Unattached elastic portions of an elasticised web are grasped and raised above a support surface for feeding the elasticised web. The raised portions are brought into contact with a knife blade that is positioned to protrude through the thickness of the raised elastic layer into free space so as to remain spaced from the support surface that is moving beneath the blade in a direction normal to the support surface. The raised elastic layer is held raised during trimming with the knife blade by an elevation element over which the elastic layer runs. A grasping device holds the unattached portion being cut in a taut state in the cross machine direction. The elastic layer thus spans across the elevation element and the grasping device. The knife blade extends through the thickness of the elastic layer along the spanned part of the elastic layer into free space.
