Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-01
Making Dresses at Home

a cupboard in the family sitting room or
in one of the bedrooms can be utilized
for storing all the sewing paraphernalia.
One of the contents Of this cupboard
ticking scanned together in lengths Of
three or four yards.
l.
Fasten a heavy weight in each corner
of this rug. so that when it is spread on
the floor it will not easily curl up at the
edges. and spread it whenever there is
sewing to do. Then there will be no
raveling and scraps of cloth to litter the
floor. At the end of the sewing day the
rug can be carefully folded and shaken
or swept out of DOORS
A small cutting table can, of course,
be used for much of the cutting: Or the
cutting can be done on a dining room
table and then basting and marking
with a tracing wheel can be done on the
cutting table. But II there is a sewing
room. drop shelves along one side. that
can be pulled up and propped into po-
sition, make the most satisfactory cut
ting table They can be dropped out of
the way when they are not needed.
Any one who would be successful IN
carrying out the new styles must work
carefully and patiently. In the patterns
there are many marks to indicate gath
erings and pleatngs and tucks and
darts. All of these must be carefully fol-
lowed. When you are marking them in
a finsy material that will not show the
mark of a tracing wheel indicate them
with a white thread
Lay the paper pattern on the material.
pin it securely and cut carefully. Then
run the needle through the material wher-
ever there is a mark and cut the thread.
Knot the two ends of the thread once
close to the material and then remove
the pattern. These marks are definite,
but can be pulled out easily.
Don't be afraid of selvages- Inc pest
dressmakers make use of them. Chiffon
selvages form the edges of sleeves, and
many selvages are used in silk and satin.
Often a bungling appearance can De saved
if the selvages are left unturned.
= Il
Hang the skirts carefully. Even if they
are draped folded make the hem as even
as possible. One Of the little chalk mark
ers that can be adjusted to measure any
number of inches from the floor to mark
the bottom of the skirt is especially use
full in the making of spring clothes. for
the skirts of many end well above the
ankles.
If there is an overdrapery or tunic OF
heavy material on heavy skirt make
the upper part of the underskirt of thin
material. Thin silk Of the same color is
the best, because it is not conspicuous II
by chance the tunic blows up. In some
Of the taffeta frocks this upper section
is made of white net, which certainly
takes up little room.
Use weights in the TUNES to keep them
down Even a spreading taffeta tunic
can be weighted in four or six places. SO
that it will not blow up about the waist
in a wind
Don't try to make clothes fit snugly.
They are not meant to, In these days
And many persons ruin tho new patterns
BY modifying them SO that they are
little tighter than they were meant to be.
In making serge or other heavy skirts
bind the bottom edge with seam binding,
stitching It by machine. Then turn the
hem and stitch that either by hand or
machine. This method of finishing hem
Machine stitching is used lavishly this
spring on both wooden and silk frocks.
French lacking is a phrase used IN
many of the new pattern directions. II
simply means invisible fastening. If there
are certain marks in a pattern for
draped skirt for instance, that indicate
French lacking they simply indicate that
the two pieces of fabric to be French
tackled" are to be held together by some
strong, but big, stitches, that do not show
from the right side.
If you are a little doubtful about the
neck finish of your new frock don't have
any. That is to say, buy readymade
little net vest and collar or one OF lace
or null, and use this to give smart
finish to your frock or blouse. )