Page:The cutters' practical guide to the cutting of ladies' garments.djvu/25

Rh getting the patterns to match in the sewing, but one of the best and surest we have seen, is to turn in the back just to the mark, and then lay it on the top of the sidebody, and so get it to exactly match every bar and cross bar, and when in that position, fell baste it from the outside, which will then leave a row of straight stitches on the wrong side, and which will clearly indicate the place where the seam must be sewn. In cutting, it will he found impracticable to cut the goods on the double, each part must be carefully adjusted to the parts adjoining, we have indicated the most effectual lay of the pattern on the material, cutting through the perpendicular lines at the back seam, but arranging the front to run with it: the necessity of this latter arrangement will at once be apparent, when we point out that it is the only way of getting the pattern to match down the centre of the front. A reference to figure 23 will fully illustrate this. It will be observed that the sleeve is cut without a seam up the hindarm above the elbow, a feature which very greatly facilitates the matching process, whilst in order to get the pattern of sleeve and forepart to harmonise, the pattern at top of forearm sleeve and the front pitch should be adjusted; as we treat of sleeves fully in a separate chapter, we refer our readers to it for a full explanation of the Sleeve System.

This garment, which is little affected by fashion, is always popular with a very large number of ladies, and is certainly a most becoming garment for holiday wear and sporting purposes. It is the ideal garment for fishing, and is one of the most frequently patronized styles for pedestrian exercises. It seldom becomes the rage, while it is always to be seen in wear, hence our giving it a place in this work: and more especially so, because it has many characteristics peculiarly its own. It matters not whether it is intended for fishing, walking, cycling or equestrian purposes, it is arranged in the same way. We will proceed to deal with

And explain the special features of cut. We shall not describe the system in minute detail, as our readers will readily gather how that is arranged by a reference to the description of diagram 1. We will rather devote our remarks to the variations from diagram 1. In the first place the quantity allowed (2 inches) for making up may he excessive, if the material is thin, so that it may be advisable in such case to reduce the amount allowed to 1½ inches. In the next place it will be observed that the sideseam runs into the shoulder seam, and of course that involves an extra ½ inch, making 1 inch in all beyond the width of back measure taken. The location of the sideseam is fixed by the position desired for the pleats; in the diagram we have retained our usual method of fixing point 4 at one-third the distance from ½ to 11½, but of course this may be varied to taste, in accordance with

These are strips of material cut double the width desired, as illustrated on diagram 25, B C and E G representing the width of pleat; and A E, D H the edges turned in; these edges are then serged together, and the pleat arranged in such a position as is most suitable for the wearer. Now although these pleats are in reality separate pieces of material, the aim should be to make them appear as if they were all in one piece with the bodice, and with that end in view it will be advisable to keep them as straight as possible, and preferably the same width throughout, because if they are curved or made narrower at the waist—as they sometimes are—this idea is at once dispelled. There are usually three pleats behind, one down the centre scam of back, and one on either side, the side pleats meeting others on the forepart at the shoulder seam. The pleat down each forepart is generally arranged to go over the dart, and as will be seen, one dart only is taken out instead of two, this will necessitate its being taken higher than where there are two. A pleat is generally placed down the centre of front, and a very good style of finishing the cuff is illustrated on figure 24, consisting of two pleats somewhat narrower than those on the bodice placed on the bottom of the cuff. We will now give a few

But as we have dealt with this phase somewhat fully for the jacket and bodice, we must confine ourselves to the special features of this jacket. In sewing on the pleats it will be very necessary to remember more length will be required over the prominences than for the waist, indeed, from N to C should be put on full, more or less so in accordance with the roundness of the figure, and kept tight in the hollow of waist from C to E; this latter is even more important than the former. The best plan will be to baste these pleats on over the knee, when due provision may be made for both prominences and hollows. The pleats are sewn to from the inside. Some firms stitch down the edge of the pleats as illustrated on figure 24, to make them match the edges: it doubtless makes them firm, but at the same time it destroys much of the easy going appearance of which this garment is so characteristic, so that we leave this for the cutter's individual decision, as it