How to solve wavy elastic
So you’ve sewn your garment together, applied the only to see that the elastic has set itself in a waved pattern.
Errors occur.
How do you solve it?
I made this striped crop top; it’s a pattern I’ve used before and not had problem with. However, I’ve made it before by either concealing the under-band elastic, and by using the pattern in lace. A light lace with the same elastic with the combination of using 3-step, with it having a straighter edge (the edge of the lace) and it not being a lined fabric all helped.
Elastic goes wavy when it’s naturally being distorted by the pull of the garment. Either too many stitches are being applied to the elastic therefore it’s being held in too many places and wants to go back to it’s natural state but can’t, or the fabric is too heavy for the elastic or the elastic too strong for the garment. A firm fabric with a strong elastic (and by strong I mean it’s firm and doesn’t stretch as much as a light knitted elastic.
Here lies the problem I wanted the garment to be more supportive than a standard crop, so used a strong under-band elastic and strong power-net. Using the two together works in small sew runs like the wing, works fine but not on the full round of the under-band as there is too much elastic for it to hold shape.
Although wavy elastics don’t often affect the fit, they do look awful and after washing may twist even more, as they are distorted to begin with.
Ways to solve this is either to change the fabric, change the elastic so instead of doing zig zag where by it goes through the machine twice, apply 3-step which only goes through the machine once.
Pick the following which will still sit in with your brand.
Change your stitch
Change the strength of the elastic to a lighter one
Change your fabric to a lighter one
Straighten off any curvey curves on your pattern.
I’m going back to a lighter fabric, one that still offers support but a design that hasn’t been over engineered.
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