RE: [h-cost] Hourly Wages
A friend of mine had an Elizabethan court dress and hat made, with removable sleeves and separate underskirt. It was beaded and had a good amount of trim. Quite lovely. I believe she paid about $2,000.00 US. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kathy Page Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 1:39 PM To: Historical Costume List Subject: [h-cost] Hourly Wages I was having yet another *coughcough* discussion with my husband on what the typical hourly wages independant costumers make - what they charge out at for high end work - full suites of clothing, custom designed, in part or fully assembled by machine, complete with embellishments. He seems to think I am on cheap crack, however I have looked into it through employment statistics in my province and country, and have kept a quiet eye on the discussions in the past here and I believe that I am on track for a 5 year plan of establishing my reputation and credibility. He is a frustrating insta-boing type, thinking I should be able to name whatever I please with no justification behind the price tag. Could I run a survey on what those interested and willing to offer cannon fodder on this discussion charge out for work roughly described above, and the currency it is typically quoted at, so I can compare apples to apples? If it seems like a private subject, please feel free to reply offlist. Thanks for anyone willing to save my sanity, Kathy Ermine, a lion rampant tail nowed gules charged on the shoulder with a rose Or barbed, seeded, slipped and leaved vert(Fieldless) On a rose Or barbed vert a lion's head erased gules. Its never too late to be who you might have been. -George Eliot Tosach eólais imchomarc. - Questioning is the beginning of knowledge. http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/131 ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] new images of Elizabethan gowns online
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Gorgeous work, as usual. It's nice to see your more recent projects. I still like your red brocade gown the best, having seen it in person in all it's glory. The Gaudy Gown? Yes, that's my favorite as well. Thanks, Melanie ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] new images of Elizabethan gowns online
Kate M Bunting wrote: Love the mustard-coloured doublet! Very elegant... Thank you! That was my third embroidery project, many years ago. I'm currently working on an embroidered shirt that will hopefully be a little more accomplished, though it will be a long long time before it's finished. Cheers, Melanie ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
RE: [h-cost] Hourly Wages
Clients in my experience want to know in advance how much they'll be paying, so I set a per-hour rate in my head but quote a flat amount depending on the garment and level of ornamentation--with adjustments for anticipated aggravation, of course. :-) That way I don't have to keep careful watch on the clock, or remember that I work more slowly as the day goes on. Not that I do this for a living, but that's the method I developed when I was sewing for other people. Now it's just a recommendation. $2,000 seems quite high, but jewelling and any handwork does take a lot of time. (That's why I learned to sew, in the end.) I guess it depends on what your market will bear. MaggiRos --- Sharon at Collierfam.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: A friend of mine had an Elizabethan court dress and hat made, with removable sleeves and separate underskirt. It was beaded and had a good amount of trim. Quite lovely. I believe she paid about $2,000.00 US. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kathy Page Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 1:39 PM To: Historical Costume List Subject: [h-cost] Hourly Wages I was having yet another *coughcough* discussion with my husband on what the typical hourly wages independant costumers make - what they charge out at for high end work - full suites of clothing, custom designed, in part or fully assembled by machine, complete with embellishments. He seems to think I am on cheap crack, however I have looked into it through employment statistics in my province and country, and have kept a quiet eye on the discussions in the past here and I believe that I am on track for a 5 year plan of establishing my reputation and credibility. He is a frustrating insta-boing type, thinking I should be able to name whatever I please with no justification behind the price tag. Could I run a survey on what those interested and willing to offer cannon fodder on this discussion charge out for work roughly described above, and the currency it is typically quoted at, so I can compare apples to apples? If it seems like a private subject, please feel free to reply offlist. Thanks for anyone willing to save my sanity, Kathy Ermine, a lion rampant tail nowed gules charged on the shoulder with a rose Or barbed, seeded, slipped and leaved vert(Fieldless) On a rose Or barbed vert a lion's head erased gules. Its never too late to be who you might have been. -George Eliot Tosach eólais imchomarc. - Questioning is the beginning of knowledge. http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/131 ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Hourly Wages
