Improvements in Skirt or Garment Bindings.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Skirt or Garment Bindings.
I, LUCIAN FLANDERS HOWE, President of the Stewart, Howe & May. Co.,
Manufacturers of Skirt Bindings, of 131, Spring Street, in the City, County and
State of New York, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement;-
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My invention is particularly directed to that class of bindings for skirts and other
garments, having a "pile" or "brush" edging but it may have a wider applica-
tion. A well-known method of forming such bindings, with the brush in one
with the fabric or web-portion of the binding, is to weave a strip of fabric of double
width-the warp threads being omitted from a longitudinal portion down
the centre of the double width strip. When this double-width strip
is divided into two strips by a longitudinal cut, two pieces adapted to
serve as binding strips are formed, each having a woven web and a fringe or
brush on one edge of such web. To provide enough fibre for a heavy "brush,"
the web portion of the strip has to be made correspondingly heavy. It is advan-
tageous to have the portion of this web immediately adjacent to the "brush"
rather heavy and unyielding as a backing for the brush," but the edge which,
when applied to the garment, becomes the upper or inner edge, should be as soft,
flexible, light and extensible as possible and this portion of the web is therefore
preferably made thinner than the portion adjacent to the "brush." Where this
result has been achieved by weaving the whole strip in such manner as to put less
material into the upper or inner edge of the web than into the part adjacent to
the "brush," difficulties in manufacturing have had to be overcome, and, the result-
ing product, an all-woven binding, not as salable an article as one having the
upper or inner edge of some such very soft, flexible, light and extensible fabric as
bias-cut velveteen, velvet or corduroy.
Some of the disadvantages above pointed out are avoided when the binding is
prepared in another manner which is also well-known, and in which the portion
of the binding adjacent to the "brush" is made quite narrow and of thick enough
fabric to provide a thick "brush" and an upper or inner portion or strip has been
sewed or otherwise attached to one side of it. But this method of manufacture has
also its disadvantages. Where the two strips of fabric are so sewed or attached
together, heavy and unsightly ridges or thickened parts are formed, caused by
the extra thickness of the outside or "brush" portion and the doubling of the
upper or inner portion so as to conceal the rough raw edge and these ridges or
thickened parts not only make the article unsalable by reason of its unsightliness
but, when the binding is applied to the garment, interfere with the proper smooth-
ing of the garment down to the edge and cause ridges or marks on the dress
material or distortion of the lining where the smoothing iron passes over the
thickened parts or where its motion is interrupted thereby.
The object of the present invention is to obviate all of these objections and to
produce a binding having a heavy or thick lower or outer edge, and a thinner, softer,

page_text: lighter, and more flexible and better appearing upper or inner edge and which-
when applied to the garment presents no unsightly and inconvenient ridges or
thickened portions. To these ends, I preferably weave, braid or otherwise form
that portion of the binding which is to form the lower or outer edge: when attached
to the garment, of a double web, united along the part adjacent to the "brush."
The upper portion of the binding-preferably a strip of bias-cut velveteen, velvet
or corduroy, is placed with its lower edge between the two members of this double
web, and attached thereto by sewing or otherwise. Of the double webs,
to make the one which will be exposed when the binding is applied to the garment,
somewhat narrower than the other, and it may be, and preferably is, made some-
what thicker and of better material than the other.
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チラ
prefer
A binding constructed in this manner may have a "brush" of any thickness
desired, a correspondingly heavy "head or backing immediately adjacent thereto,
and a suitably thin, soft, flexible and extensible web or upper portion. It permits
the use of velveteen or corduroy to form the main body of the web. It presents
no ribs or thickened portions and therefore when it is used on a garment the latter
may be smoothed right down to the edge, without the causing of any marks on its
surface or the distorting of the binding. A saving in width and therefore in the
cost of the velveteen or corduroy portion without diminution of the width of the
binding arises from the fact that the velveteen or corduroy does not have to be
turned over or folded so as to conceal the raw edge but is laid straight between the
two parts or webs of the "head" or lower portion. As above stated the two webs
of the head portion may be of different thickness and of different material.
the narrower one may be woven of superior material and with an ornamental finish
or design not necessary for the other web which will be hidden from view when the
binding is used. It is a peculiarity of the binding made in accordance with my
present invention, that the binding has a tendency to conform to the edge of the
garment, instead of tending to fall away from the edge as do other bindings. It
is thus more easily applied and is less apt to distort the edge of the garment. It
is also a peculiarity of my new binding that the bias-cut velveteen forming the
upper or inner part of it, does not curl, pucker or fall over as it does on bindings
where the edge of the velveteen is turned over preparatory to attaching the "brush
or wear edge. Other advantages of my method of construction will be stated here-
after.
