How to Add Elastic to a Dress for the Perfect Fit

Have you got an old oversized t-shirt dress you never wear anymore?

In this video, I show you how I transformed my old pregnancy dress into something wearable again by simply adding elastic at the waist!

This beginner friendly sewing hack is perfect for upcycling loose dresses into a more flattering fit without needing a pattern!

 

What You’ll Need:

• Oversized dress (preferably knit fabric)
• ½-inch elastic (length based on your waist size)
• Measuring tape, chalk, ruler
• Pins and scissors
• Sewing machine with zigzag stitch
• Optional: bias binding or fabric strip for joining elastic ends

 

How I Transformed My Dress

 

Try It On & Mark Your Waistline

I started by putting the dress on inside out.

This made it easier to mark exactly where I wanted the elastic to sit, right at my natural waist.

Then I dropped the mark 2 inches lower, so the fabric would hang slightly over the elastic for a more relaxed, flattering look.

Draw a Guide Line

After laying the dress flat, I used a ruler and chalk to draw a straight line across the front and back of the dress at the new waistline mark.

This line is important! It’s where the elastic will be sewn.

Measure and Cut Your Elastic

My waist is 29.5 inches, but I wanted the elastic snug, so I cut it to 28.5 inches.

If you're doing this, try removing 1–2 inches from your waist measurement for a tighter fit, especially if the dress is very loose.

Join the Elastic Ends

Instead of overlapping the ends (which can feel bulky against your skin), I wrapped them in bias binding and sewed them together in a square with a cross in the middle.

It’s a neat way to keep the join flat and comfortable.

Just make sure your elastic isn’t twisted before you do this!

Divide & Pin

Next, I quartered the elastic by folding it in half, then half again, and marking each fold with a pin.

I did the same with the dress to match up the waist evenly.

For even better control, I halved the quarters too, creating 8 sections on both the dress and elastic.

Pin Elastic to Dress

I slipped the elastic over the dress and pinned it to the dress at each of the quarter (or eighth) points.

Make sure it matches your chalked line to keep it even all around.

Sew with a Zigzag Stitch

I used a zigzag stitch to attach the elastic...and this is key!

It allows the fabric to stretch without snapping the stitches. I sewed while gently stretching the elastic to match the fabric, staying right on the chalk line.

Don’t forget to backstitch at the start and end.

 

All done!

Have an oversized dress you want to rescue from your donation pile? Give this elastic waist hack a try, and let me know how it goes in the comments! I would love to hear what worked (or didn’t) for you.

 

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!
Bye for now, B! xx