Reed Sew-Along: Views A & B Button and Waist Bands

Today we'll be sewing up the front button bands and attaching the waistband of views A & B of the Reed Skirt. Button bands are up first!

Front Button Bands

Pin one of the button bands to the skirt front, with the right sides together. If you're making View B, match the notch of the button band with the seam line of the hem extension.

Stitch the button band to the skirt and grade the seam allowance of the band by cutting it in half.

Press the button band and the seam allowance away from the skirt. Along the free long edge of the button band, press the 1/2" seam allowance to the wrong side.

Fold the button band along the notches at the top and bottom of the band. The edge you just folded under will meet, and just cover, the stitching line where the button band attaches to the skirt. Pin.

Here's a closeup of the folded button band, ready to be stitched.

With the right side facing up at your machine, edgestitch 1/8" out from seam line where the band attaches to the skirt, on the button band. This will anchor the back of the button band in place.

Here you can see the stitching from the inside of the skirt. Repeat for the other side of the skirt and that's it for the button bands!

Attaching the Waistband

Begin by taking the four back waistband pieces you cut and aligning the center back seams, matching double notches as shown, with the right sides together, then sewing the center back seam.

Press the seam allowance open and grade the seam allowance of one set of back waistbands.

Now align the four front waistband pieces as shown, with the right sides of the backs and fronts together, and matching the notches at the side seams. Sew.

Press the seam allowances open and grade the seam allowances of the waistband that you had previously graded. You now have two waistbands!

Place the two waistbands on top of each other, with right sides together. Match the center back and side seams, then sew along the front and top edges. 

 

Next we need to trim the corners and grade the seam allowances. First trim the corner, then you have two options for grading. You can simply trim one seam allowance in half and call it a day and that's just fine. What I like to do since this is a contoured waistband, is to trim the seam allowances in half, then trim one layer of seam allowance in half again. The theory behind why I do this can be found in this blog post: Smooth Collar Curves.

Here you can see the entire waistband, graded and ready for the next step.

Turn the waistband right side out and press.

Now we need to attach the waistband to the skirt. Align one layer of the waistband with the waistline of the skirt, right sides together. Match the ends and seam allowances and pin.

Here you can see a close up of the end where the waistband and button band meet.

Sew from one end of the waistband to the other.

Grade the seam allowance of the waistband by cutting it in half.

Press the waistband and seam allowance up, away from the skirt.

Fold the seam allowance of the unsewn waistband edge under and pin in place. In the pattern instructions we then have you slipstitch, but I'm going to show you another option below – stitching in the ditch.

If you'er not into hand sewing, like me, you can stitch in the ditch (the ditch being the seamline) along the waistband to secure the underside of the waistband in place. 

Your waistband is now attached!

We've just got the hem, buttonholes, and buttons left for Views A & B. Stay tuned for that and if you have any questions, let us know in the comments below!