My first sewing machine was one of those miniatures that only sewed a chain stitch. Depending on whether the chain stitch was tied off properly at the end of a seam meant the difference between the stitching staying put or unraveling altogether. I must have figured it out because one of my friends talked her mother into buying--yes, buying--a skirt that I had made for my Barbie. She wanted her Barbie to rock that gathered turquoise skirt with silver braid that ran a half-inch or so above the hem. Sort of a Southwestern desert look.
By the time I was high school, I was making most of my own clothing. Those were the days when money could really be saved by sewing your own garments.
Nowadays with time being so precious and clothing being relatively inexpensive, I don't make garments. I do treasure hunt at stores like T J Maxx and Marshall's though, and occasionally find great things that need just a little bit of help. For instance, I found a hand-dyed knit blouse that most would describe the color as being terribly mousy. Didn't matter. I loved the way it fit. It was comfortable. And yes, the color was boring. And there was a minute little tuck in the neckline which would cause a more noticeable glitch if corrected rather than just left alone.
All things being considered, I still wanted the blouse. It was soft. It flowed. It was muted enough to wear to a meeting at work.
Solution: I bought the blouse for a song and a yard of trim at a local fabric store. I hand-stitched the braid around the neck. Since the trim wanted to unravel, I applied a liberal amount of Fray Check to each end before stitching them in place.
This is the result:
Thank you, Barbie and all of your little friends.
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