Additional Resource Library

Do you know your worth??? Bridal alteration specialists have a very unique skill set. Just because you can sew a suit that's lined or make…

Tough Love from the Sewing Room: Hunker Down & Finish Strong This month's newsletter focuses on a subject in my ebook, “The Most Important Dress a…

Are you concerned about how the latest economy will impact your business? Watch or listen to this editorial on YouTube Are China Tariffs About to…

Tariff Talk: What’s Happening in the Bridal Industry​There’s a lot of uncertainty swirling around the recent Chinese tariffs, and the bridal industry is feeling it.…

🖤 The Dreaded Black Hole Dress – Have You Been There? If you’ve been in bridal alterations long enough, you’ve probably encountered what I like…

"Saying No with Confidence: A Mark of Integrity" March Madness is upon us. Now that you are doing bridal alterations, you know what March Madness really means. Brides…

The Bridezilla Symposium was a huge success! I kept crying with joy every night as things came together for this year's symposium. So much gratitude…

Happy hugs going out to you all. I hope you enjoyed the holidays. I want to get right to the nitty gritty of dreaming big.…

You are the most vital part of your business. Your knowledge—or lack thereof—can make or break your career. The more I learn, the more tools

Family Time One of the reasons many of my students build a career in bridal alterations, is so they can have flexible hours. This gives…

Oh yeah, it's that time of year! Brides want black. A little black, a lot black, anywhere in-between black. They need black!   ​Click here…

Welcome Hello, and a warm welcome to you and the fall weather. This is my favorite time of year. My sewing slows down a bit…

I recently read an article in the University of Fashion newsletter that I received. It is written by Antonia Sardone.   It’s titled Haute Couture…

First was the Julien Fournie’ fashion show. It was held in the gorgeous Mogador Theater. Our seats were in the front row next to the…

Months ago, I had pulled off a rush sewing miracle for a bridal designer friend of mine. She was so grateful, and mentioned that she

I have just returned from my 2 week trip to Paris. This is my first time in Paris, or really anywhere overseas. As I ponder

This topic, connecting with other local seamstresses, is a subject that I really want to cover on a Mindset Monday.    I know for me,

2024 symposium blog Making connections on steroids!  Whew! That was an amazing symposium. I feel like I have spent the last few months connecting with

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This is one of my favorite holidays because it’s all about getting together and enjoying family with

One of my favorite memories concerning Halloween is of the haunted dress. There was a certain dress at the shop I worked at. The dress looked…

Dyeing the particular wedding dress was a wonderful journey. The couple contacted me early to ask if I could do this. I was honest about

I am showcasing my 2022 Annual Symposium.  The focus was on dyeing wedding dresses. You can link to the symposium here. Understanding what your fabric…

I am showcasing my 2022 Annual Symposium! The focus was on dyeing wedding dresses. You can link to the symposium here The goal of this

This is the third and final in a 3 part series from my ebook, “The most important dress a woman will ever wear”. You can

This is the second in a 3 part series from my ebook, (read part 1 here) “The most important dress a woman will ever wear”.

This is the first in a 3 part series from my ebook, “The most important dress a woman will ever wear”. You can buy the

(Please note, this series on brides comes from my book. You can buy the book here.) “Body Fluctuation” Our last common bridal drama comes from

Burnout is a real thing.  First and foremost, if you are getting calls for more bridal work than you can possibly do it is time

(Please note, this series on brides comes from my book. You can buy the book here.) The “Unrealistic Expectations” Bride  Ok, here we go. Sometimes

(Please note, this series on brides comes from my book. You can buy the book here.)   The psychology of brides Part 3 This next

One of the biggest and most important ways that we spend our time is work. Earning a living, paying the bills and then hoping for

Bridal alterations is one of the highest paying jobs in the sewing industry.  Higher income than you imagined with less hours of work may be

Here are a few more ways to avoid creating a bridezilla.   Don’t make Assumptions! Every bride is different and has her own special vision

(Please note, this series on brides comes from my book. You can buy the book here.) The majority of brides are happy, sweet, in love

It’s very important that a seamstress presents herself as calm and confident as she meets with a bride during the alterations process. This can be…

(Please note, this series on brides comes from my book. You can buy the book here.) The majority of brides are happy, sweet, in love

Many people spend a lifetime trying to figure out how to make a career out of something they love. Doing something you don’t enjoy day

Work at home for a Bridal Shop This can be done either exclusively for one store or taking outside work from several shops and private

Oh my. Where do I start? I am amazed at the variety of different work situations that BAS (Bridal Alterations Specialists) have available to them.

