machine store, so that is also proof that you will find tailors when you snoop around the business of fabrics and sewing.

16 years ago

tarzy

Veteran

I was looking for a long time, too. I finally went into an Ann Taylor store that is located in a part of town that has a lot of nice (expensive) stores. They recommended a tailor down the street from them. She has turned out to be absolutely wonderful. She's more expensive than the guy at the dry cleaners, but she does an excellent job.

16 years ago

shana

Veteran

I looked in the phone book (so 1990, I know) and found that there were three tailors in my small town. I took three pairs of pants that needed to be hemmed and wanted to take one to each to see how I felt. Unfortunately, one was closed every time I went by, the other lady was inexpensive but very unprofessional and made me wait nearly 3 weeks just to hem a pair of pants and the third did a good job (it's a formal/bridal gown shop) but was very expensive. So now I am back to square one. I have some items that would need more extensive alterations but I hesitate to trust anyone with some of these items until I find someone I can really work with and trust. I like the idea of checking with a high end fabric store - not sure if we have any nearby and I don't want to go really far but maybe it would be worth it.

16 years ago

marianne

Active Member

I've got recommendations from a local mailing list. I also did an experiment similar to Shana's with taking in the waistband in jeans - one place did an okay job, another place was excellent but very expensive. I don't have that many items altered, but I think if I need to do something risky I'll probably fork out the money at the expensive place.
Where do you live, KH? You might also want to look for reviews on places like Yelp or citysearch.

16 years ago

Anonymous

I talked to the tailor/teacher today and she looked at me very quizzicle when I asked how one would find a good tailor. She said I don't know I never need one! HaHa! Obvious!
I wonder if checking with an instructor at a community collage would bring forth a good recomendation?
Boy, I tell you what though, in 2 days of blouse construction class, I have learned an incredible amount about adjusting a pattern to fit and why off the rack clothes just cannot fit everyone. We each, measured and changed our own pattern to fit our own bodies which are all so unique. I love this.
After blouse making other classes to follow are jeans, skirt, and body analysis.

16 years ago

tarzy

Veteran

San - isn't it difficult to fit yourself? I find it hard to get a proper measurement for my own pants - how do you fit a blouse on yourself?

Are you taking the class so that you can make your own clothes? Or do you want to tailor store-bought things? I used to love to sew when I was in junior high/high school. I made some very ... uh ... creative ... clothes. (I had no sense of what was a good fabric or color - I just bought fabrics that were cheap!) I think it would be so much fun to sew now, but I don't really have a space to set up a machine, etc.

16 years ago

Anonymous

There are 4 of us in the class which is held at the sewing machine store. The teacher is from the Orange County area. She was a tailor for the high dollar wardrobes there, and then when she finished college, she taught this at the college.
We helped each other do the body measuring and she showed us how to translate that to the pattern we each had purchased. This is only for blouse construction and then I will sign up for the other classes at a later date.
I am like you Tarzy in that I used to sew alot but I really don't know if I had an eye for quality back then. I had no fear, I made 3 wedding dresses, a man's shirt, a prom dress, many school dresses. I did the whole Home Ec. sewing thing and loved it back then. These classes go more indepth so I'm loving it. One gal who had taken this blouse constuction class already came in with her almost finished blouse and I was blown away (excuse the old expression) by the fit and the curves it gave her. The teacher has been doing this for so long, she can look at a body and know pretty much where we are going to need to add a dart or take away fabric, like molding clay. Fascinating.
A "normal" shoulder drop is 2" down from level. How many people are "normal"? That goes for all the slopes and drops and curves that are supposed to be "normal". It's no wonder we have such a hard time finding clothes that fit.

16 years ago

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