My adjustable elastic waistband trick

Here’s an inside look (literally) at the patchwork Cleo skirt I posted earlier. Someone had asked in comments about the inside - whether I used a lining or not — and as you can see, the seams are all finished with a serger so there’s no need for a lining. Though a lining is possible with Cleo, it gets a little complicated to add one owing to the flat front / elastic back waistband technique, so I’ve never lined my Cleo skirts; I just wear a half slip with them if needed.

And here’s a little trick I use to adjust garments with a back elastic waistband, like Cleo (and also Rose!): I leave a small access to the elastic open at the side of the front waistband, so that I can unpick the elastic and reach in and loosen or tighten it if I need to.

Scroll down for a video…

VIDEO LINK HERE

This is part of my general ethos when designing clothing: I began designing clothing patterns after I became a mother, and continued designing throughout and after my pregnancy with Hugo, so by necessity I’ve always designed with the changing body in mind. That means styles that are easy to adjust (elastic waists, etc), styles that are wearable within a range of weight and measurement fluctuations, styles that have enough ease and comfort for child rearing and toddler chasing and spontaneous accidental naps.

I love that this makes my handmade garments even more comfortable and adjustable — if my size changes, it only takes a couple minutes to adjust the waistband to fit!