The Washington herald., 1912-09-23
DESIGNING CLOTHES
FOR SCHOOLGIRLS
Is Pleasant Way for Clever Woman
to Earn Money.

Quite little money can be made at
this time OF the year by the woman who
knows how to sew, II she is willing to
turn this knowledge in the line OF max
ing children's frocks.
Many mothers who do not know how to
sew themselves, or have not the time or
patience to devote to this work. would
be only too glad to find a clever woman
who can design and make their chill
dren's clothes. Quite good prices. too.
can be secured for this work, IL a wom-
an has originality, good taste, and a
thorough knowledge of sewing. 1t is a
| good plan to be able to take some les
sons in dressmaking, but it is not es-
sential to the fashioning OF frocks for
children from the ages OF four to four
teen. After this last-named age a course
in dressmaking will be found almost
necessary, unless the girl undertaking
the work is by intuition a born dress
maker and one who understands cut and
lines from her own practical experience.
Require Careful Finishing.
Little children's dresses. however. re-
quire no such knowledge. OF course
great care must be taken that all meas
urements are perfectly correct. and that
the work Is well made and we'll finished.
too. for here a good made-to-order frock
can be easily told from one OF the cheap,
ready-made dresses bought in the stores.
The girl or woman wanting to take up
this work must get in touch with women
who want little dresses made for their
children. Perhaps the best way Is to
send cards around to various women
known to be in need of such work, or.
better still. the girl in question might
take some few samples of her work
around and solicit the orders in person.
Going to a hotel or apartment house
manager and asking him If one could
show dress samples to several of his
guests is another good plan. Only by
advertising any kind of work can one
make it known.
The prices for making children's
dresses, OF course vary according to the
size Of the child and the amount Of
work put on the frock. From $50 to
$50 is a good price for a child under
eight, while from that age to fourteen
the prices should be from $3.50 to S. All
handmade work. that is, dresses with
handmade tucks and embroidery
stitches, together with lace rolled on by
hand, should be about double the price
OF dress II It were to be made by ma
chine.
Can Buy Fitting Forms.
Sometimes mothers living in the sub
urbs do not want their children to go
into the city to be fitted, so. unless a
woman lives very near to her patrons, it
is a good idea, and one which is sure to
take, to go out to the various houses and
fit the little ones at their own homes.
The train fare should. Of course, be
charged, and 25 or so cents extra asked
for each fitting.
The woman who wants to undertake
this worL, should buy several of the little
forms which come in children's sizes
for fitting or draping the dresses; these
will be found a great help. II any spe-
cial measurements are required, order
for practically the same price as the
ready-made ones.
Quite little money should be made
by the woman who goes in for making
dainty and original children's frocks,
either for school or for dancing class.