The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-06-29
HOW TO GET RESULTS
IN BUYING PATTERN
Useful Suggestions Offered by
Department of Agriculture to
Club Members.
Prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture)

prepared by the United States Department
of Agricultural
The United States Department OF
Agriculture offers to members OF its
various clothing clubs the following
suggestions on using commercial pat
terms:
In buying a pattern, be sure that
it's size is right. Patterns may be
bought by age or by measure. For a
girl of normal size for her years, buy
pattern by age; for an adult or a
girl who may vary from the size, take
the necessary measures and buy pat
tern that corresponds to them. Waist
patterns are numbered according to,
Dust measure; skirt patterns are num-
bered by both hip and waist measure.
1t is better to buy skirt pattern of
the correct hip size, as it is easier to
make slight changes in it around the
waist than to alter it on the hips.
Before opening the pattern, read the
directions carefully and thoroughly.
Open the pattern and study the sep
arate pieces. A guide chart is usually
printed on the envelope, and will show
you the purpose of the various pieces.
Put back into the envelope any pieces
which are not to be used at once.
To lengthen a pattern for waist
or skirt cut straight across each OF
the pieces that are too short, having
the cuts exactly perpendicular to the
line Of dots which marks the length
wise line of the goods. Insert a piece
of paper as wide as you wish the pat
tern to be made longer; or, when cut
ting out the garment, lay the two cut
parts of the pattern on the goods so
that they are separated by distance
equal to the desired increase in length.
When frightening skirt pattern, the
pieces should be slashed about two
thirds of the distance from the top.
In waist make the cut about three
inches above the waistline. In either
case, make sure that the insert is the
same width throughout. To increase
the width Of a piece slash it lengrhwise
and separate the pieces in the same
way as in frightening.
Another way of making garment
longer or broader than the pattern is
to pin plat evenly in the goods, lay
the pattern over it, and cut. To short
en- pattern or make it smaller, take
a plat in it in the same position as
suggested for the slashes.
| Spread the material out on a fiat
surface and arrange every piece of the
pattern on it before beginning to cut.
AS many of the pieces are to be cut
in duplicate, one can often fold the
material, lay the pattern on it, and cut
out the two pieces at once. In cut
ting the back of waist or the front
gore (and sometimes the back gore) of
skirt, fold the material lengthwise,
lay the straight edge of the pattern
along the fold, and cut around the pat
tern except on this straight edge.
Pieces to be cut in this way on
lengthwise fold are marked on the pat
tern with crosses, or in some other
manner.
Sometimes the guide chart indicates
how to arrange the pattern on the
goods so that there will be no unneces-
sary waste in cutting. In any case,
| lay the pattern on so that the pieces
come close together and the waste is
as slight as possible. Be very care
full that the lengthwise perforations of
the pattern are upon the warp (length-
wise) thread Of the goods. Stripes or
figures must run exactly up and down
in the finished garment.
Pin each section of pattern In several
places, taking care that the curves and
corners are fiat on the goods.
Cut out the pieces, allowing for
J seams, if allowance has not been made
| for them in the pattern; otherwise cut
exactly around the edge. Use large
shears, and cut with long, steady
stroke, not a Short choppy one. Ac-
curate cutting is the greatest help to-
ward a good-looking garment. Cut all
notches as indicated by the pattern,
using small scissors and being careful
not to cut them so deep that they will
Interfere with the seams. Mark perfor-
atoms with chalk, pencil or thread.
Unpin the paper pattern, and fold
all pieces carefully, and place at once
in envelope.
The calculations of the amount of
material to buy in the case of garments
are more elaborate. Most commercial
patterns give a table stating the
amount of material of different widths
necessary for the garment. If the
amount is not stated it must be esti-
mated, taking into consideration both
! tha measurements of the DatternS and
of the person who is to wear the gar
ment.