The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-31
A ITH the return of fashions of frills \A/ and furbelows the sewing problem " becomes more complicated for the

AA/ and furbelows the sewing problem
 vv becomes more complicated for the
 novice. It was comparatively easy to make a straight skirt and simple blouse but the beruffied, tucked, and open scanned gown needs skill to do it easily. shall treat entirely of the unlined frock of cotton. linen. or other summery fabrics.
 For skirts of wash material a neat French seam is most often used. This is merely double seam encasing the raw edges and is made by pinning or bastins the edges evenly together wrong side to wrong side. Sew narrow seam on the right side; trim, turn wrong side out, crease exactly on the edge. and make second seam narrow enough to cover the raw edge.
 For heavy materials like rough linens or ratines this is somewhat bulky. and some feel the French seam draws even in sheer materials.
 * !.
 Straight Seam Finish.
 The simplest seam for the heavy fabric is a straight one on the wrong sde about three-eighths of an inch from the edge. Nick h any place where 1t is inclined to !" draw |" more especially on the blouse-and bind with the folded cotton mercerized seam bind ing. Unless the goods are so heavy as to make a ridge when pressed the seams can be bound together. otherwise each edge is bound
 Often in heavy ma terial that does not fray the seam is sewed on the wrong side, both edges pressed in one direction, and a second stitching made on the right side. quarter or three-eighths of an inch from the seam line This is the plain tailored seam so much used on cloth dresses.
 Another simple finish for the straight seam which is always sewed on the wrong side, about three-eighths of an inch from the edge. Is to turn in each edge -nicking first where necessary-and run tho two turned edges together by hand or machine.
 Many women who prefer effect to finish leave the seam edges raw and overcast This Is enot neat. as it shows in sheer materials and does not wash well in opaque ones. Some times however in inserting embroidery. good wear can be had by trimming the raw edges quite close and stitching on the right side again. close enough to catch the seam. I have known lace to hold through repeated washing when done in this way. Beading on Blouses.
 The use of beading is one of the marked fca- lures of this seasons blouses. It is not 90 hard to put in as 1t looks Baste your ma terial together and fit your blouse, making all alterations. Now haste your beading. which has had narrow edge of the plain material left on each side along this seam so the center comes directly where the seam should be. Baste on both edges rip open the seam of the blouse. and sew narrow seam with the trim ming on the right side, turn. crease, and sew in tiny French seam on the under side. Re- peat for the opposite edge of the beading. Be careful in making sthis second stitching to have 1t 70 close to the beading that none of the plain material shows on the right side. Many of the bought waists omit the French seam and are sewed in. narrow seam on the wrong side, then trimmed away. leaving the raw edses Another finish Is to baste on the beading with narrow seam on the wrong side. stitch, trim of all ravelings, and insert raw edges in the hemmer of the machine and stitch as in hemming. When the work is entirely done by hand ( the plain casnbric may be entirely cut away on each side of the beading-or the edees of ace i7eertion may U used-cut away the ma 'eFie1 under tho embroidery. Ioaxinr smsll {