The Washington herald., 1914-02-07
WON AN And THE HOME
. EasssA b suLlA cnAHDLsn NAME.
HOW TO REMODEL
OUT-OF-DATE SUIT
Clever Fingers of Needlewoman Can
Create Modish Garment Out
of Old Suit.


In this day. when quite as much, II
not more. depends upon the cut as upon
the cloth. a white serge suit that had
faced the sun of more than one spring
and summer was brought forth for In
spection and .rejuvenation. says the Phil
adelphia Ledger.
II possessed a weli-cut coat and a
promising amount Of material in a side
plated skirt with plain front panel or
course. II was much out Of date. a veri-
table old timer: but the cloth was of ex-
cellent quality, and the woman who
owned It had set her heart upon a Euro
pent trip this summer and. willy nilly.
this was to serve as smart little travel
ing suit. No money could she spare for
clothes from that long-iooked-f
to trip. and yet she must look well.
Time was when people used their
shabby clothes to travel In; but not so
now, for the travelling togs of the mo-
ment are as up to date as to cut and ma
terial as are ones afternoon and evening
gowns.
The Remodeled Suit.
The first serious setback occurred when.
upon ripping up the skirt, II was discov-
cred that the tailor who made II had. to
perfect the fit over the hips. thoughtlessly
sheared away all OF the material of the
overlapping plaits This was truly a
shock. as 1t shortened the material fully
q quarter Of Its length.
Nothing daunted. however. this woman
went determinedly to work. First, the
lining Of the coat was ripped out and the
entire goods sent to the dyers. from
whence 1t emerged in due course of time
an excellent black.
While waiting for the goods to be re-
turned. she happened upon a remnant Of
French blue velvet Of an expensive quail
ity at truly bargain price. and again
she found some smart-looking buttons in
imitation lapis lazuli at a price far be-
low their value, and the scheme of her
decoration was instantly desided upon.
Planning the skirt.
Then the planning Of the skirt began.
A narrow four-piece pattern was used.
leaving the front panel intact. The sides
and back were cut up as far as the serge
reached and heightened the remainder of
the way with a piece of black cambric.
One OF the new two-tiered skirts was the
original intention. but there was not near
ly enough goods for this scheme. How
ever. after careful study of the queer
shaped pieces remaining. a little over
skIrt OF tunlC, was tNOINeu.
II was in two pieces. about fourteen
inches deep In front and curving down
to about twenty-five inches. where they
met the back breadth. The fronts We're
Tapped and stitched one and one-half
inches from the edge and were ornament
ed with three of the buttons down the
lap. The stitching was continued at the
same depth across the bottom, the pieces
being cut circular enough to have the
bottom edge stand out well away from
the skirt, while the fullness at the top
was eased into the waistband.
There remained just one piece twenty
seven inches long and fourteen inches
wide. This was faced with a piece Of
silk from the every-handy piece bag and
gathered across the back OF the waist
band. where II hung as a panel. being
caught by loose yet firm threads to the
tunic, but extending four inches below
II. This, too. had a row of stitching one
and one-half inches from the edge and
was cut to a point two inches deep. A
button was also placed on each side OF
the back panel where the end of the
tunic Joined il.
The skirt was left open about four
inches from the bottom on the two back
seams. giving freedom of foot enough to
get easily in and out OF cars.
And Now the Cont.
Taking heart of grace over her trig-
looking skirt. she attacked the coat with
redoubled vigor. In the dyeing the coat
had shrunk a little, and was therefore
too tight around the hips. The side back
seams were opened to within two inches
of the waist line and the back cut to a
point two inches deep, TO conform to the
pointed panel in the skirt. Across the
front 1t was cut away from just below
the second button, which came directly
at the waist line, and. extending down
about halfway toward the back, IL
curved to correspond with the line of
the overskirt. This disappeared under
the back, which hung fully six inches
below.
A trifie above the waist line. and eX-
tending across the back. was a stitched
strap one and one-half inches wide and
fastened at each end with a button. Be
low each OF these buttons at two-inch
intervals were two more buttons, and up
the sleeves, which were ornamented with
pointed cuffs sewed on Nat, were three
more buttons.
With a low, rolling collar of the blue
velvet the suit was complete, possessing
style and Individuality as well as serv-
icea hiIify-a combination GREATLY IN ha