9.1 A Complete Course in Dressmaking I

^Twelve Leiroru^
Lesson I
Iniroduciion
How to select
clothes and colors
that suit your type.
Lessons in making
simple stitches,
seams and finishes.
The correct way to
take measure¬
ments. Sewing
equipment.
Isahe '/jover
A COMPLETE COURSE IN
DRESSMAKING
BY
ISABEL DeNYSE CONOVER
LESSON I
INTRODUCTION
NEW YORK
EDWARD J. CLODE
.
COPYRIGHT, 1921, 1922, BY
EDWARD J. CLODE
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
©C1A600002
JAN -A 23
I
LESSON I
WHAT DOES STYLE MEAN TO YOU?
Of course you want to be stylish. Every

sensible woman does. But do you know how
to acquire the well-dressed look? Is it some¬
thing you are able to accomplish one time and
not another? Or perhaps, you can select smart
clothes for yourself and can’t help Cousin
Louise overcome a dowdy appearance. Or do
you admire Mrs. Jones’ new blue dress just be¬
cause it has that quality “chic” and accept
as inevitable your own unbecoming brown
dress?
Has it occurred to you that you and Cousin
Louise and in fact every other woman can be
stylishly dressed? People may be born beauti¬
ful, but certainly they are not born stylish.
It’s a clothes sense that they acquire. They
learn to wear clothes that are suitable. And
there is the whole secret summed up in one
word.
If I were asked to give a synonym for the
word stylish, I think I’d say suitable. You
[1]
A COMPLETE COURSE IN DRESSMAKING
know that it doesn’t make any difference how

beautiful a dress may be, just as a dress, if it
is inappropriate for the place or unbecoming
to the wearer, you never think of it as stylish.
Now do you? There are three great big im¬
portant things to remember when you are se¬
lecting a dress, whether it is for yourself or for
someone else.
First: It is important that the style of the
dress suit the place or occasion for
which it is intended.
Second: The design of the dress must suit
the season—in other words be near
enough to the prevailing mode not to
be conspicuous.
Third: See to it that the lines and color
of the dress suit the wearer.
If your dress will pass these tests, you may
rest assured that it is stylish. After all, style
in the true sense of the word is more than a
mere Paris label, a pretty picture or a fine
texture. It isn’t enough for a piece of ma¬
terial to be charming on the counter or a style
pretty in the picture. Ask yourself how the
dress is going to look when you make it up
and put it on or when Sally Jones wears it.
Put it through the little suitability test.
Probably more errors are committed in
selecting extreme styles than in any other way.
To be sure, there are people who can carry
off the bizarre in dress but they are the dashing
[2]
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
type. We might as well recognize the fact

in the beginning that we can’t all dash.
Make the most of the looks and personality
which you have. If you are demure or digni¬
fied or just pleasantly in between, watch out
or the ultra styles will eclipse you.
You don’t want to be remembered as a
dressmaker’s dummy carrying around a pretty
frock or the woman who wore the tight skirt,
the big collar or the queer sleeves.
I think one of the finest compliments which
can be paid a person’s appearance is the ex¬
clamation, “I can’t remember exactly what
she wore but she was dressed in such good
taste and her clothes suited her splendidly”.
Remember that your clothes ought to make you
look your very best. Clothes can do kindly
things—bring out the pretty lights in your
hair, make you look an inch taller or hide the
awkward curve of your hips—or they can be
very, very unkind. It is not always the out-of-
date dress either that is the hard task master.
A ruffle may be a charming accessory in the
shop window but when roily polly Louise wears
it, it just attracts attention to the fact that
her hips are unusually large. Just the fact
that a dress is the latest mode—that last word
in fashion—is no guarantee that it is the stylish
selection for every woman.
[3]
It is well to keep in mind that every season

brings a few extremes along with many
charming wearable clothes.
There is the matter of dollars and cents,
too. It is another place where it is easy to
lose the true value of style. Expensive is not
a synonym for stylish. It’s line and cut and
becomingness that counts everytime. There
is no truer saying in the world that clothes
are more often overdone than underdone.
Costly materials may be very beautiful in
themselves but they must be cleverly handled
to equal the simple charm of an inexpensive
goods well cut and well made. As a matter
of fact, where the dress is becoming as
a whole, in
admiring it
one forgets to
analyse the
texture. If you
will just stop
and think of
the pretty
dresses which
you have seen
lately, I am
sure that you
will agree
with me.
One must
remember Fig. (/) Elaborate material is just as
ton tli t ^ rnuch out of place in an everyday environ-
IOO, mat an ment as calico is in a ballroom.
[4]
elaborate material is just as much out of place

in an everyday environment as calico is in a ball¬
room. Perhaps, I ought not
to have specified calico for
it has come up in the world
so lately that one would
} hardly be surprised to find
it rubbing elbows with silks
and satins. But this brings
us back to the question of
suitability again and the
first rule on page 2.
In order to be stylish, your
clothes must suit the purpose
and the occasion for which
they are intended.
You may not have thought
Fig. (2) Do you of if \n JU.St th'S .Way> but
know what to wear there is etiquette in clothes
for every occasion? the same as Jn tabJe
manners. Here are a few of the general rules.
CLOTHES ETIQUETTE:
CLOTHES THAT SUIT THE PLACE
AND THE SEASON
Sport's Clothes. Do you know off hand
just what you should wear when you golf or
play tennis or ride or tramp cross country? It
is pleasant to have the assurance that your
clothes are just right in every particular.
[5]
After all, we are judged by our clothes.

