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Shipping ONLY in the USA
(few exceptions made)
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Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.
~William James~
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The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.
~ Give God the Power ~
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"For judgement is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement."
~ James 2:13 ~
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Business
Policies
Purpose and Goal: As a professional seamstress
for you custom seamstress & alteration needs along with my dressmaking for dolls, I am committed
to providing you with quality seamstress work and service, with attention to
detail and to your
specifications. My full attention and time will be to provide you a quality
finished product with professional service.
Business hours:
- Phone calls and inquiries are typically -
9 am - 6 pm (EST) Mon - Fri. occasionally Sat 10 am - 4 pm, and occasionally Sundays
after 2 pm (These are estimate hours, as this can be flexible depending on my schedule for the day and will take calls before and after these hours) - this is mostly for customers
inquiring about alterations and custom work. Saturdays are flexible, depending on family needs. Please provide your
email and phone number and share it clearly if you get the answering machine.
- Online Order
inquires: Please email your inquiry or place your order online. It
is preferred that
if you are inquiring about an item on line, or desiring to place an
order over the phone from the web-site inventory, that you do that
through email only, at laura@davinadawnsewing.com, although I currently now have a shopping cart to handle this. It is also best, that if you have a custom order request, that you send the appropriate information along with a link and/or photos via email, so that I have everything in writing to refer to.
- Personal
Fittings/Alteration Drop-offs/Product Pickups - By appointment only
-
When possible I do schedule weekend and evening appointments.
- Local clients for mending/alterations
- although most drop-offs are done via appointment, if I'm around, you are welcome to drop things off.
It is still highly recommended to call first.
- E-mail communications -
generally 8 am -8 pm (EST), although flexible for when I'm on-line through-out the day/evening at
laura@davinadawnsewing.com
Appointments:
- Appointments for
personal Custom/Alteration work: Please call ahead to schedule an
appointment. When coming in for a personal fitting, please wear appropriate
undergarments and shoes. I live and work from my home, so if you have
children coming in for personal fittings, I ask that you remind them of
proper behavior. Please DO NOT bring children if they are not getting
a personal fitting. I need to spend my time focused on your need, vs.
being worried about your children, as there is no place for them to play
while they wait.
- Appointments for
personal inventory pick-up: Since I work out of my home, it is
recommended that you do not bring your family of children if they are at the age or activity level where they need constant supervision.
I have in stock what I show available on the web-site. Place your
order online and select for local delivery with cash or check payment. This has proven to be the most cost effective approach for customers, as
you and your children get to browse/dream before deciding. I will
confirm availability via email, where we can set up a time for
pick-up. Please bring your doll to insure fitting if you desire.
Please note: I do not have a store front, so it is impossible for you
or your child to browse in person.
- Other items online to select:
Infant blankets, scrub caps, rice therapy bags (filled at the time of order
to be sure of it's freshness), and other items.
Custom Work (Fashion & Home Decor)/Restyle/Refashion
work/Alterations
- Custom work where I am to create a fashion from a pattern, home decor from
your specifications, or restyle a dress to your specifications will require
a $50 CASH (minimum) consultation fee. This is NOT refundable, nor
does it apply to your order.
- If we agree on the terms and specifications, it will be required that the
client pay 50% upfront of the estimate provided.
- It is understood that the estimate provided is just an "estimate" and can
change depending on fabrics provided, and changes made throughout the order
process.
- When you pick up your garment, it is required that you try your garment
on. Failure to do so, waives your ability to have me make the
correction without an extra alteration fee.
- At each fitting, we will discuss what has been done and with your
approval, will move on to any further alteration needs. If you require
no further alterations, and have no further questions or concerns, Laura can
only assume that you are happy with the work that has been done.
- It is required you inspect your order, try everything on, move about in it
the way you normally would, to be certain of your satisfaction of such work.
- Upon inspection and fitting, you will need to sign your receipt stating
your satisfaction of the work that was provided for you. This is a
binding, legal document stating your satisfaction.
-
Cancellations/Returns/Exchanges:
- Returns - only accepted when the item is not what was ordered. The item MUST be returned in the SAME condition it was sent in, must be returned clean and not smelling like cigarettes or other offensive
odors, torn or damaged. This will create a situation where the product cannot be re-sold. Also, every item that is
made, is made with TLC, and inspected again, to be sure that there are no imperfections.
Online orders are
inspected a 2nd time, prior to shipment. Local pickup orders are again
inspected, but it is up to the client to determine their satisfaction upon
pickup.
- Upon canceling an on-line
order that has not yet shipped, there
will be a 20% cancellation fee, with a minimum of $25.00. With special
requests/custom orders where a down payment is made to start the job, there
will be no refund.
- Cancellation of a special
order forfeits the return of your 50% deposit and payments made to date.
