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Reminder-don't talk bad about pageants and get my post put in Fratching
I had a lady place an order for a dress, gave the the colors and style she wanted. We worked out a design for it and everything was good. Until I ordered everything and purchased the fabric and she decided she wanted something pretty much completely the opposite of what we discussed
She originally ordered a cupcake style dress in purple and white with off shoulder straps and a snap back. With mostly a flower type theme for the stoning. Two days after I hunt down the perfect trims and appliques and get the stones ordered she decides she wants a babydoll style dress instead because her daughters pageant coach said she thinks a babydoll would be better for the pageant she is ordering it for. And she wants a halter strap now with laceup back. Add that to the fact that her coach thinks her two year old would look horrible in the purple she likes and wants her to change the color to turquoise instead
Oh and we can't forget that instead of flowers she wants butterflies now
Luckily I had not started so I exchanged the fabric with no problems. The ladies at the fabric store know how my customers are so even though I have made multiple exchanges and returns they don't give me a problem. The appliques and trim I got for her dress can be used on something else and the stones I ordered can be used on her new design. Thank goodness she did not decide to use Crystal clear instead of Crystal AB swarovskis instead, knock on wood. I let her know I got everything I needed and that I cannot make any more changes because I have already cut the material for her new one and cannot exchange anything now. Now she thinks she is gonna get her dress sooner because I have started cutting it. I only cut it so that I could not exchange it and deal with her changing her mind anymore, doesn't mean I am gonna start sewing it until I get this other order finished like I already told her. You would think if you are paying this much for a dress for one pageant that you would check details with your daughters coach first before placing the order
Where does the 12 year old come in you ask? The same day this lady placed her order I got a call from someone local wanting to know if I could do a dress for her 12 year old. Now, I draw out my own patterns according to measurements for the little dresses and have not attempted a long gown. I told her this and she said she would come to the store with me and purchase the fabric and if I messed anything up or could not do it that was fine. I agreed I would only charge her for the work if it actually turned out OK. So I head to the store with my kids to meet her. Everything she picked out or told me to do with the dress her 12 year old was like NO! So I am thinking great, not only am I trying something out of my comfort zone since I have not done it before I have to deal with the 12 year old and her mom arguing. The mom gives up and tells the 12 year old, you walk around with her and tell her what you want and I will just stay out of it. The girl walks around a minute and goes straight to a couple of fabrics she likes (which I liked better then what her mom picked out too
) Then we head over to the pattern books. I tell her I don't use a pattern but if she can show me what she wants I can come up with something like it. She flips through the books while I wander around with the kids looking for some things I need (the appliques for the lady above matter of fact.) She finds me and has several books spread open. She says she wants this type skirt, this type bodice with this type sash, and this type straps, and a laceup back with a panel. She had found 4 different dresses that she liked one thing on and combined them. I had a notebook with me so I drew it out with the combo she liked and she said it was perfect. Then I let her draw out a design for the bodice.
I got home and started cutting. I cut and sewed and it actually started turning out pretty good. I called her mom and told her to come to my house for a fitting before I started the hem finish on the skirt and to see if I needed to make any alterations before I started stoning it. It was a perfect fit!!! and the best part was the little squeal she let out when we got it on her and she saw how it looked!!! She said it was absolutely perfect and her dream dress that she had saw in her head but could not find from a designer online. And I don't even have the stoning on it yet
So now I know I can do a long one and she gets her dream dress. And with it being lace up she will be able to wear it for a while. For 12 years old she was actually one of the easiest customers I have worked with.
I had a lady place an order for a dress, gave the the colors and style she wanted. We worked out a design for it and everything was good. Until I ordered everything and purchased the fabric and she decided she wanted something pretty much completely the opposite of what we discussed
She originally ordered a cupcake style dress in purple and white with off shoulder straps and a snap back. With mostly a flower type theme for the stoning. Two days after I hunt down the perfect trims and appliques and get the stones ordered she decides she wants a babydoll style dress instead because her daughters pageant coach said she thinks a babydoll would be better for the pageant she is ordering it for. And she wants a halter strap now with laceup back. Add that to the fact that her coach thinks her two year old would look horrible in the purple she likes and wants her to change the color to turquoise instead Oh and we can't forget that instead of flowers she wants butterflies now Luckily I had not started so I exchanged the fabric with no problems. The ladies at the fabric store know how my customers are so even though I have made multiple exchanges and returns they don't give me a problem. The appliques and trim I got for her dress can be used on something else and the stones I ordered can be used on her new design. Thank goodness she did not decide to use Crystal clear instead of Crystal AB swarovskis instead, knock on wood. I let her know I got everything I needed and that I cannot make any more changes because I have already cut the material for her new one and cannot exchange anything now. Now she thinks she is gonna get her dress sooner because I have started cutting it. I only cut it so that I could not exchange it and deal with her changing her mind anymore, doesn't mean I am gonna start sewing it until I get this other order finished like I already told her. You would think if you are paying this much for a dress for one pageant that you would check details with your daughters coach first before placing the order
Where does the 12 year old come in you ask? The same day this lady placed her order I got a call from someone local wanting to know if I could do a dress for her 12 year old. Now, I draw out my own patterns according to measurements for the little dresses and have not attempted a long gown. I told her this and she said she would come to the store with me and purchase the fabric and if I messed anything up or could not do it that was fine. I agreed I would only charge her for the work if it actually turned out OK. So I head to the store with my kids to meet her. Everything she picked out or told me to do with the dress her 12 year old was like NO! So I am thinking great, not only am I trying something out of my comfort zone since I have not done it before I have to deal with the 12 year old and her mom arguing. The mom gives up and tells the 12 year old, you walk around with her and tell her what you want and I will just stay out of it. The girl walks around a minute and goes straight to a couple of fabrics she likes (which I liked better then what her mom picked out too
) Then we head over to the pattern books. I tell her I don't use a pattern but if she can show me what she wants I can come up with something like it. She flips through the books while I wander around with the kids looking for some things I need (the appliques for the lady above matter of fact.) She finds me and has several books spread open. She says she wants this type skirt, this type bodice with this type sash, and this type straps, and a laceup back with a panel. She had found 4 different dresses that she liked one thing on and combined them. I had a notebook with me so I drew it out with the combo she liked and she said it was perfect. Then I let her draw out a design for the bodice. I got home and started cutting. I cut and sewed and it actually started turning out pretty good. I called her mom and told her to come to my house for a fitting before I started the hem finish on the skirt and to see if I needed to make any alterations before I started stoning it. It was a perfect fit!!! and the best part was the little squeal she let out when we got it on her and she saw how it looked!!!
She said it was absolutely perfect and her dream dress that she had saw in her head but could not find from a designer online. And I don't even have the stoning on it yet So now I know I can do a long one and she gets her dream dress. And with it being lace up she will be able to wear it for a while. For 12 years old she was actually one of the easiest customers I have worked with.
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