Pros and cons of working as a tailor from home. Creative profession: seamstress

Hello everyone, there is a need to answer a question that baffles many needlewomen. Especially those who are at a crossroads: What will happen if I change my office with a computer to work as a seamstress at home. For many, a rosy picture immediately appears before their eyes: how you are sitting in a rocking chair, sewing beautiful dresses, while receiving only joyful emotions: no boss over your soul and no harmful radiation from the monitor screen. I wanted to drink some coffee, use some scissors, and now my couture dress is ready.

I once took a step that changed my professional activity by 180 degrees - from a bank employee to a tailor. From the outside it looked cool! This was what I really wanted to do all my adult life, one might say I realized a childhood dream. And now I can say with confidence that working at a sewing machine is in no way inferior to clicking on keys in front of a monitor screen. And the fact that there is no formidable boss standing next to me does not mean that I can be relaxed and peaceful, as if I were at a spa resort. On the contrary, I would even say that when you become the master of your time, the burden of responsibility increases significantly! I cannot let a client down on deadlines, go on sick leave, or simply ask for time off for family reasons.

Also, for those who work for themselves, searching and attracting clients, working with social networks, photography and editing are added to the main work. These little things also take a lot of time, so if you decide to work from home, you will have to learn a bunch of professional skills that are not at all related to sewing.

For those who have seriously decided to choose the profession of seamstress at home, I am publishing 5 pros and 9 disadvantages of working as a seamstress at home. Perhaps this knowledge will help you remove the rainbow curtain and imagine the real reality that you will have to face in your future work.

10 disadvantages of working as a seamstress at home

Bad news first, friends. Because there are more downsides.

Minus 1. Great responsibility

If you decide to build up your client base, then you must always remember the main principle - you cannot let the client down. The client can be irresponsible (do not warn about delays, forget about deadlines, forget about payment), believe me, I have had many of them. But you can always cross it off your list, although this rarely happened to me. Usually the customers apologized and changed for the better) And you, if you really want to have an established and profitable business, you cannot let the client down. This applies to everything: deadlines, promises, agreements, etc. Even if I happen to get overwhelmed and forget to answer someone, I write a message, apologize and come to an agreement. Believe me, seeing your conscientious attitude to work, people will be drawn to you and trust you.

Minus 2. Petty work

Among professional seamstresses, handwork today accounts for almost half of the entire sewing process. Even if we now have professional equipment at hand, it will not be able to sew beads onto lace or baste a collar on a coat. Some people enjoy embroidering and working by hand with a needle and thread, but others are in a hurry and don’t like long processes. Before you can sew one well-fitting dress, you will have to prick your fingers with pins and do a lot of hand stitches.

Minus 3. Care when cutting

“Measure twice, cut once” is a saying that needs to be repeated like a mantra before each cutting. You have no chance of making a mistake once you start cutting fabric - there is no turning back. Ready-made patterns on fabric cannot be changed. You can adjust the width, but you can’t make a long skirt out of a short skirt. The customer always brings the fabric back to back; he will not buy an extra meter of fabric so that you can recut it. Your mistake - you correct it yourself. What if the fabric is expensive and costs more than the labor fee? Cutting is an important stage in the work, double-check yourself before picking up the scissors.

Minus 4. Cleanliness in the workplace

Cleaning a seamstress's workplace should be a daily ritual. If you sew at home, ideally you can have a separate room, your own workshop, where your family members don’t have to go in unnecessarily. When work is in full swing, you don’t notice the pins falling on the floor, and then someone might step on you and get a painful prick. Or if you have a light-colored fabric to work with, and there are lint from the coat fabric left on the table, they can stick to it and turn the snow-white fabric into gray. Therefore, at the end of each working day, I pick up a vacuum cleaner and collect garbage from under the table, go over all the countertops, and even vacuum the sewing machines.

There is also no need to have tea parties on your desk. And if you lubricate the parts of the sewing machine with machine oil, then wipe the needle and the plate under the foot.

Minus 5. Misunderstanding of others

At first, when I was just taking my first steps in tailoring, I had few orders. Therefore, friends and relatives became customers. I sewed for them for a small fee in order to fill my hand and recoup my work. To be honest, it was not an easy time, because I had to learn a lot on my own and therefore I sewed for a long time, and spent a lot of strength and energy. And so, the payment for my work was not great (although I tried very hard, and all the things were sewn very carefully, I still look at my first works and see that there is nothing to complain about), my motivation sometimes fell. I thought why do I need this.

