Making a Jacket: Part III
comments (0) June 6th, 2008
Ann Steeves, contributor
6 users recommend
Try combining two or more trims to make one custom trim that's perfect for your design.
Photo: Ann Steeves
In the end, I preferred the centered application, with fringe on both sides of the leathers. I basted the braided piping to the wool strip first, then I stitched the patent strapping over it, securing both to the backing. This gave me a whole new look.
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These are my three trims, joined to create one fabulous, custom trim. |
Attach the Trim
Once the trim was prepared, I attached it to the outside of my jacket using a prickstitch, similar to the way you hand-insert a zipper. This allowed me to place my trim precisely. I mitered the corners to achieve a smooth look. Once the trim was attached, I created the fringe by pulling threads.
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Create a fringe look by pulling threads. |
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The final jacket almost looks like a whole new garment! |
Some Helpful Hints when Working with Trim
Here are some hints that helped me choose my trim. Hopefully they'll be useful to you, too.
1. Watch your proportions. Too large a trim will overpower a garment. Too small a trim will be lost.
2. Bring your garment with you when trim shopping. By having the whole garment rather than just a swatch of fabric, you'll get an exact idea of how a trim will look. Sometimes you aren't able to complete the garment before shopping for the trim: for instance when you're buying piping to put on a jacket edge. In that case, complete the garment to the point just before you apply the trim, and bring it with you.
3. Avoid home-dec trims. That's not a hard and fast rule, but I have found that, unless you have something completely unique, home-dec trims (especially rayon gimp or passementerie trims) are readily identifiable as such. Here's a true story: I once sat next to a lady who was wearing a beautiful jacket she had made, and it was trimmed with the exact same braid that trimmed the sofa on which we were seated!
4. Don't be afraid to mix and match! Just as I did here, you can combine trims to create a whole new look. Most designers don't use ready-to-sew trims. By combining trims, you create a look that is uniquely yours.
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