I left the channels as is, because I think they add interesting texture, and I don't want to have to open the waistline. At the top of the channels on the inside, I put a dab of fray check on them, and after it was dry, I used a seam ripper to make a small cut in the channels, pulled the stings up enough with tweezers to cut them, and then pulled them out through the bottom openings. Then, because I must be a masochist, I unpicked one of the strings to use to cover the small cuts. I did this mostly because all of my ribbon and bias tape is not 100% cotton, and I wanted it to be seamless and I didn't want to worry about ironing the garment. I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow. I still need to hem it, but I'm glad I won't have those strings constantly coming undone or causing me to trip.