Information...lots of information

General Information about Whiteworks Christening Gowns

Located in North East Ohio 440-474-4009

judy@white-works.com

Ordering information:

No matter how you choose to pay for your purchase, please give me a call to order. Our conversation will go something like this:

You: "Hi. I'd like to order a gown."

Me: "Great! Which gown interests you?"

You would answer: :)

Me: "And what size do you need?"
Me: "Embroidery on the chest? All white thread or in colors? Embroidery on the skirt? Lace? Any special changes or questions? What's my deadline? Where do I ship? (Your name and address, and a phone number where you can be reached in case I forgot a question.) Do you want to use a credit card or send a check? (VISA, MC, and Discover are all fine with me. American Express now charges me $4.50 because I don't "swipe" your card, (along with higher fee rates), so I no longer accept them...sorry.)

Then I can let you know about how long your order will take.

PLEASE CALL 440-474-4009

I'm willing to ship overnight to you if we run out of time. You will be charged $25 for Express mail in the US. FedEx is an option, but they are very, very expensive...starting around $50. But they do get it there overnight. I won't do this without your OK. More on shipping near the bottom:

Whiteworks offers you the following options for purchasing gowns:

1. Send a check or money order, made out to "Whiteworks", in US funds, please. Mail to:

Whiteworks
5220 US Highway 6
Rome, OH 44085

Please enclose a short note to remind me of who you are, or a copy of our email will work to let me know who you are and what you've ordered. Any clue will be appreciated! A phone number!!! Email or call first, and I can get started on your order as soon as I can. It's possible that your order will be finished by the time your check arrives, and I can ship right away! (Personalized items will be embroidered after payment arrives!)

2. You may use your credit/debit card.

Just phone me in Ohio: 440-474-4009, until 10 pm. There is no online shopping cart.

I will bill your credit card when I start cutting fabric and/or lace. (When it costs me money, it costs *you* money.)

For international orders, please add $30 for Global Express mail. I cannot guarantee delivery by the post office...I obviously have no control over this and customs selects boxes to open at random. You may get lucky. :) They "say" 6 days or so.

Many gowns only take a day or two, (if no orders are ahead of yours) so time is on your side, but I really appreciate a bit of notice.

3. I do have a PayPal account...linked to my email address. ( judy@white-works.com )You may certainly use that if you prefer, but I beg you to please email me first!! I usually have questions for you and feel terrible when I don't know what size, etc!!! If you're ordering a gown I will go by the items listed on my website...unless I hear from you first. :)

Custom work from copyrighted patterns:

I would love to be your dressmaker! If you really want the Inspirations Baby gown, or Martha Pullen's Anna Garrin's gown, it's possible. ( And I would absolutely LOVE to do this.)

Here's the deal:

I don't steal copyrighted patterns. Period. You must provide the pattern, or pay for its purchase. I use the pattern and return it to you with the finished gown. What I do is trace the pattern on tissue paper and use that. You receive the original AND the tissue tracings along with your gown. I keep nothing.

You let me know if you want changes, etc. But the pattern is purchased by you, and you receive it at the end of the transaction along with the garment you order. The cost of the garment includes my fabric, lace, beads, pearls, buttons, ribbon, embroidery threads, etc., as well as my labor. If you have the fabric, lace, etc. and need help putting it together, "good on yer", let's talk.

This way, pattern manufacturers aren't cheated out of the purchase.

Whiteworks' guarantee:

I will refund or replace a garment that doesn't meet with your expectations providing it is returned, postmarked within two days of receipt!

ABSOLUTELY NO PERSONALIZED MERCHANDISE CAN BE RETURNED!

Please keep this in mind when ordering. I cannot donate them to charity if Baby's name is on it somewhere.

Otherwise, all garments may be returned for replacement or refund IF the garment is postmarked within two days of receipt. I will do my best to correct any mistakes I've made and clear up misunderstandings. Just email or call me! The whole idea is to give you the heirloom gown you ordered for posterity. I want you to love it!

Alterations after your gown is finished are an extra expense.
If you have ordered a gown with, for instance, a certain cross on the chest, and you decide you don't like it, I will replace the bodice for a fee...$45.00. This covers my time and expenses for occasions when the disappointment wasn't my fault. There have been times when the baptismal oil has destroyed a garment's top and bonnet. I can replace them.

And it's unfortunate, but there are rather unscrupulous customers who feel they can "rent for free" anything they order, by using it, and then try to return it.

If returns are attempted after the two day deadline, there will be a 50% restocking fee. This means you get half of your money back after I receive the garment.

Rush orders: gosh, I do them, but they take time away from my family. Please know that I won't use the shortage of time as an excuse for shoddy work, but I won't accept them as a return at all...you can't send back my time.

I also have no control over things like the weather! Power outages occur on a regular basis here, plus machines are notorious for messing things up when I'm in a hurry:

PLEASE NOTE!!!

If you are buying an outfit as a GIFT for someone, I BEG you on bended knees to check with Baby's mom BEFORE you place the order. You and I can't afford to have Mom call me, crying, that she really had hopes of something different! {{{Guess how often this has happened!}}}

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE consider having Mom call me with the details of the gown SHE would love to have.

Shipping:

All packages are mailed Priority Mail. This is 2 to 3 days anywhere in the US. This cost is covered by Whiteworks.

The Post Office has "Express Mail", which is usually overnight, but sometimes it's 2 days, delivered before noon the second day. I will charge $25.00 for this, and it comes with tracking. This is the only way the post office tracks anything...

If you send me an email, or your email address, I will send you the delivery confirmation number along with the link to the Postal Service's tracking system so you will know when to expect it.

This number is important. It confirms that your order is on the way, and tells us both when it was delivered to you. Returns are accepted provided they are postmarked within two days of the delivery confirmation date. (this is a broken record...) So do keep that number. I will!

Again--I pay all postage from Whiteworks to you via Priority mail in the US.

You may also opt to have FedEx deliver your package overnight. The charge is usually between $40.00 and $65.00. I will enclose their courtesy quote with your order so you know what and why you were billed so much.

TO MY CANADIAN FRIENDS:

Please note that all shipments to Canada (and any other foreign country) are subject to hefty import duties and fees...this is the last note I received from a customer:

The package arrived at my condo this afternoon, unfortunately, the concierge
was unable to accept it as there are taxes and brokerage fees owing in the
amount of $71.00! Since you filled out the customs slip with the actual
amount that the gown cost of $245 (the gown itself was only, $235) I now
have to pay UPS for the taxes before they will release the gown to me, just
thought I would let you know this for your future reference.

Regards,...

The government of Canada can afford attorney's fees...I cannot. I do not send any shipments marked "gifts"...and they're checking! Now more than ever what with those mean old terrorists on the job and all... I'm sorry, but please be prepared to pay enormous "delivery fees"!! Obviously, Canada wants you buy Canadian.

I will charge you a flat fee of $30 for priority global mail, 6-10 days. $40 for Global Express...a little faster.
PLEASE order early!!!

I wish you long life and happiness.

judy@white-works.com