A proper fitting
I pin and measure the garment on you, not on a guess. That five minutes is the difference between a fit that works and one that nearly does.
Alterations & tailoring, Exeter
Clothing Alterations in Exeter
I'm Malina, a seamstress here in Exeter. A hem that's dragging on the floor, a much-loved coat that needs saving, I'll sort it by hand and keep you posted the whole way.
The short version
What I do.
Most of what we buy is cut for an average none of us quite are. Trousers come up an inch too long, a dress gapes, a jacket never sits right. Nearly all of it is fixable, and that's the job: taking clothes that are close and making them properly fit.
If you're after clothing alterations in Exeter, you're in good hands. I work on my own, so whoever pins you at the fitting is who does the sewing and hands it back. Nothing gets posted off to a unit. Everyday jobs are usually ready within days, and bigger or delicate work I'll book in as a proper fitting.
What an alteration includes
An honest quote
Every job is itemised and priced before I start, so you know the cost up front. If something isn't worth doing, I'll tell you.
Tracked to collection
Your ticket lives in the app, so you can see it move from received to in progress to ready, with photos, notes and a direct line to me. No need to chase.
The jobs I do most
A good chunk of an alterations week is the same handful of jobs done well. Here are the ones that come up again and again.
- Hemming trousers, jeans, skirts and dresses
- Taking in or letting out the waist and sides
- Shortening sleeves and adjusting cuffs
- Tapering trouser legs for a cleaner line
- Replacing broken zips on dresses, skirts and jeans
- Moving buttons and reshaping necklines
- Repairs to seams, tears, re-hems and patches
- Curtains taken up, taken in and re-hung
How it works
1
Book a fitting
Pop into the workshop or book a time on the Contact page. Bring the piece, along with the shoes or underthings you'll wear it with, so I can set the length right.
2
Measured & photographed
I pin and measure you in person, photograph the garment and write up an itemised ticket, so the price is clear before any thread is cut.
3
Tracked, then collect
Follow your garment from received to ready in the app, with notes and a direct line to me. I'll let you know the moment it's done.
Turnaround
How long it takes.
Most everyday alterations are ready within two to four working days. Simple hems and quick fixes can often be done same-day if you catch me at a quiet moment. And if you've got a deadline, whether that's an interview or a trip away, just say so and I'll do my best to fit you in.
You'll get an estimated date the moment I write up your ticket, and a message the instant it's ready, so a trip into town is never wasted.
What to bring
Come prepared.
Bring the shoes you'll wear with the garment. Heel height changes a hem completely, and trousers pinned in trainers will sit wrong in your good shoes. For anything where the length matters, that one detail saves you a second trip.
If a piece is part of an outfit, bring the rest along too. Seeing how it all sits together helps me get the proportions right, instead of fixing one thing in isolation.
Why Crop Design
One bench, not a factory.
Plenty of places in Exeter will pin a hem. What you get with me is care and a clear view of the work. The same hands see your garment from start to finish, you get an itemised price before anything is cut, and my paper ticket turns into a live record you can follow from your phone.
I've spent years on this bench saving clothes other people had given up on, and I treat every piece as if it were my own, whether it's a supermarket dress or an inherited coat. If the fit still isn't right when you collect, bring it back within fourteen days and I'll put it right, free.
Clear, honest pricing
Alterations pricing
Jeans · Trousers
- Waist£15–20
- Zip£18
- Shorten£12–15
- Taper£18
- Taper & shorten£25
Tops · Skirts · Day dresses
- Hem — shorten · unlined · lined · pleated£16–20
- Hem — top£14
- Zip — dress / skirt£20
- Sleeves — shorten£12–15
- Taking in — dress / skirt£12–20
- Taking in — top£10–16
- Shoulder£8–20
- Neckline alteration£12
Shirts · T-shirts
- Sleeve£15–25
- Take in£15–20
- Hem — shorten · straight · curved£12–16
- Collar turn£10
Small repairs
- Fixing · re-hem · and similar£10
- Badges · patches£12–15
Pockets
- Half pocket£12
- Full pocket£20
- Zip£16
Curtains
- Small — unlined£20
- Small — lined · 46" width£25
- Medium — unlined£30
- Medium — lined · 66" width£35
- Large — unlined£40
- Large — lined · 90" width£45
Prices are a guide. Every garment is different, so I'll confirm the exact cost at your fitting before any work starts.
It depends on the job, but a hem starts from around £12 and taking in a waist from around £15. Every alteration is itemised and quoted at your fitting, before any work begins, so there are no surprises. Have a look at the price guide above for the common jobs.
Most everyday alterations are ready within two to four working days, and simple hems can often be done same-day. You'll see an estimated date when I write up your ticket, and I'll message you the moment it's ready.
Walk-ins are welcome during opening hours, but if you book a fitting I'll keep time aside just for you, so there's no waiting and you get a proper measure. You can book in seconds from the Contact page.
I offer a free re-fit on any alteration within fourteen days. Bring it back and I'll adjust it until it sits exactly as it should. That's the whole point.
Yes. Alongside garment alterations I take on repairs (seams, tears, re-hems, patches) and curtains, taken up or taken in. If you’re not sure whether something can be saved, bring it in and I’ll tell you honestly.
Areas served
Based in Exeter, I look after wardrobes across Exeter city centre, St Thomas, Heavitree, Topsham, Exwick, Pinhoe, Crediton and the surrounding villages.