The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-08
BlBV5 dress REFORM,
How It Came About and How tt
Dress Baby With One Turning.

Mrs. Bertha Janet Gum, the inventor
of the infants dress reform, is a sweet
faced, gentle-mannered little woman not
resembling in the slightest our ideal
woman of affairs. When seen in her
home she talked pleasantly Of her work,
but seemed surprised that anyone could
speak of her invention as other than the
most natural thing in the world
Why, il seems remarkable to me that
some one hasn't thought it out long ago,
she saiC in answer TO her visitor Ques-
ton as 10 what first gave her the idea
aJust think of all these years and years
that mothers have looked upon the daily
dressing OF their little ones as task 10
be dreaded, as 'squall!ng time. why the
child is fretted 10 frazzle x II IS no.
n actual pain. ! contend with the doctors
that whence baby screams there Is
something s matter; and believing
there is Something amiss with her child,
what mother would not try her utmost
TO get at the root of the matter That
IS just the way l began. L was worried
by my baby's screams when II was being
dressed. Al first l tried every method L
could think OF TO shorten the BATH Then
1 began TO think of its little clothes and
coatrive means whereby they could be
put on in the shortest possible time. This
led NE to consider and notice each gar
ment separately, and 1 soon began to see
how uncomfortable some OF them must
be. a heavy diaper, for instance, which
always holds the child S legs bowed out,
or the flannel belly-band which is pulled
and fastens with pins that are forever IN
danger OF slipping cut and sticking into
its delicate flesh. l began to think OF
Dabys whole wardrobe as barDarouS, ana
TO set to work to Try to improve them
one garment at d time. OF course, my
object was 10 make my own batV COM
Portable, and seiiishly l never gave other
children thought.
After moving to the east-I formerly
lived in Ohio-I received a letter from
cousin asking me TO send her some pat
terms for hygisnic baby clothes II such
articles were to be had l loC-| around
and could md nothing that l considered
good as my own baby clothes; 70 1
thought. Why shOuldE 1 cut i set OF
patterns OF Fay own and send them 10
her.' Later ! did the same thing for sew
eraI friends and finally began 10 Jn-nk II
might be d good thing for other children
in whom / lett no personal interest and
at the same time furnish me means OF
support. At that tine / was supporting
myself and child.
small way, furnishing sets OF patterns
and making layettes 10 order My work
gave satisfaction, and mOtners, seeing
the wisdom OF such garments, recon-
mended me to their friends. In that way
my custom increased and. my system be-
came wei known Now 1 have orders
from every state in the Union and from
several foreign countries ! empiCy sew
eral sewing women TO do M stitching
and q nu-8be- OF expert embroiderers, !
While / have my patterns manufactured. (
My layettes which are only made to or
stamping
OF myself. and personally examine every
garment before II sent out OFTEN, I
Wnere mothers take pleasure in making
their own baby clothes. ! cut and staG.i
The sets and have them basted up. so that
The making and embroidery is much sym
plified. My patterns come in sets OF Is.
and are drafted to nj into each otner. so /
they can be put on the child all together I
In that Wa, you VIII see. Il is only neces-
SAL - turn the child once while dress /
ms. and all these clothes hang from the /
shoulders Another point about my svs-
tenn which mothers highly approVe-there /
are 10 pins and every part o. the body Is Z
equally projected.
lat oo consider the best material
for GiaDers2' repeating the question /
asked BY her visitor. Wei. l use a fine (
grade OF stockinette, so Of course con /
slider that the best. But think the shape 4
OF toe garment has much to do with its /
comfort. The old-fashiOned square which (
WAS e-dw., so tight over the seat and +
pinned to the band l believe not only
caused channg, but in many instances I
crooked legs. My diaper is cut on the
bias, so that he seat Is large and baggy,
and there is very little cloth 10 fold be-
tween the legs. so the little legs can lie
straight out OF course my system re-
quired much thought TO perfect it. and
/ would never have thought I
Of dress reform for infants and children
hadn't | have had the necessity brought /
home TO me by my own child. so you see
after all my success is but another proof
Of the truth OF the old adage, Necessity
IS the mother OF invention
EMILY M'LAws