- Rush Order cancellations of a special order
or alterations, mending, and all other sewing work - customer forfeits their complete payment - If customer decides to cancel, any materials the customer provided will be returned
if they pay for return shipment, unless already used in the start of the project.
- Cancellation of a custom/special order, once the project has started or been completed, there will be no return of deposit or any and all materials, dolls, etc., in order for Laura to recoup her costs.
- Completed custom orders where customer refuses to pay for services, where quality services were provided, according to the agreement - no return of deposit, materials, dolls, etc., will be made. Laura reserves the right to sell custom work and/or doll where applicable, and/or use materials towards recouping her
costs.
- In the event Laura, of Davina Dawn Sewing Specialties, chooses to return a doll after a client refuses to make payment of custom work, the customer must make a $25 - $50 payment in the form of a USPS money order for the cost of shipping and legal documentation stating their refusal of agreed contractual
work. The deposit is not refundable and does NOT apply to the costs involved with their return. If a client harasses or chooses to NOT follow the policies stated, this option will be cancelled.
- Once order is shipped, there
is no cancellation available.
- No Returns for special orders,
or any doll accessories (ex: please be sure of your doll shoe size), or sales
items.
- There are NO returns for items
purchased during the heavy holiday seasons.
- No refunds for expedited and
shipping fees.
- Return shipping costs are not reimbursed.
- Exchanges will be considered
for inventory on hand only if the item you received is not what you ordered,
as noted above. I will not be responsible for customer error in
ordering. All items are custom made by Laura (except where noted), created with quality and care, and
packed by Laura. Extra attention is given in the shipping process, to
be sure the customer receives exactly what they have purchased, and are inspected one last time for quality.
- In the situation where someone requests that I mend or alter an item nationally, I will send pictures of your item prior to shipment to verify approval. I cannot be responsible for situations where complete details or wrong measurements are
provided. I will provide the work based on our
conversations/emails. National mending and alteration services are provided sparingly, requiring that the client provide "exact" details and measurements. Reworks will have additional charges.
Custom Doll Clothing: It
is recommended that you submit your doll for a personal fitting as it
guarantees a better fit. I do have a variety of dolls on hand, so depending on the doll you need a specific outfit for, it is possible you will not need to send your doll for the personal fitting. If you opt to supply doll measurements, due to the
value of your doll or personal choice, I will provide you a list of
measurements needed. If you have an older garment you are trying to replace,
please send this garment along with your doll measurements. Working from measurements
cannot guarantee the same personal fit, but I will do my best to provide the
fit you are looking for, based on the measurements you provide. If it
does not fit, there will be additional labor costs for reworking the
garment.
Custom
Clothing/Children's clothing: Local customers are encouraged to schedule necessary
appointments for desired fit. For customers who are ordering from out of
town, I will be working from measurements that you provide. A custom fit
cannot be guaranteed, but I will keep in communication with you to do what
I can to provide a quality garment with a fit that matches the measurements
you provide.
- Question answered: Yes, I will make matching daughter/doll dresses and/or outfits.
- NOTE: If you provide a pattern, please know that the size you purchase in the retail environment will not necessarily be the same size of your pattern. Please check measurements accurately on your pattern that you provide.
- All materials provided must be clean,
pre-washed, and smoke free
Process for Special
Orders (Including Miniature Wedding Dress Replica's):
Please keep
in mind, this process can take a few e-mails, until we have finalized the
details of your request.
- E-mail your inquiry,
photo's if available, or links to photo's.
- I will e-mail any
questions I might have, and continue to further communicate, until the
final plans are set.
- Once communications are
complete, I will give you an estimated start time of your project along
with an estimate cost of your order. At this point, I will then request you to
submit your non-refundable 50% deposit, along with any other requested items, and a signed agreement.
- Once deposit (50% is
required, yet some customers opt to send a full payment) is received, I
will e-mail you a confirmation of its receipt and confirm the start
date. Please keep in mind, I place my special orders, in the order in
which deposits are received. I also limit the amount of specials orders in my schedule, to be sure I have time to create other items for the web-site, have available time for alterations, as well as meet family needs.
- Rush Orders - 100% payment is required up-front, and is not refundable.
- Once your project is ready
to start I will confirm, via e-mail, that your order has been started. I
will continue to e-mail with questions and the status of your
order. I will also provide pictures during the process where
needed. You are free to ask, via e-mail or phone call, any
questions you feel are important.
- Once your project is
complete, I will scan or take digital photo's for your viewing. I will
notify you of its completion and any balance due.
- While waiting for final
payment, I will add photo's to my website, in which I may request a
personal note that you might like to include (in the case of special
gifts, such as wedding dress replica's, christening outfits and first
communion dresses).
- I will e-mail you once
your payment balance has arrived, and give you the ship date. You
may make payment with the preferred method of a USPS money order,
non-credit card paypal payment, or personal check (needs to wait for
check clearing)
- Once your payment has
cleared I will ship your order.
