Your clothes can be the first thing someone notices about you … they can make you feel gorgeous, professional, sexy, flirty. Why not make them a little more individual; a little more interesting; a little more you?

We all have clothes we never wear because they never seemed to fit quite right.. the shirt is too boxy, the pants are too long, the skirt is too short, the buttons are blah. But believe it or not, you don’t need one iota of experience to make—or at least alter—your clothes. All you need is some creativity, the right tools (like a good pair of scissors) and a little patience.

A few crafty items you absolutely must have on-hand (in case you suddenly decide at 3am that you need to add some pizzazz to your closet) are:

• Stitch Witchery: I once made an entire (and dare I say, adorable) tank top without ever picking up a needle and thread using this amazingly cool product. It’s a roll of thin “tape” that fuses fabric via ironing. It’s also totally washable, so it actually stays better than hand stitching, in my opinion. I’ve also used it to make curtains, hem every pair of pants I own, and about a gazillion other things.
• Iron-on T-shirt transfers: They’re not just for T-shirts! Last year everyone I know got iron-on projects for Hanukkah, including pajamas with my sister-in-law’s name on them, a canvass shoulder bag for my brother with his initials, throw pillows with cute little birds for my mom, and a set of baby clothes with clever sayings on them for my new-mom cousin. I recommend Avery brand (they’re less flimsy and come in versions for light or dark fabric).
• Various odds and ends like vintage lace, ribbon, beads, etc. Look in discount fabric stores to find kitschy patches and whatnot, and scour garage sales and thrift stores for even more goodies. As an aside, you can also use these random bits to make fun greeting cards.

If you have a sewing machine, learn to use it to at least make simple stitches. Stitch Witchery is great, but sometimes you want the look of thread, and hand sewing is a pain in the tush.

Whatever method you choose, here are a few simple ideas to get you started.

Pillowcase skirt:

Find a sassy pillow case (thrift stores are great for this, since if you aren’t thrilled with your creation, you’re only out 50 cents) and turn it inside out. Cut open the closed end (so you have a tube), turn the cut side up, and use Stitch Witchery or your sewing machine to create a hem—ironing the hem in place before you sew/place the Stitch Witchery will make this easier. Do the same to the other end of the tube if the fabric there isn’t already doubled over. Next, turn the tube right-side out and snip a small hole in the newly created waist line (under where your belly button would be). Then take a long piece of ribbon with a safety pin attached to one end, hold the other end, and work it the safety-pinned end through the waistline. Ta-da! Now you have a drawstring skirt!

Strappy tank:

Try this with an old tank top to spice it up. Cut the existing straps off, about 2 inches from the top. Neaten the remaining nubs by folding over and sealing with Stitch Witchery/a quick pass through the sewing machine. Cut 2 pieces of cool ribbon, beaded fabric, sturdy lace, (or whatever you have in your odds-and-ends box) about 6 inches long and sew, iron (Stitch Witchery) or fabric glue it to the recently cut tank to create new, unique straps. Pretty!

Slender top:

Slim-down your overly boxy shirt by putting it on inside out and pinning, starting at about 3 inches under the armpit down to the bottom, creating a new fit. Make sure you can still easily move your arms, reach up, etc. Slip the shirt off and sew (sewing really is best for this one) just outside your pins. Turn the shirt right-side out and try it on. If it fits, great! You can cut off the excess fabric. If not, just undo the seam and try again.

Good luck!

Sarah Glendon Lyons is a Los Angelos-based marketing and real estate writer who loves arts and crafts, and would like to see the the world’s weapons replaced with glue guns.