Skirt waistbands & closures?

[gem]

Can we talk skirt closures and waistbands? What do you guys like?

I am about to alter my black middle-class skirt (it's an inch too long and, ridiculously, 8" too big in the waist.  ). Right now it's cartridge pleated to a wide waistband that closes with hooks and eyes. I'm going to take off the waistband to alter it from the top, since I don't want to mess with the guards.

I like the cartridge pleats, but have never really figured out how to deal with the gap where the opening is (I have them on several skirts, and it's always an issue, particularly with linen)--it always wants to spring open, instead of closing neatly when the skirt is hooked. I know a little visible gap is period, but I have people come up to me and try to "fix" it. I've resorted to safety-pinning it closed, which is not ideal.

Also, the hooks don't allow for weight/size fluctuations.

The skirt is unwearable in its current state (particularly since I've lost 20 lbs this year!), so I have to do something. And while I'm doing something, I'd love to solve the two *minor* issues that have nothing to do with the size.

Anyone have better suggestions?

Gramercy!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

What I have done in the past, gem, with waistbands, is take apart the band and skirt. Fold in half, iron to make a seam in the back of the band to accommodate the new waist measurement. Sew and trim the excess(Leave some allowance in the event of weight gain). The skirt can be repleated tighter to fit with the resewn band. That way, you still keep the hooks and eyes in place. No need to redo another waistband.

I have lost just under 60 pounds over the past year and I had to alter two regular skirts to accommodate my smaller waist. I just took apart the skirt at the waistband, made a seam, then regathered the skirt. Perfect solution. I am in the position now that I have to make all new garb because I am no longer wearing 20 to 22 pattern sizes.

Hope this idea helps.

[Butch]

The skirts I have made (for others of course!) have used buttons for closures.  I make 5 buttons and 5 buttonholes, 1 inch apart.  The current size would be putting the 5 buttons in the 5 buttonholes.  BUT, if the wearer fluctuates either larger or smaller, the waist can expand or contract 5 inches either way, by shifting the holes being buttoned.

If one doesn't like the look of exposed buttons, then one could sew the buttons on the inside of the outermost waistband, so that the buttons button inward, and the button heads sit between the waistband and the chemise.

[Cilean]

I put several eyes so that when my weight changes I can just allow it to flow, I also have a small piece of fabric behind the hook and so it allows me to fudge that!

Cilean

[LadyStitch]

In my theater experience we always have a built in give or take in the waist band of 2-3 inches.  When I can I prefer to do placket with wide waist band, and skirt hook with popper/snaps to hold the over lap in place.  This allows for a little move give and take.  Many of my actresses loose weight over the course of a show because of the work they do on the stage.  I will just move the hook in a half and inch or inch, and one popper and we are a new size.
When we are talking greater than a 4 inch change, then we have to do a rebuild.  There have been some skirts where I have cheated and did a double stacked pleat at the center back to pull in excess when I didn't want to re gather the whole skirt. 

[gem]

Thanks, everyone!

Lady K, that seam at CB is *inspired.* I was planning on just lopping off one end, but like this idea a lot.

Cilean and Lady Stitch, thanks for the explanations. I think I can visualize that.  So to avoid the puffing open at the gap, should I release some of the pleats and extend the skirt all the way to the end of the waistband, so the actual skirt overlaps? Right now I have it like a waistband on a pants fly--the edges of the opening just meet, but the waistband overlaps.

Something like this instead:

[DonaCatalina]

Since I used to trade clothes with my best friend, we made our underskirts with sets of lacing holes. The back overlapped slightly and the same skirt could fit waist sizes that varied as much as 6-8 inches. The holes would be lined up sort of like a double six domino.