Whether or not they speak truthfully, to the
world at large, they tell what kind of a person
you are. A little attention to the small details
will make them tell a pleasant story.
Suppose we consider first the correct clothes
for tennis—that game which is becoming uni¬
versally popular. Of course, no one bothers
to dress specially just for a little informal
game on their own side lawn. However, there
is a certain type of costume that one has
grown to expect in the tournaments at the
country clubs.
The accepted costume is all that could be
desired for comfort—a short, two-piece or
plaited silk or woolen skirt and a plain tailored
blouse of batiste, handkerchief linen or crepe
de chine with comfortable V neck. I might
add that the popular woolen sports skirt is
striped.
Tennis is a hatless game. The hair ought
to be dressed in a close simple manner. A
narrow ribbon tied around the head, low over
the forehead in the front and tied in the back
is a becoming accessory which will serve to
keep the hair in place.
White canvas or buckskin oxfords or shoes
with flat rubber soles are the only footwear
permissible for tennis.
Of course, a sweater is a necessity for after
the game. Both silk and woolen sweaters
[6]
are worn. One may have a subdued tone,

black or any gay color that fancy dictates in
the sweater.
Golf clothes seem to be in a state of evolution.
At some of the smart links, women are wearing
tweed suits with knickers. It must be remem¬
bered that this is the extreme, not the gener¬
ally accepted custom. And it's a fact that a
woman in knickerbockers is very conspicuous.
A costume that is very smart at the present
time for golf consists of a tailored blouse, a
sleeveless wool jersey dress and a box-coat to
match. The regulation wool jersey, tweed
or homespun suit which has an amply wide
skirt and a belted box coat is also worn with
tailored waists. Although blouses with V
necks and flat collars are worn, the preferred
waist is in shirt style with high soft collar.
It is usually made of pongee, crepe de chine
or linen and worn with a man’s knitted silk tie.
In warm weather, separate woolen or silk
skirts are worn with tailored waists of batiste
or wash silk. To complete the costume,
invariably there is a sweater.
The collapsible small felt, ribbon or straw
hats are the accepted hats for golf. Shoes or
oxfords of durable calfskin are to be preferred
to fancy sports shoes.
There are special golf gloves with holes over
the knuckles to give greater freedom to the
hands.
T71
The riding habit depends on two

things: a person’s age and the
environment. The young girl in
her ’teens wears a tweed suit con¬
sisting of a box coat and riding
breeches for riding across
country, in town or even for
an exhibition.
This costume is usually com¬
pleted with a blocked tricone or
a soft felt hat and riding boots.
Very often out in the country a
woman also wears a tweed suit,
box coat and breeches instead of
a skirt. However, if she is riding
Fig(s) The town, her suit is a little more
yaUt!Lfd riding formal. The coat is oxford cloth
baba wiih or twill and fitted. Her riding
breeches are of twill or checked
material or she has a divided skirt to match
her coat. Her hat is either the regulation
sailor or tricone.
For indoors exhibition riding, women usually
choose the side saddle which calls for the
regulation side-saddle habit and high silk hat.
The ideal suit for knockabout country wear
is a three-piece one of tweed, homespun or
khaki. There is a coat cut in box style and
belted, a pair of knickerbockers and a skirt.
The skirt buttons up the front and if occasion
warrants can be worn as a cape. The outfit
IB]
is completed with a shirt blouse, a soft felt

hat and high lace calf skin shoes.
Perhaps, when you first read the heading
Sport's Clothes, you thought of the type of
costume that has become generally popular
and is called sport’s clothes. I have in mind
the silk skirts, dainty handmade blouses and
rather elaborate sweaters which are called
sport’s clothes but have no place in real
sports. They are the clothes which are worn
in the mountains, country, seashore resorts
and suburban towns for before noon and even
in the afternoon for out of doors. The skirts
are of fibre silk in white or a pastel shade and
the blouses of batiste, lawn, voile
or organdie trimmed with drawn
work, handrun tucks and delicate
Valenciennes filet or lace.
Clothes for Afternoon: If
afternoon means calling and tea,
then you need the type of a frock
which is often termed “dressy.”
Usually an afternoon frock is of
silk, but its material depends
somewhat on the season.
You may indulge your incli¬
nations in mid-summer to the
extent of an organdie, batiste or
mull dress for calling or after- ^
noon. Mid-winter varies the rule Fig. (4) A sensu
also, and one might include vel- sibie choice
9 . iiii Jor afternoon ts
vet, duvetyn or broadcloth along a silk frock.
[9]
with silks such as chiffon, crepe de chine,

Canton crepe, and charmeuse as possibilities
for the afternoon type of dress.
As to style, an afternoon dress has a slightly
low neck, and elbow, three-quarter, or full
length sleeves. The skirt usually shows some
elaboration such as a tunic or slight drapery.
Clothes for
Evening: It is
difficult to put
evening clothes
under just one
heading for here is
where a woman’s
age and general
appearance makes
a difference.
The young girl
and the petite
woman may choose
for dances or other
formal evening
Fig. (S) Choose your functions the type
evening dress to suit of COStUme which
your type. js generally termed
a dance frock. This has a tight fitting bodice
with straps on the shoulders. It may or may
not have tulle sleeve caps. The skirt is
short and bouffant.
The dress in vogue for the more dignified
type of woman is made of rich brocade, satin
[10]
or velvet and draped to the figure. Often it

