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Alterations and tailoring on New Delhi Drive, Markham: a guide to getting clothes fitted
Need clothes altered in Markham? Newtown Square North has three alteration and tailoring shops a short walk apart, on New Delhi Drive and Karachi Drive at Markham Road and 14th Avenue (opposite Costco), with free parking.
This guide covers what a tailor can and cannot change, how to get South Asian outfits fitted, how long alterations take, and how to look after your clothes afterwards.
Where can I get alterations near Markham Road and 14th Avenue?
- Alterations & Dry Cleaner, 150 New Delhi Drive, Unit 50: alterations and dry cleaning.
- Simran's Alterations, 50 Karachi Drive, Unit 59: clothing alteration service. Phone (647) 768-4583.
- Cleaners & Tailors, 30 Karachi Drive, Unit 73: dry cleaning and tailoring.
What can a tailor change?
Usually straightforward
- Hemming trousers, skirts and dresses.
- Taking in a garment that is loose at the sides, waist or back.
- Shortening sleeves. Sleeves with buttoned cuffs or vents take more work.
- Replacing zippers and buttons, and repairing loose seams or small tears.
Possible, depending on the garment
- Letting out a garment that is too tight, but only if there is enough extra fabric (seam allowance) inside the seams.
- Lengthening, but only if there is fabric folded into the hem.
- Adjusting the shoulders. Possible on many garments, but it is detailed work and usually costs more.
Hard or limited
- Heavily embroidered, beaded or sequined areas. A seam that runs through embellishment is hard to move without removing and re-attaching the work.
- Major resizing. Taking a garment more than a size or two smaller or larger can throw off its proportions.
Ask the tailor what is realistic before buying something that needs big changes.
Fitting sarees, lehengas and suits
- Saree blouse stitching. Many sarees come with an extra length of matching fabric, the blouse piece, which a tailor stitches into a fitted blouse. Bring a blouse that fits you well as a reference.
- Saree fall and pico. A fall is a strip of fabric stitched along the lower edge of a saree to give it weight and help it drape. Pico is a finished edge along the cut ends. Both are common requests for a new saree.
- Lehenga length and waist. A lehenga with a heavy embroidered border is usually shortened or lengthened at the waistband rather than the hem, so the border stays intact. Wear your heels to the fitting.
- Choli and kameez fit. Bust, waist and sleeve adjustments are common, and the side slits on a kameez can be made longer or shorter.
- Salwar, churidar and sharara length. Easy to adjust; bring the shoes you will wear.
- Dupatta finishing. Lace, tassels or a finished edge can be added to a dupatta.
How long do alterations take?
It depends on the shop, the work and the time of year. Simple jobs such as hems are usually quick, while bridal and embellished outfits take longer and may need a second fitting. The weeks before weddings, Diwali and Eid are the busiest, so bring formal outfits in early and plan a final fitting about a week before your event.
What to bring to a fitting
- The shoes you will wear, so the length is right.
- What you will wear underneath, for formal outfits.
- Your event date, so the shop can plan around it.
What to ask before the work starts
- How long it will take, and whether rush service is possible before an event.
- The price for the work, before it starts.
- Whether a second fitting is included.
How to care for embroidered and silk outfits
- Dry clean heavily embroidered, silk and beaded outfits unless the care label says otherwise. Two of the plaza's shops, Alterations & Dry Cleaner and Cleaners & Tailors, also offer dry cleaning.
- Store in breathable cotton or muslin, not plastic, which can trap moisture.
- Fold heavy lehengas instead of hanging them, so their weight does not stretch the waistband.
- Air outfits out after wearing and before putting them away.
- Steam rather than iron over embroidery, or iron on the reverse with a cloth in between.
- Refold sarees from time to time along different lines, so the creases do not wear the silk.
Buying an outfit first?
The same plaza has 13 South Asian clothing and bridal stores. See our guide to Indian clothing stores on Markham Road.
How do I get to Newtown Square North?
- Where: Markham Road at 14th Avenue in Markham, opposite Costco. Coming from Steeles Avenue, head north on Markham Road and turn onto Kirkham Drive for the plaza parking.
- Parking: ample free parking in the plaza.
- Transit: TTC 102D Markham Road, YRT 14 (14th Avenue) and YRT 2 (Milliken).
- Addresses: 10, 30 and 50 Karachi Drive; 150 and 160 New Delhi Drive; and 7595 Markham Road.
See Location & directions for a map.
FAQ
Where can I get alterations on New Delhi Drive in Markham?
Alterations & Dry Cleaner is at 150 New Delhi Drive, Unit 50, in Newtown Square North at Markham Road and 14th Avenue. It offers alterations and dry cleaning.
Is there a tailor near Markham Road and 14th Avenue?
Yes. Cleaners & Tailors (30 Karachi Drive, Unit 73) offers dry cleaning and tailoring, and Simran's Alterations (50 Karachi Drive, Unit 59) is a clothing alteration service. Both are in Newtown Square North.
Can a lehenga be shortened?
Usually, yes. A lehenga with a heavy embroidered border is normally shortened at the waistband rather than the hem, so the border stays intact. Wear your heels to the fitting.
What is a saree fall?
A fall is a strip of fabric stitched along the lower edge of a saree to give it weight, protect the edge and help it drape neatly.
How much do alterations cost in Markham?
Prices depend on the garment and the work involved. Simple hems usually cost the least, while bridal, beaded and structural changes cost more. Ask the shop for a price before the work starts.