Evening star., 1961-08-16
Seams
7 o
Me
By PATRICIA SCOTT
Contributing Writer

OJ L n ANANAA SNOA1
Contributins Writer
When m a king better
clothes, always choose as fine
a fabric as possible. However,
don't choose an expensive one
if it will take less wear than
another that costs less.
s. A&
@. Since I have been read
ing your column, my outlook
has changed considerably in
choosing fabric. I used to buy
cheap ones, thinking of how
much money I would save,
but now I buy better ma
terialS and find that I get
much more wear out Of them.
I want to make q casual
winter sports coat and had
my heart set on a cashmere.
However, I really can't afford
it and everyone is telling me
to use camel's hair instead. Is
there much difference in
wearability?-Mrs. M. C.
A. Yes, there is a great
difference. I'm pleased that
you are buying better fabrics,
but it would be silly to use
cashmere for a casual coat
that will take so much wear.
Cashmere has warmth, is
lightweight, soft and certain
ly luxurious, but it doesn't
wear particularly well. Cam
els hair, on the other hand,
is also warm with little
weight and it wears very we'll.
@. How can I make the
cording for cord-type straps
on an evening dress? I think
they are called spaghetti
straps sometimeS.-MiSs L. T.
A. Buy cable cord of the
thickness you wish. Cut a bias
strip Of fabric 2 inches wide
and as long as the finished
strap will be. Cut cord twice
the length of the bias strip.
Place half the cord length
wise along center of right
side Of bias strip, allowing
other half of cord to hang
free. Fold bias strip over
cord and stitch (top sketch,
using cording foot machine
attachment.
Stitch cord to end Of bias
strip from which uncovered
cord hangs free (middle
sketch. Stitch this several
times to secure. Trim seam.
Starting from stitched end,
work bias strip over uncov-
cred cord, turning inside out,
until uncovered cord is
covered (bottom sketch). To
make turning easier, buy q
tubing turner.
\ = -
@. I have a brand-new
wool plaid dress with a
circular skirt, set-in sleeves
and jewel neckline. After
wearing it twice, I found
underarm stains, mostly on
the sleeve, and the cleaners
couldn't take them out. In
fact, the color faded. It's a
very heavy fabric and beau
tiful.
I wonder if you have any
suggestion for remodeling it
so can utilize the material.
Mrs. j. M.
A. You can do one Of two
things. Either remove the
sleeves and make it into q
sleeveless dress, or, since it
is a heavyweight plaid, cut
it into a jumper with a
Scooped neck to be worn with
blouses or bare necked in the
evening at home.
If you don't have matching
fabric for facingS, use wooden
material matching one Of the
colors in the plaid, or use
bias seam binding to match.
If you are afraid to cut the
neckline without a guide, buy
a pattern that is similar to
the top of your dress, with
darts in the same position.
Lay the pattern on the fabric
as you would if it were new
and then cut.
A booklet containing IS
ideas for gifts you can make
is noD available. These gift
ideas haze been selected from
Patricia SCOTS most popular
columns. To receiUe q copy
of "15 Gifts You Can Make"
Drite to Miss Scott in care of
The EUening Star, incloSing q
long, Selt-dddreSSed stamped
envelope and 20 cents to coUer
printing and handling costs.
Miss Scott is olwoys glad to hear
1 m her readers, ond whenever
po ibIe will use their questions in
her dunn, but because Of the greet
voIuI : of moiI received dolly, she