I think it would be great if someone could post a pattern for a skirt similar to this American Apparel tulip skirt. I have yet to see any similar pattern (I've seen lots of tulip skirt patterns but none with a waistband like this.)
thanks!
I believe so, but someone told me that it is just one thick elastic. The actual skirt is basically just straight down with pockets, so I'll give it a go :)
It kinda look like a boxer's shorts! I once made a pair of pants with that kind of lining. I used a thick elastic and sewed over it so it would stay in place, just like someone told you. Good luck sewing!
I understand your logic because it would obviously be hard to stretch out a sewn down elastic but I was saying that some people have said to make that sweat pant-like waistband it's just one elastic so because I have never made this kind of waist band before (evidently), I was wondering if this was true. But thanks for your help anyways because the more I think about it the more it seems less likely to work aha
this is easy enough.. it's a skirt that's basically a rectangle (or two-one for the front and one for the back) a little bigger than your hip measurement in width and and in height it's the length you want the skirt plus a hem allowance plus double the width of your elastic... then you sew the side seam(s) and fold the top over so that the elastic will fit. you sew that leaving a gap to put the elastic in, and once you have finished putting it in you sew the gap closed. Now you just topstitch 3 lines (the way they are in the picture) by stretching the elastic to the length of the fabric as you sew. for that it might help to pin the elsatic to the fabric in a few places beforehand...
if you didn't understand something, tell me, i'll try to explain it better!
it looks like it is practically two rectangles for the skirt - the back would have a slight curve for the waistband, a bit wider, the front has a deeper curve. oh, pockets sewn and tacked on the top if you are comfortable making pockets. and maybe it curves inside going towards the hem, but hem as the last step (you can always change most of sides and bottom afterwards to look right)
the waist is two long straight strips waist length, bigger then you think for seam allowances on every edge (one covers the front, one covers the inside of the elastic and you make it wider so you have an edge to fold over (1/2 inch will do and it will fold narrower)). the elastic is one piece, it will stretch a tad when sewn so make it a little snugger than you think. the two strips are sewn right sides together on one edge. iron the seams so you have one flat piece. sew the ends so they are a loop the same as the top of the skirt. iron that, then fold it over like it would be a waistband, iron, then iron the fold under an edge in the inside (you can use the elastic as a guide here). the inside should be a little wider than the outside piece.
circle the elastic into a loop and stitch it together. put the rough part in the back center, meet it inside the top seam and pin it perpendicular to the waist. find the half point of the elastic and pin that to the front mid, pin at least the waist sides depending how much you like to pin.
so bind the fabric to the elastic with one stitch around starting at the back. don't pull the fabric more than it's usual - just make it flat. stitch about 1/2 inch from the top edge through all waistband thicknesses. if you use a knit fabric this will be interesting and harder ..... give the presser foot some pressure, arrange, put the needle in, pull both the front and back end of the garment elastic, and step on the pedal. go ahead and sew around near the folded inner edge to the elastic, go a moderate speed so the machine needle doesn't get bent around and you can grab pins as they approach being fed.
now stitch only the outside waist fabric to the skirt body, right sides together. here's another good time to iron - press the seam up so the edges will be covered. pin some more to straighten it up and sew it all on as you like.
traditionally the inside folded edge is sewn from the ditch on the outside (stitch where the front waistband meets the skirt body). maybe you could have a lining rather than an edge......
that's what i can explain for home sewing on a regular machine, but you can cheat and make the waistband first, then add them together, it will hang less smooth but it is a puffier skirt anyway, just depends if you tend to itch and you might want to topstitch down that seam if you go that route. the part i recommend you don't cheat is that the waistband be only one piece of fabric due to the bias..... it will twist and bunch....i've tried it many a time.
one idea would be to make the skirt, then find a thrift store waistband to attach, or sew your fabric over it so at least you have a waistband that fits and is comfortable to you. a similar look could be???? to sew long channels and have multiple drawstrings. multiple elastics might roll, depending.
whew. written directions are weird. but i'm not up to drafting patterns anytime soon. good luck - elastic is strange and fun and takes a little practice.
