At first I wanted to make a material with a review of Minsk seamstresses and dressmakers. An impressive list was found on one Belarusian website - and, of course, only contacts and services, without recommendations. What would it be like without them?
I wouldn't want to hit the sky with my finger.
If you search by friends - a dead number, in general, almost no one wants to share their treasured phone number with the audience of an entire portal.
I wanted to try to collect interesting - pleasant or creepy - stories about the “customer-dressmaker” relationship, but there are few pleasant ones yet, and the creepy ones are all the same. “I brought them expensive fabric, and they sewed something like this for me!”
I won’t give up on this idea - after all, a good dressmaker is still worth her weight in gold for those who value individuality or have problems with their figure, and password appearances will be useful, as will anti-recommendations. But before the project is implemented, I will tell you about my relationship with custom tailoring. They have been going on for no less than 17 years, albeit with interruptions, so I have something to tell about. Pros, cons, interesting details, useful experience and recommendations!
My first custom-made item (we don’t count everything that my mother knitted for me as a child?) was a school suit at the age of 10 - with a black skirt and a la tweed gray jacket. It was almost immediately followed by the “ceremonial” cream one, in the same configuration.
Looking back, I understand how “age-appropriate” these things were: increase the size - and now my mother can easily wear the clothes.
I'm on the far right. Also with a boyish haircut!
I also had a cute skirt made of dark blue shiny material with lace at the hem - “for going out.”
They all sewed in the same place - in the studio in the Komarovka area. Mom doesn’t remember the name, and it’s not a fact that it’s there now. All that remains in my memory is the long walking road to it, the Manege under construction and the houses on Kuibyshev.
Then... space. The following memories of custom-made items are associated with me at 15 years old. This was the period when we got “our own” dressmaker, and a very good one at that. Her mother was the only one who sewed suits for work.
And for several years we forgot what it was like to buy outerwear - both winter and autumn coats and jackets were sewn by Svetlana.
It was a good raincoat, it just wrinkled shamelessly.
Ummm...don't even ask. But the jacket was beautiful.
The dressmaker sewed beautifully, she selected the accessories herself, and fantastically: you wouldn’t even look at it yourself, but you look at it in its finished form and think, “How can there be anything else here?!”
In this huge barrel of honey there was, of course, a fly in the ointment, even two.
In addition to all her talents, Svetlana had a passion for alcohol and, as a result, frequent missed deadlines. Over time, we began to cheat: if a dress was needed by the 19th, they said it would be by the 2nd, for example. However, this did not eliminate the need to immediately wash or dry clean the items received - in a smoky apartment they were immediately saturated with the smell.
Nevertheless, we used Svetlana’s services for 6-7 years, until she stopped drinking (and sewing for some reason too) and got a job in a kindergarten. During this time, she sewed me 2 coats (including a winter one - denim with fur trim), a blue jacket, a black denim suit with stitching with “metallic” threads (I later turned the jacket from it into a vest and still wear it!), and a dress for school prom, a dress from my grandmother’s old skirt (there will be a story about it later), a cool skirt from old jeans (gray and blue), a dress for my brother’s wedding... I don’t remember everything, but the list is not complete.
School graduation. I'm wearing a pink dress with a la brocade corset and a satin skirt. The dress was nice at the time, but I still think it should have been something simpler and more elegant!
Oddly enough, but this brunette with glasses is me. And this dress still hangs with me.
I embroidered the skirt with ruffles myself, altered it three times and swore that I would never do that again!
For my graduation at the university, another dressmaker, Tatyana, sewed my dress.
There were only disadvantages. For some reason, she sewed her signature tag on the back, and the neckline was low on the back, so the seams were clearly visible. And it was impossible to spank without tearing the fabric!
The bow on the belt was terrible: I tore it off right there and pinned a brooch in its place. The belt was cut horribly and wrinkled, and I could hardly breathe in the dress, they made it so tight!
All that was left was a photo and an unpleasant aftertaste, and I never contacted this dressmaker again.
