How to Make Wedding Garters
No wedding dress ensemble is complete without the traditional garter. Whether the groom is responsible for removing it as part of the reception festivities or not, a garter adds just the right touch of sexiness to the bride's on her big day.
A wedding garter can also be created from scratch to match the bride's dress and/or wedding colors, reflect a hobby the bride and groom share, or even say something about the honeymoon.
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Things You'll Need
- Elastic
- Fabric
- Lace (optional)
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Measuring tape
- 2 large safety pins
- Appliques (optional)
Instructions
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1
Choose the elastic. Choose quality elastic -- the stiffer, the less likely it will fall down during the actual ceremony. It should be either ¾-inch wide or 1-inch wide elastic.
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2
Choose the fabric. If the wedding dress is custom made, consider decorating the garter with some of the leftover fabric, including lace and other trim such as seed pearls or embroidery. Other brides use the garter to fulfill the "something blue" requirement for wedding attire. Whatever fabric you choose should not be itchy or scratchy.
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3
Measure the elastic. It should be long enough to fit comfortably around the the leg plus an inch so to sew the ends together.
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4
Measure the fabric. You will need a rectangular piece of fabric twice as wide as the elastic, plus ½-inch for seam allowance and twice as long as the elastic, plus 1-inch for seam allowance.
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5
Sew the fabric. Lay on an ironing board, right side up. Fold over ¼-inch at each end and press. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise -- right sides together -- and sew ¼-inch from the edge, making a tube. Turn the tube right side out and hand stitch the ends together partway.
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6
Insert the elastic. Pin one large safety pin to one end and use the other safety pin to attach the other end outside of the material. Use the first safety pin to help guide the elastic through the round fabric tube, taking care not to let it twist. When the elastic is all the way through, remove the pins and sew the two ends together with a sewing machine. Tuck the fabric up into the tube, and hand stitch the rest of the opening shut.
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7
Decorate the garter. Hand sew extra lace to the garter's outside. For a funky, one-of-a-kind wedding garter, find some appliqués or plastic charms such as sports team logos or playing cards.
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Tips & Warnings
Line up the machine-sewn seam with itself when stitching the ends together. When sewing the elastic ends together, stitch back and forth along the ends two or three times to make extra sure they won't come apart while wearing the garter.
