Adjustable Elastic Waist and Making Clothes that Fit

Sometimes there is no need to go through all the pattern adjustments like I did here for the skinny jeans and here for the knit blazer, espcially when its for a skirt. Adjustable elastic is, most times, just the perfect thing when you want something to fit just right at the waist. 

These are the steps I went through to be able to put the adjustable elastic in the drop waist circle skirt. Its the Twirly Skirt by E&M Patterns due to be released very soon (I'll be setting up a link when the pattern is available in the meantime go like their facebook page to see what other goodies are on the way)! The front of the skirt has no elastic to help keep it up so the elastic at the back is very important. This is my theory, we don't always have the luxury of having our models with us at all times and sometimes adjustments, like elastic length, are required before the garment is completed, and that's why I love this type of elastic so much! 

This is what an adjustable elastic looks like...button holes! 

So lets get started! 

Sew side seams of the lining leaving a space at the top for the elastic to pass through. The seam allowances for this pattern is 0.5" and the elastic is 5/8". 

Press your side seams open.

Make sure the elastic passes through the space you left, it would be ashame to finish off your skirt only to realize the elastic doesn't pass through.

I like to top stitch around the opening to make sure the seams stay in place. It makes for a nicer finish even though this is the inside of the skirt.

The lining of the waistband is sewn to the outside of the skirt at the waist line, then top stitched (as per pattern instructions).

This is the outside view of the waistband with the sash already sewn into the side seam.

Form the casing for the elastic only on the back of the skirt.

I like finishing off my edges of the elastic, I find it prevents laundry messes with unraveling elastics.

Use a safety pin to pass the elastic through the casing.

At this point you might want to secure the elastic by making a few stitches at the center back. The last thing you need when you're in a hurry is for your child to pull out the elastic, search for a safety pin, and have to reinsert the elastic.

Sew on a couple of buttons close to the openings of the casing.

And that part of the skirt is done, actually all you would have left to do is attach your skirt and finish off your hem, in this case super easy, finish off your hem with double fold bias. You can find my tutorial on how to trim out with bias tape here.

Seriously, this skirt is gorgeous! Here's just a sneak peek and I'll be posting very soon with skirt on my model :)