US20210071335A1 - Garment Construction Techniques Using Mesh Material - Google Patents
Garment Construction Techniques Using Mesh Material Download PDFInfo
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- US20210071335A1 US20210071335A1 US17/016,216 US202017016216A US2021071335A1 US 20210071335 A1 US20210071335 A1 US 20210071335A1 US 202017016216 A US202017016216 A US 202017016216A US 2021071335 A1 US2021071335 A1 US 2021071335A1
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- Prior art keywords
- spider
- spiders
- edge
- mesh material
- rings
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D06C29/00—Finishing or dressing, of textile fabrics, not provided for in the preceding groups
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- A41D31/00—Materials specially adapted for outerwear
- A41D31/0005—Materials specially adapted for outerwear made from a plurality of interconnected elements
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41F—GARMENT FASTENINGS; SUSPENDERS
- A41F1/00—Fastening devices specially adapted for garments
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- A41D2500/00—Materials for garments
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41F—GARMENT FASTENINGS; SUSPENDERS
- A41F15/00—Shoulder or like straps
- A41F15/002—Shoulder or like straps separable or adjustable
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D06C3/00—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D06C3/00—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics
- D06C3/02—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics by endless chain or like apparatus
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D06C3/00—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics
- D06C3/02—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics by endless chain or like apparatus
- D06C3/021—Biaxial stretching
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D06C3/00—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics
- D06C3/08—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics by frames or like apparatus
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
- D06C3/00—Stretching, tentering or spreading textile fabrics; Producing elasticity in textile fabrics
- D06C3/10—Hooks, pin-blocks, or like apparatus
Definitions
- This invention relates generally to garment construction techniques, and, more particularly, to construction of garments using mesh material, including gathering, ruching, draping, and fastening techniques.
- Chain mail is typically a mesh made of small metal rings linked together in a pattern.
- Chain mail armor has existed since the third or fourth century B.C. and was originally valued for the protection it provided during battle. In the last hundred years, chain mail has been used in a protective role in gloves (such as for butchers or woodcarvers), in armor (such as in stab-proof vests or to protect divers from shark bites), and in shields or guards in industrial settings (such as in metal working operations).
- mesh material may now be perceived as aesthetically pleasing and may be appreciated as desirable for use in fashion and home furnishings, the conventional techniques used in producing fashion items and protective gear do not provide the variety of looks desired by the fashion and design industries due to the lack of mesh construction techniques.
- mesh material may share some similarity in function, form, and use with woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric, it cannot be sewn like a typical fabric. For example, seams, buttonholes, pleats, flutes, gathers, and darts, which are easy to sew into woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric, cannot be sewn into the mesh material.
- the present invention is directed to multiple garment construction techniques. These techniques may all be used with mesh material, where the mesh material includes multiple spiders each with four legs that can interconnect with four separate rings. A connectable chain of spiders and rings of one row connects with a corresponding connectable chain of rings and spiders of an adjacent row at a chain connection column. These methods address the inherent challenges in working with mesh material that cannot be sewn on a machine or by hand in the manner of woven, knitted, or non-woven fabrics.
- the first garment construction technique presented herein is a method of creating ruching in an article or mesh portion of a mesh material. This method may be applied to one area of a mesh portion or to multiple areas of a mesh portion. This method includes removing multiple triangular wedges of spiders and rings. The wedges are removed along a pre-determined edge, which may be the natural edge or may be a created edge. The removal of each of the triangular wedges creates a concave void defined by two void ring-spider borders and the opening between the rings or spiders on the outermost edge of the void ring-spider borders. The two void ring-spider borders form an angle like the front edges of an arrowhead. The two void ring-spider borders are the spiders and rings that were adjacent to the edges of the removed triangular wedge, but now remain as an edge.
- a spider/ring margin remains between adjacent concave triangular voids.
- the spider/ring margin is from one to a few rings of the original pre-determined edge.
- a banding-piece (having spiders and rings) then is used to connect to the spiders and rings of the spider/ring margin while leaving the spiders and rings of the two void ring-spider borders (which were adjacent to the edges of the triangular void before it was removed) unattached.
- This creates a first niche which is a pleating or folding effect created in the mesh material, which gives a similar appearance to a single niche in a traditional woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric.
- the mesh material provides a texture and support that is not provided by ruched traditional fabric.
- the second garment construction technique is a method to gather a mesh material to reduce the length of an edge and/or to create a stretch mesh material.
- a filament is run through the closed spider legs of a chain connection column at the edge of an article of mesh material. Then the closed spider legs are drawn into closer proximity by extracting the excess filament between the spiders. Thus, the portion of the length of the filament that interacts with or supports the closed spider legs is reduced as the closed spider legs are snugged together.
- the second aspect of the second garment construction technique is an extension of the first aspect. It is a method to create a two-way mesh material.
- multiple filaments are run through the closed spider legs of parallel chain connection columns of the garment or material.
- the multiple filaments may be run through every row of chain connection column or through some columns while leaving the other columns unchanged.
- the parallel chain connection columns may be vertical columns or horizontal columns. This aspect can create a two-dimensional stretch mesh material.
- the third aspect of the second garment construction technique is an extension of the first and second aspects. It is a method to create a four-way stretch mesh material.
- filaments are run through the closed spider legs of parallel horizontal chain connection columns of the garment or material and are run through the closed spider legs of parallel vertical chain connection columns of the garment. (The vertical columns are substantially perpendicular to the horizontal columns.)
- the filaments may be run through every horizontal and vertical chain connection column of spider legs or through some horizontal and vertical chain connection columns while leaving the other chain connection columns unchanged.
- the third garment construction technique is a system to create an adjustable-length strap or strap-like portion suitable for use with garments or articles of mesh material (though this method is usable with other types of fabrics), which may be particularly useful in fabrics used in fashion, decor, or other fabrics used in aesthetically pleasing usages.
- the mesh and non-mesh fabrics are termed “fashion fabrics.”
- the adjustability is provided without the need to tamper with the fashion fabric front, as opposed to conventional fastening means, such as a button and buttonhole or correlating snaps, that mar the fashion fabric front.
- This technique provides the ability to adjust the length of a strap or strap-like portion without sewing through the material front, which is not visually desirable to do with a mesh material.
- Three aspects of the third garment construction technique are provided.
- the object of the invention is to provide garment construction techniques that can be applied to mesh materials formed by a grid of multiple spiders and multiple rings, which give an improved performance over the currently available mesh material garment construction techniques.
- FIG. 1 is a partial bottom view of a portion of mesh material showing the first step in a ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a garment-type article with the first step of the ruching technique of FIG. 1 performed multiple times along two edges of the bodice of the article.
- FIG. 3 is a partial bottom view at the start of a second step in the ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 4 is a partial bottom view of the completion of a first ruche and the completion of the first step of a second niche, where the second step of a second ruche is ready to begin of the ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the completion of multiple niches along both sides of a bodice using the ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 6 is a partial bottom view of a first step in a first gathering technique for a portion of spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a garment showing the first aspect of the adjustable-length strap as seen in FIG. 12 and demonstrates the overly loose top edge of a rear skirt of a garment before using a first gathering technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a step in a first gathering technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention applied along a top edge of a rear skirt of a garment.
- FIG. 9 is a partial bottom view of a second aspect of the gathering technique, which provides a two-way stretch spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 10 is a front perspective view showing stretchable mesh of an embodiment of the current invention applied to a garment.
- FIG. 11 is a partial bottom view of a third aspect of the gathering technique, which provides a four-way stretch spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 12 is a perspective back view of a top portion of a garment showing a first aspect to create an adjustable-length strap using a G-clasp element of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 13 is a perspective interior view of a strap attachment to a garment showing the first aspect to create an adjustable-length strap of FIG. 12 .
- FIG. 14 is a perspective interior view of a portion of a strap showing the first aspect to create an adjustable-length strap of FIG. 12 .
- FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a G-clasp used as an element in the construction technique to create an adjustable-length strap of FIG. 12 .
- FIG. 16 is a cut interior view of a G-clasp, a receiving channel, a tether, and a strap taken from lines - 16 - 16 - of FIG. 13 .
- FIG. 17 is a perspective back view of a portion of a strap showing a second aspect of the adjustable-length strap using a G-clasp element of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 18 is a back view of the G-clasp element of a third aspect of the adjustable-length strap system using a G-clasp element of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 19 is a perspective back view of a strap portion of a third aspect of the adjustable-length strap system of an embodiment of the current invention.
- FIG. 20 is a front view of spider mesh material of the prior art.
- FIG. 21 is a back view of spider mesh material of the prior art.
- FIG. 22 is a bottom view of a single spider and a single ring of the spider mesh of the prior art.
- the present invention is directed toward three garment construction techniques for use with mesh material and includes an application to a dress-type garment.
- the mesh material of the prior art as shown in FIGS. 20-22 includes a grid of multiple spiders 20 and multiple rings 30 .
- Each of the spiders 20 has four legs 21 A, 21 B, 21 C, 21 D ( FIG. 22 ) fixedly attached to, or formed integrally with, a central body 29 .
- a leg 21 may be opened to receive a ring. Then the distal portion of the leg 21 is curled inward and closed to form an open conduit or leg channel 27 ( FIG. 22 ) within the curl of the leg 21 , which accommodates the ring 30 .
- a portion of a ring 30 is secured within the leg channel 27 of the leg 21 .
- each spider 20 is connected to four separate rings 30 , and each ring 30 is connected to four separate spiders 20 .
- One row or chain of spiders 20 with interspersed rings 30 is joined to an adjacent row or chain of rings 30 interspersed with spiders 20 .
- the first row meets the adjacent row at a chain connection column 31 ( FIG. 21 ).
- a chain connection column 31 in the middle of the mesh is a column at which the spiders 20 of the first row are attached to the rings 30 of the adjacent row and at which the spiders 20 of the adjacent row are attached to the rings 30 of the first row.
