twisty waist elastic question

[ellettra.livejournal.com]

hello crafters,
my friend made me some patchwork hippie skirts, but the elastic has gotten twisted & scrunched in the waistband. i've gone around and around that thing trying to get it to lay flat and i can't get it to do so. what am i doing wrong? any suggestions?

thanks bunches (ha ha). :)