Sharp Corners… A Work in Progress

I can definitely tell that my sewing skills have improved with practice. Patterns that I once avoided because I was afraid of this or that technique no longer scare me. I can sew better, stronger, faster. So imagine how frustrating it was for me to see that my waistbands were looking wonkier and wonkier. Everything else progressed… but the corners of my skirt waistbands. I went to books for an answer; I searched the Web for a clue; I even considered getting a private sewing lesson to get this mystery solved. And then, the solution.

I came across the Sew Essential site while browsing the Internet for sewing content. The explanation on how to insert a zipper was very detailed and really helpful. Halfway through the page, the warning: Do not clip the corners of the waistband! And would you believe it, the source of my problem was trimming the corner! That sewing truth that clipping, notching, and trimming seams will get us a smooth and crisp seam–that was the real culprit behind my ugly corners.

Too Much Trimming

When I first started sewing, I was not familiar with the principle of trimming. My seams might not have been the crispest, but the corners of my waistbands looked fierce. They stood there, 90 degrees of awesomeness. As I learned more and became more concerned with the finishing of my clothes, I really got into clipping, notching, and trimming seams. In my head, I had to get rid of all the excess fabric so that the corners of my waistband looked sharp. The more my corners looked bad, the more I trimmed them. 

This was all fine and dandy for most seams, but not that little bit of a corner. While trimming your seams will prevent bulk, in this case, it will take away all the fabric that the corners need to get their structure. Had I just left them alone, I would not end up with messed up corners. 

The Solution

For nice, crisp corners, make sure not to overtrim! The excess fabric will provide your outside corner the structure that it needs.

1. Fold the top seam allowances toward the interfaced side. This will provide your corner with even more support.

2. Fold the side seam allowances in.

3. Fold the waistband with wrong sides together.

It helps to press the seam allowance on the lining so that you have a defined edge to match to the zipper teeth.

4. Pin the opening.

5. Hand sew the opening.

Why hand sewing, you ask? Even though I do not enjoy hand sewing, it provides a lot more control. I can make sure that the both sides of the waistband are exactly on the same level, and I can keep those corners looking pointy as ever.

6. Use a chopstick or knitting needle to gently push the fabric into the corners and shape those corners into pointy little wonders.

Nice, Pointy Corners… A Work in Progress

I don’t ever wear tucked in shirts, so it seems like a waste of time to put so much work in perfecting a waistband. To be honest, it was more the frustration of not knowing how to correct the problem that was upsetting me. It took a lot of looking round, but I can always count on the online sewing community to save the day!