- a chain connection column 31 at the edge of the mesh is an edge column at which the spiders 20 of the first row are available for attachment to the rings 30 of another adjacent row and the rings 20 of the first row are available for attachment to the rings 30 of another adjacent row, but no adjacent row of spiders 20 and rings 30 is currently attached.
- the multiple spiders 20 and rings 30 form a stylish and fashionable mesh material 55 .
- the mesh material 55 cannot be sewn with standard garment construction techniques. Therefore, the designer of garments or home decor is limited when using the conventional garment construction techniques.
- the first garment construction technique is a ruching technique, shown in FIGS. 1-5 .
- the second garment construction technique is a gathering technique, shown in FIGS. 6-11 .
- the third garment construction technique is a technique for creating a length-adjustable strap using a G-clasp element, shown in FIGS. 12-19 .
- garment construction techniques is used herein for conciseness, these techniques can be equally well applied to other articles and items. These other types of items may be architectural elements (such as hanging room dividers and the like), home furnishings (such as pillows, curtains, bed skirts, and the like), decor, accessories (such as purses, scarves, and shoes), and the like.
- FIGS. 1-5 a garment construction technique for creating a single ruche or multiple ruches, shown generally as reference number 10 , is illustrated in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.
- the ruching technique creates a ruche 10 , which is a pleated, ruffled, or folded portion of the mesh attached to a strip or band of mesh, which is referred to as banding-piece 12 .
- One or many ruches 10 can be used for constructing a garment (for example, the dress as shown in FIG. 5 ) or other article (such as multiple ruches 10 at the top of a mesh room divider).
- one or many ruches 10 can be used for trimming or finishing a garment (such as applied at a neckline) or other article (such as applied to a purse).
- the tailor obtains mesh material 55 , which may be received as bulk mesh material on a bolt or may be a portion of mesh material.
- the ruching may be applied to one or multiple areas of the mesh material, or the tailor may remove sections of the mesh material 55 to form a piece, a shaped portion, or a fashion, utilitarian, or decor article (termed generally a “mesh portion 56 ”) of the mesh material 55 .
- a mesh portion 56 When a mesh portion 56 is fashioned, it may be generally shaped according to a pattern or a design of the final item to be constructed.
- a article or mesh portion 56 may be prepared according to a pattern for a skirt, a bodice, a dress (as in FIG. 2 ), a pillow, a curtain, a hanging divider, or the like.
- the example shown here includes multiple niches 10 applied to two areas of a shaped, dress-type garment of mesh material 55 .
- the mesh portion 56 includes a grid of multiple spiders 20 and multiple rings 30 .
- the mesh portion 56 has a periphery, which is disposed along the perimeter of the mesh portion 56 .
- the mesh portion periphery may run along a single edge (such as in the case in which the mesh portion 56 is circular or generally circular) or may run along multiple edges (such as the dress shown in FIG. 2 ).
- the first step of the ruching technique is shown in the detail view of FIG. 1 .
- the first step is the creation of a concave void 53 by the removal of a first triangular wedge 35 , which leaves two void ring-spider borders 57 that meet at an angle. Typically, this first step is repeated multiple times with a few spiders and rings (a spider/ring margin 54 , FIG. 3 ) left between each of the multiple triangular voids 53 created.
- the second step of the ruching technique shown in FIGS. 3-4 , is the use of a banding-piece 12 that is attached to the spider/ring margins 54 (between adjacent concave voids 53 ), while the spiders and rings of the void ring-spider borders 57 remain unattached.
- a first triangular wedge 35 of mesh material is removed from a pre-determined edge 25 of a mesh portion 56 .
- the pre-determined edge 25 may be the actual peripheral edge of a mesh portion (as seen in FIGS. 6, 9, 11 ) or may be a created edge.
- a created edge is made in a preparation step (before beginning the first step) by selecting a chain connection column 31 where spiders 20 and rings 30 meet and generating a pre-determined edge 25 by disconnecting spider legs 21 and rings 30 along one side of a chain connection column 31 to establish a non-peripheral, unattached or open edge row of spiders 20 and rings 30 .
- the first triangular wedge 35 of mesh material is removed by disconnecting spiders 20 from rings 30 .
- the various disconnections 17 between the rings 30 and the legs 21 of the spiders 20 are shown by the dot-dash lines.
- a first leg 21 of spider 20 A is disconnected at disconnection line 17 from ring 30 A; another leg 21 of spider 20 A is disconnected from ring 30 B; a first leg 21 of spider 20 B is disconnected at a disconnection line 17 from ring 30 B; another leg 21 of spider 20 B is disconnected from ring 30 C, and so on and so forth.
- the concave void 53 that is shown in FIG. 1 is not deep or wide for clarity of discussion, but, depending upon the article and the design, the concave void 53 may be from only a very few spiders and rings deep (such as three or four, as shown) to many spiders and rings deep.
- the size of the triangular wedge 35 that is removed, and thus the size of the concave void 53 produced, is based on factors such as the size of the mesh, the size of the article (for example, a large room divider could have deeper niches, compared to necessarily shallower niches on a purse), aesthetic considerations, and the design plan of the design originator.
- the triangular wedge 35 has at least two equal sides, so is an isosceles triangle (and may at times be an isosceles right triangle or equilateral triangle).
- this first step is repeated over and over (one time for every niche 10 ) along the length of the pre-determined edge 25 that is to be ruched.
- the removal of triangular wedges 35 in preparation for the second step of the ruching may be performed along one or more than one of the to-be-ruched pre-determined edges 25 .
- An example of removal of multiple triangular wedges 35 along opposing pre-determined edges 25 is seen in FIG. 2 .
- the first step in ruching has been performed on two opposing sides of a bodice by the removal of triangular wedges 35 along the two opposing to-be-ruched pre-determined edges 25 .
- the first step of the ruching has been completed in the to-be-ruched area 13 A of FIG. 2 .
- the ruching will be completed during step two of the ruching method.
- the first step of the ruching (the removal of triangular wedges 35 ) has created concave voids 53 with sides defined by the two angled void ring-spider borders 57 meeting at an angle center 33 . Since multiple niches are being formed, after removal of one triangular wedge 35 , the adjacent triangular wedge 35 was removed.
- the adjacent triangle wedges 35 are not removed contiguously.
- a portion of the pre-determined edge 25 is left remaining intact between the adjacent concave voids 53 ; this intact portion is a spider/ring margin 54 .
- the spider/ring margin 54 is at least one spider 20 and one ring 30 long and is preferably at least four spiders and rings long (a spider 20 , a ring 30 , a second spider 20 , and a second ring 30 ), as shown in FIG. 3 .
- the spider/ring margin 54 may be left longer.
- a looser ruching may be desired at the top of a curtain or room divider.
- removing two adjacent triangular wedges 35 not only creates two concave voids 53 , it also leaves a residual portion of the pre-determined edge 25 between the two concave voids 53 , which is the spider/ring margin 54 .
- step two after completion of step one along the area to be ruched, a banding-piece 12 is used.
- the banding-piece 12 is connected to the spider(s) 20 and ring(s) 30 of the multiple spider/ring margins 54 while leaving the spiders and rings in the concave void 53 unattached.
- the ruched mesh material provides a texture and support that is not provided by ruched traditional fabric.
- the banding-piece 12 of mesh material used in this second step of the ruching method is much shorter than the section 13 A for which only the first step of the ruching has been completed.
- the banding-piece 12 may be less than half the length of the to-be-ruched section 13 A.
- the banding-piece 12 may be formed as part of the mesh portion 56 (as shown in FIG. 2 ) or may be formed as a separate piece and attached to the mesh portion 56 .
- the banding-piece 12 is created when the bulk mesh material 55 is formed into the shaped mesh portion 56 of mesh material. However, this is not necessary. Any strip of mesh 55 may be used as the banding-piece 12 . For example, because the banding-piece 12 is typically narrow, scraps from the preparation and shaping of the mesh portion 56 may be used.
- the spiders 20 of the mesh banding-piece 12 are to be interconnected with the rings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54
- the spiders 20 of the spider/ring margin 54 are to be interconnected with the rings 30 of the banding-piece 12 .
- the spider/ring margin 54 is two spiders 20 and two rings 30 long.
- the two spiders 20 of the banding-piece 12 are interconnected with the two rings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54
- two spiders of the spider/ring margin 54 are interconnected with two rings 30 of the banding-piece 12 .
- the ruching may be less dense, and the spider/ring margin 54 would be longer than two spiders 20 and two rings 30 , so more than two spiders 20 and two rings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 would be connected to the banding-piece 12 .
- Each spider 20 and each ring 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 can be connected to corresponding rings 30 and spiders 20 or (particularly if the spider/ring margin 54 is longer) only a portion of the spiders 20 and rings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 may be connected.
- the spiders 20 and rings 30 of the void ring-spider border 57 remain unattached.
- connection line 11 A shows that ring 30 A is to be connected to spider 20 A.
- the connection line 11 B shows that spider 20 B is to be connected to ring 30 B.
- the connection line 11 C shows that ring 30 C is to be connected to spider 20 C.
- the connection line 11 D shows that spider 20 D is to be connected to ring 30 D.
- FIG. 4 shows the stage in which the first ruche 10 has been completed and the first step of the second ruche 10 has been completed.
- the spiders 20 and rings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 will be joined to the spiders 20 and rings 30 of the banding-piece 12 adjacent to where the spider/ring margin 54 of the first ruche have been joined to the banding-piece 12 .
- Any number of ruches 10 can be created in this manner. The number created may be based on the design of the item or garment to be created.
- the remaining portion of pre-determined edge 25 adjacent to the outermost ring or spider of the void ring-spider border 57 at the first side of the concave void 53 and the remaining portion of pre-determined edge 25 adjacent to the outermost ring or spider of the void ring-spider border 57 at the second side of the concave void 53 serve as the spider/ring margins 54 .
