Quick and Easy Alterations

Of course after the hoildays there are major sales in every store. One day I happened to walk into Old Navy and saw these cute dresses for $2.97!!!

 

 

Adorable right!?! If you know me I couldn't resist the deal and about 3 different ones. However one was a size too big. Even though I can alter things I really like to just buy something off the rack, But it was on sale and I knew it wouldn't take me more than 10-15 to alter.

 

If you have basic sewing skills it is really easy, here are some easy steps to follow.

 

 

Take the dress, shirt, sweater and turn it inside out. Take another of the same item, or something similar (if you don't have a similar dress, take a shirt and skirt to lay on top of the larger piece).

 

 

The at the shoulder seams pin both pieces together.

Lay on a flat surface and make sure the bottom hems match. From here you can pin the correct size item to the bigger size and get ready to sew, or if you are nervous about sewing the pieces together, mark with chalk or a marking pen.

Make sure the seams lay flat before pinning, and that no excess fabric is caught, so that you have puckering or seams you have to take out and fix.

Sew away!!!!

Oops! I caught the serged seam, but just barely. Whew!

The top seam was the one was sewn with the 2 dresses together. The bottom seam is closer to the correct size dress.

I then took pinking shears and cut close to the top seam. Pinking shears help fabric from not fraying.

Look at that!!! Super cute and easy, and now you don't have to pass up on something you like that is just a little too big!

I can't wait for spring/summer. Throw on the dress with a skinny belt and some sandals!!! Perfection.

(I would show you a picture of how cute that would be, but my pasty legs would ruin it. Use the top picture for a reference point and imagine away!)

I have also done this with jeans. I had a really nice flare leg pair from express and couldn't bear to get rid of them (they were expensive), so I decided to take the risk and make them bootleg. Worked like a charm and I wear them all the time, instead of my amoire holding them.