- The day your order is
shipped you will receive a shipping confirmation from USPS or myself if
shipped via UPS.
Patterns, Fabrics and
Notions for your custom work:
- All materials must be clean, pre-washed, and smoke free
- Preference is for the customer
to provide all materials as I have learned over the past years that many
customers have a specific idea in mind. If I purchase fabric based on
your description, and you decide it is not what you want, you will be
charged for this material along with the next purchase. Please keep in mind, the
customer is responsible for shipping fees for fabric purchased on line,
and/or travel expenses for materials purchased locally.
- For custom made clothing for a
child, it is best that you provide the pattern, notions and fabric
selection. Please make sure you measure your child accurately, and
purchase the proper pattern and yardage for their size. Pattern sizes
are not the same as you would purchase in a store.
- I will shop for particular fabrics needed for
your project, but I highly recommend that you provide your
own fabric of choice to save the expense of my shopping time along with the
cost of materials. I rarely have on hand what you are looking for, and
do not carry large volumes of fabric for resale. I do reserve the right, however, to decline from
working with materials of poor quality or fabrics that are unsuitable for
the garment being made, although this has been rare.
- I do not
carry a supply of vintage fabrics for those looking to reproduce vintage
doll clothing. This is a very time consuming process, to research and
purchase (if found), that it could be quite costly. You are welcome to
provide the vintage fabric you are seeking to have your vintage doll dressed
in. This material will need to be in quality condition. I do have a
few vintage infant clothes online, and if you wish that I use them for your
custom doll outfit, you are more than welcome to purchase them to use
towards your custom doll outfit.
- Custom orders, for specialty
replica doll clothing, are made from patterns, designed by Laura, from the
details provided by the customer. These patterns are just drafts and
are NOT mailed to the customer. The labor cost involved is charged
upfront to the customer.
- You are welcome to supply the
pattern of choice. When providing your personal pattern, please mark which
garment you are seeking to have made, along with any details you are seeking
to obtain. Although some customers do not want their purchased patterns returned, so unless I am instructed to do otherwise, I will return their purchased pattern when their order is shipped.
Fees for Custom Orders:
- Miniature wedding dress replica's and
large special orders now need a $35 deposit prior to providing an estimate. This covers a fraction of the time
involved in putting a quote together for your specific need. This is
not an expense I like to charge, but due to the time involved in preparing
these type of quotes, I would like to be sure you are serious about this
venture. This is not refundable, but if you choose to follow through
with your order, I will put this expense towards your final bill, reducing your final cost.
- I require a 50% deposit on all
special orders prior to your order being started. The balance will be due upon
completion of the project. This is NOT refundable.
- An "Estimate" is
provided for your custom order. This is NOT a contracted price, but
rather a guideline to what your costs will be. Please read below what
is considered an "Estimate".
- Your final bill will include
the cost of the following services and materials that are used: Fabrics,
trims, notions, appointment time, shopping time, pattern cost or pattern
draft costs, pattern preparation, layout, cutting, sewing, fitting,
finishing, pressing of your garment, etc.
- Orders will be shipped USPS
Insured Priority Mail. I will provide UPS delivery upon
request. If you live locally, you may schedule to pick-up your
order. I will provide limited local delivery, at a rate of $35.00/hour, plus mileage, within a time frame that works well within my
business hours and family needs.
What is an
"Estimate"?
An estimate provides you a basic
guideline to what your costs will be. Following are some things that could
cause an estimate to change:
- The actual labor time is slightly
longer than planned in the estimate. I will try to keep you notified of this, but when
I am in the middle of beading, etc, this can be an inconvenience due to the
turn-around time a customer may take to respond. If I feel that the
time will be more than 2 hours, I will email and let you know but will
continue with the work. In the event
it does take extra time, you will be charged my hourly rate.
- The material costs are higher
than estimated - this can be caused by the cost of materials having gone up
since I was last shopping. Material costs include notions, trims as
well as fabrics. I am strongly recommending that customers
provide their own materials, as it makes the customer know for certain that
they are getting the proper fabric that they desire. In some cases, it is still best that I provide the materials. Please keep in
mind that your doll is a smaller scale than a human, and the size of the
pattern design in the fabric, as well as trims, need to be taken into consideration, as well
as the thickness of the fabric.
- Also, just a side note: Fabrics sell on average of $8.50 on up to over $15.00
- Upholstery and specialty fabrics will run much higher.
- The weight of the end product
is heavier than normal, causing a higher shipping cost.
- The customer makes changes to
the design, the trim, etc. Everything that is done, is done based on
the time involved. I want to be sure you are getting the desired
finished product, and will adjust to your needs, but will have to charge for
that time. This is generally the reason a job will cost more than the estimate provided.