POSTS (8)
i second this!! :-)
i would lOVE LOVE LOVE to make one of these!!
Honestly, to me it looks a lot like several elastics above oneanother... could it be so?
I believe so, but someone told me that it is just one thick elastic. The actual skirt is basically just straight down with pockets, so I'll give it a go :)
It kinda look like a boxer's shorts! I once made a pair of pants with that kind of lining. I used a thick elastic and sewed over it so it would stay in place, just like someone told you. Good luck sewing!
Right, atomiquee, a broad elastic sewn over several times seems spot on...
I understand your logic because it would obviously be hard to stretch out a sewn down elastic but I was saying that some people have said to make that sweat pant-like waistband it's just one elastic so because I have never made this kind of waist band before (evidently), I was wondering if this was true. But thanks for your help anyways because the more I think about it the more it seems less likely to work aha
this is easy enough.. it's a skirt that's basically a rectangle (or two-one for the front and one for the back) a little bigger than your hip measurement in width and and in height it's the length you want the skirt plus a hem allowance plus double the width of your elastic... then you sew the side seam(s) and fold the top over so that the elastic will fit. you sew that leaving a gap to put the elastic in, and once you have finished putting it in you sew the gap closed. Now you just topstitch 3 lines (the way they are in the picture) by stretching the elastic to the length of the fabric as you sew. for that it might help to pin the elsatic to the fabric in a few places beforehand...
if you didn't understand something, tell me, i'll try to explain it better!
it looks like it is practically two rectangles for the skirt - the back would have a slight curve for the waistband, a bit wider, the front has a deeper curve. oh, pockets sewn and tacked on the top if you are comfortable making pockets. and maybe it curves inside going towards the hem, but hem as the last step (you can always change most of sides and bottom afterwards to look right)
the waist is two long straight strips waist length, bigger then you think for seam allowances on every edge (one covers the front, one covers the inside of the elastic and you make it wider so you have an edge to fold over (1/2 inch will do and it will fold narrower)). the elastic is one piece, it will stretch a tad when sewn so make it a little snugger than you think. the two strips are sewn right sides together on one edge. iron the seams so you have one flat piece. sew the ends so they are a loop the same as the top of the skirt. iron that, then fold it over like it would be a waistband, iron, then iron the fold under an edge in the inside (you can use the elastic as a guide here). the inside should be a little wider than the outside piece.
circle the elastic into a loop and stitch it together. put the rough part in the back center, meet it inside the top seam and pin it perpendicular to the waist. find the half point of the elastic and pin that to the front mid, pin at least the waist sides depending how much you like to pin.
so bind the fabric to the elastic with one stitch around starting at the back. don't pull the fabric more than it's usual - just make it flat. stitch about 1/2 inch from the top edge through all waistband thicknesses. if you use a knit fabric this will be interesting and harder ..... give the presser foot some pressure, arrange, put the needle in, pull both the front and back end of the garment elastic, and step on the pedal. go ahead and sew around near the folded inner edge to the elastic, go a moderate speed so the machine needle doesn't get bent around and you can grab pins as they approach being fed.
now stitch only the outside waist fabric to the skirt body, right sides together. here's another good time to iron - press the seam up so the edges will be covered. pin some more to straighten it up and sew it all on as you like.
traditionally the inside folded edge is sewn from the ditch on the outside (stitch where the front waistband meets the skirt body). maybe you could have a lining rather than an edge......
that's what i can explain for home sewing on a regular machine, but you can cheat and make the waistband first, then add them together, it will hang less smooth but it is a puffier skirt anyway, just depends if you tend to itch and you might want to topstitch down that seam if you go that route. the part i recommend you don't cheat is that the waistband be only one piece of fabric due to the bias..... it will twist and bunch....i've tried it many a time.
one idea would be to make the skirt, then find a thrift store waistband to attach, or sew your fabric over it so at least you have a waistband that fits and is comfortable to you. a similar look could be???? to sew long channels and have multiple drawstrings. multiple elastics might roll, depending.
whew. written directions are weird. but i'm not up to drafting patterns anytime soon. good luck - elastic is strange and fun and takes a little practice.