A Complete Course in Dressmaking/Lesson 3/Trimming for underwear

by Isabel De Nyse Conover

TRIMMING FOR UNDERWEAR

Sewing on Lace: Just at the present time, it is filet, crochet and Valenciennes laces that are the most used on underwear. Nothing has come to quite take the place of the dainty frill, of lace at the neck, sleeves and armholes of the chemise. It’s a popular lower edge finish for step-in and envelope chemises, too. Drawers and bloomers also have their share of it.

Sometimes it is put on without fullness. This finish is especially practical for everyday underwear which stands frequent launderings. The plain lace irons so much easier.

To Put on Lace without Fullness: place the lace along the edge of the right side of the garment with the top of the lace a seam’s width back from the edge of the garment. (See Fig. 1.) Stitch along the top of the lace. Then, from the wrong side of the garment, cut off all but an eighth of an inch of the seam. Fold back and turn in the raw edge as shown in Fig 2. Stitch along the top of the lace a second time. This second stitching holds the creased edge of the seam on the wrong side. If you prefer to finish the garment by hand,
Fig. (1) First stitching in sewing on lace edging roll the raw edge of the fabric and whip on the lace with over-and-over stitches as shown in Fig. 3. If you want to gather the lace before sewing it to the garment,

Fig. (2) The second stitching holds the edge of the garment securely

push the lace back on the heavy cord that is woven in all lace at the top. (See Fig. 4.)

Where the lace joins, catch it together with over-and-over stitches, as shown in Fig. 5.

A Medallion: What could be prettier than swiss embroidered and edged with a Valenciennes insertion and inset on the front of a batiste nightgown? Fig. (3) Sewing on lace by hand There are all kinds of lace, net and embroidered organdie and swiss medallions to make chemises, nightgowns, camisoles and even bloomers and drawers the more to be desired.

Fig. (4) The draw string is woven in the top of lace edging

Fig. (5) Where lace joins, whip it together with over-and-over stiches

If you go about insetting the medallion in the right way, there isn’t very much work. However, don’t cut away the material and try to whip the medallion to the raw edges. It won’t make a nice finish.

Fig. (6) Mark the lace design on your pattern To inset the medallion and insertion, mark the desired position of the medallion and insertion on pattern. (See Fig. 6.) Then lay the pattern on the garment and go over the lines which are marked on the pattern with a tracing wheel. Baste the medallion in place on right side of garment, and then baste the insertion in place, lapping it over the medallion. (See Fig. 7.) Turn corners of insertion squarely as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Stitch along edges of insertion. Turn the garment wrong side out and cut material from under insertion and medallion, leaving one-eighth of an inch on edge of medallion to turn back and the same amount of material at the outer edges of the lace insertion. (See Fig. 10.) Fold back and turn under these raw edges and stitch the second time as shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. (7) Sewing on an embroidered medallion and lace Insets of any size or shape can be made and insertion put on in any design by following this method of marking the finished design on the pattern and tracing it on the goods.

Embroidered Edging: Where durability is to be considered, choose an embroidered edging. You can buy attractive flowered and spot designs from three-quarters of an inch wide up.

Fig. (8) Fold a pleat at the corner of the lace

Fig. (9) The mitered corner completed

There are places where no other trimming but an embroidered edge will seem to give just the right finish. Fig. (10) Cut off the material under the lace The everyday chemise, for instance, must be serviceable, and yet you want to give it just a touch of fancy work. The top of a brassiere must have a strong finish as well as an ornamental one.

When you are trmming your garment remember to make one stitching do the work of two wherever it is possible. Don't finish your material under the lace edge and then sew on your embroidered edging. The edging can be made to serve as a facing.

Fig. (11) Insetting lace insertion

In sewing on embroidered edging, place the edging on the right side of the garment along the edge with the right side of the edging next to the right side of the goods. Fig. (12) Embroidered edging stitched the first time Stitch along the edge. (See Fig. 12.) Cut off the raw edge of the garment to within one-eighth of an inch of the stitching. Then turn under the raw edge of the embroidered edging and turn it onto the wrong side of the goods. Stitch in place, as shown in Fig. 13.

Rose Trimming: The one thing to be desired in embroidery for underwear is daintiness. The work must be delicately wrought and in keeping with the fineness of the texture. Just a tiny wreath of roses here and there is a pretty way of dressing up the best chemise or nightie.