has a V decollete in the back and a mere wisp
of the material forms a short train.
Of course, in the summertime a simple low-
neck organdie dance frock is quite correct for
evening.
A type of dress which is popular for restau¬
rant dinner wear and the theatre has only a
slightly low neck and no sleeves. It is made
of silk, lace or velvet. It is not necessary
to wear an evening dress or a restaurant
dinner dress to the theatre unless one is to be
seated in a box or is joining a party who
are formally dressed for evening. If one’s
escort is wearing street clothes, it is permis¬
sible to wear street clothes such as a suit or
tailored frock.
For little informal evening socials, an after¬
noon frock is in good taste.
If one attends evening functions, some sort
of a wrap of taffeta, satin, brocade or velvet
is a necessity.
With a formal evening gown one should go
hatless. However, a hat is worn with a
restaurant dinner dress.
Street Clothes: Whether you live in the
city or the country, your wardrobe must have
one or two costumes in it suitable for what is
termed street wear. It’s the semi-tailored type
of costume one puts on for a shopping excur¬
sion or a trip to town.
[HI
Of course, your street costume may be a

suit, completed with a georgette or dainty
hand-made batiste blouse. However, many
women prefer a one-piece dress.
For cool weather a serge, tricotine, velour
or wool jersey is a good choice for a dress.
With this a wrap is necessary for mid-winter.
In early fall or late spring, the dress is often
worn with a fur neck piece. Linen and ging¬
ham and dark colored organdies make attrac¬
tive summer street dresses. Navy, brown
and black silk are also made in plain styles
for the street.
The hat worn with the street dress or suit
ought to be neither severely tailored nor
elaborate. It’s the medium size or small hat
with a touch of trimming—one might almost
say in-between hat—that looks the best with
this type of costume.
While women do not follow the rules con¬
cerning footwear as closely as they used to,
strictly speaking, the correct shoe or oxford
for the street has a straight heel.
When You Travel: Either a suit or a dark
one-piece dress is correct to wear on the train.
A small semi-tailored hat is to be preferred to
a large one. A pullman robe of dark cotton,
silk or corduroy, which is worn from the berth
to the dressing room, is in better taste than a
light or bright colored kimono.
It is a matter
of taste, whether
or not a woman
wears her hat in
the dining car.
In some hotels
it is really neces¬
sary to dress for
dinner. The
style of dinner
dresses varies,
but usually the
neck is low and
the sleeves very
short or the dress
is sleeveless. Fig. (6) A top coat is a necessity for an
Satin, brocades, #
velvet and crepe silks and lace are used for
dinner dresses.
However, in the majority of hotels it is per¬
missible to wear a street costume or an after¬
noon frock for dinner. On the other hand, on
shipboard one is expected to dress for dinner.
As a matter of fact, it is well to take two eve¬
ning dresses, one on the order of a dinner dress
with only a slightly low neck, and the other a
more elaborate evening gown as there is
usually some special occasion for which one
needs it.
Besides a suit, one needs a warm top coat
if taking an ocean voyage. While it is not a
necessity, a sports costume consisting of a silk
[13]
or wool skirt and sweater or jersey jacket adds

a nice change.
The Business Woman: Just because a
woman is a business woman is no reason why
she must lose her feminine attractiveness or
dress so very differently from other women.
On the other hand, she doesn’t want to look
out of place. The one-piece dress has been a
boon to her. It is her special standby.
For cool weather, a dress of
serge, twill or velour freshened up
with several changes of dainty
collars and cuffs of batiste or
organdie will keep her looking spic
and span and attractive, too, six
days in the week.
Navy blue or brown linen, ging¬
ham, swiss or organdie make an
inconspicuous and serviceable
office dress for summer. It’s a
good idea, too, having a dark silk
office dress made in some plain
becoming style.
There are certain types of sports
costumes which are suited to the
business woman’s purpose. Wool
jersey and homespun suits are business
among these. ^A silk skirt, a woman*
dainty blouse, and a sweater is also quite
in keeping with an office.
[14]
CORRECT MOURNING
Ideas about mourning have changed in the
past few years. Now a person wears mourn¬
ing or not according to their own inclination.
The tendency of the times is to wear lighter
mourning, and lessen the periods of mourning.
However, a few general suggestions may prove
helpful.
The Periods of Mourning: A widow wears
mourning from one to two years. You will
remember that it was only a little while ago
when a widow hesitated to take off mourning
in the third year, and our grandmothers can
remember when it was a life-time proposition.
Another thing which has changed about
mourning is what was called third mourning.
This has been entirely dispensed with.
The period of mourning is divided in two.
That is, if a person is going to wear mourning
for a year, the first six months deep mourning
is worn and the second six months, second
mourning. First mourning is mostly black;
second mourning black ana white. The old-
time third mourning, lavender and gray, isn’t
necessary now. When a person leaves off
black and white, which is second mourning,
they may wear any inconspicuous shade they
fancy.
Mourning for parents or a child is usually
worn one year. And the same is true for a
brother or sister. Nowadays, mourning is not
[15]
worn for any one outside of the immediate

family. Of course, one is expected to wear
black, or a very dull, inconspicuous costume to
a funeral.
First Mourning: Not all black materials
are considered appropriate for deep mourning.
The choice should be a dull woolen or silk.
Woolens considered correct are serge, poplin,
gabardine, tricotine, jersey and velour. Silks
that may be worn for deep mourning are
crepe de chine, Canton crepe, faille, pongee,
chiffon and georgette. In cottons, one may
choose oxford gingham, black linen, mull,
organdie or swiss. Fancy trimmings are to
be avoided.
As a person in deep mourning does not at¬
tend formal social gatherings, only simple
clothes suitable for home and street wear are
needed. One may have a woolen suit and
several crepe de chine, taffeta and georgette
blouses or a dress fairly plain, but made in an
approved and becoming style, and a top coat
to wear with it.
Even in deep mourning, narrow turn-back
collars and cuffs of white are worn. These
may be white crepe, but nowadays crepe is
not worn as much as heretofore. Batiste,
voile or organdie for the collar and cuffs are
in equally good taste. These are usually
held in place with dull black bar pins. Gold
and platinum jewelry is not worn except the
[16]
wedding and engagement ring. A jet chain