But then time passed, I got real clients, and there were a lot of orders. But my friends still wanted to sew a dress from me cheaply, and often for free. For them, my work seemed like a passion or a hobby, something frivolous, which means they thought that they didn’t have to pay me. So I sent an entire wardrobe to two relatives, and when I told them about payment, they made an offended face, turned around and left.

Even in the kindergarten where I took my daughter, the teachers often asked them to sew robes or something else. Yes, I can help once, but if they start interfering with their requests just because: “But Emily’s mom sews. Why should we order from the studio?” we had to refuse. Now I no longer say at parent meetings that I sew. It’s easier for everyone to be an accountant from a past life)

Minus 6. Sewing everything

When those around you find out that you sew, they begin to think that you sew everything - the entire range of sewing products, plus you also repair clothes. Sometimes they even brought me sandals because the lipuns had come off. When politely refusing, for example, to sew curtains, I heard the answer: “There are only two seams.” What can we say, the most common requests are to change zippers, buttons, mend, shorten, adjust to size. At first I took it, and then I realized that I was spending a huge amount of time on this activity, for free, of course. But this is not a matter of payment.

I started to refuse, saying, if you need clothes repaired, go to a studio, shoe repairs, go to a shoe repair shop.

I also do not sew gymnastic sets or costumes for animators. There is a different technology, cut and, first of all, the craftsman must have a desire to sew these things. I have my own niche, I chose it according to what resonated in my soul. I sew dresses, shirts, skirts because I love sewing these things.

Minus 7. Invite clients to your home

If you are a home-based seamstress, then the inevitable fact is that all your customers will come to your home. And not just once, mind you. After all, the first time the client comes to place an order and take measurements, the second time to try on, and the third time to pick up the finished item. And this is in the best case, when the product fits perfectly after one try on. It turns out that one stranger will come to your home at least three times. And your own house thus turns into a passage yard. Therefore, before deciding to run a business from home, consult with your household whether they are ready for this situation.

Minus 8. Lack of social services. package and formation of future pension

If you decide to work as a seamstress at home, then you will have to take care of transferring payments to the pension fund yourself. Of course, no one will impose fines on you for working from home and not paying taxes. But when you are your own boss, in order not to find yourself broke in old age, you will have to make monthly contributions to the Pension Fund on your own. Of course, someone thinks differently on this issue, thinking that the state condemns pensioners to meager pensions. But decide for yourself whether you need at least some kind of support from the state or whether you will rely on yourself.

Minus 9. Lack of communication

A person who works from home is often deprived of communication with other people. You can say that now many people are going freelance, when the work involves the absence of an office and a team. Yes, friends, the trends of the modern world are such that you can earn money even while sitting on the couch at home. But if you draw energy from conversations with other people and cannot imagine your life without communication, then most likely working as a seamstress at home is not your profile.

Minus 10. Deterioration of relationships with spouse and household members

Another big disadvantage that comes with working as a freelancer. After all, what working from home is like is an opportunity to relax in terms of clothes and wear the same T-shirt for weeks. If you don’t go out in public, then you don’t have to waste time on your hair, but wear a bun on your head, it’s good if you can wash your hair once every three days. A man loves with his eyes, but how can you love an eternally unkempt woman?

On the other hand, in addition to fulfilling orders, a woman also needs to take care of household chores and children. Therefore, working as a seamstress at home can turn you into a domestic servant. Often, a seamstress at home is perceived by loved ones as a non-working person. Any family member can calmly distract you while working on a trivial matter. After all, for them, visually, you are at home. On this basis, you can become a frantic, hysterical wife, torn between family and work.

5 advantages of working as a seamstress at home

If sewing is your favorite activity, then the work, despite all the disadvantages, will still give you pleasure. And what other pleasant moments exist in working as a seamstress at home, read on.

Plus 1. Beauty

If you love beauty in detail, then you will love working with fabrics. Sometimes customers bring such amazing pieces of material that the eye is delighted. This is especially true for lace fabrics, where the fabric itself is already art. I like to lay out an ornament from lace appliqués on a dress, embroider with beads - and see how the pattern becomes voluminous and luxurious. At such moments you can enjoy your work. Most of the photos on social networks with the caption #I love my job are under such dresses.

And when working with coupon fabric, you can arrange the design on the fabric in such a way that it is possible to advantageously emphasize the advantages of the customer’s figure. This is also a very interesting moment in the work.

