I hired Samantha from Painted Palettes to hand letter mini pumpkins for a fall themed event and it…read morewas THE HIT FROM THE PARTY (even three months later, in the dead of winter my personalized pumpkin is still going strong and it's so beautiful I do not have the heart to throw it away). Samantha was easy to work with from start to finish and was able to stay professional despite the long lines at the party (I mean, how could you not want something so beautiful as a keepsake?). I could picture using her for corporate events, bridal showers, baby showers and any other celebration that could you a personalized twist. She can write on any material and even engraves on glass! I have not had the chance to check out her Intro to Hand Lettering classes yet but for now, I'll leave it to the pros. Painted Palettes is simply the best!

I first saw and met Samantha from Painted Palettes at a Yelp Elite event back in 2018. Then I…read morestarted following her work on Instagram (@painted_palettes). A couple months ago, my friend Kim and I took an Intro to Hand Lettering class with Samantha at Steadfast Supply in DC. Oh that rush hour traffic and $20 parking was sooo worth it! Turns out, Samantha used to be a teacher, and it shows in the way she articulates the class. It was easy to follow her instructions, and she was very hands-on with showing examples. Plus we got a pretty decent set of tools and goodies to take home with us! Since, I've purchased some of her watercolor artwork to hang at home. I am such a fan! The artwork can be found on her website or in various shops in the area. And her classes are actually affordable! Next I want to take her Pointed Pen class!

I have so enjoyed my sewing lessons with Allison, who could not be a kinder or better teacher. I…read morehave been taking the workshops with several other students, which gives me the opportunity to learn from their projects as well as my own. The studio gives one a chance to learn a creative life skill in a little haven of quiet and calm.

I took the Intro/Beginner class with Allison and it was such a treat! Not only is she a fantastic…read moreteacher, but the atmosphere in her little backyard studio is incredibly warm and inviting. I was super intimidated by the ins and outs of my sewing machine before I began, but by the end of the first class I was ready to dive in at home - and not only ready, but inspired. Not even a year later and I've made tops, overalls, dresses, etc. I hope to take more classes in the future and I genuinely wouldn't consider going anywhere else. A great teacher makes all the difference and you'll find that here.

We have come to Kim for alterations and tailoring for nearly 15 years. She does a great job knowing…read morehow to make a garment look best on the body. She is thoughtful about cost, willing to give advice on a cheaper alternative to the ideal fix that mostly does the job and for less. Excellent work and a pretty quick turnaround for most fixes.

I took 2 pairs of pants and a dress that needed to have the hems let down on. I was given a…read morereceipt with the price I was to be charged on it. I went to pick up the pieces and the owner, and evidently the mother, charged me 40% more telling me that her daughter didn't know the correct amount to charge. I commented that I had a receipt with the price I was to be charged and all the owner would say was that her daughter didn't know and that she did a good job on the pieces. Again, I commented that I had a receipt with the charges printed on them. The owner/mother repeated that she didn't know. I needed my pieces and didn't have the energy to argue so I paid and left, but I will not be returning!

Anastasia is a wonderful teacher and an incredibly talented and unique artist! Our kids absolutely…read morelove her classes, and it's always such a joy to see all the creative new art projects they make together. Highly recommend her art studio!

If you are searching an art teacher that is very attentive and flexible to each student…read morevishes/point of views/skills individually while still making you learn and aquire good skills in a right way, she is the best one! I was trying a few teachers before finding her, and i am so lucky to have her as my teacher! She is very knowladgable and have so many to teach! She is super nice and funny, and pleasant to be around. I am having a sharable semi privet painting weekly lessons of two adult students with her, and also a privet drawing lessons. But, next I want my 4 year old to start taking classes with her too :)

I got a bridesmaid dress fitted and she was very respectful, insightful and efficient. I highly…read morerecommend her services.

This Is A Crafty, Nifty, Grandma Heaven. So Many Little Trinkets, Perfect For Crafting Birthday…read moreCards, Small And Large Projects. Thank You To The Lady That Helped Me Navigate Around. Very Affordable.

Such a community jewel of Alexandria! Implementing safe COVID practices with masks required, extra…read morecleaning, and appointments only. Highly recommend for very affordable sewing, arts and craft, handy, surplus items and superb customer service! Free visitor parking or street parking!

I'm glad I came across this alteration shop! My MOH dress desperately needed to be fitted and many…read morethings needed to be done. The sweet lady was able to adjust my sleeve and feathers, cinched the waist and crop the dress to the right length. The dress was completed in less than a week and fit perfectly!

The COVID-19 situation has proven to be a challenging time for everyone, but especially for small…read morebusinesses. I was introduced to Park's Dress Design and Alterations by a relative of mine, who has had some garments (blouses, dresses, pant suits, etc.) altered over the years. Mrs. Park (she also goes by Sunny) hemmed up a few of my dress slacks and corrected the sleeve lengths on one of my suits and I was pleased with the work. While the prices might be on the higher side as opposed to having these type of alterations done at a dry cleaner, Mrs. Park has had her tailoring business open in Fairfax County for over 25 years, so she must be doing something right. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has encountered challenges purchasing masks/face coverings during this COVID-19 pandemic. What makes things worse is all the conflicting information the public has been receiving on this topic. In late-February and early-March we were told face coverings "aren't effective" and "do more harm than good" so don't wear one. I was always a bit skeptical of this guidance since during my travels to Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, etc, face masks are very common. So once the "official" guidance was for folks to wear some sort of face covering, all of the masks at drug stores and on-line were sold out or available at exorbitant prices. On a whim, I called Mrs. Park to see if she had started to make any cloth masks, and luckily she had. Her business has experience a dramatic decline due to everyone staying home, but like many businesses, she's had to pivot to adjust to a changing market place. Kudos to her for being resourceful. She has a two main styles of masks to choose from in a variety of colors and patterns. What I like about these masks is there is a small metal piece that contours around the nose and two side slits for additional filtration. I find two small square pieces of trimmed paper towels work pretty well. These are also machine washable and I was told cold water works best. When i picked up my four masks for myself and family, there was a lady who was picking up seven for herself (one for each day). The masks are $15 each and while there are lots of patterns you can download off the Internet and plenty of "how to" tutorials on Youtube, it's worth it for me to just have a professional do it for me. Hours have been reduced during the pandemic, so I recommend calling first to see if she's open and if there are any masks to available for purchase.

I got both wedding dresses fixed here, my moms dress, and my sisters. They did the work so well,…read morethey were SO kind, I loved my experience. Great price as well! They even taught me how to walk in my dress because I had never walked in a ball gown!!

The whole team at Mychelle's is incredible! I was referred here after purchasing my wedding dress…read morefrom Ava Laurenne and I am so grateful they sent me to her! The team is incredibly talented and professional, and truly listened to each and every detail on what I hoped to change on my dress. She worked tirelessly to make my dress fit perfectly and she did not stop until I was genuinely 100% happy. She has such a lovely and calming presence, exactly what you need during what can be a stressful season! They were also wonderfully accommodating with scheduling and made it so easy to fit my appointments into my busy schedule. I could not recommend this place more!! Definitely go here if you want a true piece of mind and a team that deeply cares about each piece. Thank you so much, Mychelle's!