is sometimes worn.
The correct mourning hat is small or med¬
ium in size. One ought to remember that
there is no reason for it being unbecoming.
Fancy trimmings are out of place on such a
hat. Feathers are never used for mourning.
Just a fold of the hat material or crepe is the
most appropriate trimming for a first mourn¬
ing hat. Even in this case, the hat may have
the underbrim faced with white. Either white
crepe or white georgette is used for this
purpose.
If a widow chooses, she may
wear a long veil. However, many
women now feel they would rather
dispense with it. When I say long
veil, I do not mean extremely
long. None of the veils are longer
than two yards now. Such a veil
is draped across the top of the
crown of the hat. It is not worn
over the face, except at the funeral.
The veils are made of grenadine,
crepe, georgette crepe, or net bor¬
dered with crepe. The borders
are about three inches wide. It is
a matter of taste whether or not
a face veil is worn with the long
Fig. (8) Only veil. No one but a widow wears a
a widow ^ iong veil. The face veil for deep
wearsveii °ng mourning is plain mesh and bor-
[17]
dered with crepe, one and one-half inches

wide. One may have the border of the face
veil grosgrain ribbon if preferred. In fact, the
crepe is not used on the veil unless the hat is
trimmed with crepe.
Mourning handkerchiefs no longer have a
deep border of black. Just a very narrow
black rolled edge is the approved style.
If one is mourning a parent, a child or a
sister or brother, more white is worn with the
black. For instance, instead of just the white
collar and cuffs, a dress may have a white vest.
All white is considered just as deep mourn¬
ing as black.
Second Mourning: No crepe is worn in
second mourning, and more white is intro¬
duced. It is permissible to wear a white
blouse with a black skirt or a black and white
dress, as a figured foulard or a black dotted
white swiss. White net often is used as
trimming in second mourning.
After second mourning, it is wise to choose
subdued colors, such as taupe, dark blue and
brown before wearing bright colors.
HOW TO USE YOUR FASHION

MAGAZINES
Do you get full value out of your fashion
magazines? Do they bring the style centers
into your sewing room? Do they talk to you
and tell you that sleeves are long, or three-
[18]
Fig. (9) Compare the designs that suit your purpose and your
type. It will facilitate your selection.
quarter, or short, this season; that necks are

oval, or boat shape, or perhaps square; that
skirts are so long and so wide? Do they give
[19]
you a list of the dresses that you can wear,

and those that are suited to Mrs. Somebody
Else?
Now don’t blame your fashion magazines
if they are not doing all these things for you.
The information is there. It’s just a case
that you haven’t digested it.
Study your magazines.
It’s really a pleasant pastime for an odd
fifteen minutes or so. First, take the question
of sleeves. It isn’t necessary to read endless
printed pages to find out what they are like,
and what they are not like. Run through
the pages and look at just sleeves. Make a
mental note of what they are like. You can’t
take in everything about all the styles at one
time, you know.
After you have mastered sleeves, study the
neck line. Perhaps, you will find there are
two outlines that are equally stylish.
Then there is the question of the placing of
the waistline. It needs watching. What it
does one season it hardly ever repeats the
next. Look through all your fashion maga¬
zines and make a study of just waistlines.
The width and length of the skirt is another
question that ought to be looked up. It’s
helpful also to classify trimmings just by
themselves.
Once you have dissected the dresses, coats
and suits, part for part, you will have a good
[20]
mental picture of the general lines of the style
for the season.
Knowing the styles is really a most im¬
portant step toward having “style sense.”
Go back to our second rule in selecting a
really stylish garment on Page 2. The dress
must suit the season.
Now try something which may prove a little
more difficult. Classify the styles. Turn to the
first page of the magazine and decide for what
purpose and occasion each costume is intended.
You may be surprised to find out that you
haven’t been observing in times past. If you
are in doubt regarding any of the pictures,
refer to the rules of Clothes Etiquette.
If you want to select a style for yourself,
it’s a good plan to mark the designs that suit
your purpose and that also will be becoming
to your type. When you compare them,
eliminating those that are not suitable for
your purpose or your appearance, it will be
an easy matter to make a choice.
Here is where making your dress yourself
is going to help out. You can adapt the style
to your purpose or to suit your individuality.
In fact, the placing of a waistline one inch
lower, the shortening of a collar, or the length¬
ening of a tunic may be the difference between
a becoming and an unbecoming frock. If you
make your own clothes, you will have stylish
[21]
clothes, prettier clothes—clothes that suit your

individuality.
WHAT IS YOUR TYPE?

