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How to Alter a Dress
Learn how to resize or fix your dress with these free how-to instructions.

By Lorain Blanken, About.com

Tailor your prom dress or just make a skirt shorter. Make a dress from scratch or shape an existing dress to meet your needs with these free tutorials.

Free Dress Patterns

coffee dress patterncopyright Burda Style
Use these free dress patterns to create your own ballroom or tearoom creations.

Put a Slit in a Skirt

Put a Slit in a SkirtRain Blanken
Give your skirt a sexy look with slits in the sides. This is a great way to refresh an old skirt, or to spice up a drab skirt. Simply follow these easy instructions.

Shorten a Skirt

Make a Skirt ShorterRain Blanken
Why would you shorten a skirt? Some skirts were meant to be shorter. Refresh an old skirt by giving it a new look. Learn how to make your skirt a few inches shorter with these quick and easy instructions.

Make a Dress Smaller

Take in dressRain Blanken
Sometimes that perfect dress isn't the perfect size. You don't have to be a professional seamstress to fix this problem. Adjust a dress that is too large with these easy instructions.

Fix a Broken Zipper

repair zipperRain Blanken
How to repair a broken zipper. Sometimes the teeth on a zipper don’t line up right, causing the zipper to catch. At this point, most people will get rid of the entire garment. What a shame, because this is such an easy fix! Follow these basic instructions to easily fix your zipper.

Mend a Ripped Seam

mend seamRain Blanken
Mending a seam is so quick and easy that it should never be a reason for tossing out your clothes. A seam will rip under stress, but that doesn’t mean that the fabric is damaged. All you need to do is replace the thread. Follow these easy steps to suture your style.

Fix a Torn Lining

Mend LiningRain Blanken
Clothes that have linings tend to be more expensive to purchase. Knowing how to mend a lining can save you some solid cash. Use these easy step-by-step instructions to mend a lining.

DIY Prom Dresses, Jewelry and Accessories

How To Duct Tape DressRain Blanken
Prom can really take a bite out of your budget. But do you have to spend wads of cash to look hot? I don't think so. Here are plenty of free ways to look sweet this prom season.
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