Nicki LaFoille

Elastic Join Hack

Nicki LaFoille
Duration:   2  mins

Description

Learn how to eliminate bulk when joining the ends of elastic. When joining elastic ends, often times the bulk can be uncomfortable in a waistband. With this elastic join method, there is no bulk at all. Plus, there are no seam allowances required, so if you cut your elastic slightly too small, this join method will help.

You will need a small scrap of lightweight, stable fabric. Place the elastic ends on the fabric, with the elastic ends exactly matching. Wrap the fabric around the elastic ends securely, and stitch a box using a straight stitch. Stitch an X inside the box for added security.

With this elastic join method, the ends remain flat and smooth without bulk, the join is strong and secure, and no seam allowances are required.

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When you're joining the ends of your elastic for a waistband, you have a lot of different options for the methods to use. You can align your elastic, raw edges and stitch. But then you have some bulk here in that scene. And even if you lap those raw ends over and stitch, you have those two layers stacked on each other, which does create a little bit of bulk. With this method of joining the elastic ends, we have no bulk at all.

Plus it has the added benefit of if you've cut your elastic just a little bit too small, this does not require any extra for seam allowances. So what we're going to do is take a little rectangle of a stable woven fabric like a nice quilting cotton, something fairly lightweight to not add any bulk. And we're going to, but those elastic ends up together just right up next to each other. And then we're going to wrap this cotton fabric around those ends and we're going to take this to the machine and we're going to stitch the fabric down to the elastic. So keeping those elastic ends butted up next to each other I'm just going to use a straight stitch here, stitch and then pivot with the needle down and we're going to create a little box and stitch down again.

And then we're going to pivot and create a little X inside of the box so that this joint is super stable and we'll stitch down again and then across. So you still have all of the stretch there in that waistband. The joint is really secure, but there's no bulk at all. So if the bulk at the back of your waistband has ever bothered you, or if you cut your waistband just a little bit too small, this join method solves your problems.

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