In 2013, I was looking for a seamstress to sew my collections, and I immediately found two candidates.
The first one - Angelina - had her own atelier, assistants and rather high prices for tailoring (or normal? With my budget at that time everything seemed too steep to me).
My elaborate dresses are her handiwork. They cost me 75-100 dollars (this does not include fabric), and to be honest, some had flaws - mismatched parts, for some reason a lining sewn on the sides at the bottom.
Already familiar to many from one of the publications is a dress with degrade.
Part of the collection was sewn for me by the second dressmaker - Anastasia.
I started ordering things for myself from her again, and so far I have never regretted it.
Firstly, attractive prices. Secondly, the quality of work and professional stubbornness: they won’t give me the thing until it fits not just well, but flawlessly. Thirdly, versatility: being generally a men's tailor, Nastya does an excellent job with dresses, coats, skirts, trousers and everything in general.
Below are examples of her works, of which I am the happy owner.
Red dress for Belarus Fashion Week. The back has a triangular cutout to the middle of the back.
White vest - an old dream
The already mentioned grandmother's skirt. It was longer, the belt was also wool, and, as I wrote above, I turned it into a dress. Which was only worn a couple of times - we had a bad idea of the sleeves.
This year I took it up again and returned things to their former (well, almost) appearance.
Agree - the skirt looks great for being 50 years old!
I'm a fan of circle skirts! I cut it out and sew the sides myself, take it to a seamstress to sew on the waistband, insert a zipper (I hate doing this!) and use an overlocker.
Now I’m just preparing the third beauty!
Dress with whales against the background of a Hermes scarf)
This is my story - and it is not over yet. I will always value custom tailoring: for me it’s easier than finding a specific item in stores (and sometimes cheaper!).
Plus, I have a head full of ideas, and although I no longer design clothes for others, I really enjoy designing them for myself.
If you want to follow my example, but don’t know how to find your “master,” here are a couple of tips (we’ll talk in more detail in the following materials on this topic).
1) If you need something specific (a red dress with an open back, black flared trousers, a blouse with a rose on the right shoulder) - avoid dressmakers who imagine themselves as designer-stylists and impose their opinions. And vice versa: if you want a red dress, but have little idea what style would decorate you and what details would look relevant, contact someone who can not only sew, but also come up with and advise on how to hide certain shortcomings.
2) There is this type of people - slow, a little contemptuous, who do everything with feeling and thoroughly, with an important look and drawl, explain the specifics of your figure and outfit.
They will quite possibly sew you an excellent one. But they will evade in every possible way and dissuade themselves from alterations in the process. If you understand that the item is difficult to fit or finish, look for another candidate, otherwise you will be forced to break through the defense.
3) If you have little experience and don’t know what fabric is best to choose and for what purpose, check right away whether the dressmaker can go to the store with you. Good - maybe. Because she understands that she is the one who then grabs her head, she is the one who tries to explain to the client that the model does not sit down because the fabric is bad. It’s easier to go and choose together.
4) Be clear about all preferences and details. I had a case with the same Svetlana, when I definitely wanted a straight sleeve without a cuff in a denim jacket, but what I got was guess what? With a cuff, of course. Dressmakers often make notes next to your measurements - ask that important things for you (size of buttons and lapels, type of pockets, etc.) be marked too.
And of course, I’m waiting for your questions, advice, etc. in the comments! It is still far from being revealed.
A person is designed in such a way that he rarely has to be satisfied with others, and even less often with himself. It is this quality that allows us to become smarter and stronger from generation to generation. On the other hand, due to eternal dissatisfaction with ourselves, for a long time we cannot find happiness, which lies very close by, but we do not notice it.
