- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- customer service skills
- the ability to work well with your hands
- excellent verbal communication skills
- physical skills like movement, coordination, dexterity and grace
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Your day-to-day duties may include:
- discussing the client’s needs
- giving the client advice on fabrics and patterns
- taking measurements
- changing an existing pattern, or creating a new pattern for the client
- costing the work
- using the pattern to cut out the fabric pieces
- tacking the fabric pieces together for a fitting
- making samples or ‘toiles’
- using a sewing machine or sewing by hand
- fitting the garment and making adjustments to create a perfect fit
- keeping your accounts, if self-employed
You could work in a workshop or from home.
With experience you could take on a supervisory role, move into a related career like fashion or textile buying, or become self-employed.
You could also work in costume production for theatre, TV and film.
You can find out more about working in creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.
