I learned to sew as a young girl and was how I was able to get new clothes instead of hand-me-downs. With 5 daughters in the family and me being the only one who sewed, I did lots of prom dresses, wedding dresses (some more than one each!), and bridesmaid dresses. But before I could sew clothes for me, I had to complete all the family mending. Now I mend only for my husband and sons.

Had a neighbor that was am EMT and wanted me to do pockets on pants. When I didn't have time (didn't really want to)to do them, he told me just to let him have my machine and he knew he could figure out how to do it. RIGHT! Give him my $7000 machine? Needless to say, that didn't happen. They got a transfer and move.

Oh boy, I could tell you stories. I used to sew professionally from my home and do alterations for two cleaners. I made such a good paycheck. So Naturally everyone knew that I charged lol. It was my job and I need to get payed. Well I wasn't asked.

Then when I stopped that business, years later, (I took up folk and decorative painting), that is when the requests started. I just plainly said, I hate sewing now, I want to vomit at the word hahahahahahh and I refused all, no exceptions. One neighbor even had the guts to ask me what I expected her to do since she needed this dress for a wedding the next day...I politely told her to go to the cleaners. lol.

I have always been of the opinion that if they have the guts to ask, then I will have the guts to refuse lol. I do hate alterations now, if the truth be told.

I tell hubby, he better buy his pants the correct lenght...he tells my friends that he is looking for a seamstress lol

I will do for him and son but don't have stuff that often. I dont' do anything that I don't want to do and that is my credo...I am old now and can wear purple too lol.

All the time, but my friends across street now call me thier seamstress... lol - even though I do not sew very good, except for piecing quilts - but I do mend/hem stuff for them. they do buy me some wine for doing it though....

[quote=Bluphrog]Believe me, replacing a zipper on jeans is definitely too much work! When you figure out which seams you have to rip out (fly, crotch, waistband), you realize that you have to practically take them apart to get the old zipper out.

I have replaced a zipper in a pair of jeans once and it was very difficult. NEVER again!!!

Rosy, you are so funny. You're my kind of woman!! :D

When the grands say 'grammy can fix anything', those sweet little kids . . . I will fix anything they want. ;)

I don't think my family has ever figured out that when they ask for a repair I always say "sure, when I finish what I'm sewing on cause I can't possibly change the machine settings". Then I toss the offending item into my "mending basket" until they forget about it or outgrow it. Then out the door it goes! Works every time :D

As soon as I purchased a sewing machine my MIL wanted pants mended. I have no problem helping her as she has always been there for me. But I only mend for her.
Once I made a purse. Someone at church saw it and wanted one, and then another, and another......... Then someone wanted a purple purse. I would go to the shop, take photos, email them to people, have them pick out their favorite fabric, and I would make them. When I was finished with the purple purse, she decided she didn't want it. She said that could not afford it and she had too many purses...one excuse after the other. Now, when someone asks, I politely say, "I'll be happy to make it for you. I'll send you the list of material's you need. Then you can go to the shop and pick out your fabric and everything that you would need to make the purse. When you have it, give it to me. The cost for making it will be $25. "
That weeded out just about everyone! I've only had one person come back with everything they needed. :) And I know that she really wanted the purse!

I'm always in awe of some of the people who ask me to make something for them. When they ask for a quilt, I feel like saying "Did you want that this afternoon?" But I don't. I just smile and say "I don't know when I would ever get to it. Quilts take months, even years",