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MN2204 Brumby / Sewalongs

Brumby Sewalong: Waistband and Gathers

Today on our Brumby skirt construction, we’re going to cover prepping the waistband, gathering the skirt (two different ways to do it!), and attaching the waistband. Everything is starting to take shape! So let’s get to it…

Waistband

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Attach interfacing to the wrong sides of the Waistband Back and Front.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns
How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

With right sides together line up the side seams of the waistband and sew 5/8″ from the raw edge.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Press the seams open.

Gathers, Version 1

Gathering heavy-weight fabrics such as denim is a little challenging, so we have provided a method specifically for those fabrics. For light to medium-weight fabrics that gather more easily, refer to the “Gathers, Version 1 & Version 3” section.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

To make gathering easier, work one section at a time, where each panel of fabric is a section. So the skirt is divided into four panels, as seen above with the four colors.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns
How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

For this method, we are going to use yarn/string/cord.

Set your sewing machine to a wide zig-zag and sew over the cord just under 5/8″ from the raw edge, leaving small yarn tails at each end. Be careful not to actually catch the cord with your stitches, the needle should land on either side of the cord as you are sewing.

Do this for each of the four sections.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns
How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Working in each section, pull the cord to gather up the fabric.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Place the waistband on top of the skirt with right sides together, and line up the waistline seam.


Note: The top edge of the waistband has notches, and the bottom edge does not. Be careful that you do not insert your waistband upside down

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns
How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Ease the gathers into the waistband, adjusting your gathers and evening them out as you pin the waistband to the skirt.
Ensure that the side seams of the waistband line up with the side seams of the skirt, and that the center front of the waistband lines up with the center front of the skirt.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Sew 5/8″ from the raw edge around the waist seam.

Carefully pull out the cording from the zig-zag casing, and if any zig-zag stitches are visible on the side of the garment unpick them.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Press the waistband and seams up away from the body of the skirt.

Gathers, V 2 + 3

This method of gathering only works well on light to medium-weight fabrics as used in V2 & V3. For gathering, heavier-weight fabrics refer to the “Gathers, V1” section.

Also – you may notice the skirt in this section looks a little different. The sample I’m using here is a hack that I’ll be showing you later in the sew-along! Because of the nature of the hack, the center back seam is already sewn. But nothing changes about the gathering method.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

For this method, you can choose to sew one continuous line of gathering stitches around the entire waistline….

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

… Or you may find it easier to work in sections, sewing separate basting stitches in each section.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

So, set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length and sew a line of basting stitches a scant 5/8″ from the raw edge around the waist seam. Do not backstitch and ensure that you leave long threads on each end.

Sew a second line of basting stitches 3/8″ from the raw edge.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns
How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

To gather simply hold the skirt stationary and pull on one of the threads to gather up the skirt.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Just like above, in gathering for Version 1, place the waistband on top of the skirt with the right sides together so that the waist seams are lined up.

Ease the gathers into the waistband, adjusting the gathers using the loose threads. Pin in place. Make sure that the side seams of the skirt match up with the side seams of the waistband, and that the center front of the skirt lines up with the center front of the waistband. Sew 5/8″ from the raw edge.

How to sew the waistband and gathers on the Brumby skirt by Megan Nielsen Patterns

Press the waistband and seams upwards away from the body of the skirt.


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About Author

Holly writes part time for the Megan Nielsen blog– sewing like crazy, creating tutorials and sewalongs. She has been sewing since she was a little girl, and has her degree in apparel design. Now she’s a stay at home mama, and spends all her free nap times at her sewing machine.

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