Chapter 7

TRIMMINGS

MILLINER'S FOLD--

Cut from a piece of velvet, satin, or any fabric which is to be used, a bias strip one and one-half inches wide and of the desired length. This must be on a true bias, which is found by placing the warp and woof threads parallel. Any other bias is called a garment bias. Hold the wrong side toward you and turn the bottom edge up on the wrong side toward you and up to the center and baste close to the edge. The basting thread must be loose enough to permit the fold to be stretched. Leave the basting in. Next fold the other raw edge down until the two edges meet, but do not baste. Fold again, keeping this last fold one-quarter of an inch or a little less from the other folded edge. Hold in place and slipstitch down. Slip the needle through the edge of the fold and take a long stitch, then, going down through to the other side, take a short stitch. Come back through a little under the fold to hide the stitch. Slip the needle along the edge of the fold as before, and continue in this manner. The thread should be kept loose all the way to permit the fold to be stretched slightly when used. The fold when finished should not twist or look as if it had a stitch in it.

Another separate single fold may be added to this; it is then called a French fold. The milliner's fold has many uses, such as finishing the edge of hats, and the bottom of crowns, to cover the joining of the hat to the brim. It is used sometimes around the top of a square crown and is much used in mourning millinery, when it is made of crêpe.

BOWS

For the inexperienced in bow-making there is no better plan than to copy many different styles of bows, using either tissue paper or cheap cambric, as ribbons are ruined by being made over too many times. Bow-making is sometimes quite difficult for an amateur, while for some students of millinery it is very easy, but any one with patience may become quite expert in time.

Cut the tissue paper or cambric the exact width of the ribbon which is to be used. In this way the exact amount of ribbon may be determined, as well as the length of each loop. If a stiff, smart-looking bow is to be made, fold the ribbon in loops before pleating. If a soft-looking or puffy, "fat"-looking bow is desired, pleat the ribbon singly before making the loops. The soft bow is often used for children's hats. After the desired number of loops is made, wind a strong thread around the center and over this wrap the remaining end of ribbon around the center several times until the center is filled up sufficiently to look well.

BOWS OF MALINE--

Maline is one of the most beautiful materials used in millinery and it lends itself to many uses. Hat frames are covered with maline; it is used to cover wings to keep feathers in place; to cover faded or worn-out flowers; for shirred brims and crowns; for pleatings; for folds on edges of brims to give a soft look; and for bows.

A bow of maline requires wiring with a very small tie wire or lace wire. The wire may be caught in a fold at the edge of the loops, or the loops may be made double with the wire caught inside.

WIRED RIBBON BOWS--

Ribbon is sometimes wired if a stiff effect is desired. Silk, satin, velvet, or any kind of ribbon can be used. The flat ribbon wire is sometimes pasted between two ribbons with milliner's glue. Often two colors are rather effectively used in this way. The wire may also be stitched to one edge of the ribbon. This is done by turning the ribbon over the wire at the edge and stitching on the sewing machine. The ends of the wire should extend two inches beyond the ends of the loop of the bow. After the bow is arranged, these ends should be bent out and back, making loops which are sewed down to the hat. This holds the bow very firmly, especially if a small piece of buckram is placed inside the hat at the point at which the bow is to be sewed. This re-enforces the frame and makes it still more firm. If a bow is to be placed on top of a crown, a hole may be made and the ribbon which completes the middle of the bow may be brought up from the inside of the crown through this opening, over the bow, and down through this opening and fastened inside of the crown.

A narrow ribbon of velvet is very pretty twisted over a wire and two perky loops and ends made. These are very pretty perched on the edge of a brim or among flowers on the hat.

TRUE LOVERS' KNOT--

This is not, strictly speaking, a bow, but comes under this head. The ribbon used is made into the knot and sewed flat as it is made. It may be sewed on the brim or side crown and is very effective made of gold ribbon.

