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If you have a piece of clothing that just doesn’t seem to be fitting right because of the tight elastic, you can make some quick adjustments to better them for you. Luckily, you can make these adjustments without the use of a sewing machine. You can either stretch the elastic enough so that they fit comfortably, or you can entirely remove the elastic.
Steps
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Turn on the iron and dampen a cloth. You want your iron on and set to the highest setting. Run a face cloth or hand towel under water until it is damp, but not soaked. -
Prepare your pants. You can either pin each side of your pants to the ironing board—stretched to the desired length. Or, you can simply slide the pants around the ironing board until they are the proper width.Advertisement -
Place the damp cloth over your elastic. Make sure it completely covers the elastic that you’re trying to stretch out. If needed, use two cloths.
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Iron the elastic. With the damp cloth on top of your elastic band and your iron on the highest setting, iron over it. Iron for 10 seconds and then let sit for 10 seconds. Continue doing so for 5-10 minutes. This will help your pants fit because as the elastic heats, it will heightens the breaking weight. This means that it will be able to stretch more before reaching its limit. [1] X Research source
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Repeat as necessary. If it hasn’t’ stretch enough, try flipping your elastic band and repeat the process. Do so until you reach your desired fit. [2] X Research source
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Find a chair. If you have a chair that is the right size to stretch the elastic, that will work perfectly. If you don’t have a chair that’s the right size, you can try using the side of a small table, an empty drawer, or an empty poster frame. -
Stretch your elastic clothing over your chair. If you can, line up the sides with the side of the chair. This will help stretch the elastic evenly.
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Let it sit. Let your elastic sit, being stretched, for 24 hours. If the desired size still isn’t reached, put the elastic back in the stretched position and leave it for several days. Leave it in a warm place to help the elastic band stretch. [3] X Research source
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Turn the clothing inside out. This will make it much easier to work with. Plus, you will be less likely to make an error with your scissors if you can see what you’re doing.
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Find the inside seam. Sometimes, elastics are sewn into the seam of clothing. If this is the case, you won’t be able to pull the elastic out of them if you cut the somewhere other than the seam. Find the seam by holding on one side of the seam and stretching the other side. If you feel the elastic shift, you are free to cut wherever you’d like. If you feel it snag at the seam, make sure to cut here.
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Put a small slit on the inside of you clothing. To remove the elastic band from your clothing, make a slit (around ½”). If the elastic is sewn into the seam, you’ll have to cut the seam the size of the elastic. [4] X Research source
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Cut the elastic. Use scissors to go through your slit and cut the elastic. Cut through the entire elastic without cutting any more holes in your clothes. [5] X Research source
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Pull the elastic out. If you want to still be able to tie the pants snugly, affix a long shoelace or ribbon to one end of the elastic using a safety pin. When you pull out the elastic, pull on the end without the ribbon. This will guide your new tie through the waistband. If you do not want a tie, then just slowly pull the elastic out, being careful not to catch a lose string and bunch your fabric. Once the elastic is out/replaced, your clothes are ready to wear.
- You can sew the slit closed if you want to, but it’s not a necessary step before you wear your clothes.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionIs there any way to stretch elastic?Chloée Ohayon-Crosby is a Costume Designer and Wardrobe Specialist in Los Angeles, California. With over eight years of experience in fashion consulting, Chloée specializes in personal, film, theater, and commercial styling as well as image consulting and costume design. Chloée has worked as an assistant designer for the distinguished fashion house Chloée and as a freelance stylist with Glamour Italia. Chloée studied Fine/Studio Arts at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Fashion Design and Merchandising at the world renowned ESMOD École Supérieure des Arts in Paris, France.Yes, for a quick fix I would take a pair of scissors and make very small snips here and there around the waist where the elastic is situated. That should allow the fabric to loosen up.
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QuestionCan I stretch the elastic of my socks?Community AnswerYes, you may stretch the elastic in your socks following the same steps here.
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QuestionHow do I stretch the elastic in the waist of my jacket?Community AnswerHaving the jacket zipped closed (if it's a zipper jacket) and following any of these methods will stretch the elastic.
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Tips
- If you'd rather not remove the entire band, make small snips around the waistline where the elastic is. This will help the material relax a bit. [6] X Expert Source Chloée Ohayon-Crosby
Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.Thanks - If you’re not comfortable with an at-home way to stretch out the elastic, find a tailor or seamstress to help you.Thanks
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References
- ↑ http://csef.usc.edu/History/2005/Projects/J0204.pdf
- ↑ http://csef.usc.edu/History/2005/Projects/J0204.pdf
- ↑ http://tuhsphysics.ttsd.k12.or.us/Research/IB11/BlacRichMcKe/index.htm
- ↑ http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_c/C227/
- ↑ http://www.sewing.org/files/guidelines/11_125_fold_down_casings.pdf
- ↑ Chloée Ohayon-Crosby. Costume Designer & Wardrobe Specialist. Expert Interview. 24 July 2020.
About This Article
Article Summary
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To take the stretch out of an elastic in clothing, start by stretching the elastic and pinning it to an ironing board so it stays stretched out. Then, place a damp cloth over the elastic and set your iron to the highest setting. Once the iron is hot, iron over the damp cloth and elastic, pressing the iron down for 10 seconds and then removing it for 10 seconds. Repeat for 5-10 minutes or until the elastic fits. To learn how to take the stretch out of elastic using just a chair, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I purchased 2 pairs of pants and a skirt with elastic waist bands that are a bit too tight. Unfortunately the elastic is sewn into the fabric in 2 or more places. This is exactly what I was looking for, and can't wait to try it! Thank you for the tips!" ..." more
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"I purchased 2 pairs of pants and a skirt with elastic waist bands that are a bit too tight. Unfortunately the elastic is sewn into the fabric in 2 or more places. This is exactly what I was looking for, and can't wait to try it! Thank you for the tips!"
..."
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"My 4 month old daughter has super adorable chunky legs that fit into nothing because of the elastic! Thanks to this article I was able to fix her little clothes and get lots more wear out of them!"
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"A camisole that I bought fits perfectly, except that the elastic is too tight around my ribs. These instructions will allow me to fix the problem without wrecking the garment."
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"I was so glad that your article didn't do as so many do, and try to write a master's thesis. It was a simple question, and you gave a simple answer. Thank you!"
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"This was helpful. I was aware of the other two methods as well, but cutting fabric was never an easy option. This ones handy when you have little time!"
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