- These spider/ring margins 54 are connected in the second step of the ruching technique to the banding-piece 12 , just as in the above example, which described multiple ruches 10 .
- the designer of the ruching can, when desired, create a tighter tension or a looser tension in the ruching.
- the tighter tension is created by removing one row of the spider/ring margin 54 .
- the second, inner row is used as the revised spider/ring margin 54 to be connected. This creates greater tension.
- an outer, additional row of spiders and rings is added to the created row of the spider/ring margin 54 .
- the created spider/ring margin 54 is two rings and two spiders long, as shown in FIG. 3 , a new row of three to four rings and spiders can be added to outside of the created spider/ring margin 54 and can be used as the revised spider/ring margin 54 . This creates less tension and more drape.
- FIG. 5 shows a completed garment with over twenty ruchings 10 on opposite sides of the dress bodice.
- This particular aspect of the invention creates a cowl neck 14 (formed from the pre-cowl neck area 14 A of FIG. 2 ) and a front bodice drape that provides bosom support in an elegant manner.
- This innovative support is inherent in the ruching placement and design, and it is not provided by typical fabrics.
- the second garment construction technique a method to gather a mesh material to reduce the length of the mesh row, is shown in FIGS. 6, 8-11 .
- This gathering construction technique can be used on garments and other items, but it is illustrated as applied to a garment design.
- Three aspects of the mesh gathering technique are provided. In the first aspect, an edge gathering technique is disclosed. In the second aspect, a two-way stretch gathering technique is disclosed. In the third aspect, a four-way stretch gathering technique is disclosed.
- an unmodified mesh top edge 19 of the back of the skirt portion 18 of the dress is shown.
- This top edge 19 has an undesirably low valley formed at the lowest point of the back edge 19 of the skirt 18 .
- the longer than desired length of the top edge 19 of the mesh material may occur due to the need to use a length of mesh to fit the wearer's hips.
- the length of the mesh top edge 19 can be reduced by using the first aspect of the gathering technique.
- a filament 45 is run through the edge chain connection column 31 , which is the holes within the leg channel 27 formed within each of the closed legs 21 of the outermost row of spiders 20 of the mesh.
- the length of the filament 45 may be similar to the length of the top edge 19 .
- a portion of the filament 45 (termed the “excess length”) is then drawn out of the holes within the legs 21 of the spiders 20 . This results in the legs 21 being pulled toward one another, thereby reducing the edge length by creating a gathering 40 , as seen at the top edge 19 in FIG. 8 .
- the degree that the reduction in the length of the edge 19 can be varied ranges from no reduction (where the length of the filament 45 matches the length of the top edge 19 ) to a small amount of reduction with the spiders pulled slightly together and bunched evenly to a larger amount of reduction in which the spiders are forced more tightly together (where the excess length of the filament 45 is significantly shorter than the length of the top edge 19 )
- the user can adjust the edge length to create a tighter or looser gathering 40 .
- the user can self-create a lower or higher valley at the top edge 19 by reducing the length of the filament 45 that is running through the spider legs 21 and supporting the mesh.
- at least one connection is supplied (preferably within the interior of the dress) to receive the excess portion of the filament 45 .
- one end of the filament 45 is fixedly attached to a small clasp 49 ( FIG. 8 ), such as a jewelry snap hook, spring clasp, or hook clasp.
- the interior of the garment is configured with multiple eyelets, eyes, loops, or other clasp-receiving elements 39 , which are shown in FIG.
- the clasp-receiving elements 39 are spaced vertically at different heights. When the small clasp 49 is engaged with a vertically higher clasp-receiving element 39 , the length of the top edge 19 is reduced, which raises the valley, as seen in FIG. 8 .
- the filament 45 is configured with one secured end and one loose end for adjustment.
- the secured end is fixedly attached to the dress, and the loose end includes a fixedly attached clasp 49 for engagement with one of the clasp-receiving elements 39 .
- the filament 45 is loose on both ends.
- the wearer has the ability to adjust the length of the edge 19 by connecting a connector (such as clasp 49 ) on one or both ends of the filament 45 to a clasp-receiving element 39 in a manner that maintains the excess filament in a hidden position within the dress.
- a connector such as clasp 49
- both ends of the filament 45 are fixedly attached by the manufacturer. In this aspect, only the manufacturer is provided with the ability to adjust the length of edge 19 .
- the filament 45 comprises a long, thin, and flexible fiber, filament, single strand, multi-strand, cord, or the like.
- the filament 45 may be made of natural or synthetic material.
- the filament 45 comprises a synthetic monofilament similar to a fishing line having a tensile strength sufficient to gather and secure the edge 19 , as well as to bear the weight of the mesh and the stretching that may occur during wearing.
- the filament 45 is transparent or translucent, but in another aspect the filament 45 is colored.
- the transparent or translucent filament 45 is more discreet, which is appropriate for some applications, but the colored filament 45 may be incorporated into some designs to provide contrast or to add interest based on aesthetic and design considerations.
- the first aspect of the gathering method of the second construction technique provides inconspicuous gathering 40 that adjusts the length of edge 19 without sewing.
- the second aspect of the gathering technique addresses the lack of stretch of a typical mesh garment or article.
- a two-way stretch mesh 42 is created by running the flexible filament 45 through the legs 21 of multiple chain connection columns 31 . This is shown in FIG. 9 as a vertical lacing or threading of the filament 45 through chain connection columns 31 , with each column of lacing running through spider legs 21 from a first row of spiders and through spider legs 21 from an adjacent row of spiders.
- the multiple chain connection columns 31 may include an edge chain connection column 31 , as in the first aspect of the gathering technique, and as is shown on the far right in FIG. 9 as laced with filament 45 a.
- the lacing of multiple chain connection columns 31 may include adjacent rows, shown in FIG. 9 as laced with filaments 45 a, 45 b, 45 c, and 45 d.
- the lacing of multiple chain connection columns 31 may skip one or more rows of spider legs 21 thus allowing one or more intermediate non-laced columns 41 of spider legs 21 to remain unlaced (no filament used).
- An intermediate non-laced column 41 is shown as the second row of spider legs 21 from the left of FIG. 9 .
- the lacing may be run through each and every row of chain connection columns 31 .
- the edge chain connection column 31 includes only legs of the exterior row of spiders, while an inner chain connection column 31 includes legs of the spider row to the right and legs of the spider row to the left.
- the interior chain connection columns 31 have the possibility of lacing twice as many spider legs 21 .
- the interior chain connection columns 31 may be laced through each and every spider leg 21 of both the left and right row of spiders, optionally the interior chain connection columns 31 may be laced through less than every spider leg 21 .
- the length of the filament 45 may be equal to the length of the chain connection column 31 when initially installed in the fully extended mesh material; but the length of the filament 45 is reduced in length at least slightly when compared to the length of the fully extended mesh to create the stretch mesh. This allows the mesh to be slightly contracted with the spiders and rings somewhat closer together than in the fully extended mesh material.
- the slightly contracted mesh 42 (along with the length and the flexibility of the filament 45 ) permit the mesh fabric to be stretched. It is substantially stretchable in the direction that the filament 45 is run, thus providing a two-way stretch mesh material 42 when the filament 45 is laced in parallel chain connection columns 31 only running vertically or horizontally.
- the third aspect of the gathering technique provides a stretch mesh material 42 having a four-way stretch by running one or multiple segments of filament 45 both vertically and horizontally through multiple chain connection columns 31 .
- the multiple laced chain connection columns 31 may include the edge chain connection column 31 , may include adjacent chain connection columns 31 , may include some non-adjacent rows (with one or more intermediate non-laced columns 41 ), or may include each and every chain connection columns 31 .
- the laced spiders of the multiple chain connection columns 31 are brought nearer each other to form a slightly contracted mesh. Portions of filament 45 running both horizontally and vertically allow the slightly contracted mesh 42 to stretch both horizontally and vertically.
- the filament 45 may be used in segments, designated 44 a - f, with each segment ending at or near the edge.
- the filament 45 may be looped through multiple rows of spider legs 21 , as shown in the exemplary filament 45 g.
- the filaments of the two-way stretch may also be looped by running through one row of spider legs 21 and then turning at an end and running through another row of spider legs 21 , as shown by filament 45 g.
- the ends of the filaments 45 used in the gathering technique may be secured in various ways, such as by tying a filament to a ring.
- a preferred method of securing the ends is shown in FIG. 11 , which uses a crimp bead 48 to interlock two segments of filament to each other or to lock one filament around a ring.
- the two-way or four-way mesh 42 is shown in an application to a garment in FIG. 10 .
- the stretch mesh may be more contracted as is the mesh 42 a in the upper portion of the dress. Or the stretch mesh may be less contracted as is the mesh 42 b at the lower portion of the dress.
- the stretch mesh 42 may be only in a portion of the garment, such as the bodice and waist of the dress and may join an unlaced portion of mesh, such as at the skirt of the dress illustrated in FIG. 7 .
- the non-laced columns 41 (which may be vertical or horizontal columns) may be used to create interest or texture in a mostly stretchable mesh material.
- the third garment construction technique is shown in FIGS. 12-19 . Because mesh material cannot be sewn with a sewing machine, typical strap adjustment techniques, such as buttons used with buttonholes, cannot be sewn into mesh material. Additionally, since mesh material is typically used for upscale designs, hiding elements of length adjustments (such as strap length adjustments) is highly desirable.
- Three aspects of the adjustable strap attachment system 70 of the third garment construction technique of the present invention are presented. They are usable with mesh material 55 to provide a convenient and easy way to adjust strap 90 lengths, to adjust other lengths, and to make other adjustable closures (such as belts and purse closures). Though particularly applicable to mesh material, the strap adjustment technique can be used with other fashion fabrics besides mesh material.
- the adjustable strap 90 has an outer fashion fabric (which may be mesh material, as illustrated, or fabric material) and an inner lining 93 .
- the length-adjustable strap attachment system 70 may be duplicated on one or more of the multiple straps.
