Kathy had done a reasonably nice job on my daughter's bridesmaid dress hem last year and she recommended Kathy so I took my dress for another daughter's wedding to her. I was surprised that Kathy measured up the hem for my dress using safety pins. That should have been a warning flag that I paid attention to.
When I went to pick up the dress, a net under-layer for the skirt was cut using choppy scissor hacks. A hasty job for $20.00 just for that layer! The outer dress material was sewn on the bias...if not hemmed by someone who is careful not to stretch as it is being sewn, such a hem can pull the fabric crooked. When Kathy hemmed that layer she pulled or stretched it and it buckled and flipped out. It was also a wavy hem.. up and down.
The dress had been large on me at the top and Kathy solved this problem by adding three tucks or pleats at the shoulder - not only did this NOT solve the problem but it altered the simple, elegant style of the dress. This solution did not keep the dress from falling off my shoulders. When I pointed this out when I picked it up she said to "just use tape" to keep the dress in place. I left flustered and confused.
When I got the dress home, my husband who normally is suer easy going and not picky at all noticed how the dress hem
hung wonky and that the shoulders hung unattractively off my shoulders. My daughter's were appalled and told me to take it back and talk to her.
I took the dress back to Kathy and she was quite defensive. She told me that she does quick work for the public and acted like I was expecting too much from her and her type of business. She said that she should have turned me away when I mentioned that my mom had done a lot of sewing. (???!?) I had paid Kathy $137.00 plus tax for cutting three layers to shorten the dress, to fix the top to fit me properly, and to adjust the neckline. She added that instead of tape I could use a bra strap holder to keep the dress top from falling off my shoulders. She said that if I wanted better work done, I had to go to a special place that would charge much much more than she did.
Instead of being able to cross something of my list of things to do before the wedding, I left her place with a new problem to solve: I had to find a seamstress to fix the problems she had created.on top of fitting my dress to me. I asked Kathy for at least half the money back so I could remedy the solution and she gave me a third of it back.
God was faithful, though! I found an amazing seamstress who was a true professional. She did more work than Kathy did to adjust the dress to fit me, respected the style of the dress, and corrected Kathy's sloppy, awkwardly done work work so it now fits me like it was made for me. The seamstress re-did the hem and even steamed the dress so it is ready to wear. All that, and she charged me only $53.00. She was fair, her workspace clean and organized, and her work was something that she took pride in.
I think if you are going to charge as much as Kathy does, one should expect much better workmanship. We all make mistakes, however, if a problem is found and pointed out, it is best to try to work WITH a customer or client rather than insult them and say that they are being "too picky." I tried to go directly to Kathy when I noticed problems...I wanted her to have a chance to fix the situation. However her attitude and her excuses and defensiveness left me feeling frustrated. I knew it wouldn't be wise to try to work with her. I would not recommend Kathy's workmanship nor her attitude. Her prices also seem high for the quality of...
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