Making a skirt bigger isn’t simple, and it needs the services of a professional tailor. However, you may need to do this at home on occasion, which is why we’ve provided you with instructions.

Skirts are an essential component of any woman’s wardrobe. It’s possible that it will decrease or shrink at some time; therefore, you’ll need to add more length.

One of the most effective methods to add more length to your skirt is to remove the waistband and add extra fabric or elastic. Stretching, utilizing extenders, and using bobby pins are additional options.

In this post, we’ll discuss how to make a skirt bigger in the simplest and most efficient methods possible. Let’s get started without any further ado.

Things You’ll Need to Finish Your Task

• Tape measure
• Hand sewing needles
• Fabric scissor
• Rotary cutter and rotary mat
• Tailor’s chalk
• Straight pins
• Threads
• Seam ripper
• Iron
• Sewing machine, bobbins, and needles
• Fabrics
• Pattern paper
• Rulers and tracing wheel if necessary

How to Make a Skirt Bigger – The Easiest and Proven Ways

There are several methods to extend your skirt. Here are some of the most efficient solutions accessible.

1. Using Fabrics

One of the simplest methods to make a skirt larger is by using extra fabric. You’ll need to purchase additional fabric that matches the skirt in terms of color and weight. The fabric should be about 2-3 inches wider than the waistband on all sides.

Steps –

• You may easily remove the original waistline of a skirt using a seam ripper but be careful not to harm the garment.
• When replacing a waistline, choose a fabric that is close in color, weight, and texture to the original skirt fabric.
• Assemble the fabric, then measure how much cloth you’ll need. You may either use your waist size as a reference or try on the skirt and draw the form of the aperture you wish to fill after.
• For a closer fit, cut out a triangle shape on a pattern paper with scissors. Here, the height of the triangle should be required length to fill the gap.
• Attach the paper to your fabric of choice, then cut around the edge with fabric scissors or a rotary cutter.
• Stitch the new piece of fabric over your skirt’s open seams, making sure to keep the cut edges on the inside of the skirt. You may accomplish this task with hand stitching or any sewing machine for beginners.

2. Using Elastic

If you need to make a skirt larger by adding width, using elastic is a great option. It will provide stretch and can be easily attached to the waistband of the skirt.

Steps ­–

• Remove the skirt from the top-down, starting at the waistline and removing one side of each seam with a seam ripper.
• Cut the elastic to the same length as our old waistband. The elastic stretch will provide extra room in the elastic waist.
• If the skirt has a zipper, leave the end of the elastic to sew it to the zipper’s edges in the same way as the old waistband was attached.
• If the waistline was a complete circle without a zipper, sew the end of the elastic together. Attach the elastic to the skirt’s waist with your sewing machine, then stitch the edges of the elastic together.

3. Adding Side Slits

This alteration is perfect when you want to add width to a skirt without making the waistband larger. It’s also a great solution if the waistband is too tight.

Steps –

• Locate the side seam on your skirt and remove the seam stitching in the bottom hem of your skirt, where it’s joined with the side seam, with a seam ripper.
• Remove enough stitch of the lower hem to expose the side seam, but don’t remove too much of the seam.
• Remove the stitching from the side of your skirt using your seam ripper after unfolding the bottom hem and starting to remove it.
• To loosen up your skirt, cut a small portion of seam thread. As you go along, attach the skirt to check if you opened the seam at the appropriate height as desired.
• The easiest way to mend a seam is by ironing the side of the seam flat so that it’s simpler to resew. Now it’s time to sew the sides, refold the bottom hem, and finish up.
• From bottom to top on each side of your new side slit, sew down the flaps on each side. To conceal your labor, use a smaller stitch.

You can now enjoy your newly designed skirt that has side slits with a functional purpose.

4. Stretch

There’s a technique to make a skirt longer by stretching it, but this isn’t always an efficient method since you can’t stretch all types of fabric. Cotton can be stretched quite effectively, to be honest. Jeans skirts will readily elongate as well. If you already know how to stretch out a Dri-Fit shirt, then this process will look familiar.

Steps –

• Naturally, wash your skirt in the washing machine.
• Take it while it’s still wet.
• Take the waist extender out of your pack and put it on. Make sure to tuck in any excess extender tape around the circle of the skirt’s waistband before you begin. Extend around the circle of the skirt’s waistband with your waist extender.
• If you want to give your skirt a bit more room around the hips, lower down the extender on the skirt.
• It’s time for it to grow a bit bigger.
• If you can, try to wear it while it’s still wet and drying. It will maintain its form as it dries.
• Next time it will hold its perfect new shape when you want to wear it out.

Best Tips for Your Project

• If you’re cutting a garment, make sure to try it on before you stitch it to ensure that you get the right effect.
• When adding side slits, leave enough cloth on the opposite side to make sure the cut is effective. Do not remove too much of the seam; otherwise, your skirt may fall apart.
• When adding width to a skirt with elastic, be sure the new waistline is the same length as the old one. If your skirt has a zipper, attach the end of the elastic to the zipper’s edges.
• When adding stretch to a skirt, make sure the fabric is stretched around the waistline. Do not stretch excessively lower down on the skirt; otherwise, it will become loose.

Conclusion

That’s all! Now you can make various modifications to a skirt to make your skirt bigger or look more fashionable. Hope you have now learned how to make a skirt bigger and the processes associated with it.