The Anderson Academy can mentor you as you create  your own business and clients. Knowing the protocols that bridal shops look for in their seamstresses…

A highly skilled bridal alterations seamstress is in high demand these days. And the skill of sewing in general is a dying art. Bridal shop

So let me tell you about some of my favorite bridal alterations tools.  They may surprise you. These are all tools that get used often. …

The basic sewing room essentials for a Bridal Alterations Specialist are: Very dependable sewing machine.  I would recommend an industrial sewing machine. Bridal alterations have

As a seamstress, it’s a great idea to push your skills to the next level. You want to make a career out of it.  Sewing

We will soon be in the middle of the busy season for bridal alterations.  This is the perfect time to incorporate some yoga into your…

Ok people, March Madness is on its way! You should all know what I’m talking about. It’s not the basketball game madness. No. It’s way…

Bridal Shops are feeling the shortage of bridal alterations specialists. The time is now to get your shop prepared for the influx of brides. Will…

I do my pricing quite differently than most bridal alterations specialists. So you may or may not want to do your pricing my way, but…

Well, the January symposium has come and gone. You can still find it on my website under symposiums or use this link: https://theandersonacademy.com/symposium-23/ I had

At the beginning of the year before our schedules get too crazy, we Bridal Alterations Specialists should ponder and refine our pricing for the year. 

The new year has begun. We are sorting through our finances, getting ready for tax returns.  This is a great time of year to consider

Happy New Years to everyone.  I want to share with you a fun memory I have of a past New Year’s goal of mine.  Many

I try to work hard, but I am not perfect and have some regrets on how I have used my time sometimes in the past.

I want to tell you a bit about my husband, Doug.  He was raised in a family of hard workers.  Not just hard workers, they

“The easiest way to discern a person’s priorities is to see how they spend their time. “ This statement is a punch in the gut

Every Wednesday in the morning I go to a beginner Yoga class. One of my girlfriends in the class said “Hey, you should do a

“Decision Challenged Brides” These brides are simply overwhelmed by the many decisions that need to be made for a wedding.  Psychologists call it decision fatique.

How do you know what to charge? I do my pricing differently than most. And pricing can vary so much from location to location. BAS

This is a tough love kind of topic. I try to be a compassionate person, but sometimes the consequences of giving up and dropping the

As the CEO of my own business, I am so aware of time management. It’s just me, myself and I getting the sewing done. Many

As a professional business owner, I am in charge of managing my own work time. Time management can make or break a sole proprietorship business.

Wedding Season Burnout Every year at this time, I have the same conversation with my girlfriends at early morning exercise. I’ve been up early sewing…

Holy cow! That symposium was so fun.  I really had a great time filming my classes and felt like Diana Casey and Adrienne Gonzales went…

2022 Colorful Bride Adding Color to Wedding Dresses, Materials, and Laces January 9 - 15, 2022 This Symposium is FREE to all registered guests. Sign…

I traveled 4 hours to Boise with my husband to attend this wonderful sewing professional training conference. Covid cancelled the large event, but they put…

  Bridal Shops are feeling the shortage of bridal alterations specialists. 2022 is forecast to be the biggest year in weddings since the 1980s. The…

Bridal Shops are feeling the shortage of bridal alterations specialists. 2022 is forecast to be the biggest year in weddings since the 1980s. The time

Hello to all the new brides out there. Congratulations to you on your engagement!I hope one of the best parts of preparing for your wedding

One of the biggest and most important ways that we spend our time is work. Earning a living, paying the bills and then hoping for

The Covid-19 outbreak is making things difficult for everyone.  If bridal shops want to survive 2021, it’s going take a lot of work.  You’ll have

How Covid Affects Bridal Shops   A lot of people postponed their weddings during Covid-19, but plan for significantly more sales during 2021. Those cancelled

Whether a bride's  wedding dress needs just a simple hemming, a bustle added, or needs to be completely resized, a bride's goal is to find…

All seamstresses are different! Some are good at children's clothes or keepsake quilting. Some specialize in men’s tailoring. But when it comes to a wedding…

The need for a competent and highly skilled bridal alterations seamstress is in high demand and the skill of sewing in general is a dying…

How To Keep Your Bride Happy! It’s very important that a seamstress presents herself as calm and confident as she meets with a bride during…

Day in the life of a Bridal Alterations Seamstress    Well, today I am hemming a lace dress.  But this lace hem is a bit…

Not only are the skills of a bridal alterations seamstress highly sought after, it is also a very rewarding career and comes with numerous benefits.

Pregnant and Getting Married! I received a phone call from a mother of bride.  Her daughter was 7 months pregnant and getting married in 2…

This dress has incredible beadwork on chiffon.  The hem border would be lost if I hemmed it from the bottom.  The best alternative for this…

This dress has an amazing lace.  The only issue is the lace edged hem.       This lace edged hem has an extreme high-low difference. …

Bridal Alterations can give you the job security you are looking for! Finding a well paying stable job can be difficult, yet, it can also

Today I received a sweet text from a former beautiful bride with pictures. Back in January and February I worked on her dress. Long before…

This heavily beaded dress needed the hem lengthened about 1” to 1 ½”. Usually I take about a week to gradually ease the length down.

My model for the Level 2 Rodeo Queen section of my Academy is getting married. Hurray! What a treat to work with her again. Last…