With this technique you'll be amazed at how something that seemed too large can suddenly be your size. And things that fit just ok before but slipped or gapped can be made to fit wonderfully!
You can use this technique even on fairly heavy belts, adding that little extra pull from some elastic can make a huge difference in the way they fit. You can use heavy duty wide elastic for big jobs (like belts, or reinforced or heavily beaded waists, or things that need a LOT of power gathering), or super narrow elastic where just a little extra spring is needed. You'll see both 1/4" and 1/2" (sometimes wider) elastic used for the top of stretch (beltless beaded) skirts.
You can add any length needed -- great around curves or corners where a regular casing or longer piece of elastic would be impossible. Usually, even the tops of stretch skirts aren't elasticised all the way around. You'll most often see two pieces over the hips, but do whatever works. To help make a heavy belt fit, use a shorter piece (around 6") right in the center of the back.
How to:
- Experiment & Size your Elastic: Size first by pinning elastic about where you think you need it and trying on. You need to stretch the elastic out and pin the ends (in other words, the elastic, when relaxed, needs to be pulling some fabric, otherwise it's not doing anything). You can experiment with a longer piece than you think you'll need and then trim it later.
- Remove Elastic and Bind Ends: After you've got it pinned in where it fits you, mark both the elastic and the thing you are sewing it in in whatever way you like so that you can take it out and later put it back in at the same place. For example, put a pen mark on the elastic where you've go it pinned, and stick a pin in (just) the material at the spot it's pinned to.
Remove the elastic, trim a little longer than where you have it marked, and bind the ends with whatever method you choose to keep the elastic from unraveling. You can stitch back and forth over the raw edge with a sewing machine, or fold the end over and stitching down by hand. Or if you're really after speed, super glue the ends (can be kind of scratchy when it dries, though).
- Sew it in: If you are REALLY in a hurry, you can skip the binding (but eventually that elastic is going to start unravelling). Just sew the ends of the elastic in where you've got it pinned, trim as necessary. If you removed it and bound the ends, sew the ends of your trimmed and bound elastic into the waist band (or whatever you're elasticizing) where you marked the waist band.
- Now you're ready to make the casing. Using heavy duty thread or doubled regular thread, you essentially zig-zag giant stitches across the elastic. Don't stitch into the elastic; anchor the thread in the fabric around the elastic. Don't make your stitches too close to the elastic; it needs to be able to slide through the thread pretty easily. See the sketch above.