- the length-adjustable strap attachment system 70 is used on a strap 90 with at least one end of the strap not fixedly attached to the article carrying the strap or straps.
- the garment strap has a fixedly connected strap end 91 and an opposing strap adjustment end 99 .
- the connected strap end 91 is fixedly attached to or formed integrally with the garment.
- the opposing strap adjustment end 99 connects via the length-adjustable strap attachment system 70 of the present invention.
- the length-adjustable strap attachment system 70 for each strap 90 comprises a G-clasp 60 , a tether 80 , a tether fastening component 85 , strap fastening components 95 corresponding to the tether fastening component 85 , and a receiving channel 75 fixedly attached to the garment to receive a portion of the G-clasp 60 .).
- the tether G-clasp end is engaged with said outer bar.
- the G-clasp end is fixedly attached to the closed outer bar.
- the tether G-clasp end is threaded behind the closed outer bar by being run through the closed area 64 ; when the tether fastening component 85 attaches to one of the strap fastening components 95 the G-clasp is positioned to achieve a shorter or longer strap.
- the strap fastening components 95 may comprise a set of eyes ( FIG. 14 ) to receive a tether fastening component 85 , which comprises a hook ( FIG. 14 ).
- the strap fastening components 95 may comprise a set of buttons that are engageable with a tether fastening component 85 , which comprises a loop carried by a piece of fabric.
- the strap fastening components 95 may comprise a set of buttons that are engageable with a tether fastening component 85 , which comprises a buttonhole carried by a swatch of fabric attached to the G-clasp 60 .
- a receiving channel 75 is fixedly attached to the garment (or other article).
- the receiving channel 75 has an interior tube-like opening that accommodates and receives an open outer bar 69 of the G-clasp 60 .
- the receiving channel 75 may be formed substantially of fabric, metal, or plastic material. In a preferred example, shown in FIGS. 7, 12, 13 , the receiving channel 75 is fashioned as a fabric tube sewn onto the top edge 19 of the back of the dress.
- the G-clasp 60 includes a closed area 64 and an open area 68 .
- the closed area 64 is defined by the closed outer bar 61 , the middle bar 65 , a side bar 63 , and an upper (in the orientation of FIG. 15 ) portion of the connecting bar 62 .
- the open portion 68 is defined by the lower portion of the connecting bar 62 , the open outer bar 69 , and a small securing projection 67 affixed at a generally right angle to the open outer bar 69 .
- the securing projection 67 does not extend fully to the middle bar 65 but leaves an opening 66 that allows the fabric of the receiving channel 75 to slip into the open area 68 of the G-clasp 60 , yet the perpendicularly projecting securing projection 67 reduces the chance that the receiving channel 75 will inadvertently be extracted from the open area 68 .
- the tether 80 preferably comprises a piece of fabric that has a width less than the width of the strap 90 , so as to remain hidden behind the strap 90 when in use.
- the edges of the tether 80 are preferably finished or the tether 80 may be formed as a flat tubular structure with the unfinished edges turned inside the tubular structure.
- one end of the tether 80 (the G-clasp tether end 87 , which is adjacent to the G-clasp) is engaged with the closed outer bar 61 of the G-clasp 60 , such as by wrapping the fabric around the outer bar 61 and sewing it with seam 86 ( FIGS. 11, 19 ) or looping it around the outer bar 61 ( FIG. 17 ).
- the opposite end of the tether, the fastener tether end 89 is preferably finished and is configured with a tether fastening component 85 that corresponds with complementary strap fastening components 95 .
- the tether fastening component 85 may be a hook and the strap fastening components 95 may be a set of eyes, eyelets, or grommets that accommodate receipt of the hook.
- the strap fastening components 95 are spaced at different distances from the end 99 of the strap and disposed on or within the strap lining 93 to facilitate the length adjustment.
- the corresponding fastening components are used to adjust the tether to lengthen or shorten the strap depending upon the disposition of the particular one of the fastening components 95 to which the tether fastening component 85 is engaged. In the example shown in FIG. 13 , if the tether fastening component 85 is engaged with a higher fastening component 95 , the strap will be shortened.
- buttons may be sewn to the lining 93 at different distances from the end 99 of the strap.
- a proximal end 82 of a piece of fabric forming the tether 80 is sewn to the interior lining 93 and looped toward the strap end 99 , inserted under the closed outer bar 61 , pushed through the closed area 64 , and then turned to double back on the outside of the closed outer bar 61 .
- a loop (serving as the tether fastening component 85 ) is sewn onto the distal end 81 of the tether 80 .
- the tether 80 is no wider than the strap and is preferably narrower than the strap, under which it lies when in use.
- the loop is formed of a flexible or stretchable material, such as elastic cord, braid, or band, which can easily slip over one of the buttons.
- the button disposed at the correct position to achieve the strap length desired is selected, and the loop is engaged with this selected button of the button set.
- the loop engaging with the selected button pulls the G-clasp upward or releases the G-clasp downward to lengthen or shorten the strap.
- the position at which the G-clasp is held is dependent upon the button chosen.
- the tether is attached to the G-clasp by being looped through the closed area 64 , but it is not fixedly attached to the G-clasp as in the first and third aspects of the length-adjustable strap attachment system 70 .
- multiple strap fastening component 95 may be sewn to the lining 93 at different distances from the end 99 of the strap.
- the G-clasp tether end 87 is fixedly attached to the closed outer bar 61 of the G-clasp 60 , such as by wrapping the fabric around the outer bar 61 and sewing it with seam 86 .
- the opposite end of the tether is preferably finished.
- a buttonhole serving as a tether fastening component 85
- the buttonhole corresponds in size to the buttons 95 .
- the buttonhole is engaged with a button at the desired height, thus serving to lengthen or shorten the strap by moving the position of the G-clasp, which is dependent upon the selected button of the button set chosen to engage with the buttonhole.
- the lining 93 and the tether 80 may be formed of any woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric that can be configured with the strap fastening components 95 and the tether fastening component 85 , respectively.
- the open outer bar 69 of the G-clasp is run through the receiving channel 75 with the edge of the receiving channel 75 entering opening 66 .
- the top of the receiving channel 75 falls into the bottom of the open portion 68 and is restrained from exiting the G-clasp 60 by the perpendicularly attached securing projection 67 .
- the G-clasp 60 (with the tether 80 ) is then held firmly to the receiving channel 75 , but the end 99 of the strap 90 can be freely moved to adjust the length of the strap 60 .
- the tether fastening component 85 When the desired length is determined, the tether fastening component 85 is engaged with the proper one of the strap fastening components 95 (disposed on the interior lining 93 of the strap) to hold the strap 90 in place at the desired length.
- an eye defined by eye edges 96 serves as the strap fastening component 95 .
- the tether 80 is engaged with the G-clasp closed outer bar 61 , and the G-clasp open outer bar 69 is fastened to receiving channel 75 .
- the strap 90 which is outside the tether 80 , is run from in front of the tether 80 , then through the G-clasp closed portion 64 between the closed outer bar 61 and the middle bar 65 , then behind the middle bar 65 and the receiving channel 75 , and into the interior of the dress.
- FIG. 8 shows a gathering technique and a length-adjustable strap attachment system 70 utilized in the same garment.
Abstract
Description
- This nonprovisional application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/897,779, filed on Sep. 9, 2019, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
- This invention relates generally to garment construction techniques, and, more particularly, to construction of garments using mesh material, including gathering, ruching, draping, and fastening techniques.
- Chain mail is typically a mesh made of small metal rings linked together in a pattern. Chain mail armor has existed since the third or fourth century B.C. and was originally valued for the protection it provided during battle. In the last hundred years, chain mail has been used in a protective role in gloves (such as for butchers or woodcarvers), in armor (such as in stab-proof vests or to protect divers from shark bites), and in shields or guards in industrial settings (such as in metal working operations).
- Though the protective quality of chain mail mesh is well appreciated, uses for mesh material have recently expanded. It has become known for its aesthetic value due to the fluidity of the mesh and to its reflectivity that causes a play of lights on the mesh. Currently, it is recognized as an architectural design element, is useful for distinctive interior decor, and is appealing as a fashion material. This new recognition of the aesthetic potential of mesh materials has triggered the use of new materials to form mesh (various metals and plastics), new patterns of mesh, and new types of mesh, such as spider mesh that has multiple spiders with each spider joining four separate small metal rings within a grid of rings, as seen in
FIGS. 20-22 . The spider is formed of a central member (flat or convex) and four curved legs. The four curved legs of one spider curl inward to form four leg channels allowing four separate rings to connect to one spider. The spider mesh creates a shimmering metal fabric that looks delicate, but that is strong, fluid, and flexible. - However, though mesh material may now be perceived as aesthetically pleasing and may be appreciated as desirable for use in fashion and home furnishings, the conventional techniques used in producing fashion items and protective gear do not provide the variety of looks desired by the fashion and design industries due to the lack of mesh construction techniques. Though mesh material may share some similarity in function, form, and use with woven, non-woven, or knitted fabric, it cannot be sewn like a typical fabric. For example, seams, buttonholes, pleats, flutes, gathers, and darts, which are easy to sew into woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric, cannot be sewn into the mesh material. Current techniques in use for mesh material cannot produce ruching to allow the mesh to adapt to the shapes of the human body, cannot create gathering to create ruffles or to increase drape or to reduce an expanse, and do not allow for attachment, disconnection, and reattachment of portions of a garment. For example, using current mesh material techniques, it is not possible to sew a seam to gather an edge or to sew buttonholes to receive buttons to adjust the length of a strap.
- Accordingly, there is a need for techniques for garment construction that function similarly to the gathering, ruching, and fastening/unfastening techniques used when fashioning clothing or decor with woven, non-woven, or knitted cloth, but that can be implemented using mesh material.
