Apply
Employment Percentage
-20.52772809
SOC ID
51-6052
SOC Title
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
ONET ID
51-6052.00
ONET Concat ID
51605200
Median Salary
36744.25
Ed Level High School
74.529999
Ed Level Certificate
16.01
Ed Level Some College
0
Ed Level Associates
0
Ed Level Bachelors
9.46
Ed Level Masters
0
Ed Level Doctors
0
Typical Ed Level
a high school diploma or less
Career Description
Design, make, alter, repair, or fit garments.
Core Tasks
  • Measure parts, such as sleeves or pant legs, and mark or pin-fold alteration lines.
  • Remove stitches from garments to be altered, using rippers or razor blades.
  • Sew garments, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
  • Let out or take in seams in suits and other garments to improve fit.
  • Fit and study garments on customers to determine required alterations.
  • Trim excess material, using scissors.
  • Measure customers, using tape measures, and record measurements.
  • Assemble garment parts and join parts with basting stitches, using needles and thread or sewing machines.
  • Maintain garment drape and proportions as alterations are performed.
  • Make garment style changes, such as tapering pant legs, narrowing lapels, and adding or removing padding.
  • Take up or let down hems to shorten or lengthen garment parts, such as sleeves.
  • Repair or replace defective garment parts, such as pockets, zippers, snaps, buttons, and linings.
  • 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.
  • Press garments, using hand irons or pressing machines.
  • Estimate how much a garment will cost to make, based on factors such as time and material requirements.
  • Position patterns of garment parts on fabric, and cut fabric along outlines, using scissors.
  • Record required alterations and instructions on tags, and attach them to garments.
  • Confer with customers to determine types of material and garment styles desired.
  • Examine tags on garments to determine alterations that are needed.
  • Develop, copy, or adapt designs for garments, and design patterns to fit measurements, applying knowledge of garment design, construction, styling, and fabric.
  • Put in padding and shaping materials.
  • Sew buttonholes and attach buttons to finish garments.
Start Annual Earnings
14091.37
Top Annual Earnings
76870.96
EMSI Career Title Slug
tailor-dressmaker-or-custom-sewer