This post is brought to you by Baby Lock. Baby Lock is dedicated to the love of sewing by creating a full line of sewing machines all with ease-of-use, high quality and a touch of elegance.
Connect with Baby Lock on Facebook and TotallyStitchin.net.
I’m not talking about losing weight. Weight is never the issue. Tights and hose are no respecter of persons when it comes to the blessed muffin top. Since I have 1-2 pairs of tights that don’t give me muffin top, I’m bound to think that I’m not the only one with this issue.
Also, it’s not really about the bulge of skin peeking out from the opening of tights (okay it’s partly that), it’s about how terribly uncomfortable tights are when they have such a tight waist. I’m not so prideful that I purchase tights within my dimensions. I always size up. It’s just a gamble whether or not those particular tights were made with a suffocating waistband.
It’s not reliable to stick with a certain brand, either.
I would show you a real before and after, but no one needs to see me in my tights. You get the idea with the illustration above.
But I solved the problem this weekend. It’s crazy easy. I’ll show you how to lose that muffin top without diet, exercise! Is it witchery, you ask? Perhaps. Let’s get started.
No-More-Muffin-Top Tights Refashion Tutorial
Supplies
- seam ripper
- scissors
- pins
- measuring tape
- regular sewing machine
- elastic
- tights
Cut that nasty, too-tight-for-real-humans waistband off your tights. Snip! Snip!
Measure you’re waist and cut a length of elastic (I used a wide picot elastic, but any comfortable, stretchy elastic will do). Sew the ends together.
Do you see how enormous my true waistband looks compared to the tights waistband? It’s bananapants.
Pin the elastic on top of the tights in quarters. Split the seam allowance along the back seam of your tights. Now you’ll always have a front and back to your tights, too!
Stretch the tights as you sew and sew a generous zig-zag stitch all the way around.
Guaranteed, it won’t be the prettiest of fixes. At least mine weren’t. We’re going for speed and function here since I never expect anyone to see me wearing just my tights!
I can’t begin to describe how much more comfortable I felt on Sunday. And I had nice smooth lines under my wiggle skirt. Big win!
LOL Melissa remember Mom’s warning of always wearing clean underwear ….just in case ???? LMAO
I can picture you wanting to swat me at this moment lol
Great fix for the problem!!!!
Brilliant! I have got to do that to mine. Even more than the muffin top, I loathe the nylon roll that happens after moving around in hose. Soo uncomfortable.
I am diggin the illustrations, btw.
Oh my! What a difference in the size of the waistband. Naughty tights designers, making us all so uncomfortable!
This is very timely for me. I was thinking I’d have to toss the new tights I’d just bought after feeling like they were cutting off the circulation around my waist. Thank you!
Excellent! Will try it.
you know how much I need to try this!
never in pain again! and wearing tights sizes too big which results in baggy ankles… never again.
I thought about you on Sunday when I made the change on my tights. Hope you like it!! Baggy ankles are the pits!
This is so brilliant! I hate to wear tights because of the waistband, this is perfect, I am going to try it tonight!
Hope you like the results!
YOU ARE MY HERO. I have always loved tights! I love having my legs be a different color or pattern and I love coordinating the look w/ my outfit. However, I HATE that super tight squeeze and that awful bulge! This is definitely the next project I will tackle on my machine! Might take a while since I have 20+ tights…
Haha!! I’m so happy to hear that I’m not the only one with this issue! This tutorial is so fast, you’ll have those 20+ tights in ship shape in no time. You saw how imperfect my sewing is, you can go lickety fast because no one will see the tops of those babies.
What about using foldover elastic?
FOE would be a great substitute.
How about eating fewer muffins.
Won’t work
Thanks for the tip!
I never thought I would type this comment, but OMG! I have been disabled for thirteen years. Part of what helps me move around is a titanium pump placed in my mid-abdomen that delivers pain medicine directly into my spine. I am not complaining, it has been the one thing that has gotten me out of bed and moving and on my feet. However, I am not as sick and have lost weight and now the pump is placed directly where most waistbands land. This is a lifesaver! Thanks and thanks again. I might have to apply this idea to other waistbands. I believe my waist has been so sore and tight I couldn’t even come up with a remedy on my own! Thank you from the bottom of my tights!
