How to Cut Inserts for Skirt Alterations

You can add extra triangles or strips of fabric to a skirt to make it larger and more comfortable in the waist or the waist and hips. The altered skirt will generally look best if you use two small inserts (one on each side) rather than one large insert. (If the skirt has a zipper in the side, however, it’s simpler to just add one insert on the opposite side.) To figure out how to cut the extra fabric, you’ll need to measure your waist and the skirt. You can draw the insert pattern on paper first, or mark it directly on the fabric using a marker, dressmaker’s chalk or pins.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Skirt
• Matching fabric
• Flexible measuring tape
• Scissors
• Straight edge
• Paper (optional)
• Pencil (optional)
• Marker, dressmaker’s chalk or pins

Measure for the Insert

1. Measure your waist using a soft, flexible measuring tape. The measuring tape should be fairly snug, but comfortable around your waist.

2. Measure the waist of the skirt.

3. Calculate how much larger you need the waist of the skirt. The skirt should be at least 1 inch larger than your waist measurement for comfort.

4. Divide this measurement by 2 if you’re making an insert for each side of the skirt. For example, if you want to make the waist of the skirt 2 inches larger, the top of each finished insert needs to be 1 inch wide.

5. Add 1/2 inch (if you’re using 1/4 inch seam allowance) or 1 1/4 inches (for 5/8 inch seam allowance) to the width of each insert. For example, to make a 1 inch insert, cut the insert 1 1/2 or 2 1/4 inches wide.

Make the Insert

6. Mark the width of the insert about an inch below the top of a piece of paper or fabric, using a pencil or a marker, dressmaker’s chalk or pins.

7. Mark an endpoint for the bottom of the insert at least 6 inches below the first marks, and centered between the two top points.

8. Draw straight lines between the end point and top points of the insert. The insert should now look like a triangle with the point at the bottom.

9. Draw two straight lines from the top points to the upper edge of the paper or fabric. This extra space at the top will allow you to hem the upper edge of the insert.

10. Cut along the lines to make the fabric insert or paper pattern. If you are using paper, pin the insert pattern to the fabric and cut around the edges of the pattern.

11. Use the insert as a pattern to cut a second, identical insert (optional).

Tips & Warnings

• To alter the waist and hips, find the width of the insert following the “Measure for the Inset” directions above. Cut a strip of fabric this wide, and at least 2 inches longer than the skirt. To alter only the hips, trim the strip so that it tapers to a point at the top.