Mistakes & fixes

A waistband too loose or tight is altered by taking in or letting out the side seams, adding elastic panels, or moving buttons and hooks. Check the fix doesn't distort the closure or shape.

Blending two adjacent pattern sizes, such as a smaller bust with a larger waist, is done by tracing each size's line at the relevant area and drawing a smooth curve connecting them across the piece.

A jeans hem shortened while keeping the factory-finished edge and topstitching intact is done by folding the excess up inside the leg, then stitching just above the original hem from the right side.

Extending sleeves that fall short requires a deeper hem let down, an added cuff, or a contrasting fabric extension at the wrist. Check there's enough hem allowance before promising extra length.

Adding room to a garment that's too tight relies on unpicking the existing seam and resewing with a narrower allowance, which only works if enough seam allowance remains. Check the seam before promising this alteration.

Shoulder seams sitting too wide or narrow, throwing off where the sleeve cap falls, are corrected by unpicking the shoulder and sleeve, moving the seam, and reattaching the sleeve to the adjusted armhole.

Reducing a garment's length, most often at the hem or sleeve, involves trying it on to mark the new length, trimming the excess, and refinishing the raw edge to match the original hem style.

Reducing a garment that's too loose is done by pinning out excess at the side seams or darts while worn, then restitching those seams narrower and trimming the extra allowance away.

A hem that has come loose and hangs unevenly needs the old stitching removed, the fold pressed back to its crease, and the hem restitched, often with a fresh blind hem to match the original.