- The present invention is directed to multiple garment construction techniques. These techniques may all be used with mesh material, where the mesh material includes multiple spiders each with four legs that can interconnect with four separate rings. A connectable chain of spiders and rings of one row connects with a corresponding connectable chain of rings and spiders of an adjacent row at a chain connection column. These methods address the inherent challenges in working with mesh material that cannot be sewn on a machine or by hand in the manner of woven, knitted, or non-woven fabrics.
- The first garment construction technique presented herein is a method of creating ruching in an article or mesh portion of a mesh material. This method may be applied to one area of a mesh portion or to multiple areas of a mesh portion. This method includes removing multiple triangular wedges of spiders and rings. The wedges are removed along a pre-determined edge, which may be the natural edge or may be a created edge. The removal of each of the triangular wedges creates a concave void defined by two void ring-spider borders and the opening between the rings or spiders on the outermost edge of the void ring-spider borders. The two void ring-spider borders form an angle like the front edges of an arrowhead. The two void ring-spider borders are the spiders and rings that were adjacent to the edges of the removed triangular wedge, but now remain as an edge.
- Between adjacent concave triangular voids, a spider/ring margin remains. The spider/ring margin is from one to a few rings of the original pre-determined edge. A banding-piece (having spiders and rings) then is used to connect to the spiders and rings of the spider/ring margin while leaving the spiders and rings of the two void ring-spider borders (which were adjacent to the edges of the triangular void before it was removed) unattached. This creates a first niche, which is a pleating or folding effect created in the mesh material, which gives a similar appearance to a single niche in a traditional woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric. Although a particular design may require only one ruche, commonly multiple ruches are formed adjacent to each other, and more than one area of ruching may be incorporated into a single article, as seen in
FIG. 5 . Further, when ruched, the mesh material provides a texture and support that is not provided by ruched traditional fabric. - The second garment construction technique is a method to gather a mesh material to reduce the length of an edge and/or to create a stretch mesh material. In a first aspect of the second garment construction technique, to reduce the length of an edge, a filament is run through the closed spider legs of a chain connection column at the edge of an article of mesh material. Then the closed spider legs are drawn into closer proximity by extracting the excess filament between the spiders. Thus, the portion of the length of the filament that interacts with or supports the closed spider legs is reduced as the closed spider legs are snugged together. This gathering technique solves the problem of reducing the edge length to create a gather and solves it unobtrusively.
- The second aspect of the second garment construction technique is an extension of the first aspect. It is a method to create a two-way mesh material. In this aspect, multiple filaments are run through the closed spider legs of parallel chain connection columns of the garment or material. The multiple filaments may be run through every row of chain connection column or through some columns while leaving the other columns unchanged. The parallel chain connection columns may be vertical columns or horizontal columns. This aspect can create a two-dimensional stretch mesh material.
- The third aspect of the second garment construction technique is an extension of the first and second aspects. It is a method to create a four-way stretch mesh material. In this aspect, filaments are run through the closed spider legs of parallel horizontal chain connection columns of the garment or material and are run through the closed spider legs of parallel vertical chain connection columns of the garment. (The vertical columns are substantially perpendicular to the horizontal columns.) The filaments may be run through every horizontal and vertical chain connection column of spider legs or through some horizontal and vertical chain connection columns while leaving the other chain connection columns unchanged.
- The third garment construction technique is a system to create an adjustable-length strap or strap-like portion suitable for use with garments or articles of mesh material (though this method is usable with other types of fabrics), which may be particularly useful in fabrics used in fashion, decor, or other fabrics used in aesthetically pleasing usages. The mesh and non-mesh fabrics are termed “fashion fabrics.” The adjustability is provided without the need to tamper with the fashion fabric front, as opposed to conventional fastening means, such as a button and buttonhole or correlating snaps, that mar the fashion fabric front. This technique provides the ability to adjust the length of a strap or strap-like portion without sewing through the material front, which is not visually desirable to do with a mesh material. Three aspects of the third garment construction technique are provided.
- These garment construction techniques may be used by a tailor fashioning a bespoke garment, by the garment industry in making mass market garments, by a seamstress creating his/her own garment, by manufacturers providing mesh material, or the like. However, for conciseness, the maker of the garment (or of the material from which the garment is made) is referred to herein as the “tailor” or “designer.”
- The object of the invention is to provide garment construction techniques that can be applied to mesh materials formed by a grid of multiple spiders and multiple rings, which give an improved performance over the currently available mesh material garment construction techniques.
- These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow.
- The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements.
-
FIG. 1 is a partial bottom view of a portion of mesh material showing the first step in a ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a garment-type article with the first step of the ruching technique ofFIG. 1 performed multiple times along two edges of the bodice of the article. -
FIG. 3 is a partial bottom view at the start of a second step in the ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 4 is a partial bottom view of the completion of a first ruche and the completion of the first step of a second niche, where the second step of a second ruche is ready to begin of the ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the completion of multiple niches along both sides of a bodice using the ruching technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 6 is a partial bottom view of a first step in a first gathering technique for a portion of spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a garment showing the first aspect of the adjustable-length strap as seen inFIG. 12 and demonstrates the overly loose top edge of a rear skirt of a garment before using a first gathering technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a step in a first gathering technique for spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention applied along a top edge of a rear skirt of a garment. -
FIG. 9 is a partial bottom view of a second aspect of the gathering technique, which provides a two-way stretch spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 10 is a front perspective view showing stretchable mesh of an embodiment of the current invention applied to a garment. -
FIG. 11 is a partial bottom view of a third aspect of the gathering technique, which provides a four-way stretch spider mesh of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 12 is a perspective back view of a top portion of a garment showing a first aspect to create an adjustable-length strap using a G-clasp element of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 13 is a perspective interior view of a strap attachment to a garment showing the first aspect to create an adjustable-length strap ofFIG. 12 . -
FIG. 14 is a perspective interior view of a portion of a strap showing the first aspect to create an adjustable-length strap ofFIG. 12 . -
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a G-clasp used as an element in the construction technique to create an adjustable-length strap ofFIG. 12 . -
FIG. 16 is a cut interior view of a G-clasp, a receiving channel, a tether, and a strap taken from lines -16-16- ofFIG. 13 . -
FIG. 17 is a perspective back view of a portion of a strap showing a second aspect of the adjustable-length strap using a G-clasp element of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 18 is a back view of the G-clasp element of a third aspect of the adjustable-length strap system using a G-clasp element of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 19 is a perspective back view of a strap portion of a third aspect of the adjustable-length strap system of an embodiment of the current invention. -
FIG. 20 is a front view of spider mesh material of the prior art. -
FIG. 21 is a back view of spider mesh material of the prior art. -
FIG. 22 is a bottom view of a single spider and a single ring of the spider mesh of the prior art. - Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is directed toward three garment construction techniques for use with mesh material and includes an application to a dress-type garment. The mesh material of the prior art, as shown in
FIGS. 20-22 includes a grid ofmultiple spiders 20 andmultiple rings 30. Each of thespiders 20 has fourlegs FIG. 22 ) fixedly attached to, or formed integrally with, acentral body 29. As seen in the detail ofFIG. 22 , in forming the mesh, aleg 21 may be opened to receive a ring. Then the distal portion of theleg 21 is curled inward and closed to form an open conduit or leg channel 27 (FIG. 22 ) within the curl of theleg 21, which accommodates thering 30. A portion of aring 30 is secured within theleg channel 27 of theleg 21. - In a similar manner, the
next leg 21 of the spider is connected to asecond ring 30. The third andfourth legs 21 are likewise connected to a third andfourth ring 30, respectively. Thus, except at the edge of themesh material 55, eachspider 20 is connected to fourseparate rings 30, and eachring 30 is connected to fourseparate spiders 20. One row or chain ofspiders 20 with interspersedrings 30 is joined to an adjacent row or chain ofrings 30 interspersed withspiders 20. The first row meets the adjacent row at a chain connection column 31 (FIG. 21 ). Achain connection column 31 in the middle of the mesh is a column at which thespiders 20 of the first row are attached to therings 30 of the adjacent row and at which thespiders 20 of the adjacent row are attached to therings 30 of the first row. Achain connection column 31 at the edge of the mesh is an edge column at which thespiders 20 of the first row are available for attachment to therings 30 of another adjacent row and therings 20 of the first row are available for attachment to therings 30 of another adjacent row, but no adjacent row ofspiders 20 and rings 30 is currently attached. - In combination, the
multiple spiders 20 and rings 30 form a stylish andfashionable mesh material 55. But, in contrast to woven, knitted, and non-woven fabric, themesh material 55 cannot be sewn with standard garment construction techniques. Therefore, the designer of garments or home decor is limited when using the conventional garment construction techniques. - Three garment construction techniques are provided herein that provide the designer of mesh materials greater flexibility in usage. The first garment construction technique is a ruching technique, shown in
FIGS. 1-5 . The second garment construction technique is a gathering technique, shown inFIGS. 6-11 . The third garment construction technique is a technique for creating a length-adjustable strap using a G-clasp element, shown inFIGS. 12-19 . Though the term “garment construction techniques” is used herein for conciseness, these techniques can be equally well applied to other articles and items. These other types of items may be architectural elements (such as hanging room dividers and the like), home furnishings (such as pillows, curtains, bed skirts, and the like), decor, accessories (such as purses, scarves, and shoes), and the like. - Referring now to
FIGS. 1-5 , a garment construction technique for creating a single ruche or multiple ruches, shown generally asreference number 10, is illustrated in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The ruching technique creates aruche 10, which is a pleated, ruffled, or folded portion of the mesh attached to a strip or band of mesh, which is referred to as banding-piece 12. One ormany ruches 10 can be used for constructing a garment (for example, the dress as shown inFIG. 5 ) or other article (such asmultiple ruches 10 at the top of a mesh room divider). Or one ormany ruches 10 can be used for trimming or finishing a garment (such as applied at a neckline) or other article (such as applied to a purse). - In preparation for starting the formation of the
