5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (2024)

Updated on July 28, 2022 by Sarina

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (1)

Most waistbands do multiple duties in a garment. Other than just holding up a skirt or a pant, or serving as place holders of accessories like bows, they are also eye stoppers – they bring the eyes to the leanest part of your torso.

A neat and carefully made waistband is an essential prerequisite to a well tailored outfit. Checkout the different types of waistbands and how to go about adding them easily.

Different types of waistbands

  • Different types of waistbands
  • 1.Straight Waistband
  • How to add a basic straight waistband to your dress or skirt
  • 2.Facing waistband
  • 3.Stretch Waistbands
  • 4. Drawstring waistbands
  • 5.Wrap around waistband

1.Straight Waistband

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (2)

How to add a basic straight waistband to your dress or skirt

Straight waistbands are classy, there is no question about it. The fitting finish of this waistband makes this one gives a slim look to the whole basic dress silhouette. They will be fitting snugly at the waist and make the whole garment look the best. It is a perfect finish for fitted garments.

The most popular straight waistband width is 1.5 inches though I have sewn ones which are 1 inch and more than 2 inches as well. Checkout the pattern /sewing tutorial for pencil skirt for sewing a waistband of this type

If you want a tutorial to attach a straight waistband with invisible zipper check out this tutorial for sewing a flounced hem skirt here.

One of the most important criteria for getting a good looking waistband is to interface it. You can use fusible interfacing of medium weight.

Either interface the whole waistband fabric or cut the interfacing to the width and length of the dimensions of the final waistband you want.

In the second instance, the seam allowance is done away with and hence no added bulk when sewing the seams of the waistband.

How to attach the waistband to the skirt

When attaching the waistband to a skirt, stitch the waistband to the skirt after the skirt is finished, including gathers, pleats, darts and tucks, zipper is attached, or opening finished with a turn under finish or facing.

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (3)

  • Cut out the waistband pieces
  • Length of the waistband = top edge of the skirt piece + 1″ seam allowance (+ 1″ overlap if you want an overlap for attaching fasteners like hooks, buttons etc) width of fabric piece = 4 1/4 inch for a 1.5 inch waistband
  • Adhere the interfacing to the waistband piece to the wrong side of the waistband piece
  • Keep the waistband piece on the skirt waist edge, rightsides together. Keep the seam allowance extended at both ends, as well as the overlap.
  • Overlap would be extending past the edge
  • Join the waistband and the skirt waist along the long edge. Do not forget to back stitch at the start and ending
  • Press the 1/2 inch seam allowance of the other long edge to the inside with a medium hot iron.
  • Press the waistband by almost half right sides together ( almost half means less than 1/4 inch more than half, so that when we machine stitch from the top, the edge on the back will be caught in the stitching line correctly.)You can also hand stitch the edges using whip stitches
  • Stitch the side edges at both ends with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
  • Trim the corner and the seam allowance
  • Turn the waistband right side out.Pull out the corners with a sharp pointed object ; You need square corners
  • On the wrong side of the skirt, the folded edge will be overlapping the seam line, even extending a little bit. Pin the whole waistband in place with the folded under edge

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (4)

  • Top stitch, stitch in the ditch from the top along the seam line. The turned under edge at the back will be neatly caught in this stitching now.

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (5)

If you want a step by step tutorial with pictures on how to sew this waistband you will have to checkout this post – How to sew a straight waistband for your skirt.

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (6)

2.Facing waistband

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (7)

Adding a facing waistband can give a seamless and neat finish to the waist area. You will have a very smooth skirt edge without any separate waistband. It is better if the facing is made with a lightweight fabric.

You can find the instructions to make such a waistband with zipper in this post on sewing a mini skirt.

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (8)

Checkout the sewing tutorial for a straight skirt with yoke with the faced waistband for how to sew this type of waistband with a zipper and also the post on drafting and sewing facing to fabric edges

3.Stretch Waistbands

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (10)

The two main types of elastic waistbands are self-waistband which uses a tuned under finish to create the casing for elastic and separate waistband which uses a separatestrip of fabric to create the waistband. You can also use wide decorative elastic directly as a waistband without a casing. Then there is shirring which is used to gather the fabric at the waist. A stretch paperbag waistband is a variation of the elastic waistband (the picture above).

Checkout the post on different ways of sewing elastic waistbands for more details

Related post : 17 different types of elastic used in sewing

4. Drawstring waistbands

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (12)

A drawstring waistband is very similar to the turned under waistband. It is basically made by just turning under the waist fabric edge and make a casing for a drawstring cord which will tighten the loose waist of the garment.