Plus 2. Freedom

Despite the fact that the schedule of a seamstress at home is very busy, I can still plan my working hours myself. You can structure your working day in such a way that you do most of the work today and be free tomorrow. Not every profession will allow you to not be tied to an office and still earn good money.

You don’t have to get up at seven in the morning, there’s no hustle and bustle of minibuses and traffic jams. And also the concept of a long-awaited weekend. You are your own boss, and many people, looking at such prospects, may envy you.

Plus 3. Budget savings and loved ones are always dressed

In fact, having a seamstress in the house is very beneficial for the family. Relatives will always be dressed, and if you have a growing daughter and she is having a graduation ceremony in the garden, then the problem with the outfit can be solved in one evening. Sewing for your children is generally a great pleasure. Firstly: you always buy good and natural fabric and sew clothes in which he will not sweat, and therefore will not get sick. Secondly: the child will differ from all others in appearance for the better. He will have one such skirt, the most beautiful dress and an unusual sweatshirt. You also don’t need to bother with gifts; you can sew an outfit for your niece or a coat for your mother. A sea of ​​joy and adoration is guaranteed.

Plus 4. Budget savings and your own DIY wardrobe

Probably the main advantage for everyone is the opportunity to sew your own clothes. When I learned to sew professionally, the first thing I did was sew myself a dress that I had long wanted to have, but couldn’t find in stores. And then I got into gear and started sewing skirts, blouses, coats and jackets for myself. Now my closet consists of 80% hand-sewn clothes. And I love all these things because they are tailored to my figure, I chose the fabric myself, I came up with the model myself. It's cool when you have the opportunity to sew yourself any thing you want!

Don't rape your soul with something other than your profession. A profession should initially be an act of love. And not a marriage of convenience. And before it’s too late, don’t forget that the work of your whole life is not a business, but a life. Haruki Murakami

Plus 5. There is always work

Working as a seamstress at home is a craft that will always feed you. There will be a crisis in the country, unemployment, but people will still need sewing services. Even if the demand for sewing dresses falls, some other orders will appear, smaller ones, but in larger quantities. Sewing will always consistently generate income; you definitely won’t be left without your piece of bread - because the skill is here, in your hands. And it won’t get away from you anywhere!

Business plan on how to make money by sewing at home

And for those who want to have a step-by-step guide to action that will lead you to a good result, I made a business plan for sewing. In it you will find answers to the questions: how to make money by sewing at home; how to sell your products at a high price; how to start working for yourself as a seamstress; what is easiest to sew on a machine so that you can sell it later, etc. You will find out what the risks of seamstressing at home are and you can avoid them; find out how much money you need to invest in a seamstress business at home, what equipment and tools you need, etc.

Profession seamstress

Who doesn't want to look beautiful, fashionable and elegant? This problem can be solved by a professional seamstress. It is to them, the “mistresses of needles,” that we owe our favorite trousers, luxurious dresses, formal blouses and... this list can be endless. The colorful and rich world in which the seamstress lives and rules is all kinds of fabrics, leather, threads, buttons, patterns, flounces and ruffles. By bringing together all these elements, the seamstress will provide us with a comfortable or, on the contrary, extravagant outfit. As soon as she sits down at the sewing machine, beautiful and practical things appear, without which it is impossible to imagine our life.

The need for sewing services arose when man first came up with the idea of ​​protecting his body with some kind of clothing - in the Stone Age. Back then, everyone was their own seamstress, but over time, new fabrics, new technologies appear, and, naturally, more serious demands are placed on clothes and their tailoring, which only an experienced craftsman can satisfy. The first sewing factory appeared in the 19th century - it was then that the seamstress profession became in demand.…

The seamstress profession is now in great demand; there is work for them in factories and small private firms, in ateliers and in individual tailoring. Workers in this specialty can sew not only clothes, but also shoes, leather goods accessories, car seat covers and many other things. Dresses, coats, trousers, bags, fur coats and sheepskin coats - all this is the work of seamstresses.

Even stitches, pattern matching, knowledge of the intricacies of sewing technology and the ability to independently eliminate basic sewing machine malfunctions are the main requirements for seamstresses. To this we can safely add accuracy and patience, as well as a willingness to quickly switch from one operation to another.

