Alterations and Custom Projects

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Alterations and Custom Projects at The Little Sewing Room

We invite you to explore our world of Alterations and Made-to-Order projects, where craftsmanship meets creativity, and every garment tells a unique story. Thank you for considering us for your fashion needs – we look forward to being a part of your sartorial journey!

Alterations Policies

Alterations are required on most garments to make them fit your shape. A nip here, a tuck here, and you can feel like the garment was custom-made for you.



• Alterations begin with a fitting of the clean garment on the body on which the garment is to be worn.
• Fittings are by appointment only as we also offer sewing classes and cannot be teaching and give our undivided attention to you during your fitting. 
• We allow 30 minutes of fitting time for each customer (more if multiple garments are being fit) and an hour for wedding gowns. 
• Please bring any necessary undergarments and shoes that you will be wearing with the garment. These garments affect the fit of the garment being altered.
• You will be advised of the alteration fee before we begin pinning.
• You will be advised of the time required to complete the alterations before you leave the appointment. A pick-up appointment will be determined at that time. Please bring your specialty undergarments and shoes to the pick-up appointment.
• Payment in full is due at the time of the fitting.
• Once payment is made, work will begin and therefore no refunds can be given.
• Please allow time at pick-up to try on your garments. We will make every effort to achieve the look you are desiring and can address issues at that time.

Wedding and Special Occasion Gowns

Regardless of the dress you choose, it will need alterations. This process generally involves molding and sculpting the gown to your body shape, hemming, and a bustle. We ask for fittings to begin about 2 months in advance of your wedding date and need about 3 weeks to complete the alterations.

A bustle pulls the train of the wedding dress off the ground so it does not get dirty, allows movement with ease, and alleviates some of the fear of tripping or tearing the train of the gown. A bustle is put up after the ceremony and before the reception primarily for your safety and the safety of the guest. The majority of your bridal photos are taken before the bustle is put up. Most wedding dresses do not come with a bustle, nor are they designed with a bustle in mind. Talk to us about the best bustle options for you and your reception. 

Most bustles are put up with buttons and loops or ties. We use thread to create the loops and hand-sew every button and tie. While we try to securely sew all components of a bustle, it is difficult to guarantee they will not break during heavy use. So, with that, if you plan on busting a move on the dance floor until the early hours of the morning, consider a more secure bustle with more points, or loops and buttons that meet together to hold the train, as they provide more support and can hold more weight.

Bustles can be a bit confusing to tie on your wedding day, so it’s helpful to bring along a friend! We suggest asking your Maid of Honor, your mom, or a trusted bridesmaid or friend to help you accompany you to your final fitting so we can review how to set it up. 

At the time of the first fitting, we will take measurements of you for our records. Any changes to these measurements from the date of fitting might impact the fit of the work as measured/pinned. Please keep within a half inch above or below these measurements to reduce any risk of reworking which will result in additional charges and expenses for any work already completed. If any body modifications are planned before the event date, additional fittings are recommended to phase the work properly for the best fit. 

Please refer to the policies above for information about fittings.

Custom Creations

We can also create your vision for you with custom-made-to-order garments and historical reproductions. Our creators have years of sewing experience in theatre, television, film, the garment industry, museum displays, and universities. We love doing custom handmade work for others. Please let us know what you might be interested in having created. Some of our specialties include:

• Wedding and special occasion gowns
• Wedding veils
• Christening gowns
• Women’s tailored suits
• Women’s blouses and dresses
• Bras and other lingerie pieces
• Corsets
• Swimwear
• Men’s dress shirts
• Renaissance costumes – women, men, and kids
• Performance costumes – theatre, gymnastics, ballet, ice skating, dance, aerialist 

Call us to schedule a consultation.