Page:The cutters' practical guide to the cutting of ladies' garments.djvu/34

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The sleeve problem has been so often brought before the trade as an unsolved one, that cutters are well acquainted with the difficulties that present themselves in its consideration. Further, it is more than likely the stern realities of daily practice have brought them experiences other than pleasant, and caused them to think a good many times over the remedies so much required. It is generally acknowledge that, to get a really perfect fitting sleeve, the scye should be located as early as possible at the natural juncture with the arm and body. This is imperative at the front of scye and at the bottom of scye: but with the width of back it is somewhat different, since loss of width to back can be compensated for in the sleeve; and when we consider the decided preference shown for narrow backs in ladies' garments, the importance of the system being arranged to provide for this in its ordinary workings will at once be seen. This, we claim, has been satisfactorily accomplished in the sleeve system we are now submitting. We fully illustrate its workings in regard to this feature towards the end of this section, but before our readers can consider that, it will be necessary for them to acquire the system in its simplicity, consequently we begin with

System as illustrated on diagram 41. The first thing we have to do is to take the cut out pattern of the body part. (Diagram 40 illustrates the scye of Dia. 1, Plate 4). We begin by drawing a line at right angles to the depth of scye line, and touching the most backward point of the scye at 11 (see dot and dash line): then another line is drawn at the front of scye, and the distance these two lines are apart is the first quantity taken; this is applied to diagram 41 by making from O to 5½ this quantity. We now wish to get the balance of the sleeve, and to do this we must locate the two pitches; the forearm pitch is always placed ¾ of an inch above the level of the scye as at B; the hindarm pitch may be fixed according to taste; a very good plan for Jackets and Ulsters is to fix it at the top of sideseam. The pitches located, we take the square and let either arm rest on a pitch as at A and B; now let the arm at C come forward or backward in accordance with the style of sleeve desired, always keeping the square touching these two pitches, when it will be found the more forward the square is brought, the greater the distance will be from E to B, and vice versa. It must always be remembered, in arranging the pitch of the sleeve, that the forward-hanging sleeve will have more superfluous cloth at top of hindarm, though it will give much more freedom than the backward hanging one. Having arranged the square in position, note the amount from B to E, and apply this to diagram 41 by measuring back from 5½ to 1½, and square across to 8. Now measure the scye from A to 11, and from 22 to B, straight across—not round—the scye; whatever that measures, apply from 1½ to 8; from O to 4 is half this distance, which in ordinary cases finds the top of sleeve head; draw a line from 5½ to 4, and also draw a line from 22 to B of diagram 40, and whatever the scye is hollowed from this line, as at E, add on that amount of round to the sleeve at ¾. The sleeve head may now be drawn from 5½ to 4 and 8, when the next operation is to mark off the length to elbow and full length. Measure the width of back and apply it to 8, and measure on to elbow, allowing three seams for making up, and on to full length in the same way. For an ordinary close-fitting sleeve, hollow the forearm 2 inches, then measure from 2 to 8 half the size of sleeve desired, plus two seams; in the same manner apply the width of cuff. Get the angle of cuff by squaring across from hindarm, taking the angle from elbow downwards as the guide. Draw the forearm straight from 5½ to 2, and from 2 to C, and on no account hollow it between as an examination of the arm will at once show it to be round between elbow and wrist, and to cut a hollow to fit it is quite a mistake. Tone down the angle at 2, and the topside sleeve is complete.

To get the under sleeve, measure round the bottom of scye from A to B, and apply from 5½ in the direction indicated by 7: sweep from the elbow at 8 to get the length of hindarm, and finish as per diagram. The amount of hollow required at ⅝ is got by squaring across from the forearm pitch at right angles from the square when placed to find the balance as illustrated on diagram 40; and provided the scye is not made too deep for the figure, the amount of hollow may be gauged by the distance between the square line and bottom of scye.

The Ulster sleeve is practically the same as the Jacket sleeve, though it may be preferrable to give it a trifle extra width at the elbow and cuff; but as this is a feature always governed by individual taste, it is impossible to lay down any definite guide in this particular, except actual measurement which plan the cutter should always adopt in all cases of doubt. The quantities marked on the diagram being the usual sizes for material of ordinary thickness.