Individual sewing price list: how much does sewing cost? (2023)

Smart people often say that if you are good at something, you should never do it for nothing.So if we have invested a lot of time, money and effort into improving our sewing skills and now want to charge for it, we need to create a price list for sewing services.

Of course, an individual sewing price list is not at the top of our to-do list. But it's important to find out what the sewing prices are per hour so we can start capitalizing on our skills. That's why we did our research, scoured the forums and learned how much people charge for their sewing services.

How to calculate sewing services

In order to charge for our sewing services, we need to take into account the amount of time sewing takes up in our day. Essentially, if we have a not-great sewing machine that tends to ruin the fabric that we then need to fix, we would have to ask for more. As a result, we would have to invest more time in a project.

However, offering sewing services while using poor gear is not a good start.If you are serious about becoming a seamstress, having all the necessary tools is crucial.The quality of the clothes they make or alter should be incredible.

However, one thing is certain - we should never do anything for free. Of course we can break this rule when we do something for our family members or someone we love. But in the end, sewing is still a job and everyone has to pay rent, bills, etc. The only thing to watch out for here is that we don't overcharge for some basic things or undercharge projects for complicated things.

The hourly rate for sewing

To get an idea of ​​how much tailors and seamstresses charge on average, we turned to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As of May 2017 data, the median hourly wage for these jobs was $15.46.

Meanwhile, a seamstress typically charges around $12.57, according to PayScale, while the average hourly wage for a sewing machine operator is around $11.67.

Of course, this is all just theory. Every seamstress out there has the right to set their own price list and stick to it. In addition, she has the right to provide discounts for simple projects if she so desires.

How much does a seamstress charge?

It is important to note that the level of expertise determines how much we can charge for sewing.If we are used to sewing from patterns and cannot (or are afraid to) make a pattern ourselves, then there is no way we can charge the same hourly rate as a professional seamstress.

Also, we always have to take into account that of course it costs more to design something from scratch. Basically, having something custom made is a luxury. It's not that easy to go to a store and choose something our size. If you have a seamstress on hand, you can be assured that no matter what type of garment you choose, the clothes will fit you like a glove.

So a seamstress doesn't have to charge around $12 for everything. Prices go up when she has to use a heavier fabric, when the thread has to be top-notch, and when the clothes have a lot of detailing.

How much does a sewing alteration cost?

Contrary to popular belief, seamstresses most often make alterations. Since fast fashion stores and boutiques often make clothes to some standard measurements, we can't really find something that fits us perfectly there. So a good solution is to make some changes and make sure the garment improves every part of our body.

However, prices depend on the type of change. On average, these are the prices for the most fundamental changes one could ask for:

change wedding dresses

For the most important dress of her life, a woman would have to pay a seamstress to alter it perfectly. However, this means paying:

Sewing pillows or pillows

Bespoke cushions or cushions are a great way to add a touch of class and uniqueness to your home. However, if we want to charge someone to make them, we have to take into account how much time we spend making them and how many we need to make.

On average, a seamstress charges between $15 and $50 to make pillows.The price depends on the size of the pillows and the design. If the design is standard and no special details are required, we can't ask too much for it.

However, the price always increases when we need to buy the fabric and filling. In general, these are the things that the customers should buy, but they would need to consult with us beforehand. Otherwise they might buy the wrong fabric and insist that we use it for the cushions. This could only lead to problems later, as some fabrics just aren't strong enough for custom pillows.

Sew on patches

For example, sewing patches onto a coat is a nice way to jazz up the entire design. However, patches can be sewn on either by hand or with a sewing machine. Therefore the price depends on the method we use, the fabric and the size of the patches.

In general, a seamstress should charge at least $3 for each patch, but even that isn't enough. This type of sewing requires quite a bit of precision, so extra effort is a must. Up to $10 is a good price if we are using a sewing machine. However, if anyone wants us to hand sew on patches, we should aim for at least $30-$40 per patch.

sew curtains

Sewing curtains isn't the trickiest sewing project we'll ever have, but it does require a good sewing machine and perseverance. So if we want to charge for sewing curtains, we need to decide whether we want to charge per hour or per panel.

IIn general it is always best to charge per hour as you never know what may happen in the meantime.So, for an hourly wage, aim for $10-$15. However, if you want to charge it per panel, depending on the fabric type and design, $20 will suffice. And of course any surcharges would need to be calculated as well, so keep that in mind.

Sew a skirt

If we work from a ready-made pattern, we can charge around $35 for our skirt sewing service if the skirt is to have an elastic waistband. Of course, more structured designs cost more. Essentially, the price should start at around $40 and increase as designs get tougher and fabrics heavier.

How much does a dressmaker charge to sew a dress?

The price of sewing a dress depends on a variety of factors, such as: B. the type of dress, the complexity of the design, the fact that it has sleeves, multiple zippers, etc. Dress, here is a quick cheat sheet with the average prices most seamstresses would use:

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How much does a pattern cost?

Billing for a pattern we make ourselves is even more difficult than billing for our sewing services.

When creating a custom pattern, the seamstress must calculate the exact measurements and make sure they fit together correctly.If it's only a small number, the whole pattern can look wobbly and the clothes made from it won't look right.

So we have to charge a lot for our patterns. If the designs are simple, it would range from $150 to $250. However, if the design is elaborate and it took us a long time to make it, then we sell ourselves cheap with anything under $1000.

How much are sewing lessons?

Giving sewing classes is a great way to share our hobby with other sewing enthusiasts. However, we must not underestimate that we would spend at least two hours per class talking about sewing and showing them everything we know.

So we have to find the right price. If we apply this formula, we can earn a lot from sewing lessons:

We can use this formula for one-shot classes and tweak it a bit for weekly lessons, e.g. B. Beginner Sewing 101. In any case, if the price seems a little too high, we can adjust it or offer some discounts.

Prices for freelance seamstresses

If you decide to become a self-employed seamstress, it is initially difficult to calculate the tariffs. Most people simply feel guilty about having to charge others for their work. In any case, family members are the most likely to use our services.

Still, each freelance seamstress can set their own rates and choose how much they want to charge.On average, the hourly rate is around $20, depending on the state and expertise.But if you look at Upwork, you'll see that seamstresses charge around $35 an hour on average.

However, if you're not sure where to start, then just take the average nutrient rate and add it to the material cost. That's how much you should charge for the projects. However, you should know that no money is left for maintenance. So if you're just a beginner, start with this formula, but make sure to ramp up the prizes as soon as possible. Once you get better at something, you're free to charge more for your expertise.

In the end, we should calculate how much our experience is worth

Hopefully we've helped you get an idea of ​​how much to charge for your sewing services. No matter what you do in life, know that you should never sell yourself cheap. So if sewing is your passion and you want to turn it into a real business, create a custom sewing price list and start billing for your skills.

If you think we've successfully shed light on and helped you with one of the most important aspects of starting a sewing business, don't hesitate to share this article with others. Also, let us know what you think in the comments section below and tell us if you charge any other fees for your sewing services.