Can you tailor a dress yourself? Yes, absolutely! With a few basic sewing skills and tools, you can transform ill-fitting dresses into perfectly tailored pieces that flatter your figure and boost your confidence. This guide will walk you through the essentials of dress alteration, from simple hemming to more complex adjustments, helping you master the art of making dresses fit like they were custom-made just for you.
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Why Tailor Your Dresses?
So, why bother with tailoring? The answer is simple: perfect fit. Off-the-rack clothing is designed for a broad range of body types, and it’s rare to find a dress that fits every curve and proportion perfectly without some adjustments. Tailoring bridges this gap, turning a “good enough” dress into a “wow” piece.
The Benefits of a Tailored Fit
- Flattering Silhouette: A well-tailored dress accentuates your best features and creates a more pleasing silhouette.
- Comfort: A dress that fits properly is simply more comfortable to wear, allowing you to move freely and with ease.
- Confidence Boost: When you look good, you feel good. A perfectly fitting dress can significantly enhance your self-assurance.
- Wardrobe Longevity: Tailoring can revitalize older dresses or those that no longer fit quite right, extending their lifespan and your enjoyment of them.
- Cost-Effective: Learning basic tailoring techniques can save you money on professional alteration services.
Essential Tools for Dress Alteration
Before you start sewing, gather your tools. You don’t need a professional setup, but a few key items will make the process much smoother.
Your Tailoring Toolkit
- Sewing Machine: While some alterations can be done by hand, a sewing machine will speed up the process and create stronger seams. A simple, reliable machine is all you need.
- Needles: For hand sewing and for your sewing machine. Have a variety of sizes.
- Thread: Good quality polyester thread is versatile and strong. Match the color of your dress or choose a contrasting color if you’re experimenting.
- Fabric Scissors: Crucial for clean cuts. Never use these on paper!
- Measuring Tape: A flexible measuring tape is essential for accurate measurements.
- Fabric Chalk or Disappearing Ink Pen: To mark your alteration lines on the fabric.
- Pins: Straight pins to hold fabric in place.
- Seam Ripper: Your best friend for undoing mistakes or removing old seams.
- Iron and Ironing Board: Pressing as you go is key to professional-looking results.
- Tailor’s Ham or Sleeve Roll (Optional): Helps to press curved seams smoothly.
Basic Dress Alterations: Step-by-Step
Let’s dive into some common dress alterations you can tackle.
1. Altering Hemlines
What is altering hemlines? Altering hemlines means changing the length of a dress. This is one of the most frequent and straightforward dress alterations.
Can I alter a hemline on any dress? Yes, most hemlines can be altered, but some fabrics and finishes (like rolled hems on sheer fabrics or heavily embellished edges) might require more advanced techniques or professional help.
Adjusting the Length
- Measure Carefully: Try on the dress with the shoes you intend to wear. Have a friend help you pin the desired hem length.
- Mark the New Hem: Once you’re happy with the pinned length, use fabric chalk or a disappearing ink pen to mark a straight line around the dress at the new hem level. Make sure this line is parallel to the floor.
- Prepare the Fabric:
- If there’s an existing hem, carefully unpick it using your seam ripper.
- Press the fabric flat.
- Trim the excess fabric, leaving your desired seam allowance (usually 1 to 2 inches).
- Create the New Hem:
- Fold the raw edge up by your seam allowance (e.g., 1 inch).
- Press the fold firmly.
- Fold it up again by the same amount (another 1 inch) to create a double-fold hem. This hides the raw edge and creates a clean finish.
- Press again.
- Sew the Hem:
- Pin the folded hem in place.
- Using your sewing machine (or hand-sewing with a blind hem stitch for an invisible finish), sew along the top folded edge of the hem.
Table: Common Hem Allowances
| Fabric Type | Recommended Hem Allowance |
|---|---|
| Lightweight Fabrics | 1 inch – 1.5 inches |
| Medium-Weight Fabrics | 1.5 inches – 2 inches |
| Heavyweight Fabrics | 2 inches |
| Sheer/Delicate Fabrics | 0.5 inch – 0.75 inch (often a narrow rolled hem) |
2. Taking In Dresses
What is taking in dresses? Taking in dresses involves making a garment smaller, usually in the waist, bust, or side seams, to achieve a more fitted look.
