The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-11
SEAM BOARD, EIGHTEEN INCHES LONG.

SEAM BOARD. EIGHTEEN INCHES LONG.
To begin with, allow yourself plenty
of time. A week is not too much to
give to one dress if you are sewing alone
and have any other duties to perform
Hurried cutting, fitting or sewing is al
ways badly done, and the stress on the
nerves causes many a blunder that time
and patience would have prevented.
AS to the tools, there should be thin
BILE, basting cotton, several sizes of nee
dies, cushion full OF pins, lapboard,
sharp scissors, a 60-inch tape measure,
n tracing wheel and little board for
pressing open seams. The latter is in
valuable, but can he made for 4 so cents
by any carpenter from the accompany
ing illustration. Before it is used dou
bic thickncsses of flannel and muslin
should be drawn smoothly over the curve
and tackled down firmly OH either side.
Cut out the lining of the dress first.
1t is best to cut the corresponding pieces
of the waist ut the same time from Il
double fold of the stuff, marking the
line of the seam with the tracing wheel
to insure their being exactly alike. II
they are not alike, the seams will be
crooked, and the whole garment will
look twisted Never haste and fit the
waist lining separately, as it will by that
means be stretched and pulled out of
shape. Cut the lining carefully by Il
good pattern, then cut the material by
the lining. Basic each piece of the lin
ing to the corresponding piece of mate.
rial, keeping the lining next you. Then
basic the waist together in the line of
the tracing wheel and try it on. Begin
basting and sewing all seams at the top,
so that any unevenncss may come ut the
bottom. In basting the shoulder seam
the edge of the back will be found to be
little longer than that of the front.
Pin the front and back together at the
ends of the shoulder seams and stretch
the front to the back, basting the seam
smoothly with small stitches.
If the waist is too tight or too loose,
let out or take i'll the under arm seam
rather than any other. Do not draw the
bodice tight across the bosom, as it gives
Il punched and fiat appearance to the fig
ure. y slight looseness over the bust is
an advantage rather than defect
Cut the sleeve IL little longer than the
| pattern, both top and bottom, as the pat
| tern Is almost always too short
In sewing the waist seams stitch lust
inside the basting, using sewing silk the
color of the material and not too coarse.
Then take out the hastings and trim the
/ seams to half an inch deep, cutting Il
notch at the waist line and over the
curves. Open each seam and press it on
the wrong side over the seam board, pull
ing it straight. These fiat. pressed
seams are, as a rule, Il distinguishing
mark between homo and professional
work. Indeed the hot iron is as impor-
tant to the good dressmaker as the nee
die and is of great assistance in securing
a perfect fit. Not only seams, but col.
| lars, cuffs, hens, facings and button
holes, should he pressed as fast as they
are finished. To press the dress after it
is all completed is of little Use. 1t should
be done during the process of making.
| Cut the skirt an inch longer than your
measure, as it takes up in the making.
II you wish the seams not TO show OH the
inside, sew the seams of the material and
| those OF the lining separately and press
them open. Turn the material wrong
side out and the lining right side out.
ship the Inning over the material and
overcast the raw edges of the correspond
ing seams together by putting Your hand
in between the material and the lining.
Keep the lining next you. Begin at the
top and use large loose stitches.
Put n broad fly piece of the material
under the opening of the skirt, which
| need not be more than IL inches long.
Besides the fastening of the band, fasten
the opening at intervals of four inches
by small hooks and silk loops concealed
under the lap to keep it securely closed.
| Put the skirt braid on the bottom of the
| skirt after it is all done, as if it is in
| corporated with the garment it cannot
be renewed without great deal of work.
Last of all, bear in mind that gown,
i'll order to have the exquisite neatness
and trimness of good professional work.
must be well finished. The hens must
be even, the buttonholes regular, the
! hooks and buttons firmly sewed on and
all hastings and ends of thread removed.
If gown is worth wearing, it is worth
the most careful making You can giveit.
TcARPJJA PROrsrOp