Shrinking A Full Wedding Skirt: Tips And Tricks

Making a full wedding skirt look smaller can be done in a variety of ways, from sewing and cutting to folding and using safety pins. The best way to make a skirt smaller is to take in the seams or add darts at the waist. This can be done by turning the skirt inside out, marking the new seam lines with chalk or pins, and then sewing along the new seam lines. Another method is to add elastic at the back of the waistband or sew it by hand. If you don't want to sew the skirt, you can use safety pins or hairpins to make it smaller. For a more permanent solution, you can cut the skirt along the new seam lines and then sew it back together.

Hem the skirt to make it tighter at the bottom

Hemming a skirt is a simple process that can be done by hand or with a sewing machine. It is a great way to make a full wedding skirt tighter at the bottom. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Determine the Placement

Try on the skirt and decide where you want the hem to be. Pin the hem at the desired length and adjust as needed. An easy way to do this is to replicate the hem length of a similar garment you own. Once you are happy with the placement, pin the excess fabric up and around the circumference of the skirt.

Step 2: Press the Hem

With the pins still in place, press the hemline to create a crease. If the fabric does not hold a crease well, hand baste the hem about half an inch from the folded edge. Then, remove the pins.

Step 3: Measure and Mark the Hem

Use a fabric pen or chalk to mark the desired length of the hem. This will be your guide when cutting away excess fabric. It is helpful to have someone assist with this step to ensure accuracy.

Step 4: Finish the Raw Edges

To finish the raw edges, there are a few methods depending on the type of fabric:

• Serging: For standard fabrics like cotton, serging the edge will prevent fraying and provide a clean finish.
• Turned Edge: For light to medium-weight fabrics, fold under the top raw edge of the hem by a quarter of an inch and press in place. Then, stitch it down.
• Hem Tape: For heavier fabrics or those that fray easily, use hem tape to secure the edge and prevent fraying.

Step 5: Stitch the Hem

Finally, stitch the hem in place. For a nearly invisible finish, use a slip stitch or a zigzag stitch. Position the needle roughly an eighth of an inch or less from the hem edge and make small, vertical stitches. Continue this process across the hem, ensuring consistent spacing between each stitch.

Additional Tips:

• If you are in a hurry, consider using fusible hem tape instead of stitching.
• For a circle skirt, use bias tape or ribbon to follow the curve and keep the hem flat.
• To add a decorative touch, choose a ribbon or lace that matches the weight of the fabric and pin it to the right side of the hem before stitching.
• If you are taking in the side seams at the hem to make the skirt tighter, simply pin the seams together and sew a new line of stitches inside the old stitching.

By following these steps, you can effectively hem your wedding skirt to make it tighter and more flattering at the bottom.

Take in the seams to make the skirt smaller

Taking in the seams is the best way to make a skirt smaller. This method is commonly used by professional tailors and seamstresses and can be used to make a skirt one or two sizes smaller.

To take in the seams of your wedding skirt, start by turning the skirt inside out and trying it on. Gather the excess material at your waist and hips, pinching the side seam as you do so. You will want to gather an equal amount on both sides. Pin down the side seam to know where to sew to achieve the correct fit.

Remove the skirt and lay it on your work surface. Draw a neat chalk line where you pinned. For a fitted wedding skirt, you will want to draw this line down to the hem. For a looser skirt, you can taper the chalk line from the waistband to the original stitching in the side seam if you do not want to sew down the skirt.

Now, use a seam ripper to unpick the stitching that holds the waistband to the skirt at the side seams. You don't need to remove the waistband entirely, simply separate these two sections, as well as the side seams in the waistband itself.

Set your sewing machine to a basting stitch and sew along your chalk line. Leave the waistband hanging and re-sew the side seams of the skirt. Try on the skirt and, if you are happy with the fit, set your sewing machine to a regular stitch length and sew over the basting stitches. Repeat this process with the tiny side seams in the waistband, ensuring that these seams match up with the new side seams you sewed in the skirt.