Perhaps it’s an impertinent question but we
are talking just friend to friend and I am go¬
ing to ask, “How old are you?”
Or maybe I had better say,
“How young are you?”
In selecting clothes, you know,
age is just as important to the
slip of a girl as it is to the woman
who is growing older. Sixty’s
dress can be downright cruel to
sweet sixteen.
On the other hand, the too-
young dress is the very thing
that will add ten years to a
woman’s looks.
Decide your type and see which
styles are best suited to you.
Are you a slim young girl?
rig. \iv) Kire-
Are you a stout young girl? cian draperies
Are you a young woman mM?g'JuI
of medium build? t>r°file•
Are you a stout younger woman?
Are you short?
Are you tall ?
Are you thin ?
Are you an older woman?
[22]
If You Are a Slim Young Girl—Then

simplicity is your biggest asset. If you are
sixteen or in your early twenties, you are sure
to look your prettiest in simply tailored suits
and crisp dimity or
batiste Buster Brown
blouses.
Suitability in your
tricotine or serge dress
is just the matter of a
youthful style and
enough but not too much
trimming.
A braid binding or a
contrasting piping is far
more effective than a
showy beaded or em¬
broidered trimming.
This doesn’t mean that
you can’t indulge your
basque dress with a bouffant fancy for frivolous things.
shrt' Ifs every girl's privilege
to have endless pretty organdie, net and lace
collar and cuffs sets. Now that you are going
to sew, you know, you can make them for a
very small cost.
When it comes to your silk frock I am
tempted to say taffeta—it is so becoming to
the young girl. However, if satin or a crepe
weave appeals to you more, have them by all
means but be doubly careful that the style you
[23]
select is youthful. Crepes and satins are both

tricky. You dont want your dress to look as
if you borrowed it from mother or Aunt Mabel.
Of course, for evening, there is nothing like
taffeta, taffeta and lace or taffeta and tulle.
Here you may have the frock bouffant to your
heart’s content and trimmed too.
I wonder if you will mind my adding just
a few don’ts.
Don’t wear a quantity of imitation jewelry
and spoil your pretty costume. Try just your
wrist watch with your serge or tricotine and
see if it doesn’t 4ook better. Remember too,
that there’s nothing like a simple string of
pearls to set off an evening frock.
Dont overdo the styles. After all, clothes
are just a frame for one’s personality. You
want people to remember you; not that your
skirt was short or long or tight or full.
Don’t copy some one else’s clothes, unless
they happen to be your age and your type.
Miss a-hundred-and-sixty and Miss not-quite-
a-hundred-and-five were never intended to be
twins.
Perhaps You Are One of the Stout
Young Girls.—Of course you can’t have
some of the things that slim young girls have—
ruffles, puffings and frills for instance. How¬
ever there’s danger in swinging too far the
other way.
[24]
Just because you are plump is no reason

why you must wear “stout styles for older
women” You can have youthful simplicity
in straight lines and long lines.
Dresses of one material and all
one color are to be preferred to
separate waists and skirts which
cut you in two. Russian blouse
styles and straight hanging dresses
are usually becoming. Pay par¬
ticular attention to the belt. A
narrow belt, placed at a slightly
low waistline is better than a
broad one placed high.
If you wear a suit you will find a
blouse that matches the skirt in
color is more becoming than a
decided contrast. There are many
pretty blouses now that lap over
the skirt, and give long lines.
straight siihou- Those of wool jersey and crepe de
*ing Silhouettefor chine> finished with a V neck

the stout young and detachable linen collar and
gtrl cuffs are especially youthful.
Perhaps you haven’t thought of it, but you
can wear almost any pleated skirt except an
accordion plaited one. The accordion plaits
are bunchy, but the side or box-pleats really
give graceful long lines. In a soft material
or a summer dress, you might even chance a
frill, if it isn’t too wide and runs up and down
[25]
the side seams of the skirt. You see, placed

lengthwise it, too, gives a long line.
It almost goes without saying that cross¬
wise trimmings are taboo. Trimming can be
put on to give length.
Plain materials are less likely to make you
look large than figured ones. Narrow stripes
are permissible but never broad stripes or
plaids.
Soft materials are best but avoid a material
that “cups” to the figure like wool jersey or
tricolette.
Probably, this sounds like a great many
don’ts to you, but there are any number of
pretty materials that you can safely choose.
French serge, tricotine, tweed, crepe de chine,
georgette, soft taffeta, cotton crepe, voile and
batiste are examples.
There are stout girls who wear capes well,
but they are the tall stout girls. If you are
just medium or short and plump, a coat that
is belted trimly with a narrow belt will give
you better lines. In any event, avoid a cape.
It is almost the worst enemy the stout young
girl has.
The pockets on your coat ought to be incon¬
spicuous—never the large plastery patch poc¬
ket variety. You may have this to console
you, that, anyway, slashed pockets, placed
lengthwise, are smarter now.
[26]
The collar, too, ought never to be more than

medium in size. Collars that border on the
cape variety seem to add many inches in
width.
It is possible to add trimming to a coat that
will give long lines. Rows of parallel machine
stitching, lengthwise at the center back or
sides will give a pleasing effect.
When you choose a suit, pay particular
attention to the length of the jacket. The
bolero and waistline jacket are not for you.
Hunt out the coat that is finger tip length or
longer. A simple box coat with perhaps an
inverted pleat at the center back to give added
length, and the narrowest kind of a belt,
you will find answers the requirements for a
youthful look and a becoming line.
All you have to do is to compare in your
mind’s eye this type of coat with one that is
fitted in body and flaring below the waistline
to be convinced of the wisdom of straight lines.
I want to add just a few more suggestions.
The first is about the fit of your clothes.
Don't skimp your clothes. A tight dress
never makes a person look smaller. In fact,
tightness is apt to accentuate the size of the
bust, the bigness of the arms and the width
of the thighs. Try a little fullness, it will do
wonders in the way of hiding large hips.
There is the question, too, of the length of
your skirts. If you wear your skirts a little
[27]
bit longer than the slim girl, you will find

