Re: The ever popular pricing questions ...


"HC" <IHateSpam@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:436d81bc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>I find this topic is always interesting and only wish NON-sewers had the
>chance to read the opinions!
>
> A bit over a year ago I was asked to make a man's shirt with inserted
> action back pleats in a contrast colour/fabric. The collar, left front,
> sleeve cuffs and pocket were also done in this contrast fabric, which
> by-the-way was a sheer, foil mesh over plain black satin. The rest of the
> shirt was in plain black satin. It was to be worn for a dance competition
> where the two female partners (yes, two) wore full circle skirts made from
> the plain black satin with an overskirt in the sheer, foil mesh and a
> black knit top.
>
> Anyway, someone else was making the ladies skirts and I was asked to make
> the man's shirt. Because it had been sometime since I'd done sewing for
> anyone else I quoted an hourly rate stating that the time wouldn't be
> inflated and he would get a good hour's work for an hour's payment and I
> clearly stated he would need to pay for the pattern and buttons (both of
> his choice).
>
> When the bag of fabric was delivered I was aghast to find that I had to
> work with the offcuts from the two circular skirts....you can imagine the
> shape of the fabric I had to work with? I phoned the guy saying it would
> take some time to fiddle around with the pattern pieces to get them to
> 'fit' the offcuts of fabric and might be cheaper (and easier) to buy more
> fabric, but he declined stating this was an end-of-roll piece and the
> ladies skirts had already been finished. Later I found heaps of this
> fabric on rolls in the same shop.
>
> The shirt pattern didn't have the twin action backs, so I had to change
> the pattern and add these, which was a little more time, I also made him
> aware of this. Getting the pattern to fit the offcut fabric was a feat in
> itself and took much more time than normal, and at one stage I didn't
> think there was any chance of it fitting, but further juggling meant I
> could squeeze it in. Phew!!!
>
> After all these hassles, making the shirt was the easy part, and I tried
> to keep the time to a minimum while keeping my usual high standard in the
> job, and due to it being worn for Rock 'n Roll dancing I needed to make
> sure the seams wouldn't fray. Naturally the overall time taken was much
> more than if I had to work with a single piece of fabric but under the
> circumstances I was very pleased with the end result and the shirt looked
> fabulous.
>
> I had told him during a phone call how much time it had taken and he
> seemed Ok about it, and I made a point of stating that I had discounted
> the total time because I felt it was too much for a shirt (although this
> was not my fault).
>
> Time for it to be collected and the guy was thrilled to bits with the
> finished product, handed over the money and gave a tip of an extra
> Au$5.00, so I assumed he was happy because he asked if I could make
> another couple of dance shirts to which I replied they would work out
> cheaper due to the fact we already had the pattern 'and' if he bought
> whole cloth (instead of offcuts) time taken would be much less. He had
> promised to email a photo of him dancing with the two ladies and this was
> received a couple of weeks later and I must say they looked great.
>
> Now, more than a year later, I haven't heard a word about the other shirts
> but I haven't lost any sleep over them either. I heard via the grapevine
> (isn't it wonderful?) that I had overcharged him and this was the reason
> he wouldn't be returning for the additional shirts. This 'grapevine
> person' wasn't aware that I had to work with offcuts but I made sure she
> knew the full details.
>
> Scenarios similar to this will always happen and because the armchair
> experts interfered with their version of charges, their story was accepted
> over mine. Of course, these 'experts' weren't able to make the shirt
> themselves!! I'm better off without jobs like this and while the
> completed shirt was very satisfying and something of which I was proud,
> I'd much prefer to do my own thing. If there is a next time, I will NOT
> accept offcuts and insist on wholecloth ONLY, although I will often do
> things like this with my own clothes....but that's totally different!
>
> Good luck in your new venture Liz W...it sounds exciting. Keep us
> informed as you progress.
>
> Bronwyn ;-)

Thanks for the support. I feel your pain over that shirt. It was just this
type of thing that pushed me to sew for a business and not as a hobby. My
son's future father-in-law pulled a fast one on me this summer. He had
purchased a 2005 truck with leather seats only to find out no one made seat
covers for the seat style. There was a side piece to each of the front
seats where the shoulder part of the seat belt attached. This is the first
year the manufacture designed seats in this fashion. He told me he couldn't
find ready made covers anywhere that would accommodate this extra piece on
the side of the seat. Something just didn't sit right with me about the way
he asked if I could make seat covers. I sensed it was some kind of bizarre
test. Of course I told myself it was my imagination. After all I didn't
really know this guy very well and why would he challenge me. I did agree
and since his daughter was marrying my son I decided not to charge him for
anything except the fabrics.

I went shopping for the fabric and used my 40% off coupon to boot. I went
to his house, measured and photographed the seats. The measurements were
transferred to a paper drawing where I worked out some details, then onto
muslin. I cut the muslin a bit larger then I thought I would need. I took
that to his house, fitted the seats, and made a few adjustment notes. I used
the muslin as the pattern to make the two seat covers plus added all the
extra pockets he requested.

The day I delivered the covers he started talking about trading in his truck
for another model. I didn't really believe him because who would ask for
seat covers on a vehicle they planned to trade in? Well, he did just that.
I delivered the covers on July 31st and he traded in the truck on September
13th. I'm convinced this guy didn't want seat covers. I've been learning a
lot about him and his personality from my son. I believe he just wanted to
see if I lied about being able to make the them. If he had to pay for my
labor he wouldn't have been so quick to order those covers knowing in the
back of his pea brain that he wanted to get rid of the vehicle. The day I
found out he traded in the truck for another model I just said "Thank you
God for showing me why I should charge for my time".

I'll keep you posted.

Liz W


.

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