One day, a package with a little girl was left on the threshold of the monastery. The nuns raised the orphan, taught her how to skillfully sew and embroider, and work with silk, gold and pearls. The girl was very diligent, she literally put her soul into every stitch. Be it a priest's cassock or scarves for poor parishioners. The nuns praised their pupil, but the girl was still always gloomy. The orphan was often upset that she sat at work for so long. More than anything, the needlewoman wanted to learn how to work not just well, but also quickly. But as soon as she hurried even a little, a stitch or line would go astray, and she would have to start everything over again. The abbess of the monastery, noticing that her pupil was often sad, decided to help her. She asked influential parishioners to find a decent job for the seamstress. By that time, the orphan had turned into a grown girl. Her handicrafts have long been famous throughout the kingdom. And as soon as it became known in the palace that the abbess was releasing a talented pupil into the world, they immediately sent a petition to the monastery so that the skilled needlewoman would be blessed to work in the royal palace. A better fate for the orphan could not have been expected. The girl packed her things and for the first time in her life left the walls of the monastery, which had become her home, school and imprisonment. An old woman in old and dirty clothes was sitting on the steps of the monastery; she asked the girl to give alms. But the orphan had no money, so the needlewoman took an embroidered handbrake from her bundle and gave it to the old woman.
Here, grandma, take this. Sell it and buy yourself some bread.
Thank you, baby,” the beggar woman bowed. – I will pray for you, and may everything you dream about come true.
“I only want one thing,” the girl sighed. – Learn to work well and quickly, faster than anyone else, and tirelessly until the work is completed on time.
Who knows,” the old woman shrugged. “Maybe your wish will indeed come true.”
With that they said goodbye. The girl went to the palace, and the beggar woman went to the market to exchange the offering for food.
The young dressmaker settled into her new place. From early morning until sunset she did not let go of the needle. Other servants joked about the girl:
What, you sleep with a needle?
“I was probably born with it,” the girl answered.
She still tried to work as quickly as possible, but she couldn't do it. When the sun set, the dressmaker lit a dozen candles, and worked at night until sleep and fatigue took the last of her strength. Everything was in vain until one day a strange incident occurred.
While cleaning the workhouse, the maid found a rusty thimble on the floor. She decided that the dressmaker had dropped it and put it in the box where threads and needles were kept.
When the seamstress took out the pins, she didn't even notice anything. So the thimble continued to lie in the box, among pins, spools, needles, ribbons and other small items. But one day, the dressmaker lost her new thimble, and the lining of the robe needed to be hemmed as soon as possible. She tried to pierce the strong fabric with one needle, but nothing worked, only the eye of the needle painfully pricked her fingers. Then the woman began to look through everything that was in her box until she discovered that same old thimble. She tried to put it on, and strangely enough, the thimble fit. Without wasting another minute, the woman got to work. The needle, as if wound up, pierced the king’s robe. And as soon as the clock struck midnight, the work was finished. The servants took the clothes to the bedroom, and the dressmaker fell asleep peacefully. Only because she was tired, she forgot to take the thimble off her finger. And in the morning the woman realized that her entire finger had become iron, like a large thimble. The dressmaker was terribly frightened; she did not know what to do. I had to put a glove on my hand.
When the king was given the robe, he was indescribably delighted. The expensive outfit looked like new. The Emperor ordered the chief butler to thank the dressmaker and award her the title of “Golden Hands.” But the new title turned into a nickname. Now everyone called the dressmaker Zlatoruchka. And the unfortunate woman, sighing bitterly, glanced furtively at the iron finger.
Soon the king was invited to a ball in a neighboring kingdom, and for this occasion, he ordered Golden Hand to sew for him the most expensive and beautiful camisole. Servants brought bales of magnificent silk and brocade, chests with gold threads and pearls. When the dressmaker started work, she was surprised at how well and well she was doing. For three days and three nights she did not feel tired, and her hands traced stitch after stitch, pattern after pattern. Finally, at the end of the third night, the work was finished. The new outfit was taken to the king's chambers. And the seamstress fell fast asleep.
Seeing his outfit, the ruler could not contain his delight. He immediately tried on the camisole and looked in the mirror for more than an hour. When the king's speech returned, he called the chief caretaker.