The ability to sew any item you like for yourself or your family is an advantage of being a seamstress. And the most vulnerable place of skilled seamstresses is their eyes and back, so they need to be given rest, and also remember to perform simple physical and relaxing exercises.

To master sewing skills, you can use one of several options: amateur courses will allow you to make clothes for yourself and your loved ones at home; various school-based training centers and vocational technical schools open the doors of clothing factories or ateliers. Another option is practical training directly at a sewing enterprise, where you can gradually grow from a “student” to a “master.” The professionalism of a seamstress is determined by its rank, from 1 to 5.

If you have the skills to sew something, then you will most likely be able to earn money by sewing. But first of all, you need to learn how to start working as a seamstress and find your first client.

At the beginning of the journey, all seamstresses make mistakes, and there is a high probability that you will soon quit this thankless job. No clients - no salary. Today I will tell you a simple and profitable way from my personal experience.

• Where to find your client?
• Conclusion

Who can become a home-based seamstress?

Perhaps for some I will say something different from what is usually told. But I have experience working as a seamstress at home, and I started my career in an atelier. So I studied this issue on both sides. So just believe)

And here is the first thought that is common to the “frequently encountered opinion.” Many people are sure that to work as a seamstress at home, you need to be very skilled at sewing. This skill is always first on the list. But what do we actually see?

The fact is that sewing is a very versatile thing. If you know how to sew well, for example, does this mean that you will be a good seamstress? Not at all. So-called “seamstresses with many years of experience” often come to me for cutting and sewing courses, but they do not know how to sew custom-made clothes.

Sewing and the ability to make clothes to measure are two completely different things. If you, an ordinary person, are now given a drawing of a pattern, you will not understand anything there.

And vice versa, if you give the same pattern to a cutter, he will understand everything that is drawn there without words, just from the drawings and calculations.

This leads to the main idea - in order to be a seamstress, you don’t need to know sewing very well. But you definitely need to have a good understanding of the niche you have chosen for sewing.

Does a seamstress need to have a higher sewing education?

Here’s your next “out-of-the-box thought.” In fact, a higher sewing education only prevents you from doing tailoring. Unfortunately it is so. If you are an artist or designer by education, or even an economist, you have a high probability of being a high-quality seamstress than a graduate of the Institute of Design and Fashion.

You may ask, but how can this be? Imagine a person who spent five years learning to create clothes and may have already released his first collection. And he thinks that he has definitely learned how to sew. This certified specialist with his wealth of knowledge comes to the employer - and there he is told that all his diplomas and certificates are worthless.

And that he is given the smallest salary. Mere pennies, just enough for bread and water. Yes, what did you want, they tell him. Learn to sew first - they shout after you.

Imagine the state and collapse of all this man’s hopes. Consequently, he decides that seamstresses are simply not in demand today. And he leaves to teach or become a marketer.

Now imagine another person - an art graduate - he also wants to sew. And I also inform him that for now he is only capable of holding pins and sweeping floors, and that accordingly no one is going to pay him a lot of money. And this artist... agrees. Because he agrees that he doesn’t have any special knowledge or experience yet. And he begins to observe, get better at it, and over time becomes a high-class tailor with a high salary.

Therefore, if you do not have a higher sewing education, this is only a plus. You are more likely to succeed in the sewing business.

What if there is no niche knowledge?

As I said above, it is not necessary to sew very well, but it is important to understand the niche. What to do if you don’t have any basic skills yet? Do I need to get additional education?

You understand that you need to study. But my advice to you is to teach from the battlefield. That is, start sewing shirts or boudoir dresses, and after 3 - 5 orders, you yourself will begin to understand the technology of sewing these things perfectly.

Yes, at first you will sit with books on sewing technology and surf the Internet, but then you will see that the technology is the same everywhere, and the patterns are the same. And you will start sewing in your niche literally “with your eyes closed.”

Agree, this is better than sitting at a desk for five years, preparing for exams and writing term papers. And you will still earn money!

Moreover, you have not yet decided what you want to become - an economist, a seamstress or a stylist? Studying at the institute for five years is too expensive. Therefore, make good use of your first working time as a seamstress at home in order to decide on a niche.

Now, let's take a step-by-step look at how to find your first client and become a seamstress at home.

Where to find your first clients?

Seamstresses have two common types of clients—customers. The first is customers from the studio (firms, private owners). The second is direct customers.

Most seamstresses prefer to work through an atelier (firm, private owner). This is the easiest, but least paid option. The atelier is an intermediary between the client and the seamstress, so it pays little.

