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How to Add an Elastic Waist to a Dress: A Drastic Elastic Refashion

DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Dress Refashion
No-Sew '70s Housecoat to Dress Refashion

A few months ago, I showed you how to add a fantastic elastic waist to just about any dress!

A lot of you asked why I cut the thing in two and restitched it before adding the elastic.  I thought it gave it a cleaner line, but heck!  Let’s try it another way!

I started off with this coral-y bathing suit coverup-looking thing…

how to add elastic to waist of dress before
Having a blissful summer flashback!

I thought the hue of this frock was just a wee bit to light for fall/winter/whatever this cold thing is that we’re in, so….I reached for these!

Cherry Red Dye and Tan Dye
Mixology!

After the dye bath, I still needed to deal with how shapeless this dress was.  While I usually just add a belt or a sash (because it’s easy and I like ’em), I want to make sure I show you guys other tips and tricks too.

Here we go!

I turned my dress inside-out, then I used my tailor’s chalk to draw a line all the way around my dress where I wanted my new waistline to be.

measuring waist for dress
Measure for measure!
marking waist of dress for elastic with chalk
TA DA!

I also made a mark at the center front and center back of my dress.

marking center front of dress with chalk
Front and center!

Next, I wrapped a section of elastic around my waist and pulled it to where it was snug, but not too snug.  

Then I cut it off.

elastic cut for waist of dress
You shall do nicely!

I stitched the two ends together.

sewn elastic for dress
See?

I folded the elastic in half and used a fabric marking pencil to mark the ends of the folded bits.  

This meant I had a mark for every fourth of the elastic waistband.  Don’t worry.  It’ll make sense in a sec.  🙂

marking elastic
Mark it!

I then pinned each of the marked bits to the center front, center back, and each side seam.  

This makes it easier to evenly distribute the rest of the elastic.

pinning elastic to waist of dress
Even Steven!

Time to stitch it down!  Just use a straight stitch, but make sure you pull the elastic a bit as you go to keep the fabric from getting bunchy.  

It’s finicky, but it’s not that hard!

sewing elastic to waist of dress
Whirrrrrr!

And just like that, you have a dress with an elastic waist!  

I rolled the sleeves up a little, pressed them down, and was good to go!

refashionista how to add elastic waist to dress after
If you look closely, you can see where I accidentally dribbled toothpaste on the front! :/

However, me being me, I couldn’t resist putting a belt on it!  😀

refashionista how to add elastic waist to dress after with belt
Sticking with what I know!
refashionista how to add elastic waist to dress after with belt
*Happy Belt Dance Break*

Sadly, the building I work in is in a constant state of frrrrreeeeezing, so all my coworkers got to see was this:

jillian under shawl
🙁

C’est la vie!

Cheers!

how to add elastic waist to dress before and after
DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Dress Refashion
No-Sew '70s Housecoat to Dress Refashion