Fig. (13) The second stitching in joining embroidered edging to the garment

Fig. 14 shows an easy-to-copy pattern. The circle is worked in running stitches. You will find these described in Hand Sewing in Lesson I. A charming effect can be gained by using pale blue strand cotton for the circle and pink strand cotton for the roses. Or vary the roses—pink, lavender, light green and yellow.

Fig. (14) A tiny circle of roses makes a pretty underwear trimming The petals of the roses are formed by wrapping the cotton around the needle as shown in Fig. 15. Then turn the needle around as in Fig. 16.Fig. (15) Wrapping the embroidery cotton around the needle to make the outline of the rose Insert it about one-eighth of an inch from where it was first brought out of the goods. Fig. 17 is an enlarged view of one of the little roses.

Circles about two inches across are pretty, too, in feather stitching. This stitch is described in detail in Lesson IX. The little roses are effective worked in French

Fig. (16) Reverse the needle before inserting it

knots; a group of the French knots being used for each petal and to fill the center. French knots are also described in Lesson IX.

Chain Stitch: Here is another simple embroidery stitch that can be used for circles scattered here and there or to outline the edge of a garment.

Fig. (17) The finished rose To Work Chain Stitch, knot the embroidery cotton and pass the needle from the wrong to the right side of the goods. Fig. (18) The correct position of the needle in working chain stitch Insert the point of the needle near where it came out the first time and bring it out this time about one-quarter of an inch beyond, looping the cotton under it. Bring it out and repeat as before. (See Fig. (18) A design suitable for chain-stitch or running stitch is shown in Fig. 19.

Fig. (19) An easy-to-copy embroidery design Appliqued Flowers: Batiste, fine muslin and handkerchief linen underwear is made colorful with appliqued flowers and fruit. One of the favored combinations is old rose applique on white.

Fig. (20) A design for applique and embroidery This idea can be carried out splendidly in a rose design, as shown in Fig. 20. Embroider the leaves in running stitch, using white mercerized cotton. Cut the flowers out of old rose handkerchief linen, allowing seams beyond the edges. Turn under the edges and baste them, as shown in Fig. 21. Pin the roses in place and catch them to the goods with over-and-over stitches, as shown in Fig. 22. Place the stitches close together

Fig. (21) The edges of the appliqued flower turned under and basted

Fig. (22) Sew on the appliqued fruit with over-and-over stitches

and make them about one-eighth of an inch long. Keep them as even as possible. At the center of each rose work several over-and-over stitches. Use the white mercerized cotton for appliquing the roses in place.

If you do not care for the rose and white scheme, try lavender on pink or black net cherries on an old rose chemise or nightgown. Another attractive combination is light green applique work on a yellow garment.

Scalloped Trimmings: Your trimming won't cost anything extra if you use folds of the material for scallops at the edges. It's just about as smart a finish as you can give a muslin or silk undie too.

There are just three steps in making it. First cut your folds. You will remember
Fig. (23) Stitching the fold that you learned how to cut bias folds in Lesson 11. Fold the bias as shown in Fig. 23 and stitch along the edge. To turn the fold right side out, fasten a bodkin to one end by catching a thread to one end of the fold, passing it through the eye of the bodkin and then catching it to the fold again. Pass the bodkin through the center of the fold. It will turn it right side out without any trouble.

Fig. (24) Facing on the scalloped trimming.

Press the fold and cut it into even lengths. Gather the inner edge of each fold to form it into a scallop. Pin the scallops to the garment on the right side along the edge with the round side of the scallop inward. Cover with a bias fold and stitch, as shown in Fig. 24.

Fig. (25) The scalloped trimming finished

Turn the bias fold onto the wrong side, fold under the free edge of the bias fold and stitch as shown in Fig. 25.

Lace Tabs: If you have a neck edge that you want to draw up on a ribbon, the tab trimming shown in Fig. 26 will give a unique finish. Not only is it used for underwear but also for blouses and children's dresses. You can vary the material used for the tabs, too. Those illustrated are lace but they are also pretty made of double faced ribbon or just folds of the material.

Fig. (26) Tabs of lace make a decorative edge

If you are using lace insertion for the tabs, cut it into even lengths. Fold it into loops and place the loops on the right side of the goods along the edge with the raw edges of the tabs along the outer edge of the garment. Cover with a bias fold and stitch, as described in stitching the scalloped trimming to the edge.

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