I'm very happy with my new outfit. Order the seamstress to be called to me.
But, my lord,” the caretaker objected, “it’s not appropriate for you to talk to the servants.” Tell me everything, I will convey your gratitude to her word for word.
And the king agreed. The caretaker woke up Golden Hand, conveyed to her the king’s praises and even presented her with an expensive gift from him. The dressmaker accepted the praise and thanked her for the generous gift. But her joy did not last long. As soon as the woman was left alone, she took off the glove and almost screamed in horror. A rusty thimble has grown over the entire hand. How now to hide such an injury and where to find the right doctor.
Once the cook noticed that the dressmaker was always holding her right hand with her left hand.
What has happened with you? – asked the compassionate woman.
Yes, I probably hit my hand somewhere, that’s why it hurts,” answered Golden Hand.
How can you sew with a sore hand? – the cook shook her head, and then, after thinking a little, she said. - Behind the royal castle there is a small stream, follow it, it will lead you to a small house where an old woman lives. She will definitely help you.
The next day, Golden Hand walked along the stream. And by lunchtime I was already at the house the cook was talking about. The dressmaker knocked on the door, the old woman opened it and invited the guest to enter.
As soon as Golden Hand decided to tell about her misfortune, the healer approached the seamstress and took off the glove from her right hand.
“Yes, yes,” the old woman shook her head. - A familiar thimble. How did he get to you?
“I don’t know,” answered the dressmaker. – One day mine disappeared somewhere, I started looking for it in the box and found this one. But work didn’t wait, so I had to put it on.
This is not a simple thimble,” the old woman explained. – A long time ago, a blacksmith made it for his bride, who was sewing her wedding dress. But the girl turned out to be flighty, she did not have the patience to finish her work, and instead she looked at other suitors. And on the wedding day she ran away. The blacksmith cursed the thimble out of anger and said that anyone who wears it cannot be happy, even if everything she dreamed about comes true.
What should I do now? - the dressmaker cried.
“I can help,” the old woman reassured her, “but you must promise that you will not sew for three whole days and three nights.”
Golden Hand remembered that the king had gone to the ball, and, hoping that he would not return soon, she promised not to work for three days and nights.
But fate decreed otherwise. The king returned the very next day and not alone, but with a beautiful princess whom he was going to marry. By lunchtime, Golden Hand was ordered to take measurements from the future queen and immediately begin sewing the wedding dress. The unfortunate dressmaker, putting gloves on her hands, obediently went to the royal bride's bedroom.
The lovers wanted to get married as quickly as possible, the only thing that held them back was the anticipation of preparations for the holiday. Golden Hand ordered the chief manager to buy the most expensive and rare brocade, thin gold threads, expensive precious stones and rare overseas pearls. The dressmaker hoped that at least two days would pass before the merchants could find everything they needed. But the courtiers wanted to please their sovereign so much that it was as if everything that Golden Hand ordered was pulled out of the ground by the evening of the same day. And the manager hastened to report the agility of his subordinates to the king. The dressmaker was in complete despair, because tomorrow the king would demand a report on her work.
Golden-handed didn’t know what punishment would await her if she couldn’t finish the work on time, but she knew for sure that terrible grief would happen to her as soon as she picked up the needle. Having spent her entire life within the monastery walls, she found solace only in work. Golden Hand looked at the damage, golden threads and precious stones, and she herself already imagined what a beautiful dress she would make if she just started working.
The dressmaker sighed heavily and said: “So this is my fate.” Then Golden Hand took out the box and got to work. With each stitch, the hand became heavier, and unbearable pain pierced into the very heart. But the work went on as usual. Seam by seam, stitch by stitch. At dawn everything was ready.
In the morning, the servants came into the workshop and gasped. In the middle of the room there was a wedding dress hanging on a hanger. Golden patterns topped with precious stones shone on the chic outfit, and to the side of it stood a tin statue of the Golden Hand, only the right hand was golden.
