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Has anyone done this successfully? (Moderated by Deepika, Sharon1952)
Posted on: 5/31/11 1:30 PM ET
I just cut out a six-gore skirt pattern (it's Butterick, I can't remember the number, but it's a generic-looking A-line skirt with no waistband, front and back centers cut on the fold). I made this skirt once before, and it is very loose around the waist; I had to add a little elastic so it would stay on. I made it that large because I need the ease at the waist when I sit down. I never wear tops tucked in. I hate being pinched at the waist.
I am toying with the idea of eliminating the zipper and sewing some elastic around the waist instead, under the facing. I know the standard way to change a zippered waist to elastic is to cut the waist the same size as hips and add some at the top for a casing, but do you think my idea would work? If it doesn't work, I could undo the side seam and put a zipper in later, I suppose.
I was also planning to add some side-seam pockets, which is another reason I wanted to eliminate the zipper. Though I could put in just one pocket, and have the zipper on the other side.
Oh, and the fabric is a lightweight non-stretch denim.
I am toying with the idea of eliminating the zipper and sewing some elastic around the waist instead, under the facing. I know the standard way to change a zippered waist to elastic is to cut the waist the same size as hips and add some at the top for a casing, but do you think my idea would work? If it doesn't work, I could undo the side seam and put a zipper in later, I suppose.
I was also planning to add some side-seam pockets, which is another reason I wanted to eliminate the zipper. Though I could put in just one pocket, and have the zipper on the other side.
Oh, and the fabric is a lightweight non-stretch denim.
Posted on: 5/31/11 3:02 PM ET
In reply to HarrietHomeowner
Unless your hips are the same size as your waist to begin with, you won't be able to get the skirt on if you don't widen the top above the hips. You might be able to get away with it if it was a stretch fabric, but not a non-denim stretch.
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Sewing is my therapy!
Posted on: 5/31/11 3:26 PM ET
All of that material being scrunched up at the waist could make your waist disappear and look boxy under your top (guess how I know...). It's likely that the folds of the bunched up fabric would extend below the line of your top, and could look frumpy.
I have made a knit gored skirt with elastic, where I tried to remove the excess waist fabric, as it was a knit, but still had some. The result wasn't great, here's the photo.
I would keep the zipper and add just a little elastic, for comfort. You could add the zipper into another seam; if your zippers are good, or covered by your top, no-one will notice that's it's not positioned symmetrically.
I have made a knit gored skirt with elastic, where I tried to remove the excess waist fabric, as it was a knit, but still had some. The result wasn't great, here's the photo.
I would keep the zipper and add just a little elastic, for comfort. You could add the zipper into another seam; if your zippers are good, or covered by your top, no-one will notice that's it's not positioned symmetrically.
Posted on: 5/31/11 3:39 PM ET
The combination of a zipper opening and a slightly elasticized waistband can give you the best of both worlds: a sleek fit at the waist and a comfy, stretchy, non-binding waistband.
You can combine a side seam zipper with a pocket, and therefore have pockets on both sides of the garment:
In Seam Pocket and Invisible Zipper Combo tutorial - Pins and Needles Blog
White Circle Skirt, showing photos of the pocket/zipper combo in a garment (Pins and Needles Blog)
CMC
You can combine a side seam zipper with a pocket, and therefore have pockets on both sides of the garment:
In Seam Pocket and Invisible Zipper Combo tutorial - Pins and Needles Blog
White Circle Skirt, showing photos of the pocket/zipper combo in a garment (Pins and Needles Blog)
CMC
Posted on: 5/31/11 7:48 PM ET
Thank you for the suggestions. CMC, I looked at that post and it sounds like the solution. I wonder if that would work with a regular zipper? It's all I have on hand -- and I've never used an invisible zipper so I don't have the foot for one.
Posted on: 5/31/11 7:54 PM ET
I've done this several times, and I use a regular zipper, with a double lap (just to make it easier to sew onto the side seam). BTW: I love the zipper in a pocket idea! Great tutorial!
To double lap, baste the area where the zipper is to lay with a large machine stitch. Press the seam open. Lay the zipper face down on the seam allowance, with the teeth on the seam allowance. Hand baste or pin the zipper in place. Then stitch down one side, across the bottom and up the other. Remove the stitching and you're done.
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To double lap, baste the area where the zipper is to lay with a large machine stitch. Press the seam open. Lay the zipper face down on the seam allowance, with the teeth on the seam allowance. Hand baste or pin the zipper in place. Then stitch down one side, across the bottom and up the other. Remove the stitching and you're done.
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Posted on: 5/31/11 10:32 PM ET
That tutorial isn't entirely clear to me, now that I've looked at it some more. (I am horrible at visualizing things spatially). When you sew the side seam, at the pocket opening, are you sewing the back pocket piece seam allowance to the back side seam, and is that where you place the zipper?
Also, I'm using lining material for the pockets (a thin polyester); is that going to be a problem? Should I add something to that back pocket piece seam to reinforce it?
Also, I'm using lining material for the pockets (a thin polyester); is that going to be a problem? Should I add something to that back pocket piece seam to reinforce it?
Posted on: 6/1/11 10:31 AM ET
I am forging ahead with this -- and decided to cut that one back pocket piece out of the denim instead of the lining fabric to avoid any zipper problems. I will report back on the results. Thanks for all the advice!
Posted on: 6/2/11 2:27 PM ET
So ... still working on this skirt and am almost finished (delayed by a few stupid mistakes! grrr). But the pocket with the zipper came out beautifully. I followed the tutorial linked here plus Sandra Betzina's instructions for a lapped zipper install (in "Power Sewing"). I used a regular zipper. For the elastic, I stitched on 1-inch-wide elastic an inch below the raw edge, then sewed on the facing at the regular seamline and understitched. This gave me room to turn the facing to the inside without having it show (I used a cotton print for the facing rather than the denim or the stuff I used for the pockets).
Posted on: 6/2/11 6:20 PM ET
In reply to HarrietHomeowner
Good for you for just persevering!
It sounds like you found a good solution.
I have found that I don't always need the full hip measurement for the waist size for a pull-on skirt. I think your requirements for this may vary depending on your shape and whether your particular hip shape gets thicker or thinner when you bend a bit to pull the skirt up.
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It sounds like you found a good solution.
I have found that I don't always need the full hip measurement for the waist size for a pull-on skirt. I think your requirements for this may vary depending on your shape and whether your particular hip shape gets thicker or thinner when you bend a bit to pull the skirt up.
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