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Rh FIGURES AND FLOWERS. Materials with figures and flowers must also be matched carefully at the seams. Usually one line of flowers runs up and the next line down, but when they all run the same way you must decide whether you want them to run up or down in your dress and use them in the same position in every piece. Otherwise your dress will have a very peculiar effect. In cutting a skirt, etc., where several breadths are joined together it is important that the pattern or figures should match at the seams. This can not always be done by simply joining breadths at the selvedge. It will sometimes be necessary to lap the second breadth over the first, as shown in Illustration 65, to bring the corresponding figures together at the seam. Turn under the edge of the second breadth and pin it in the correct position. Join the other breadths in the same way for both sides of the skirt. Slip-stitch the breadths together from the outside by slipping the needle along inside the fold edge of the upper breadth and then taking a stitch in the under breadth as shown in Illustration 66. When the skirt is turned inside out it ill be found that the slip-stitching forms a basting of the joining. It is usually better to cut off the selvedge, for the material will give more if the selvedge is cut.

In cutting a gored skirt if there is a decided figure in the material, fold the front breadth lengthwise through the center of the figure so that the design will balance and not make the skirt look one-sided.

If the skirt has no seam at the front lay the front edge of the pattern even with the fold and cut the gore. Place the pattern of the first gore upon the second gore and mark the design of the material upon the pattern. Lay this second gore pattern on the material so that the figures marked on the pattern will match those on the material. Cut each gore as directed here.

CUTTING DIAGONALS. Diagonals should not be cut with two bias edges meeting as the lines will come together at entirely different angles. (See illustration 68.) This difficulty can be overcome if you have wide enough material. A diagonal rarely has a perceptible nap and the lengthwise and crosswise of the material are so alike that there is no dissimilarity either in appearance or in wearing qualities between them. So if you want the diagonal to run the same way in both sides of your garment cut one-half lengthwise of the material and the other half crosswise. (Ill. 67.) Before doing so you must make certain that there is no perceptible difference in color and shading between the crosswise and lengthwise of your material. Take it to a strong light and turn a bit of it at right angles to itself. This brings the lengthwise and crosswise thread in the same position they will take in the garment and you can easily tell if it is safe to cut your material that way or not.

Each half of the garment will have to be cut separately and neither the front nor the back can be cut on a fold of the goods.

First cut one-half of the garment lengthwise of the material, then lay this half on the material crosswise with the right sides together and the diagonals of each piece exactly over each other, and running exactly in the same direction. (Ill. 67.)