But It Should Fit!

[Seshat]

Check with your lawyer, but yes, I believe that subpoenad things (as opposed to people/animals/etc) become in the custody of the court, to then be returned to their owners.
In this situation, until paid for, you're the owner.


Side issue: an experienced dressmaker will have ideas about dressing pregnant women. It's an issue that comes up often enough for them to have plenty of practice.
And yes, empire line is often a very good solution.

[EricKei]

Ayyup. As others have said, just do whatever your attorney says to do. If these people attempt to contact you in any way, refer them to the attorney and say you're not allowed to deal with them, specifically because lawyers are involved.

[protege]

By asking 75% up front you get rid of most of the scammers and cheapskates who leave you with an expensive job that you were not paid for. Even if this woman had walked away I am betting the OP only loss would be the waste of time and possibly making a profit on a different commission.

Having to put some cash down usually gets rid of the scammers and cheap bastards. I don't build models for people...unless they're willing to put some money down, and by "some money down" I mean a 50% check, and the project isn't even started until the check clears. I don't build things for people often, because I did get stung on a Bugatti EB110--possibly the *ugliest* car ever to wear that badge!

I put my policy into place after the customer refused to pay for the car. By then, it was half-done, and I'd put a lot of time and work into it. I did finish it eventually, and put it into my own collection. Still, it turned me off onto the idea of building things for people.

[RayvenQ]

Thankfully my latest "customer" who I'm doing chainmail for is easy going and so willing to work with me (I say "customer" because it's actually a gift for someone who i watch their roleplay streams a lot) although one challenge is I'm doing it from their measurements alone, but as it turns out, I have pretty close measurements to hers as luck would have it.

[Portellia]

Also, make sure to document thoroughly which dress is paid for and which is only 70% done so if it should come to "This one's paid for so it goes to X" the correct one comes back to you.

[FerrousBueller]

Update.

I quit.

I completely surrender- I'm giving up costuming.

She tried to sue me directly. I fought it and, as of Tuesday, judge is throwing it out and I "win. " I say "win" because I'm out time, money, motivation felt and ... well, every time I sit at my sewing machine all I can do is seethe about this. Only silver lining is this is going to show up in her divorce filings too. Also, she's starting to look fat. Like somebody stuffed a bloated sausage in a black skirt and pinned 2 party balloons to the chest.

I was paid for the dresses but not even a pittance of what I lost in time and turmoil. I filed a counter suit but several lawyers have told me outright 'It isn't worth the battle. Even winning will come out a loss for you.'

So, I quit. I'm going back to work in web marketing.

Humans suck. I'm convinced it is the hubris of our own species that will wipe us from the Earth and, right now, I'm kind of in favor of it.

Enjoy the dresses, Fat Sausage Butt. May your gloriously jubbly-hips be as hideous as your soul.

I'm going to go get some sushi now.

[notalwaysright]

Aww. That sucks. I've worked for a place who "won" a court battle, but still had to finish the roofing job. Which was the absolute worst. And it's sad because there are so few costumers anymore. I will restrain myself mostly, but I swear everyone now just makes a no-sew tutu and calls it a costume. (Nothing against the concept, just that I have gone to real effort before and basically made a fool of myself.) Or order something online from ebay, then complain because it's cheap looking.

And I dunno if you are able to talk about it, but if you can... Did she admit to the plastic surgery??

[eltf177]

I remember this thread, what a sucky outcome. It's a pity you can't countersue the dumass bitch but as you were told it wouldn't be worth the time.

Best of luck to you...

[Aragarthiel]

Think of it this way: she gave you all this trouble and ended up lonely, with plastic surgery that is pretty much pointless now, and from the sound of it, she's probably going to lose everything in the divorce. Not only that, but it sounds like she can't even afford a new wardrobe, so she got what she deserved. You got one person that bad, you probably won't ever encounter another as long as you live, and when you do have a tough customer, you can always think, "At least it's not like it was with HER..."

If you still want to quit, consider giving yourself a time limit (six months, a year), and if you don't want to come back to it after that, you don't have to. I just really hate seeing someone with that amount of talent letting it go to waste. I'd give my left arm to be good at something, more than just the slightly-above-average I tend to max out at.

Good luck with things, however they go.

[Sapphire Silk]

I'm so sorry to hear this news.

I hope that in time you'll continue creating for yourself. I don't blame you for not wanting to do it for others.

Whatever you do for a job, I hope you get a happy career deserving of your obvious talents.

[MoonCat]

Have some chocolate or wine or both.

Or some chocolate wine. I can vouch for this one.

I don't see how they can claim ownership of two things they never finished paying for, but that's what a lawyer can sort out for you. It's definitely a major PITA and I hope everything works out well for you. That woman is a real piece of work.

[taxguykarl]

Sorry to hear that news. It just goes to show how one SC can ruin it for everyone.

[FerrousBueller]

I feel better after sushi....

Definitely going to step away from costuming for other people for a while. I'm going to paper the town with resumes and just try and clear my head. I'm too ... well... -me- to give up making stuff altogether.

She did not admit to having plastic surgery but, at this point, it's common knowledge. I don't know all the details in the divorce proceedings, but I understand that the husband is filing for the costs of the procedures. With our case, she denied it but the judge agreed I couldn't be held responsible for her 'change in condition.' Anyone with a pair of eyes can see she had work done. More-so with how bloated she is getting.

I'm being catty again.

I have to thank my wife for being there through all this. She's helped me keep a straight head on. I'm just... well, mostly struggling with the faith in humanity. When I first posted this, I thought it was a crappy customer. Never thought it would get as ugly as it did.

Thank you all for letting me vent.

[XCashier]

That really sucks, you went through all that and basically ended up with a pyrrhic victory. That woman was just plain poison, and her husband was wise to dump her. Sorry you got caught in the wreckage.

Definitely going to step away from costuming for other people for a while....I'm too ... well... -me- to give up making stuff altogether.

That's good to hear, that you aren't totally giving up. Talent like yours shouldn't be wasted, or given up on due to one (admittedly horrible) experience.

I just really hate seeing someone with that amount of talent letting it go to waste. I'd give my left arm to be good at something, more than just the slightly-above-average I tend to max out at.

Same here. And it's sad to see someone so gifted get burned out by scumbags who do not appreciate talent when they see it.

[fireheart]

If you have any children or child relatives in your family who do any sort of performing arts, why not see if you can help with costuming there? My mum did this when I was a kid which meant that her skills weren't going to waste (she made the curtains for a school "stage" for a school play that still get used today some 15 years later but she also made a few costumes for both my sister and I for dance productions). The downside is stage mums, but at least with stage parents you can TELL from first impressions if they'll be that way. On the other hand, no divorces

If you have a scout troop in your local area, see if there's a gang show troupe as well (they're typically linked with scouts and in some cases Girl Scouts/girl guides too) as they are always looking for help with making costumes and managing them backstage. My mum currently does this. All the performers are assigned to a "patrol" that contains a mix of girls or boys from different scout troops and also has a patrol leader and assistant patrol leader. Each patrol has a "wardrobe" lady who assists the patrol with costume changes and maintains the costumes backstage and this is where my mum comes in. She's dealt with a few "diva" girls and that behaviour results in you being less likely to get a role in the following years. (Or if you do get a role, it'll be in the group singing numbers and no "solos" of any kind)

My sister has gone through the ranks over the years doing gang show. She started as a group singer, then had a couple of "dance numbers" (we found it hilarious that she was dressed as a sailor for her debut) and its eventually culminated in her now helping handle casting for the show.