Welcome back for day 4 of the
Salida Skirt Sewalong where we tackle the sideseams and the waistband. We even get to try on our skirt and make some adjustments today. Lets get started.
Step 26 - (All Views) Staystitch the upper edges of the front and back skirt panels at ⅜” seam allowance. This is going to stabilize the slightly curved seam of the waist so that when you try it on and make adjustments, you can be sure that your waistband will fit. Unzip the front skirt first so that you do not stitch over the center front zipper opening. Otherwise you will not be able to unzip the skirt to try it on.
Step 27 - With right sides touching, pin the front to the back skirt at the side seams, matching notches and aligning raw edges. Baste. Try on the skirt to check the fit. The top of the skirt should fit right up against the body and hit at the natural waist. If it does not sit at the natural waist then your straight waistband will not fit snuggly on your body. Adjust as necessary at the top of the skirt. Be careful not to fit the hips too tight or the pocket opening will begin to pull.
Step 28 - After making any fit changes, sew the front to the back skirt with a regular stitch length. Trim seam allowances to 1/4” and finish in your desired manner. Just like you have done for other portions of the skirt, press the seam allowances towards the skirt back. Topstitch the skirt back 1/8” from the seamlines, catching the seam allowance underneath. There is a lot of fabric at the point, so go slow and make sure that you are not catching any other parts of your skirt in your stitching.
Step 29 - To help the pocket openings lie flat when the skirt is worn, sew 1 1/2” directly on top of the pocket topstitching through all front layers, as pictured.
Step 30 - Press the unnotched long edge of the waistband up by 3/8”, with wrong sides touching.
With right sides touching, pin the notched side of the waistband to the top of the skirt. The notches on the waistband will match up with the center back notches on the skirt so pin these first and then pin around towards the front.
The ends should extend past the center front edges of the skirt by 1” or more. This is intentional to give you some wiggle room with fitting your skirt, and you will trim the ends later.
Step 31 - Starting at the left center front edge, stitch around the waistband, stopping at the end of the right extension.
Grade the seam allowance to reduce bulk. Different weights of fabric will require more or less trimming. The idea is to make sure you can easily sew through all layers.
Press the waistband and seam allowances up and away from the skirt.
Make sure that the tops of the zipper and waistband line up. If not sew to adjust.
Step 32 - Take the folded edge of the waistband and fold it to the outside, with right sides touching.
Overlap the folded edge past the waistband seam by about 1/16”. Pin.
You can see here on the inside how it slightly overlaps the seam.
Stitch the center front edge at 1/2” seam allowance so that the line of stitching is flush with the finished edge of the fly.
Trim the ends of the waistband to 1/2” past the front opening edges of the skirt.
Clip corners and grade seam allowance as shown. Repeat for right side.
Step 33 - Turn the waistband right side out.
On the inside, make sure the folded lower edge of the waistband self facing covers the seamline by about 1/16”. Pin in place.
Press the waistband so you get a nice squared edge at each center front corner. Zip up the zipper and check to make sure the upper edges of the right and left fronts align.
Step 34 - On the outside, stitch in the ditch by carefully sewing along the seamline, catching the edge of the folded waistband self facing on the inside of the skirt.
It will looks something like this on the inside (although maybe yours will look even neater). If there are a few small places where the inside didn't catch, don't worry. We will be topstitching the waistband tomorrow so that will help to secure it.
Thank you for following along today. Come back tomorrow and we will quickly make sure finishing touches and wrap the sewalong up.
