The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-12
TALKS ON DRESS MAKING
Simple and Sure Method Of Adapting Waist Pattern.

shorter stick, then wound and rewound
about them straw and hay, until the
improvised form approached the shape
and size. Then she pinned the lining
over it and completed the padding with
handfuls where needed.
Others have pinned the lining around
a pillow, or even two, though ii is not
so easy to get a good shape in this way.
Because the lining is filed snugly, a
well-shaped figure does not naturally
result. and that is a lesson that stout
women and the makers Of their dresses
should take to heart. A properly pro-
portiOned lining and outside drapery,
with the seams in the right places and
running at a proper slant, will make
figure look entirely different from one
with careless cutting which is called "a
fit" simply because the figure nils 1t
smoothly and there are no wrinkles.
Adapting the Shoulder Seams.
II you will look at any pattern you
viii notice an extension above the
shoulder seam on the front sections.
When the bust size is larger than that
Of the pattern, judgment will tell you
that increased room is required on both
the length and breadth. Note also that
il is necessary to extend the neck line
correspondingly, that the fit at this
point shall be snug and properly close.
This is not a lesson in drafting; it
is just a careful and experienced dress
makers way of adding inches where she
knows they are needed. I call your at
tentiOn here to an extension at the I'M
derarm seam, principally because I
want to show how, when you do this,
you must also extend on the lower part
of the armhOle. Increase on the length
Of the shoulder lire viii rarely be nee
essary, as that line lengthens in almost
imperceptible proportion to the rest of
the figure. For the same reason, though
the lower part Of the French dart seam
may need an increase, it will not likely
be necessary in the upper part.
Large Waist Measure.
When the waist measure is very large
in proportion to the bust, there will
probably be more increase at the front
than the back, and most Of this must
probably be allowed at the dart and
center front. If the abdominal develop
ment is corTespOndingly full, the new
cutting lines will run toward each other
again at the lower part of the dart,
instead of being practically straight
from the waist line to the lower edge.
Transfer to the edges Of these new cut
ting lines all the nOtches in the pat
terms edges, in the same relative posi-
tons. The undeTarm gore is increased
aObut the same quantity at each edge,
but at the top the line must be extend
cd, that it may Join the extension at the
aTmhOle edge Of the front.
Arranging the Back.
Though an overriding shoulder line is
unbecoming to a stout figure, the width
across the back should be sufficient to
avoid any drawn look. Measure a dress
that fits comfortable across, and II this
pattern needs increasing, divide the
quantity, making a little at the center
back, a little on each edge Of the French
back seam (staTting the Increase just
below the shoulder and a little at the
armhole edge. Allow an extension at
the top of each Of the two side forms.
Considering these directions has
brought to my mind the principal argU-
ment in favor Of the pattern with a
seam allowance, if Il needs an argu-
ment. Whatever disposition on the
cloth you make of the pieces of such
pattern, whether to fit in as closely to
each other as possible for economy in
cutting, to separate in order to allow a
little extra seam in a material that raw
els or to permit necessary increases at
any figure pOint-yOur seam is always
safe. You do not need to consider it
and allow for It, or perhaps forget it
and ruin the goods.