Adjusting the Side Seams
This is the most common way to take in a dress.
- Pin for Fit: Put the dress on inside out. Pin the excess fabric along the side seams, starting from the underarm and working your way down. Focus on fitting the bodice and waist first.
- Check for Smoothness: Ensure there are no puckers or bunching. Smooth the fabric as you pin.
- Mark the Seam: Once you have a good fit, use your fabric chalk to mark a new seam line along the pinned areas.
- Sew the New Seam:
- Remove the pins.
- Using your sewing machine, sew along the marked chalk line.
- Start at the top (underarm) and taper your stitching to meet the original seam at the bottom.
- Trim Excess Fabric: Leave about a 0.5 to 1-inch seam allowance. Finish the raw edge with a zigzag stitch or a serger to prevent fraying.
- Press the Seam: Press the new seam allowance to one side.
Taking in the Back Seam (for Straighter Backs)
Sometimes, a dress might be too wide across the back.
- Pin and Mark: With the dress inside out, pin and mark the excess fabric in the center back seam, similar to the side seams.
- Consider the Zipper/Closure: If your dress has a zipper or buttons down the back, you’ll need to be careful not to interfere with its function. You might need to unpick part of the zipper, take in the seam, and then re-sew the zipper.
- Sew and Finish: Sew the new seam, trim, and press as you would with side seams.
3. Letting Out Dresses
What is letting out dresses? Letting out dresses means making a garment larger, usually by utilizing existing seam allowances or carefully adding fabric.
Using Existing Seam Allowances
- Inspect Seams: Turn the dress inside out and examine the existing seams. Many dresses have a generous seam allowance (1 to 2 inches) that can be let out.
- Unpick and Repin: Carefully unpick the original seam stitches.
- Repin for Fit: Put the dress back on (or have someone help) and pin the seams outwards to the desired fit.
- Mark and Sew: Mark your new seam line, sew, trim excess (if any), and finish the raw edge. Press the seams open.
Adding Fabric (More Complex)
If there isn’t enough seam allowance, you might need to add fabric. This is a more advanced technique.
- Source Matching Fabric: Find fabric that closely matches the original dress in color, weight, and fiber content.
- Cut Strips: Cut fabric strips to the width needed to achieve the desired size, plus seam allowances.
- Insert Strips: This can be done in side seams, back seams, or even by adding panels to the bust or hips.
- Secure and Finish: Sew the fabric strips securely into the seams, ensuring a neat finish. This often involves careful pressing and potentially topstitching. This is a form of garment alteration that can dramatically change the fit.
Advanced Dress Alterations and Customizations
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can tackle more involved dress adjustments.
1. Adjusting Bodice Fit
Getting the bodice to fit perfectly is key to a flattering dress.
Taking in the Bust or Waist (Shaping)
- Locate the Fullness: Identify where the dress is too large – often under the arms, across the bust, or at the natural waist.
- Pin and Mark: Turn the dress inside out. Pin and mark along the side seams or back seams to remove excess fabric. You can also create darts (small triangular folds of fabric) at the bust or waist if needed for better shaping.
- Darts:
- Fold the fabric smoothly to create a dart shape.
- Pin the dart in place.
- Mark the dart line.
- Sew the dart, tapering to a point at the end.
- Press the dart downwards or towards the nearest seam.
Letting Out the Bust or Waist
- Check Seam Allowances: As mentioned before, utilize existing seam allowances.
- Adding Gussets: For significant increases, you might add triangular fabric pieces (gussets) into side seams or underarms.
2. Altering Necklines
Changing a neckline can completely update a dress.
Deepening a Neckline
- Mark the New Line: Measure and mark the desired depth and shape of the new neckline.
- Cut Carefully: Cut away the excess fabric.
- Finish the Edge: This is crucial. You can:
- Re-hem: Fold the raw edge twice and press, then sew.
- Facings: Cut a piece of fabric in the same shape as the new neckline, sew it to the neckline edge, and then fold it inside.
