Can we talk about my elastic waistband disaster during a fitting yesterday

I used to just eyeball elastic length and hope for the best. A client in Seattle brought in a skirt for alterations last Tuesday and I measured the elastic at 30 inches without any stretch allowance. She tried it on and it slid right down to her hips in under 10 seconds. Now I subtract 4 inches from the waist measurement every single time and test with a pin before sewing. Has anyone else had a fitting fail that made you completely redo your method?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.margaret1mo ago

Subtracting 4 inches has saved me more times than I can count, but I also learned the hard way that different elastic brands have wildly different stretch. Do you adjust for that or stick with your subtract and pin method?

nathan_foster601mo ago

I started testing elastic brands after the 3rd time I had to redo a waistband. @black.margaret you're right that stretch rates vary a TON between brands so I stick with the subtract and pin method but test each new roll on scrap fabric first. It's the only way to keep consistent results without guessing.