To Cover A Crown With Braid

Begin at the bottom of the crown, slanting the second row off from the

first row the same as on the brim. Pull the braid up with the thread

(which will be found on the edge of nearly every braid) and sew until

the center of the crown tip is reached, when a hole in the top of the

crown may be made and the end pushed through and fastened on the

underside. Keep the braid full enough so that it will lie flat all the

way. S metimes it is easier to begin sewing the braid on at the very

center of the top of the crown, or a few rows may be sewed to a small

circle of crinoline before attaching to the top of the crown.



If a braid is used which is composed of four or five smaller braids

sewed together, the method is the same until the crown tip is reached

or a place where it is impossible to make the braid lie flat. The braid

must then be separated into the smaller strands and one cut off at a

time, and each end lapped under the preceding strand; proceed with the

remaining strands, cutting one off at a time until only one remains to

finish the center with. When the crown tip is completed, push the

remaining end through a hole in the center of the crown tip and sew to

the inside of the crown. When using this kind of braid the operation may

be reversed, beginning at the center of the top and covering a small

circle of buckram with braid; press it with a warm iron to flatten it,

then sew in place on the crown and complete the covering. This seems the

easier method, because the top of the crown will look much better if

pressed and this will be found hard to do unless begun on a small

separate piece of buckram.