The Mad Person-Who-Stitches: Rectangular Trim and Elliptical Necklines

I needed to make a broad, linear strip of embroidered ribbon go around a neckline, preferably without any gathers:

It turns out one does this nicely by exploiting the hydrodynamic and thermodynamic properties of the trim in order to deform it.  To wit, one wets the trim, then irons it while pulling unevenly to force your linear strip to  dry curved.  This trim was very tightly woven, so I didn't get much deformation, but my neck opening had a high eccentricity (very elliptical), and a loose weave, so 'twas enough.

All credit for this process, and my lovely result, goes to a good person of the internet: http://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~acg/Documents/SewingTrimOnANeckline.pdf