How to Make Waistband Casings

Casings are the fabric tunnels that grace the tops of most waistbands. Made so that elastic or drawstrings can travel through them to adjust the fit of a garment, waistband casings are a must know for all sewers, amateur and professional alike. Although many variations of casing exist, a simple fold down casing, using fabric already attached to the garment, for elastic and straight edge finishes like skirts and pants. This method makes use of the garments own pattern.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garment
• Chalk
• Pattern
• Iron
• Pins
• Elastic
• Safety pin
• Scissors

1. Mark the edge fold of the casing to suit individual needs. Try on the garment before making the casing edge mark to ensure the finished item will fit correctly. This method addresses casings where there is adequate fabric in the garment for the fold down technique.

2. Note, on both sides of fabric using sewing chalk, the location of the casing's fold line and where the stitches will eventual go. The stitching line is on the garment's original pattern that may already be pinned to garment or nearby.

3. Finish off the garment's other pieces and seams before folding down the casing cut edge and ironing. The fold should be 1/2 and inch in width. The iron creates a sharp fold or crease to follow when sewing.

4. Fold the 1/4 inch allowance from step 3 along the casing fold line in step 2 on the wrong side of the garment. This should be steam ironed in place and pinned.

5. Sew 1 inch from the center back seam of the garment around the lower edge of the casing. When you are an inch from the starting sewing point you should stop.

6. Stitch the upper edge of the casing in the same manner at in step 5 except the stitch line should be 1/8 inch from the top edge of casing fold.

7. Pin a safety pin to one end of the measured elastic and thread it through the casing before overlapping the two elastic ends half an inch and sewing together.