Bands... No Piping

OK, I fiddled and fussed and pinned and adjusted the piping on the dress band.

The second attempt was worse than the first.

On the third attempt, I actually DID figure out how to get the piping around the pointed tips of the band without stretching and distorting the shape... After all of the above frustrations, it was an A-HA! moment and actually, pretty obvious. I'm annoyed that I didn't "get it" sooner.

What do you do prior turning a square neckline after stitching a facing or lining to the garment?.... DING DING! Clip the corners!!!!!!!!! So finally I cliped notches around the points, first on the piping before pinning in between the two band pieces prior to seaming. Worked like a charm. The only thing is, I felt the cording used for the piping should have been the thinner size. This would have given the polished result that the sleek lines required. It still looked lumpy.

Not 100% happy at this point, I'd already started formulating Plan B. Plan B consisted of ditching the piping all together and using a decorative stitch along the bands' edges. So I tested a strip and really, REALLY liked it. Plus, the stitch I chose matches some really elegant black buttons that I thought were too small and froo-frooey for the sleek lines of the bands as shown. The decorative stitching to me, softens the sharp angles.

The stitch I chose was not a one way design; it was the same regardless of which direction I was sewing. It had to be small and simple enough so that I could stop and/or turn at the points without the design repeat looking incomplete. I used a ruler and marked the band piece along the stitching line so that I had an absolutely straight line to follow; any wobbling would stick out like a sore thumb!



I'm happy with this. Hooray! This project can now MOVE forward!