The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
How 10 Make Black SILK Dresses.

HOW 10 Mhhe Blnek sllh Dresses1
Black silk costumes, says d fashion
Journal; aFe Tho iHoslinboFtant part ola
amodistes 5 iinpottations, ,as almost every
customer buys 1T least 6hb siicli stit Il
yeat. Among those eSaipihe1 At the
bcst hotses We ind tile lower skirt
made iisially with two side cores and
one full back breadth; though there is
still n fancy for using only one side
gore mil tw5 full back bttaaths, Thebe
skirts are not lined, as it makes them
too heavy, but are iaced with crinoline
three.eightlis Of d yitd deep, with
harrow pturfaSihg OF silk, and the edge
is bound with worsted braid in the old
fashioned way. The top Of the skirt is
sewed to the belt with scarcely any
gathers in the three front breadths, but
4 deep pleat Is laid under tho side
seams, the back breadths nre failed In
French gatlefn or gnhging, The skirt
is made long enough to lie on the. floor
ut least iunfter OF yafli but French
dress-nakers have IN excellent and sim.
pie plhn for shortening the dress for
the street, rs Patisihn Indies liaYo too
much go1d taste Ia, wehr LONG dresses
on tho sidewalk. Their plain is to sow
tape casting inside the skirt, begin.
ming I'M inch below the belt on each
front seam, extending it gradually low
or backward, so that it will be quarter
of yard below the belt at the plnckGt
opening in the middle OF the baCk. A
drawing.string is then put in each cast
ing, and wliel the skirt Is pitt oh these
arc tied tight behind the person; this
draws the skirt up i'll puff on the
toutnire, and shottehs 1t gracefully,
without hopping or dipping. orsklrt
trimming the caprice is to arrange the
front in wrapper fashion by pulling six
or seven lengtlwise bins bands or pniIs
from the belt to the foot on the three
front widths, while the back is covered
with flouncos. A banddown the second
sido seam does away with the use Of
bows to conceal the ends Of Houncos.
Four straight breadtls Of silk arc
enough for q flouhCe OH tho three back
breadths. Tho lower edge Of llounces
is finished by bias facing over an inch
wide, with one or two very small piping
folds put IN the Upper part OF it; these
aro sewed in with blind stitches. All
sewing.machino- is objected to on
silk dresses, and the entire costume,
not excepting the skirt seams, is sewod
by hand. 0vcr.skirts Of silk, and pol.
onaiso skirts, should not be lined, as
their soft dTapery is their beauty; to
make them bOnfIant they must be worn
over n tournurc. The round apron
over-skirt has strings low down in tho
second side seam to tie it backward ;
sash loop and end made Of part OF n
width Of silk arc put IN each Of tho sec
ond side seams, while larger loops with
two ends arc behind. There is an at.
tempt to do away with all wrinkled
apron fronts, makingthree fiat straight
breadths tied smoothly down; large
square pockets arc set on such aprons.
BasQues have less pleating behind than
formerly, and are more nearly square
below the whist. Two tiny folds Of
piping edgethe basques Of elegant black
silk suits that are elaborately trimmed
elsewhere with jet and lace. Instead
OF vests and moire antique collars, the
stylish trimming for the front OF basque.
waists is now Melici fraise Of the silk,
bias, double, and side.pleated, to stand
upright around the neck. II stands
three inches wide Just behind where the
pleats turn and form n box-pleat, and is
graduated narrower halfway down the
front of the corsagc, where 1t slopes in.
to bins band TINT passes up the fronts
in vest shape. This standing fraise is
very becoming with the high coifTures
now in fashion. Cont sleeves are close
and tight, and very simply trimmed
with bias bands like straps, or else with
plain silk cuff, lined with stiff found
alton. Jet trimmings on French dresses
arc SNOWY and very light, being made OF
silk net with flno cut beads set in the
meshes jet ribbons, galloons, and
laces sprinkled with jet are more stylish
than the vine passementeries, so long
in use. The gofrered fringe-a kind OF
crimped silk tape-nnd the fringes that
are tied in the edge Of the garment are
most fashionable. Lace is used for
trimming the stately princesso dresses.
5000 is asked for black taiieta suits
made Of silk worth 50 or 81 yard : II
lace and jet are added, the price is $500
or more.