In need of a suggestion

[Genievea Brookstone]

I am in the process of adding this trim to my sleeves for my fantasy forest garb but I have a light problem.  The sleeves have a curve to them and I am wondering if anyone has any suggestion on sewing it down so there are no buckles in it or having to clip the trim.  Would hand sewing it on something that is rounded be the best way to go?

Here are the links to the pictures...I cant seem to get them to post.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/genievea/4325053325/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/genievea/4325054283/in/photostream/

Thanks!

[amy]

I know what I would do but you may want to wait till a few more chime in to see if you get better ideas.  I have had this issue before along the hem edge of a 1/2 circle cape... long curve there too.  So I took my trim and hand basted an even running stitch along the inside of the curve edge.   Then I pinned down the outside edge and gave that inside line a gentle tug... the basting line gathered the inside edge very gently and I could smooth the eased edge ever so gently so that the gathering hardly showed.  Then I pinned and pressed and stitched.   Just watch so that it doesn't bunch anywhere and make a pucker.    My trim was not as crisp as your beautiful ribbon.   

I too am curious to see what others recommend..... good luck!

[Kate XXXXXX]

I know what I would do but you may want to wait till a few more chime in to see if you get better ideas.  I have had this issue before along the hem edge of a 1/2 circle cape... long curve there too.  So I took my trim and hand basted an even running stitch along the inside of the curve edge.   Then I pinned down the outside edge and gave that inside line a gentle tug... the basting line gathered the inside edge very gently and I could smooth the eased edge ever so gently so that the gathering hardly showed.  Then I pinned and pressed and stitched.   Just watch so that it doesn't bunch anywhere and make a pucker.    My trim was not as crisp as your beautiful ribbon.   

I too am curious to see what others recommend..... good luck!

This is the classic method of applying trim.  Some trims (like Naval Rank Tape and similar) are woven with a cord up the edges so that it can be gathered up evenly to make the neat corners you see on things like Naval dress uniform sleeves:



And this Royal Naval officer's uniform waistcoat of 1748:

[Genievea Brookstone]

Thank you both!  So would I gather both the top and bottom of the ribbon or just the top where I cant pin it flat?

[Kate XXXXXX]

Whichever edge of the tape forms the inside of the curve is the edge you gather.  This might be opposite edges at different points as the trim curves round both convex and concave curves...

[operafantomet]

Thank you both!  So would I gather both the top and bottom of the ribbon or just the top where I cant pin it flat?

I would say just the side you can't pin flat. The stuff you CAN pin down needs no treatment. I did something similar for the first trim I used on the "Peacock" dress (which was later replaced by a black ornamental one):



I dunno if you get the best impression from that picture, but what I did was to insert a "pulling thread" wherever the ribbon would wrinkle because of curves. When pulled together I pinned it down, and sewed it on. I could then remove the "pulling thread" and it would stay in place.

[Dinobabe]

I think this is cheating, and my trim isn't as wide, but I just sewed straight down the middle and then it didn't matter.