Stitch In A Hurry

Love love love Stitch In Hurry. Reasonable prices and Margaret is wonderful. She repairs all of my vintage clothing, and does a beautiful job. Highly recommend her.

Twice now I have brought in clothes to be altered, and twice I have been refused service.
The first time, when I brought in a few skirts/​pants to be hemmed, she tells me «I won’t be able to have this done for a long time, you should go somewhere else.» I was a little insulted but also figured she was just being forthright and clear about her time frame.
The second time, I brought in a well-​loved coat that needed a few repairs, as the seams around the pockets had seen better days. She says «I’ve served my time, I won’t do something like this, nope, not anymore.»
WHAT?! I come in to her shop wanting to support small businesses, especially those in my neighborhood, and am REFUSED SERVICE??? I’m surprised she is able to retain customers at all, with her uppity, superior attitude.
Go to DZ Alterations at SW Morrison and 12^th if you want a great tailor.

I have been in twice to have Margaret hem slacks and a skirt. She is always very friendly and chatty. Her prices are reasonable, and when I asked her to redo the hem in the skirt because the material started to fray she fixed it free of charge. Her hours are only from ten to six but that fits perfectly with my hours. She is a sweet woman and always has a entertaining story or two to share.

Stitch In a Hurry is one of those places that you feel lucky to know about. I’ve been taking my clothes to Margaret for a couple of years now and have always been a happy customer. She does a great job*****
(For those of you who like for people in the service industry to accomodate your needs by working endless hours or doing all of your communicating for you Please take your clothes to someone who needs your business so badly that they don’t have a choice other than to bend over backwards for you because this Gem of a lady only deserves the best of customers.)

Horrible service, don’t let the «I’m a cute little innocent Polish lady» act fool you.
I brought in 3 dresses to be hemmed and was told I owed $ 40 and they would be ready in a week, so I payed the $ 40. I returned 1 week later to drop off two new items to be altered (1 dress and 1 pair of hiking pants) and was told my dresses were not ready, I thought «no big deal», she told me $ 10 for the new items because she felt terrible for not having my origional items ready, she again handed me a new slip and told met the would be ready the following week.
After recieving a phone call 9 days later I was told «I made a horrible mistake, you owe me another $ 80 dollars, I don’t know what I was thinking, but that’s life, right?» To which I replied «Are your serious?». She then preceded to tell me she had actuallu not started on any of my clothes yet… not the 3 dresses I dropped off 3 weeks ago, nor the hiking pants or new dress I dropped off 1 week ago”. So in my disgust that I had been «played» AND LIED TO by the «sweet little innocent Polish lady» aka «con artist» I told her to definetly NOT start working on any my clothes and that I would be by ASAP to pick them up and get my $ 40 refund.
Beware, the bad reviews are true, I’m sure the good ones are too, maybe she’s biploar? Good days/​bays? Who knows but I wouldn’t chance it.

Can I say, before I start, wonderful reader, that despite my many downfalls I am:
1. Usually, almost always, an excellent customer (having had numerous horrible jobs in retail). As a customer I am patient and kind and I always apologize for even the most silly of things («I’m sorry I was daydreaming for a quarter of a second while you were trying to take my order.») As a customer I try to never use my cell, unless I’m turning it on silent, and I even smile despite my dislike/​trite judgement on the person that may be helping me.
and
2. I am someone with a huge appreciation of «Mom and Pop» stores. Despite how poor I am I usually do my best and go out of my way to support them; and forgive them of their short-​comings, if they have any. Needless to say, I’m very Jesus-​like in my dealing with Ma’s and Pa’s and would gladly sacrifice my life to destroy all corporations, just for the good olé family.
Having said that, this happened to me today (2−10−12) when I arrived at Stitch in a Hurry, a literal «Mom and Pop» store, where the only people that work there are an elderly «Mom and Pop,» presumably with alzheimers.
After me stupidly being a customer for 6 years, despite them breaking the world record for poor service (go check the book, it’s there), I have continued to give them my service, like Jesus would.
First, I walked in and Margaret’s husband looked at me and scoffed; didn’t say hello or anything. This isn’t uncommon as he’s basically a humorous, yet grumpy, old man. I always enjoy seeing him, except for his giant mole on his face. He makes me laugh and he cusses, and vice-​versa. It’s great.
When Margaret was done with another customer she came over with my clothes, that I had waited almost a year for. Up until this point Margaret and I had always had a great rapport, despite her casual dishonesty.
Margaret: I don’t want your customer anymore. (She has a charming Polish (?) accent.)
Me: Huh? (It didn’t sink in yet.)
Margaret: I don’t want your customer anymore. You never return phone calls… (I interrupted.)
Me: Heh. Seriously?
Margaret: I wait months for you.
Me:Actually, I’ve been waiting for you to call me, to tell me that you finished the job you said you would do; because whenever I’ve come by, you aren’t finished.
Magaret: I call and ask you about your green jacket and you don’t call me back.
Me: You called about my blue jacket and I did call you back. I left a message, which said to call me when it was done, which you once again didn’t do.
Margaret: I did call you. I call you all of the time.
Me: Um, no you didn’t. (She had walked into the next room at this point to help with a customer. Her husband was chewing away on his dinner. He had made his last and final look at me. He would look no more.) I bet you don’t even have my number on file, as you lose it about 3 times a year. (As I was getting yelled at I examined the clothes that I hadn’t seen for almost a year.) Did you even finish? (Margaret came back in.)
Margaret: No. You didn’t tell me what to do.
Me: Are you kidding me? Uhh, yeah, I did, when I dropped them off originally, and then secondly when I called you back, because you once again forgot.
Margaret: There are many shops around Portland.
Me: That’s very true. (I then continued) You also wouldn’t need to ask me questions all of the time in the first place, if you were more organized and listened when I originally dropped an item off. (Without fail, every single time I have dropped something off she has made a mistake on the order, or forgotten something.)
Margaret: I refuse the right to service anyone.
Me: I should be refusing you. I’ve come by numerous times when you guys were supposed to be open, and you were randomly closed that day, or went home early. You don’t return phone calls. You constantly lose my number and I’m constantly giving it back to you. (I was waiting for her to say, «Then why didn’t you break up with me first?!» to which I would have replied, «I never thought of like that before.»)
I absolutely couldn’t believe it. Have you ever been dumped by an idiot, and then you realized that you weren’t mad at them, you were mad at yourself for dating them and then letting them dump you, when really, they are the one deserving of a sweet dumping?
The thing is, I don’t think that Margaret is a bad person, or even realized that she was wrong. I’m sure she once again lost my number and forgot she was supposed to call me.
As a place to get one thing sewn, that you won’t need for a year and the chance to see a charming old senile couple fight, I would give this place five and half stars. As a place to not want to constantly go out of your way and drop by (on your bike, in the rain, no less) to pick your clothes up (that were scheduled to be done but aren’t), I would give this place a negative one billion. Jesus would not like it.
Stitch in a Hurry? More like Stitch in a Month or Ten… Thousand.