Of course, there are different ateliers. For example, the most high-class atelier in our city charges a lot for sewing a dress. But to work for them, you must have very good recommendations and a portfolio.

You most likely won’t be able to start collaborating with direct clients right away. Because there you have to do marketing, advertising, and make a name for yourself. We will have to devote ourselves to these important issues. So there will be no time left to sew and earn money.

Therefore, the best choice at first is an atelier. But there are some nuances here.

How to get a job in an atelier in your city

Ateliers are very picky about beginners in sewing. In order to somehow protect themselves from novice seamstresses, they set the conditions “from 1-3 years of experience as a tailor or seamstress.”

If you give them your resume and attach photos of your work, they will not bother with your attention. Firstly, your resume must be written correctly.

Secondly, you don’t have to take the word for everything that is stated in the requirements for tailors/seamstresses in the atelier. Most likely, they will agree to work with you, even if you have no experience at all. The main thing is to find the right approach.

That is, the studio may risk giving you a job if they have no choice. All the seamstresses and tailors at the studio are busy, but a client came with an order, and there was no one to sew it.

At this moment, the studio begins to hire new seamstresses. If you have an interesting, good portfolio and resume, then most likely they will turn to you to complete the order.

And this will be your first step on the path to prosperity and success.

By the way, what “millions” can a novice seamstress at home count on?

How much can you earn from sewing?

Classic version, friends, I have two news for you - which one should we start with? The bad thing is that they won’t pay you much. When novice seamstresses find out what prices they will have to work at, their jaws drop in surprise.

How so?! Only 1000 rubles for a dress? Yes, this is titanic work - to sit and understand patterns, cut, sew, study sewing technology. Who came up with the idea of ​​paying seamstresses for pennies?

The money of a freelance seamstress is different money. You actually earn them.

In fact, not just any studio will offer you 1000 rubles. Some will pay even less. In addition, the studio justifies the “heaviness” of labor by the fact that the seamstress simply does not yet know how to work. Once you learn how to sew, you’ll develop speed and you’ll be able to sew a dress in half an hour)

How much time do you think a factory should spend on sewing one thing? There is a standard according to which a dress cut at the waist with sleeves and a hidden zipper can and should be sewn in two hours. If a worker does not meet this time, it means she is a bad seamstress and may be fired. That's it!

And if this is your first dress in your life, it will seem like it’s just titanic work. A novice seamstress will cut out several pieces in a day and faint from fatigue. But with experience, the picture is completely different. An experienced seamstress can easily sew five dresses a day (especially if they all belong to the same niche, such as boudoir or bridesmaids).

Ultimately, the profit for such a seamstress will be very high. In addition, she will work from home, in comfortable conditions, without managers and a schedule from 7 a.m. - which is a big plus.

Yes, I still have good news for you! If the studio likes you, they will agree to raise your earnings, higher than other employees. In some cases even much higher. But how to become the atelier's favorite?

How can you earn twice as much?

An interesting question is, what is the client willing to pay for? By the way, this is the third and last interesting thought in this article.

Many seamstresses will say that the client will pay “for quality.” And they will be 1000% wrong. In fact, the “quality” of sewing is an even more multifaceted concept than the “level of sewing knowledge.”

The most important thing that clients will pay for is responsibility. And I will always say that. If you take an order and complete it by the agreed date, you are loved. If you don’t shirk from work and don’t disappear from sight of the studio for two weeks, you will never be ignored.

It is very difficult to find such a seamstress. The studio will be afraid of losing you. And therefore, when you say “a little” to increase your rate for tailoring, the atelier will unanimously agree. With these very “little bits” you can earn twice as much as other seamstresses. Therefore, be a responsible worker. Employers value this quality above all else.

Work plan for a seamstress based on the example of one niche

Let's take as an example one business idea to start - tailoring clothes for Muslim women. This type of activity has a number of advantages:

• A clear target audience, which means you can intelligently think through advertising and marketing, that is, everything without unnecessary gestures
• Accordingly, you can think of a good product line with goods
• You can prepare in advance good basic patterns for “your” clients, that is, make a list of all the women who go to the mosque and who simply need appropriate clothing for prayers and walks
• In addition to clothing for Muslim women, nikah dresses, Muslim swimsuits, prayer mats, scarves, shoes, etc. will be an excellent addition to your business.
• Clothes for Muslim women require large expenditures on fabrics, because all dresses must cover the legs and arms completely, but they can be sewn from inexpensive fabrics such as knitwear and staples. Also, the cut is the same, does not require a fit to the figure, you can sew quickly and without darts. The emphasis in such clothes can be on decor. But in terms of cost, such things are expensive.

