Waistband Variations – Allegro by Love Notions

Love Notions has quickly become one of my favorite pattern companies. The Allegro pattern is fun and versatile with skirts, shorts, and cropped pants. I made the ankle-length skirt, the knee-length skirt, and the 5″ inseam cuffed shorts. For each one, I did the waistband a little differently.

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I made the ankle-length skirt waistband as written in the pattern. It uses 1.5″ wide elastic, and the casing for the drawstring is made by sewing through the waistband and elastic together.

Variation 1 – Drawstring Casing with free moving elastic

For the shorts, I still wanted the drawstring, but I wanted the elastic to be free moving instead of sewn through. To do this, I would need to make the casing first and use three separate lengths of 3/8″ non-roll elastic. This meant I had to position the buttonholes for the drawstring very carefully.

I normally make marking with washable markers with great success, but working buttonholes requires an iron-on stabilizer. I learned the hard way washable markers and steam ironing don’t mix! And I’m not sure it’s going to still wash out. Good thing I was using my main fabric as the lining, and I could just swap the pieces in case it doesn’t. * (update! – It all completely washed out!)*

Take two, to mark where the stabilizer should be ironed on, I used the longest stitch length on my sewing machine and basted where the seam lines and casing stitches would be.

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Then I ironed on the stablizer. I did still use my washable marker to mark where the buttonholes should be worked, but after I ironed the stabilizer on.

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After working the buttonholes, I removed the basting stitches and continued making the waistband according to the pattern directions except for sewing the casing before attaching to the shorts and inserting elastics. The three rows of 3/8″ elastic were then able to be inserted separately and are free moving.

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I like to make my own drawstrings so I can use the same fabric. Watch this video for an easy way to turn drawstrings. 🙂

For a finishing touch on my drawstrings, I like to add aglets to the ends. They are easy to use and only require a small pair of pliers to put on. Just lay the drawstring into the aglet and close it using the pliers. For thinner material, like my ankle-length skirt, I doubled over the end before inserting into the aglet.

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Variation 2 – Shirred Waistband

I used a lightweight rayon for the knee-length skirt and decided it would be a perfect project for a shirred waistband. It was so easy! Watch the video here. I made the waistband without leaving an opening for the elastic and attached it to the skirt.

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Using elastic thread in the bobbin I sewed lines at even intervals around the waistband creating the shirred effect.

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I love how it turned out, and it’s the perfect summer skirt!

Here’s a look at the three finished products. Have you made the Allegro pattern? What have you done with the Allegro?