Eyelets or buttonholes are added for the cord to pass through. Checkout the tutorial for a drawstring lounge pants for sewing instructions for a drawstring waistband ( separate) or sewing instructions for salwar pants for a turn under drawstring waistband .

How to make a drawstring waistband

Step 1

Two buttonholes have to be sewn on either side of the center front of the waistband for the drawstring to pass through.You can use eyelet holes instead of buttonholes. Metal grommets are very easy to apply to clothes. Checkout the tutorial to make different types of eyelet holes including metal eyelets. These holes have to be completed before making the casing

Mark the folding line of the upper edge of the casing. After you have marked the center front, mark buttonholes 1/2inch to either side of the center front right on the casing.
Finish the buttonholes or eyelets

Step 2
Fold the fabric edge twice, to the inside, Pin in place.Stitch the casing along the folded edge.
Top stitch the top edge of the casing as well; so that there is a channel for the drawstring cord to pass through

Step 3

Cut a length of cord
Length of the cord should be 30 inch added to the hip round measure
You can use shop bought cord or simple fabric tubes made using the tutorial found here

Step 4

Insert the cord / tube through the casing with the help of a pin. You can join the ends of cords or tie knots at the end of the cord or make cord stoppers like the ones in this gift bag tutorial to prevent the drawstring from slipping outside the casing.

Related posts : Different types of cords used in sewing

5.Wrap around waistband

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (14)

Checkout this wrap skirt tutorial to see this kind of waistband which is a very comfortable and casual one because this waistband is as fitting as you seem fit. It is how you tie it that makes or breaks it. You can also use a button fastening with a wrap around waistband as is shown in this wrap skirt tutorial

Related posts : Sewing tips and techniques ; Fashion styles

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5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide (2024)

FAQs

5 types of WAISTBANDS for your skirts and pants - Sew Guide? ›

The different types of waistbands that you can find or sew on clothing are traditional waistband, elastic waistband, two piece waistband, folded bound waistband or couture waistband.

How do you sew different waistbands? ›

How To Sew A Classic Waistband - YouTube

How do you make a waistband for a skirt? ›

[Tutorial] How To Attach a Skirt Waistband - YouTube

What is a set on waistband? ›

This type of waistband in that type of knit is usualy cut in same knit as the garment and fits the waist perfectly by being sewn just a little tighter as the rest of the garment and holds by the stretch. --------------------------------------------------

What are the types of waistband? ›

The different types of waistbands that you can find or sew on clothing are traditional waistband, elastic waistband, two piece waistband, folded bound waistband or couture waistband.

What type of elastic is best for pants? ›

Knit elastic is the kind you want for a lot of garments. It's soft against the skin, doesn't narrow when stretched and is fine for sewing — you can pierce it with a needle without weakening or distorting it.

How do you sew a circle skirt waist? ›

DIY Circle Skirt with enclosed elastic waistband. Any age + Any size. Easy!

How do you sew a zipper into a skirt? ›

How To Sew A Zipper In A Skirt - YouTube

How do you make a circle skirt? ›

How to make a Circle Skirt - for any age + any size - YouTube

How do you sew an elastic drawstring waistband? ›

Learn to Sew a Drawstring Waistband - Jogger Pants Waistband Tutorial

How do you sew an elastic waistband on a pleated skirt? ›

DIY: How to Sew a High Waist Pleated Skirt (Beginners) - YouTube

How do you sew an elastic waistband by hand? ›

How to Hand Sew Elastic to a Bikini Bottom - YouTube

What is a two piece waistband? ›

When two identical pieces of fabric are placed back-to-back at the top of a pant, raw edges turned inside and joined with two widely spaced rows of stitching. the pant body is inserted between and along one edge.

What does contoured waistband mean? ›

Contoured or Faced—Shaped to fit at your waist and below. Contoured waistbands are on the outside of the garment. Faced waistbands have a facing to the inside of the garment. Decorative Elastic—May be used as a finish in place of a waistband. Bias—Usually a narrow, 1/2-inch bias binding at the top of the skirt.

What is the point of interfacing sewing? ›

Interfacing strengthens and stabilizes areas where buttons, buttonholes, or other fasteners are sewn. It shapes and defines design features such as facings, necklines, collars, pocket flaps, cuffs, pockets, jacket hems, and waistbands. It gives body to facings and necklines and stabilizes areas of strain.

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