Margie's Sewing, Tailoring, Alterations & Re-designing
161 Stanford Avenue East V9P 1M4 Parksville, BC, Canada

WoW This is exciting!! I even got a mention. Can’t wait to see the video next week!!! Look at that fire!!! https://www.nanaimobulletin.com//nanaimo-singer-joined-by/

Are grad celebrations happening this year? Wondering how many prom dresses I’m altering!?!? Time to book fittings!!

WooT! One of my upcycled dress designs in a local indie musician’s single video coming out soon!! Yay for Laura Kelsey! Beautiful voice, sweet person. I’ll post the link to her video when it’s out too.

Wishing you all the best season possible - Covid-style! I am still accepting new items only for alterations due to Covid. Please see my post below for my other Covid-style offerings. I appreciate your continued support to stay afloat during these strange times!

HoHoHo! Holiday Special till Dec 24th! Looking for a unique, practical and FuN gift idea?? (For yourself or someone special!!) Learn to sew, get creative, go through your wardrobe (with help )!! Special: Purchase 5 Private 1 hr Virtual (video)Sewing/Fashion Design Lessons, Creativity Mentoring Sessions, or Wardrobe Consultations and get the 6th free. Feel free to mix it up: 2 2 2, 4 1 1, 3 2 1 etc. to suit your needs. 6 Sessions for the price of 5!! $200 - a savings of $40! Pm me to book! (Don’t know how to video? I’ll help the recipient) Printable Gift Certificates available.

Update: Re: Covid 19 I am currently accepting Wedding Party, and *New* items for alterations only. (ie. Curtain panels for hemming) I am not accepting personal clothing items for safety reasons. I continue to follow safety protocols in my studio, as outlined in my previous post. Stay safe, be well.

Hello Customers & Friends! I hope you are well and safe. I closed in early March to help prevent the spread of Covid 19. (Outstanding orders were completed and picked up outside following social distancing protocol.) I am currently accepting PROM ALTERATIONS ONLY as this is important and urgent for our 2020 grads (and possibly ELOPING BRIDES). (Congratulations!! Woot!) One customer at a time will be permitted in my studio by appointment only. Masks will be worn at all times by the customer (customer must bring their own), and by me. The window of my studio will be kept fully open before and after the appointment. I am not accepting any used clothing alterations in my studio at the moment. As always, I take every possible precaution to maintain a hygienic environment for you. Be well.

Special Holiday Offer: Sign-up for 4 sewing lessons, or purchase a $200 Gift Certificate - good toward Custom Sewing, Alterations, or Lessons (General Sewing, Creative Sewing, or Upcycling lessons) and receive one free additional lesson, or a $40 bonus (to be added to the gift certificate). Deadline for offer is December 31, 2019. What is your resolution for 2020? To buy less? Be more self-sufficient? More Eco-friendly? Sewing is a life skill and I love teaching! Happy Holidays Oh, and if requested I will hand-make your gift certificate on cloth with creative stitchery, and textile embellishments!

Ho Ho Ho! Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday! Ho Ho Ho! Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday!

My Thread Colour Wheel - A great project for a stormy November Saturday. My thread board had become a crazy disaster, so I decided a revamp was in order. Little did I know I was going to take myself on a mini adventure with my colour wheel as well. ... It’s been a while since I studied colour theory in design school. I mean who remembers off the top of their head that adding blue to red-orange gives you the colour of ochre thread needed to hem many jeans? haha! I store my cone thread on a peg board, and I’ve always wanted to have it organized in a logical way - like a colour wheel. So I started by removing ALL the thread. Then I added some pegs to the pegboard, ‘cause as I’ve acquired more thread colours, the existing pegs were too full. (I found buried colours I had been looking for! lol) Then I had to figure out how to organize all the colours according to a colour wheel. Where do browns and greys go?? Lol I laid out all the cones on my cutting table in a circle, while consulting my colour wheel. That was FuN! They looked more like a colour wheel when they were in a circle on the table, than when I put them on the pegboard in a rectangle - but I kept the colours grouped in order as much as possible. (I wonder how long they’ll stay that way?? lol) I have unequal amounts thread in each colour so things weren’t gonna work out symmetrically either... no biggy. Small thread spools are organized by major colours in clear upcycled salad clamshells - seen in the photos up the side and along the bottom. (You’d be amazed at how many colours of thread are required to do good colour matching on alterations!) In the end, this was an entirely satisfying exercise that definitely sparked my creativity. This renewed awareness of colour theory will inevitably come up in my work whether the creative (fibre arts like weaving, & fashion & accessory design), or the day job lol (bread and butter alterations)! Looks like I also miss writing. Happy weekend. PS I would love to upcycle your salad greens containers (ie. Earthbound Farms) - especially the big ones. Please don’t wash them, just dump them out, and drop them at my door. (If they get wet I can’t easily get the labels off). Tia!

