31 Jan Add a Decorative Trim to a Folded Waistband…..
Are you looking for a neater waistband for your knit skirts? Does a drawstring waist seem just too casual for a tailored skirt? Have you considered using a folded waistband instead?
The reason I prefer a folded waistband over a drawstring waist, for a knit or crochet skirt, is that you can put elastic in the folded waistband, and I think it’s a neater way to hold your skirt up. This type of waistband can be used by itself or along with a zipper or button placket. Another reason I like to use a folded waistband is because it’s easy to work a decorative trim right along with the waistband. And for folks like my sister-in-law, the trim makes it easy to tell the right side from the wrong side of the skirt.
I wanted to get my SIL new skirts for Christmas, but apparently the style she wears (full & mid-calf) is not currently in fashion and we couldn’t find any stores selling them (at a reasonable price), so I decided to make her some. Here’s what I did with the waistband so she can tell when her skirts are on right side out…..
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- And here we have the right side of the finished “seam”, with the little decorative row.
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- You’ll want to leave about 1 1/2″ worth of sts “open” in order to insert the elastic. Just bind those sts off separately and after inserting the elastic, seam this short section to the skirt body. This photo shows the wrong side of the finished “seam”.
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- After working the front/back sts together – pull the first st on the right hand needle over the st just worked. With a crochet hook you can do this all in one maneuver.
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- To work the 3-needle bind-off, work 1 st from the front needle and 1 st from the back needle together.
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- Folding the waistband with the wrong sides together, work across the row binding off all sts with the 3-needle bind-off technique. (I use a crochet hook to do this).
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- This photo shows the row of picked up sts.
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- From the WS, pick up the right leg of every st along the beginning row. I used the opposite tip of a circular needle but you can use a separate needle if you want.
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- This photo shows the wrong side of the waistband, ready to “fold and seam”.
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- Begin the waistband with a purl row (RS). This photo shows the right side of the fabric.
You can use a knit, folded waistband on both knit and crocheted skirts. The skirts I made for my SIL are crocheted, and she loves them.
And skirts are not the only garments you can use this waistband on – shorts, leggings, pants all come to mind. So the next time you want to knit or crochet a garment – try substituting a folded waistband for a drawstring one – I think you’ll be a convert to. 🙂
Click here for a PDF cheat-sheet you can keep in your knitting bag:Â Folded Waistband with Decorative Trim.
Happy Knitting! Jean
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