Page:The cutters' practical guide to the cutting of ladies' garments.djvu/32

24 A facing is generally put down the front right to the bottom, but it is not often taken through the shoulder: the body lining extends usually to line 22½ 24 at hips, and in putting this in, care must be taken to give plenty of length over the waist. The buttons down the front are usually terminated about 24, but tabs and small buttons are often put to fasten the garment below. Carefully press any fulness there may be at the bottom termination of dart well towards the side, as any excess of room or fulness here is to be carefully avoided. The sleeve is generally pitched at the side-seam, and of course the usual care used in putting it in. If any wadding is used at any part, see that it is carefully graded away, so that its existence cannot be detected. The usual precaution of keeping the collar long in the hollow of gorge must not be forgotten, as it applies universally. We will not dwell further on the points to be observed in making, but proceed to deal with

Which illustrate a double-breasted Ulster with lapels sewn on, and foreparts cut across from the bottom of the back dart; it is really more with the view of illustrating this latter phase than any other, we have drawn this diagram, for one of the worst difficulties experienced by all ladies' tailors in these garments, is to get rid of the superfluous material below the waist in front, which invariably locates itself if the front edge has been kept straight, and proper provision made for the breast by means of the darts. We know in practice that suppression at one part causes fulness at another, and if that suppression is done in the form of a fish, it throws fulness both above and below, and as the breasts are usually much more prominent than the stomach, it follows as a natural consequence that there is too much material below the waist in front. There are two ways of avoiding this difficulty. The first is illustrated on diagram 35, and is the one mostly used in the country, and consists of coming back from the straight breast line ½ an inch at the waist, and drawing it through to bottom. This method produces a slightly round front edge, but if the round is only properly drawn in and worked back, and the front edge brought to a straight line, and the fulness pressed back over the breast, it answers satisfactorily. The second method is undoubtedly the best, and is the one mostly used by the ladies' tailors in the West End, and is illustrated on

The body part is got on exactly the same lines as described for diagram 35, with the exception that the front line is drawn straight through from V to 22½, and the waist then suppressed to the necessary size by means of darts. These are terminated about 2½ or 3 inches below the waist line by the foreparts being cut across in a nearly horizontal direction from the front, when the surplus material may then be passed away in the front. It is best to arrange this cut to slant slightly downwards, as it produces a better effect. The lengths on either side of the darts must be adjusted to each other, and this will produce sufficient space for pointing up the overlap beyond the centre line to meet and form a continuation of the lapel as illustrated on diagram. It will be found advisable when cutting D.B. garments of this class to spring the forepart out from the waist line downwards a trifle, taking off at the dart below 21 whatever has been added below 2½}, and in cutting

Use the front edge as the guide for shaping the sewing to edge, and finish to taste. There is no doubt a good deal of style may be introduced by means of the lapel, so it will be well to give it careful attention: it is the almost invariable rule to make it narrow at the waist and wide at chest. We illustrate on the diagram one of the most popular modes of finishing these. Silk facings are put on the lapels: and, as with gentlemen's coats, sometimes the binding is put on the top of the silk, and at others the silk is sewn on the top of the braid and coming to the top of the lapels. We prefer to see the facing put over the braid, but there are many of our best cutters who prefer the other way, so our readers will be able to take their choice.

In all other respects diagram 36 is produced on the same lines as described for diagram 85, so that it will be unnecessary for us to dwell on them here, but at once proceed to deal with some of the

We must first thoroughly understand how to infuse the principles of fitting the figure: and having done this, to vary according to the fashion desired. It is now a generally acknowledged truth that the ladies' tailor must do something more than fit the body. The seams must be located with due regard to harmony and proportion, and, whenever possible, going over the prominences and hollows of the body; for then, plain sewing only is necessary, whereas as soon as the seams are placed on either side of a prominence, then that part which goes beyond the prominence must be fulled on in order to get the receptacle for it in the proper place, but this we have dealt with in the letterpress referring to diagram 35.

Then we have to consider our customers' tastes and