Method and apparatus for adjusting the fit and appearance of an article of apparel

Abstract

A method of using a fastening system includes providing at least one wire tie, located a position of a hank of a material to be adjusted, wherein, in the position, upon a gathering of the hank, results in a desired adjustment of the material and wherein the desired adjustment is as a result of the adjustments chosen from the group comprising: a shortening of the material, a waisting of the material, a pinching of the material, a pleating of the material, a folding of the material, a gathering of the material, a bundling of the material, a fastening together of a plurality of pieces of the material, then gathering the hank of the material to cause the desired result, wrapping the tie around the hank, and manipulating the beads so as to bend the opposite ends of the wire and the pair of beads to flatten the hank so as to mask the hank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fastening system comprising;
 an elongate, flexibly deformable tie, which includes a flexibly deformable length of wire having opposite ends, and wherein a pair of beads are coupled to said opposite ends; one bead of said pair of beads on each end of said opposite ends, and wherein a wire covering is mounted on said wire so as to extend substantially an entire length of said wire exposed between said pair of beads, and wherein said covering is chosen from the group comprising: sleeve, sheath, wrap, tube,   wherein said opposite ends of said wire and corresponding ends of said wire covering are anchored in said beads, and wherein said beads provide a pressure bearing surface for a user to apply pressure to said opposite ends of said wire and to manipulate said wire by bending or looping said wire or twisting said opposite ends of said wire to releasably lock said ends to each other, and wherein said pressure bearing surface extends laterally outwardly of said wire which extends between said beads, and wherein said each of said opposite ends of said wire are formed as an anchor which extends said laterally outwardly of said wire which extends between said pair of beads.   
     
     
         2 . A method of using the fastening system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 (a) providing at least one said tie,   (b) located a position of a hank of a material to be adjusted, wherein, in said position, upon a gathering of said hank, results in a desired adjustment of said material and wherein said desired adjustment is as a result of said adjustments chosen from the group comprising:
 (i) a shortening of said material, 
 (ii) a waisting of said material, 
 (iii) a pinching of said material, 
 (iv) a pleating of said material, 
 (v) a folding of said material, 
 (vi) a gathering of said material, 
 (vii) a bundling of said material, 
 (viii) a fastening together of a plurality of pieces of said material, 
   (c) gathering said hank of said material to cause said desired result,   (d) wrapping said tie around said hank,   (e) manipulating said beads so as to bend said opposite ends of said wire and said pair of beads to flatten said hank so as to mask said hank.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said material is chosen from the group comprising: cloth of a garment, the neck of a garment, the waist of a garment, the bust of a garment, the straps of a garment including the shoulder straps of at least one garment worn by the user, the user's hair, laces including shoe and boot laces, a duvet and duvet cover. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said wire covering is chosen from said group further comprising: a wire coating applied directly to said wire, a flexible sheath, a flexible sleeve, a flexible elongate wrap wrapped onto said wire, shoe laces. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said wire is of a gauge substantially in the range of 20-22 gauge. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said anchor of said wire is formed of at least one flattened substantially spiral coil of said opposite ends of said wire. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said anchor is formed of a pair of said coils. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said pair of said coils are disposed on opposite sides of a corresponding end of said wire covering so as to be in substantially opposed facing relation, and so that laterally opposite edges of said pair of said coils extend said laterally of said wire extending between said pair of beads. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein each bead of said pair of beads is formed of bead elements chosen from the group comprising: mouldable, curable material including clay, resin, plastic; buttons, decorative rigid objects. 
     
     
         10 . A fastening method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing an elongate deformable, bendable wire member wherein said bendable member is deformable between an unwrapped position and a wrapped position and to remain so deformed when bent into either position or between either position.   (b) providing wearing apparel made of fabric and having oppositely disposed interior and exterior surfaces, and gathering a hank by a gathering or bunching of said fabric so as to project said hank from said exterior surface of said apparel whereby at least one fit dimension of said apparel is substantially altered, and wherein said fit dimension is chosen from the group comprising: a lateral width, a height, a length, a waist line, a bust line, a hem line, a shoulder width, an inseam,   (c) positioning said member so as to press a mid-portion of said member against said projection of said hank, closely adjacent said exterior surfaces of said apparel adjacent said hank,   (d) wrapping at least one half turn of each of said opposite ends of said member around said hank so that said member extends substantially at least completely around said hank and snugging said member around said hank so as to releasably stabilize and lock said hank in its position on said apparel and so as to leave said opposite ends of said member each cantilevered from said hank,   (e) pressing said cantilevered said ends of said member against any bunching of said fabric around said hank so as to flatten said bunching.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further including providing decorative ornamentation on said member, on one or both of said opposite ends of said member and/or on said mid-portion of said member. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  includes forming two or more of said hanks and using at least one of said members to said stabilize and lock said two or more of said hanks of said fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The method of claim  16  wherein said at least one of said members is a plurality of said members, to said stabilize and lock said two or more of said hanks. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further including twisting said ends of said member around each other following winding of said member around said hank so as to releasably lock said mid-portion of said member at said hank while leaving said ends said cantilevered from said hank.