- Bias Tape: Use pre-made bias tape to create a neat, clean edge.
Raising a Neckline
- Pin and Mark: Turn the dress inside out. Pin and mark the excess fabric at the shoulder or neckline.
- Sew and Trim: Sew a new seam to bring the neckline up. Trim excess fabric and finish the edge neatly.
3. Adjusting Sleeves
Sleeves can be tricky, but achievable.
Shortening Sleeves
- Measure and Mark: Try on the dress and mark the desired sleeve length.
- Cut and Hem: Cut off the excess sleeve length, leaving a seam allowance. Hem the sleeve as you would a dress hem.
Widening Sleeves
- Unpick and Repin: Unpick the seam that attaches the sleeve to the armhole or the underarm seam.
- Adjust Fit: Repin the sleeve to create more room, either at the underarm or by adjusting the armhole seam.
- Resew and Finish: Sew the new seam and finish the edges. This might involve easing the fabric if the armhole is too tight.
Narrowing Sleeves
- Pin and Mark: With the dress inside out, pin and mark the excess fabric along the underarm seam of the sleeve.
- Sew and Finish: Sew a new, narrower seam. Trim and finish the raw edge.
Dress Pattern Adjustments for Custom Dress Making
If you’re venturing into custom dress making or working with a dress pattern, understanding pattern adjustments is vital. This is where you truly tailor the design before you even cut the fabric.
Key Areas for Pattern Adjustments
- Bust Adjustments: Lengthening or shortening the bodice to fit your bust.
- Waist Adjustments: Taking in or letting out the waistline.
- Hip Adjustments: Adding or removing fabric for a better hip fit.
- Shoulder Adjustments: Narrowing or widening the shoulder area.
- Length Adjustments: Adding or removing length from the bodice or skirt.
Common Pattern Adjustment Techniques
- Adding or Subtracting at Seams: Simply add or remove inches at the seam lines on the pattern pieces.
- Slash and Spread: Cut a pattern piece from seam to seam (but not through), spread it open to add length or width, and then tape it.
- Slash and Overlap: Cut a pattern piece and overlap the edges to reduce length or width.
- Adding Paper: Cut a pattern piece, cut it horizontally, insert a strip of paper to add length, and re-draw the lines.
Table: Common Pattern Adjustment Scenarios
| Fit Issue | Common Pattern Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Bodice too long | Slash horizontally and overlap at waist or bust seam. |
| Bodice too short | Slash horizontally and spread to add length at waist or bust seam. |
| Bust too large | Add a dart or slash and spread the pattern piece. |
| Bust too small | Slash and spread the pattern piece or add fabric at side seams. |
| Waist too large | Take in side seams or add waist darts. |
| Waist too small | Let out side seams or use a larger seam allowance. |
| Hips too narrow | Slash and spread the hip area of the skirt pattern. |
| Hips too wide | Take in the side seams of the skirt pattern. |
Fitting Dresses: The Crucial Step
Accurate fitting is the foundation of any successful dress alteration.
How to Fit a Dress
-
Pinning on Yourself:
- Wear the dress inside out.
- Wear the undergarments you typically would with the dress.
- Wear the shoes you plan to wear with it.
- Stand naturally and look in a mirror.
- Start pinning the seams that feel too large. Focus on the side seams first, then the back.
- Gently pull the fabric away from your body where it’s too big and pin it flat against your skin.
- Check the fit at the bust, waist, and hips.
- Pay attention to how the fabric hangs and if there are any unwanted wrinkles or pulling.
-
Pinning with a Helper:
- Having someone else help you pin can be much more accurate, especially for tricky areas like the back or shoulders.
- Your helper can smooth the fabric and pin it for you while you stand comfortably.
-
Using Tailor’s Chalk/Pen:
- Once pinned, use your chalk or pen to mark the actual seam line over the pins.
- Carefully remove the pins and the dress.
Common Fit Problems and Solutions
Let’s address some frequently encountered fit issues when fitting dresses.
Shoulder Problems
- Sloping Shoulders: The shoulder seam might slip off.
- Solution: Create small darts or gather the shoulder seam slightly.
