Clothing Accessory

Abstract

Accessory for attaching to a garment includes an elongate, flexible strip and attachment elements each arranged at a longitudinal end of the strip and partially within the strip. Each attachment element adjustably engages with the sheet or sheets of material at respective locations. Upon engagement of attachment elements at the respective locations on the garment, the strip connects the locations together, maintaining them in a stable, spaced apart relationship. In order to hem a pant or temporarily shorten a sleeve, the accessory's strip is attached via one of the attachment elements at a first location, and then the other attachment element is attached at a second distal location. The strip is positioned within the pant hems, temporarily reducing the circumference thereof. To do so, it should be wrapped over the front area of the ankle to maintain the back hem, or inside the sleeve linings on the seams adjustably placed.

1 . An accessory for attaching to a sheet or sheets of materials, comprising:
 an elongate, flexible strip having first and second longitudinal ends,   a first attachment element arranged at said first end of said strip, said first attachment element being arranged to engage with the sheet of material at a first location on the sheet of material; and   a second attachment element arranged at said second end of said strip, said second attachment element being arranged to engage with the sheet of material at a second location on the sheet of material spaced apart from the first location and at a distance on the sheet of material from the first location that is longer than a distance between engagement locations defined by said first and second attachment elements,   whereby upon engagement of said first and second attachment elements at the first and second locations on the sheet of material, respectively, said strip connects the first and second locations and reduces a distance between the first and second locations on the sheet of material while maintaining them connected to one another.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second attachment elements comprise removable decorative pins exposed on the outside of the sheet of material. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said first and second attachment elements further comprise backing clasp pieces that engage with said pins to retain the sheet of material therebetween. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory of  claim 3 , wherein said backing clasp pieces are attached to said strip. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said pins are attached to said strip. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second attachment elements have extended clip-type elements that engage with each other to enable formation of a closed loop of said strip. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said strip comprises at least two parts separable at an intermediate location between ends of said strip and a mechanism for enabling selective attachment of said at least two parts. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second attachment elements are partially embedded in said strip at said first and second ends of said strip. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said strip is made of a flexible rubbery or foam material or silicone. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said strip is made of a flexible rubbery or foam material or silicone, with an embedded wire enabling the strip to be formed or shaped into a wearer preferred shape for comfort or taste. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein
 said first attachment element has a means of attachment to a pointed leg, engaging into a closed position to which said pointed leg is retained in a portion of said first attachment element within said strip and an open position in which a point of said pointed leg is separated from said strip and enables said pointed leg to be inserted through the sheet of material at the first location,   said second attachment element has a means of attachment with a pointed leg in a closed position to which said pointed leg is retained in a portion of said second attachment element within said strip and an open position in which a point of said pointed leg is separated from said strip and enables said pointed leg to be inserted through the sheet of material at the second location,   each of said first and second attachment elements further comprises a head arranged entirely within said strip and an additional leg connected at one end to said head and at an opposite end to an integral loop or coil that connects to said flexible pointed leg,   each of said first and second ends of said strip includes a channel opening to an end face and a slot extending inward from a lateral face into communication with said channel, said slot and said channel being arranged to enable said flexible pointed leg to be inserted through said slot into said channel to thereby be retained within said strip, and   said strip further comprises a flap at each of said first and second ends formed between said slot and said channel, said flap having a first portion that extends a larger distance from said lateral face into said channel proximate said end face than a second portion adjacent an interior end of said slot.   
     
     
         12 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising additional attachment elements arranged on portions of said first and second attachment elements outside of said strip and that enable the accessory to be attached to another identically constructed accessory. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory of  claim 12 , wherein said additional attachment elements comprises snaps arranged at or proximate ends of said first and second attachment elements outside of said strip. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said strip is provided with a bend in a middle region. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable, decorative faceplate attached to said strip. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one embossed circle perforation formed on said strip and a decorative attachment including a mating structure that mates with said embossed circle perforation. 
     
     
         17 . A method for hemming a garment, comprising:
 providing the accessory of  claim 1 ;   determining a first location on the garment at which the hem is to be formed;   attaching the first attachment element to the garment at the first location;   positioning the strip within the garment so that the strip is immediately above the hem over the front of the ankle, or around the outside of the ankle and not visible when viewing the garment from its exterior; and then   attaching the second attachment element to the garment at the second location at an opposing side of the inside of the hem which is spaced from the first location a distance larger than a distance on the strip between locations at which the first and second attachment elements attach to the garment.   
     
     
         18 . A method for shortening a sleeve of a garment, comprising:
 providing the accessory of  claim 1 ;   attaching the first attachment element to the sleeve at a first longitudinal location;   positioning the strip within the sleeve so that the strip is not visible when viewing the sleeve from its exterior; and then   attaching the second attachment element to the sleeve at a second longitudinal location spaced apart from the first longitudinal location a distance larger than a length of a distance between locations at which the first and second attachment elements attach to the sleeve.   
     
     
         19 . A method for enabling a garment or sheet of fabric to be dyed while suspended, comprising:
 providing the accessory of  claim 1 ;   determining a first location on the garment or sheet of fabric from which the garment or sheet of fabric is to be suspended during the dyeing process;   attaching the first attachment element to the garment or sheet of fabric at the first location;   positioning the strip above a suspension structure from which the garment or sheet of fabric will be suspended during the dyeing process; and then   attaching the second attachment element to the garment or sheet of fabric.   
     
     
         20 . A method for enabling a garment or sheet of fabric to be washed while suspended, comprising:
 providing the accessory of  claim 1 ;   determining a first location on the garment or sheet of fabric from which the garment or sheet of fabric is to be suspended during the washing process;   attaching the first attachment element to the garment or sheet of fabric at the first location;   positioning the strip above a suspension structure from which the garment or sheet of fabric will be suspended during the washing process; and then   attaching the second attachment element to the garment or sheet of fabric.