Thus
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Referring to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specifi-
cation:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of skirt-binding attached to a skirt.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic section of the duplicate web form in which the fabric
is originally made up.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 show successive steps in the making up and application of
the skirt-binding.
I first form, by any suitable means, a duplicate web, such as shown in Figure 2,
the same including two webs 1 and 2, each of which is formed in duplicate on
each side of the center-line x-x. One of the webs, as 1, may extend out further
on either side than the other web 2, and the weft threads of each web will extend
from one extreme side to the other. The webs are however preferably not woven
or braided at the central portion, and the two webs are woven or braided together
on each side of this central portion and immediately adjacent thereto by threads
indicated at 3. This portion of the fabric is thereby rendered of double thickness,
and it may be further thickened up by the insertion of extra warp threads which
may be arranged in bundles as indicated at 4, so as to give a substantial, heavy
and comparatively stiff head or edge. The narrow web 2 is preferably woven
thicker than web 1 and may have any desired ornamental finish or design. On
cutting this fabric along the line in Figure 2, two identical fabrics are secured,
the loose threads 5 at the inner sides forming a pile or fringe, and the two flaps
or divisions of the fabric being joined together along the head or thick portion 8
adjacent to this fringe, and extending outward therefrom in a bifurcated manner,

page_text: as indicated in Figure 3. The upper part 6 of the skirt binding, preferably a strip
of bias-cut velveteen, is then inserted in this bifurcation of the binding, between
the web portions 1, 2 and is sewed thereto as indicated in Figure 4 by stitches 7
or otherwise attached. This completes the skirt-binding, the same consisting of
the bias-cut strip 6, the two web portions 1, 2 the thickened head 8 formed by
their junction and by the extra warp threads 4 and the fringe 5 extending from
said head.
This binding is attached to the skirt or garment, indicated at 9 in Figures 1
and 5, by sewing its lower edge thereto as indicated at 11 in Figure 5, and then
sewing it to the skirt at the upper edge as indicated at 10. The thickness of the
woven or braided portions 1, 2 is divided on the two sides of the velveteen strip 6,
giving a very smooth finish and it will be noted that the extension of web portion 1
beyond web 2, adds to the smoothing-out effect of the binding, and enables the
binding to be more easily handled, adjusted and attached to other fabrics, for the
webs 1, 2 can be more readily separated than would be the case if their edges were
even. The lower edge of the bias-cut strip 6 does not need to be, and preferably
should not be, turned over in this binding as it is protected by the webs or flaps 1,
2, and this further contributes to the smoothness of the binding, by avoiding any
unsightly bulge and saves expense by lessening the width of velveteen necessary.
In the claims, a "web" portion is intended to include that flat portion of the
article above or within the brush" however it be produced. An edging may be
provided in other ways than by forming a fringe on the lower or outer edge of the
double-web head portion, for example, a separate edge, piece or pieces of any suit-
able material may be fastened thereto, or the head portion itself may be made
sufficiently heavy to act as an edging.
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Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1: A skirt or garment binding having a suitable edging and a head portion
comprising two webs united together and to said edging, substantially as set forth.
2: A skirt or garment binding having a suitable edging, a head portion com-
prising two webs united together and to said edging and a strip of fabric inserted
between the two webs of said head portion, substantially as set forth.
3: A skirt or garment binding having the fringe or pile edge portion and the
two-web head portion woven or braided in one piece.
4: A skirt or garment binding having a double web portion whose webs are
of different widths.
5: A skirt or garment binding having a double web portion in which the two
webs are of different thicknesses..
Dated this 27th day of August 1898.
LUCIAN FLANDERS HOWE.
Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
LUCIAN FLANDERS HOWE.
Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.