Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-11-26
SCARCITY OF DREsssLAKERs


ut is surprising" remarked a well
known dressmaker, that more girls
do not take up the profession of dress
making. 1t is next to impossible to
get competent help during the busy
season, though we pay So. so per day.
1.-THE hours are much shorter than
the average business hours, and the
work is much easier, yet there seems
to be a dearth of good material, and
we are compelled to take what we can
get"
Any girl who is handy with the
needle and quick to take up new ideas
can after a few months spent in a
good dressmaking establishment,
make herself very valuable to the
house and be in a position to demand
good wages.
This is not the ase with book
keepers and stenographers who are
required to spend a year in some
high priced school to perfect them
selves in the work, and then be con-
tent with a very meager salary TO
start with.
The dressmaker's apprentice is
paid from the very first, and the
amount increased as she becomes
more proficient.
A leading dressmaker in one of the
large cities of the west was a few
years ago a plain, diffident, country
girl, with but little education. She
was very ambitious, however, and
the knack of combininy laces and diff
ferent stuffs with telling effect. This
she determined to acquire and at once
set out for the city.
She secured a moderate priced
boarding place with an old friend OF
the family, and Immediately placed
''sewing by the day. card in one Of
the daily newspapers. This, in {
short time, brought her many replies
and she soon had all the work she
could attend to.
She now felt reasonably sure of hel
ground, and certain that come wha
would, she was capable of making al
least a fair living in this way.
She kept her eyes open for oppor-
tunities, and in the course of her
work she became acquainted with an
other young woman who gave her a
letter to the head of the dressmaking
establishment in one of, the large de-
partment stores.
She applied for the place, and was
put to work in the skirt room, where
she remained for two months. At the
end of that time she was promoted to
the waist room.
This was just what she desired, for
waists are far more difficult and re-
quire more artistic treatment than
skirts.
She took a few lessons outside in
regard to the most improved methods
of cutting and fitting, until she be-
came quite adept in that branch as
well.
She devoted her evenings, as far as
practicable, to the study Of the lead
ing fashion magazines, which the
manager kindly loaned to her on the
promise that they were to be returned
on the following morning.
The forewoman of the fitting de-
partment needing an assistant, called
upon lei to fill the place, which she
did with such satisfaction that when
the filter left for her home in the
East a few months later she was plac-
ed In charge of that branch of the
work.
She continued in the business two
years longer, never losing an oppor-
tunity to pick up new ideas in the
matter of trimmings and colnbina-
tons of materials, her taste gradually
Improving meanwhile until her opin-
ion in the matter of building a gown
was considered conclusive by the pat
rons of the establishment.
Late in the. summer she took a va
cation of q nbnthkAt which time she
attended Ae d~resshhAkers' convention,
and took notes religiously of all she
saw and heard that she considered
worth while . E8fB
On her return home she went to the
shop again, but not for long, She felt
That she was Jnow able to try her