This entry was posted on Saturday, July 21st, 2007 at 11:58 pm and is filed under Bridal Dressings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Garters are items of clothing worn around the thighs. They are normally just a few inches in width. They often contain small bells and/or ribbons. In the 19th and 20th centuries, they were used to hold up stockings, but the advent of elastic has made them unnecessary.
The Garter Belt
Today the garter is more of a traditional custom of the western culture wedding ceremony rather than a clothing necessity. After the Bride has thrown her bouquet to a single woman, the Groom takes the garter belt from his Bride’s leg and throws it to a group of single men. The man who catches the garter then puts it on the leg of the woman who caught the Bride’s bouquet.
Garters are quick, fun and easy to sew they can be delicate or bold, usually reflecting the style of the dress.
Sew a fabric garter edged in lace, or make a garter from a width of galloon lace, which has two decorative edges. Either style can be embellished with ribbons, lace appliqués, ribbon flowers, beads and other trims.
Consider making two garters for your wedding day, one for your own keepsake and one for the ritual toss.
Making a Fabric Garter
You Will Need
- 1/4yd. fabric
- 1yd. galloon lace for edging
- Elastic, 1/2in. wide
- Small safety pin or bodkin
- Fabric glue
- Cut fabric strip 5in. wide with length equal to 1 ½ to 2 times leg measurement. [Fullness depends on thickness of fabric]. Zigzag or serge upper edge; fold under 1in., and press. Stitch close to fold and again 3/4in. below first row of stitching, forming casing.
- Lap lace over lower edge of fabric strip, right sides up, stitch along upper scallop of lace, using zigzag. Trim away fabric behind lace, about 1/8in. from stitching.
- Cut elastic 1in. larger than leg measurement. Attach bodkin or safety pin to one end of elastic, thread elastic through casing. Anchor other end of elastic inside casing with stitching line, 1/4in. from fabric edge.
- Wrap garter around leg, and adjust snugness of elastic as desired; trim away any excess elastic even with casing opening and pin.
