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Mary Jo Dunlap works as a seamstress at Cherished Moments formal wear shop in Gardendale.

Her daughter, Amy Gooch, owns the store, and Dunlap has worked at it for its entire nine-year history. But, she’s been a professional seamstress for almost 40 years. She took four years of home economics in high school, but had no other formal training.

“I learned by watching my mother and grandmother. My mother made all my clothes,” she said.

Dunlap carried on the tradition by making many of her children’s and grandchildren’s clothes. She made her daughter’s senior year prom dress by hand, and also makes all of her grandchildren’s Halloween costumes.

“My favorite was probably the dinosaur for Mason,” said Dunlap. Mason is her grandson and Amy Gooch’s son.

She also used to be in a country and 70’s rock band called Stepping Stone, and she designed the outfits for the band’s members.

Although she doesn’t make any dresses from scratch for Cherished Moments, she said altering them for customers takes a fair amount of work.

She works with all the prom, pageant and wedding gowns that come into the shop, as well as tuxedos.

“A dress has to be taken apart just so that you can see how it’s put together, so you can see if there’s enough in it to let it out or take it up,” she said. Dunlap does few alterations at the shop itself. Instead she takes her work home.

“I usually stay up until 2 a.m. sewing,” she said.

Dunlap said one of the things she loves about being a seamstress is knowing she did a good job when she finishes a dress, especially a wedding dress.

“Every bride is going to stress out before her wedding,” said Dunlap. “But once she gets in her gown and it fits and she feels good in it, then it’s fine.”

Dunlap said Cherished Moments is able to offer alterations for free because she works there. She said formal wear shops usually have to hire an outside seamstress, so they charge a fee.

Cherished Moments is located at 1120 Main Street.