Sew What Tailoring

I read over the reviews AFTER the fact. So I called 45 min before scheduled pick up time and they said it wouldn’t be ready at the time they told me. they said it would be closer to 5:30pm! I can’t believe they probably hadn’t even worked on it and now it’s rushed. Also, it was the most expensive tailoring!
Nice lady but very pricey.

I had to re-​rate this place because turns out they ripped me off BIG TIME! It cost me $ 25 PER work shirt to get it fitted (the armpits, shoulder and length). Cost me $ 18 per pants to also get it fitted. They said, «your uniform is hard to do» I went to Carmel Alterations & Tailoring in Rancho Penasquitos and cost me $ 6 for shirt and $ 6 for pants. Same job, same quality…

This place does not exist! Wasted my time when I was in a hurry.

This place doesn’t even exist anymore and hasn’t for awhile now. Update Unilocal

Have been trying to get in contact with Leah and Debbie for MONTHS. they have my wedding gown and I am losing my mind about this. If anybody has any info, please message me asap! Thank you!

I am going to keep this short. My wedding would NOT have happened without the genius who is known as Lea. She altered my wedding gown to fit my ever dropping weight and I looked stunning on my wedding day. She also made all of my flower girls dresses and the girls didn’t even live in San Diego, but they were ready to go the day before my wedding.
Lea is one of the most talented seamstresses I have met and I know some of the best. She doesn’t give her work away for free, nor should she. Her work is perfection.

If I could give her ZERO stars I would. Her partner is very nice but she is super rude over the phone. Several times I called and even once I called because I came from a different direction and I was lost. She was very rude to me. So here’s the saga. My daughter’s prom dress came with a long train. She needed it to be hemmed, and bustled, and my daughter specifically requested something to hold the train with, either a loop around her finger or one around the wrist. We decided one around the wrist would work. We talked about also adding padding under the top part so she wouldn’t have to wear a bra. Also talked about letting it out a bit on the sides to give her some breathing room as the dress fit her like a glove.
Fine, I come to find out that the cost of all this is $ 217. That is MORE than the damn dress. I am shocked. She tells me, well, it would cost the same no matter what, the dress has details, I have to take the lace on the bottom off and then put it back on. I’m in ticket shock but told that she’s been doing this for over 30 years and is highly recommended. She adds that she will give us a garment bag for it, too, to keep it from wrinkling.
We return for a fitting and the hem seems fine but the train is still rather long. To my surprise, no bustle. NO FLIPPIN’ BUSTLE. Who in their right mind thinks a gown with a train doesn’t need a bustle, especially after we talked about it in detail?
Ok, I give her the benefit of the doubt, as her partner is on vacation and they seem rather busy.
We discuss the bustle once again in detail. Bottom line, 3 hoops, and then 5 places to tie it up, plus one tie to the wrist. No problem, it will be ready on such and such a date. Then she tells me, well, since we did not discuss a bustle, it’s another $ 65. I’m like, what? Did not discuss it? She tells me, «Well, it’s not here in my notes.» I’m screwed for being nice and gullible. Then she says, «I know you are in financial duress, I’ll give you a break. I’ll do the bustle for only $ 35».
Oh, it gets better. The day before we are about to pick it up I call to verify the balance. She tells me the balance and I say, «Will it be ready?» «You are scheduled to pick it up tomorrow at 4 pm.» «Right, do you think it will be ready?» «You are scheduled to pick it up so yes it will be ready» with a snotty attitude.
That day comes, and I get a call, «We are so busy, we are falling behind, can you pick it up in two days?» «Oh, it’s NOT ready? Fine, no problem.» I gave her extra time, she wanted it picked up the following Tuesday, we didn’t go till that Friday to ensure it was ready and to ensure I had the remaining balance of the money. Mind you, by this time the cost ran up to $ 260. She told me over the phone that she could only have us there for 30 mins because she’s busy that day. We go get the dress and guess what? The bustle is only 3 ties, and THERE IS NO LOOP FOR THE WRIST. YES you got that. I was shocked. So she made us wait and it didn’t take long at all, but then she would not let my daughter try it on again. Made me pay the rest and then rushed us off with it in a USED, DAMAGED garment bag and said «I’m not charging you for it.» Um, first visit she said she’d give us a bag as part of the cost of this stint.
We came home and I made my daughter try the dress on again. Ok, now I’m FLIPPIN’ MAD. The hem? You think she’d hem it up, right? NOPE. SHE CUT IT. And there are little strings all over the place. SHODDY SHODDY job. If I take a picture I’ll post it.
DO NOT GO THERE. RIP OFF. I am going back there to demand my money back. I am so pissed that I was that gullible.

I am so happy to have found this business. I met with Debbie to purchase/​design a belly dance costume and accessories. I was given amazing service in this day and age. Her experience and expertise helped me make critical decisions in the designing of my costume.
I will not hesitate to return to her for any and all the other services this business offers.

