Replacing Elastic Rejuvenates a Garment

My nightgown has history!

I purchased it on clearance for $3.00 because the pants that went with it were missing. I purchased two others at the same time. It languished in my drawer for a couple of years. Then I had a brainstorm…cut the long sleeves down to short sleeves and wear them in the summer.

After I cut down the sleeves, I loved them. The length was perfect and did not tangle in my legs. It has been a few more years that I have worn them and I noticed two of them looked old, while the third one did not.  The only difference was the third one did not have a small strip of elastic in the bodice.

My nightgown before repair.

I ripped out the worn our elastic and sewed on another strip of the same size. It looked new again!

My nightgown after replacing the elastic.

I told my mother that I love to sew. She picked up a blouse at “Good Will” and really liked it…except the elastic was worn out on the sleeves. It had several rows of tiny elastic. I didn’t have any that small on hand. She decided I could use ¼” elastic in the middle. She was right.

She is one clever lady; buying clothes cheaply and having me alter them for her.