Page:A complete course in dressmaking, (Vol. 1, Introduction) (IA completecoursein01cono).pdf/94

 inserted. This time bring it out beyond the first stitch.

Sometimes, in a handrun seam, every fourth or fifth stitch is made a back stitch to strengthen the stitching. There are places where a seam finished in this way is to be preferred to a machine stitched seam. For instance, the daintiest and most expensive lingerie in the shops is made entirely by hand. A neatly run French seam, in a sheer camisole or chemise adds as much as the trimming. Babies’ clothes too seem to call for a hand finish and certainly hand work adds to the little girl’s sheer batiste or lawn frock.

Basting.—The basting stitch you use depends on what you are sewing. Seams are usually basted with a long and short running stitch. In this case, the long stitches are about one inch long and the short stitches measure about one-half inch.

In basting a seam, place the basting beyond the seam allowance. When you stitch, run the stitching just inside the basting. This makes it possible to remove the basting threads easily. However, if the stitching is directly on top of the basting, it is almost impossible to pull them out.

There is a cotton which comes especially for basting. It is easily broken. Ask for basting cotton.