ruching 10, the tailor obtainsmesh material 55, which may be received as bulk mesh material on a bolt or may be a portion of mesh material. The ruching may be applied to one or multiple areas of the mesh material, or the tailor may remove sections of themesh material 55 to form a piece, a shaped portion, or a fashion, utilitarian, or decor article (termed generally a “mesh portion 56”) of themesh material 55. When amesh portion 56 is fashioned, it may be generally shaped according to a pattern or a design of the final item to be constructed. For example, a article ormesh portion 56 may be prepared according to a pattern for a skirt, a bodice, a dress (as inFIG. 2 ), a pillow, a curtain, a hanging divider, or the like. The example shown here includesmultiple niches 10 applied to two areas of a shaped, dress-type garment ofmesh material 55. - As is standard in
mesh material 55, themesh portion 56 includes a grid ofmultiple spiders 20 andmultiple rings 30. Themesh portion 56 has a periphery, which is disposed along the perimeter of themesh portion 56. The mesh portion periphery may run along a single edge (such as in the case in which themesh portion 56 is circular or generally circular) or may run along multiple edges (such as the dress shown inFIG. 2 ). - In overview, the first step of the ruching technique is shown in the detail view of
FIG. 1 . The first step is the creation of aconcave void 53 by the removal of a firsttriangular wedge 35, which leaves two void ring-spider borders 57 that meet at an angle. Typically, this first step is repeated multiple times with a few spiders and rings (a spider/ring margin 54,FIG. 3 ) left between each of the multipletriangular voids 53 created. The second step of the ruching technique, shown inFIGS. 3-4 , is the use of a banding-piece 12 that is attached to the spider/ring margins 54 (between adjacent concave voids 53), while the spiders and rings of the void ring-spider borders 57 remain unattached. - In more detail, as seen in
FIG. 1 , a firsttriangular wedge 35 of mesh material is removed from apre-determined edge 25 of amesh portion 56. (Only a small, enlarged section ofmesh portion 56 is shown inFIG. 1 .) Thepre-determined edge 25 may be the actual peripheral edge of a mesh portion (as seen inFIGS. 6, 9, 11 ) or may be a created edge. A created edge is made in a preparation step (before beginning the first step) by selecting achain connection column 31 wherespiders 20 and rings 30 meet and generating apre-determined edge 25 by disconnectingspider legs 21 and rings 30 along one side of achain connection column 31 to establish a non-peripheral, unattached or open edge row ofspiders 20 and rings 30. - In the first step, the first
triangular wedge 35 of mesh material is removed by disconnectingspiders 20 fromrings 30. Thevarious disconnections 17 between therings 30 and thelegs 21 of thespiders 20 are shown by the dot-dash lines. For example, afirst leg 21 ofspider 20A is disconnected atdisconnection line 17 fromring 30A; anotherleg 21 ofspider 20A is disconnected fromring 30B; afirst leg 21 ofspider 20B is disconnected at adisconnection line 17 fromring 30B; anotherleg 21 ofspider 20B is disconnected fromring 30C, and so on and so forth. This is continued to disconnect the first side of thetriangular wedge 35, which leaves a void ring-spider border 57 defining a first side of the angled-sided,concave void 53. The same process of disconnectingspiders 20 fromrings 30 is repeated on the next side of thetriangular wedge 35; to disconnect the second side of thetriangular wedge 35. The remaining spiders and rings (which were previously attached to the rings and spiders of the triangular wedge) form a second void ring-spider border 57, which defines a second side of theconcave void 53. The two void ring-spider borders 57 meet at an angle to define two sides of theconcave void 53. The opening between the outermost spider or ring of the two void ring-spider borders 57 defines the third side of the triangular-shaped,concave void 53. - With the first and second sides of the
triangular wedge 35 being disconnected, and with the third side being part of the pre-determined edge, so no further spiders and rings need be disconnected. This frees thetriangular wedge 35 from the mesh portion; it may be discarded or saved as a scrap. - The
concave void 53 that is shown inFIG. 1 is not deep or wide for clarity of discussion, but, depending upon the article and the design, theconcave void 53 may be from only a very few spiders and rings deep (such as three or four, as shown) to many spiders and rings deep. The size of thetriangular wedge 35 that is removed, and thus the size of theconcave void 53 produced, is based on factors such as the size of the mesh, the size of the article (for example, a large room divider could have deeper niches, compared to necessarily shallower niches on a purse), aesthetic considerations, and the design plan of the design originator. Thetriangular wedge 35 has at least two equal sides, so is an isosceles triangle (and may at times be an isosceles right triangle or equilateral triangle). - If more than one
niche 10 is desired, as is typical, this first step is repeated over and over (one time for every niche 10) along the length of thepre-determined edge 25 that is to be ruched. The removal oftriangular wedges 35 in preparation for the second step of the ruching may be performed along one or more than one of the to-be-ruched pre-determined edges 25. An example of removal of multipletriangular wedges 35 along opposingpre-determined edges 25 is seen inFIG. 2 . The first step in ruching has been performed on two opposing sides of a bodice by the removal oftriangular wedges 35 along the two opposing to-be-ruched pre-determined edges 25. The first step of the ruching has been completed in the to-be-ruched area 13A ofFIG. 2 . The ruching will be completed during step two of the ruching method. - As seen in
FIG. 3 , the first step of the ruching (the removal of triangular wedges 35) has createdconcave voids 53 with sides defined by the two angled void ring-spider borders 57 meeting at anangle center 33. Since multiple niches are being formed, after removal of onetriangular wedge 35, the adjacenttriangular wedge 35 was removed. - The
adjacent triangle wedges 35 are not removed contiguously. A portion of thepre-determined edge 25 is left remaining intact between the adjacentconcave voids 53; this intact portion is a spider/ring margin 54. The spider/ring margin 54 is at least onespider 20 and onering 30 long and is preferably at least four spiders and rings long (aspider 20, aring 30, asecond spider 20, and a second ring 30), as shown inFIG. 3 . For a looser ruching, the spider/ring margin 54 may be left longer. For example, a looser ruching may be desired at the top of a curtain or room divider. In summary, removing two adjacenttriangular wedges 35 not only creates twoconcave voids 53, it also leaves a residual portion of thepre-determined edge 25 between the twoconcave voids 53, which is the spider/ring margin 54. - In step two, after completion of step one along the area to be ruched, a banding-
piece 12 is used. In overview, the banding-piece 12 is connected to the spider(s) 20 and ring(s) 30 of the multiple spider/ring margins 54 while leaving the spiders and rings in theconcave void 53 unattached. This creates a ruche 10 (FIG. 4 ), which is a pleating or gathering effect in the mesh material. This gives a similar appearance to ruching or ruffling in a traditional woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric. However, the ruched mesh material provides a texture and support that is not provided by ruched traditional fabric. - As can be seen in
FIG. 2 , the banding-piece 12 of mesh material used in this second step of the ruching method the banding-piece 12 is much shorter than thesection 13A for which only the first step of the ruching has been completed. For example, the banding-piece 12 may be less than half the length of the to-be-ruched section 13A. - The banding-
piece 12 may be formed as part of the mesh portion 56 (as shown inFIG. 2 ) or may be formed as a separate piece and attached to themesh portion 56. In the example shown inFIG. 2 , the banding-piece 12 is created when thebulk mesh material 55 is formed into the shapedmesh portion 56 of mesh material. However, this is not necessary. Any strip ofmesh 55 may be used as the banding-piece 12. For example, because the banding-piece 12 is typically narrow, scraps from the preparation and shaping of themesh portion 56 may be used. - In
FIG. 3 , the first step of the ruching technique has been completed, and the second step is ready to begin. In the second step, thespiders 20 of the mesh banding-piece 12 are to be interconnected with therings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54, and thespiders 20 of the spider/ring margin 54 are to be interconnected with therings 30 of the banding-piece 12. In the example ofFIG. 3 , the spider/ring margin 54 is twospiders 20 and tworings 30 long. Thus, in this example, the twospiders 20 of the banding-piece 12 are interconnected with the tworings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54, and two spiders of the spider/ring margin 54 are interconnected with tworings 30 of the banding-piece 12. In another design, the ruching may be less dense, and the spider/ring margin 54 would be longer than twospiders 20 and tworings 30, so more than twospiders 20 and tworings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 would be connected to the banding-piece 12. Eachspider 20 and eachring 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 can be connected to correspondingrings 30 andspiders 20 or (particularly if the spider/ring margin 54 is longer) only a portion of thespiders 20 and rings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 may be connected. Thespiders 20 and rings 30 of the void ring-spider border 57 remain unattached. - In
FIG. 3 , theconnection line 11A shows thatring 30A is to be connected tospider 20A. The connection line 11B shows thatspider 20B is to be connected to ring 30B. The connection line 11C shows thatring 30C is to be connected to spider 20C. Theconnection line 11D shows that spider 20D is to be connected to ring 30D. When these connections are made and the second step is completed, as seen inFIG. 4 , the void edges (void ring-spider borders 57) are pulled together to obscure theconcave void 53, though they are not connected. This constructs a completedfirst niche 10 of the gathered or ruched portion 13 (FIG. 5 ) of the mesh. -
FIG. 4 shows the stage in which thefirst ruche 10 has been completed and the first step of thesecond ruche 10 has been completed. As described in relation toFIG. 3 , to complete the second step of thesecond ruche 10, thespiders 20 and rings 30 of the spider/ring margin 54 (seen inFIG. 3 , but not seen inFIG. 4 ) will be joined to thespiders 20 and rings 30 of the banding-piece 12 adjacent to where the spider/ring margin 54 of the first ruche have been joined to the banding-piece 12. - Any number of
ruches 10 can be created in this manner. The number created may be based on the design of the item or garment to be created. - When one
ruche 10 is to be created without a near oradjacent ruche 10, the remaining portion ofpre-determined edge 25 adjacent to the outermost ring or spider of the void ring-spider border 57 at the first side of theconcave void 53 and the remaining portion ofpre-determined edge 25 adjacent to the outermost ring or spider of the void ring-spider border 57 at the second side of theconcave void 53 serve as the spider/ring margins 54. These spider/ring margins 54 are connected in the second step of the ruching technique to the banding-piece 12, just as in the above example, which describedmultiple ruches 10. - The designer of the ruching can, when desired, create a tighter tension or a looser tension in the ruching. The tighter tension is created by removing one row of the spider/
ring margin 54. Then, instead of the outer row of the spider/ring margin 54 being used to connect to the banding-piece 12, the second, inner row is used as the revised spider/ring margin 54 to be connected. This creates greater tension. To lessen the tension, an outer, additional row of spiders and rings is added to the created row of the spider/ring margin 54. For example, if the created spider/ring margin 54 is two rings and two spiders long, as shown inFIG. 3 , a new row of three to four rings and spiders can be added to outside of the created spider/ring margin 54 and can be used as the revised spider/ring margin 54. This creates less tension and more drape. -
FIG. 5 shows a completed garment with over twentyruchings 10 on opposite sides of the dress bodice. This particular aspect of the invention creates a cowl neck 14 (formed from thepre-cowl neck area 14A ofFIG. 2 ) and a front bodice drape that provides bosom support in an elegant manner. This innovative support is inherent in the ruching placement and design, and it is not provided by typical fabrics. - The second garment construction technique, a method to gather a mesh material to reduce the length of the mesh row, is shown in
FIGS. 6, 8-11 . This gathering construction technique can be used on garments and other items, but it is illustrated as applied to a garment design. Three aspects of the mesh gathering technique are provided. In the first aspect, an edge gathering technique is disclosed. In the second aspect, a two-way stretch gathering technique is disclosed. In the third aspect, a four-way stretch gathering technique is disclosed. - When using typical fabrics, such as woven, knitted, or non-woven, it is easy to gather the fabric edge by basting along the edge and shortening the thread within the fabric to slightly bunch the fabric evenly, thereby creating a gather. However, mesh material cannot be sewn like typical fabrics. Therefore, it has previously not been possible to gather the mesh edge. The first aspect of the gathering technique is presented to address this problem.
