Free Patterns
By Rain Blanken, About.com Guide
- Gloves, Wristbands and Warmers
- Wraps and Scarves
- Shoes, Sandals, Heels
- Alter Your Clothes to Fit
- No-Sew Clothing
- Fix Torn and Ripped Clothing
- Techniques to Learn
Shirts and Tops
Create these cute tops and shirts with a little DIY know-how. Just be careful about letting your friends borrow your one-of-a-kind treasures...you may never get them back!
- Create a Fitted Tank from a T-Shirt
- Make an Apron Top
- Make a Corset Top
- Turn a T-Shirt into a Tube Top
- Make Baby Doll Style Top
- Make a Halter Top from a T-Shirt
- Screen Print a T-Shirt
- Turn a Shirt into a Wrap
- Spray Painted T-shirt
- Tie Dye a Shirt
- T-Shirt Surgery Projects
- More Shirt Patterns and Tutorials...
Bags and Purses
Carry something that makes a statement or simply holds all that stuff.
- Zippered Change Purse
- Video: Sew a Laptop Case
- Cassette Tape Wallet
- Duct Tape Wallet
- Turn Jeans into a Purse
- Make a Bra Purse
- Turn a T-shirt into a Grocery Tote
- Video: Jeans and Scrap Fabric Bag
- Placemat Purse
- T-Shirt Purse
- Breakfast Tote
- Decoupage Compact Mirror
- Video: Fused Plastic Grocery Bag
- Iron-On Tote
- Suitcase Decoupage
Skirts
Tailor your prom dress or just make a skirt shorter. With these free skirt projects, you can put together skirts from scratch or liven up the one you've got.
- Pillowcase Skirt
- 5 Ways to Turn Jeans into a Skirt
- Make a Simple Drawstring Skirt
- Video: Sew a Simple Skirt
- Turn a T-Shirt into a Skirt
- Put Side Slits in a Skirt
- Make a Skirt Shorter
- More Skirt Patterns and Tutorials...
Dresses
You can create simple dresses or alter your dress to the perfect fit.
Pants and Shorts
DIY Pants. Make, dye, adjust and customize your own pants.
- Make a Pair of Pants
- Turn Jeans into Bell Bottoms
- Add Side Panels to Pants
- Beaded Fringe Pants
- Hem a Pair of Pants
- Make Bleached Camo Jeans
- Make Your Jeans Look Worn
- Turn Pants into Capri's
- More Pants Patterns and Tutorials...
Hair Accessories
From headbands to hair sticks, you can make all sorts of hair accessories at home.
Belts
Make your belt do more than hold up your pants. These easy projects are sure to help.
- Make a Basic Buckled Belt
- Jeweled Belt
- Neck Tie Belt
- Knit a Belt - Dropped Stitch
- Knit a Belt - Linen Stitch
Hats
Cap your lid with a toasty winter hat or a breezy sun-blocker.
Gloves, Wristbands and Warmers
Warm your chilly hands with these gloves, wristbands and arm warmers.
- Free Glove and Mitten Patterns
- Turn a Shirt Sleeve into Arm Warmers
- Fingerless Gloves
- Sock Wristband
- Video: Make Mittens from a Sweater
Wraps and Scarves
Add a wrap or a scarf, be it for warmth or style. Here are some quick and stylish ways to wrap it up.
- Learn How to Tie a Necktie
- Harry Potter Scarf
- Turn a Button-Up Shirt into a Wrap
- Knit a Necktie
- Free Knit Scarf Patterns
Shoes, Sandals, Heels
You can use these simple methods to spice up your shoes and sandals.
Alter Your Clothes to Fit
If you know how to adjust your clothing to fit you, then your possibilities for fashion success are endless. Fitting a piece of clothing often means adjusting a seam or hem. Once you learn to re-sew these basic elements of your outfit, tailoring will be a snap.
- How to Make a Dress Bigger
- Make a Dress Smaller
- Hem a Pair of Pants
- Video: How to Hem Pants
- Shorten a Skirt
- Put a Side Slit in a Skirt
- Turn Pants into Capri's
- Adjust Your T-Shirt to Fit
- Make Jeans Look Worn
- More Alteration Tutorials...
No-Sew Clothing
Just because it's clothing doesn't mean it requires sewing. Put together these easy outfits...no needle required.
- Create a Fitted Tank from a T-Shirt
- Cut a Button-Down Wrap
- Make a Pair of Fingerless Gloves
- Craft a Belt from Neck Ties
- Beaded Fringe Pants
Fix Torn and Ripped Clothing
With the power of DIY knowledge, you may never have to throw away damaged clothing again. You have it in you to save money and look great.
Techniques to Learn
Even the best of tools are useless if you don't know what you're doing. Even if you have tried out a few of the following crafts in the past, it is always good to have a refresher on how to do them. Here you will find the basic knowledge needed to make your designs come to life. If you are practicing the correct technique, your project will be a success.