Hello Customers & Friends! I hope you are well and safe. I closed in early March to help prevent the spread of Covid 19. (Outstanding orders were completed and picked up outside following social distancing protocol.) I am currently accepting PROM ALTERATIONS ONLY as this is important and urgent for our 2020 grads (and possibly ELOPING BRIDES). (Congratulations!! Woot!) One customer at a time will be permitted in my studio by appointment only. Masks will be worn at all times by the customer (customer must bring their own), and by me. The window of my studio will be kept fully open before and after the appointment. I am not accepting any used clothing alterations in my studio at the moment. As always, I take every possible precaution to maintain a hygienic environment for you. Be well.

Prom Prom Prom time to book your appointments!! Prom Prom Prom time to book your appointments!!

Special Holiday Offer: Sign-up for 4 sewing lessons, or purchase a $200 Gift Certificate - good toward Custom Sewing, Alterations, or Lessons (General Sewing, Creative Sewing, or Upcycling lessons) and receive one free additional lesson, or a $40 bonus (to be added to the gift certificate). Deadline for offer is December 31, 2019. What is your resolution for 2020? To buy less? Be more self-sufficient? More Eco-friendly? Sewing is a life skill and I love teaching! Happy Holidays Oh, and if requested I will hand-make your gift certificate on cloth with creative stitchery, and textile embellishments!

Ho Ho Ho! Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday! Ho Ho Ho! Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday!

My Thread Colour Wheel - A great project for a stormy November Saturday. My thread board had become a crazy disaster, so I decided a revamp was in order. Little did I know I was going to take myself on a mini adventure with my colour wheel as well. ... It’s been a while since I studied colour theory in design school. I mean who remembers off the top of their head that adding blue to red-orange gives you the colour of ochre thread needed to hem many jeans? haha! I store my cone thread on a peg board, and I’ve always wanted to have it organized in a logical way - like a colour wheel. So I started by removing ALL the thread. Then I added some pegs to the pegboard, ‘cause as I’ve acquired more thread colours, the existing pegs were too full. (I found buried colours I had been looking for! lol) Then I had to figure out how to organize all the colours according to a colour wheel. Where do browns and greys go?? Lol I laid out all the cones on my cutting table in a circle, while consulting my colour wheel. That was FuN! They looked more like a colour wheel when they were in a circle on the table, than when I put them on the pegboard in a rectangle - but I kept the colours grouped in order as much as possible. (I wonder how long they’ll stay that way?? lol) I have unequal amounts thread in each colour so things weren’t gonna work out symmetrically either... no biggy. Small thread spools are organized by major colours in clear upcycled salad clamshells - seen in the photos up the side and along the bottom. (You’d be amazed at how many colours of thread are required to do good colour matching on alterations!) In the end, this was an entirely satisfying exercise that definitely sparked my creativity. This renewed awareness of colour theory will inevitably come up in my work whether the creative (fibre arts like weaving, & fashion & accessory design), or the day job lol (bread and butter alterations)! Looks like I also miss writing. Happy weekend. PS I would love to upcycle your salad greens containers (ie. Earthbound Farms) - especially the big ones. Please don’t wash them, just dump them out, and drop them at my door. (If they get wet I can’t easily get the labels off). Tia!

Closed Tuesday, November 12, 2019 in lieu of the stat holiday.Closed Tuesday, November 12, 2019 in lieu of the stat holiday.

If you are concerned about plastic waste & pollution, please know that Halloween is a very high waste holiday - from the single use cheap polyester (plastic) costumes, to the individually wrapped, bite-size treats. Here’s a good read about some costume alternatives. Oh, and what ever happened to the trick part of trick or treat?? https://www.fashionrevolution.org/haulternatives-for-a-wa/

Today, a customer tipped me with doe loins (venison). Woot!! Happy day.

Closed October 15th for the Thanksgiving stat. Gobble Gobble Closed October 15th for the Thanksgiving stat. Gobble Gobble

How did Santa know that photos of his custom-made suit were on my wish list?? Thanks Santa!! Doesn’t he look great!?

Omg! Got to use my pattern making skills again ! This Santa has the real belly - no pillow needed. Lol Custom-made Red Real Velvet/Faux Fur Santa suit, (jacket, 2 pr. pants, hat, double breasted lined brocade vest - pic doesn’t show the 6 HUGE Believe buttons, large 30-60 lined velvet present bag with drawstring - finally finished!!!! (photo of the velvet jacket is in-progress and doesn’t do it justice) And alterations/repairs to his old Santa suit. Woot! Woot! Just picked up. Customer was here for one week - heading home to Alberta early tomorrow. So tired I didn’t get finished pictures of everything.

I will be closed Tuesday September 3 for the long weekend. Happy Labour Day!!

Wondering about having me re-design a garment for you? Don’t like gold? Here’s a recent example of a simple upgrade I did for a customer! It’s amazing how small things can make such a big difference to how you feel in your clothes!! She was thrilled.

Looking for David Wallington! (Not sure the spelling) Customized garment waiting for pickup/payment since April. Rush requested but then he did not pickup at agreed time. Your help is appreciated. I’ve left several phone messages. Thanks!