By Kendrea Rhodes
Tulin Di Blasio, proprietor of Adelaide Hills Alterations, is a designer, pattern maker, and seamstress with 24 years’ experience. Tulin opened the business in Littlehampton four years ago and despite the usual business start-up difficulties, effects of bushfires, and covid-19 restrictions, her business is thriving.
The success of the business boils down to Tulin’s character and skillset: she is a hard worker who loves interacting with and helping people. She can custom make, tailor, or alter anything fabric and is friendly, customer-centric, and adaptable. Tulin also has some unexpected skills up her sleeve (more about that later).
Tulin moved from Turkey to the Adelaide Hills when she married an Australian. She soon started mending, altering, and designing clothes for friends, which eventually blossomed into the business you see today.
Services Provided and Planned
Services offered by Adelaide Hills Alterations include dressmaking, clothing alterations and tailoring, bridal wear, formal wear, curtains, cushions, laundry and ironing service, spot cleaning (wedding and formal), and the simple, but important everyday things like hems, school uniforms, and zips. Recent examples of unusual items they’ve worked on include caravan cushions and curtains, shoes, motorbike seats, and undergarments.
Tulin is a busy person with many ideas. To help realise her plans, she has employed a seamstress, Adelaide Hills local, Shannon Hopton.
“I needed someone to help me. I have so many ideas and they just sit still if I don’t have help,” she said.
When you consider that 2020 was a difficult year, this is quite a marker of success for the business.
Tulin’s plans include numerous services for the local community such as onsite machines for laundry and dry-cleaning services, a large makers’ table, and a full bridal portfolio of her own brands and designs.
Surprising Skills
Now about those interesting skills up her sleeve: Tulin is an experienced knife thrower and circus acrobat! Her father is a juggler who, at the age of 7, ran away to the Italian circus when it came to their town in Turkey. So naturally, when he and his wife had children, they became entertainers as an acrobatic touring family — travelling, performing, and living all over the world.
Few people possess high-quality circus skills, so of all Tulin’s talents, more people would have some skill with a needle and thread. But not everyone is professional or has the right equipment. So, if you’re looking for a skilled seamstress or designer to help you with anything fabric, you have come to the right place at Adelaide Hills Alterations.
Contact and Business Details
They are located at 3/41 North Terrace, Littlehampton, in that little row of verandaed shops, just past the veterinarian clinic. With easy access and simple on street parking, you can drop in from Monday to Friday, 9am–5:30pm, or Saturdays from 9am–11am. You will also find Adelaide Hills Alterations on Facebook, email adelaidehillsalterations@hotmail.com, or phone 0459 110 850.
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