The girl was able to become the best dressmaker in the whole world at any cost. She learned to work well and quickly. But the price of such a dream turned out to be too expensive. For Zlatoruchka, living meant working. She couldn't imagine the other without one. The choice of an unhappy girl can be a lesson for those who do not know what work is. And for those who do not know life without work - a warning.
And the rusty thimble remained forever on the golden ring finger. But since then, dressmakers have taken off their thimbles at night.
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The tale took part in the competition: Grandmother's Tales
I, like probably any other girl, really love beautiful dresses, skirts, and blouses. Of course, one of the main requirements for a new thing is convenience and, undoubtedly, beauty. And I really want no one else to have an outfit like mine.
There are only two ways out of this situation: either order things from fashion designers, or sew them yourself. But what should I do if I don’t have money for designer outfits, and I still haven’t learned how to sew well?
Recently, my friend, who really loves handicrafts, told me that there are completely simple patterns, with the help of which even a schoolgirl can easily sew an outfit. When I found them, I realized that this was an excellent solution for people like me. And after a week, I had 2 new dresses and 1 tunic hanging in my closet, sewn by me personally.
Fashion patterns
That’s why I’ve prepared 12 different patterns for you that even newbie to sewing. A treasure trove of ideas!
Take a closer look at the stylish new items in clothing stores, and you will see that many, at first glance, complex things are actually very simple to make. To implement these ideas you don’t have to be a pro, just have basic sewing skills. At the same time, such simple patterns are an excellent opportunity to dress stylishly without breaking the bank, and at the same time show your creativity and sense of taste and style.
Don't forget to please your friends with a good opportunity replenish your wardrobe stylish new products that you can easily handle with your own hands. Which version of the patterns did you personally like? I would be glad if you share your opinion with us in the comments.
I promised to compare prices for sewing dresses from different specialists and in different studios. I wanted to make a table for clarity, but something didn’t work out for me, so here’s the text.
I warn you that I found all the craftswomen via the Internet, I checked the prices for sewing one dress (not wholesale). For clarity, I took two dresses (photo on the right-->), which differ in labor intensity; I indicate the average prices for the segment (folded, divided, rounded). The price did not include the price of the fabric (a separate post will also need to be written on this topic along the way).
So, let's begin:
Atelier in a residential area of Moscow
8000rub.
6000 rub.
When the saleswoman chewing an eclair told me the price, I almost fell, but after some thought the logic of such pricing became clear to me. You yourself have probably turned to local tailors more than once to have your trousers hemmed or a hole patched in your coat - it usually costs from 300 to 500 rubles, which is quite acceptable. The high price for the dress arose from the fact that this was non-core work for this establishment. Simple stitches and hems are done in 10 minutes and do not require skill, while the whole thing requires effort and a specialist (which this office does not have on staff). Even if some madman orders himself a thing for such a sum, then most likely it is sewn in another specialized studio, and the price is set in such a way as to ensure a margin for both the studio that accepted the order and the performer of the work.
Atelier/master in Moscow, found by request on Instagram or a search engine
1. Dress with sleeves, collar and cuffs - 5000 rub.
2. Sleeveless dress with a circle skirt - 3500 rub.
This cost tells us that the atelier or dressmaker considers himself a high-quality craftsman, capable of creating a dress/item that is superior in cut and fit to a mass-market store product. They have their own premises, a website, for the customer this is perceived as a guarantee of high-quality work and that the studio will not run away anywhere after the advance payment is made. Such studios like to emphasize the uniqueness of their products, but this, of course, is not the main thing.
Often the quality of such things lags behind the cost. The price clearly determines the circle of consumers-customers - these are mainly ladies who receive from 50,000 rubles. and having time to stop by a couple of times at leisure after work for a fitting. Moreover, fitting is more of a ritual and a tribute to tradition in such ateliers, because few people customize the item to suit the customer. And whoever customizes it costs from 20,000 rubles. and clients come to him based on recommendations.
