Braid is a category of trim. As the name suggests, it features strands of fiber that have been braided together. Sometimes this is obvious. Sometimes it isn’t. As a rule of thumb, you can determine if a trim is braided by process of elimination. If it’s not leather, not fringe, not sequin and not pleated… Read More »
Of course, sequins have to get into this whole trimming thing. If you want to add some eye-catching glitz, but rhinestones would be a little too much, you can’t go wrong with sequins. Sequin trim can be wide, narrow, flat or three dimensional. It can be stretchy, or rigid. Stretch trim is best suited for… Read More »
Beaded trim is any trim with beads sewn on to it, obviously – but don’t confuse it with beaded fringe. Take a gander at the illustrations to see the difference. Beaded trims are usually fancy and most suitable for formal wear, Victorian costuming, and anything where the character is trying to say “Not only am… Read More »
Fringe is another one of those terms that covers a lot of ground. Everything you see in this post is a fringed trim. A fringe can be short, it can be long, it can be crazy long. A fringe can be a woven fiber, animal hair, feathers, sequins or even rhinestone chain. The fringe may be attached… Read More »
Passementerie is a French word describing a certain type of trim. Usually, it’s braided and features metallic yarns. It can range from quite narrow – a quarter inch – to over an inch wide. Narrow passementaires can also be referred to as braid, soutache (although that’s not really the same thing) and gimp (ditto). In… Read More »
Bias trim is a type of flat trim that is cut from fabric on that fabric’s bias. Because it’s cut on the bias, bias trim has more stretch to it than regular woven trims, which means it can bind the edges of garments or upholstery items with curved edges. It’s also sometimes used inside a… Read More »
Machine pleated, or pre-pleated trim is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a flat trim – ribbon, lace or something else entirely – that has already been set into pleats or folds. Pre-pleated trim can be a huge time saver, especially if you’re doing Victorian costuming or anything along those lines – gothic Lolita, steampunk,… Read More »
Cordage is just what it sounds like, it’s a long, narrow trim, shaped like a cord. It can be smooth or textured and made from practically any material – from cotton to hemp to leather. As well as a trimming, it can serve a functional use as a drawstring in a garment. Piping is a… Read More »
A flat and (usually) narrow woven braid trim in a regular wavy shape is called ric-rac. Sometimes you’ll see it spelled rick-rack. It was very popular in the 1970s and is associated with pioneer and Western wear. It still turns up on some children’s clothes and kitschy home items. It’s available in a huge variety of widths… Read More »
Flat ribbon trim is just what it sounds like. It looks a lot like a fancy gift wrap and it’s, well, flat. Or mostly flat. If you see a ribbon with ribs running perpendicular to the long edges, it’s called grosgrain ribbon. The word is French, so don’t pronounce the ‘s’ when shopping. Ribbon trim… Read More »
Fabric For Cosplayers