sewing machine

Tailor - Seamstress

You can earn money as a tailor or seamstress if you have basic knowledge of sewing.

Clothes alterations can bring in some extra cash.

If you have more skill, you can take in work from dry cleaning shops and stores that offer to tailor for the clients.

The basic enterprise would consist of a sewing machine and an ironing board and clothes iron. You can do hems as a starter.

A lot of people buy pants that are too long. This is an easy one, and you can charge $5.00 or $10.00 for 15 minutes of work.

Skirt and dress hems are the same.

Fitting clothes to a person or making clothes out of whole cloth is another level of skill.

For advanced services, you may want a better investment such as an overlock machine.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overlock and a tabletop press as well as an office chair and desk, storage area, telephone, business cards etc.

The good thing is that the room and equipment are tax deductible.

Check this page http://www.rc123.com/home_office_tax_deduction.html

How to promote your sewing business

A woman I knew started by talking to her co-workers at a restaurant and mentioning to customers that she had a home based clothes alteration business.

She had business cards to hand out and soon enough people were coming out of the woodwork with pants that needed shortening.

She eventually took in alterations from a local dry cleaner and built a clientele. The dry cleaning shop was on the way home from her day job.

Some of the regular customers purposely bought pants etc. that they liked but may be too long and had her shorten them.

She shortened a lot of dresses for high school girls!

She did waist and inseams as well as wedding dress refittings.

She made some custom skirt and vest sets for a few customers, as well as a matching handbag.

You have to set rates in advance and stick to them.

If you feel that you can do this, go for it.

You can increase your income and make some money to pay the bills.