I am looking to help a friend get started sewing for Home Dec shops near Duluth MN. She is young and just getting started but she can sew! She needs help with her price list for that area.
Does any one on here do that sort of work near there? this might be a far fetched request but you all have helped me before!
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Or...
anyone willing to help with pricing for a less populated city than a Metropolitan??? :)
Edited 3/26/2008 4:32 pm ET by Flax
Edited 3/26/2008 4:32 pm ET by Flax
I'm from NW Wisconsin and familiar with Duluth and NE Minnesota--I have a daughter in Duluth. The general state of our economy is depressed just like the rest of the country. Duluth is a weird place because it's got a tremendous tourist industry but the local community is not particularly wealthy. It does have three colleges in the area, (UM-Duluth, St. Scholastica, and UW-Superior) so there is a high percentage of professionals in the area. I think that your daughter needs to decide for herself what she's willing to work for and then see if it will fly. The real question is how much demand is there in the area for the kind of sewing she plans to do and I have no answer for that.
If there are any State Historical Sites in the area, they will frequently pay a fair price for correct historical reproductions, to be worn on-site.
Re-inactment folks of every sort (Revolutionary, Civil War, Sherlock Holmes, 1870's) will usually be willing to pay for high quality, extremely well researched, accurate to the period, fine clothing.
I had a successful sewing business, here in the K.C area, until "Casual Fridays" evolved into "Casual Monday through Sundays". Not only women's suits, Sunday dresses, and party clothes, I made a lot of wedding and special occasional dresses too. Trouble is now-a-days, $150.00 buys a decent 'off the rack' special occasion dress and at $10.00 an hour, that's not even 2 days wages, forgetting the cost of the fabric and findings...........
I have worked in the Theater department of a local college, and was paid by the semester. I enjoyed the work very much, and loved being with the young 18-20somethings. When I actually figured out the amount of time I spent in the "costume shop", and thus the houly wage, I'd have been much better of working at JoAnn's.
Some will pay for beading or fine and special handwork, but usually not more than minimum wage, as it is percieved as a hobby or pass-time, not a profession.
Many folks value a "bargan" more highly then "quality" goods or workmanship.
For some reason it is more acceptable to BRAG about the $4.00 denim dress found at a Thrift Shop, than to admire the wormanship of a finely detailed, classic garment that will withstand the test of time.
I'm sorry about that.
I guess that is why I like the back page of Threads, so very much.
Seamstresses have families to support and bills to pay, too!
I'm afraid my advice would be for her to get a job, and sew to satisfy herself. Gail
I have a sewing business in Duluth. MN. I do custom dressmaking, alterations, and some home dec sewing. I would be more than happy to talk to ####young seamstress! My shop # is 218-726-1967. Patty
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