The first question people ask me is how much will it cost for me to make a garment.
My costs on a commission consist of two parts; materials and labor. I am able to very quickly asses how much a project will cost in materials, but the labor is a bit more difficult to pinpoint. If you want a precise quote from me, I will asses how much material I will need, and then estimate how many hours it will take me. Based on that, I will give you an estimated ball park figure. This will be an estimate, and the actual costs can go up or down, depending upon how fast I am able to get the job done. If you accept my commission, I will keep a log of material costs, and a log of hours worked. When the project is completed, you will be given an invoice with the respective logs. I will deliver the garment after full payment has been made.
To start, I would require a 50% deposit of the estimated cost. I would use this to order the materials I need, and to cover my preliminary research and beginning work.
My garments are expensive, for two reasons. I work with fine, natural fiber fabrics, and I put many hours into what I do.
If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind garment for a very special occasion, like a wedding, or for a garment you intend to use often, such as a gown, or for a fantasy or movie costume that is made well, with obsessive attention to detail, using fine fabrics, I may be of assistance to you.
If you are looking for a quick and inexpensive costume, made for a one-time event, along the lines of easy Halloween, you will want to look elsewhere.
I will only work with natural fiber fabrics, such as silk, cotton, or wool.
Depending on the project, the cost of these fabrics can vary from $3.00 and up to $50.00 or more a yard. Many of the gowns I make require from fifteen to forty yards of fabric.
If you want a custom dye, this will add to the cost of the fabric, both in materials, the dyes and product needed to dye, and labor, the dying process.
To give you an idea of how expensive the material costs of one of my garments can be, I can tell you what I spent for materials on several of my personal projects.
More Expensive projects included:
Please note, these are the material costs only:
The Mirror Gown: $600.00 on fabrics and beads, not including the brooch.
Less Expensive projects included:
The Arch Dress: $300.00 on fabrics for the gown. $75 on beads and crochet thread for the belt.
Another note on fabrics: Once you tell me what project you are interested in, I will base my quote to you from my current on-line sources. If you commit to a commission, I will provide you some fabric choices from my on-line sources, if there are any choices, and then you will tell me what you like, and I will order accordingly. I will not order any fabric until I have a commitment from you, including a deposit of 50% of my quoted estimate.
I will not work with inexpensive synthetic fabrics.
Most of my projects are time intensive. If you are interested in a project I have not done yet, it will require research. Research takes time. Detailing takes time. Handwork takes time. And construction takes time.
I charge $20.00 an hour. When you tell me what you are interested in having made, I will make an educated guess of how many hours it will take me. This will be an estimate. If you accept my commission, I will keep a log of the actual time it takes me. You will be presented with this log of my time at completion of the project, with an invoice for the balance due. I will not deliver the garment until complete payment has been received by me.
I will do many different kinds of projects. Big ones and little ones. Gowns, Wedding Dresses, Robes, Cloaks, Belts, hats, turbans, Precious Metal Clay Jewelry, and many other things I have not thought of yet. Visit my Home Page to see a sampling of garment projects I have done, my Future Projects Page to see things I have in the planning stages, and my Precious Metal Clay Gallery, to see a sampling of completed Silver Art sculptures.
This will depend on how many prior commitments I have at the time you hire me, and how detailed your project is, and whether or not I have completed a similar project in the past.
A three month lead time, from receiving the deposit, to completion of the garment, is average.
I do. If you want me to do your project, you will let me know what it is you are looking for, whether it is a recreation, or an original design that you want me to create for you. I will work with your desires, but ultimately I retain creative design. I will determine how a garment is constructed, seam placement and so forth, down to the last thread. I will make and use my own patterns, and they will continue to belong to me after your garment is complete. If you desire to be more involved in the design and construction process, I advise you to seek out a willing seamstress.
If you decide to proceed with me, I will send you a contract along with a sizing sheet and diagram listing the body measurements I will require, and how to take them. You need to take accurate measures. I advise you have a tailor do these for you, or someone else who knows how to do it. I will make the garment based upon the measurements you send me, and will not be responsible for mistakes in measuring, or weight gain or loss incurred after the measurements have been taken.
First, contact me and let me know what it is you are looking to have made. I reserve the right to accept or deny any request to make a costume. If I want to proceed with your project, I will give you an estimate of how much I think the project will cost. If you agree, I will send you a contract specifying the details of our agreement in writing, along with a sizing sheet for you to write down your body measurements. You will send the contract signed back to me, along with the filled-out sizing sheet and a 50% deposit for the garment. When I have the contract and the deposit, I will start acquiring the materials needed. I will keep you updated on progress. When the project is complete, I will send you an invoice, with a breakdown of costs for materials and labor, along with shipping and handling costs. I will deliver the garment after you have paid in full.
No. I do not offer them for sale, nor do I provide them for free. My patterns take a great amount of time and care to create, and I only make them for projects I'm working on. Some of my construction pages offer tips and tutorials, but this is not my main focus. I rather spend my time making new costumes.
Thank you for visiting! And happy costuming!