What a wonderful lady!
She is genuine, honest and so pleasant to talk to!
She deserves your business.

Margaret will try to repair before replace. She fixed my couch cushion and was very personable. I have had a few things that have needed mending and I know where I will take them from now on!

i went to this place after school because of it’s high Unilocal stars.
…its a tailor shop that doesn’t tailor dresses.
…the fuck???

I had a good experience here… cute older eastern european or Russian lady who was very nice, straight forward and genuine. I had a pair of mens dress slacks hemmed and had a simple, good experience. You can change into the clothing there behind a curtain and she’ll then come into measure and fit the item. If you value small business and wanna help a true mom and pop, pop in here for alterations.
Don’t mistakenly walk into the dry cleaners next door — they only ‘send-​out’ for alterations. The owner of that business was quite rude when I walked in to ask about a alteration and didn’t even refer me to her Stitch in Hurry that is right next door, instead she gave me a card for another business in a different neighborhood. I smell bad blood between these businesses, and I find this kind of behavior non-​profressional to say the least to not refer to a complimentary business right next door.

More like «Stitch in a Surly.»
The reviews below may be accurate, this woman may be a magician at repairs — but that magicianry apparently comes at the cost of customer service.
My wife took a pair of pants to be repaired there about 2 weeks back. Margaret maintains weird hours (10−6PM) which make it difficult for people with jobs (yes, some people do have jobs in Portland) to come pick up from her.
Long story short… she calls my wife harassing her to come pick up the pants. Finally, yesterday (Presidents Day) we have the time to go pick them up. The store is closed. It says she’s open on Mondays, but the shop is obviously closed. My wife calls, leaves a message that she tried to stop by…(it was a nice message — I heard her leave it).
Margaret calls her back this morning — screaming. Tells her that «she’s allowed to take holidays off» and that my wife needs to «work around her schedule.» Then (and this takes the cake) SHE HANGS UP ON HER… without even letting her talk.
News flash lady: you’re a seamstress — you’re in a service industry. If the dry-​cleaners next door is open, you should be too (or at least have a note up that you’re closed).
I called and asked her to apologize to my wife… she refused. So, she had the chance to avoid this bad review.

Old school tailor Margaret is a jean surgeon. I took my favorite, worn out, full of hole jeans to her and she was able to mend holes to the point where I couldn’t tell where they used to be before. Affordable and decent turn around time (depending on how busy she is since she is the only one doing all the repairs!)

This is THE place to bring your «Golden Boy» article of clothing for some rejuvenating repairs. My favorite pair of jeans should have been retired long ago due to an embarrassing hole in the crotch. I brought them here for a «nip and tuck.» Results are great. They look years younger and I couldn’t be happier.

Allrighty my Yeeps. This may very well (maybe-​maybe NOT) be the last review that I write whilst technically a resident of the Oregon… :)
Let me just say that Margaret (rad) is amazing (phenomenal). Not only is she completely affordable for repairs ($ 35 for both), but I’m pretty sure she might be able to walk on water after seeing the miracle she performed on my two most favoritist pairs of jeans.
These jeans have been in my closet for a year as unwearable. You know when you’ve loved a pair of jeans so much that the ass basically disintegrates? Yeah, she can fix that… and you can’t even tell it’s been fixed. She’s that magical.
I’ve been running around in my jeans all week trying to find ways to weave my exuberant feelings into the conversations I have, just so that I can give out her card. Let me tell you that that can be rather awkward when you’re basically waiting to work «hey, check out the awesome crotch repair job on my pants» into the dialogue. No shit. But it’s that good!
Xo & stuff Portlandia-You’ll always have my heart, or at least a piece of my bicep.