they will give you added height.
Even your hat can add to your height or take
away from it. Perhaps, the best rule I can
give you to follow is to avoid broad brims
and shallow crowns. There is danger, too,
in the mushroom brim, although a brim that
is medium in size and only droops slightly
is often very becoming. A turban or a round
hat with a decidedly upward brim is also to
be avoided. Even when you have eliminated
all these, you will find that you have a wide
selection among the hats that have medium
brims and fairly high crowns. Try on your
hat in front of a full length mirror.
Or Are You a Young
Woman of Medium
Build?—I am thinking
of the girls, say twenty-
eight years old or in
their early thirties, whose
figures are beginning to
round out a little more.
If you are in that class,
watch out and avoid that
pinched in “waisty” look.
What you want are
young clothes, but they
can be a trifle more
sophisticated than the
Fig. {13) The woman of • l • i_ _
°f girl in her Teens wears.
medium build can wear almost
any fashion. You can break away from
[28]
utter simplicity and have loose panels and

tunics and coat effects.
But you want to be very careful about
what you put under that pretty new frock.
How about your corset? Is it making you
look your very best? You know you can't
go on wearing the same little girdle that you
did when you were just a girl.
Watch out for your hips. The too-light
corset is a hip builder, you know. Perhaps
you relax more now and don't exercise so
much—that is, hip reducing exercise that you
indulged in ten years ago. Take a good look
at yourself in the glass. If your hips spread,
it is time to change corsets.
There are special corsets designed just for
your type—for the young woman of medium
build. They give a nice straight line in the
back and hold in the hips.
What you wear over your corset counts too.
The new straight loose dresses look much
better when worn over a straight slip than
over a waistline petticoat which is apt is
make a break at the waistline.
When it comes to your outer apparel, you
can have clothes with more trimming than
your younger sister's. Instead of the girlish
styles, look for those that have a little more
dignity along with their style. It can be just
as dashing a style, just as becoming a style,
but you might as well admit the fact that it
must be a trifle older.
[29]
You will find probably that a hat with a

little trimming well placed is more becoming
than a severely plain one. You will be wise to
stick to small or medium size hats. As a mat¬
ter of fact, a hat is never becoming that extends
beyond the width of the shoulders. It’s a good
rule to remember.
A blouse that has a square or round or V
neck is apt to suit you better than one with a
Buster Brown or flat Peter Pan collar.
In dresses, keep to fairly straight lines.
Leave the fitted basque and petite flaring skirt
for your little sister—that is if you are think¬
ing about a street dress.
There is an exception to the straight
silhouette in your case and that is the dance
frock. Here you have the choice of two types
—the bodice topped dress with bouffant
skirt or the straight frock that’s often made
of spangles or beads.
There is the matter of coats and suits, too!
You can choose a dressier suit than the young
girl without fear of over-doing it. Your suit
may be soft velour, hand embroidered, and
if it’s winter, banded with fur. The same
rule holds true in your top coat. Unless
it is for sports or the country, the fabric may
be luxuriant, and trimmed.
As to material, you are at the happy in-
between age when you can have just about
anything your heart desires.
[30]
Your summer cottons may be gay calico, sub¬

dued ginghams, plain linen, or a frilly organdie.
In silks, your choice may be transparent
georgette or a heavy Canton crepe. You
don’t have to consider if wool jersey is too
clinging, for you are still slim enough to wear
it. It is true, too, that you may choose plaid
or check if it happens to appeal to you.
There are rules for trimming that even the
perfectly developed woman is wise to follow.
A great many lines that run around the figure
are seldom pleasing. If you have seen a
skirt that was braided at regular intervals
from the lower edge to the waistline, you will
know what I mean. It is tiresome.
Never combine two colors in a dress in
exactly equal proportions. The dress will be
much prettier if one shade predominates or at
least forms two-thirds of the dress.
A word about jewelry goes right along
with trimmings. If your dress is elaborately
trimmed, don't add ornaments in the way of
jewelry. One will spoil the other. If you
are planning to wear a pendant or colorful
placque on a silk cord, choose a plain style
for your dress. A bright red or jade placque
hanging on the front of a dark blue or black
dress is really all the trimming it needs.
Sometimes, too, just a bright bar pin will
add the right spot of color.
[31]
Would You Be Classed as a Stout

Younger Woman?—Perhaps you, too, are
in your twenties or early thirties but are frankly
stout and have oh, so much difficulty finding
suitable clothes—clothes that don’t make you
look like a dowager. You will have to take
some of the advice that I gave
the stout young girl.
Watch out for the fit. Don’t
fit your clothes too much. An
easy fit, soft folds and a little
fullness will do more than any¬
thing else in the world to give
Fig. (14) Cross- you the youthful look.
wise lines make . . .
even a vase look The waistline is especially lm-
shorter and wider. portant# Ease it up a Let
out your inside grosgrain dress belt an inch
or so and get a straight silhouette.
Then, it is possible you know, to make
yourself look taller and slighter than you
really are. It’s just the same sort of a trick
that is shown in Figs. (14) and (15). Of course,
the vase with the up and down lines looks the
taller. That’s what you want to do with
your clothes. Keep the lines running up and
down. I am thinking of tunics and panels
and coat dresses that give height to the figure.
However, up and down lines won’t do every¬
thing. There’s broad stripes, for instance,
the contrast in color makes you conspicuous
and adds to your size. A decided contrast
[32]
in the color of two fabrics in one dress will do

