Replies

1. 
   Teaf5 | Oct 03, 2006 04:26am | #1

   What shape is the skirt, what fabric is it made of, and how wide is the ribbon?  The specifics of each component will determine a lot about how to go about attaching them.

1. 
   Micandjim | Oct 03, 2006 05:11am | #2

   The skirt will take 5 metres of each color of ribbon. It seems to be made from avery lightweight polyester cotton and each ribbon is 3/4 of an inch wide.  The main problem is the skirt is very full at the bottom and within 27 inches is narrow enough to fit the girls waists.

1. 
   mem | Oct 04, 2006 04:50am | #4

   I wouldnt get too stresed about it . I would use matching thread and run a gathering theread through the top side of the ribbon( The side closest to the waist) Then pinit and zigzag all the bottom sides ian the draw up the gathering thread to ease the ribbon into the right length and the just zigzag over that as well.

2. 
   Teaf5 | Oct 05, 2006 01:28am | #5

   I agree with the other posters that costume stitching doesn't have to be very precise. It sounds as if you have heavily gathered skirts, which are simply rectangles of fabric bunched at the top; in that case, if you cut the pieces of ribbon to match the skirt width, stitch the top edge onto the skirt and iron it down, it may not need to be gathered at the top or stitched along the lower edge at all.You would only need to gather the top edge of the ribbon if the skirt is flat and flared sharply from waist to hem orif it is a circle skirt. In that case, cut the ribbon a little longer, gather and stitch the top edge onto the skirt, and then press it down. You probably don't have to stitch the bottom edge, but you could.

3. 
   mygaley | Oct 06, 2006 03:49am | #6

   Teaf5 has offered us some very good advice. I wish only to add that if you do decide to stitch twice, be sure and stitch from the same direction both times. Galey

2. 
   Becky-book | Oct 03, 2006 03:36pm | #3

   My girls took ballet lessons for years, and I was always amazed at recital time at was passed for costume stitching!  often the trims did not lay flat, ribbons were just stitched down the middle and maybe the thread did not even match color! but who cared, the girls never stood still anyway!

   All that aside..... for 3/4'' trim I would stitch the edge nearest the hem first, then the upper edge easing in any fullness; yes I know at 5 meters each this will be a lot of stitching, you decide!

   Happy stitching,

   Becky