Three Ways to Alter Your Clothes to Fit You Better

Easy sewing tricks with no machine required.

05.30.24

By Jenna Millikan

Have you bought an item of clothing you were excited about, only to try it on and realize it doesn’t fit right? With the rise of online shopping and stores getting rid of dressing rooms, this has become a common experience.

Why let a too-long hem or unintentional boxy fit keep you from rocking something you spent money on? The Rage is here to teach you some simple alterations to make anything look perfectly tailored to you with only a needle and thread. There is no sewing machine required, so no need to break the bank on materials. I personally am not a tailor, just a college student with a sewing kit. 

Something to consider is that if you are buying clothes knowing you may have to alter them, be conscious that you are not buying clothes with a large disparity in sizing. Plus-sized people often have limited options and these tips are not intended to further the gap between straight and plus-sized options.

Materials

For these projects, you’ll need only three things; a needle, sewing pins and thread matching your clothing.

Taking in

It’s hard to imagine how something will look on you when it’s on the hanger. Often, things don’t flare out and taper in where we want them to. This tutorial will show you how to sew any item of clothing to fit your proportions.

Turn your item inside out so the outward-facing sides are together. Outline where you want your new seam to be with sewing pins. This is best done while wearing what you're pinning. If you don’t have sewing pins, use a dark pen to mark your seams. Just be cautious of pens bleeding through fabric.

Once you’ve pinned your garment, you can move on to the simple stitch. Otherwise known as the running stitch. Secure your thread with a knot at the beginning of the seam. In this case, it’s the armpit of the shirt. Then weave between the two pieces of fabric. The end product should look similar to the lines drawn onto the photo. The closer together your stitches are, the more sturdy your seam will be. When you turn the shirt right side out, you shouldn’t be able to see the stitches. 

Once you are familiar with pinning and the simple stitch you can take in any item of clothing. If the extra fabric does not cause visible bulk or discomfort leave the excess to allow for future alterations as bodies change.

Hemming

If you’re on the lower end of five feet, you know the pain of buying pants that drag on the floor and sleeves that swallow your hands. Hemming is a quick solution. There are two ways to do this. Creating a new hem looks the best, although this is difficult without a sewing machine. This article will use the second option, which maintains the original hem. While it is not as crisp as creating a new hem, it is faster and easier.

Cuff your pants or sleeve to the desired length. Make sure the original hem is where you want them to sit. Sew a simple stitch along the hemline. Get as close to the original hem as possible without sewing over it. 

Begin a simple stitch along the hem. Keep stitches short and close to the original hem.Stop when you reach the seams. When you have completed both sides, flip the excess back inside the pants. The excess can be trimmed and the hems ironed to create a crisper line.

Fixing gapping

The most frustrating part of the shopping experience is finding pants that fit you perfectly… except for the waist. 

Start by looping a thread through the needle while keeping both ends the same length.

Start roughly an inch away from the back belt loop. Pull the thread through to the front, securing it with a knot. Bring the thread toward the belt loop. Instead of pushing the needle completely through like a simple stitch, position the needle so it comes out at the next row.

Repeat this going down and in until you have an inverted triangle shape. Then repeat on the other side. You should have excess string creating two tails.

Simple alterations are a great way to update your wardrobe and keep clothes away from the landfill. If you’re not a hand sewer or just want to try your hand with a sewing machine, the Makerspace on campus has free sewing machines students can use.

Starting fresh on either side create an inverted triangle.

Pins, pin cushion, needle and thread. Thread type and needle size vary. What you want depends on your project.

Orange long-sleeve shirt. I gravitated to this shirt because of its unique texture. Unfortunately, it was boxier than I thought. Circles to indicate where I put pins. Pin as much or as little as you want.

Finished version of alterations. Adjust as needed until the thread is no longer visible.

The dreaded waist gap, the worst part of jean shopping.

Jeans with alterations to remove the gap.