Thrift Store Skirt Modification...

My girls still prefer to dress modestly and nice skirts can be difficult to find in our local department stores.  So the past few years we have had great success shopping at local thrift stores for skirts and dresses.  My Elisabeth recently found this navy blue linen skirt shown above.  It is beautiful and well-made.  She has washed it and worn it a few times but the waist is a bit tight on her.  I told her we could easily correct that issue.  This is the beauty of being able to sew and alter items to fit you well.

This skirt has an elastic waist, but it is well-made and the elastic is "loose" and not stitched into the skirt.  So that makes it really easy to modify.  I usually un-pick the casing seam either over the center back seam or a side seam.  For this skirt I un-picked the seam at the center back.

I removed enough stitching until I could easily pull a loop of elastic out.  

Then I cut the loop.  I don't worry about finding the original join....but rather just cut wherever.  This elastic can easily be recycled into something else.  Or I could just stitch on another piece of elastic to extend this piece if I wanted.  But this time I decided to just add a completely new piece of elastic.  Likewise, if the skirt was too big the same procedure could be done and the original elastic could be cut smaller to fit the waist and re-stitched.

Here's the waist casing with the elastic removed.  It's kind of hard to see.

The elastic on the top is the piece I removed from the skirt.  The bottom piece of elastic is the one I'm planning to add back into the casing.  I cut the elastic to the measurement that works better for Elisabeth.

After I re-threaded the new elastic into the casing (without getting it twisted) I stitched the elastic by layering one end on top of the other and zigzagging a straight line.  Then I re-stitched the casing seam using navy thread and a straight stitch.

To finish the project I do what I often do on elastic waistbands - I stitched on both side seams (through the elastic) just about an inch to secure the elastic in the band so that it doesn't twist while wearing or during washing. 

I know this is a dark picture but here is the final result. (I will edit this post when I get a picture of Elisabeth wearing it.)  It is a calf-length skirt and has a wonderful shape to it.  And I love that it's a nice quality linen fabric.  And I forgot to add it has pockets in the side seams - Another bonus!!! This is one quick and easy way to make those wonderful items you find at a local thrift shop work for you.

Happy Stitching!

xoxo!!!