Page:The practical designer, for women's, misses', juniors' & children's cloaks & suits, shirt waist suits and dresses.djvu/212

203 THE INTEREST OF GRADING.

Every garment worn by women, misses, juniors and children are manufactured in different sizes, in order to suit all kinds of shapes and forms. In wholesale manufacturing the medium sizes are adapted for the model or sample garments on which all designs and ideas are worked, and when this model is finished to the full satisfaction of the designer or concern regarding the style and fit, all the different sizes are graded from the model pattern.

Here is where the grading plays its part, and where all the responsibility rests on the one who grades the patterns. Here is where the grader must have the practical knowledge of proportions and how to apply the rules of proportions to the main fitting actions. It should be known that it makes no difference by what system the pattern is cut the grading has nothing to do with it. If the model size fits to perfection the whole set will be perfect.

In women's garments the medium size is 36. In misses' garments the medium size is 16. In juniors the size is 15. In children's garments the medium size is 6. These four forms are strictly different from each other. The child grows very fast until the age of 12, therefore the body wavers in length and in circumference, but always flat in formality.

The junior also grows fast until the age of 16. The bust for this age is somewhat developed and waist more shapely. The hip is also a great deal developed. The difference between these two forms should be particularly noticed, as they are most of the time misunderstood by all.

The misses do not grow in height as fast as the child and junior, but she develops more in circumference, especially around the bust, until the age of 21. The women remain about the same, with the exception that some have extra large busts and narrow chests with very large hips.

Before commencing to grade, we need to decide where grading should be done. The size of the garment should be the first outlook, so as to know how much to increase or decrease, also the difference between the height and width of garments. Any portion of a garment that has any gather, folds, pleats or shirring is not necessary to be graded.

To obtain satisfactory, results, use your patterns as you draft them. Face up and cut your model patterns of heavy paper and place them to be graded according to the system of grading. Be very careful and exact in measuring the distance between the patterns. Be very exact, accurate and have patience.

By doing so you will save both time and material.