Working as a tailor
There are far fewer tailors in Britain now as there were a few decades ago. This is mainly because of mass-production and cheap imports of clothing. This is called off the peg clothing. However, there is still some work to be had making repairs to people's clothes. There is also business at the higher end of the market for people who still have their clothes individually made to order. Unless you plan to train as an apprentice though, this sort of job application will be for experienced candidates only.
In the latter field, remember that the customer is undeniably king. Tailors are stereotyped for their impeccable manners, but the stereotype is not too far from the truth. You don't, however, need to learn any particularly obscure rules of etiquette. Simple courtesy and good manners will always suffice, as they would in any environment where you are dealing face to face with the customer.
Some of this vocabulary may be useful at the opposite end of the market. There is still some clothes manufacturing going on in the United Kingdom, where you will probably be working in a room full of sewing machines doing piece work (in other words, the amount you earn will depend on how much you do). This sort of work is only likely to be available to people who are experienced in the use of the machinery, as the pace of work can be extremely high. However, don't expect the remuneration, i.e. the money you get for your work, to be much above the minimum wage.
Some phrases you may need to use or recognise:
It's coming apart at the seams.
These trousers need taking in.
These trousers need to be let out.
We can do some invisible mending on that.
We can put a new lining in for you.
They're a bit too long. We can take them up for you.
They're not quite long enough. We can undo the stitching and take them down a little.
The bobbin needs to be re-threaded.
Could you thread this needle for me?
Could you show me how to thread this, please?
Place it flat on the table with the stitching uppermost.
You'll need an upholstery needle for this.
They'll be ready in a fortnight.
We can do this while you wait.
It's rather loose under the arms.
Breathe in. I have to measure your waist.
I'll just take your inside leg measurement.
We can reline the pockets for you.
Would you like us to make the pockets deeper?
The whole lining of the coat will need to be replaced.
The zip can't be repaired, but we can fit a new one for you, if you like.
This sewing machine uses a treadle; that one over there uses a foot switch.
Don't make the seam too thick. We want to save material.
Some useful vocabulary:
a tailor's dummy manekin krawiecki
a measuring tape/a tape measure centymetr
fabric/material /cloth materiał
needlework robótka ręczna
stitching/a seam szew
a wardrobe (of clothes) garderoba
a sleeve rękaw
a collar kołnierzyk
a pair of slacks = a pair of casual trousers
a cuff mankiet
a pleat fałda
to have a taper zwężać się ku dołowi
a tint odcień
One word of caution though. There are offers you can read about on cards in shop windows. These give you the chance to work from home doing sewing projects and other kinds of tailoring. Avoid these at all costs. They are commonly known as scams. First you will have to pay a lot for the material and equipment and then you will find that no amount of work will ever repay the initial cost. The general rule is that if you are not getting a contract with the job and at least minimum wage, you should avoid it.