Horsehair Braid - The Perfect Ending to Your Skirt
Horsehair braid will add body, but not weight to your skirt. The braid slightly stiffens the lower edge, softly maintaining the shape of the garment while keeping it from sagging to the ground. Unlike boning, which is used in hoop skirts, horsehair braid remains flexible; and requires no special care in washing.. Modern horsehair braid is made of polyester. In this case, the use of synthetic materials is not too troublesome, as it is the effect of the braid that is noticed, not the material itself. Steam-press before applying if there are any folds or creases. .
For wide hems:
- Mark your hemline, working on the wrong side of the fabric
- Pin the braid to the hem allowance 1/8th " in- careful not to stretch it!
- Baste in place and turn up hem, pin into place and check length. Remove pins and let hem down.
- Turn up the hem and adjust the ease in the horsehair to fit, finish hem.
- Overlap cut ends and whipstich closed
For narrow hems:
- Pin braid into place on the right side of fabric, along the cut edge of the hem (start braid edge at the skirt's side seam)
- Turn up hem, finger press into place
- Stitch hem into place along the top of the braid.
Sewing Supplies Around the House!
Handy uses for common items:
A coffee filter makes a great "magnet" for loose thread ends. Keep one on your sewing table for quick cleanup.
Glad Press-N-Seal wrap can be used to keep your spools of thread from unwinding. Just measure a strip that is the width of your spool, wrap around, and your thread stays neat between projects!
Can't find your stilleto? (I always lose those!). Bamboo skewers are a great substitute, as are the sticks from your daughter's Pickup Sticks game (don't ask me how I know that).
Best Pressed Seamstress (Hints and Tips for Pressing)
1) Fusible residue on your iron plate? Dampen a washcloth and sprinkle it with salt. Then run the iron over the washcloth on a medium setting. Residue will be scrubbed off!
2) Use a bamboo skewer instead of your fingers to hold open seams as you press them. Prevents those nasty steam burns!
3) Pamper your expensive iron. If you've spent a lot on your iron, you don't want it covered in hard-water buildup. Use bottled or filtered water instead of tap.
4.) No time to haul out the big board? Keep one of your empty bolt boards -- wrapped in a towel, this makes a handy, lightweight, portable ironing board.
The Bo-Nash company makes a variety of great products for your ironing station.
Tizzie's Tips for Easy Gathering
1. Set your sewing machine on the largest stitch.
2. Stitch a straight line along the edge of the fabric. Make sure you leave enough spare thread on both the beginning and the end.
3. Carefully pull on on of the threads, on one either the beginning or the end of the sewn fabric. As you see, the fabric will start to ruffle.
4. Spread out the ruffles evenly. If it won't let you move the ruffles all the way to the other side, just pull one of the threads on that side as well.
5. Once you have your ruffles spread out evenly, pin the ruffled fabric to whatever you want to attach it to. Don't forget to pin with the right sides facing each other.
6. Sew the ruffled part to the part you just pinned it too. It's easiest if you keep the ruffled part on top, so you can see if it all goes well, and there are no weird folds you don't want.
7. If your ruffle thread is showing on the part of your creation that will be seen, remove it with a seam ripper. Because you have used such a large stitch, this shouldn't be hard. If your ruffle thread is on the other side of the seam, where it won't be seen, you can just leave it there.
8. Turn everything right side out. And tadaa! Your gathered creation is done!
