Elastic waistband question?

Question

I'm pretty new to sewing and have been fumbling my way through projects so far, but I've hit something a bit more complicated then I've come across before.

I'm putting an elastic waistband into a pair of PJ pants, and there's a footnote on how to do it so it doesn't get twisted when you wash or wear it, but I'm just blanking on what it's asking.

'To secure elastic so it won't twist in wearing, stitch through all thicknesses of casing in the groove of each seam"

Does anyone have any insight into interpreting this?

Answer 1

HI

I am a seamstress. You're going to stitch at the front, back, and side seams. Stitch vertically from the top of the waistband down to where the waistband ends. This ditch they're talking about is the seam you made when you joined the pattern pieces together.

I hope this helps

Answer 2

It's just the little spots where there are already seams going up and down, at the sides, front and back.

.

Answer 3

Sure.  This is done after you have the elastic in the casing--you've done that part, right?  I'll assume so.  

Once you have the elastic in the casing and have it stitched together,  go to each side seam of the pj's, stitch in a straight line starting at the top of the waistband down to the bottom of the casing.  That's it.  

You do it at the side seams to hide it a little--ie, you make your line of stitches right at the side seam so it doesn't show so much.  It keeps the elastic flat at those two points so it doesn't twist up.  Hope this clears things up for you.