How much should I ask for stitching charges?

Lifestyle Wedding, Fashion & Beauty
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As salaamu aleykum wa rahmetuhAllaahi wa barakaatuh.

Do you guys think that 20$ is pretty fair for stitching for a whole salwar kameez? [with custom everything, from yolk designs, to sleeve lengths, etc][seeing that the customer provides their own fabric]

What about stitching sari blouses? How much is it norm to pay for those for stitching?

PS: assuming that my work is good and decent.

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

where are you located. Can you please show samples of your work?

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

i know roop sari charges $10 for blouse

and 15 for sari stitching

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

thats the rate I have heard for plain Shalwar kameez. You can start off at this rate and build your reputation on your work quality...And from there, since additional designing does take more time, yu should be compensated accordingly.Good Luck

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

I am in Indiana right now but moving up to NYC in a few weeks. I dont have any pictures right now but I will soon inshaa Allah. I am currently working on 6 sari blouses. I can do up to 50 yolk (round the neck) designs in cutting. I know how to embroider as well with thread and jewels but Im still currently looking for embroidery patterns for salwar kameez : ) so in the process. I know how to sew completly a salwar kameez any style that you would want from churidar to traditional salwar. I also know 4 different designs in choli blouses. Let me know if you are interested. I will charge 20 dollars for stitching salwar kameez. 10 $ for sari blouse and $15 for sari. [This is all according to you providing the fabric of your choice] I can provide the fabric but that will cost additional price of the fabric. I think that is pretty fair and have taken people's advices : )

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where's roop sari?

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Is this in NYC?

OH holla, plzzz let us know when u come to NY, you'll definitely have at least 1 customer. :)

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Houston..haha i guess you can charge $15 since houston is kinda cheap.

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

hehehe sure! :) Is there a friends list on here? If not pm me a form to contact you and I will let you know when I am moving there. I'll also post a thread on here too when I'm there.

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

Well, I feel that prices shouldnt be overly inflated just because we are not in Pakistan or India for clothing. Sometimes I walk into some Islaamic stores that have clothing from middle east, pakistan etc...and I see some salwar kameez that are like machine manufactured mass produced that are just plain and nothing so special for like 50 or 60 dollars. That is just nuts. I know in pakistan it is definetly not this expensive for clothing. And im sure even to get your clothes tailored it is not 150 or 200$ (unless its like covered in hand embroidery that is very complex...then id understand the price) but for embroidery just on the sleeves and along the sides and to get it stitched (which doesnt take long for us to do the stitching) its a bunch of baloooonie to me. Thats what got me interested in stitching in the first place. Quality for just prices.

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

the tailor here charges more for blouses than shalwar kameez, because supposedly a blouse is more complicated than a 3 piece shalwar kameez...which is why i still have unstitched blouses

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If everyone was able to go to Pakistan to buy stuff or have families who can bring/send things, these stores wouldn't exist... but they do. Looking at ti from a business-owners point of view, they have to pay for shipping, as well as evaluate the costs of running th business (rent, bills etc). also, they have to make a profit (why else would htey be in business then???). also some stores may also negotiate and that's why their prices are so high b/c they expect their customers to bargain. But yes there are places that make me wonder if the owners are on drugs.

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Sara516 - it the people that buy clothes at these prices at are on drugs.

Depending WHERE in you are in NYC makes a difference. You can start around $20-30 dollars

In NJ - homebased tailors charge 30 for plain suits, 35-50 for suits with lining and piping,

$70 if you give to any boutique

Blouses are usually 20 if homebased. $ 35 for any boutique in edison, 20 for any sari shop in Jersey City

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

whats yolk design

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

yolk design is the shape in which the fabric is cut around your neck.

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It is the design that is cut of the fabric around your neck.

Tu mere qaabil nahi hai main tere qaabil nahi
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I can stitch the blouses for you :) I know several different designs of cut for sari blouses and if you have a blouse that the design you particularly like then I can make it like that too. Pm if you are interested :)

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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

[quote= If everyone was able to go to Pakistan to buy stuff or have families who can bring/send things, these stores wouldn't exist... but they do. Looking at ti from a business-owners point of view, they have to pay for shipping, as well as evaluate the costs of running th business (rent, bills etc). also, they have to make a profit (why else would htey be in business then???). also some stores may also negotiate and that's why their prices are so high b/c they expect their customers to bargain. But yes there are places that make me wonder if the owners are on drugs.[/quote]

Yes I can see how that might affect the charges. But I think most women work from their homes or atleast they can work from their homes. And shipping charges would only be if they are ordering their fabric from pakistan which doesnt really make sence because you can get fabric here too. Unless they are buying unstitched clothing from pakistan and then selling it to you, but that is not a very smart way of buying things because you are ultimatly paying the middle man. You could just pay a friend in pakistan to send you them. Unstitched clothing that machine mass produced are dirt cheap in pakistan so it would make sense to just pay for them from there and then just pay for shipping yourself. You could buy like 20 dresses for around 2000 rupees each and just get a flat rate box to have them shipped in.

But inshaa Allaah I am going to start a home business in NYC for stitching and I am going to leave it at 20 dollars for a salwar kameez suit, 30 for one with lining and piping and 10 dollars for a blouse and 15 for a sari. I think that is very reasonable and would be what I would want pay.

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I have a lot of unstitched suits I got on my wedding from relatives, inlaws, etc.. a few of them were stitched by my aunt in Canada but I would rather have them stitched by you when you're in NY (Im in CT) rather than bugging my poor aunt. She's awesome at it though. We have one tailor here who I know of and she charges THIRTY for a blouse, can you believe it? She does a good job though but that's just too expensive. For stitching sarees, I have paid alot in NY at Karishma where I buy them from.. they do a great job.. but again, they are really overpriced.

reporting spouse to Dept of homeland security
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Re: How much should I ask for stitching charges?

In NJ - at couple of places they charge $50 for salwar/kameez. Their work is not even good. You would not be satisfied. No shape, no fitting, no nothing. Just a simple baggy one size fits all type of thing! yuk!