Chapter 33 - Finishing And Decorating

These are the finishing details for a garment and can make the difference between a nice looking and a poor looking dress. Raw and turned edges are finished in a variety of ways. Many suggestions are given below. The important thing to remember in trimming is that trims must be suitable to fabric, kind of garment and cut of garment. Don't over trim. It is better not to trim at all than to trim too much. Too much decoration is in poor taste.

1. Bias bindings and facings: See Chapter 24 for full explanation and illustrations. Bias may be applied with various designs and motifs. Bias strips folded through the center lengthwise may be fagoted together for edgings. They are used as trims, and are also turned completely to the inside and slip Stitched to position so that they are not visible on the right side.

2. Rickrack comes in an assortment of colors and sizes. It will launder and iron more easily if stitched twice. To join rickrack strips, match the scallops in a hem felled seam. Four ways of applying rickrack are described below:

a. Turn edge of fabric under, twice with very light weight fabrics, and baste rickrack to wrong side so that half extends beyond fold. Stitch close to fold on right side, and, if desired, stitch again below first line close enough to catch inside edge of trim.

b. Apply rickrack to right side with tips of scallops beyond raw edge. Stitch through center and turn on line of stitching to wrong side. Stitch lower edge of rickrack.

c. Turn in narrow hem and baste. Apply rickrack to the right side so that half extends beyond edge and stitch through center. Various decorative stitches may be used in place of machine stitching.

d. Where rickrack is not applied to edge, baste it to a marked line and stitch it through the center with one or more rows.

3. Edges may be hemstitched and picoted. (See pp. 180, 103.)

4. Top stitch a finished edge by machine, in contrasting thread if desired. Hand done saddle stitching or other decorative stitch may be used, particularly on heavier fabric and on sports clothes.

5. Bands are applied as trims, often in the reverse manner to facings, that is turned to the outside. Bands may be ribbon or self-fabric; flat, gathered, pleated or tucked. For professional results, use the machine edge stitcher or zigzag stitch. Miter corners. Bands are often used to mend worn places on a garment and in remodeling.

a. Double band. Make two bands, stitch all around on three sides, right sides together, trim seams, turn and finish fourth side by hand, turning in raw edges. Used for ties at the front edge of a garment or for bows and other neckline decorative finishes.

b. Turn in both raw edges of band and baste to position on garment. Edge stitch on both sides or catch by hand. Used horizontally or vertically on any part of garment for decoration.

c. Tailor's strap: Turn in raw edges of band so they meet in the center and overcast edges together. Baste to garment and edge stitch on both sides. Used for heavy materials, wools and velvet to decorate neckline, bodice, or skirt.

d. Bands are sometimes buttoned to garments for detachable trim. Make buttonholes in band, and sew buttons onto garment.

e. Entre-deux, known as seam beading and embroidery vein-ing, is a narrow openwork band, which has fabric margins on both sides. It is often used as a trim between seam edges.

Stitch entre-deux to right side, using cording foot to stitch close; trim margin to ⅛ inch, roll material over, whip. Or, trim both thicknesses and overcast.

With very thin material, apply on right side, roll margin and fabric together, whip.

Cut away margin, roll garment edge and whip to entre-deux through openings.

Where edge of garment is to be gathered, roll edge and whip, pulling up thread every fourth stitch or so to gather. Whip gathered edge to entre-deux.

To insert veining in a seam, fold seam allowances back, baste folds to both sides of veining and stitch. Trim seam of garment very close, and hem inner edge of veining to stitching.

6. Commercial embroidery edging is applied with one of the methods described under ruffles (see pp. 121, 122). Miter corners carefully, retaining curves, trim and overcast raw edges. Or, lay in several pleats at corners.

7. Braid can be applied with machine braiding foot which holds braid in place and stitches through the center. If fabric puckers, sew over paper and tear paper away later. Make a hole to push braid to wrong side of fabric, and fasten the ends. The machine underbraider is a little more difficult to use. Braid is used for decorative effects.

a. Apply wide braid as a binding, encasing raw edge of garment. Stitch fabric and both braid edges together.

b. Narrow braid is applied to right side, stitching at one side, and leaving other side free.

c. Braid may be applied by hand, with tiny stitches on one side and longer stitches, about ¼ inch, on wrong side. To make stitches invisible on right side, take a stitch through material and then through underside of braid.

d. To transfer braiding patterns to material, use hot iron transfer patterns. Where hot application will spoil the fabric, stitch through several layers of paper and through the fabric, without any thread. Apply braid with one layer of paper and tear paper away later.

e. Soutache braid is applied with braider or by hand. It is sometimes inserted inside a seam like cording to give a similar effect.
f. Passementerie is braid in fancy motifs. Use it judiciously, so that garment is not over trimmed. Heavy passementerie may be hemmed by hand to garment through its finished edge.

g. Some braids can be applied with methods described under rickrack.

8. Cording and piping with contrasts, as described under seams, make good edge trims (see pp. 100, 101). Stitch bias strips as above and turn. Fold again lengthwise and overcast edges together. Baste to garment in a straight line or a shaped motif and stitch. Or, make bias strip in cord, baste and stitch with cording foot. Apply as described under seams. (See pp. 100, 101.)

