waistband tut'

Speaking of that Shanon creature, this one is mostly for her. :) This is how I usually do a waistband on a woven pant or short. It isn't the easiest for the beginning sewer, but I consider it fairly simple, and easy to master. It's quicker than sewing the waistband seperately, then inserting the elastic (that method is FINE if that's where your comfort level is!).

Starting with a pair of corduroy toddler pants, that are completely done except for the waistband. I'm using 3/4" cotton braided elastic, cut to the exact waist size my toddler has. It will shrink in the wash to give her a nice snug fit. In my experience and opinion cotton braided has a much softer stretch than poly elastics.

Ironing a smidgeon over an inch down for the waistband. That little metal thing is called a "seam gauge" or a "hem gauge" and comes in quite handy. The red piece in the center slides up and down to mark your position. This step is not necessary, it just makes it easier to keep it straight while you're sewing it down.


Sew the elastic shut with a zigzag stitch.


With a sharpie, lightly mark halfway points on the elastic. There is no method to this, I randomly pick a spot, fold it in half, and graze the sharpie across it. Holding the freshly sharpied fold, I flatten the rest of it til I reach the other end, and graze the sharpie across that part.

Line up one sharpie line to the center back seam and pin it down. Line up the other mark to the center front seam and pin it down. The hip seams will not work correctly for this, as the back is almost always not the same width as the front. My pins are upside down and on the right side of the pant for a reason.


Holding one pinned area firmly in each hand, stretch the waist open as far as it will go while pressing down on the ironing board (or table, or whatever happens to be handy). Walk your fingers inwards and place one finger firmly on the hip seam that will be in the middle. With the other hand grab a needle, and put it in at the spot you're holding. Turn the pants over and do this to the other hip seam too.


Now, since my pins are on the outside, and upside down, I can flip the waistband in without getting poked, and the pin head will not be in the way of the foot on my sewing machine.


Time to sew it down. Start at one pin, find the next and stretch it out. With your other hand hold the waist just behind your presser foot at the same time, while you sew through all three layers. When you get close to the pin in front of you, stop sewing, rearrange your hand near the next pin, and the other closer to the presser foot, and go again. Lather, rinse, repeat, until you get all the way around. My hand isn't holding the waist behind the presser foot in this picture because my camera aide went to bed, and I couldn't hold both at the same time.


Ta-da! Done. :)

kitten diaper

For a real live kitten! Getting shipped off to a girlfriend in CO later today. She's an animal foster mother, and tired of using preemie sposies on her wee kittens that either aren't ready for a cat box, or too hurt to use it.

Compared to the diaper I just made for Muffin.