Best place for alterations I've ever been to...and I'm from LA! This is the story... I was asked to be a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding to be held on Sunday, May 24th, 2015. And like I do with every bridesmaid dress I'm asked to buy, I have to get it altered. And really not just light alterations or a hem, but reconstruction - I just about have turned into a new made-to-fit dress. My Los Angeles seamstress/tailor who I've taken two other dresses into had turned out perfectly. This dress however, did not. It was still 2 sizes too big, completely unflattering and the pleats in front made me look like I was huge. I panicked, as I had no time for them to fix their mistakes. I got in the car and travelled 500 miles north to Chico/Paradise where the wedding was being held. My own sewng machine in tow because if I couldn't find someone to fix it, I was going to do my best to fix it myself. Panicked and stressed, I posted a message on Facebook to my NorCal friends asking if they knew anyone who could do some major alterations and turn the dress around in 3 days. Mind you the dress cost $150 and I'd already paid $70 additionally for terrible alterations so I really want looking to spend much more - but I had no choice. A few friends recommended a few ladies who worked out of their house but who were working on limited time. I then did a yelp search for alterations in Chico. A place called AA Alterations was the 1st of three that popped up. One place that someone told me about also popped up, but when I called the number, it was disconnected. I then called AA Alterations and a lady with a sweet voice answered the phone. She had a Latin accent and automatically I thought, she's going to be good. I could just tell. I plead her my sob story - and sensing the desperation in my voice, said come in and I'll have it done for u in one day. I drove straight there - I'd been awake since 5am and driving through California for 8 hours, but without hesitation drove straight to her salon. Without even having me try it on first, she wiped out the correct color thread, threw the dress under her machine and started taking it in. I then tried it on and it already looked 100% better than it had but still needed to be taken in and re-shaped more. Without me telling her what more I'd like done, she said , "oh this front pleats need to come out, it needs to lay flat and needs to hug your hips more." Exactly my same sentiments. I took the dress off and she told me to go grab a bite to eat and come back in an hour and she'd be done. I told her that as long as I could pick it up the next day sometime I'd be fine. So that's where we left it. I came back at 1pm the next day (she had told us she takes a lunch from 12-1 everyday), tried on the dress and it was PERFECT. For like a glove! Exactly how I envisioned it fitting me!!! I learned in speaking with her that her name is Martiza and she has a couple of small kids and is from Central America. She is not only gorgeous herself, but has a beautiful spirt and generosity. She says she just wants to help. Well she went above and beyond helping - my sister even brought her dress into her salon to have fixed and she did hers amazing justice as well. I would have paid whatever she wanted me to, but she only charged me and my sister $25 each to reconstruct out dresses. I wanted to pack her in my suitcase and take her back with me to LA. Martiza doesn't just see, she knows how to make clothes from scratch and therefore knows how clothes should look and fall on you. A real artist. She was so kind and generous and intuitive. Someone I'd be friends with but also a true professional. For you Northern Californians... I wouldn't take my alterations anywhere else! I'm trying to figure out how to bring her down to LA or all my clothes to Chico! Thank you for such beautiful work! read more