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From: knitterbetty
Date: 05-27-2006, 11:44 AM (1 of 6)
| This is my first post,I'm so glad I found this forum. I'm taking apart an old pair of cotton pants to use as a pattern. The waistband appears to have been done separately , then sewn on to the body and stitched down. What I have loved about these pants is that about six inches of the front is flat, it has been interfaced also. The elastic goes around the rest of the band, and has about three rows of stitching. I'm wondering, isn't it going to be really hard to do the waistband first, with the elastic in it, and then attach it to the body? Any help appreciated. Is there any easier way to do a band with a partly flat front? I liked the three rows of stitching, so just doing a casing and pulling elastic thru part of it would not be the same. Thank you. Betty |
User: knitterbetty
Member since: 05-04-2006 Total posts: 5 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-27-2006, 08:56 PM (2 of 6)
|
Ok, the elastic part...you can either do a single piece of elastic in the casing or you can do three pieces of equal length. Personally, I like the fit of the three casings with the elastic. Since the waistband is only flat in the front it is probably sewn shut then applied. Fold the waistband over and sew shut right side out. Then the flat portion is opened over the eastic portion and that seam is sewn. Try on your waistband, adjust the fit and then open the flat portion and sew the seam inside that portion. Baste the bottom of the flat piece closed. The next portion is usually done with a serger but doesn't have to be. Sew your waistband on at the seam allowance, all the way around. Be sure and center the flat portion dead center of the front when you attach it. Then if you have a serger, serge the seam. You can also trim and overcast, wrap seam binding or bias tape around the seam, there are several options avail for finishing the inside seam. If the flat portion is in the front only, the back is finished and the side except for just a few inches, 3-4. Then the front is wrapped over the back waistband, the allowance of the front waistband (back) is turned up as iwould be when the band is finished. You sew through the waistbands and finish the side seams in one pass. Then I usually finish the front inside waistband by hand or topstitching on the outside. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: knitterbetty
Date: 05-27-2006, 11:28 PM (3 of 6)
| Pam, thanks so much for your detailed reply. I understood it except your references to THREE pieces of elastic. Are you suggesting three separate pieces of elastic, perhaps half inch size. I suppose obviously you sew them on one at a time, how else. Is that right? thanks loads. Betty |
User: knitterbetty
Member since: 05-04-2006 Total posts: 5 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-27-2006, 11:31 PM (4 of 6)
|
Yeah, I prefer that over one piece of wide elastic sewn in 3 sections. You can just run 3 equal lengths of 3/8 or 1/2 inch elastic in casings and then sew them at the other end. The elasticity is a little better (I think) and I think they are very comfortable.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Sancin
Date: 05-28-2006, 02:43 AM (5 of 6)
|
Pam, I like elastic as you have described, but I don't do it very often as I can never figure out how much elastic to use and end up opening and cutting the seam, experimenting with measurements. For a full elastic waist I plan elastic to be 1 1/2 -2" shorter than my full waist measurement (I'm pudgy) and divide elastic into quarters if sewing elastic in or just thread it through the casing. But don't know how to calculate if front part or sides, as some are, flat. Any tips?
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
|
User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
|
From: paroper
Date: 05-28-2006, 12:45 PM (6 of 6)
|
Ok, here I have to admit it...I'm one of those KISS people. I don't complicate things more than I have to. I could tell you that I use a special formula for my elastic but I don't. I don't have a clue how much elastic I use and when I have tried their suggested amounts I have been unhappy with the results *(usually too loose). It seems to me that different elastics stretch at different amounts too. I keep a lot of elastic on hand. If I don't have two pieces of elastic laying around, I cut one amount for the middle of the estimated length (I have lots of little pieces of elastic left over from this). Then I run one piece of elastic in one trench while I run the OTHER END of the same elastic piece through the next casing. I try on the garment, adjust the elastic and cut it from the UNCUT end. The only waste (I have from the waist) is in the piece that I cut, if I had to cut it in the first place. One tip about running 3 pieces of elastic through the casing is to run it through at the same time. If you run one through and then the next the second is hard to run and the third is next to impossible. I just start them at the same time and run one a few inches at the top or bottom, then run the middle and then the other one. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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