My broad sewing skill set guides me down many paths. Some are rewarding beyond measure. A job I finshed today was one of those feel good moments.
A client told me about a dog bed he bought that went flat within a week of it's purchase. This is a special case because he has a service dog. The flatty Patty was a hot mess when he brought it to my studio for consultation. The polyfil batting inside became matted and the dog refused to use it. The zipper hole was only 8" wide, nearly impossible to refluff anything in there.
I chose to go the path of least resistance. I bought two (human) body pillows that were 20"x54". The bed cover measured 40"x54". It was a perfect match. I replaced the miniature zipper for a 40" zipper on the end and was able to slip the two body pillows in to replace the gobbed up mess inside the dog bed cover. It was an excellent choice for my handicapped client. It will be easy to remove for laundering and easy to manage in and out.
Service dogs provide the extra care their owners' need & this gesture to give back to his dog was just too sweet.
I was given a report after my client took the remade bed home for his loyal companion. It was time for this working dog
​to enjoy nap time again!

Grooms and groomsmen are the laid back portion of wedding planning - so it seems.  Unlike bridesmaids, men are locked into a single style suit and different body types can make it tough. When shopping last minute, often a style will be limited in sizes the men need and the guys are less likely to have basic alterations for that perfect fit.

This particular wedding party needed slim fit suits, none were available one week prior to wedding date. They all purchased Haggar Classic Fit suits and were wanting Slim Fit. Some of these guys traveled from other countries and cities to attend this wedding and time was very limited.

This is where my work came in. I met all the gentlemen at the wedding venue for a single fitting time. With navy blue, Slim Fit Suits in mind, I safety pinned them all into a new style that fit them appropriately. One groomsman was worried about the tighter fit, he said he was a Wrangler jeans kinda guy. Taking that into consideration, his fit was not as slim nor as short hemmed as the others. He wants to wear the suit again, in a way that works for him. Comfort counts when wearing a suit with confidence. The tough part was having less than a week to get the suits ready and finding time for another fitting. Out of town groomsmen are sometimes at the mercy of their hosts. 

They were all suited up for the big day, pressed and steamed ahead of time. They were a great group of gentlemen, most who had never had a seamstress or wedding day dresser at their disposal. There seemed to be no wedding day stress. It was a great event and they all presented themselves with ease and confidence, in their well tailored suits. 

A simple solution to stop straps from falling off your shoulders and prevent bust from straying outside your dress armholes is a nonslip rug pad. Cut product to fit inside straps and around the inside of the arm hole, pin & whipstitch. Wearing your strap gown/dress worry-free adds peace of mind and confidence. Unconventional fix? Yes, please!
Note: I sewed a bra into this low waisted (in the back) gown and clipped & sewed the bra over the bust areas that may show while moving in the dress. This extra alteration prevents bothersome mishaps. The pinning took place while the bride was wearing the bra & dress. The bra was clasped during pinning, making adjustments as needed. Once the dress was removed, the back half of the bra was cut at the side seams after being hand stitched into the dress.

How does a historic, downtown McKinney restaurant end up in the Altered category of my blog?  When Snug on the Square opened 3 years ago, I slipcovered her famous "Snug" chairs for the original little restaurant.  Six days a week, customers vied for the privilege to be in the big windows and experience "The Chairs".   Sitting with books, laptops, phones, breakfast & a cup of jo- all feeling the love of that big comfortable chair!  Remember, they started out as garage sale finds that helped define a restaurants' character. 

Sandra's 8 month long journey to expand her space has finally come to fruition.  With a soft opening for additional seating, the kitchen, bar and total space will be coming soon.  It's hard to move when you are running a daily business! Oh, back to the chairs; it was obvious the chairs were worn to the bone.  Thread bare and loved by many, something had to be done. The fabric for the chairs no longer existed, so necessity lead to cutting the fabric off sides and replacing it with a vintage fabric that blends nicely.  With removing "Snug" fabric, came the patching of the worn arms and seats.  Snug on the Square is an altered space, as well as its beloved chairs.

All is well with the original Snug chairs, located in the expanded space.  The new location is where the main coffee bar and dining will be. There you will find a fireplace surrounded by built in banquets and pillows to further the Snug Design! Not only is the indoor restaurant expanded, outdoor seating is more than doubled.  A bigger kitchen, more dining space and a separate retail store, sounds like a big cup of good!

My victory is helping to achieve a look and keeping it true to the style of Snug on the Square! ☕️

Snug on the Square on How to Love Your Home
Snug on the Square on Facebook
Snug on the Square Website (they do catering as well!!)

As a seamstress, I often have to do some drastic alterations. Not because young ladies are changing 2 - 3 sizes, but it is recommended by dress shops to order large. This practice is to generate more business for their alterations department.

I hope most mothers & daughters don't buy into this thinking. I understand a single size up, never more than that please! People are spending more on alterations than on the dresses they purchase.

It's easy to comply to the sales staff, who wants to order wrong at a time like this? Make sure you roll altering costs into your budget and know costs for each item altered before you agree to the work.

Don't get me wrong, I make money doing this. It is labor intense and compensation should be fair. However, buying a dress, multiple sizes too big, just for the sake of altering is wrong. If something seems fishy when going through the process, then it is most likely fishy. Trust you natural instincts!

Buying too small in hopes of weight loss is not a good idea either! I have had to enlarge gowns in the past & it is humiliating for the wearer to submit to the process. The likelihood of this happening is slim. So, next time you have input at a fitting for someone you love, follow your common sense. If alterations need to be made, be prepared for the cost.

So, one last thing...once you have had a fitting, don't let your weight fluctuate one way or the other. I've had this happen, the cost, financially and emotionally is tough. Be where you want to be "size-wise" when you order your dress and through your original fitting.

All this stress will be forgotten and replaced with with the story of your wedding. As it should be!

Three sisters wanted to memorialize their mother's coat but weren't quite sure how to go about the process.  They decided to have scarves made for themselves to extend the life of their mother's legacy.  Often there are some things we can't give away or toss, there must be something we can do with the items we want to keep.  They found a feather trim that matched beautifully.  Their mother lived on with them on cold days.  They met at Christmas and all wore their scarves, a tribute to their mom!