pimpernel petticoat pleating

[jennylafleur]

The Pimpernel petticoat is progressing nicely. I have almost all the pleating done, some of it even sewn down. I have pics too but am too lazy this am to post.

I've also been researching appliqué, which has always scared me, as it's the only way I can think of to do the shark-tooth trim. I don't know, how would you do it? *nudgeSuziahemKatherine* :>

In good news B thinks she can get the Fire beading done and help apply the flames so I may actually get all the trimming done for this CC - cool!

Comments

[joysdaughter.livejournal.com]

Wundaweb! Edge your shark tooth however you want, or bag it out. With those sharp edges, I don't honestly think bagging will be neat enough. Then use either a scrap of wundaweb (double sided iron on sticky like vilene)to hold it in place while you machine or hand sew, or use at full size and just iron on. That's where I'd start at least.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I think I may even have some in the house...

[my-stitching.livejournal.com]

That looks like an awful lot of teeth to sew on by hand in time for the event. Maybe you could use a decorative machine stitch to sew them down?

I can't wait to see the end result!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't even consider it without B's help I assure you! All that I really have to have done is the bodice front and sleeves, the dress skirt and petticoat would be icing on the cake. :>

[jehanni.livejournal.com]

There are a couple of quilter's techniques to do applique.
1. I think the "traditional" folded shark's tooth edging won't give you the elongated dimensions of the costume pic, and besides would be too bulky.

2. The flat lining approach (flat line each triangle, trim seams to 1/4 inch, and turn inside out--then edge-stitch to hems) also sounds pretty tedious, and depending on your fabric, can be bulky. It is good for frayable fabrics like silk though, if you're careful.

3. You could do reverse applique by lining the edges with the trim color (say a 4 inch facing), and cutting away the fashion fabric to reveal the under layer. Then you're needle-turning under all the top edges.

4. Regular applique would be to needle-turn under all the trim edges.

5. Instead of turning under, you could whip the edges. In silk, it'd fray a lot. Also, this kind of applique treatment shows your stitches, so you'd want them to be very even. Some applique uses buttonhole stitch instead of whipstitch...I'm thinking that's "clunkier" thatn the look you're going for.

6. Instead of or in addition to sewing, you can, as suggested, use wonder-under or similar adhesives. In my experience, adhesives un-adhere after a while, leaving your trim flapping...which is why whip stitching might be good as well.

7. You could stencil it in paint, instead of sewing it. :-)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for writing this all out for my reference! You had some things I'd already considered (like adhesives flapping - had that happen!) and a few I hadn’t thought of (like the elongated dimensions - great point!). It's good to see it all in one place! Sounds like it's testing time... :>

[suededsilk.livejournal.com]

All of jehanni's suggestions are good. But one month to CC? Fabric paint or fusing, for your sanity. Getting all the little points right sounds VERY tedious.

Another method is to satin stitch around each applique, perhaps with decorative/shiny thread, so that one half of the stitching is on the garment and one half on the applique. This covers the raw edge without turning, but I don't think it would look very period. That, and it takes a lot of thread!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Painting would be fun but then I'd never be able to wear it for historical events, which seems a waste. :> Thanks!

[jehanni.livejournal.com]

Not so sure about the "never be able to wear it to historical events," since they clearly did paint on fabric historically.

For instance, http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Art/viewOne.asp?dep=8&viewmode=0&item=1995%2E235a%2C+b in MOMA's Costume Institute collection is described as: Dress (Robe à la Française), 1740s and "...this hand-painted silk dress displays the opulence, Orientalism, and insatiable baroque excess of the time." Of course, the painting on it is floral, not geometric. And I have not seen it up close and personal--only in the "new additions" catalog I picked up at a book store several years ago, and online.

But as the subversive I am, I'd say you could paint any design/trim you wanted, on the grounds that painted fabric exists, so we're just arguing about what image the painter renders. I'm more flexible than most that way. ;-)

[tailordrews.livejournal.com]

If you want to make the "shark" trimming with applique, then i would recomend you to use the stuff that irons on both sides, it would help you a lot!

Bjarne

[tailordrews.livejournal.com]

How foolish can you be, sorry, not iron on both sides off cause, only one side...........

Bjarne

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean - thanks! :>

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

The way I would do it would be the already mentioned turn the edges under and sew it down. I'd use an uneven running stitch with just a tiny stitch showing on the outside. There are probably quicker ways to do it though :)

There's a dress with this style trim on p 197 of What Clothes Reveal, and that's what they did. The points aren't pointy though, but rather blunted at the very tip.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I love you Katherine, this is exactly what I was thinking of doing, un-even running stitch and all. More laborious to do but looks best in person. (love that dress - it's a big inspiration in this project!)

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

Hee :)

I think it will look best. And I love the little dots that an uneven running stitch gives. Very period. And it's actually very fast.

I'm actually quite happy that I didn't look at the dress in What Clothes Reveal until after I thought of doing it that way. I love thinking of the way to do something and then finding out it's the period way. It makes me feel very historical or something :)

An easier way to get the edges fold under might be to draw your triangles, an then instead of cutting around them, cut a line in between them, sort of as if you were cutting a piece of pizza in half, and then fold back the extra along the lines you drew and press it. Then trim. Sort of like a gussest, now that I think of it.

Does that make sense? I often find big pieces easier to work with than smaller ones.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of running stitches and use them to hem many things like sleeves and the edges of caps. All the practice of running stitches on my quilted petticoat means I'm pretty fast too, for the world's slowest hand sewer! :>

I'm not sure I get your pizza cutting - I'll have to get out a gusset paly and see if I can figure it out... Thanks!

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I think by that I meant to cut it to the point. I'm just awful at describing things in words sometimes!

I use running stitches all the time too. I'm amused that on my chemise dress I started hemming with running stitches and then continued sewing, oh, a month later? and started using hemming stitches. Oops :)

And very lucky that you saw the dress in person. That seemed like an amazing exhibit...

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh I have to say my mind was already influenced by the blue dress in WCR - I saw it on exhibit and made sure I looked at how the trim was stitched, knowing i would want to do it someday. :> I rather like running stitches anyway, I think they look neat and so period. ;>