An Alternate Waistband Finish: Bias Tape Finished Facing

Hate stitching in the ditch? Me too. Despite 14 years of sewing apparel, I still suck at it. The outside of my pants will look like this:

And the inside will look like this:

If I have an opportunity for a different method, I'm going to use it. Today I want to share "my way" for sewing waistbands that avoids stitching in the ditch.

First off: pattern directions are optional. Gasp! I know. If you want to try a different method, the sewing police won't come after you. But if you want to practice this technique in a low-stakes environment, try it on a pair of shorts. This tutorial is intended for a standard zip or button fly waistband, not an elastic one. 

When you're making jeans or trousers, typically you follow these steps:

-Sew the waistband outer to the top of the pants

-Sew the waistband facing to the waistband along the top and side edges

-Flip the facing to the inside of the pants

-Tuck the bottom edge/seam allowance of the waistband facing inside the waistband (see messy photo above)

-From the right side of the pants, stitch in the ditch of the waistband/pants seam and catch the folded under seam allowance of the waistband facing (sometimes this step is skipped and the facing is caught only by topstitching)

-Topstitch the waistband

My method does not require tucking the waistband facing seam allowances under, or stitching in the ditch to catch the SA. Instead, follow these steps:

• Sew the waistband outer to the top of the pants (not pictured)

• Sew the waistband facing to the waistband along the top edge only
• Press and understitch (understitching not pictured)

• Sew double fold bias tape to the bottom edge of the waistband facing

• Tuck the short ends of your waistband and facing inside the waistband (trim first if necessary). Make sure that your bias tape ends are also tucked up inside the waistband.

• Topstitch the waistband from the right side. The topstitching will catch the waistband facing but it does not need to be as accurate as stitching in the ditch to catch seam allowances. Be sure that you do catch the ends of the bias tape. It should be folded inside and up so that the topstitching keeps the end in place.

Have you ever finished a waistband this way? The extra step with bias tape might feel more fiddly, but in the end I find it to be easier.