- In an example shown in
FIG. 7 , an unmodified meshtop edge 19 of the back of theskirt portion 18 of the dress is shown. Thistop edge 19 has an undesirably low valley formed at the lowest point of theback edge 19 of theskirt 18. (The longer than desired length of thetop edge 19 of the mesh material may occur due to the need to use a length of mesh to fit the wearer's hips.) To alleviate this problem and to provide a better fit for the wearer, the length of the meshtop edge 19 can be reduced by using the first aspect of the gathering technique. - In the first aspect of the gathering technique, as seen in the bottom view of an enlarged section of mesh
FIG. 6 , afilament 45 is run through the edgechain connection column 31, which is the holes within theleg channel 27 formed within each of theclosed legs 21 of the outermost row ofspiders 20 of the mesh. The length of thefilament 45 may be similar to the length of thetop edge 19. A portion of the filament 45 (termed the “excess length”) is then drawn out of the holes within thelegs 21 of thespiders 20. This results in thelegs 21 being pulled toward one another, thereby reducing the edge length by creating agathering 40, as seen at thetop edge 19 inFIG. 8 . The degree that the reduction in the length of theedge 19 can be varied ranges from no reduction (where the length of thefilament 45 matches the length of the top edge 19) to a small amount of reduction with the spiders pulled slightly together and bunched evenly to a larger amount of reduction in which the spiders are forced more tightly together (where the excess length of thefilament 45 is significantly shorter than the length of the top edge 19) - In one preferred aspect of the invention, the user can adjust the edge length to create a tighter or
looser gathering 40. In this aspect, the user can self-create a lower or higher valley at thetop edge 19 by reducing the length of thefilament 45 that is running through thespider legs 21 and supporting the mesh. In this aspect, at least one connection is supplied (preferably within the interior of the dress) to receive the excess portion of thefilament 45. In an example, one end of thefilament 45 is fixedly attached to a small clasp 49 (FIG. 8 ), such as a jewelry snap hook, spring clasp, or hook clasp. The interior of the garment is configured with multiple eyelets, eyes, loops, or other clasp-receivingelements 39, which are shown inFIG. 12 as being attached to or formed within the lining 93 of the dress. The clasp-receivingelements 39 are spaced vertically at different heights. When thesmall clasp 49 is engaged with a vertically higher clasp-receivingelement 39, the length of thetop edge 19 is reduced, which raises the valley, as seen inFIG. 8 . - In one aspect, the
filament 45 is configured with one secured end and one loose end for adjustment. In this aspect the secured end is fixedly attached to the dress, and the loose end includes a fixedly attachedclasp 49 for engagement with one of the clasp-receivingelements 39. - In another aspect the
filament 45 is loose on both ends. The wearer has the ability to adjust the length of theedge 19 by connecting a connector (such as clasp 49) on one or both ends of thefilament 45 to a clasp-receivingelement 39 in a manner that maintains the excess filament in a hidden position within the dress. - In a further aspect, both ends of the
filament 45 are fixedly attached by the manufacturer. In this aspect, only the manufacturer is provided with the ability to adjust the length ofedge 19. - The
filament 45 comprises a long, thin, and flexible fiber, filament, single strand, multi-strand, cord, or the like. Thefilament 45 may be made of natural or synthetic material. In one aspect of the invention, thefilament 45 comprises a synthetic monofilament similar to a fishing line having a tensile strength sufficient to gather and secure theedge 19, as well as to bear the weight of the mesh and the stretching that may occur during wearing. In the preferred aspect of the invention, thefilament 45 is transparent or translucent, but in another aspect thefilament 45 is colored. The transparent ortranslucent filament 45 is more discreet, which is appropriate for some applications, but thecolored filament 45 may be incorporated into some designs to provide contrast or to add interest based on aesthetic and design considerations. - Thus, the first aspect of the gathering method of the second construction technique provides
inconspicuous gathering 40 that adjusts the length ofedge 19 without sewing. - The second aspect of the gathering technique, as seen in
FIG. 9 , addresses the lack of stretch of a typical mesh garment or article. In this second aspect of the gathering technique, a two-way stretch mesh 42 is created by running theflexible filament 45 through thelegs 21 of multiplechain connection columns 31. This is shown inFIG. 9 as a vertical lacing or threading of thefilament 45 throughchain connection columns 31, with each column of lacing running throughspider legs 21 from a first row of spiders and throughspider legs 21 from an adjacent row of spiders. - Variations of the lacing of the
filament 45 through multiplechain connection columns 31 are shown inFIG. 9 . The multiplechain connection columns 31 may include an edgechain connection column 31, as in the first aspect of the gathering technique, and as is shown on the far right inFIG. 9 as laced withfilament 45 a. The lacing of multiplechain connection columns 31 may include adjacent rows, shown inFIG. 9 as laced withfilaments chain connection columns 31 may skip one or more rows ofspider legs 21 thus allowing one or more intermediatenon-laced columns 41 ofspider legs 21 to remain unlaced (no filament used). An intermediatenon-laced column 41 is shown as the second row ofspider legs 21 from the left ofFIG. 9 . In another variation, the lacing may be run through each and every row ofchain connection columns 31. It is noted that the edgechain connection column 31 includes only legs of the exterior row of spiders, while an innerchain connection column 31 includes legs of the spider row to the right and legs of the spider row to the left. Thus, the interiorchain connection columns 31 have the possibility of lacing twice asmany spider legs 21. Though it is preferred that the interiorchain connection columns 31 may be laced through each and everyspider leg 21 of both the left and right row of spiders, optionally the interiorchain connection columns 31 may be laced through less than everyspider leg 21. - The length of the
filament 45 may be equal to the length of thechain connection column 31 when initially installed in the fully extended mesh material; but the length of thefilament 45 is reduced in length at least slightly when compared to the length of the fully extended mesh to create the stretch mesh. This allows the mesh to be slightly contracted with the spiders and rings somewhat closer together than in the fully extended mesh material. The slightly contracted mesh 42 (along with the length and the flexibility of the filament 45) permit the mesh fabric to be stretched. It is substantially stretchable in the direction that thefilament 45 is run, thus providing a two-waystretch mesh material 42 when thefilament 45 is laced in parallelchain connection columns 31 only running vertically or horizontally. - The third aspect of the gathering technique provides a
stretch mesh material 42 having a four-way stretch by running one or multiple segments offilament 45 both vertically and horizontally through multiplechain connection columns 31. - As in the second aspect, the multiple laced
chain connection columns 31 may include the edgechain connection column 31, may include adjacentchain connection columns 31, may include some non-adjacent rows (with one or more intermediate non-laced columns 41), or may include each and everychain connection columns 31. The laced spiders of the multiplechain connection columns 31 are brought nearer each other to form a slightly contracted mesh. Portions offilament 45 running both horizontally and vertically allow the slightly contractedmesh 42 to stretch both horizontally and vertically. - As seen in
FIG. 11 , thefilament 45 may be used in segments, designated 44 a-f, with each segment ending at or near the edge. Alternatively or additionally, thefilament 45 may be looped through multiple rows ofspider legs 21, as shown in the exemplary filament 45 g. Similarly (though not illustrated inFIG. 9 ), the filaments of the two-way stretch may also be looped by running through one row ofspider legs 21 and then turning at an end and running through another row ofspider legs 21, as shown by filament 45 g. - The ends of the
filaments 45 used in the gathering technique may be secured in various ways, such as by tying a filament to a ring. A preferred method of securing the ends is shown inFIG. 11 , which uses acrimp bead 48 to interlock two segments of filament to each other or to lock one filament around a ring. - The two-way or four-
way mesh 42 is shown in an application to a garment inFIG. 10 . The stretch mesh may be more contracted as is themesh 42 a in the upper portion of the dress. Or the stretch mesh may be less contracted as is themesh 42 b at the lower portion of the dress. In other designs, thestretch mesh 42 may be only in a portion of the garment, such as the bodice and waist of the dress and may join an unlaced portion of mesh, such as at the skirt of the dress illustrated inFIG. 7 . As also seen inFIG. 10 , the non-laced columns 41 (which may be vertical or horizontal columns) may be used to create interest or texture in a mostly stretchable mesh material. - The third garment construction technique is shown in
