Tips for sewing on a waistband?

Question

I find waistbands a bit tricky (I'm new to sewing). Any tips?

Answer 1

Match your notches and marks precisely. Start with the center and sew out to one end, then start in the center again and sew out to the other end.
If you use pins, pull each one out as the machine gets to it. Sewing over pins will distort the waistband and can easily break your needle. It's slower, but your waistband will be done right the first time. Use the slowest speed for pieces like that.

Editing - good advice Heather, about the hand basting. The you don't have to stop to pull out any pins!
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Answer 2

Be sure and notch waistbands (both sides, and the top of the garment) before sewing. Notches are your match points, and the guidelines for construction. If a pattern is properly notched, it's possible to construct the garment without ever looking at the pattern guide (it's done all the time in ready to wear sewing!).

Oh, and cutting the waistband using the selvage may or may not be the best idea... selvages do some wonky things at times.

I notice most folks mentioned quartering waistbands... when you're new at it, you might try marking eighths or even sixteenths
if your pattern is not well-notched.

It's also not a bad idea to make a test swatch of waistband fabric, interfacing, garment fabric, lining and whatever other layers might wind up in what you're sewing. Then make sure you're getting the best possible stitching from your machine through all this. Sometimes a new needle or the next size up needle can make a big difference, as can the presser foot pressure.

When I do standard fold-over waistbands, I always press the edge that will be sewn second under before I start constructing the rest of the waistband. A little shot of spray starch can help, too, on fabrics that are prone to stretching a bit or aren't quite stable. Then I sew the first waistband seam with all fabrics, press it and clip if needed, then sew the second seam. Again, for a beginner, it may be easiest to get that waistband turned over and anchored for the second stitching with something like Collins Wash-A-Way Wonder Tape, a double-stick water soluble tape 1/4" wide that can be sewn through and disappears in the first wash.

And look through your collection of presser feet. You may find an edge-stitching foot or "stitch in the ditch" foot or similar foot with a "rudder" on the bottom gives you better control in stitching these sometimes thick and potentially lumpy items.

If you're doing elastic waistbands, you may find another style of elastic waistband easier to sew: http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00008.asp

Two other tips, more meta than strictly pertaining to waistbands:
1) make sure you cut your fabric accurately. It should be lying flat on a table with the entire piece supported, not bits flopped over the edge of the table.
2) stay stitching is your friend. It's an easy step to skip, but running some straight stitching around the top of the pieces for a skirt or pants takes a few seconds but can save you hours of trying to get a stretched-out piece to not pucker when you're putting on the waistband. Ditto necklines and armscyes and such. Once you're done with the stay stitching, put the fabric
back on the pattern piece on a nice flat table and make sure you've not distorted it. Keep all cut pieces flat (not draped over the back of a chair or the ironing board) during construction.

Many of my earlier struggles with sewing would have been alleviated with knowing how to properly handle fabrics while sewing.

Answer 3

All of the answers you have received are really good and I picked up some very useful tips. One thing I do know, if you do not sew and even seam all the way around the waistband will be twisted. I have even gone so far as to press the seams first to ensure that they are even. Happy sewing.

Answer 4

What are ready made shorts? I've never heard of those. You can add darts. These are place on the back, sometimes the front for a more tailored look. They fall about 3" in from your side on the front and 3.5-4" in from the side on the back. The front darts are usually 3-4" long and the back darts are about 4-5" long. The width of the darts depends on how much you need taken in. If you only need 1" taken in then make your darts 1/2" wide (1/4" when folded). if you need them taken in more, adjust as necessary...divide the amount you need taken in by two and this will be the width of the darts. To do this, take the waist band out, mark the sections that need the darts, stitch them up, then reattach the waist band, which you will also need to take in. To make this smaller, if it has a seam on the back or on the sides you can take this apart and take in the seams smaller, adjust to fit. If it's an elastic band you'll need to take it in on the side seams or back seam. If you want a flatter look you'll have to take the stitching out of where you want it taken in, this way you can cut some of the elastic away. Take in the seam of the pants however much you need, then do the same with the elastic, along with stitches to keep the two cut edges sewn together, then do the top stitch that was previously on it, over the elastic. You'll need to stretch the area as you sew so there's ease in the elastic.

Answer 5

Kacky's answer's the best but to add to what was said...I like to hand baste my waistbands after pinning. They tend to slide around alot less that way.

With practice they will get easier. I've been sewing for 25+ years and still find things I don't care to do. (Buttonholes and lined items.....yikes :) I need a machine that does buttonholes for me :)

Answer 6

I would halve and then quarter the band with 4 pins
Then halve and quarter the lower article you want to attach, again with 4 pins. Match all the pins and sew the band on. You may need to gather the attachment to fit.
Cheers

Answer 7

Lots of pins (sideways on so you can machine over them) make sure you keep it taut all along the length, gathered ones really take your time. Ohhh and start pinning from the centre back - easiest!

Answer 8

use lots of pins!