Do you have a fear of sewing those tiny trims on your doll clothes projects? Don't fret, many of us do too! In this post, I'm excited to share with you several tips to sewing narrow laces and trims with no stress at all! The secret is the use of double sided basting tape - seriously, it works like magic! After trying this, I'm pretty sure you'll never go back to your old method and you will have the confidence to sew tiny trims without fear!
These sewing tips are shared with from the Sewing Tiny Trims course. This offers so many great tutorials, if you haven't already checked it out I encourage you to take a peek and if you're interested in downloading the videos, pick up a copy of the course today, or join the Sewing With Cinnamon community for more sewing tips, tricks, and community interaction.
We've got a fun Bonus Giveaway going on this week! Scroll down to the bottom of the post to find the entry widget and follow the prompts to gain the maximum amount of entries. The prize is a bundle of trims, 9 trims in total, each one is 3 yards!
We have a collection of trims available exclusively to Sewing With Cinnamon members, you can find them in the Pixie Cuts collection.
We also have a variety of full kits that include fabric and notions for specified pattern designs available to everyone, you can find those in the Pixie Packs Fabric Kits collection.
Don't forget, Sewing With Cinnamon Members can quality for free shipping too! Read the details on the sign up page.
Now onto the tutorials... Follow along in this video series to learn my favorite tips for choosing trim, storing trims, and sewing trims with different doll clothes patterns. The first video is below, the rest of the series can be viewed on the full Sewing Tiny Trims Playlist.
The course videos are free to view at any time - Happy Sewing!
Watch the full Sewing Tiny Trims video series on our YouTube Playlist!
Contest Details: You enter through the entry form that is embedded on this page and appears just below this paragraph, if you don't see it, be sure to visit the page from your desktop or an alternate browser such as Google Chrome. It may not appear on all mobile devices. The complete rules and entry details appear on the entry form. This is not a comment contest - in other words, leaving a comment on the bottom of this page is not an official entry method. The only required entry method is to leave a comment under this post and then confirm that you did it in the contest widget. One person will receive the Pixie Faire Trims Bundle Set. You can enter once, or gain multiple entries by completing the other entry methods and increase your chances of winning. Please review all Terms and Conditions on the giveaway page before entering. While we wish we could run this contest everywhere, for legal reasons it is only open to eligible residents of the U.S. and Canada, not including Rhode Island. This contest is exclusively endorsed by Pixie Faire.
Okay, good luck, and if we’ve forgotten anything we will modify and/or update this post as needed.
Cinnamon & Team Pixie Faire
PS. Please leave a comment and let us know what tutorial about trims you'd like to see “My challenge when sewing trims is______” Be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the comments to leave your comment under the post.
58 Comments
Dorothy
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing tiny trims is trying to decide which trim to use.
Roxanna J Khoury
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing tiny trims is finding just the perfect trim for the project.
Elaine Toppel
February 16, 2024
My challenge is finding trims that are small enough to look great on the project.
Clarissa
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge is finding the trims, especially colors. The closest IRL stores are 1 1/2 hours one way and I don’t drive because of eyesight so I really have to rely on on-line stores.
Rose
February 16, 2024
My challenge with tiny trims is to get the courage to start!
Machine or hand sew,?
Thank you for all the freebies and giveaways!
designdreamer
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trims is finding trims in the correct size AND color.
Melinda Mull
February 16, 2024
I’m always searching for tiny trims for dollhouse dolls up to 18” dolls. I don’t find very many delicate looking ones.
Christine
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenged with trims is tapering the ends so as not to have bulk on a small doll outfit (particularly at the back). Ex: Piping
Mary
February 16, 2024
My most difficult issue with applying trims is gathering and pinning evenly.
Nancy S
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge with trims is actually finding one I want that looks like I want the finished product to look.
Janice S
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing tiny trims is keeping them exactly where they need to be and sewing in a straight line (they tend to slip around under my presser foot if the layers or bulk are uneven).
J.J. Goody
February 16, 2024
Since I only sew by hand, I don’t have the trouble some mention about trying to attach trim with a machine (which sounds very difficult). But since I often find my trims in boxes of unused or barely used sewing supplies at estate sales, I do have the problem of not being able to find more of it, so I have to plan my outfits carefully. Here’s one I won’t be able to replicate because I haven’t seen this wavy trim at the store: https://pin.it/3aj5jI9Hl
Sharon B.
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing tiny trims is finding the right scale of trim to begin with!
Nita
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing tiny trims is not pulling them too tight on curves.
Rebecca
February 16, 2024
I hate when my sewing thread shows through
Teresa
February 16, 2024
I will echo others in my struggles, definitely the biggest challenge I have is to keep trims straight without slipping, especially around a curve.