practically the same thing.
The little Fig. (14) speaks for itself—avoid
crosswise lines if you value a graceful appear-
ance. Separate waists and skirts of different
colors will never make you look slimmer. A
three-piece suit which consists of a one-piece
dress and coat is the admirable solution of
the suit problem.
If you wear a blouse at all, have it in a color
that matches the skirt and in a style that
laps over the skirt to avoid the break at the
waistline. Of course, you have to have a
belt, but make it a narrow one and always
of material the same color of the dress. In
fact, the belt is more becoming
if you have it of goods the same
as the dress.
Your arms are apt to look larger
in transparent sleeves. If your
dress is chiffon, try making your
. sleeves double of the goods.
You will find that set-in sleeves Figm (/5) perpen_
are not only more comfortable dicuiar lines give
but will look better than kimono helght t0 an 0 Ject'
sleeves. Long, close-fitting sleeves are more
becoming than short or flaring sleeves.
The V-neck outline gives the longest lines
but there are some oval necks that do not
broaden the figure greatly. Square necks are
not so good, neither are round necks nor the
straight across, boat-shaped outline.
[33]
Probably, you have

learned by experience
that the skirt of medium
proportions looks far
better than a narrow or
extremely flaring one,
regardless of the ultra
style of the particular
season.
There is your hat, too!
It’s another part of your
costume that comes
under the rule of medi¬
um. A large hat will
make you look shorter
and an extremely small
hat will emphasize the
width of your figure.
I am going to tell you the materials not to
wear—stiff goods, wiry goods, goods that clingy
bulky goods or conspicuously patterned or
brightly colored fabrics.
After all, they are not much of a tempta¬
tion when you think how attractive the
crepe silks are and that most desirable woolens
such as velour, serge, broadcloth and tricotine
are soft, to say nothing of cottons such as
crepe, voile and gingham tissue.
Even in cottons, it is safest to choose a
plain color in preference to a patterned goods.
Sometime try a plain blue or brown voile
and see what slim lines it gives you.
If You Are Short .—Which class of short

women do you belong to, short and slim or
short and stout or just medium?
If you are short and slim, dressing becom¬
ingly ought not to be a very difficult proposi¬
tion.
There are just two or three things I would
like to put the danger mark on. One of them
is dressing your hair high. If you build it up
into an exaggerated coiffure, you will look
top heavy and call attention to your lack of
height.
You have much the same problem with
your hat—wings that shoot up in the air,
bows that are placed high, egrets standing
ht are almost never becoming to the
small woman.
I advise studying the height of the heels
of your shoes, too. A very high heel—higher
than other women are wearing—will make
people think that you are trying to make
yourself look taller than you are.
Make the most of your appearance—your
height—as it is. You know you can make
yourself look taller without anyone suspecting
it by choosing clothes that have long lines.
However, if you are short and slim, your
charm is in the very fact that you are small
and petite and you can wear almost any style
that fashion dictates, avoiding an elaboration
of drapery on a skirt, or a voluminous wrap
or extremely large figured materials.
[35]
Some of the styles which you

can wear well are what are
called sport’s clothes: the pretty
sweaters, plaited skirts, and
dainty hand-made blouses.
Dresses that have a low
bloused-over waist are also
becoming to the slim, short
woman.
If you belong to that petite
girlish type, try the basque
type of dress with a full skirt,
or a fitted coat with a ripple
peplum.
You may have ruffles and
Fig.U7) if you are frills to your heart’s content,
short, choose either a , 1 • c
short or a three-quarter DUt aVOlQ an elaboration OI
drapery that may seem to
coat—never one that
cuts you just in two.
• i i tvt
weight you down. JNow,
haven’t you seen a dainty little woman
whom you felt downright sorry for because
her clothes seemed such a load to carry
around.
And now you women who are short and
stout!—Your problem is almost identical to
the taller stout woman’s problem. Pick out
the styles that have long lines. If you wear
a tunic it ought to be a long one.
Keep your waistline as low as possible,
it will give you a more graceful appearance
than a bunchy short waist.
[36]
Don’t wear a suit coat that cuts you right

in two. A hip-length coat or a three-quarter
coat is far more becoming.
A belted top coat is to be preferred to a
bulky wrap or cape.
If you wear a fur, choose a small neck*
piece and have a short-haired pelt such as
mole, beaver or seal.
Study yourself as a whole and balance your
costume. Don’t trust a shoulder length or a
waistline mirror. A hat may be becoming to
your face, but be top heavy for your body.
It takes a full-length mirror to make us see
ourselves as others see us.
There is the question of the length of skirt!
You can’t make a rule of so many inches
from the floor that will apply to everyone.
It may be just above the shoe tops for the
tall woman, but half-way to the knees of a
short woman.
Standing on a chair and looking in a small
mirror doesn’t tell much either. A cut-off
view of feet, ankles and skirt may look very
graceful, and yet the length of skirt from
bottom to waistline may be very awkward.
There is danger in the too-short skirt for the
short woman. One short woman expressed
the idea concisely herself, when she said,
“She didn’t want her skirt to look like a
ruffle.” It’s a fact, that often an inch on
[37]
the length of your skirt will seem to add an

inch to your height.
There is one point which you must bear in
mind when looking at special designs for
stout women—that the massive type of big
stout women require different styles than you do.
They can wear designs that are cut up in a
great many pieces—that is, have a great
many up and down lines in them. On the
other hand, you will look much better in a
simpler type of dress, one perhaps that has
just a panel or a single line of trimming down
each side of the front. For you, the dress of
many pieces is in the same class as a figured
dress.
It’s a mistake to think that your clothes
must be tight. It’s not the stylish conception
any more. In soft materials, a little fullness
in a skirt is becoming. A short stout woman
can wear a straight hanging dress, too, if the
belt is narrow and slants down in the front.
As a rule, V necks are the most becoming.
The longer the V, the better. You know a
deep V gives a chance for the becoming touch
of white.
Just mark kimono sleeves taboo, for they
are apt to make a person look hunched in the
back and very, very wide. Full length, set-in,
close-fitting sleeves will make your arms look
slimmer.
[38]
If you are short and stout, look up the

