The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-07-18
DreSSnakin4.
ny EDWARD wILLlsToN FRENTz.


It Is a curious fact that IN a trade
so old as the making of women's gar
ments, and a radein which women are
80 deeply interested, the best work
should be done and the highest
prices received by men. No one dis
putes the fact, but various explana-
lions are offered. The explanation
of 1t, which carries most weight, is
tne unwillingness of women, or their
lack or foresight and ambition, to
learn all branches of the trade as
thoroughly as men them.
For the really first class dress
maker or ladies' tailor work is al
ways abundant and earnings are
large. For the poor one there are
sure to be dull seasons" and small
wages. The girl who has this trade
In mind should therefore resolve to
master it or let It alone
The foundation of dressmaking is
sewing. One should acquire a rea-
sonable skill with the needle and at
least some knowledge of running a
sewing machine before one attempts
to learn dressmaking These rudi-
ments mastered, the next step will
depend somewhat on the girls resi-
dence and means.
The easiest and shortest road is
through attendance at some good
school OF cutting and fitting. The
time required for this will vary both
with the school and with the individu-
al pupil. Some institutions advertise
that they graduate their pupils in
six weeks, some take six months.
The tuition, which. in nearly all
the schools, must be fully paid in ad-
vance, varies from $50 to $3.50, and
to this must be added the cost of liv-
ing, which, in the large cities, where
such schools are usually situated, will
hardly be less than So n week.
If a girl decides to take such a
course she should exercise great care
in choosing her school. There are
good ones, honestly managed and
equipped with competent teachers,
but there are others-and some of
them advertise extensively - which
are merely screens for robbery.
The girl who cannot afford a term
at any dressmaking school should
seek a position as sewing woman in
some good dressmaking establish
ment
The payment will be small at first
-S5 or sc a week-but it will soon
adjust itself to her ability She
should do all she can to learn from
the more skilled workers about her,
watch what is done, and try to dis
cover why. Then, at the first oppor-
tunity, she should try to find some
cutter who, for reasonable consid-
Grafton, is willing to give her private
lessons in some department of cut
ting, as, for example, skirts or shirt
waists.
When she has mastered either of
these branches of her trade she will
find opportunities to utilize her skill,
either at doing the work in the estab-
lishment where she is employed or in
some other place where an assistant
cutter is needed. Her wages for that
work should be from So a week up
ward
The cutting of coats is a branch by
itself. almost the highest on tho
dressmaking tree. If it cannot be
learned in a regular school course of
instruction it should at least be
ledTueu from Il man. InlS can usual
! ly be done in private lessons, by ar
rangement with some working cutter.
The wages paid to competent wom-
/ an cutter who is able to draft and fit
an entire suit are seldom less than
| $25 a week, and are often as much as
! $35.
The really ambitious girl will man
age somehow to find a place for her
self in a good ladies' tailoring estab-
lishment before she rests content in
the confidence that she has complete
ly mastered her trade.
Women themselves are the first to
admit that workers of their own sex
are generally unable to give the style
to garment which is impaired by a
frst-class man tailor" This matter
of style touches not merely the cut
ting, but the balance" the pressing
and all those little details which diff.
ferentiate the distinctive gown from
the commonplace
There is no reason why a woman
should not master these details as
we'll as man. Those who do will
have no need to worry about success
Youths Companion.