Lorraine M
February 16, 2024
My biggest chalenge is finding the time to sew when so many other things have to be done.My husband has been in a nursing home for the last 5 years, and so free time seems to be scarce now, as I have to take care of everything and make sure things are done.
Kathy m
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge is finding trims and lace to add to doll clothes and using double side tape is a great tip from SWC class to keep the lace straight
Krynne
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trims is keeping it well aligned as I sew. I hand sew everything, so trying to keep it flat and still on the edge is tough.
Heidi
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trims is keeping the stitching from going off the trim.
Mary Ann
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trim is keeping it evenly spaced
Brenda Lee Smith
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing trims is making the ends meet neatly.
Cathy
February 16, 2024
.y biggest challrsewi g trims us not running my seam off the trim ( keeping it steaight)
Patty
February 16, 2024
I enjoy sewing heirloom clothing for my granddaughter and would like to see more information on sewing the tiny trims onto doll clothing. Mitering and entredeux are challenging on small pieces of fabric. Thank you!!
John
February 16, 2024
I love this sewing tip. Basting tape opens a whole new world of sewing!
Ann A
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge is finding a source to purchase the appropriate trims. Also, applying certain trims to curves.
Janet
February 16, 2024
Keeping them straight on a garment as the garment thickness changes.
Beverly
February 16, 2024
I have difficulty selecting the correct needle to see trim on delicate fabric
Connie
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge with sewing tiny trims is keeping them from slipping and staying aligned properly.
Mary Hope
February 16, 2024
I’m having trouble figuring out what I’m buying when purchasing trims. I like to use vintage trims and have no idea what the differences are between the different types of lace. There seem to be so many kinds!! A lesson on different kinds of vintage laces and what’s appropriate for the period would be so helpful! I mean, what is “chemical” lace anyway? How can I tell if what a seller claims to be “victorian” lace is actually Victorian? And what’s the difference between “organza” and “tricot” lace? Arrrrggghhh!
Rachel Bussan
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing trims is neatly folding in the ends.
Mollie Bradford
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trims is keeping them straight.
Kathi M
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing trim is not having the thread showing when using a machine
Ann
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge sewing trims is keeping them aligned on the fabric as I am sewing.
Joanne G
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge is finding the time to work on things.
Theresa
February 16, 2024
“My challenge when sewing trims is finding them and then when I do find them, keeping them straight on the item".
Meg
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing tiny trims is keeping them from wiggling when I’m sewing them down. That and finding them in the first place.
Barbara
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge is sewing the trim close to the edge of the fabric.
Dori Bockbrader
February 16, 2024
The small trims are great. I usually have to take regular trim and cut it down. This is so much easier.
Lori Neilson
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge when sewing tiny trims is deciding what will work best with the pattern and then keeping it in place while sewing.
Sue
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenges are corners, curves and getting opposite sides to mirror exactly.
Nancy M
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trims is finding the right one for the sewing pattern I am working on.
Sarah Tafelsky
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge with trims is finding nice-quality trims at a doll scale. So many trims are too big, and so many at the right scale are stiff, feel icky, or just plain hard to work with!
Nancy
February 16, 2024
very nice patterns and ideas
Jess
February 16, 2024
Some of the challenges I find when sewing on trim are finding trim that’s doll-size, keeping it in place (especially when it’s on an edge), and making my stitch lines blend in as well as possible while still securely attaching the trim. Thanks for the tips! I’m excited to try some of the ideas.
Ruth
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge is finding smaller well made laces and trims
Zia
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge when sewing with tiny trims is, quite simply, sourcing them. If by chance I find the right lace, sewing it on straight is the next most challenging thing.
T
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge with trims is manipulating the trim around on tiny pieces.
Lawanda
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trims are corners and curves!
Sandra
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge with sewing trims is keeping it where it belongs to sew it on. I did not know about double sided bias tape. That sounds like something I could definitely use. Where do I find that?
Elizabeth
February 16, 2024
My challenge when sewing trims is getting the placement right on corners and curves.
Elaine
February 16, 2024
Biggest challenge is finding them and affording them.
Victoria Masteller
February 16, 2024
My challenge is corners when sewing trim on tiny garments
Dawn Annette Jetchick
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge with trim is finding a variety of trim styles. Since Covid, it seems fabric stores near me are carrying less of a variety.
Diane McWhirter
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing trims is finding trims that are small enough to fit doll size clothes.
Jeanne
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge is keeping the trim where it belongs. I will have to try this trick with double sided tape. Thank you
Joanne Beschell
February 16, 2024
Where do you find double sided basting tape? It’s a new one to me. Do you carry it?
Carma Rethmeier
February 16, 2024
My greatest challenge when sewing tiny trims is keeping it straight & aligned at the edge. I’ve used the double sided bias tape – it’s amazingly helpful!
Dorothy
February 16, 2024
My biggest challenge when sewing tiny trims is trying to decide which trim to use.