TAILORED BOW--

This bow is usually made from a piece of ribbon which has both sides alike, although it may be made from any ribbon. A Knox tailored bow is made from gros-grained ribbon. Cut a small piece of buckram for a foundation to sew the ribbon on. This should be sufficiently small so that the ribbon will conceal it. Make two loops of equal length, letting the ribbon lie perfectly flat. Measurements should be very exact. Sew these loops firmly to the buckram; fold the ribbon back and forth to make these loops without cutting. Next fold two more loops, one on each side, one-quarter of an inch shorter and exactly on top. Sew firmly and cut the ribbon off at the center. Fasten two short ends to the back of the bow, allowing them to extend one-quarter of an inch and cut diagonally. Take a short length of ribbon and pleat it once through the center. Wrap this once around the bow and fasten at the back.

This bow is much used on sailors or any tailored hat. There are many kinds of fancy bows brought out from season to season, but if the making of a few styles of standard bows is mastered, others may be easily copied.

PLEATINGS

A pleating is difficult and requires patience. Unless accurately made, it should never be used on a hat, for upon its accuracy depends its attractiveness. The simplest pleating is a side pleating. This may be made from paper or stiff muslin for practice work. There should not be a thread's difference in the width of each pleat. Any simple pleating requires three times the length of the space it is to cover. If a half-inch pleating is to be made, the folds will come every one and one-half inches. As each fold is laid, baste it down with silk thread. Press slightly on the wrong side before using.

BOX PLEATING--

This is made by turning the first pleat to the left and the next to the right. The same amount of material is required as for side pleating. If the pleats are to be one-half inch deep, the box pleat will be _one_ inch across. Baste with silk thread at the top and bottom, and press on the wrong side. A simple box pleating may be basted through the center and the edges caught together.

DOUBLE OR TRIPLE BOX-PLEATING--

This is made by adding one or more pleats, one on top of the other. Begin by making two or more pleats turning to the left, then the same number turning to the right. Be very accurate, being careful to keep the box pleat the exact width desired. Baste at the top and bottom. This pleating is nearly always used by basting through the center, after having slightly pressed. The top and bottom bastings are then removed. The pleating may be caught together at top and bottom of box pleat, and it is then known as _rose pleating_.

RADIATING--

This is the most difficult pleating to fashion, but very handsome ornaments are made in this way. A foundation of buckram is usually required to sew the pleats on as they are laid. The two illustrations given will suffice. After these two examples are correctly copied, other models and original designs can be easily made.

FOUNDATIONS OF BUCKRAM--

The foundation for the second is in the shape of a low pyramid made from buckram. Cut a small circle of buckram, slash in three equally distant places from the outer edge to within one-eighth of an inch of the center. Lap a small amount and sew. Three rows or more of pleating may be used on this ornament. An ordinary ornament will require about five yards of inch-wide ribbon. The first row would be placed near the outside edge of the buckram and each pleat sewed as it is laid. The pleating should radiate from the center. To do this, the inside of the pleating will lap more than the outside. The next row will overlap this first row and the same method will be used. The pleating may be tested by holding a ruler on a line between the top and the lower edge of the pleating. The pleats should all be on a straight line between these points. The last or finishing row is the most difficult of all. The pleats at the apex should meet, and pleats at the lower overlapping edge be on a line with the rest of the pleating. A tiny bow or button is sometimes used to finish the top, but it is much handsomer if finished without either bow or button.

POMPONS

Maline pompons make a very pretty ornament for any hat. They may be made perfectly round or elongated like the illustration. Several thicknesses of the material may be cut at one time. The shape of the pieces for the elongated pompon would be cut like pattern "a." Each piece is folded lengthwise of the material, and this fold is fastened to a wire which has been previously wound with maline. The edges of these pieces are left raw, and enough are used to make the pompon appear quite compact.

RIBBON ROSETTES

There are many different kinds of rosettes made from ribbon. Sometimes several loops of ribbon are made very close together and wound with thread as they are gathered. A very pretty rosette is made of narrow ribbon one-quarter of an inch wide. Many loops three inches long or more of this width ribbon may be fastened to a small piece of buckram. A knot placed at the end of each loop adds to its attractiveness.

ROSETTES FROM OLD PLUMES--

An old plume may be used to make trimming for a hat by cutting it from the quill with a very sharp knife or razor blade, retaining a small portion of the quill which will be sufficient to hold the feathers together. This should be sewed onto a fine wire, and it may then be wound into a rosette. A small flower placed in the center is a pleasing addition.