Claire Shaeffer Shares How to Craft a Tucked Trim

Nothing elevates a Parisian style jacket quite like a stylish trim. However, finding a suitable match for your chosen fabric can be difficult. Claire Shaeffer’s latest blog delves into creating your very own tucked trim from the fabric you purchase.

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I’ve examined hundreds of Chanel garments. One technique which they use regularly is to cut the fabric apart and sew it back together in a different way. For this trim, you stitch tucks to eliminate the light coloured stripes. This creates a new fabric made of the darker stripes.

A big plus when you use the fabric as a trim is that the trim is a perfect match. It is also easy to make, and it takes less time than looking for a trim that will match.

On the red and tan jacket, the trim is used for the collar, cuffs, and waist band. On the brown hounds tooth, the fabric is used as a trim at the neck, front edges, pocket flaps, and cuffs.

The fabric can be tucked horizontally or vertically; and for either, you will need about .5 to 1 meter of extra fabric.

1. Mark the stitching lines for each tuck with thread.
2. Baste the stitching lines together to make a tuck on the wrong side of the fabric. Make as many tucks as needed.
Claire’s Hint: I put my bastings in flat, then pulled the thread up. Since each tuck is thread traced, you could also baste with right sides together.
3. Stitch the tuck.
Claire’s Hint: When I stitched, I stitched next to the thread tracing to be sure I didn’t have any of the light coloured stripes showing.
4. Remove the bastings. Cut the tuck open and press.
Claire’s Hint: Use a press cloth to avoid damaging the fabric with a hot iron. Many fibres are very sensitive to heat and moisture. My favourite press cloth is a satin-faced organza, but two pieces of regular organza also work well.
5. Trim the tucks only if they overlap.
6. Lay out your pattern pieces, thread trace the seamlines, and complete your jacket.