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18 2 THE FASHION DESIGN REFERENCE + SPECIFICATION BOOK
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Chapter 17: Finishing
During the nal stages of a garment, the designer has to display a light touch.
Any and all details added at this point must be about balance and polish.
Finishing also affects the drape and t. Final work on a garment includes add-
ing closures and decoration, hemming, and pressing. In addition, the designer
should check for loose threads, missed stitches, and any other aws. When
making garments for a speci c client (or samples that will be worn by a model
in photographs or on the runway), a nal tting will ensure a good presentation.
CLOSURES
Buttons
The two basic button types are the sew-thru, which usually has two or four holes for securing
it to the fabric, and the shank style, which has a loop. Buttons can be fashioned of practically
any material. Special button blanks can be covered in fabric to match the garment. For added
strength, a reinforcement button can link to the button from the wrong side. Multi-ply thread
chains known as thread loops provide an alternative way to fasten a button. Machines can
sew on a button, but this type of procedure is more apt to loosen and come undone with time
and wear. Hand-sewn buttons are preferred because of their strength and lifespan.
The placement of any kind of closure needs to be planned out so that both sides align to lie
at and to avoid gaps. Temporary stitches are used as guides for buttonholes, whether they
are machine stitched, hand worked, bound, corded, or keyhole. Thread buttonholes usually
have bar tacks to reinforce the ends. Correct positioning can be established by using the
original pattern piece or a buttonhole template. Buttonholes are usually placed vertically on
shirtfronts, with the exception of the collar position where a horizontal buttonhole is preferred.
As a rule, suit jackets, waistcoats, outerwear, and waistbands employ horizontal buttonholes.
Hook and Eyes
Fashioned from metal wire, two-sided hook and eyes come in many different sizes and can be
painted any color or be covered with thread. They are often used to secure the top of a zipper,
close a keyhole opening, or to bustle a fabric train. Flat-back hook and eyes are commonly
used for waistbands on skirts and pants for a ush nish. Rows of hook and eyes are found on
bras, corsets, and other undergarments. Strips of twill tape equipped with multiple hook and
eyes can be machine stitched into garments.
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Hook-and-Loop Tape
Hook-and-loop tape is a self-gripping fastener. (Velcro is the brand name.) One side of the
tape has rough nylon hooks, the other side has softer loops that are caught when the pieces
are pressed against each other. This type of closure can be xed to the fabric by adhesive or
by being stitched into place. Hook-and-loop tape is meant to provide speed and ease in secur-
ing or separating two pieces of fabric.
Frogs
Frogs are braid or cord that is manipulated into an ornamental design and include a ball on
one side and a loop on the opposite. Although a decorative feature, it does provide a practical
method of closure. Frogs can be bought or made by hand.
Snaps
Snaps are two-sided fasteners, one side featuring a stud and the other a socket. When
pressed together, they click into place with a snapping sound. The socket is secured to the
fabric with a pronged cap or ring, while the stud is secured with a post backing. The procedure
can be done by hand using a special pair of pliers or by machine. Snap tape is also available
for easy machine installation.
Eyelets
Eyelets are circular metal rings clamped onto fabric to create a nished opening through which
cord or ribbon can be laced to draw two sides together. Old-fashioned corsets are secured in
this manner.
Buckles
Buckle clasps are used to secure and adjust belts or straps. The traditional buckle engages
an independent single, double, or forked tongue to x the belt into place. Georgia frames
commonly feature two stationary tongues that are built into the frame of the buckle. Keepers
are bands, usually made of the strap material, that hold the end of the belt strap in place.
Ornamental Western-style buckles that hook onto a strap are called plaque buckles. Fric-
tion buckles and D-ring buckles, in which the strap fabric double backs on itself to generate
resistance, allow the strap to be adjusted to any length. Twist buckles feature two interlocking
sides of a clasp that need only be twisted in the opposite direction to be unfastened.
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DECORATION
The temptation to embellish is strong for many designers, and it is important to keep in
mind that a sparing hand with decoration may produce a greater effect. That being said,
embroidery, sequins, rhinestones, jewels, beads, studs, ribbons, bows, silk owers, appliqué,
passementerie braiding or cording, tassels, chains, and fringe are just a few of the bells and
whistles that can nish off a garment with a little (or a lot of) air. In many cases, embroidery,
sequins, beads, and appliqués may be applied to sections of the garment before it is as-
sembled; however, small adornments might be planned as a nishing detail, or be necessary
when disguising a seam to give the appearance of a continuous pattern.
HEMMING
Turning up the hem is, for most designers, the nal step of garment assembly. The hem al-
lowance may be a quarter inch (0.6 cm) for a handkerchief-style edge or two to three inches
(5–7.6 cm) on average for most skirt or pant hems. Hems can be wired, interfaced, or sewn with
horsehair to create the desired amount of body. A hem may also be weighted to de ne a par-
ticular line to the silhouette, as in the iconic Chanel jacket. It is best to measure from the oor
up when marking the hemline for a consistent appearance in the length. Hems can be taken up
by machine or topstitched, or in the case of bias hems, be tightly serged for a lettuce edge.
Hand hemming uses different types of stitches— pick stitch, catch or cross stitch, slip stitch,
blind stitch— to create as indiscernible an appearance as possible. Lace, bias binding, seam
tape, or netting can be attached to raw edges to eliminate bulk when turning up the hem.
Rolled hems are commonly done by hand, but can also be created by machine with the aid of
a rolled-hem presser foot.
Photograph by Hubert/Fotolia.
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PRESSING
Iron pressing and steaming should be done while preparing fabric for cutting and throughout
the assembly process, but a garment will require a nal pressing or steaming to prepare it
for public consumption. When ironing, using a pressing cloth between the iron and the fabric
or, when possible, pressing from the inside will prevent shiny unattractive streaks. A hard
pressing is recommended when a garment calls for a sharp crease or corner. A tailor’s board
provides a hard frame that can help keep like areas in the desired shape during the pressing
process. The pressing mitt, seam roll, sleeve board, and tailor’s ham help press rounded and
hard-to-reach areas without running the risk of pressing and creasing adjacent but unintended
areas. A needle board prevents crushing fabrics with a pile, such as velvet or corduroy. Steam-
ers are useful when working with softer silhouettes where creases need to be avoided.
FITTINGS AND ALTERATIONS
In the best of situations, a garment has been carefully tted to the client or model as it is
being created. When this is not the case, or when subtle changes have taken place (a client
loses or gains weight), new ttings and alterations are necessary. Thinking ahead to this
point, a designer might want to add to the amount of seam and hem allowance when initially
cutting the garment. It is easy to take in a seam and cut away extra allowances, but having
provided them as an insurance policy could save a lot of time when the need to let something
out arises. Big changes could require the entire garment be taken apart or a section of it be
recut and reintegrated into the piece. To achieve the best t that satis es both the client and
the designer is a matter of a collaboration among function, comfort, and style.
STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION
After all the hard work that a designer invests in a beautiful well-crafted garment, it would be a
crime not to store and transport it in a way that will retain its shape and polished appearance.
Special sculpted or padded hangers, cardboard body frames, and lots of paper tissue are
useful tools for providing a safe environment when sending a garment off to the client or to
storage. Lightweight, transparent poly garment bags are an easy, fast, and economical way to
protect garments from dirt and moisture. Heavier weight zippered nylon garment bags provide
a stronger option. A cotton fabric bag is the best choice if the garment needs to breathe or
plastic might stick to the nish of the fabric.
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