What you need to get started:

• Basic patterns. There are plenty of them on the Internet, the main thing is to check the fit
• Sewing machine, overlock

Marketing and advertising

• website and advertising in search engines. One-page landing page made for key queries
• High-quality and interesting content on social media. networks
• Active advertising on . Prepare in advance, take business cards, think about gifts.
• Affiliate. Make a list of partners, draw up a competent conversation script and go ahead. Offer good mutually beneficial conditions: barter advertising, joint events and master classes, exchange of client base. Who are your partners - mosques and events related to Muslim themes, thematic groups in social media. networks
• Make cold calls throughout the database. Come up with your own bonus, for example, a free visit and fitting, a gift of prayer mats, rosary beads, etc.

I hope my article has brought some clarity to the question of how to become a freelance seamstress at home, and how to develop the right approach to business in order to become a highly paid specialist.

Business plan on how to make money by sewing at home

And for those who want to have a step-by-step guide to action that will lead you to a good result, I made a business - a sewing plan. In it you will find answers to the questions: how to make money by sewing at home; how to start working for yourself as a seamstress; what is easiest to sew on a machine so that you can sell it later, etc. You will find out what the risks of seamstressing at home are and you can avoid them; find out how much money you need to invest in a seamstress business at home, what equipment and tools you need, etc. And I would like to end this article with a quote from Jim Carrey:

My father could have become a great comedian, but he didn't believe it was possible, so he made a cautious choice - he chose a "safe" job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was fired from this secure job. I learned a lot from him, and one of the main lessons is that you can screw up what you don't like. Therefore, you should try your luck in what you like. Because everything you achieve in life will die and become dust. Only what was in your heart will remain. There are only two paths before you - love and fear. Choose love and never let fear get in the way of a light heart.

Today magazine IQR brings to your attention a story that is not typical for our time. It is common among young people to start a business without knowledge, rushing headlong into the pool. No one wants to first study their specialty, practice their profession, and only then open their own business. Meanwhile, this is a traditional path valued in the West. We thought for a long time about which section to put this material in - “” or “”? In general, we will talk about building a business based on professional experience. But first of all, this is a story about a beloved profession. The heroine of the material will tell you the rest herself.

My name is Evgenia Vladimirovna, I am 48 years old, I live in the city of Ussuriysk, and I have been working as a cutter-tailor for almost 30 years. From early childhood I constantly sewed, cut, embroidered something. My dolls were the most fashionable and richly dressed, to the envy of my girlfriends. The secret was that there was an atelier next to my house, and every evening the cleaning lady brought out a pile of multi-colored scraps of fabric into a container that stood at the entrance. Despite the general shortage, you could find any kind of fabric in the container. Brocade, velvet, pieces of fur. Probably, it was then that my dream of becoming a tailor was born. In the workers' village where I lived, there was no educational institution for training tailors or even seamstresses. And these, as it turns out, are different professions. I'll talk about this a little later.

Where can I become a tailor?

Profession tailor

What is the difference between a seamstress and a tailor?

After finishing 8th grade, I entered vocational school No. 28 in the city of Ussuriysk, where in less than three years I learned to be a seamstress. It was then that I realized that being a seamstress was not exactly what I had dreamed of. I wanted to become a tailor.

A tailor differs from a seamstress in having higher qualifications; he can cut a product according to ready-made patterns, sew a product from start to finish, while a seamstress specializes in performing a specific sewing operation. As a rule, a tailor works in an atelier for repairing and sewing clothes according to individual orders, and a seamstress works in conditions of mass, continuous production in a factory, where all operations of the sewing process are clearly distributed among workers.

Specialty tailor-cutter

I wanted to learn how to do everything myself - from start to finish. Having trained as a seamstress, I entered a technical school. Three years later she received the specialty of a cutter-tailor. Now I knew and could do everything necessary for sewing clothes. I could design and cut any model. In any case, I was sure of it.

