Couture Waistband

Methods
to Master:
Couture
Waistband
{ by Justine Abbitt }
Learn how to construct a
couture waistband using
silk organza, hair canvas
and Petersham ribbon.
The result is a refined,
lightweight and strong
waistband without
unsightly ridges
or bubbles from
traditional fusible
interfacing.
40
SEWNEWS.COM
april/may 2015
Supplies
• Skirt pattern with side-zipper closure
• Fashion fabric (amount according to pattern, plus waistband measurements)
• Silk organza, Petersham ribbon & hair canvas (amount according to waistband measurements)
Prepare
SUPER SUPPLIES
Determine the desired skirt upperedge placement on the body, such as
the natural waistline or 1” below the
natural waistline. The featured skirt sits
at the natural waistline.
Measure your waistline circumference,
• All-purpose thread
and then add 1” for ease; record as
the waistline measurement. Add 2”
to the waistline measurement for the
waistband underlap and seam allowance; record as the waistband length.
Add 1” to the waistline measurement;
record as the interfacing length.
• Hand sewing needle
From the fashion fabric and silk
• Removable fabric marker
organza, cut one rectangle each measur-
• Zipper (according to pattern envelope)
• Two sets of hooks and eyes
Using tailoring supplies, such
as hair canvas and Petersham ribbon, takes a simple
garment to a couture level.
Learn about these supplies
and where to shop for them.
• Hair canvas is a sturdy
woven interfacing traditionally used in jacket and coat
tailoring. Use hair canvas
for garment areas that
need a firmer hold or crisp
structure, such as lapels,
collars and waistbands.
• Petersham ribbon is a soft,
pliable and strong ribbon that easily conforms
to garment curves. Often
confused with grosgrain
ribbon, Petersham ribbon
is a corded ribbon with
scalloped edges, while
grosgrain ribbon is a woven
ribbon with bound edges.
• Always preshrink Petersham ribbon with steam from
an iron, or lightly spray
the ribbon with water and
press with an iron set at a
low temperature.
• Find hair canvas in most
major fabric stores or
online at specialty tailoring
supply shops. Petersham
ribbon is available in both
brick-and-mortar and
online millinery shops and
trim stores.
SEWNEWS.COM
41
1
3
5
2
4
6
ing 21⁄2”x the waistband length. The
finished skirt waistband is 11⁄2” wide.
From Petersham ribbon, cut one
rectangle measuring 11⁄2”x the
waistline measurement.
From hair canvas, cut one rectangle
measuring 11⁄2”x the interfacing length.
Cut out the skirt pattern pieces,
excluding the waistband, from
the fashion fabric following the
pattern instructions.
Construct
Use 1⁄2” seam allowances unless
otherwise noted.
Construct the skirt front and back
following the pattern instructions.
Install the zipper into the left-skirt
side seam following the manufacturer’s instructions.
42
SEWNEWS.COM
april/may 2015
Position the organza rectangle right
side up on a flat work surface. Draw 1⁄2”
seam allowances along the rectangle
perimeter using a removable fabric
marker (1).
Position the hair-canvas rectangle
right side up over the organza, aligning
the edges with the markings; pin.
Stitch a lengthwise line along the hair
canvas 1⁄8” from one long edge. Repeat
to stitch lines 1⁄4” apart along the
remaining rectangle width. Stitch a
vertical line 1⁄8” from the hair-canvas
short end and 1⁄8” from the remaining
long edge. Repeat to stitch a line on
the remaining hair-canvas short end
(2). Designate the rectangle layers as the
waistband interfacing.
Position the interfacing rectangle over
the fashion-fabric rectangle with wrong
sides together; pin. Hand baste along
the perimeter (3). Designate one long
edge as the upper edge.
Fold the waistband upper edge 1⁄2”
toward the wrong side; press. Hand stitch
the seam allowance edge to only the hair
canvas. Repeat to press and stitch each
short edge to the hair canvas (4).
Position the waistband lower edge
and skirt upper edge with right sides
together, aligning one short end with
the front-left side seam opening and the
opposite short end 1” beyond the
back-right side seam opening; pin.
Stitch the waistband to the skirt. Press
the waistband up and the seam allowances toward the waistband (5).
Evenly center two hooks along the
left-waistband wrong side, aligning the
hook edges with the short end; hand
stitch to secure (6).
7
8
Fold each ribbon short end 1⁄2” toward
the wrong side; press. Place the ribbon
over the waistband with wrong sides
together and 1⁄8” to 1⁄4” below the
waistband upper edge; pin.
Hand stitch the ribbon perimeter
to the waistband using a fell stitch,
making sure to stitch the ribbon over
the hooks (7).
Evenly center two eyes along the
right-waistband right side, 1” from
the waistband short end; hand stitch
to secure (8).
TIP: To increase or decrease the
waistband width, add or subtract
the same amount to the ribbon and
canvas width measurements.
SEWNEWS.COM
43