# The New Dressmaker/Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26
BIAS TRIMMINGS
Bands or Folds—Lined Fold—Piped Fold—Double Folds—Milliners' Fold—Tailors' Strap—Cording—Corded Tuck—Piping—Cord Piping—Bias Bindings—Rolled Hem
Ill. 287. Unlined Fold BANDS OR FOLDS USED AS TRIMMING are made in a variety of ways. They may be lined, unlined, double of the material, or piped at the edges. Cut the band the required width, allowing for a turning at both edges.
THE UNLINED FOLD (Ill. 287) is made with its lower edge basted up in a hem and stitched evenly from the right side. The upper edge is turned over, and the band is then basted into position on the garment. The upper edge is stitched through the garment, making the one stitching serve two purposes. (Ill 287.)
Ill. 288. Lined Fold
THE LINED FOLD is finished before it is applied to the garment. Cut a strip of lining as wide as the band should be when completed. Baste it evenly on the wrong side of the strip of material, turning both edges down over it. (Ill. 288.) Catch-stitch the edges to the lining, (Ill. 288) and the fold is ready for use. (Ill. 288.)
Ill. 289. Piped Fold THE PIPED FOLD is one in which a cord or piping (see page 131) has been applied to the edges with one or more rows of machine-stitching to give it a tailored finish. (Ill. 289.)
DOUBLE FOLDS are made of bias strips cut twice the width desired for the finished band with turnings or seam allowances extra. Fold them over on the center line and baste them flat. Turn the two raw edges in and baste them together. (Ill. 290.) Then join them neatly with slip-stitches, and apply to the garment by hand. If machine-stitching is desired, baste the fold in place first and then stitch. These folds are frequently used as a trimming in the place of tucks.
Ill. 290. Double Fold A MILLINERS' FOLD is made by turning the top edge of the strip over one-half the width of the finished fold. Bring up the lower turned-under edge, covering the raw upper edge. (Ill. 291.) Sew flat with slip-stitching, fine running stitches, or by machine. (Ill. 291.)
​Ill. 291. Stitched Miliners' Fold If the material is very sheer, it is a good plan to have a small strip of paper, not quite the width of the fold, to slip along within the fold as the work progresses. If pressing is necessary, use only a warm iron.
Crêpe folds are cut on the straight of the goods, so that the crinkles will run diagonally.
Ill. 292. Making Tailors' Strap TAILORS' STRAPS are folded bands used to strap seams, or as an ornamental trimming on tailored garments. They may be cut on the bias if of velvet or taffeta; crosswise if of woolen; lengthwise if of cotton materials. Fold the strip at the center and catch the raw edges together with loose whip-stitches as shown in Illustration 292. Spread out the fold and press it well. Baste into position on the garment and stitch by machine on both edges.
CORDING is a very useful trimming and is made with bias strips and Germantown or eider-down wool. The bias strips should be about an inch and a quarter wide. Fold the strips lengthwise through the center and run a seam a quarter of an inch from the fold edge. With the strips still wrong side out, slip the ends of several strands of Germantown or eider-down wool far enough into one end of the tube-like covering so that you can sew them securely to it. Then with the loop end of a wire hairpin push the wool farther and farther into the covering, at the same time turning the covering right side out. (Ill. 293.) Ill. 293. Pushing the Wool Through
Ill. 294. Cord Motif When cording is used to form a motif, stamp the motif on ordinary wrapping-paper. The cordings are first basted in place on the design with the seam uppermost so that the right side of the motif will be next the paper. They are then sewed together at the points of intersection and contact. (Ill. 294.)
A CORDED TUCK is shown in Illustration 295. The illustration shows the cord being put into the tuck for trimming. Mark the trimming line for the cord with colored thread. Hold the cord underneath with the left hand and enclose it in a tuck, sewing it with fine, even running stitches as close to the cord as possible. (Ill. 295.) Ill. 295. Corded Tuck
CORD PIPING is shown in Illustration 296. A bias strip of material is used for the pipings. The cord is run in the same way as for tuck cording and the piping is applied to ​Ill. 296. Cord Piping the edge the same way as a plain piping.(Ill. 298.)
PIPING is a finish which is much used in dressmaking. It is easy to use and gives an opportunity for attractive color combinations. It can be applied along the edge or included in a seam.
Cut bias strips an inch and a quarter wide, if the material to be used for the piping is firm, like taffeta, etc. If a loosely woven material is used, the strips should be a trifle wider. Join all the strips, as described on page 15, and press the seams open. Then fold the strip over at the center line and baste it flat, being careful not to let it become twisted.
Next prepare the edge of the material to which the piping is to be applied. If desired, cut a lining three-eighths of an inch narrower than the pattern or the piece to be lined. Baste this lining into position as shown in Illustration 297.
If the edge forms a fancy outline, as illustrated here, turn the edges over evenly all around, clipping at the corners and folding in at the points where necessary. (Ill. 298.) Then run a basting-thread an even width (about three-eighths of an inch) around the edge to serve as a guide. Next baste on the piping, following this line closely. Be careful
| Ill. 297. Lining Basted to Material | Ill. 298. Under Side Showing Piping Clipped at Corners | Ill. 299. Right Side of Completed Piping |
to avoid any scantiness at the points or bulginess at the corners, Illustration 299 shows the right side of a pointed edge neatly piped.
BIAS BINDINGS make attractive finishes either in same or contrasting material or color. Cut bias strips of material twice the width of the finished binding plus ⅜ of an inch for a seam on each edge.
Join all the strips (Ill. 15, page 15), press the seams open. Sew the binding on the right side of the garment and then turn it to the wrong side. Hem it by hand or machine to the first line of sewing. Be careful not to let the bias strips twist.
Ill. 300. The Rolled Hem Bias bindings, instead of being turned in and blind-stitched on the wrong side, can be turned in on the right side and held down by running stitches, about three-eighths of an inch long, worked in embroidery silk, wool or embroidery cotton of a contrasting color.
A ROLLED HEM makes a very pretty finish for bias or straight trimming bands. It can only be used on a straight edge and can not be used on a curved edge.
An allowance of one and a half inches will have to be made on the edge for this hem. Fold the edge over on the right side and sew one-quarter of an inch from the fold (Ill. 300). Then turn under the raw edge one-quarter of an inch and hem it over the stitches on the wrong side (Ill. 300). The hem must look round like a cord when finished—not flat (Ill. 300).