Sew Fucking Beautiful

Slow clothes, gender free, handmade in Durham

Hi! I’m Allie.

I taught myself to sew several years go and never looked back. JK, I looked back so many times in those early years, seam ripper clenched desperately in hand.

I take great pleasure designing and constructing and wearing clothes. I love *loving* clothes. That ratty threadbare sweatshirt you’ve had for years that feels like an old friend? *Chef’s kiss*. We form relationships with our clothing and making handmade clothes allows me to be a steward for those relationships.

The clothes I make are free from gender. They can help you express or embody your gender, but the clothes themselves have no gender. They’re meant to be worn by *you.* Not by some generalized, society-level approximation of who you are and what fits your body and sense of style. They’re free from connotation. Clothes I make are not divided by who is ‘supposed’ to wear them and who isn’t. Not in terms of style, not in terms of sizing. You don’t need permission to wear clothes you want to wear. 

Commissions

So, you want some handmade clothes!

Got something specific in mind? Fantastic. Tell me as much as you can about your dream garment. Here are some questions to keep in mind:

What does it look like? Think about shape, silhouette, color

What does it feel like? Does it flow all around your body or is it fitted or is it somewhere in between? Is the fabric stiff and heavy? Light and breezy?

What function does it serve? Does it keep you warm or cool? Does it comfort you? Does it demand attention and set you apart? Does it have a bunch of pockets for snacks and tools?

Don’t know exactly what you want and just know you want something handmade? Cool! We will work together and figure out what will satisfy that desire!

I don’t do commissions using commercial sewing patterns; if there is one you’ve had your eye on we can figure out what draws you to it and I can design something similar that will incorporate those elements. All the clothes I make are original designs.

Keep scrolling to submit a consultation request and get the ball rolling!

Pricing

I specialize in creating one-of-a-kind, custom clothing pieces for anyone who has ever struggled to find an article of clothing that made them feel at home. My pricing structure is designed to be transparent and straightforward, with payment milestones throughout the process.

Deposit: To get started on your commission, I take a deposit of $100 at the time I deliver sketches of the design. This deposit is non-refundable and will be applied to the final price of your garment.

1st half: Once the design is finalized and I begin working on your garment, I require a 50% payment of the total cost (minus the deposit) at our first fitting. This payment helps cover the cost of materials and ensures that I can continue working on your garment without interruption.

Balance Payment: The remaining balance of the total cost is due upon delivery of the final product. This payment marks the completion of your custom garment and ensures that I can continue creating unique pieces for my clients.

*I am able to offer a very limited number of longer payment plans, if price is standing in the way of you wearing clothes that make you feel like yourself let me know and I will try to accommodate by taking payment in more installments. 

Labor and Materials

My pricing structure includes two main components: labor and materials. I charge $40 per hour for labor, which includes design consultation, sketching, fitting, and creation of your custom garment. Materials, such as fabric, buttons, zippers, and other necessary supplies, will be added into the total cost of your garment.

 

Although design details will affect the length of time any given project takes, here are some estimates of the amount of time certain types of project typically take:

Basic shirt or dress (no closures, ex. t-shirt/tank top, sundress): 2 hours

Involved shirt/dress (buttons, collar, yoke): 5-6 hours

Basic pants/shorts/skirt (elastic waist, no closures): 4-6 hours

Involved pants/shorts/skirt (buttons or zipper closure): 6-10 hours

Jumpsuit/overalls: 12-15 hours

Coats, jackets: 15-20 hours

It’s very difficult to provide estimates of fabric costs as there are so SO many options to choose from, we will discuss fabric costs in our initial consultation.

‘I want you to love your clothes’ means that I am committed to providing you with high-quality, custom clothing that you will wear and care for for years to come. It also means that I believe mending clothing is a valuable practice, you can always bring back to me (or send if you’re out of state!) an item that I’ve made you for mending. Basic mending is free of charge but if you’re looking for something more intricate or decorative there may be a small fee. 

Thank you so much for considering Sew Fucking Beautiful for your custom clothing needs. I can’t wait to bring your vision to life!

Consultation Request

I AM NOT CURRENTLY TAKING NEW COMMISSIONS REQUESTS. My books will open in mid-May and there will be an announcement on instagram with more details. Thanks!

After my books clothes I will sort through and choose the projects I am able to work on this round. I will be in touch via email to begin the process of scheduling a consultation. If you don’t get into this round of commissions don’t worry! I will be opening my books are regular intervals throughout the year so there will always be another opportunity for us to work together. Thank you for considering my services, I love my work and I wouldn’t get to do it without you. 

Photos by Anna Maynard