Sheesh! Yet another husband that wants to get rich quick on the labors of his wife? My ex used to harangue me about this same thing, which I found rather irritating, especially since he enjoyed being on unemployment... IMNSH opinion, if he thinks that he can get the high prices, let him negotiate with the customers. And then have him deal with their nitpicking every little thing to get the final bill reduced; and he can also deal with those who abuse the garment so that a seam fails and then wants free repairs! I suggest that you do your usual quote type thing, and calm the the customer down. I charge $20/hour for garments that have straight basic sewing (no embrodiery work or beading or minimal hand sewing). Charge $25/hour for garments that have embroidery work, beading or lots of handsewing. 3 Fittings are included, but if they miss a fitting without any notice, they pay $10 penalty. If they lose so much weight that alterations are needed before they wear the garments the first time, the hours needed for altering is at the higher rate of $25.00. Anyhow, I found that if I do a flat fee quote, I seriously underestimate the time I spend sewing the garments. On the other hand, folks seem to think they are getting a bargain having me sew for them at my rates, but they still can't afford me. Sad, huh? I don't sew for folks too much anymore, I just don't have the time.. Best of luck with *coughcough* discussing this with your husband.. Elena/Gia -- Original message -- From: Kathy Page [EMAIL PROTECTED] I was having yet another *coughcough* discussion with my husband on what the typical hourly wages independant costumers make - what they charge out at for high end work - full suites of clothing, custom designed, in part or fully assembled by machine, complete with embellishments. He seems to think I am on cheap crack, however I have looked into it through employment statistics in my province and country, and have kept a quiet eye on the discussions in the past here and I believe that I am on track for a 5 year plan of establishing my reputation and credibility. He is a frustrating insta-boing type, thinking I should be able to name whatever I please with no justification behind the price tag. Could I run a survey on what those interested and willing to offer cannon fodder on this discussion charge out for work roughly described above, and the currency it is typically quoted at, so I can compare apples to apples? If it seems like a private subject, please feel free to reply offlist. Thanks for anyone willing to save my sanity, Kathy Ermine, a lion rampant tail nowed gules charged on the shoulder with a rose Or barbed, seeded, slipped and leaved vert(Fieldless) On a rose Or barbed vert a lion's head erased gules. Its never too late to be who you might have been. -George Eliot Tosach eólais imchomarc. - Questioning is the beginning of knowledge. http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/131 ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Hourly Wages
In a message dated 9/4/2006 1:39:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: $2,000 seems quite high, but jewelling and any handwork does take a lot of time. And I don't think that is high enough. But that is one of the reasons I DON'T sew for other people--I don't think they are, on the whole, willing to pay what I think I'm worth. Ann Wass ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Hourly Wages
Also depends on cost of materials, I'd think. Good quality fabrics, beads, trims could get really expensive, really fast. I strongly suspect that the outfit is more along the lines of a couture-level costume, rather than a cheesy, cotton-broadcloth Elizabethan equivalent of a prom dress from Hellmart.g If the person who made that 2K outfit were giving him/herself a base wage of, say, $25/hour, which is probably pretty low for highly skilled custom sewing (I'm basing this purely on what my old employer from a couple of decades ago used as a base to figure costs for the custom sewing jobs I did), that would only be about 80 hours of labor for the entire outfit, assuming that the raw materials' costs were NOT included in the 2K. I've spent that much time just on beading some things, never mind the 100s of hours one can devote to embroidering something. I'll have something like 15 or 16 hundred hours into the embroidered stripes on my Venetian camicia by the time I'm done. --Sue in Montana, enjoying her rare, Labor Day vacation ;o) - Original Message - From: MaggiRos [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Historical Costume [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 11:37 AM Subject: RE: [h-cost] Hourly Wages Clients in my experience want to know in advance how much they'll be paying, so I set a per-hour rate in my head but quote a flat amount depending on the garment and level of ornamentation--with adjustments for anticipated aggravation, of course. :-) That way I don't have to keep careful watch on the clock, or remember that I work more slowly as the day goes on. Not that I do this for a living, but that's the method I developed when I was sewing for other people. Now it's just a recommendation. $2,000 seems quite high, but jewelling and any handwork does take a lot of time. (That's why I learned to sew, in the end.) I guess it depends on what your market will bear. MaggiRos --- Sharon at Collierfam.