A list of qualified dressmakers in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Vermont, their areas of expertise, and contact information.
| Business Name | Contact Name | Location | Specialties | Professional Credentials | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Sewing and Alterations | Laura Johansen | Denver, NC | Formal, Costume, Alterations | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers), Greater Asheville Chapter | Email |
| Specialty Sewing by Ellen | Ellen Allen | Shelby, NC | Bridal, Formal, Specail Needs, Alterations | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Ellen has been sewing for years, learning the basics from her mother and home economics teachers in high school. She studied clothing design and contruction in college, and then taught home economics. After retirement, she has continued to develop her expertise with the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers). In business for seven years, her work focuses on the special occasions in life: cotillion, prom, debutante, wedding, and anniversary. She loves the challenge of perfecting the fit, especially for clients with scoliosis. | Email Phone: 704-484-9503 |
| Heartfire Gowns | Judy Gross | Fletcher, NC | Formal, Bridal, Career wear, Alterations, Childrens' wear, Sewing Instruction | Sewing for more than 40 years, Judy has received a Certificate of Couture Sewing Techniques from the Susan Khalje School of Couture Dressmaking. She is also a member of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers). Note: has recently relocated from Texas. |
Email Website Phone: 828-505-5618 |
| Karen Ahrens | Karen Ahrens | Oakland, NE | Alterations, Formal, Children, Men and more... | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers), Great Plains Chapter | Email |
| New Hampshire Academy of Sewing | Susan Andriks | Canterbury, NH | Teacher | Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers) Graduate, Professional Dressmakers Course, 1993 Author, "Bridal Gowns: How to Make the Wedding Dress of Your Dreams" Author, various articles for Threads Magazine |
Email Website Phone: 603-783-9270 |
| Sewing for the Family | Virginia Wentworth | North Plainfield, NJ | Formal, Costume, Everyday, Home decor, Accessories and more... | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers), American Sewing Guild, Custom Home Furnishings Network, Window Coverings Association of America | Email |
| Cape Ann Designs | Pat Petinga | Ventnor, NJ | Formal, Everyday, Home Decor | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers). In business 5 years and 35 years of sewing experience; career wear, bridal party and alterations. Individualized patterns developed with pattern software. Educator/user of Wild Ginger Software Programs for garment design and construction. | Email Phone: 609-822-3942 or Cell: 609-513-5641 |
| As You Wish | Mimi Jackson | New York (will travel to clients within reasonable commuting distance from Queens), NY | Design and sewing for special needs, garment redesigns, complex alterations, and modified copies of existing garments (no exact duplicates). Will accept long distance, consulting, and design prototype projects. | Mimi began her career after studying aparel design at Fashion Institute of Technology, creating costumes for Washington University's theater productions, and working for a variety of New York City fashion companies. She has now been working with private clients for twelve years. | Email Phone: 800-514-5251 |
| S.M.S Fashions | Susanne Smith | New York (Brooklyn), NY | Childrens' Wear, Formal, Costume, Everyday, Home Dec, and more... | Fashion Design Instructor offering private leassons for beginners and advanced students. Has been sewing for more than 25 years. Also teaches a fashion design class to high school students. | Email Website Phone: 718-788-3905 |
| The Sewing School | Wendy Hayes | New York (Brooklyn), NY | Everyday, home dec, accessories and more... | The Sewing School 1995-2003. reopened in 2006, is located in Brooklyn, NY at 162 Troy Avenue. They teach home sewing with a professional touch, and offer dressmaking services and alterations classes. Classes meet once a week, for two hours, only three students to a class. At this time, they offer weekday classes only - on Tuesday, Wednesday or Fridays from 6-8 or 7-9. Happy Sewing! | Email Phone: 718-756-8147 or 347-204-5694 |
| Cindy Chock | Cindy Chock | New York (Manhattan), NY | Formal, Career, Costume, Fine Alterations, Patternmaking | Theatrical Wardrobe Union Local 764 IATSE, Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers), Empire State founding member and New Jersey member, Home Sewing Association TSI, Palmer Pletch CSI, Unique Patterns CUE and scan tech, Sewing Educators Alliance Member. 35 years as a theatrical costumer on Broadway, television and film. Currently, the key costumer for the New York City Opera. Taught at Parsons School of Design for 6 years. Teaches privately and small groups. Designed and developed patterns for Simplicity, McCall's and Butterick Pattern Companies. |
Phone: 212-246-9662 *Midtown location |
| Sharon Butler Couture | Sharon Butler | New York (Manhattan), NY | Made-to-measure bra and corset creation, Career, Formal | Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Bra Makers), Professional Association of Custom Clothiers | Email Website Phone: 212-942-1779 |
| Peacock Image Consulting | Iman Re | New York, (Manhattan) NY | Recent grad, entering the workforce, making a career change? Consider this color and image consultant/ stylist for people in transition. | Color and Image Consulting coursework studied at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology | Email Website |
Constance Designs | Constance Tomlinson | New York City (Queens), NY | Bridal, Formal, Children, Duplications/ Alterations/ Redesigning... | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Over 30 years industry experience |
Phone: 718-464-2811 Website |
| The Custom House | Joyce Hill | Newburgh (commutable from NYC), NY | Formal, Everyday, Costume and more... | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. In business for a little over 20 years, Joyce creates business and formal wear, from normal alterations to complete makeovers. She also does menswear, patternmaking, and wearable art. By appointment only, she sees clients afternoons and evenings Mon-Fri, as well as Sunday afternoons. She is a member of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers). She is a 1.5 hour drive (or a MetroNorth train ride to Beacon) away from NYC. | Email Phone: 845-561-8078 |
| The Sewing Room | Kathy Levy | Colonie, (Albany area) NY | Alteration specialist, bridal alterations, custom christening gowns, first communion and flower girl dresses | Member, Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers) and the American Sewing Guild. | Email Phone: 518-869-6206 |
| Custom Stitches by Roxanne | Roxanne Buffone | Jamestown, NY | Formal, Costume, Everyday, Home decor, Accessories | Also known as "Veils by Roxanne" Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers) Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce |
Email Veils Website |
| A Fitting Solution | Marcia Cohen | Syracuse, NY | Costume, Everyday, Accessories, Alteration Specialist | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers), Empire State Chapter American Sewing Guild Studio is located in a commercial/residential Victorian building on the near East side of the city. Open six days/week from 9:30 - 5:30. In business since 1991. |
Email |
| Future Heirlooms | Pam Thomas | Maumee, OH | Formal | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional association of Custom Clothiers), holds a masters degree in Home Economics,and has attended Susan Khalje's Bridal Sewing School. | Email |
| DBA/ Alterations/ Custom Clothier | Carol Spencer | Ashtabula, OH | Formal, Everyday | Dressmaker and alterations specialist. Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (formerly Professional Association of Custom Clothiers) | Email |
| Lavender's Green | Kay Demlow | Hillsboro, OR | 19th Century Dressmaking, Reenactor's garb, seminars, consulting, fashion talks, and training | Established in 1991 with the same mission they still pursue today: to bring the romance and beauty of the past to modern people through authentic reproduction clothing. Over the years they have made garments for historic plays and pageants, Oregon Trail Wagon Train travelers, television productions, theaters, and weddings, but one of their favorite challenges is to make affordable, one-of-a-kind reproduction garments for the everyday folks who love history. Their clothes have been worn for living history demonstrations at historic sites throughout America, as well as for school groups, Civil War reenactments, and tours at historic houses, ranches and farms. | Email Website Phone: 503-640-6936 |