I went here because of the Unilocal reviews and a consignment wedding shop referred me saying she’s inexpensive. Horrible! My first impression was over the phone. I had left a message for an appointment and I got a frantic voice mail back, I had to play it 4 times to figure out who was calling. She was telling me to hurry up and call back if I want to come in on Saturday, she’s about to call someone else for a Saturday appointment. The message and the conversation when I called back was more like she was doing me a favor rather than she was happy that I was coming in and giving her business.
I was so excited to get my wedding dress fitted. I walked into my appointment on time and was told someone came in late and it would be about 20 to 25 minutes. I was stunned. Here I am, on-​time, frantically left my house in a hurry to be on-​time and I’m being told someone else was late so my 11:00 appointment is now going to be 11:25? I have plenty of things to do rather than sit around and waste 25 minutes of my Saturday, I am planning a wedding after all. I expressed that I wish someone would have called me to tell me, I had things I could have done at my house. She just shrugged and that’s when Lea stepped out from fitting the girl that walked in late and took my appointment. They asked me if I wanted to reschedule. Wait a second, I’m on time for my appointment and I’m being asked if I want to reschedule? Ahh, no I don’t. They then asked me what needed to be done with my wedding dress. How am I suppose to know? Isn’t that why I’m here?
I was so amazed by the unprofessionalism that at this point I told them I should just go somewhere else. Why would a professional take someone who is 20 minutes late for their appointment when they know a scheduled appointment is about to walk in? That is so disrespectful of my time. Not to mention they had my phone number and could have given me the courtesy of a phone call.
When you walk up to the shop they have a sticker on the door that says «They love us on Unilocal.» I think their customer service is awful and their heads are too big from Unilocal reviews. Typically I don’t judge a book by it’s cover so I was willing to over look the darkness of the place and the thrift shop smell but their lack of personableness made my happy exciting day a big waste of time and upsetting. I would rather give my money to someone that has respect for other people and the business they bring.

I have been working with these gals for over 2 years… They are the secret behind the success of my company, Towelmate! Not only do they produce my product in their sew room but they also created the designs and developed all of my prototypes.
Fast service, quality work and super nice people! Deb and Lea are simply the best in the business and have over 30 years of experience. I highly recommend them for any cut/​sew needs!

Like some other people here I left my item to be altered and when I went back on the declared date they had not even touched it. I had a very specific deadline so it caused undo anxiety. I should have taken the item then but I did not (no wonder they want their money upfront). The hems on the sleeves of the coat are uneven, very visibly so. They did not take common steps needed for working with furry material. One side of the pocket flaps they put on were sewn down and the other side not and these were also uneven seems. I used the coat for the trip I had planned but will most likely give it away as it is pretty much ruined now and it just upsets me to see what I paid $ 55 for.

I put my wedding dress in 2 weeks before the date to get it steamed. I didn’t know how much it would cost for just a steam so I thought $ 86 was a bit high but I didn’t know where else to go. I am happy with the service and how helpful they were.

I have the good fortune of having friends and family with a lot of style; so i often receive really nice hand-​me-​downs. Unfortunately, they rarely fit right.
I’ve taken designer suits, designer jeans, uniforms that need embroidery, etc. to Sew What Tailoring. They are AWESOME! I walk out with clothes custom tailored to fit me perfectly!
I highly recommend them. My fat brother :) who lost weight and doesn’t fit into his clothes anymore took half his closet to Lea and now he looks like a million without having to break a hundred.

Sew What Tailoring has been my go-​to place to get my premium denim done. A lot of jeans I get are often too long and don’t have short sizes so I need to get them hemmed. I’ve gotten different hems done: standard, put-​backs, and original hem and I have absolutely no complaints! Debbie and Leah are always willing to help out with what you need and it’s nice to see people in the place smile when they greet you and when you pick something up!

I am very satisfied!!! I first found this place by google-​ing and finding the location thru Unilocal.I came here looking for Bellydancer’s Jewelry which I am picky on accessories because accessories can really make a costume. I was able to find exactly what I was looking for. The lady was extremely helpfull in finding the right color and the right accessories to go with my outfit. She knew I was looking to buy sexy items and she helped me pick out the perfect items; she was very helpfull. I am very satisfied and will recommend this place to anyone looking to buy any bellydancing items.

I have been taking clothing to Debbie and Leah for a couple of years now. It is so nice to have a place like this that actually delivers great service with a big smile. I recommended them to my daughter and she has repeatedly had a great experiences as well. They made some items for me to use at my place of business and did exactly as I asked. If you need any kind of adjustment or need something made from scratch go and talk to these two women. And you’ll LOVE their shop. Fun fun fun!

This place is not just for women. The shop is full of belly dancing clothes and accessories and yes that is just for women.. However that is for the sole enjoyment of men.
If you’re a man and your suit, shirts, slacks are to loose, bulky or plain unflattering, bring them here! Having broad shoulders and a large chest with a slim waste I always end up with a suit jacket one size too large. Lea made my last suit fit like it was personally made for me.
Quick turn around and they even called to remind me my order was ready. Extremely happy with the work and service.

Tried this place out for the first time as I recently moved to La Mesa. I brought in 2 pairs of jeans to be hemmed, and one sweater that I messed up by tearing the tag off which led to a little tear. One of the ladies said it would be 1 week. Really? One week? I’ve been to several other SD places that’ll do it way quicker, i mean seriously, its 2 hems and a tear fix. What I received a week later was jeans with slightly crooked hems and they did a horrible job on the sweater — my boyfriend could’ve done a better job. Now there’s a weird crooked design in my striped sweater.
2 stars for being sorta friendly, but I won’t be going back.

I recently discovered Sew What here on Unilocal and had a great experience. After a few mediocre experiences getting hems reattached on designer jeans I was nervous, but these ladies showed me another pair they had done so I could see how the hem would turn out. They also asked very practical questions about what type of shoes I might wear with the jeans so that they could get the length right. When I arrived to pick up the jeans they were exactly as promised and a better price than what I had been paying. They were very busy with weddings (in late June) and it took a week for them to get it done but I am very satisfied.

I highly recommend this place for all your custom sewing and alteration needs! I absolutely adore both ladies that run this place. As a performer, I totally trust them to work on my costumes that are worth hundreds of dollars. I’ve never had any problems whatsoever. It is actually a relief not to have ANY horror stories to speak of when it comes to their work.
Both Debbie and Lea are very professional and very knowledgeable in their field. To top it off, they are super nice and will accommodate your sewing/​alteration requests to the best of their ability. These ladies are top notch!