# The New Dressmaker/Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29
SEWING ON BRAID, APPLIQUÉ EMBROIDERY, MARABOU AND FUR
Flat or Tubular Braid—Soutache Braid—Appliqué Embroidery—Marabou—Fur
Ill. 341. Sewing on Flat or Tubular Braid SEWING ON FLAT OR TUBULAR BRAID—These braids are sewed from right to left. Fasten the braid on the right and hold it down ahead of you on the line where it is to be sewed. Bring the needle up so that it catches the lower edge of the braid close to the edge, insert the needle in the material as close to where you brought it out as possible. Take a slanting stitch about ⅜ of an inch long bringing the needle out through both the material and braid close to the upper edge. Insert the needle in the material close to where you brought it out and take another slanting stitch ⅜ of an inch long, bringing the needle out through both the material and braid close to the lower edge. (Ill. 341.)
A narrow braid is often used near an edge on waists and dresses to hold the hem or facing.
Ill. 342. Sewing on Soutache Braid Flat SEWING SOUTACHE BRAID—There are two ways of sewing on soutache braid. The simpler is to hold the braid flat over the line of the transfer and sew through the center of the soutache taking a very short stitch on the right side and quite a long one on the under side. (Ill. 342.)
In using a design with a great many sharp turns it is better to sew the soutache so that it stands upright. (Ill. 343.) Hold the braid ahead of you over the line of the transfer as before but hold the soutache upright instead of flat. Ill. 343. Sewing on Soutache Braid Upright Fasten the braid securely at the right, and bring the needle up through the material just catching the lower edge of the braid. Insert the needle as near as possible to where you brought it out, and take a stitch ¼ of an inch long. Bring the needle out through the material catching the lower edge of the braid. (Ill. 343.)
Braiding makes a very effective trimming and the work goes quickly so that even when deep bandings are in fashion one can have a handsome costume with a comparatively small amount of work and expense. All the newest and smartest transfer designs for braiding will be found in NEEDLE-ART while the DELINEATOR and BUTTERICK FASHIONS show the correct use of braid trimmings whenever they are in style.
​Ill. 344. Appliqué Embroidery APPLIQUÉ EMBROIDERY—Shaped pieces of contrasting color can be appliqued on waists, dresses, etc., as a trimming. Usually the pieces are of the same material but in different color, but in some cases you can also use contrasting materials.
Some of the dresses etc., which are trimmed with squares, diamonds and circles of a contrasting material have a little embroidered motif in the center of each applied piece.
Quaint figures of Colonial ladies, Oriental children, etc., are used on dresses and waists. Some of these are applied from contrasting material.
Cut the pieces in any shape and size that you fancy and turn under the edges ⅛ of an inch. Be very careful not to stretch them. Baste them to the garment. The edges may be blanket-stitched to the garment (Ill. 344-B), felled down (Ill. 344-C) or fastened with small running stitches (Ill. 344-A). The blanket-stitching takes the most time but it is also the most effective.
SEWING ON MARABOU—The marabou must be sewed to a double strip of very thin material the color of the marabou. You can use China silk or fine lawn. The width of the strip should be regulated by the width of the marabou. Three-fourths or one-half an inch is about right when folded. Ill. 345. Sewing Strip to Marabou Fold the strip of material lengthwise with the edges lapping just a little. Lay the marabou flat on the table with the least attractive side uppermost. There is always one side that is a little better than the other. Be sure the marabou is flat and that there is no twist to it. Lay the strip over the stem of the marabou with its raw edges next the stem. Pin it in place at intervals and then sew it with stitches about ¾ an inch long. (Ill. 345). Take two stitches in each place so that they will hold firmly. (Ill. 345).
In sewing the marabou to the garment sew both edges of the strip with running stitches. The strip enables you to handle the marabou easily, keep it even, and prevents it from twisting.
HANDLING FUR—Pelts should always be cut with a knife from the wrong side so as not to cut the hair.
Joinings should be made so that all the hair runs one way.
Fur should be sewed with an ordinary short needle and strong cotton thread. Number 30 cotton is about the right weight.
Lay the pelts edge to edge and sew the edges together with an overhand stitch. (Chap. 16, page 82). Be careful to sew through the pelts only, without catching the hair in the sewing. The hair can be pushed through to the right side with the needle and after the sewing is finished the fur can be brushed gently to make the hair lie smooth. In this ​Ill. 346. Finishing the Edges of Fur with Braid or Seam Binding way you will conceal any sign of the joining.
After the joining is made you will find on the wrong side a ridge-like seam. This seam should be dampened and the fur should be stretched out smoothly on a flat board and tacked to it.
The fur should be left on the board until it is thoroughly dry which generally takes about twenty-four hours. In the short haired furs the hair side of the pelt can be laid next to the board, but in heavier furs the pelt is laid face down.
SEWING ON FUR—In most cases the edges of fur must be finished with braid or seam binding the color of the fur. Overhand the edge of the braid or seam binding to the edge of the fur (Ill. 346), turn it over the edge of the fur and cat-stitch it to the pelt as illustrated. (Ill. 346.) Sew it on to the garment through the braid or seam binding using a slip stitch.
This is the best way to handle most furs. In the case of a fur in which the pelt is not the same color as the fur itself as in undyed furs, the binding is absolutely necessary.
When the pelt is the same color as the fur, as in dyed furs or in white furs and the hair is long enough to cover the edge of the pelt nicely, this braid or seam binding may be omitted and the sewing done right through the pelt. In this case sew the edge of the pelt to the material with a hemming stitch. This is of course a simpler method and it is the best method to use in sewing fur to transparent materials for the binding or braid adds to the weight of the fur.