9. Fringed edge:

a. Draw a thread; stitch or overcast close to drawn thread; pull out all threads below.

b. Wind strands of yarn or thread around piece of cardboard. Stitch across top, cut through bottom. Tear away paper below stitching, stitch turned edge of garment to top of fringe. Pull out remaining paper. If desired, whip over top, dividing fringe into groups of threads.

c. Tied fringe. Make fringe as above, whipping threads over top to divide into groups of two. Tie from the left, first pair with one thread of second. Tie threads together in groups of twos, one thread from each group across entire row. For second row, tie two threads of first pair, then continue as

before across row. Make as many rows as desired.

d. Another method is to make fringe with needle threaded with double strands of yarn. Make a stitch in garment edge, pulling needle through loop before tightening thread. The needle is rethreaded for each stitch. Make fringe as full as desired and tie as described on pages 167, 168.

10. Tassels: Wind yarn around cardboard to desired thickness and tie with separate piece at top. Cut yarn across bottom, pull out cardboard, tie another strand around about ½ inch from the top, leaving one long end to wrap around tassel several times. Thread a needle with this end, and insert needle in center to hold firm.

11. Pompoms: Wind yarn around cardboard about half as wide as the finished pompom is to be. Make yarn thickness about as wide as the cardboard is. Pull out cardboard. Tie through center. Cut both ends. Trim to a round ball.

12. Self-trim edgings:

a. Saw-toothed edge: Cut straight strips 2½ inches wide. Fold lengthwise through center. Cut a pattern of heavy paper and trace on material. Stitch on marking, cut off excess fabric and clip to points. Turn right side out, baste, press. Turn in raw edge of garment. Apply edging with one of methods described under ruffles, or with facing stitched on right side over edging, turned to wrong side and slip stitched.

b. Pointed edging: Cut lengthwise strips l¼ inches wide. Cut into squares and fold diagonally once and then again. Baste onto right side of garment, edges together, overlapping points. Baste bias facing on top, stitch all together, trim seam, turn bias to wrong side, slip stitch to position.

c. Looped edging: Make lengthwise strips about l¼ inches wide. Fold lengthwise and stitch about ¼ inch from edge. Turn inside out, press. Cut pieces exactly the same size, put ends together to form loop and baste to garment with even spacing, using same method as for pointed edging.

d. Scalloped edge: Draw scalloped design on paper and trace on fabric. Cut out two strips, sew around curves, right sides together. Trim, clip, turn, baste scallops, and apply to fabric as above. Miter corners so that two scallops joined make one wide corner scallop.

e. Cartridge pleat: Seep. 116.

f. Ruffles: Seep. 121.

g. Bindings, facings, bands: See pp. 125-128.

h. Braided strips: Cut out bias strips, fold in half, right sides together, and stitch ¼ inch from edge. Turn inside out with safety pin or bodkin, press. Take several strips and attach to one piece at top. Braid over and under, beginning at right, stitch to garment.

Self Trim Edgings

13. Lace: All-over lace, cut like fabric, must have its edges finished.

a. Hemstitch and picot or sew on lace picot edging by hand with tiny running stitches. Roll raw edge on wrong side.

b. Stitch near edge and hand roll edge to inside.

To gather lace, pull the thread at the straight edge to desired fullness, or whipstitch over edge, pulling up thread every few stitches to gather. Usually twice as much lace as the space to which it is to be applied is used.

To make a lace insertion, baste lace onto right side. Use a satin stitch (p. 179) or fine running stitch at joining. Cut away fabric underneath, and hand roll raw edges, catching in lace. Or, appliqué with zigzag stitching, the machine zigzagger, hemming, Over handing , or blanket stitching. To put a lace insertion in lace fabric, overcast or zigzag stitch.

How To Work With Lace

To turn corners, make a miter with tiny, close, Overcastting stitches so that the effect is like a fine cord. Cut away excess. Or, make little pleats around corners, preserving the curve.

To join lace, match the design and overhand. Applying lace to garment for decorative effects: Use one of following methods:

a. On raw edge, apply lace right sides together, straight edge of lace 1/16 inch beyond seam line. Stitch on seam line, turn back hem and stitch or hem by hand.

b. On finished edge, baste lace to edge and stitch. Attach lace on right or wrong side.

c. Overhand loosely to finish hem.

d. Apply lace on right side ¼ inch from edge with tiny running stitches. Roll raw edge on wrong side.

e. French hem: Turn in raw edge ¼ inch; ½ inch below fold, crease material and bring to fold, forming a small pleat on wrong side. Overhand lace to folded edges.

f. On scalloped or irregular edge, baste lace on to right side with very careful basting line. On inside, overhand along basting line so that effect is like fine cord.

g. With entre-deux, hand roll hem, catching in margin and lace.

14. Other trims: Tucked, pleated or shirred sections. Lacing woven through holes punched with a stiletto. Bows, ties, flowers, detachable collars and cuffs, jabots, etc.

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