Our wide waistband elastic is some of the nicest elastic we have worked with. We originally bought it because we knew it would make the perfect finish to the top edge of our Men’s Underwear Pattern. And it does!
It turns out that the more we used it, the more places we found we could use it. So we’ve been using our wide waistband elastic – a lot – lately. Here are 10 ways to use wide waistband elastic.
Retro Panty Waistband
How about using wide elastic instead of regular elastic on the waistband of panties, therefore creating a retro feel to the underwear? No-roll comfort all day long.
Boy Short Bands
Use the wide elastic on the Betty Boy Shorts to create a banded shorts look.
You can even change them up a little to make Santa shorts with a fancy buckle.
Sports Bra Bands
Our new Allie Sports Bra pattern was designed using the wide waistband elastic. But even if you are using another sports bra pattern, it is easy to substitute the wide elastic for the one the pattern specifies.
Whether you use the wide elastic with or without the locking zipper, it stays put and doesn’t roll up during the most vigorous work-out.
Bralette Band
We’ve used the wide elastic on the bottom of the Sweet Sixteen pattern as a super comfortable bottom band that adds extra length to the body.
Here we converted the Sweet Sixteen Bralette into a sports bra, using an Ingrid-like front panel of power net and the wide waistband elastic on the bottom edge.
Ingrid
Our Ingrid wireless bra comes in a lot of sizes, even really large ones. One of the things women told us was that they appreciated having the wide elastic option for their Ingrids. Its non-rolling characteristics are perfect for those bothered by elastics rubbing and rolling around the middle.
Regular Bra Band
Yes, the Ruby and even the Classic Bra can be made using wide waistband elastic! We’ve been using this more and more in our classes. Our students love the look and it is so practical! Here’s a Ruby using a cat fabric over cut & sew foam and wide waistband elastic.
Strapless Bra
Why not use the wide elastic along the bottom of a bustier or strapless bra? Carry the boning down to the bottom of the elastic for a ready-to-wear look.
Two-piece Swimwear
What do you do if you don’t have wide elastic to match your fabric? You can encase the elastic in matching stretch fabric and attach the resulting band to the bottom of a swimsuit top. Here are two suits that Linda Crawford of Uplift Custom Bras made for her client, adapting our Ruby pattern to exactly what her client wanted.
Criss-cross Bikini Band
In the Design Studio, we never thought of using the wide elastic as the top trim on the Triangles and Tanga pattern, but our staff member, Kit did! Look at these Miami bottoms she made, substituting the wide elastic for the fabric band the pattern calls for.
Make a Belt!
Denise, one of our Design Team members, used the wide elastic for pants she needed a belt for. But she didn’t want a traditional belt – instead she wanted a flat belt that would fit perfectly in the belt loops of her jeans. Wide elastic to the rescue. She fastened one belt with our Tall Clip (they are on sale, too!) and the other with a clip she found in a local fabric store.
The wide elastic with clip reminds me of the ‘cinch belts’ that were very fashionable when I was a young teenager – a good while ago! Just goes to show how circular fashion frequently is!
I remember those too! Along with the bell bottoms and the mini-skirts. But I’m afraid I won’t be wearing those again!
I want to use the wide elastic on my Ingrid bra, but the instructions don’t say how to sew it on. Help?
I use it as the inner waistband on jeans.
Great idea! Why didn’t I think of that?
What great ideas! I love the crisscross waist.
I do, too! And the encased elastic on the swimsuits is beautiful. I’ve been using wide elastic on my undies for years now; I like the substantial feel of it.