Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-18
PAPER PATTERNS SET PACE
Influence Of Tissue Models Felt in Smallest
Hamlet In the Land
s4O,OOO,OOO A YEAR BY ONE PLANT
Makers of Fashion Patterns Build
~ Mighty Business In rev
Neers-HOvv Designs Are
Turned Out.

Turned out.
a visit to a fashion factory where some
thing like hundred and sixty thousand
patterns are turned out in a day, gives
food for thought on the intricacies of mod
ern dress. The making Of these paper pat
terms has come in the past twenty-five
years to be a mighty business. and the in
fiuence Of the tissue models Of fashion has
spread so universally that II is felt in the
| tiniest country village in the remotest
parts of the country. The corner store in
every small town ihas it's counter where
| fashion patterns may be had. and to those
benighted creatures beyond the reach Of
corner store there is the farm magazine OF
the county weekly, with its fashion pic
lures and coupons through which the read
ers may reach the headquarters OF style
and order the newest shirt waist or the
latest skirt thus becoming, by following
the directions. a fine lady OF fashion. The
big city dailies and the little country
weeklies, almost everything in the way Of
q publication in these days and times,
has its fashion designs and patterns. so
that really there isn't the least possible
excuse for any woman not being we'll
adorned. natty and neat.
over the country get their styles first hand
from fashionable modistes, who import
them direct from Paris or make pretense
to, but for that vast majority OF women
who are their own rnodistes, In part or
wholly. the paper patterns issued by va
rious large concerns with headquarters
chiefly here in New York, set the standard
of fashion. They are the fashions of the
French modiste tempered and modified to
suit more general use To see how these
patterns are created and manufactured,
going behind the scenes OF the fashion fac
tory, IL an interesting thing. There are
several OF these factories In New York,
some that furnish the pictures and pat
terms for the papers and magazines; others
that feed the pattern stores dotted all
over the country, and Few combining
| both ends of the business
or Spring street New York City, stands
; splendid monument to womens fashions
: In a thirteen-story building fashions are
planned, approved and issued in practical
I pattern form to the number Of 10000 a
day in a busy season such as this-on the
threshold of spring. Just as in any bust
; ress where the question Of dress enters
there are two rush seasons in the pattern
factory-early spring and early fall. Just
now there are being hewn out by THE
! hundred patterns that will mold the styles
4 for thousands Of women. children and ever
men. For even the lords OF creation are
not above the sway of the paper pattern
: It's true. few OF them like to confess it, bu
: many man smiles more complacently or
. the world because OF the smooth-ly.nf
i bosom of his wife-made shirt. OF thos'
driven TO acts OF desperation by the iii
: fitting neckband we will say nothing.
French Women Wear American styles
: These patterns penetrate not only int
= the waste places OF America, but are ISSUED
in great numbers for the French. German
and Spanish people 1t seems odd tina
French women, the molders OF fashion
I should be wearing American styles; hu
:, such is the case, for the sale OF the pat
= terms issued here in the New York factor!
and shipped abroad is enormous and 4
a growing all the time. While America,
merchants are sending buyers to Franc
"a to bring back the fashions, so American
q factories are sending patterns to Franc
e for the French people to copy. Not onl
do they buy our patterns, but they rea,
fashion magazines published here q
America. One company, in addition {.
: the publications Il issues here in this coun
y try, puts practically the same matter pub
n lished here every month into Magazine
published in German, in French and 4
Spanish and ships them from here TO tn
8 countries speaking those languages. I
= France. especially, the American magazin
!. has a larger circulation than almost an
French fashion magazine. Some Of IN
material used in the American publication
il changed in the foreign publications, es
pecially the fiction matter, to suit tn
l. tastes of the different nationalities; BIZ
y the fashion matter remains almost intac
ID How Patterns Are Made.
The paper pattern begins its being, c
ie course, with a design. and these design
ID come from various sources. but chen
rs from the corps OF regularly employed Dc
IT signers who are engaged all the time (
T finding new ideas that will be OF practices
Is value There are a number of these dc
IN signers in New York. and some scattere
IN in foreign centers to catch fresh hint
there. Some Of their designs are orisina
Is some are copied from models seen in shop
DC or caught sight OF on the street, pefhap
On A suggestion taken from this and anOth'
ee from that-and the pattern is planned
IN Models are often submitted from the GU
or side, and If thought worth while are a.
ne cepted. After the pattern has been al
proved copy OF the gown. skirt. waist
es whatever It happens to be- Is made up O
living model and adjusted until II
found thoroughly practical. II Is the
u taken TO pieces and the FIRST pattern is CT
Of heavy cardboard paper The variol
90 sizes are then computed. which is no sms
IT, problem i'm itself. When that has bee
attended to, and the original patteI
tested. found satisfactory and marke
~ with guiding directions. II is taken 20 II
cutting room, where the patterns al
At struck OF. There 800 girls and twent!
> eight men are constantly at work suppl!
q ing the demands for patterns that strea
In from all parts OF the world. All Il
cutting Is done by hand to insure exae
ness, and the utmost care has to be e.
ercissd to get every notch and every d
I'm just the exact place. else the dress vi
"S so awry and complaints will begin pourir
In. The heavy pattern is laid down on Il
big tables that stretch through the Tor
room and the workers bend over ther
=. quickly outlining with pencils. or cuttir
with sharp knives along the sides Of Il
original pattern. the knives going throus
q thickness OF some 200 sheets OF tissl
paper at once. There are instruments
| cut the round holes and machines to pri,