I don’t regret at all that I started learning the profession from the very beginning, because the intricacies of sewing later became very useful in my work life. I learned to understand fabrics, the intricacies of caring for them, I knew what number of needles and threads to choose when working with a particular fabric. I knew how to set up any sewing machine, adjust the stitching - in a word, I was not afraid of ruining the thing. Getting the profession of a cutter-tailor, I learned how to create patterns, take measurements, and make changes to existing patterns. I was completely ready for mine.

Employment and joy at work

My first workplace was an outerwear sewing studio. I found a job easily, because upon graduation I received a diploma with honors. Still would! I studied with great pleasure.

Then I didn’t understand why the manager was very happy that I had never worked in a factory in continuous production. It turns out that by working in one operation, girls lose the skills they acquire in educational institutions.

After working in a factory, getting a job in a studio will be much more difficult. At first I worked as a seamstress in a studio. The cutter brought me ready-made, cut parts. I just had to first sew them “on a living thread”. After the first fitting, if everything turned out to fit, the seams were sewn together until they were ready.

I didn’t work with the atelier’s clients; all the steps involved in discussing and sketching the model were carried out by the cutter. He did the fitting. I really liked the work, but still I wanted more. I wanted to cut the products myself, offer clients models and options that were born in my head right on the spot.

Career growth in a tailoring studio

Sitting over the sewing machine, I thought that here I could offer a more interesting product, and here I could add a finishing stitch. However, soon the head of the studio noted my work and transferred me to cutters.

At first, my mentor, an experienced cutter, helped me, but after six months I was able to work on my own. It was very interesting for me to work with customers. Of course, not all clients agreed to accept my ideas and suggestions, but there were also those who asked for advice. And here I gave free rein to my imagination. And again I didn’t feel completely satisfied, because it wasn’t me who sewed the things!

How I opened my atelier

Sewing a dress in an atelier

The decision came only in the late 90s, when I was able to open my own atelier. I didn’t experience any particular difficulties with customers; by that time I already had many clients who wanted to sew clothes exclusively from me. I invited a few girls and we started working. Of course, it was not easy for me. In addition to the fact that I sewed orders, I had to control the quality of the work of my employees (I really valued the reputation of the atelier), (at the first stage I could not afford to hire a specialist), meet and see off clients.

When things started to take off, I hired an accountant to handle my financial and tax affairs. I hired a sweet and smiling girl at the reception who was very knowledgeable about fashion and knew how to communicate with clients. Now I could completely devote myself to what I love. And you know, even 30 years later, it is still just as beloved and interesting to me.

Is the game worth the candle? How much profit does the studio bring?

Definitely worth it! Even when I worked in a studio, I always received a very decent salary. Of course, I don’t remember what amounts we are talking about, but it was definitely enough for me to be able to rent a wonderful apartment, eat well and also travel. Then I traveled almost the entire country. I was also able to save up to open my own business. After all, I needed to rent a room, fill out paperwork, and buy equipment. Having opened the atelier, at first I felt a lack of funds, because I was used to living on a grand scale, but after 2 years everything returned to normal, I could travel again, this time abroad.

Even during the difficult years of perestroika, my favorite business brought me a decent income. Now my earnings average 180-200 thousand rubles per month. This includes income from the products I sew, and the money that the girls working in the atelier bring me. And this does not take into account the fact that I pay taxes, rent, wages to the accountant and administrator - clean.

A tailor’s earnings directly depend on what you sew, at what speed and quality, and on the place of work (the reputation of the enterprise is very important). But, of course, the highest income comes from working in well-known modeling agencies or in your own studio.

Average salary for a tailor

The girls who work in my atelier earn differently, depending on the number of orders. If it doesn’t matter to the client who sews for him, then I try to distribute orders evenly so that everyone can make good money in the end. Their earnings range from 25 to 60 thousand rubles. And, I must say, our studio is not the most expensive in the city.

Pros and cons of being a tailor

My profession is not only about earning money, but also about the moral satisfaction that I receive every day. I don’t think it’s worth saying that my family and I are always dressed beautifully and tastefully. I sew absolutely everything for myself and my loved ones - from corsets to fur coats. In the process of working, I also learned furriery. When it was difficult to get good bed linen, I sewed that too. My daughter's Christmas costumes are always the best. And, of course, a sewn item is not only original, but also not as expensive as an item purchased in a fashion boutique.

About the disadvantages of the profession, I will only say that it takes away your health. You must carefully monitor your vision and the condition of your joints. If you lose your vision, you will lose your job. The same can be said about the hands. Even minor manifestations of arthritis, osteochondrosis or other similar diseases can put an end to your professional activity.

