Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-07-15
GLOVEMAKERS' SECRETS.
HOW THEY COVER THE HAND THAT
IS NOT PERFECT.

The work of the glove cutter is not
the simple, easy work it is often sup
posed to be. An expert can cut only
three pairs in two hours. He cuts al
ways to measurement, and the gloves
he makes are not always the smooth,
even production usually known as a
kid glove. 1t is the stock gloves that
come in this way, but the man who
makes gloves to order has variety OF
hands to fit. says the New York
Times.
In the first place, tne expert glove
maker, who knows all the ins and outs
Of the trade, says that every man,
woman or child should have gloves
made to measure if an absolutely per-
feet tit is to be guaranteed There is
as much difference in hands as there
is in faces, and no one who is particu-
larly fastidious can buy entirely salts
factory readymade gloves. This is
notwithstanding the fact that three
lengths of fingers can be obtained in
every size of glove and every size is
made for both thick and thin hands.
But aside from the individuality of
the ordinary hand, there are many
hands that have unusual pecuiarities
which must be fitted. There are many
people who have one hand larger than
the other One man, for instance,
wears 3-4 on one hand and a No
on the other. One man has a thumb
that is twice as large as the ordinary
thumb on one hand, while the other
is of normal size. The victim of good
living and gout has an over-developed
finger from that arstocratic disease,
and there are people with no fingers
at all
All this is in addition to the peculari-
ties of hands which have met with ac-
cidents from machinery trolley cars,
or any of the numerous destructive
agencies into which the hands may
chance to fall. There is firm up town
which, in addition to it's regular work,
makes a speciality of fitting gloves to
hands which are peculiar in conforma-
tion by nature or accident.
In making a glove to order a dia-
gram is taken of the hand, as one is
taken of the foot by the shoemaker.
hS WI ~ Ids W Dt uOnb WIFI great
care and the eccentric gloves are as
perfectly fitted as the normal ones.
The number of gloves that can be
cut from one skin depends upon the
size and quality of the skin. The finest
skins are those of the kid and one
skin will make but one pair OF gloves.
1t is the kid of the goat from which
40 cly
sometimes, but while this skin may be
soft and elastic, it is not good wear
ing skin.
The mere process of making a kid
glove is comparatively simple. The
skins are bought with the hair on. The
first process is the tanning, which
leaves the skin white. 1t is then ready
for the dye, after which it is shriveled,
shaved, and then it is ready for the
cutting. From the cutter the glove
goes to the stitcher, who can sew a
pair of gloves in from Is to 20 minutes.
Then the glove is bound, the button
holes made, the buttons sewed on, it is
hemmed and pressed, and the product
is ready for the market. A French
glove establishment has a manufac-
tory for all its stock gloves on the
other side, and only makes gloves to
order here.
Gloves are made to order frequently
to match certain costumes. The dye
ing is a particular work, and requires
careful mixing of colors to get the
required shade, but a pair of gloves can
be dyed. cut and made inside of three
hours. A pair of gloves can be made
to order for as small a sum as $1.50.
This is not the best glove, of course.
There are few gloves made that vary
greatly from the regular stock except
as they fit the peculiarities ofthe hands.
People who have such peculiarities of
the hands take quiet shades in gloves.
Many gloves, however, have been made
since the pale pastel shades came into
vogue to match them. While there is
little variety in the ordinary style of
gloves, there is one glove that must al
ways be made to order, and that is the
monogram glove. These gloves have
been used more or less for some time by
people who have plenty of money. One
of this years brides had all the gloves
for her wedding outfit made with en-
broidered monograms on the back in
place of the ordinary stitching. The
embroidery for these gloves cost 81,
aside from the cost of the glove, and
there are comparatively few people
who can afford them. AS to their
beauty, there is said to be great diff
ference as regards the letters. Some
letters present much better appear
ance on the back of the glove than
others. For instance, the girl who has
"a" HI" or M" for an initial need
not hesitate if she has the money, for
the gloves with those letters look well
on the back of the hand.
Gloves are made occasionally with
stitching to match some color con-
trast that appears in the gown or with
the contrasting colors in the embroid-
cry of monogram. Occasionally a