Petersham ribbon, also called Petersham facing or simply Petersham, is a thick, stiff, flexible corded

ribbon A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily as decorative binding and tying. Cloth ribbons are made of natural materials such as silk, cotton, and jute and of synthetic mate ...

usually made out of either

cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

rayon Rayon, also called viscose and commercialised in some countries as sabra silk or cactus silk, is a semi-synthetic fiber made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose fiber, cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has t ...

viscose Rayon, also called viscose and commercialised in some countries as sabra silk or cactus silk, is a semi-synthetic fiber made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products. It has the same molecula ...

, or a cotton/ rayon or viscose blend of fibres and used as facing by

milliners Hat-making or millinery is the design, manufacture and sale of hats and other headwear. A person engaged in this trade is called a milliner or hatter. Historically, milliners made and sold a range of accessories for clothing and hairstyles. ...

and

tailors A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...

. Petersham is frequently watered on both sides and comes with a scalloped edge. It is woven so that once steamed, it will take on and support a particular curve of

fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is no ...

. This makes it useful for obtaining a smooth edge on the brim of a hat, for example, without forming puckers or wrinkles which would result from the use of traditional flat ribbon or other flat fabric. It is also useful as an alternative to

bias tape image:lavender 0.25 inch double-fold bias tape.jpg, left, An example of double-fold bias tape Bias tape or bias binding is a narrow strip of fabric, typically plain weave, cut on the bias (textile), bias. As the weaving, weave of fabric is at ...

for making fabric conform closely to the shape of the body wearing it— in a

corset A corset /ˈkɔːrsɪt/ is a support garment worn to constrict the torso into the desired shape and Posture correction, posture. They are traditionally constructed out of fabric with boning made of Baleen, whalebone or steel, a stiff panel in th ...

, for example, or along the waistline of a pair of trousers or a skirt. Petersham is utilized in couture sewing as a form of interfacing as a way to stabilize waistbands. Petersham is very similar to

grosgrain Grosgrain ( , also sometimes grogram ) is a type of fabric or ribbon defined by the fact that its weft is heavier than its Warp (weaving), warp, creating prominent transverse ribs. Grosgrain is a plain weave corded fabric, with heavier cords th ...

ribbon in appearance: both have closely spaced horizontal ridges, but Petersham has a flexible

picot A picot is a loop of thread created for functional or ornamental purposes along the edge of lace or ribbon, or crocheted, knitted or tatted fabric. The loops vary in size according to their function and artistic intention. 'Picot', pronounced ...

edge allowing it to be shaped with an iron, whereas grosgrain cannot be shaped this way. Petersham is named after the eighteenth century English lord

Viscount Petersham Earl of Harrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created in 1742. History The earldom of Harrington was granted in 1742 to William Stanhope, 1st Baron Harrington, the former Secretary of State and then Lord President of ...

who invented an overcoat and breeches made of a special heavy woollen cloth with a round nap surface. For this reason, "Petersham" is often (but not always) capitalized.

References

{{reflist Textile closures

See also

References