But It Should Fit!

[notalwaysright]

Right now though, nothing would make me happier than to turn out all the lights, board up the windows and curl up around a copy of Val Kilmer's "Real Genius" and a bag of Riesens.

I love that movie.

I hope you don't have to do anything more on the dress. She doesn't deserve it.

Also, I wish people wouldn't over-share. If they're going to use what I'm selling them for sex stuff, just don't tell me. I used to think I came off like I was a prude, but I guess not because people keep telling me more than I want to know. I actually wish they thought I was prudish, then maybe they would keep it to themselves.

[Argus]

If you received a subpoena for the dresses, then they are evidence. If they are evidence, do not make any changes to them, including additional work.

[strawbabies]

Besides her bitchiness, which I think you should be compensated extra for, is the amount you've already been paid enough to cover the work that has already been done? Given that the new dress is only 70% paid for, I wouldn't do any more than 70% of the work. I don't think you'll ever get the rest of it, and wouldn't trust her to pay if she insists that she's going to cover it.

[Argabarga]

I was going to say, the ownership status of something that's not completed and also not fully paid for seems to be a legal nightmare, see if someone ELSE will take on that headache so you don't have to.

[Sapphire Silk]

I would consult with a lawyer. If the Husband has not finished paying for the dresses he does not own them, and the Wife certainly does not.

Hmm. Ask a lawyer about a mechanic's lien to force final payment. But if nothing else, that subpoena can be quashed.

[Shyla]

What a mess. Do not do anything more to the dress. Write down everything you did and how long it took in case they try to get money back or not pay you. You can sue them if you need to. But try to take a deep breath. Have some chocolate or wine or both.

[Thana]

=\ I'm sorry you got put in a sticky situation.

[FerrousBueller]

Update on the fiasco: it's almost Halloween. The 2nd dress is almost finished but I was informed by The Husband that she slept with some-one and they're in the process of getting a divorce.

FML.

He paid for the first dress and I got 70% up front on the next dress but a police officer came by at 6 am to deliver a subpoena- she wants the dresses. Both of them. Even the one that doesn't fit. It's part of the divorce filings so I don't know if I should finish it or not, if I'm going to get paid the last 30%, what kind of dredges I'm going to go through with the legal proceedings as The Husband was paying for it and he said he no longer wants it to be finished.

I think this is the proverbial Straw. Has nothing to do with the money, it's more the time and emotional turmoil I've gone through. In all my years doing custom crafts, the only time I've ever felt more violated is when I did a beautifully tooled and crafted leather pair of wrist bracers to find out they were going to be used for BDSM and were worn while the wearers fists were in places that were, well.... just going to leave it at that. Places.

But this.... this makes me just feel... heinous. Vile. It makes me feel like climbing a tall building and flinging poo at passerby then beating on my chest and screaming profanity at small, innocent babies. I should mention, I'm normally a very mellow person. I crack jokes and smile a lot. Normally. Right now though, nothing would make me happier than to turn out all the lights, board up the windows and curl up around a copy of Val Kilmer's "Real Genius" and a bag of Riesens.

[Portellia]

Sweet fancy Moses but that lady is living in a dream world! That situation is so outrageous that I finally had to delurk to comment.

That said, I can actually understand someone thinking a boob job isn't going to make a big difference in the way clothes fit.

My bra size is 32G. I have a number of friends of various sizes and shapes who are in the A-B range and most really just don't get how radically D+ bosoms change things. If I had a dollar for every time I've been out shopping and someone has insisted that a blouse/dress/swimsuit would fit me and been confused when it doesn't, I'd be able to afford to buy custom garments instead of doing my own tailoring.

[AccountingDrone]

Sounds like someone is in denial, so much denial that they're convinced they can deny the laws of physics themselves. In other words, your average customer.

And that is why I stopped doing elizabethans for customers. I still make stuff for friends and family, but I will be arsed if I put up with some moron thinking I can simply pop 5000 seed pearls off and change the pattern to seashells or something. If you order an Armada gown, it is going to look like THIS. You will be getting a chemise, an undergown, an overgown with sleeves and by damned, it will be black velvet, and the rosettes on the white undergown will be alternating pearls and faux diamond rosettes, there will be pearls and pink bows, and I don't want any crap from the person who is paying me around $5000 and materials. I have my own sources, thanks, and all I need is for the customer to emulate a statue to b measured and fit. If you want something other than that, then order something other than that. I have a whole book of Liz's wardrobe contents and will be happy to sit and flip through hundreds and thousands of portraits until you decide ... but make up your damned mind and cope with it.

I personally would have called the husband and told him why I wasn't refunding anything for the parts of the job already finished, why I would not be taking a new order from the dizzy wife, and telling him that he can have the finished product and he can deal with his wife himself.

[Argabarga]

Sounds like someone is in denial, so much denial that they're convinced they can deny the laws of physics themselves. In other words, your average customer.

[retro]

I've done costuming for years. I've done chainmaille, I've done leather working, I've done prop construction and I'm a trained blacksmith. I've done painting and carpentry and theater design and ... well, I've got a BFA so I pretty much take any job that will pay the bills.

I take my hat off to you Sir. That's an amazing skill set you have.

Which does make me beg the following question. Do you outfit cosplayers by any chance?

[sms001]

How did she think she'd be able to get that sort of change past you? ... And the fact that she was creeping on you during the measuring process...

Maybe the unsuccessful creeping is what led to the cosmetic surgery? That's why she didn't warn Ferrous in advance.

Seriously, I can kind of see someone hoping incremental changes get overlooked. Expecting radical changes to be overlooked by someone in the profession is typical SC logic. Cat-covering-up-on-linoleum syndrome is pretty common in computer repair as well. "Look dude, I ain't judgin', but I KNOW how that got on your machine. Go there again and it will happen again is all I'm saying."

FB, glad everything worked out on the $$$ front, cheers for Good Guy Husband. As I'm sure you've seen if you've done any lurking here, it doesn't fall that way every time.

Welcome aboard, etc. etc.

[HawaiianShirts]

Bead work, lace work, embroidery and... well, her entire figure had changed. There was no way this garment could be altered without being ridiculously obvious it had been altered. We could get creative, but there was just no way to be THAT creative without some-one calling Fudge Work. I explained this all as calmly as I could but the woman was getting more irate by the moment, yelling at me and insinuating that I'd measured "wrongly." That's the word she used. Wrongly.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why weird stuff occasionally comes up in contracts, on warning labels, and in conversations with sales staff.

FB's new contract language: "If I measure you, and you get cosmetic surgery, we'll have to start over, and that's not free."
Me at Major Electronics Retailer: "The laptop you're buying is reasonably durable as long as you don't use it as a pillow like the last guy did."
On a Box of Matches: "Warning: Flammable"

"And if you tell anyone I had work done I'm... I'm.... I can't even right now!"

"I can't even" is one of my new pet peeves. I get it if there are pauses in between like the speaker is trying to say something intelligent but can't due to some kind of brain meltdown. But when someone says, "I can't even," in the same tones as if saying "I can't cook" or "I can't sing," I get a little crazy. Overheard that phrase in the mall not long ago on a particularly stressful day for me, and I couldn't stop myself from bursting out with, "You can't even what!? Finish the sentence!" I scurried away after that.

I think this is that defining moment where people in movies go "Okay! I'm going to be a super villain now! Bring me a death ray and a fluffy cat!"

[RealUnimportant]

Hello, welcome, great user name, pull up a death ray brochure... er, CHAIR, and relax.