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: A friend of mine had an Elizabethan court dress and hat made, with removable sleeves and separate underskirt. It was beaded and had a good amount of trim. Quite lovely. I believe she paid about $2,000.00 US. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Re: h-costume Digest, Vol 5, Issue 605
Between 5 and 10 per hour, depending on whether I actually want to make it or not!! Or up to about 20-25 per hour for embroidery, depending on the style of stitching or complexity, and again, whether I want to do it or not. Although that generally includes threads unless they're hideously expensive. The wanting to do it or not thing isn't as arbitrary as it sounds - I have kind of a list of stuff that I really want to make, but can't justify spending the time on. I make a couple of bits per year for display and photos for the website, (i.e. just for fun...), at which rate it would take me about 50 yrs to get through the list. So if somebody wants something that's on my list, I give a discount - the amount of discount dependant on how much I want to make it (ok that bit is pretty arbitrary). That said, I do make more than that on a couple of the items I have in stock at markets and the like, for which I charge roughly the going rate. Debbie Oh - ps - the currency is pounds sterling (gbp), but I have a US configured keyboard that won't do pound signs :o) And the 10 - 15 is the most usual price per hour. In a message dated 9/4/06 7:02:20 PM GMT Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Could I run a survey on what those interested and willing to offer cannon fodder on this discussion charge out for work roughly described above, and the currency it is typically quoted at, so I can compare apples to apples? If it seems like a private subject, please feel free to reply offlist. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] fabric pattern/designs
In a message dated 9/2/2006 11:53:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I had it in my mind that it came from India/Persia (or at least *somewhere* in that neck of the woods) and that it was the pattern produced by block printing the side of the hand . *** Yes I heard that too. And that it represents a pine cone is another thing I seem to remember. This starts in India after the Mongols invade, I believe. But In Europe.that's another matter ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Re: new images of Elizabethan gowns online
Date: Sat, 02 Sep 2006 19:14:16 -0500 From: Melanie Schuessler [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [h-cost] new images of Elizabethan gowns online To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Greetings to all, I've finally gotten some pictures of more of my Elizabethan gowns online. There are six new pages and one old page with better pictures accessible from this menu page: http://www.faucet.net/costume/period/eliz.html These are beautiful, well done! Melanie Schuessler Allison T. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] new 17th century category at Am I Period or Not?
We have finally received enough submissions to create a separate 17th century album at http://au.geocities.com/amiperiodornot/ (we set up a policy early on that we would split up the albums into separate centuries once we had enough photos to put 5 in each century) Unfortunately this means that the old comments and votes have been lost in the move (sorry to the owners of the photos but there's no other way to do it), so you can now claim the honour of submitting the first comment on the 17th century photos. Come visit our website http://au.geocities.com/amiperiodornot/ For those who have somehow missed my previous messages advertising this site here's a brief summary of the concept: People send in photos of the historical costumes they've made, the photos are loaded onto a website where people can view them, vote on how period accurate they are and leave comments. While the original site that this website was based on was for pre 1600 costume only The New Am I Period Or Not website covers the fashions of any era you like, from the first civilisations to the day before yesterday (plus imaginary eras). Elizabeth Elizabeth Walpole Canberra Australia ewalpole[at]tpg.com.au http://au.geocities.com/amiperiodornot/ ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