Seamstress/dressmaker from Moscow, found on Avito
1. Dress with sleeves, collar and cuffs - 4000 rub.
2. Sleeveless dress with a circle skirt - 3000 rub.
Often these are adequate mediocre craftsmen who accept orders from ateliers and rare birds from Avito and sew them at home. It’s rare that they have a website, more often a VKontakte and Instagram page with samples of work. They don’t have to pay rent, get up at 7 am for work, or prove something to their boss, so their prices are reasonable and you can easily discuss details with them, agree on cut, fabric, etc. True, there is a catch here - you can run into an irresponsible bully who will disappear after prepayment, but here I advise you to pay attention - when and how a person answers questions, how he reacts to deadlines. By the way, literacy is also an important factor for me. Not canonical, but such a basic intuitive one.
Seamstress/dressmaker from Yekatrinburg or Tomsk or another city away from the capitals
Dress with sleeves, collar and cuffs - 2000 rub.
Sleeveless dress with circle skirt - 1000 rub.
They are no different from Moscow seamstresses, except that you will have to spend money on sending fabric and dresses, they will sew according to your measurements, and discuss them by mail or via VKontakte. But a talented master can do everything cool based on your photo. Again, another dilemma arises here - how to pay, and what if they are deceived? I gave a 50% advance payment along with the fabric, but before that I talked with the girls and in the process of this communication I became convinced of their adequacy and sanity.
Total:
Here, guys, is a visual gradation of how people evaluate their work and skill depending on their own marketing capabilities. I note that the quality of work is weakly related to the cost of work. How the cost of things on the counter is not related to their cost. My seamstress, for example, is now simultaneously sewing dresses that sell for 15k, things like that.
Well, all my stories about the store can be read by tag
Working for several years as a cutter and dressmaker in his own studio and gaining experience as sew a dress to order, Communicating not only with the customer, but also with hired workers, I want to tell you how not to be disappointed with custom-made clothes.
“He who pays calls the tune” - always remember this when you discuss your future suit or dress with the seamstress.
Choose a trusted tailor, preferably on the recommendation of friends. If you see a friend in a custom-made suit that fits her stunningly, grab her with a bulldog grip until she gives up and tells you who made the suit. Believe me, it is very difficult to find a good master. A master can sew a product of very high quality, but if the product does not fit well on the figure, it will not decorate your figure in any way; it is better to let the quality of the workmanship suffer, but the suit fits like a glove. It is ideal, of course, to combine both quality and fit, but this is extremely rare. Remember that the dressmaker is your ally, your secret weapon, a sculptor and a real fairy.
When taking measurements, wear the underwear in which you will wear this product; for the first and subsequent fittings, wear the underwear in which you took measurements. You should also wear tights (if you wear them with this product), especially if they have drawstrings, they will make your waist and hips smaller, in some cases up to 3 cm.
Tell her what you would like to emphasize and what to hide, what sleeve cut you like, and what you want in the end. A picture from the Internet or a magazine clipping will help you understand each other better. It is important not to blindly follow the whims of fashion, but to take into account the main trends. Agree on fittings - how many there will be
and when, within what limits will the cost of your product be, from which the price may increase, it is better to pay in full at the second fitting, so the dressmaker will not have a chance to raise the price any more.
When trying on, be collected and very picky, do not let the process take its course, your tastes and the tastes of the dressmaker may not coincide, but you will wear the suit. If you don’t like something, be sure to tell the master about it. Raise your hand, can you raise it? Doesn't it feel tight in the shoulders, but in the back? Do you like the reflection in the mirror, but what about from the back?
If you and the dressmaker have worked together, be sure to say that you will come again sew a dress to order, then she won’t have to get rid of your suit pattern, and in the future you will save yourself and her a lot of time. Or ask for a pattern, possibly for a fee.
Ask for a business card, preferably several, and ask if your friends can call and order something too. Perhaps you will receive a discount next time and most likely the status of a regular customer, and regular customers are served without waiting in line.
Now go into battle, or rather, search for a dressmaker and may luck overtake you!
