31 Sewing and Alterations You Can Do Yourself
Learn all these sewing and alterations you can do yourself to make your wardrobe fit well and last longer. Don’t pay for these alterations!
Clothing is made to fit an average body that doesn’t exist. It’s the average measurements of people done by doctors from more than fifty years ago. It’s really hard to get ready to wear clothing fit you perfectly right off the rack.
It’s great to learn simple ways to sew and alter clothes to get a beautiful, custom fit. A custom fit is the best way to make your clothing look well-made and expensive.
There are lots of ways for sewing and alterations to change clothes like lengthening or shortening hems, taking in the sides or letting out the sides, adding darts or removing darts, lengthening or shortening sleeves, mending holes, etc.
There is no end to what you can do with clothing, and you can even do additionaly refashions like adding a skirt, chopping off sleeves, and adding pockets to make something you love.
A lot of these clothing alterations work well for women’s clothing since I usually alter for myself, but the majority of these work for all: men, women, and children. You can always take excess fabric in, and you can often let clothing out by using the side seams or adding fabric.
Should I prewash the item?
If you have not washed the item yet, and it doesn’t fit the way you want, then I recommend washing and drying the item the way you will treat it when you wash and wear it. You want the fabric to shirnk or settle into the way it’ll be permanently. Then any changes you make will be accurate.
Do you like reworking clothing? Check out these lists of tutorials!
Sewing and Alterations
Learn how to hem jeans by measuring the desired length, cutting off the excess fabric, and sewing a new hem. It's a beginner sewing project!
Learn how to make a shirt bigger by sewing fabric panels into each side seam. This is a great fix for shirts that are just a little too tight, and it makes the circumference of the body and of the sleeves larger.
Learn how to shorten sweater sleeves that are too with just a sewing machine. Make sleeves the right length and keep the nice ribbed cuff.
Learn how to replace a zipper on a jacket to keep using it. This is the perfect fix for unlined jackets with a broken zipper.
Learn how to sew on a patch three different ways! See examples of sewing a patch onto a backpack, jeans, and a pouch.
Learn how to add a pocket to leggings to hold your phone or keys. It’s annoying not having pockets, and this is a simple way to add a center back waistband pocket.
Learn how to crop a sweatshirt that is too long. Shorten a sweater three different ways by cropping, hemming, and resewing the waistband.
If a blouse fits in the bust or hips, but it’s too large in the shoulders use this the alteration. Learn to alter shoulders on a blouse for a custom fit.
Learn how to lengthen pants by letting out the hem and rehemming with a hidden bias hem tape. This technique works well on dress pants.
Learn how to cinch a waist of a dress or a shirt with elastic. It’s the quickest and easiest way to bring in the waist and make it more flattering.
Learn how to take in the waist of pants for a better fit. This works best when the pants fit you everywhere except for the waist.
Learn how to hem jeans by reusing the original hem. Shorten your denim pants and keep the same look!
If you have a dress that’s just a little too short then you can lengthen a dress with a ruffle! It’s an easy and quick fix, and you can use pretty fabric.
If your jean zipper has broken on your favorite pair, then learn how to fix a zipper on jeans by replacing it with a new one.
Everyone has individual measurements which means we all need alterations to make our clothes fit. Shorten the sleeves of a button up shirt for an easy sewing alteration!
Learn how to take in the waist of jeans with elastic for a quick and simple fix. This alteration is great for getting the waistband of jeans to fit!
With this simple sewing tutorial you can make a sweater the right length! You can shorten the hem of a sweater, the hem of a cardigan, or you can shorten the sleeves of a sweater.
Learn how to add sleeves to a strapless dress by sewing on thick straps and flutter sleeves. This is a quick alteration to make a dress more wearable!
Learn how to fix a zipper. Learn to replace the zipper pull on a jacket or jeans, and then replace the zipper stops to keep the pull on.
Learn how to raise a neckline of a dress with this simple sewing tutorial. Be able fix a low cut neckline of a prom dress or any formal dress.
Learn how to shorten a sweater from the bottom with hem tape. This sewing technique removes the ribbing, but it’s an easy sewing alteration.
Learn how to line a dress for modesty and coverage you are comfortable with. Line the bodice of a lace dress or the sleeves of a lace dress.
Learn how to cover a hole in jeans without mending or visible stitches. This is great for coverage behind holes without sacrificing the destroyed look.
Learn how to sew back darts to get the best fit on your top or dress. This is a great way to fit shirts and dresses!
Make your dress that is too short fit better with one of these two great sewing tutorials. Learn how to make a dress longer with lace or with fabric.
I’m demonstrating this sewing tutorial on two different dresses with two different styles of sleeves. The first is how to add sleeves to a sleeveless dress and the second is how to add sleeves to a dress with straps.
Learn how to add back darts to dress for a better fit! This alteration is great to make your dresses fit better and add shaping in the back.
With this simple refashion tutorial and a sweater, you can learn how to lengthen sleeves of a jacket or coat! This is great for someone with long arms!
Instead of throwing away a sweater that has a hole in it, you can easily mend it! It’s an easy fix to give a new life to any sweater!
Learn how to hem shorts with a cuff for a casual and fun look. This sewing tutorial requires minimal sewing and can be done by hand.
If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!
