just wondering if anyone has tips for sewing the braid onto the jacket.
do you baste first, or just pin?
tips on how to keep the velvet flat and not pull or gape around the neck
do you sew the outside or inside of braid first?
thanks for all your ideas and help.
i have used the new jacket pattern from Marg's out of Calgary and it is wonderful. much easier to sew and fits better. i now have to sew on the braid and dont want to mess it up!

Sew the outside of the braid first. There is no advantage in basting or pinning, it's just an exercise in frustration. Take it slowly and bend, ease & manipulate the braid as you go. It sometimes helps to loosen the pressure on your machine's pressure foot.
I have heard that wetting the braid helps but the time I tried it seemed to make no difference at all except I had dampness to contend with...

Ironing the braid a bit at a time can help...it seems more flexible when it is warm.

I too have heard of damp. Try not to stretch it as you go because it pulls back later. I agree with slow and easy and the basting does not seem to help too much. I use the looser stitch too. Outside edge first. Good luck!

I actually pin it on, but perpendicular to the direction of stitching, so the machine runs over them. I have used the zipper foot sometimes, and that has worked well for me- I find I can see what's happening better. Another thing I do is to sew each section of braid separately. That is, from the centre lower back point to the side point, then from the side point to the front basque point, front basque to bottom of the front edge, and so on. I do end up with a lot of ends to pull through and tie off, but this way just lets me concentrate on getting each section right, rather than thinking about the whole lot.

^highlandmum97- it's good to hear that the new pattern worked well for you. Would you mind awfully posting pics of the jacket when it's done? And maybe showing where you found the improvements/points of difference?

Ta,

C.

Like tassiemum, I attach it section by section, outside edge first, but instead, I pin parallel to the braid along the inside edge. The inside edge is the one with all the convex curves so it is important not to stretch this edge otherwise you end up with puckered velvet. I would recommend using the normal sewing foot on your machine too as you need even pressure onto the braid. Some zipper-feet are one sided, not centrally positioned over the feed-dog, and this can affect the thread tension. I wouldn't recommend wetting the braid - velvet and wet don't mix well!
I reckon everyone has their own preferred method so take your time and the best of luck!

I have ironed the braid to soften it and that helps. Keep in mind then that it is easier to stretch as well. Walking foot helps. Be careful with the 2 sided tape as it gums up your needle.

thanks for all the tips and assistance! will be giving this a go tomorrow and will post pics and comments when done.