Fashion Cleaners’ Peggy Linton has a loyal following. A seamstress for the company for more than 20 years, Linton has many customers that she has been seeing for just as long. “My customers say they like my work a lot,” says Linton. “There are some people who really care about how their clothes fit so they come to me because they trust me. It makes me feel really proud when I know I’ve made people happy with a good fitting.”
Linton’s knack for sewing developed at an early age as she grew up watching her mother make clothing for herself and her six siblings. She remembers the hum of the old tredle foot pump sewing machine that sometimes hummed for hours at a time. Before long, Linton had joined in, helping her mother mend her siblings’ clothes. She especially looked forward to birthdays, when she would receive a shoebox full of doll and Barbie clothes from her great aunt in Iowa, who made dolls and doll clothing for family, friends and needy children.
Linton honed her sewing skills when she and her husband moved to a marine base where Linton took a job as a seamstress. Today, Linton specializes in alterations such as sewing hems, shortening sleeves, putting in zippers, taking in men’s suit jackets, waists and other minor repair work.
Linton, who works at the 30th and Leavenworth Fashion Cleaners location, says that her hangers are always full but she strives for a one-week turnaround. The skill of sewing and tailoring is a dying art, “ says Kermit Engh, owner of Fashion Cleaners. “We feel very fortunate to be able to offer this convenient service to our customers.”
Do You Have A
Dry Cleaning or
Fabric Care Question?
If you don’t have at least one scarf in your wardrobe, you’re missing out on this spring’s hottest new fashion trend. “Scarves are the new jewelry this spring,” says Sarah Brown, owner of Sarah’s, a boutique in Countryside Village. “The wonderful thing is that they are so versatile. You can wear them around the neck, as a wrap or as a jacket. They look so pretty and they really add a nice splash of color that can help finish an outfit.”
While some scarves can be machine washed, some of the finer fabrics like those made of silk or rayon should be dry cleaned, says Brown. You’ll find bright pastels, especially shades of purples and yellows dominating the fashion palette this spring. Other fashion trends to look for include skinny pants, tailored blouses, embroidered tunic tops and long dresses and skirts in ombre (formerly known as tie-die) prints. Brown says her boutique is also showcasing silk blouses and cocktail jackets, cashmere wraps as well as tissue cashmere – a lighter weight cashmere for spring.
