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DIY Strapless Dress Alteration Without a Sewing Machine

Even if you don't have a sewing machine, you can alter a strapless dress. All it takes is basic hand-sewing knowledge and some standard sewing tools. The hardest part is taking measurements to know how much the dress should be altered. The best way to do this is to try the dress on and have someone else measure how much the dress needs to be taken in. After that is done, the alteration finished by creating a basic hem.

Things You'll Need

Measuring tape
Straight pins
Thread that matches the dress
Sewing needle
Scissors

Instructions

- 1
  Measure how many inches the dress needs taken in. For example, if the hem ends at midcalf and you want it to end at the knee, measure the distance from where the hem ends and the knee.
- 2
  Turn the dress inside out and lay it on the work area.
- 3
  Fold the bottom of the dress over the same amount as the take-in measurement. For example, if the measurement was 4 inches, fold 4 inches of the edge of the dress over.
- 4
  Pin the folded part of the dress to the fabric of the dress to create a new hem.
- 5
  Thread the needle by sticking one end of the thread through the eye of the needle and knotting the other end of the thread.
- 6
  Sew the hem in place using a running stitch. To do a running stitch, push the needle through the edge of the fabric and the area of the dress you are attaching it to, and then pull the needle back through the fabric 1/3 inch away from the first stitch. This will create a straight line of very small stitches.
- 7
  Finish the seam by knotting the end of the thread.

Sewing