Trims and embroidery

I’m making a dress for Lady Isabelle in St Wolfgang’s. It’s blue. I want to add some nice, medieval looking embroidered trim to it, but i cannot find any such thing in Spotlight or the local “emporiums” or on Trademe. Loads of ribbons and lace, but not embroidered ribbon, unless it’s Maori design or really narrow stuff that is very definitely for childrens clothing.

Any ideas?

Sometimes you can use floral type ribbons, which are usually wider 1"-2". The thin copper wire at the edges can be pulled out (I recall tying one end of the wire to the metal door handle, and then slowly walking backwards, smoothing the ribbon over the end as I go). And being larp, (cf historical enactments) we don’t mind if its synthetic.

You could try composite ribbon - add several thin ribbons with a gap in between to give the appearance of a wide border.

Or make you own ribbon - get length of patterned material and sew it to the dress with a close satin stich - like the button holes.
But in that case, only add the ribbon to the bodice / neckline - I’m sure you don’t want to be doing huge lengths to do around the hem.

Otherwise, I’d be interested to see what others suggest too.

You could cut strips from a patterned fabric and use that instead.

Just cut it into strips, fold the edge over and sew it on.

A fabric with a repeating striped pattern would do nicely, but anything with a small repeating pattern would probably look good too.

Just wash it all first so it doesn’t do nasty things when you eventually have to wash the ghouls off it :smiling_imp:

I went into an amazing shop that sells hundreds of different trims and 1000’s of authentic buttons.

fleurdelinetboutondor.com/en/index.asp

Downside is that they’re in France… Upsides are that ribbon and trim doesn’t weigh much for posting plus the NZ$/Euro is really in your favour.

Worth a look just to ooh and aaah or for ideas if nothing else.

Bryn.

There is (or was?) an Indian clothing shop on K Rd at the Symonds St end. They have (or had?) some really beautiful woven inch wide ribbons and trims.

They’ve either moved or gone out of business, there’s an optometrist and stuff there now. :frowning:

Thanks guys! Some good ideas to try there. I have a fancy sort of florist just down the road, so I’ll go have a look at her ribbons tomorrow.

Bryn, I’ll go broke if I spend too much time on that site! argh! drool! 8)

Anyone know if the Indian place is still there before I drive into town and try to find parking midweek on Symonds St :confused:

(note I will try all other options before attempting to make my own trim. I tried it once before and the results were less than stellar.

awwwwwww… rats. Well, that solves the parking problem.
Any other Indian type places people know of?

Was :frowning: They closed down years ago, back when Mordavia was still running. I remember stocking up on ribbons for Acanthus at their closing down sale.

There’s several indian places Mt Roskill/Richardson Road, I’ve not been in them though. Could try phone book, and phoning before you trek to that part of town.