MY BITTER EXPERIENCE WITH DRESSMAKERS IN CARTAGENA

I was exhausted from looking for a good dressmaker.

I'll start from the very beginning. A year ago, I needed a seamstress. I asked her to just hem a dress and pants. The price would have been about 2-3 dollars per item. The woman was nice. But I immediately noticed that she had vision problems. And how difficult it was for her to see a needle and thread. Of course, I was surprised, asked her several times if she understood everything and could do it. She, of course, assured me that everything would be for the best.

On the appointed day, I came and found the dress and pants ruined. The dress, by the way, was a gift from a friend from America during my two-month stay in Mexico. So it is kind of memorable for me. I had just bought the pants and intended to use them for an advertising video. In the end, that's what I did. After all, no one will see. But this does not change the fact that there are millions of tiny holes from endless alterations of crooked seams. Oh yes, I could not even imagine that an adult with specialized equipment, calling herself a tailor and taking payment for such “work”, can sew as if she is under the influence. I call these seams “costuras borrachas”, that is, soldered seams. But I am a kind person, so I always tolerate it.

Although first of all, you need to love yourself and value your own time, and not seamstresses who constantly screw up. In general, the first seamstress surprised me in earnest. By the way, she did not take the money. But this did not make it any easier for me. After all, the things were ruined. At least, they no longer had their original appearance. I thought it was an isolated incident. I showed her seams to several local friends. They were also shocked and said that it was no good. I calmed down a little. Like, I was just unlucky. And I continued looking for a seamstress. By the way, there are a lot of them in Cartagena. Literally at every step.

In general, the second experience was no better. Because even seams in Cartagena are too expensive, in my opinion. It's easier to buy a new thing. At first, I thought they were trying to deceive me because I was a foreigner. But no, it turned out that these are generally accepted prices for everyone. In the end, for about $6 per item, they made me roughly what I asked for. I understand that this price is ridiculous for the States and other developed countries. But in Ukraine, for example, it costs much less to perfectly fit trousers. And even in Cartagena itself, with initially frightening prices for clothes, you can find ones like $7-8 for a dress. So why spend $6 on hemming? In general, I was glad that someone handy and smart was found. And there were even two of them. But at the same time, I realized that my experience with local tailors had come to an end.

Unfortunately, a little later my irrepressible desire to create clothes took over. If only I knew then how much nerves and money it would cost me.

At first, I went to literally all or almost all the so-called specialists near the place where I make the print. Here, namely in the historical center of the city, there is one place where there is a whole floor of seamstresses, and they charge little for their work. But I still do not understand the people who pay them money. Unfortunately, my dear Diana, with whom I make the above-mentioned print, and I had all kinds of shocks. She is Colombian but from another city, Medellin. There, she says, they sew better, including her sister. I confirm. Because I myself wear shorts made by her. In general, what the seamstresses did cannot be described in words or with a pen. Admire them yourself.

A month or two later, my first love in Cartagena, Señora Maritza, took me to a dressmaker she knew. Now, I tell you, she is a real master of her craft. I will write a couple of laudatory reviews about her now. Maybe one day she will read them. Dunya, you are the best! I have something to compare with. Not only can she make a pattern that is right (except for fleeting blurriness, I don’t know what it is connected with, probably when there is little desire, and there is a rush job), but she can also make straight, not drunken seams!

For me, this is mega important! It is unpleasant to wear crooked clothes. And I simply do not know how to sell, that is, to foist off low-quality goods. Of course, with Dunya we went through all the stages from love to irritation and fatigue from the process and back. Because no one likes to listen to comments. And without them, how can you achieve the highest quality? And sometimes you have to close your eyes a little so as not to see minor errors. But for Colombia, apparently, this is the ceiling. It turns out that we are spoiled by the work of our seamstresses. In Ukraine, in general, the quality/price ratio is such that Colombians can’t even dream of it. I don’t know anything about Europe. I have never had to use this kind of service there. If anyone knows, please write in the comments. I would be interested in comparing the experience in Latin America and other parts of the world.

In a word, the situation has improved. And I spent a lot of time making the products. It turned out not perfect, to be honest, but very good. By my standards. By local standards, the rating is slightly higher. As a result, when it turned out that life was starting to get better, Dunya decided to take a break, so to speak. I understand her. And to some extent I'm glad, because it gave me a chance to finally concentrate on the site, which is my brainchild.

After some time, a miracle happened. And in the church I go to, a seamstress appeared from somewhere. Not a professional, but inspired. When I was standing and complaining to my friend about the vicissitudes of fate due to the ups and downs with the search for seamstresses, a girl unexpectedly came up to me and hugged me. I was shocked. She left. And my friend suddenly looked at me with her eyes the size of 5 kopecks and added:

"So she's a seamstress!"

When I asked where she had been before with this revelation, she replied that she herself had recently found out, but it slipped my mind to tell me.

Jenny and I made a new model of blouses. Then another seamstress was found. And even several. They all end up in my area. It's really something. I lived for a year and didn't know about any of them. I'll say right away, I really searched persistently.

Be that as it may, the problem with seamstresses hasn't disappeared. They either charge too much, or don't finish the product, leaving the edges of the fabric inside without an overlock, or they just sew poorly. And they don't admit their mistakes. And if they do, then after a few of them they blame you for your dissatisfaction with their poor work. That's what happened with the last seamstress, a designer. I was quite happy with the way she sewed, but in the end she shortened the skirt too much for some reason and didn't admit this fact, which was extremely obvious. I won't mention the rest of the issues. If I were to briefly describe my bitter experience with the local seamstresses, it would sound something like this: either a person doesn't show up for work on schedule, or forgets to sew, or accidentally cuts off too much.

I'm so sorry, because I like collaborating with someone who can actually sew and who has an understanding of how to play around with a particular difficult moment in design. I've just had too much trouble with seamstresses to not get tired of all this madhouse one day. In short, I've also taken a break. (However, I'll soon publish posts on Instagram with a new model of a blouse, skirt, and even a bag).

In general, sewing clothes in Colombia turns into an endless horror for me. I've heard about the same thing about Latin America in general from several people. But I won't say for sure. I don't know how others cope. Maybe clumsiness is not shameful here? Otherwise, why is there such a high demand for this service?

I'm tired. And I don't want to figure it out anymore. Lord, help me! You can't do it without prayers.

Of the strengths of the local dressmakers, I can only point out one. In my opinion, they have a good understanding of fabrics. And this is extremely important. For example, you can't sew lace that doesn't stretch onto stretchable fabric. There are many little things that you learn about as you gain experience and knowledge, and which you can't do without.

P.S. Because of the numerous mistakes of dressmakers, I come up with new solutions all the time. Thank God for giving me creativity. The elastic is out of place, let's add lace; the length is too short, let's also add lace or trim from another fabric that gives the product a unique look; the pattern is not at all what I asked for, well, let's improve the model and turn it into a new idea! But I just ask myself, when will they do it the way I need it right away? Oh yes, the question is rhetorical...