Readers,
Just checking in.
I ran samples of the red flat piping I mentioned in my previous post. I thought it would be fun to have a dash of red to liven up the pale blue jacket lining
I followed directions in the book Sewing Edges and Corners: Decorative Techniques for Your Home and Wardrobe by Linda Lee.
My results got a little better with practice. But even seemingly simple techniques can be tricky. As you can see, the amount of red peeking out varies a little bit. This is mainly because the piping is cut on the bias, which is stretchy. If I stretch the piping the least little bit in places as I stitch it to the lining, the piping will be narrower in those places, creating an unwelcome uneven appearance.
I bet there’s a trick to applying piping evenly that I’ll either find or discover for myself. But I’m really pleased with the energy the red brings to the sedate light blue lining.
I just began sampling bound buttonholes to get the right dimensions. Here’s the first one. In closeup the buttonhole falls short of perfect, but from a foot or more away it’s okay. I’ll do a few more practice runs before I go stitching and slashing five buttonholes in the jacket front. I wouldn’t object to perfection, but realistically, what I’ll aim for is consistency in length, width, and evenness of buttonholes.
What has taken the most time isn’t easy to capture in images. I researched interfacings further, and then called my sewing mentor, Edith. Over the phone we discussed what kind of support every piece of the jacket might need. You want to provide enough support, but not more. You can easily overdo interfacing and the garment can feel unnaturally stiff.
A corollary to Edith’s “Do not over-fit” is “Do not over-interface.”
The goal is crispness and wrinkle-resistance without changing the essential character of this natural fiber. I want linen on its best behavior, you might say. I’ll experiment with fusible and sew-in; woven, non-woven, and knit interfacings to find some that will give light, inconspicuous support.
And with that, Readers, this post draws to a close. May your sewing endeavors receive all the light, inconspicuous support you desire.
