photo courtesy of fontplaydotcom.
People who don't sew think nothing of asking if I will alter this or that for them. I've had strangers at home depot ask if I will alter their jeans. I always say no.
This really isn't that unusual; it happens to most of my sewing friends, and most of us decline, with exceptions for family and the like.
My issue with alterations is only partly that the people who ask usually have no appreciation for the skill or work involved, although that is an issue not to be taken lightly. I am stubborn. I enjoy sewing partly because I am creating something functional out of something flat, in which case probably any sewing would suffice, but also because I like to be in control of what I create. When I am sewing something, even if it is just an alteration, I want it to fit my vision, and I am a very grumpy craftswoman when my vision does not match that of the person who requested the alteration. It has nothing to do with the ease or difficulty of the work to be done. Sewing is my hobby, and although I may chose to alter my own garments to fit my own vision of how I want them to look on me, I reserve the right not to provide this service to others. It is a completely selfish stance and I stand by it.
Most of the time.
I just shortened a bunch of pants for G and the actually cutting and hemming went very quickly and easily. It was a fast easy job and the results made G immensely happy, which is more than enough reward. But I did not go into it all smiling and happy-like.
We agreed on two points.
His pants are too long. They weren't always too long, but apparently as one loses stature with age one does not lose it entirely through the torso, although it could be just be his increasingly stooped posture that causes the pants to drag on the floor.
He was willing to take them to the dry-cleaners to be shortened, but we both agreed that he would have to wait too long. Since these are not fancy pants (they were machine hemmed to begin with), I agreed that it would be easier if I shortened them for him, in which case he would be able to wear them the same day and would stop tripping over his pants legs and falling down.
But we disagreed on two points also:
First I was in my selfish mode and I wanted to finish my skirt first. I figured that waiting a day or two for the pants was still better than waiting a week for the dry cleaner.
The second issue was sartorial. I thought G wanted to hem his pants too short and I didn't like it. I thought I didn't particularly have issues with how other people chose to dress even if I wouldn't chose their style for myself. But apparently I do have issues about how my husband choses to dress. He wanted his pants to be hemmed at the ankle, the shorter the better, and I frankly wanted them a little longer, not long, but long enough to cover the ankle bone.
In the end I relented on both topics. If I feel I spend all my taking care of him and the house, that is my issue, not his, and it is not something over which he can exercise any control. And, of course, they are his pants, and what is of paramount importance is that he be happy with them, comfortable in them, and that they do not cause him to fall. So I made them shorter. Not surprisingly it was no harder to sew them short than long.
That doesn't mean I will start sewing for everyone else. Family, friends and neighbors need not bother asking.
Comments
20 responses to “Why I won’t take in alterations.”
Your sewing sisters know exactly where you are coming from! DBF always wants his casual pants hemmed too short. So, I pin them up where he wants them and then hem them longer anyway (and, no, he hasn’t noticed). Like you, I really hate that sort of sewing drudgery. I’ll do it for people I love but that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it. 🙂
Your sewing sisters know exactly where you are coming from! DBF always wants his casual pants hemmed too short. So, I pin them up where he wants them and then hem them longer anyway (and, no, he hasn’t noticed). Like you, I really hate that sort of sewing drudgery. I’ll do it for people I love but that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it. 🙂
You make me smile, Gigi. You know, I actually hemmed the pants a tad longer than he wanted also and he hasn’t noticed. Creative license, right?
You make me smile, Gigi. You know, I actually hemmed the pants a tad longer than he wanted also and he hasn’t noticed. Creative license, right?
What is it with men and their short pants ?! I do the same as Gigi, pin ’em where he wants and hem them where I want – LOL
He wears bulky work shoes and his hems are always about 2-3 inches from the floor. His preference is somewhere in the vicinity of his ankle bone. Nah, I don’t think so 🙂
What is it with men and their short pants ?! I do the same as Gigi, pin ’em where he wants and hem them where I want – LOL
He wears bulky work shoes and his hems are always about 2-3 inches from the floor. His preference is somewhere in the vicinity of his ankle bone. Nah, I don’t think so 🙂
I too hate alterations. Hey, I have a pile of my own mending languishing undone in the sewing basket!
For me, I have limited sewing time and alterations are not fun. Non-sewers think, “That is your hobby.” Not exactly. Taking a project from fabric to finish is a hobby. Ripping out a waistband is tedious work. Not a hobby.
So I have limited alterations. The only people eligible are those who I have carried in my womb, or with whom I share a bed. Everyone else I offer to show them how to sew on a button, they never take me up on it ; ) , or I tell them that the dry cleaner does hemming. Sounds cold, but it is what I have had to do, or my extended family would think my hobby was mending not sewing.
