15 Easy Alterations You Can Do without Asking a Tailor (2024)

You can make many easy alterations to your clothes at home with just a few basic tools and no sewing expertise required. These simple sewing techniques will show you how to hem jeans and pants, sew on patches, alter dresses and blouses, and even turn some old things into new ones! Save money and time with DIY.

How to Hem Pants

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Want to learn how to hem pants even if you don’t have sewing skills? Here are insider tips and step-by-step instructions showing how to hem your pants when you don’t want to or can’t pay to have your pants hemmed.

Hem Jeans and Keep the Original Hem

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Are you worried that your jeans won’t look the same after you hem them? Try this easy technique that lets you keep the original hem!

How to Fix a Hole in Jeans

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Learn how to fix a hole in jeans. It’s common for jeans to get holes in the knees, so this is a strong way to close the hole, and it’s almost invisible. You don’t have to pay someone to fix your jeans since it’s easy to do it yourself!

How to Crop Jeans

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Learn how to crop jeans to the right length for the popular raw-edge look. This is an easy project and doesn’t require a sewing machine.

Add Sleeves to a Dress

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Learn how to sew a sleeve onto a sleeveless dress. This easy tutorial will come in handy all the time so you can give your wardrobe new options!

How to Hem a Circle Skirt with Bias Tape

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Hemming a circle skirt can be frustrating because it is just one continuous curve. Are you ready for the life-changing trick?! Let this tutorial show you the easy way to hem a circle skirt with bias tape.

How to Hem a Dress with a Banded Hem

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Adding a band to a dress is not only a great way to hem a dress, but it is also a great way to add length to a dress. Just cut out a band the width of the bottom of your dress, cut a length that you like, and add the band.Learn how.

How to Sew on a Patch

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Sewing on patches is an easy task that you can do with or without a sewing machine. Learn how to sew on one patch or make a patch quilt!

Mend Worn Out Knees with Vinyl

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Kids’ clothes get holes in the knees all the time! Here’s an easy way to use a Cricut and some vinyl to make cute patches.

Pro Tip: You can still mend holes with the vinyl if you don’t have a Cricut cutter. Just cut it into cute shapes with scissors!

How to Hem with a Narrow Rolled Hem Foot

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The rolled hem foot sews just that, a narrow rolled hem that’s pretty on scarves, blouses, dresses, or even curtains. This hemming technique works best with lightweight fabrics, making it perfect for hemming a light blouse or dress.

Sew on a Button

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Sewing on a button is an important skill. Let’s face it. We all have a pile of mending in the corner. Half of which requires us to fix buttons that fell off.

How to Fix a Broken Jeans Button

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Losing your jeans button might seem like a big deal, especially if it left a hole in the waistband of your pants. But it’s fixable! See how Melissa fixed hers.

How to Sew a Professional Double-Needle Hem

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This technique for sewing a double-needle hem with a regular sewing machine is great for fixing hems that come undone on a t-shirt, leggings, or other stretchy clothes.

Refashion a Dress to a Skirt

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Turning something you no longer wear into a clothing item you love is the best alteration of all! Learn how to turn a dress into a skirt.

How to Turn a Tee Shirt Into a Dress

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You can sew cute boutique-style girls’ dresses with just a tee shirt, some elastic, and some cotton fabric! Learn how with a free step-by-step tutorial, plus how to use the fabric to make a matching applique.

How to Wind a Bobbin in 13 Simple Steps

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How to Wind a Bobbin in 13 Simple Steps

Quilt Coats are IN!

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Over 100 Free Quilt Patterns

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Over 100 Free Quilt Patterns

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