If you make changes along the way, the customer understands that the job
will run higher. With this in mind, I will not stop to re-evaluate my
estimate, as the customer understands that they will incur a much higher
cost.
Will
it Arrive in Time?
-
An approximate
time frame for completion will be provided with your estimate. The actual
time it will be completed will be dependent upon when your deposit is
received and the orders that are already in the schedule ahead of you.
This is an approximation and not a guaranteed time frame. Items can
be completed earlier or later than your requested delivery
date. Everything is done, within my power to meet or exceed your request
but unexpected delays can happen so please do not wait until the last
possible moment to order. Allow yourself breathing room - and time to alter if
necessary.
-
Include your
requested delivery date on your order. If it is a rush
order, there will be rush order fee and expedited shipping charges with your
order. I cannot guarantee delivery dates, so again, plan accordingly
so that your order arrives in a timely manner for your needs.
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Watch your
email in case I need to contact you.
Is
it Returnable?
-
A custom order is made specifically for you.
It is not returnable or exchangeable. If you provide accurate
measurements, you should be very happy with the results.
-
Refashion
work is done to your specifications. There is NO refund for labor or
material expense, hence being non-returnable.
-
I will provide
digital pictures throughout the process. The pictures provided by
email provide you the opportunity to make comments and changes (knowing that
changes can incur additional fees) Please watch your email to
see the work-in-process. If you do not respond, I will continue with
the work as I understand your expectations to be.
Will it Fit?
For custom doll
clothing - it is strongly recommended that you send your doll. If you
can't possibly send it due to its value or delicate stage due to age, you will
need to provide measurements. Doll clothing that is made from measurements
do not have the same guarantee of fit, and time involved to adjust will be
charged.
A size chart for custom
clothing, from ready made patterns I alter to your specifications, is on any pattern you purchase. Please measure carefully and
use the size chart shown with the pattern you are ordering. Each manufacturer
of patterns can have a different standard - some even vary by style!
Adult fashions
- these custom orders are taken into consideration, as I prefer to work with the doll fashions and the fashion needs of the
young person (infant, toddler, etc.)
I do provide adult fashions, but it is best that you set aside some time for a consultation, so that I can clearly understand your need/desire. Consult fees are possible.
Success
depends on the accuracy of your measurements. Use those measurements to select a size from the size
charts provided with your pattern choice. The
garment you receive will fit the measurements on the pattern size chart. Understand
that formal items may require alterations for a perfect fit and if you are ordering from out-of-state, you might have to hire a seamstress for alterations.
Also, keep in mind that even if you
normally purchase a size 8 garment in town, the pattern might actually be a size 12 for your specific measurements. You might want to consider paying someone to do your
fitting if you are out-of-town or out-of-state. Also, to confirm your measurements, consider re-taking them on your own. It has been
known in other settings, that sometimes problems resulted from having someone else (who would make money on
alterations) take the measurements.
The final decision will be based on pattern selected and time available in my sewing schedule.
Or, another sizing option: From time to time, women need to be fitted for a proper
dress size. I will provide this service for you at a cost of $15 paid in
cash. You can use these measurements to order your dress online or at the
store of choice. These can be used as a guide and are not a guarantee of
the size shipped from your store of purchase. Please know that all
manufacturers do not necessarily use a standard size anymore.
ADDED
7/20/2010: Resizing:
Some have requested I make a dress larger by providing material or another dress
with the same fabric. This can be done and I have had great success, but
there is a $50 non-refundable cash consult fee. If I determine that the
available materials and size that needs to be made, can be done,
there will be an additional $200.00 non-refundable deposit, with the labor costs
incurred at each fitting. The customer understands that there is no
guarantee that the dress will fit the way it was originally intended to fit. Customer
must be honest with their size.
ADDED
7/20/2010: Resizing a Garment that is too small: There is NO
GUARANTEE a dress will stay together if you request that I let a dress out beyond
it's recommended 5/8" seam allowance, Laura will NOT be accountable for the garment
fit. If Laura sees that the garment cannot tolerate this type of
alteration, she will not take the project on. There will be NO refund of
deposit or consult fee! If you insist that I do this service, and I take
this service on, you will pay an upfront $150 non-refundable deposit, and
payment at each fitting for labor time incurred, at each step of the way.
You will have to sign a waiver, accepting any structure issues prior to the work
being done as well as the time of your final fitting.
Delivery
Dates
While every attempt is made to meet or exceed your requested delivery date, it
is not a guaranteed delivery date. Please allow proper time for
processing your payment, ample time to create your custom order, along with
necessary time it will take to ship from NH, USA.
Upon
Delivery
Please open your delivery and check it thoroughly upon arrival, before
removing any tags or packaging. If there is any problem, please contact me
by email within
three (3) days. Contact should be made by the purchaser only.
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