When the elastic goes in your trousers or skirt, rather than pulling the old elastic out first, then threading the new, join the new elastic to the end of the old elastic, and when you pull the old elastic out the new elastic will be threaded through. Quick and easy.
If you always where something over the waist line, and the elastic you are replacing is stitched in a thousand times (you know what I mean), then consider cutting the band off, and making a new band which you can thread new elastic into. If you have the time to sit and unpick thats great, but if you are running a business, the customer is going to be charged for all the time it takes to unpick. I give my customers the choice of cutting off, or they can unpick it for me. I will even give them a quick unpick and send them on their way. They always return with the job done, then all I have to do is put it all back together with the new elastic.
Happy sewing
Judith aka genie
Posted in Elastic