Would it be better to use a wider elastic or smaller elastic for this? Or does it make a difference at all? I’m trying to decide between using 1cm wide elastic vs. 2cm wide elastic. Help! :)
Wider would be better. Make sure that it has a soft stretch to it, too.
I have the opposite problem — tights always creep down so I get grandpa crotch!! (I buy size based on large hips/thighs, so waist is always too large.) No problemswith nylons since I can buy control-top, but very few tights have that option. I’m going to pull out my bin of tights and try this fix before the cold weather hits!!
Hi! Just found your blog through Pinterest and I’m in love with it already! Anyways, I had the same problem with my ballet tights, it was so uncomfortable for class… One day I got sick of it and just out the horrible elastic and it worked! I guess it’s because ballet tights are sturdier cause when I tried that with regular tights, it made them disposable, haha…
My question is indeed… melissa, do they not creep down this way? that will be annoying too…
No creeping down at all! I used to just cut the waist off and that would cause creepage, but with the elastic they stay on just fine.
Just brilliant thank you !!!!
haha the “eat less muffins comment” lol. Seriously I’ve seen supermodels in tights before the photo editing, they don’t have any less trouble with the waist spillage!
So glad you found a solution! I bought a $50 pair from Express that have a knit waistband. but I should try this with some other pairs!
They probably look better, too, because a too-tight waist makes your stomach stick out. (Or so I’ve heard LOL)
Wow, what a great idea! I have an entire drawer full of tights I have never worn for the same reason. I even sew but never thought of putting a different waist band on. I am going to do this ASAP!
Thanks for the idea. I already sew my pants,skirts, shorts with wide elastic-works great. Will try it with those dreaded tights.
This idea sounds great…But more work that I have time to spend on my hose/tights! I simply take my scissors and snip through the offending waistband…And there you have it…instant relief!
I’ve definitely done that before, but the top inevitably rolls down! I can’t stand the roll. ?
Love this site I just found!! I”m a NOVICE seamstress – do you use a particular type of thread for this fix?
Any kind of thread will do. I personally love Madeira brand thread, but anything works!
What a great idea!! Besides being too tight, I hate it when the waistband rolls down!
Great idea. Would work with any pants.
Has anyone tried on their tights after cutting off waistband but before replacing elastic? And they roll, roll, roll, all the way down to top-thigh? I fear I’ve ruined all my tights this way. Will the elastic really hold them up where they belong? (it seems like when I cut the waistband off, they turned instantly into very low hipsters no matter how hard I pull up: the room in the panty for my bum decreased by half! Ack!) Thanks much!
OH I’ve tried that. It’s so frustrating how low they get. By adding the elastic (I typically go for a wide elastic at least 1 1/2 inch wide), it solves the problem. They look funny when not worn, but they’ll stay up just fine. :)
[…] No matter what your size or shape, tights (aka stockings) always seem to give absolutely anyone that dreaded muffin top. I’m not quite sure why they insist on making the waistbands to ridiculously tight, but here’s a way to combat it and actually feel comfortable again!Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – MelissaSplin […]
[…] sure yours are comfortable by checking out this tutorial from Melissa Esplin. It will help loosen off your tights’ waistbands and get them sitting more comfortably than ever. […]
Hi there. I have tried something simelar in the past. My aim was preventing the tights from rolling down the middle. I needed a smooth look in a tight dress. My solution was to cut off the tops of a pair of old self holding pantyhose, measuring it to fit my waist and then sewing it to the waistband of tights. It comes up to the rib cage but so comfortable. Perfect result every time. Also works great for slimming shorts. No muffin tops any more.
[…] Lifehack Source and Detailed Instructions – MelissaSplin […]
Sounds good! Wish I could use this on pantyhose, but they will probably run???
Depends upon the thickness of the pantyhose. If the pantyhose is super thin, it might! Unless you use a ball-point needle.
This is a super idea!! I really don’t know who decides what sizes to make clothing but they certainly don’t take real people into consideration! Thanks!!
AMEN!!
[…] Wear tights without the dreaded muffin top. Yes, it’s really […]