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Trim attachment query

I am making a pants and tunic outfit for my sister. She works in home care, wearing a lab coat over her regular clothing. I have a dark brown stretch cotton (fairly heavy) and want to attach some beautiful beads- on-a-ribbon trim. Beads are about 2" long from a narrow ribbon.

Here's the rub. How do I get it to lay fairly flat around the neckline? Tiny tucks?? Machine easing on the top of the ribbon?? The rest of the trim is pretty straight lines except from the shoulder seam to the neckline slit. I want to put this on by machine......would love to do a faggoting machine stitch with a bit of Gutterman metallic (brown or a subtle brass shade)..........but the zipper foot gets in the way, and any kind of regular foot is going to ride up on the beading attachments and distort things pretty badly I think.

Have you ever done this?? If you have a good idea please post it!! Many thanks.

Pat in Arkansas

Reply to
Pat in Arkansas
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I'd used a beading foot to match the size of the beads you are attaching. If you don't have one of these, a cording foot might help? You said you've tried a zipper foot, that would have been my last option after the two above.

To get it to lay flat, why not run a gathering thread around the edge and slightly gather it in place. This thread could be taken out once you've sewn the bead trim.

Hope this helps? Bronwyn ;-)

Pat > I am making a pants and tunic outfit for my sister. She works in home

Reply to
HC

Pat,

I haven't put beaded fringe on necklines, but I've put it everywhere else almost. ;) I always put it on first with Wash Away Wonder Tape. Do you have some of that? Hancock's carries it and if they happen to be out, let me know I have a big stash of it. :)

Usually I put the tape on the ribbon first. Then peel the backing and press the ribbon onto the garment a little at a time. You could try that. If it's a gentle curve, usually you can just kind of fuss with the ribbon and get it to lay around all right. (sometimes you have to cuss it while you fuss with it lol) If you do tucks, that will change how the beads fall, so look at it first and see if it's how you want it.

Now, here's my other super secret trick. ;) I keep a roll of scotch tape in the sewing room too. After I have the ribbon stuck down with the wonder tape, I put some scotch tape over the beads to hold them out of the way. I came up with that right after the first time I hit a bead with the needle. Broke the bead, the string it was hanging on (which meant all the other beads on that string went flying) and the needle. I said a lot of cuss words that day.

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

Use painter's (blue) tape instead, its less sticky and less likely to pull off any finish on the beads. I do this for beaded trims added to home decor items. A

Reply to
AC

One last question.......the ribbon is supposed to show above the beads----right?? Or do I have to put it on and then turn??......that sounds dumb I am sure...........

Thanks for the tips!! I am so pleased to know I am not trying to teach a pig to sing!!! LOLOLOLOL

Seriously, I will get some wonder tape and some painter tape and try my hand. Fortunately I have way more than I need of the trim, so I can experiment a bit.

Many thanks again!!

Pat in Arkansas

Reply to
Pat in Arkansas

Ooooh. Now there's a cool idea!!! Thanks. ;) Usually (since it lives in my sewing room) the scotch tape is half covered in lint. lol Surprisingly, that takes down the tackiness of the tape considerably. heh heh

Thanks!!

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

I usually put the ribbon on the inside of the garment. You do what you want with it. You could put the ribbon on the inside, flip the beads to the outside and top stitch over the threads. Or you could leave the ribbon on the outside to give a little more bling. Whatever looks best to you. (How's that for a vague non-answer. )

'Round here it'd have to be a Hawg anyway. lol (trying to get the sooo-eeeee down.)

Very welcome. Sing out if you need any more help. Spring break this week so I will be home quite a bit.

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

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