THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EDGING

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 2, Issue 3, 1 September 1923, Page 26

THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EDGING

T INGEKIE to-day may be simL* plicity itself, provided it has just that finish given to it that marks' its owner as a woman (or girl) of taste and daintiness. "Oh, yes! I made that out of just a scrap of silk 1 had, you will hear someone say. "It's really the edging that makes it, and it's hand-done; I just make things like that at odd moments." And the same idea applies to house linen, material of good quality, linen damask, or satin zane— have a distinction of their own when entirely unadorned by embroidery or lace, if the edging is well selected, well executed, and the whole perfectly laundered. Crochet is a medium through which many good results may be obtained. Figs. 1 and 2 are illustrations of the simplest forms, resulting in a finished article that gives one a sense of pleasure and rest every tune it is looked at. A scrolly design, however narrow, would not have the same effect of simplicity and good taste. In the pointed edging, the first row of filet was worked into the linen hem, the thread then being broken to work each point separately, and finally a double crochet edging worked firmly entirely round. This seemed an unnecessary amount of work, but the result justified it, as each point lies perfectly flat, the corners fit, and there is no unnecessary tightness—or slackness. Fig. 2 explains itself. There is no hem round this cloth, so a narrow button-hole stitch was first worked, and the filet crocheted on to it. The "dots" must be even, firm, and round, to get the perfect finish. Figs. 3,4, and 5 are suitable for both lingerie or house iinen. In Fig. 3 the eyelets were worked first, and the button-hole edge last. Fig. 4 is open to many variations of arrangement. The whole edge is well outlined in running stitch, and a stiletto used for each hole, the outer edge of which is button-holed, and the inner whipped. A complete edge, of these gives an exquisite effect worked on fine material. Fig. j is simple, but always effective for d oyleys, small traycloths, etc. It is simply a chain one way and double crocket back. While on the subject, we must not forget the quick and dainty effects obtained by narrow lace edging, flatly stitched on. There are several ways of doing this, though once upon a time practically the only method of attaching lace to a garment was by the process of gathering the lace into a frill and seaming it neatly to a hem, which was further embellished with a line of featherstitching; but frills and featherstitching are as out of date in the modern wardrobe as bustles. Up-to date garments, which also include boudoir caps, lingerie blouses and dressing wraps, show but scanty lines, with little borders of dainty and often precious lace sewn to the single edges of materials. Hems are not tolerated above a lace edging nowadays; they went out of fashion with the featherstitching. One idea is a very simple, and delightfully effective method. It is but a close satin stitch; when the lace is tacked, work a little line of running stitches on the very edge of the lace, these being covered in turn by the satin stitches; this will obviate any departure from the exact line required by the trimming, caused by being pulled out of place as the work proceeds. The usual tackings are a snare and a delusion, and much distress may be caused by the fatal look of thousands of patiently worked satin stitches running in a wavy line when a straight one was the effect desired. When the stitches are worked, the tackings may be removed, and the work finished by cutting away

the edge of the material behind, quite Hose to the stitches. Lace sewn on in this method, even on the sheerest linen, has been known to emerge triumphantly from countless tubbings none the worse for wear. Moreover, this method is also the only one that is suitable for the sewing on of lingerie tulle. When trimming a garment with lace having deep points or scallops, the lace is often placed on the material upside down, and the points and scallops are sewn on to the material- and cut away bc-

hind. Frequently the deep points of lace on camisoles and nightdresses will not stand up in position, but hang disappointingly down, therefore Milan lace showing such an edge is used as an insertion and a tiny edging seamed to the straight edge which shows at the top, or a fold of lingerie tulle to finish it. The stitch is not hard to learn if directions are carefully followed. Tack the lace to the garment and again use a running stitch to keep it firmly in place, but here care must be taken to run the stitches at the very

edge of the lace. A slightly coarser needle may be used with advantage in this stitch, because the principal claim of the design depends upon the tiny holes that give the hem-stitching effect. The coarser the fabric the larger the needle required. The stitches are worked from right to left and consist of a series of small double back stitches worked at right angles to each other. The perpendicular stitches run into the lace and the horizontal ones are worked in the fabric only. Begin at the right, under the lace, and make a tight back-stitch in the fabric by taking a few threads of the material'; this forms two tiny holes. Now carry the needle again into hole No. 1 at the right and push it under the edge of the lace in a slanting direction until it emerges exactly above No. 2 hide. Place the needle in this hole and carry it through the same hole made in the lace. Again put if into No. 2 hole and take a few threads of the material and a back stitch, forming hole No. 3. Once again carry the needle into No. 2 and in a slanting direction under the lace until it emerges above No. .'5; now work the two little upright stitches into No. ;',, and another back-stitch upon the fabric to make a fourth hole. Proceed in this way to the end. When the line of stitching is complete remove all tackings and, turning the work over, cut the fabric within about one-sixteenth of an inch of the stitches. Begin to overcast at the left-hand side of the work, using the needle to turn the edges as the oversewing proceeds, and the tiny roll will be scarcely noticeable. Another method is not suitable for anything but straight edges, as it consists of a hem-stitched veining to which the lace is attached; and as threads must be drawn, only such straight edges as are found' on a square-necked nightdress, on camisole tops, teacloths and the hems of children's lingerie dresses are suitable for treatment. Draw threads sufficient for the width of the hemstitched veining required and work the lower edge into groups like the ordinary hem-stitched border. Now tack the lace to the upper edge of the drawn part, using the running stitches explained above if necessary. Proceed to work the top of the groups like the bottom, but work a couple of tiny seaming stitches into the edge of the lace between each group of threads. The back of the work must be treated in the same way as shown above, but tin l over-casting stitches may be taken into the space between the group of threads and through the lace, if liked, thus making the lace doubly secure. The most of the delicate and expensive lingerie sold on the Continent shows one or other of the three methods of sewing on lace here described. Some of it is so fine and delicate as to appear as part of the design of the lace used. The lovely Venetian point, with its exquisite sprays of design encroaching into the linen, seen in the lace-making rooms and shops in Venice, is invariably sewn on in the method shown in the second example. A very fine glistening embroidery thread is usually used and so finely executed that the lace looks as if worked in the linen itself, so much a part of the design does it appear. Lace edgings are often only sewn to the fabrics with countless fairy seaming stitches, especially when the lace used is of a very intricate and firm design at the base, the edges of the lawn or linen being simply cut away as in method 2. Such lingerie is never subjected to the tender mercies of the ordinary laundry, but carefully washed at home.