FIGS. 12-19 . Because mesh material cannot be sewn with a sewing machine, typical strap adjustment techniques, such as buttons used with buttonholes, cannot be sewn into mesh material. Additionally, since mesh material is typically used for upscale designs, hiding elements of length adjustments (such as strap length adjustments) is highly desirable. Three aspects of the adjustablestrap attachment system 70 of the third garment construction technique of the present invention are presented. They are usable withmesh material 55 to provide a convenient and easy way to adjuststrap 90 lengths, to adjust other lengths, and to make other adjustable closures (such as belts and purse closures). Though particularly applicable to mesh material, the strap adjustment technique can be used with other fashion fabrics besides mesh material. - In this length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 of the third garment construction technique, theadjustable strap 90 has an outer fashion fabric (which may be mesh material, as illustrated, or fabric material) and aninner lining 93. When there are multiple straps, the length-adjustablestrap attachment system 70 may be duplicated on one or more of the multiple straps. - The length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 is used on astrap 90 with at least one end of the strap not fixedly attached to the article carrying the strap or straps. In the example shown inFIG. 12 , the garment strap has a fixedly connectedstrap end 91 and an opposingstrap adjustment end 99. Theconnected strap end 91 is fixedly attached to or formed integrally with the garment. The opposingstrap adjustment end 99 connects via the length-adjustablestrap attachment system 70 of the present invention. - The length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 for eachstrap 90 comprises a G-clasp 60, atether 80, atether fastening component 85,strap fastening components 95 corresponding to thetether fastening component 85, and a receivingchannel 75 fixedly attached to the garment to receive a portion of the G-clasp 60.). In the three aspects disclosed, the tether G-clasp end is engaged with said outer bar. In the first and third aspects, the G-clasp end is fixedly attached to the closed outer bar. In the second aspect, the tether G-clasp end is threaded behind the closed outer bar by being run through theclosed area 64; when thetether fastening component 85 attaches to one of thestrap fastening components 95 the G-clasp is positioned to achieve a shorter or longer strap. - In the first aspect of the length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 shown inFIGS. 12-16 , thestrap fastening components 95 may comprise a set of eyes (FIG. 14 ) to receive atether fastening component 85, which comprises a hook (FIG. 14 ). - In the second aspect of the length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 shown inFIG. 17 , thestrap fastening components 95 may comprise a set of buttons that are engageable with atether fastening component 85, which comprises a loop carried by a piece of fabric. - In the third aspect of the length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 shown inFIGS. 18-19 , thestrap fastening components 95 may comprise a set of buttons that are engageable with atether fastening component 85, which comprises a buttonhole carried by a swatch of fabric attached to the G-clasp 60. - In the length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70, a receivingchannel 75 is fixedly attached to the garment (or other article). The receivingchannel 75 has an interior tube-like opening that accommodates and receives an openouter bar 69 of the G-clasp 60. The receivingchannel 75 may be formed substantially of fabric, metal, or plastic material. In a preferred example, shown inFIGS. 7, 12, 13 , the receivingchannel 75 is fashioned as a fabric tube sewn onto thetop edge 19 of the back of the dress. - Best seen in
FIG. 15 , the G-clasp 60 includes aclosed area 64 and anopen area 68. Theclosed area 64 is defined by the closedouter bar 61, themiddle bar 65, aside bar 63, and an upper (in the orientation ofFIG. 15 ) portion of the connectingbar 62. Theopen portion 68 is defined by the lower portion of the connectingbar 62, the openouter bar 69, and asmall securing projection 67 affixed at a generally right angle to the openouter bar 69. The securingprojection 67 does not extend fully to themiddle bar 65 but leaves anopening 66 that allows the fabric of the receivingchannel 75 to slip into theopen area 68 of the G-clasp 60, yet the perpendicularly projecting securingprojection 67 reduces the chance that the receivingchannel 75 will inadvertently be extracted from theopen area 68. - The
tether 80 preferably comprises a piece of fabric that has a width less than the width of thestrap 90, so as to remain hidden behind thestrap 90 when in use. The edges of thetether 80 are preferably finished or thetether 80 may be formed as a flat tubular structure with the unfinished edges turned inside the tubular structure. - As shown in
FIGS. 12-14, 16-19 , one end of thetether 80, (the G-clasp tether end 87, which is adjacent to the G-clasp) is engaged with the closedouter bar 61 of the G-clasp 60, such as by wrapping the fabric around theouter bar 61 and sewing it with seam 86 (FIGS. 11, 19 ) or looping it around the outer bar 61 (FIG. 17 ). The opposite end of the tether, thefastener tether end 89, is preferably finished and is configured with atether fastening component 85 that corresponds with complementarystrap fastening components 95. - In the first aspect of the length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70, as shown inFIGS. 12-14 , thetether fastening component 85 may be a hook and thestrap fastening components 95 may be a set of eyes, eyelets, or grommets that accommodate receipt of the hook. Thestrap fastening components 95 are spaced at different distances from theend 99 of the strap and disposed on or within the strap lining 93 to facilitate the length adjustment. The corresponding fastening components are used to adjust the tether to lengthen or shorten the strap depending upon the disposition of the particular one of thefastening components 95 to which thetether fastening component 85 is engaged. In the example shown inFIG. 13 , if thetether fastening component 85 is engaged with ahigher fastening component 95, the strap will be shortened. - In the second aspect of the length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 shown inFIG. 17 , multiplestrap fastening component 95 buttons may be sewn to the lining 93 at different distances from theend 99 of the strap. Aproximal end 82 of a piece of fabric forming thetether 80 is sewn to theinterior lining 93 and looped toward thestrap end 99, inserted under the closedouter bar 61, pushed through theclosed area 64, and then turned to double back on the outside of the closedouter bar 61. A loop (serving as the tether fastening component 85) is sewn onto thedistal end 81 of thetether 80. Thetether 80 is no wider than the strap and is preferably narrower than the strap, under which it lies when in use. The loop is formed of a flexible or stretchable material, such as elastic cord, braid, or band, which can easily slip over one of the buttons. The button disposed at the correct position to achieve the strap length desired is selected, and the loop is engaged with this selected button of the button set. The loop engaging with the selected button pulls the G-clasp upward or releases the G-clasp downward to lengthen or shorten the strap. The position at which the G-clasp is held is dependent upon the button chosen. In this second aspect, the tether is attached to the G-clasp by being looped through theclosed area 64, but it is not fixedly attached to the G-clasp as in the first and third aspects of the length-adjustablestrap attachment system 70. - In the third aspect of the length-adjustable
strap attachment system 70 shown inFIGS. 18-19 , as in the second aspect, multiple strap fastening component 95 (buttons) may be sewn to the lining 93 at different distances from theend 99 of the strap. In this third aspect, as in the first aspect the G-clasp tether end 87 is fixedly attached to the closedouter bar 61 of the G-clasp 60, such as by wrapping the fabric around theouter bar 61 and sewing it withseam 86. The opposite end of the tether is preferably finished. In contrast to the first two aspects, a buttonhole (serving as a tether fastening component 85) is sewn into the middle of thetether 80. The buttonhole corresponds in size to thebuttons 95. The buttonhole is engaged with a button at the desired height, thus serving to lengthen or shorten the strap by moving the position of the G-clasp, which is dependent upon the selected button of the button set chosen to engage with the buttonhole. - The lining 93 and the
tether 80 may be formed of any woven, knitted, or non-woven fabric that can be configured with thestrap fastening components 95 and thetether fastening component 85, respectively. - To attach the
strap 90 to the dress, the openouter bar 69 of the G-clasp is run through the receivingchannel 75 with the edge of the receivingchannel 75 enteringopening 66. When thechannel 75 is fully inserted into the G-clasp 60, the top of the receivingchannel 75 falls into the bottom of theopen portion 68 and is restrained from exiting the G-clasp 60 by the perpendicularly attached securingprojection 67. The G-clasp 60 (with the tether 80) is then held firmly to the receivingchannel 75, but theend 99 of thestrap 90 can be freely moved to adjust the length of thestrap 60. When the desired length is determined, thetether fastening component 85 is engaged with the proper one of the strap fastening components 95 (disposed on theinterior lining 93 of the strap) to hold thestrap 90 in place at the desired length. In the example shown inFIG. 16 , an eye defined by eye edges 96 serves as thestrap fastening component 95. - In the example shown in
FIG. 13 , thetether 80 is engaged with the G-clasp closedouter bar 61, and the G-clasp openouter bar 69 is fastened to receivingchannel 75. Thestrap 90, which is outside thetether 80, is run from in front of thetether 80, then through the G-clasp closedportion 64 between the closedouter bar 61 and themiddle bar 65, then behind themiddle bar 65 and the receivingchannel 75, and into the interior of the dress. - Though the garment construction techniques have been disclosed separately for ease of discussion, multiple ones are usable together, as is illustrated in
FIG. 8 , which shows a gathering technique and a length-adjustablestrap attachment system 70 utilized in the same garment. - The use of these garment construction techniques will allow mesh material to be used more widely and will allow the creation of more interesting designs using mesh material. Through the use of these garment construction techniques, ruching is created to allow the mesh to adapt to the shapes of the human body; gathering is usable for ruffling or to increase drape or created stretchable mesh; and the length adjustable attachment, disconnection, and reattachment of portions of a garment is enabled.
- Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims (16)
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US20230119674A1 (en) * | 2021-10-14 | 2023-04-20 | Lood, Llc | Method and apparatus to convert clothing for sexual interest, bondage and power play |
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Also Published As
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WO2021050604A1 (en) | 2021-03-18 |
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