Monday, September 10, 2012

F is for Fagoting

Fagoting (or Faggoting in the UK)/ noun: embroidery in which threads are fastened together in bundles 
Pronunciation: /ˈfagətɪŋ/
Or more simply put, fagoting is a method of joining hemmed edges by crisscrossing thread over an open seam.


I see this detail a lot in 1930's blouses and dresses.  A couple of years ago, I lucked out and found three early 1930's collar patterns (for very cheap) and all of them included fagoting:

Not only did I get these lovely patterns but I got a few surprises as well!  Including this completed collar (which must have been from another pattern):

Look at that beautiful detail!  I just love it!  I have plans sometime soon to sew up an outfit to match this great yellow and white collar (maybe for the spring?).

But that wasn't all, there was also this beauty:
It's a long, almost necklace length collar piece.  Another stunning piece of craftmanship.  I want to incorporate this into an outfit as well!

After spending some time examining those two finished pieces, it inspired me to try my hand at it!  I used McCall 392 version A and did a bit of a trial run.


Here is the result of one of the triangles (this is the back side):

The technique is surprisingly easy but I was definitely aided by using the very easy Colleterie blog tutorial on how to sew a fagoted seam.  I really love the way the stitching looks when using this method.  I'm still deciding on actual colours for the final collars and cuffs and of course, a dress to match but it's was really great learning a new technique.

Here's a bit more on the technique from my 1954 Singer Sewing Book:


I really like how this spiral stitch looks.

Here's the method that the Colette tutorial teaches:

I also really want to make the leaves collar from McCall 392.  Here's the pattern pieces that the previous owner has carefully attached to brown paper and already used:


I'm definitely intrigued! Another project for the list ;-)

Have you ever done any fagoting stitchwork?  Ever heard of it before?
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13 comments

  1. I have heard of it and found it in upscale linen blouses and dresses. Look in thrift stores for older examples, it was popular in the late eighties and early nineties.

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  2. i've wanted to try this forever! these detailed shots might finally get me going...

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  3. I would think fagoting would be pretty as a sleeve detail, too.  Your triangle example looks great.  I would love to see the leaves collar in detail. It would be a work of art!

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  4. Brilliant!!!  Absolutely, outstandingly brilliant!!!
    I have been enjoying your A, B, C series very much, but the faggoting was especially appealing to me!  I'd read it a few times before I figured out why I liked it so much.  I'm past 60 and my mother was an early day career woman, with little patience for the homey arts.  The one and only piece of needle work she ever taught me to do was fagotting.

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  5. I have not the patience for such detailed sewing, but I like to use the faggot stitch in knitting lace -- v. easy and v. effective. The embroidery type was much used in the "handkerchief dresses" trend of the Edwardian era.

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  6. Stop!  Am drooling all over my keyboard... had no idea there were patterns for these collars, which I've been seeing on Miss Lemon (Poiret DVDs).  Yes! I've heard of faggoting, but didn't realize it could be used this way.  Had only thought of it in terms of piecing together fabric on bodices, napkins, table linen - that sort of thing.  This blows my mind!
    Please give details of your Singer Sewing Book - it's not the 54-page reference book, is it?  Would like to order one of my own.  Thank you!

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  7. Debi_myhappysewingplaceSeptember 20, 2012 11:35 PM

    That's really neat! I love fagotting...it looks so delicate and elegant! Thanks for your sweet comment about the ABCs series...I'm enjoying it a lot too!

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  8. Debi_myhappysewingplaceSeptember 20, 2012 11:36 PM

    oohhh...that's a great idea...fagotting detail in a sleeve would be fabulous! I love the split sleeve look of the 30s!

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  9. Debi_myhappysewingplaceSeptember 20, 2012 11:37 PM

    I had no idea it was popular in the 80s and early 90s (I was too busy doing grunge then :)  I'll definitely check out some charity shops to see if I can find examples of fagotting! 

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  10. What great pattern finds, I love the collars. Hoping to learn how do fagoting on my machine for tablecloths

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  12. Nice!!! In Puerto Rico it was popular in the 80's. I used to know how to do it when I was 8 or 9 years, but I'm out of practice now.

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  13. Me gustaría más ilustraciones en español ,y co el tutorial ! Gracias!

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I read each and every comment--thank you so much!

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