For instance, one price list that has been used many times in sewing as a business-type books is based on a 1978 list created by the Mississippi Extension Service. The rates included in this list are $4, $6, and $8 per hour. That might have been fine for 1978, but it's extremely low for today, and will not allow for much, if any, income above expenses. Alterations, in particular, should gross about $20 per hour, if not more, depending on your local market. It's ridiculous to consider sewing a couture-quality garment for $6 per hour, and in many markets it is possible to make as much as $40 per hour making window treatments.