I too hate alterations. Hey, I have a pile of my own mending languishing undone in the sewing basket!
For me, I have limited sewing time and alterations are not fun. Non-sewers think, “That is your hobby.” Not exactly. Taking a project from fabric to finish is a hobby. Ripping out a waistband is tedious work. Not a hobby.
So I have limited alterations. The only people eligible are those who I have carried in my womb, or with whom I share a bed. Everyone else I offer to show them how to sew on a button, they never take me up on it ; ) , or I tell them that the dry cleaner does hemming. Sounds cold, but it is what I have had to do, or my extended family would think my hobby was mending not sewing.
Sewfashionista, How nice to see you here and thank you for commenting. I like your standards concerning alterations. I have a huge pile of my own alterations I never get to; it is so much more fun to make something new, so I tend to start the alterations for others thing with a chip on my shoulder. Patience seems to be a life-long lesson.
Oh Claire, I wish I knew. At least we have some control over the situation as opposed to just letting the poor fools go off to the dry cleaner and get what they think they want.
Thank you for commenting.
Sewfashionista, How nice to see you here and thank you for commenting. I like your standards concerning alterations. I have a huge pile of my own alterations I never get to; it is so much more fun to make something new, so I tend to start the alterations for others thing with a chip on my shoulder. Patience seems to be a life-long lesson.
Oh Claire, I wish I knew. At least we have some control over the situation as opposed to just letting the poor fools go off to the dry cleaner and get what they think they want.
Thank you for commenting.
Glad to find out I am not the only one! People ask me all the time to hem and alter for them, they think I may enjoy it. I always say now, honestly I am concerned I might ruin they’re clothin. I did explain to a mother whose daughter needed a formal dress altered, that I am not insured or have the wealth to replace an expensive dress should there be a mishap with the garment.
Glad to find out I am not the only one! People ask me all the time to hem and alter for them, they think I may enjoy it. I always say now, honestly I am concerned I might ruin they’re clothin. I did explain to a mother whose daughter needed a formal dress altered, that I am not insured or have the wealth to replace an expensive dress should there be a mishap with the garment.
Hi Mardel,
i agree with you completely.
About 30 years ago, my grandmother, an accomplished needlewoman, told me she would never give someone a sewn, knitted, needlepoint or crocheted gift unless the recipient did that type of work themselves and knew how much work went into it. Everyone else got store-bought. I have kept that advice in mind every time someone says “could you make me some curtains?” or some such nonsense.
Vicky F
Hi Mardel,
i agree with you completely.
About 30 years ago, my grandmother, an accomplished needlewoman, told me she would never give someone a sewn, knitted, needlepoint or crocheted gift unless the recipient did that type of work themselves and knew how much work went into it. Everyone else got store-bought. I have kept that advice in mind every time someone says “could you make me some curtains?” or some such nonsense.
Vicky F
Every now and then a new piece of clothing might need some alternations. Our largest department store has a service for that. Naturally it costs a bit. If the whatever is bought from some other place, I usually turn to a private shop, where alternations get done. The woman, who does this job ( it is her work ), has never refused my suggestions. I do ask her opinion too. I understand, that if you don´t get paid for your work, it is only natural to refuse. But if people are willing to pay, would it not be nice to get some extra money?
Every now and then a new piece of clothing might need some alternations. Our largest department store has a service for that. Naturally it costs a bit. If the whatever is bought from some other place, I usually turn to a private shop, where alternations get done. The woman, who does this job ( it is her work ), has never refused my suggestions. I do ask her opinion too. I understand, that if you don´t get paid for your work, it is only natural to refuse. But if people are willing to pay, would it not be nice to get some extra money?
Ellena, I sometime wonder if the people who ask, and think I enjoy alterations, associate all sewing with drudgery and dont understand the creative aspects of it.
Vicky, your grandmother sounds like a very wise woman.
Metscan, not as many stores around here seem to do alterations so there probably would be a business. But I dont feel I get enough time to indulge in my hobby at this point, so I am less willing to make it a source of extra income. Besides I get the distinct impression that most people who ask me are trying to avoid paying and expect me to do it out of neighborliness.
Ellena, I sometime wonder if the people who ask, and think I enjoy alterations, associate all sewing with drudgery and dont understand the creative aspects of it.
Vicky, your grandmother sounds like a very wise woman.
Metscan, not as many stores around here seem to do alterations so there probably would be a business. But I dont feel I get enough time to indulge in my hobby at this point, so I am less willing to make it a source of extra income. Besides I get the distinct impression that most people who ask me are trying to avoid paying and expect me to do it out of neighborliness.
Artists don’t alter, they’re too busy creating.
Artists don’t alter, they’re too busy creating.