The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-07-26
SEAM BOARD. EIGHTEEN INCHES LONG.

To begin with, allow yourself plenty
of time \ week Is not too much 70
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
bic. basting cotton, several sizes Of nee
dies. a cushion full of pins, lapboard,
sharp scissors, q 60-inch tape measure,
a tracing wheel and little board for
pressing open seams. The latter IS in
valuable, but can be made for 80 cents
by any carpenter from the accompany
ing illustration. Before 1t Is used dOu-
BILE thicznesses of flannel and muslin
should be drawn smoothly over the curve
and tackled down firmly on either side.
Cut out the lining of the dress first.
1t Is best to cut the corresponding pieces
of the waist at the same time from
double fold of the stuff, marking the
line of the seam with the tracing wheel
to insure their being exactly alike. If
they are not alike, the seams viii be
crooked, and the whole garment Will
look twisted Never haste and At the
waist lining separately, as II will by that
means be stretched and pulled out of
shape. Cut the lining carefully by a
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
haste 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 uneVennesS may come at the
bottom. In basting the shoulder seam
the edge of the back viii be found to be
a 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 in the under arm seam
rather than any other. Do not draw the
bodice tight across the bosom, as it gives
q pinched and flat appearance TO the fig
ure. y slight lOOseness over the bust IS
an advantage rather than defect.
Cut the sleeve little longer than the
| pattern, both top and bottom, as the pat
! tern is almost always too short.
In sewing the waist seams stitch just
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 a
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 flat, pressed
| seams are, as . rule, a distinguishing
/ mark between home and professional
/ l.. 1,1A
/ tant to the good dressmaker as the nee
die and is Of great assistancein rsseiG!{ging
perfect fit. Not only sea ms. but COZ
lars, cuffs, hens, facinr-s and button
n d. "IIould be nres. gsed as fast as they
are finished. To press the dress after /
is all completed IS of little use. Itshoult
be done during the process of making.
Cut the skirt an inch longer than your
measure, as it takes up IN the making
If YOU wish the seams not to show on th'
inside. sew the seams Of the material anC
those of the lining separately and pres
them open. Turn the material wrong
side out and the lining right side out
Slip the lining over the material aut
overcast the raw edges of the correspond
ing seams together by putting your hanC
in between the material and the lining
Keep the lining next you. Begin at TIT
top and use large loose stitches.
Put broad fly piece of the materia
under the opening of the skirt, which
need not be more than - inches long
Besides the fastening of the band, faster
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 th'
skirt after it Is all done, as If 1t IS IN
corporated with the garment it cannot
be renewed without great deal of work
Last of all, bear in mind that a gown
in order to have the exquisite neatnes
and trimness of good professional work
must be well finished. The hens mus
be even, the buttonholes regular, TIT
hooks and buttons firmly sewed ON anC
all hastings and ends of thread removed
If gown is worth wearing, it is wOrtl
the most careful making you can give it
ISABELLA PROCTOR.