- Shoulder Width Too Wide/Narrow: The shoulder seam sits too far out or too far in.
- Solution: Adjust the shoulder seam by letting it out or taking it in.
Bust Problems
- Gapping at the Neckline: Too much fabric.
- Solution: Take in the shoulder seam at the neck or add a small dart.
- Bust Too Tight/Loose:
- Solution: Adjust side seams or add/remove bust darts.
Waist Problems
- Waist Too Big: Fabric bunches at the waist.
- Solution: Take in the side seams or back seams at the waist.
- Waist Too Small: Dress feels constricting.
- Solution: Let out side seams or adjust the back seam.
Hip Problems
- Hips Too Tight/Loose:
- Solution: Adjust side seams in the hip area.
Sewing a Dress: From Scratch or Alteration
Whether you’re sewing a dress from a pattern or working on dress alteration, the sewing principles are similar.
Machine Sewing Basics
- Thread the Machine: Ensure the bobbin is wound and the top thread is properly threaded.
- Select the Right Needle: Use a universal needle for most fabrics. Specialty needles exist for knits, leather, etc.
- Set the Stitch Length: A medium stitch length (around 2.5) is good for most seams.
- Sewing Straight Lines: Practice sewing straight lines on scrap fabric. Keep your eye on the edge of the presser foot or the seam guide on your machine.
- Backstitching: Always backstitch at the beginning and end of a seam to secure the stitches.
- Pressing: Press each seam as you sew. This is non-negotiable for professional results.
Hand Sewing Stitches for Alterations
- Basting Stitch: A long, temporary stitch used to hold fabric in place before machine sewing or for fitting.
- Running Stitch: A simple in-and-out stitch, useful for gathering or basic seams.
- Backstitch: A strong stitch that looks like machine stitching, good for reinforcing seams.
- Blind Hem Stitch: Creates an almost invisible hem, perfect for delicate fabrics or when you don’t want the stitching to show.
Dress Resizing: When More is Needed
Dress resizing goes beyond minor adjustments. It’s about making a dress fit a significantly different size. This often involves more extensive seam work, potentially adding panels, or even altering the structure of the garment.
Factors to Consider for Dress Resizing
- Amount of Change: Can the dress be resized by simply adjusting seam allowances, or does it require more drastic measures?
- Fabric Type: Some fabrics are more forgiving than others. Stretchy fabrics are easier to resize than crisp, structured ones.
- Garment Construction: How the dress was originally made will impact how easy it is to resize. Complex designs with many seams or intricate detailing can be challenging.
- Your Skill Level: Resizing can be complex. If you’re a beginner, start with smaller alterations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can I tailor a dress that’s too small?
A1: It depends on how much too small it is and how much seam allowance the dress has. If there’s enough seam allowance, you might be able to let out the seams. If not, significant resizing might not be possible without adding fabric.
Q2: How much does it usually cost to get a dress tailored?
A2: Costs vary widely depending on the complexity of the alteration, your location, and the tailor’s experience. Simple hem adjustments might range from $15-$30, while more complex alterations like taking in the waist and bust or altering sleeves could be $30-$75 or more.
Q3: What’s the difference between tailoring and alteration?
A3: Tailoring often implies more in-depth adjustments to shape a garment to a person’s body for a perfect fit, sometimes involving reconstructing parts of the garment. Alteration is a broader term that covers any change made to a garment, including simple hemming or fixing a broken seam. Dress alteration encompasses both.
Q4: Can I alter a dress with sequins or beading?
A4: Altering sequined or beaded dresses is challenging and often requires special techniques. You typically need to carefully remove the embellishments along the seam line, make the alteration, and then reapply the embellishments. This is best left to experienced tailors.
Q5: What is dress pattern adjustments?
A5: Dress pattern adjustments are changes made to a sewing pattern before cutting the fabric to ensure the finished garment will fit the wearer correctly, accounting for individual body measurements that differ from standard pattern sizing.
By investing a little time and effort into learning how to tailor dresses, you can unlock a world of perfectly fitting garments. Whether you’re making simple dress alterations or embarking on custom dress making, mastering these skills will elevate your wardrobe and your sewing confidence.