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How to Add an Elastic Waistband

How to Add an Elastic Waistband

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Today I’ll show you how to add an elastic waistband to shorts or a skirt. Kids come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes and sometimes their clothes just don’t fit quite right. Little miss is shaped like a string bean so I’ve been doing a bit of adjusting to get a better fit…

How to Add an Elastic Waistband

It turns out it’s super easy to add an elastic waistband or adjust the existing elastic to get a perfect fit! We’ve had this little skort for over a year…look how tiny she is! Just playing a bit of peek-a-boo 🙂

How to Add an Elastic Waistband

Anyway I finally gave up hope of her ever filling it out- she’s 2 1/2 and it’s an 18 mos. but was still falling down. So I decided to fix it up before it became way too short. Much better 🙂

How to Add an Elastic Waistband

This would also work for adjusting a waistband that is too snug 

Step 1: Unpick about 1″ of stitching along the bottom edge of the waistband. You’ll need to do this at each side seam if you are adding elastic. If you are just adjusting you can do it at one side seam. See the break in the stitching…

How to Add an Elastic Waistband

Step 2: If there’s already elastic in there that’s great! Just snug it up a bit and tack it down at the side seam… (Or sew a little extra piece of elastic on if you need a looser fit)How to Add an Elastic Waistband

Step 3: If you need to add elastic to the waistband you’ll want to figure out how much you need first. Measure your kid’s waist and then measure the front half of the skirt/pants/etc. Subtract the front measurement from the waist measurement and then subtract 1-2″. This is your elastic length. Slide the elastic through the waistband with a safety pin, secure at each end, and then sew up the waistband along the stretch you unpicked in step 1.

How to Add an Elastic Waistband

***If your outfit has a tag in the back you might need to pick out those stitches to slide the elastic through the waistband.

 

Easy peasy right? Perfect for getting those back to school wardrobes all ready to go!

How to Add an Elastic Waistband

Adding an elastic waistband to your garment is a simple and effective way to enhance comfort and fit. Whether you're sewing a skirt, pants, or shorts, this technique can be easily mastered with a few basic steps. By following the instructions provided in this blog, you'll be able to achieve a professional-looking finish and create garments that are both stylish and comfortable to wear. So go ahead and give it a try! With a little practice, you'll become an expert at adding elastic waistbands in no time.

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How to Add an Elastic Waistband

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