This project taught me a lot of different techniques that I haven’t done before. Each trim was unique and different, but the instructions and videos were very clear and the process was a lot of fun. I included my steps and thoughts below each picture of the trims.
For the first four trims (zigzag, curved, square, and peaks stitching), I marked each point or drew a curved line and then stitched – this helped tremendously to keep all the points even. The pleated trim was fairly easy to keep the fold even, and then stitch them all together. I probably could have kept my stitching a little neater on the folds, since the stitching does show on top.
The prairie point trim was a little tricky to keep the folds all correct, and I did try to the sew the pleats together using the X, but it wasn’t laying as flat as I would have liked. To fix this, I went back and did a hidden stitch across the back where the ribbon met in the center. I realize that in the future, the X would be a lot faster and I wouldn’t need to be as neat on stitching this closed; because once it is sewed down on a fabric, no one sees the back.
The triangle fold trim probably took me the most time, but it is absolutely beautiful, and well worth the time to get such a unique look. I used pins to mark where to fold the ribbon, then tacked each fold down in the center. To complete the triangle look, I did try a few ways, but ended up doing what the instructions said in tacking center (A), and then running the thread through the top corner of the folded outer trim (B), and then back down through the center (at A again), and finally pulling the thread tight.
The tulip trim is gorgeous, and was fairly easy as well; once I marked the points, While I don’t like the long thread in the back from each “tulip”, it was faster than trying to tie each tulip off. This trim was a little tricky at first to sew down to the fabric. I ended up changing from tacking the edges, to just stitching the center of the tulip to the fabric, and tying off the thread – this works fine for this ribbon, but a thinner ribbon might not lay as nicely.
The ribbon bow was fairly easy, but I did have a little bit of trouble with the overall look. In the future, I would chose a small width of ribbon, but if I used the same width of ribbon, I would lengthen the first cut from 12 inches to 14 inches.
For the cockade I used 1 1/2 inch and then 1 inch ribbon . The white was very stiff because of the “sparkle” and I didn’t realize it would be so hard to tack together, so in the future I would definitely use a softer, more pliable ribbon. The pink ribbon was very easy to work with, pin, and then sew together. I tacked the white down first, and then did the pink. I did add more stitching to the pink, to keep all the folds in place in the back. I should have done this with the white as well; because after I removed the pins the shape did change, and my “end that was tucked under”, is now seen from the front. The white did shift a little when I was sewing it on, so it is not quite as centered as I would like. Overall, I’m very pleased with how it turned out and I might be making some more of these as gifts!
While I realize the back wouldn’t normally be seen – for example, if the trim were being put on a pillow the back stitching won’t be seen, but if the trim was going on the hem of a garment, the whip stitch would need to be much neater. I changed how I tacked the tulip trim down and also the triangle fold, but left the first stitching in place. Depending on what fabric the trim is going to be placed on, the decision of how to sewing it to the fabric, might change.
