Finally I have received my THREADS. On page 42 the item about a turned-over elastic waistline caught my attention. I was in the middle of sewing a pair of stretch denim straight-leg pants….not jeans, more like a sport dress pant and decided to give this new idea a try.
Well, they are finished and after wearing them around the house for an hour or so, they stay in place and what’s more look really nice around the waistline. I used a 2″ wide soft elastic that has been in my stash probably since elastic belts were popular.
A few hints: I fitted these pull-on pants so that they would barely fit over my hips so that the elastic did not have to take up a great deal of gathering. When “sectioning the elastic evenly” (as well as the pants), dividing into 1/8ths works a lot better than the usual four. Before attaching the elastic, use a t-square to draw a line on the elastic right across the width. This makes tacking it to the pants a lot more accurate.
I stitched in the ditch at all four seams to tack the elastic but needed to do more so tacked it in four more places. Someone with a curved back and a generous proportion would probably need more tacks. I’ll see how this wears for now, may need more for this 2″ elastic.
The idea on page 43 about hanging skirts is a good one, but you can do it with pants as well by attaching it to a stretchy cami that you can climb into from the top. I used the skirt idea in the 1960s and can’t remember where I got the idea….it’s great for summer wear, cool and comfortable.
Replies
I just received my latest copy as well, and have not had the chance to "read the words off the pages" yet, but do so appreciate you reporting back the results of the elastic information. I briefly went through the magazine, and that one stuck in my mind as I've been trying (unsuccessfully) the elastic waist technique, but this one is new, and I am anxious to give it a try.
Your post is inspiring and makes me hopeful that I too, can succeed with this technique. Thanks so very much for your post, Starzoe ...thank you, thank you.
Which issue is this? I don't see anything like it in the March/April 2009 issue.
Issue #142; page 42. It's the May issue that has a mannequin on the cover and the headlines say: "Special Fitting Issue".
Perhaps you didn't receive this issue yet?
Thanks, I did find it and agree it is very basic. Many people can't divide the elastic evenly. My waist needs darts in back and my pants and skirts with elastic waists are better with most of the elastic in back and sides to gather up excess fabric and little need for gathering in front. Every body is different.
Wow--you get the May issue in March?!? Lucky you! Looking forward to those articles and inspirations....
Yup! That's exactly what it says on the cover: "May 2009 Number 142"
I must say, I did a double take too ...and then I looked at the issue before that, and before that, and ...; sure enough ...they are all consistently contradictory. Which begs the question: When the issue is "late"; is it really late, because everyone else got theirs? Or ...is it actually early, because May (or whatever month they put on the cover) isn't actually here yet?
And since this one is the May issue ...do we have to wait until May to read it, because the information "may" not be relevant yet? Hmmmmm ....very confusing, indeed!
Oh my; life can be so confusing. chuckle ...chuckle ...
After years of having my issues delivered so late that it seemed like they were never going to come, I am not complaining about them being so early! Now it feels like fortune telling instead of yesterday's news. Cathy
You are so right. Technically, this is the "April-May" issue, which means it's arrived right on the button ....even though many received theirs way before I did. That said, Threads is doing better about getting their distributors to get with the program and get the magazines out, and I am very pleased about that. I must say Cathy, I especially like this last issue, and the timing of the contest couldn't have been better.
You are so funny, Sewslow! The information is relevant, no matter what month you read it, but it was interesting that you thought of it that way - my laugh for the day! It seems that a lot of magazines out there are for the next month or two, but we do get ours 'late', compared to our US friends, & our Australian & European friends seem to get theirs even later - so I'm still puzzled as to why that happens. I'll remain puzzled, while you remain confused :)! What a fine pair we are, eh? :) Have a Happy Easter!
Gloria
In my way of thinking a magazine is considered late if "everyone else" has received it weeks ago.
As far as I can tell magazines have a date on them well ahead of the time they become available.
My mother had a news magazine which she bought at least the middle of November and was dated for the end of November in 1963. President John Kennedy was on the cover. The point: he was assassinated at least a week before the date of the magazine.
Edited to add: it was a magazine that came out either weekly or every other week (so there really wasn't a need to date it so far in advance.)
Edited 4/13/2009 10:43 pm by JeanM
I guess you are one a just a few who picked up on my "tongue in cheek" sense of humor. Good for you ...and I'm glad you got a laugh out it, which was clearly my intent. Not everyone has such a refined sense of humor.
This post is archived.