What a novice tailor needs to know

Cutting tools

1. If you want to devote your life to tailoring, it is not enough to learn how to sew well, you need an aesthetic sense, a sense of style, an interest in fashion, you must draw well, because it will be you who sketches the model that the customer wants to sew. You need to be able to draw and have a good eye.
2. Learn the profession patiently and with pleasure, and it will reward you a hundredfold.
3. Try not to work from home. Sewing clothes is associated with a large amount of technical waste - these are fabric scraps, pulled out basting threads, and chalk dust. You don’t want clients to bring their negative emotions and experiences into your home. The aura of your home should contain only your information and the information of people you like. Not all customers are nice people, believe me. The things you give to the client should not smell like cutlets or fish that you fried for dinner.
4. Always give leftover fabric to the customer. This is a rule that should not be broken.
5. Never rely on an adjuster. You should be able to set up and repair the sewing machine yourself. Don’t skimp on sewing equipment; your expenses will pay off very soon.
6. Help the client with the choice of fabric and accessories, but never push. The client knows better what he wants. However, do not follow the lead if you really see that the client is mistaken. For example, subtly hint that the fabric he wants will look bad on such and such a model.
7. Follow fashion. It is very important.
8. Remember that if you ruin a client's item, he will never return to you. Take your time, perform all operations carefully and carefully.
9. Assess your strengths adequately, don’t take on sewing something you haven’t sewed before. Sew this item for yourself or your loved ones first. Happened? Take orders.
10. Take care of your eyesight! Only work in good lighting. Do eye exercises, drink special vitamins. Remember that if you lose your visual acuity, you may find yourself out of work.
11. Don't be greedy! Never take more orders than you can sew before the specified deadline. Manage your time correctly.
12. If you want to achieve heights in your profession, study further. You can always go to university and get clothes. In my opinion, the profession of a tailor is the best that has ever existed. Even in the most difficult economic conditions, you will be able to feed yourself and your family because mastery is in your hands. And it won’t get away from you anywhere.

How to open your own studio from scratch (video)

Today, technology is replacing the human workforce, as a result of which the workforce is being reduced, fewer and fewer employees are needed at various enterprises, and, let’s be honest, working conditions, in most cases, are not better.

All this forces people to work for themselves. Someone opens their own business, and someone offers services, their skills in the field in which they are a professional.

However, there are very few professions for women where they can realize their creative abilities. If you are interested in working as a seamstress at home, we will tell you about the main nuances.

Working as a seamstress at home is not difficult. The main thing is to love and know the basics of mastery. This could be your main job or an additional source of income. The first steps are the most difficult.

Over time, you will be able to develop a base of regular customers and will not need to search for new orders, which wastes a huge amount of time.

A seamstress must be able to work not only with a machine, but also sew by hand. If you don't have good experience, you shouldn't take on custom clothing and try to create a designer piece.

Start with easier work, performing the simplest operations on the machine. It is very important to be able to work with various materials, monitor the cleanliness of the stitching and adjust the tension threads.

Job search

Initially, finding a job will be difficult. Yes, of course, the services of a seamstress are in demand, but, you must admit, not every person wants to risk their favorite dress or skirt so that you can “get better.” You must understand this and under no circumstances immediately increase prices.

You can look for your first clients in different ways:

• By posting an advertisement;
• By contacting the newspaper;
• By creating your page on the World Wide Web;
• By asking your friends to advertise your services;
• Using social networks.

For a successful start, you should not abandon any method. After all, the more actively you search for clients, the more orders you will have and, accordingly, income. Don't turn down any opportunity to advertise your services in order to increase the number of clients, but at the same time, don't be intrusive.

Listen carefully to their wishes. Do the work the way they want it, not the way you see it. So, for example, if a person asks you to sew on a cuff with red thread, you don’t need to select a different color, thinking that it will suit better.

Don't argue. You are a performer, and as a result you must do what is asked of you. If you don't like something, there's no need to argue. The cost to him is too high - your reputation.

Deadlines. Do not promise a person to do the work, for example, by Friday if you are sure that you will not have time. Orders need to be completed quickly, but you can’t let customers down with deadlines.

Quality. Use high-quality materials and threads so that your work brings positive emotions and has a long service life.

Mastery. Don't focus on your skills, constantly work on your skills, improving your skills. Today there are many video lessons and courses with which you can become a real pro.