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Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Occupation Detailed Description

Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

The main tasks and work activities of Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers are to measure clients to ensure proper product fit, operate sewing equipment, sew clothing or other articles, measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators. In general, for the Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers, time Management, critical Thinking, speaking, active Listening and other 1 skills are required.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Job Description
EducationThese occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related ExperienceSome previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers jobs. 57.66% of Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 16.01% of Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
16.87%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
57.66%
Post-Secondary Certificate
16.01%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
9.46%

Tasks and Work Activities of Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

  • Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.
  • Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
  • Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines.
  • Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves.
  • Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.
  • Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
  • Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.
  • Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments.
  • Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed.
  • Fit, alter, repair, and make made-to-measure clothing, according to customers' and clothing manufacturers' specifications and fit, and applying principles of garment design, construction, and styling.
  • Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.
  • Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines.
  • Trim excess material, using scissors.
  • Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.
  • Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.
  • Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
  • Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements.
  • Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.
  • Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.
  • Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors.
  • Controlling Machines and ProcessesUsing either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or PeopleAssessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialInspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Measure clients to ensure proper product fit.
  • Operate sewing equipment.
  • Sew clothing or other articles.
  • Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators.
  • Repair textiles or apparel.
  • Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
  • Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
  • Adjust fabrics or other materials during garment production.
  • Smooth garments with irons, presses, or steamers.
  • Trim excess material from workpieces.
  • Design templates or patterns.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Estimate costs of products, services, or materials.
  • Confer with customers or designers to determine order specifications.
  • Position patterns on equipment, materials, or workpieces.
  • Cut fabrics.

Skills and Abilities for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers

  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Control PrecisionThe ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Sewing machinese.g. Blind stitching machines
  • Buttonhole machinese.g. Buttonhole makers
  • Sewing machinese.g. Chain stitching machines
  • Fabric or tailors chalk holderse.g. Chalk pencil holders
  • Safety pinse.g. Coiless safety pins
  • Laser printerse.g. Computer laser printers
  • Sewing machinese.g. Computerized sewing machines
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Full body form or mannequine.g. Dress forms
  • Shearse.g. Dressmakers shears
  • Shearse.g. Fabric machines
  • Curvese.g. French curves
  • Sewing machinese.g. Industrial sewing machines
  • Ironing machines or pressese.g. Ironing presses
  • Tape measurese.g. Measuring tapes
  • Shearse.g. Pinking shears
  • Sewing kitse.g. Point turners
  • Protective glovese.g. Pressing mitts
  • Razor knivese.g. Razor knives
  • Rotary paper or fabric cuttere.g. Rotary fabric cutters
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.