Finally, reattach the waistband to the skirt by turning the waistband inside out and pinning it to the right side of the skirt's waist. Stitch across the gap you made when you unpicked the stitches and use an iron to neatly press the new seams.

Add darts at the waistband

If you want to make a full wedding skirt smaller, one option is to add darts at the waistband. This method can give a more flattering fit to those with curvy hips but a flatter posterior, as it addresses skirt fabric that tends to bag out at the seat.

First, try on your skirt and gather all the excess material at one side of the waist. Pin this, then carefully remove the skirt. Measure the excess material to understand how much of the waist material you need to include in the darts. Divide this number by four, and you will know how big to make the top of each dart.

Next, turn the skirt inside out and carefully remove the waistband from the skirt with a seam ripper. Set this aside, as you will need it again later. Now find the centre of the waist at the front and the back of the skirt. Fold the skirt so that the side seam meets this centre point, and use a sewing pin or chalk to mark the point halfway between the centre and the side seam. Repeat this until you have marked all four of these points – two in the front and two at the back.

Now, centre a ruler or measuring tape on your four marks, and measure the amount of space you need for each dart. For example, if the skirt was two inches too large in your earlier measurement, you need to divide this measurement by four, as you are adding four darts. Each dart should measure half an inch at its widest point.

Mark both sides of each dart, then pinch these points together, with the right sides of the skirt together. Pin the triangles in place by inserting a pin at the marks you just drew. You may also find it helpful to draw a chalk line from the mark to the bottom of the triangle as it tapers into the skirt.

Sew down the chalk line from the wide top of the triangle to the tapered point, but stop just before the edge of the fabric at the tip of the triangle. Leave a long tail of thread and knot this by hand at the tip of the triangle.

The diameter of the skirt waist will now be smaller than the diameter of the waistband, so you will need to sew new side seams on the waistband to make it smaller. Once you have matched the waistband to the smaller skirt, reattach the waistband by pinning it to the skirt waist, right sides together. Then sew around the circle of the waist.

Finally, press the waistband flat and press the darts flat as well.

Use safety pins to make the skirt smaller without sewing

If you want to make your wedding skirt smaller without sewing, one option is to use safety pins to tighten the waist. Here is a step-by-step guide:

• Turn the skirt inside out and lay it flat, ensuring the waistband is folded at the centre back and centre front.
• Take a safety pin and stick it down through both layers of the waistband, then back up through both layers, parallel to the centre back fold. Close the pin.
• Turn the skirt outside out. You should now have a pleat at the centre back, resulting in a closer-fitting waistband.

This method is simple and effective, but it is important to place the safety pin correctly to avoid creating an awkward bump in the waist. The pin should be hidden, and the skirt should lie flat, with no visible zigzag bumps.

If you are unsure about the placement of the safety pin, you can refer to YouTube videos that demonstrate this technique. These videos can provide visual guidance and tips to ensure that your skirt hangs smoothly and fits well.

Take the skirt to a professional seamstress or tailor

Taking your wedding skirt to a professional seamstress or tailor is a good idea, especially if the fabric is delicate, sheer, or slippery, or if it is an expensive, treasured garment. A professional will be able to ensure that any alterations are carried out with precision and skill, resulting in a flawless finish.

When taking your skirt to a professional, it is a good idea to first assess the fit issues by trying on the skirt and determining where it needs to be taken in – the waist, hips, sides, or length. Mark these problem areas with pins or chalk. You should also measure for the new size, carefully taking your body measurements to determine the ideal new dimensions.

A professional seamstress or tailor will then be able to mark new seam lines, sew new seams, and finish and press these seams for a smooth, permanent finish. They may also be able to advise on adding darts or shaping the waistband for a more precise fit.

Taking your wedding skirt to a professional will ensure that the garment is altered correctly and will preserve the integrity of the skirt, which is especially important if it is a treasured item.

Frequently asked questions