I can't be the only who just does not sympathize with OP? Doing what you'd like to do isn't profitable? You'd need to have a job you don't love?
I mean... that's life for you.
this post was submitted on 22 May 2025
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Let me be clear: I'm handicapped and sewing is one of the only skills I have that allows me to make money.
I do enjoy sewing, but it is also one of the few jobs I'm actually physically able to do.
May I suggest that you open your own business? It seems there's more than enough demand, and you have the skills and the tools. Go you!
Where the hell even are you? Anyway demand minimum wage.
You don't give him the work until he pays you enough for it. This is why you negotiate up front. Anyone who won't agree to a price ahead of time is trying to screw you over
That fucking guy's archetype brings about unions. Or he gets dragged out in the middle of the night and beaten to death in front of his family. I don't know what it is about the maritime community, but it sure does attract a disproportionate amount of grifters, scammers, total jerkwads.
I run a cut/sew shop specializing in marine canvas. I'm a one man shop but have worked for tyrants in the industry. Sounds like this guy is another dictator of his empire of dirt. Buy yourself a good walking foot machine and seize the means of production.
In all honesty, a simple box cushion should take about an hour and a half. I charge $100/hour. If I was to sub it out I have a sewer who would do it for $40/hour. I hate cushions with a passion and would tell the customer I was subbing it out but would still charge them $60/hour at least. Experience equals speed equals profit, and education is expensive. I'm sure you'll sew the next ones faster, but that doesn't mean you'll get paid extra to learn.
But fuck that guy. He will always pay the smallest amount possible and look for ways to keep his foot on your neck as you improve. Marine canvas isn't a simple trade to start in, but can be quite profitable if you don't fuck up. I encourage you to keep at it, but don't count on some asshole to help you.
The fabric was patterned and he said that he expected the pattern to match / line up on each one, and they have to match no matter which cushions were switched out. I had to be meticulous and make sure the back cushion pattern started where the seat pattern ended. Had to do the same with the boxing.
I also used a hot-knife to cut, as I had wanted to make sure fabric wouldn't unravel. That was probably overkill, but I wanted to show I could do clean work and was serious. Too bad I felt I was the only one taking it seriously, in the end.
I live in a town on the water, and we don't have a marine canvas / upholstery shop, which baffled the hell out of me. Now I realize that old, out-of-touch shop owners would not want to fairly pay employees, so that's why we still have none.
I looked into starting my own shop.. but with my country's current leader actively plunging us into an economic crisis.. it's a frustrating no-go, as the risk is far too high. Plus, I looked into buildings where it could be feasible, and I could not afford it even in my wildest dreams.
I appreciate your input. I'm too angry and frustrated to do more rn, but I do very much appreciate your kindness. Thank you.
Ya, patterns suck. Unfortunately, a great way of learning the trade can be eating some assholes shit for a while. If you can find a shop you can suffer with, it will get your face out there. People will quickly seek you out if you're talented.
It doesn't sound like you're able to start a business, but you will be able to build one. I say, I'm not building boat tops, I'm building relationships lol. It's a piece of cloth, they're going to be back for repairs. Sometimes you eat the bear, but this time the bear ate you. Remember this one and carry on with the next one. It takes a stiff spine to slut yourself as a custom shop. I call myself an upholstitute or an upholstwhore.
I mean, that’s kind of on you for not agreeing on the price beforehand - but still, pretty damn rude of them. I bet they’re charging at least 50 bucks an hour, so I’d love to hear their excuse for paying a tenth of that.
Sounds like you already have the equipment for this kind of work, so why not just start your own business? That’s what I did, and it was one of the better decisions I’ve made in my life.
I suppose I shouldn't have expected a boomer to fairly compensate me. However, it being my first time out in the job market for a while, I had expected things things to work on a standard based on at least the current minimum wage.
I don't think those expectations are unreasonable.
It's not unreasonable. I wouldn't work for this person, or I would accept work to do and then come back to them and say "I needed to prioritize better paying work, I can't get this done on time."
Like, do you think this person is treating you honestly in any measure? No. They are breaking the social contract. Don't give them an inch.
Unfortunately if you aren't an actual employee, minimum wage doesn't apply. And if you have to bid against other workers for work, you DEFINITELY are not an employee.
Not really how that relationship is determined basically anywhere.
Piecemeal employment contracts exist, they are still employment relationships.
Start your own business if possible.
There is tons of work and the local market supports that. Find a way to use equipment from somebody else for cheap to start and at the rates that the shops get payed you probably would get byy with finding one out two jobs per month. Take control of your life. You can do it.
That is deeply fucked. You deserve enough compensation to be comfortable, to have healthcare and all the other necessities & some luxuries, and to be able to plan for your future.
Those upholsterers are being predatory. No one deserves it.
So you're saying you and the other seamstress can open a business together and charge whatever you want?
He owns the equipment.
Seize the means of production my prole
You usually need money to do that.
Business loans are a thing
During a looming economic crisis + ridiculous foreign tariffs + with real estate currently at an all-time high?
Don't think I can take the risk of trying to start my own business right now, as much as I'd like to.
A shove and a flight of stairs would work just as well
Murder a man and steal massively heavy equipment from a well-known local figure? That's your solution to my problem?
For fuck's sake.
You are right, you are better off finding some "legal" way of bankrupting them and forcing them to sell you the equipment, using a few lawyers and politicians.
At least that's what they do in the movies when they are not murdering.
That's a great way to end up working slave labor.
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