Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24
Helps for the
HOnneDreSs-
maker

I T is always a good plan to send
coats and outer garments to a
tailor to be pressed after the work
is all completed. This gives set
and finish that canno. be obtained
by home pressing. knowledge of
just how to do that work, combined
with the fact that extremely heavy
irons are used, insures the very best
results. It is well. also. to do this
in case of skirts, as hey will be
found much more satisfactory after
being treated this way.
When gathering a certain length
of rufling to fit a given space,
loosen the upper tension of the ma
chine, stitch across, then draw up
the straight thread. The gathers
do not slip as when done by hand,
and are more evenly and quickly
done.
To be sure that a sleeve will set
well when there are no notches as
guides, measure an inch back from
the shoulder seam, fold the arm
hole together, and place the inner
seam of sleeve at front fold Of arm
hole. For a very stout person
measure two inches.
Before cutting buttonholes in
materials that fray, mark the posi-
ton and length of each, then stitch
on the machine close around the
mark. When the buttonholes are
cut between the stitching there Is q
firm edge to work upon.
Knot the end of thread broken
from the spool and the thread will
not knot and kink.
To insure that the two fronts of
a waist will be tucked exactly alike.
tuck both sides at once before cut
ting out. Take just twice the
length of goods required for a sin
gle front, fold where the shoulder
point comes, lay the front Of the
pattern along the selvage edge, and
mark with tracing wheel or pins
how far the tucks are to go.
Make tucks exactly even as to
length, width, spacing and all. The
same method applies when waist
opens at the back.
In hemming napkins, put the hem
mer attachm.--. on the machine,
without thread, turn an even hem,
and then hem afterward by hand.
This line Of accurate perforations
is very easy to follow. In hem
stitching, draw the threads and
haste the hem neatly. With the
sewing machine, having the stitch
regulated the length desired, with
out thread, stitch close to the edge
as in ordinary hemmings. For hand
run tucks use a coarse needle, mark
with the machine in the manner
described, and run the thread in
the holes thus made.
To keep silk thread from unwind
ing too rapidly when sewing on the
machine, put a small piece of thick
cloth under spool.
To hang your wn skirt, finish The
skirt with the exception of the lower
edge.
Put it on just as it is to be worn.
Standing befe mirror. place one
end of a good straight yardstick on
the floor. holding it perfectly
straight up against the dress.
Put pin in the dress at the top
end of the yardstick, and then
move the stick an inch or two to one
side, measure, and again mark the
place with a pin. Continue until
you have row of pins all around
your dress skirt at somewhere near
the hip measurement.
Take the skirt off and finish the
bottom exactly one yard from each
pin, if you want the dress to just
touch the floor. If you want it an
inch from the floor, finish it thirty
five inches from the row of pins, and
so on.
By using care and a good mirror.
YOU can do this measuring entirely
and the skirt will hang ex-
actly even.