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.
• Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.
• Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts such as sleeves.
• Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
• Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed.
• Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments.
• Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.
• Trim excess material, using scissors.
• Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines.
• Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.
• 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.
• Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.
• Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements.
• Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
• Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.
• Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.
• Repair or replace defective garment parts such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.
• Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors.
• Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments.
• Put in padding and shaping materials.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers.

• Active Listening - Giving 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.
• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers.