FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
For custom sewing, quilt piecing, and lessons, I charge $30 per hour with a one hour minimum. I always give a Not-To-Exceed (NTE) estimate. I keep very accurate track of the time I spend on a project using a digitized stop watch. If the number of hours I actually work comes in less than the NTE, you only pay for the actual hours. If the number of hours comes in higher than the NTE, you only pay for the NTE quote. Most of the time my actual hours come in below the NTE. I have many very happy customers using this estimating method. I believe this is a fair way of working because if I were the customer I would not be happy with a big "surprise" at the end of the job if the hours were under estimated. I would never do that to my customers.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I always offer free consultations for customers. I like to get to know my customer and get to know what they want from me. Not just the sewing, quilting, or embroidery, but what they want the finished project to reflect. The more I understand about how a customer will be using the finished product, the better I can meet his/her needs.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have been sewing since I was a child under my mother's expert tutelage. She was a master seamstress and an extremely talented, creative person. I learned a lot just watching how she approaches a project, maps it out, and then puts it all together. She was my greatest inspiration! As for formal education, I have taken many classes related to sewing, quilting, and embroidery over the years. I enjoy taking classes as well as teaching them. Sharing ideas with fellow students sparks my creativity. I've taken formal classroom training as well as many on-line classes. I continually educate myself on the latest techniques and technological advances in the field.