Time ranges from 6 to 8 weeks, depending on my workload, sourcing and availability of materials.

Cost varies based on your style and fabric selection, complexity and details of that style, fitting challenges, pattern making requirements, and any embellishment. It’s a good idea to have a general budget in mind for your project; while I may not be able to deliver your garment for that price, I may be able to suggest alternatives that can still make your garment a reality. My hourly rate is $15.00.

• You do need to be available for several appointments (usually 3-4) over the course of creating a custom garment. Following is the typical process:
• Initial phone consult - to briefly discuss your project’s timing and budget to see if it is viable.
• Free 45-minute studio consultation - to fine tune the details and design of your project, and to review fabric options. Some clients can finalize all of their garment details in this session; others require additional time for design, fabric sourcing, etc., which is billable at my hourly rate. Once all the details are finalized, I will draw up a formal agreement and quote for your project.
• Work will begin when the agreement is signed and a 30% deposit has been received. At that time we will meet for an hour or less to take detailed measurements of your figure. You will need to have your final undergarments/support wear for this and all subsequent appointments.
• Fitting of muslin/sample garment - this tests the style and proportions on your figure, along with the fit, in an inexpensive sample fabric like cotton muslin. If the garment is very complex and/or hard to fit, we may need a couple of muslin fittings to get everything right. I will then use this muslin as your pattern. Fashion garment fittings: these are the fittings of the garment made up in the final garment fabric. Some tweaking will be required, as every fabric fits and hangs a bit differently.
• Final pickup appointment: one last try-on of the completed garment to make sure everything is to your and my satisfaction. Final payment is handled at this or earlier sessions, prior to the garment leaving the studio.

• Everyone is different, and the ready-to-wear clothes available in the shops are made to 'fit' the largest number of people. This means that those who are closest to the 'average' for a particular size will get garments that more or less fit, but those with variations from the average are less satisfied. In addition, most manufacturers make certain changes to their designs to make the clothes look good on a hanger, in order to entice you to try on and buy their garments - and none of us are shaped like a clothes hanger!
• Custom made garments, on the other hand, can be made to fit your own body. I use the process of making a trial garment (toile) to check the fit, proportion, placement of details etc. to make sure that the garment, when it is made, is right for you, and you alone.

• The ready-to-wear industry, by definition, follows fashion. This means that certain types of garments, in certain colors, will be everywhere, and if you want something different it can prove impossible to find.
• Custom made clothing, on the other hand, can be made in whatever design you want, regardless of whether it is in fashion at a particular time. If the design you want is not available in the commercial pattern catalogues, someone like me, trained in pattern cutting, should be able to create a garment design that meets your requirements.
• There will also be a wider range of colors available - however, be warned that 'fashions' also dictate what fabrics are available. It may require some searching to find the color, fiber and finish you want.

• Unfortunately, this is not a reason to have clothes custom made.
• Many of us have mothers who made clothes to save money. However, the savings came about because they only took the cost of the fabric, thread, etc. into account; their time was 'free'. The ready-to-wear industry uses mass production techniques and industrial machinery to reduce costs, and most manufacturing takes place in countries where labor costs are lower, so garment prices are low to reflect this. It is therefore impossible for custom made clothing to compete with ready-to-wear in terms of cost. However, custom made clothing, being individually fitted and carefully constructed, may be better quality and therefore last longer and be worn more often, offering better value for money.

A custom clothier can guarantee that a garment will be constructed skillfully and that it will fit well, but can not control whether or not you will like it. It helps to have your own sense of style and taste instead of being a slave to fashion. In general, either you need to know exactly what you want, or you need to allow your dressmaker/designer to guide you. There are no returns or exchanges for custom work, just as there are no returns on off-the-rack bridal gowns once a contract is signed. If during the dressmaking process you have second thoughts about the design, voice them as soon as possible; changes may be able to be done that will please you, although changes may be charged additionally.