color suggestions on page 64.
Or maybe you are short and just medium.—
I am going to ask you to read what I told the
short, slim woman about her coiffure, her hat
and the heels of her shoes.
You ought to watch out for long lines in
clothes and avoid cut-off cross lines.
Drapery is not for you either.
And use frills sparingly on your blouse.
There is the question of trimming, too.
An elaborate beaded or embroidered all-over
design is just as bad as a figured goods.
Make simplicity the keynote of your ward¬
robe. Fancy clothes will take away from your
height and your individuality, too. Plain
good style clothes have a dignity and smart¬
ness which is your special privilege.
Starting in with dresses, straight hanging
dresses will give you good lines, especially
if the trimming runs up and down. You
can wear over-blouse styles, too, and coat
dresses.
Suit coats ought to be finger-tip length or
longer. You can’t afford to chance a line
that cuts you right in two. Coats with
irregular lower edges are apt to be more
becoming than straight-around coats. Coats
that are slightly fitted or on the box order,
give longer lines than those that are close-
fitting and have a ripple peplum.
[391
Avoid the too-short skirt and the skirt that

is very full. They will both make you look
shorter.
Top coats that have set-in sleeves and are
belted at a low waistline with a narrow belt
are far more becoming than a voluminous
wrap or flaring unbelted coat.
Your hat is an important item. You are
one of the women who can wear a small hat
unless your face is round. Medium hats, too,
will become you. Avoid a shallow crown hat.
A hat with a medium high crown is better.
A decided mushroom brim is another style
which makes a person look shorter. On the
other hand, a hat with an off-the-face brim
or with the brim rolled on one side gives
height.
If You Are Tall.—There is a difference in
being tall and too tall. We know that Fashion
designs for the tall girl or woman. She prac¬
tically hasn’t any clothes worries at all as far
as the lines of the garment are concerned.
However, if you are too tall, I think I can
give you a few helpful suggestions. First of
all, how do you carry yourself? Don’t on any
account stoop, as if you were apologizing for
being as tall as you are. To carry your clothes
well you must stand up straight.
Of course you don’t want to wear panels or
stripes that emphasize your height—on the
other hand, it’s a mistake to make a dress
[40]
with so many crosswise lines that look like a

crosswise striped barber’s pole.
Draperies are your share of the fashions
that many other women cannot wear. Tunics,
loose panels and coat effect are all good.
Avoid mannishly tailored clothes, they will
make you seem larger than you really are.
Don’t be afraid to indulge in pretty clothes—
blouses with frills and dainty collars.
Suppose we talk just about necklines.
Have you ever happened to think that the
neckline of a dress can make you look taller
than you really are? I am thinking of those
long V neck lines and the panel front effects
that so many of the coat dresses have.
If you are wise you will leave these for your
short plump little cousin. She needs them
and you don’t.
You can indulge in some of the ultra fashions
—the boat and almond shaped neck that
ovals slightly from shoulder to shoulder or the
straight across Grecian neck line which many
shorter women complain of as “ trying.”
Of course, there are square and oval necks,
too, that will become you. Bertha effects,
when they are in style, are a neck finish
you may indulge in.
You may have your choice of either a
kimono or set-in sleeve. A long, very close-
fitting sleeve will make your arms seem long.
Fancy sleeves will probably be more becoming.
[41]
I am going to put cascaded folds in a

paragraph all by themselves. They are such
a friend to the tall woman. Cascaded folds
on a skirt, or a rippling cascaded fold from the
shoulder to the hem, seem to be planned
especially for the tall woman.
The tall woman’s suit coat may ripple and
flare. It may have a bulky collar, too, and
plastrons of embroidery or large buttons for
trimming.
And you women who are tall, capes are made
for you. Evening wraps that are bulky and
drape will become you. If you happen to
like an unbelted, rippling back, top coat, you
can wear it well, too.
In choosing a fur, you will do well to select
a long-haired pelt. Remember that long¬
haired pelts are one of your special privileges,
for only tall women can wear them well. Of
course, short-haired pelts if made in a suitable
style are often very becoming to a tall woman.
Do not select so small a piece that it looks
skimpy. You will look better in a broad
scarf or a cape effect.
I have just a few cautions to add.
Perhaps you are tempted to flatten out
your hair and wear low-crowned hats and
flat-heeled shoes just to make yourself look a
little shorter. Well, it really doesn’t accom¬
plish that result. It’s far better to dress your
hair becomingly, wear a hat that is just right
[42]
according to the prevailing mode and shoes

that have a good-looking medium heel.
If You Are Thin.—I don’t
mean slim. I am thinking of
the women who describe them¬
selves as painfully thin. Some
people are naturally thin and
have to face their clothes prob¬
lem just the same as the stout
woman has to face hers. You
can’t always cover yourself up
to your chin, down to wrist
and down to heels. Fashion
won’t let you do that every
season. However, you can adapt
the fashions.
Suppose we consider fabrics
Fig. (IS) Them* first- Has
it occurred to you
woman will find that crisp, hard-finished fabrics
Take organdie, for
fniis are her,friends. are tIyjng?
instance. It will accentuate your thinness.

On the other hand mull, or batiste, or even
voile will give a soft effect that is very becom¬
ing.
Taffeta is another material you want to
avoid. Crepe silks or charmeuse are really
better.
It’s the same with woolen. It’s my advice
to pass right by the mohair and poplin
counter and purchase instead velour, French
serge or wool jersey.
[431
What you want in material is not a texture

that is so harsh that it flares away in an abrupt
line from figure, but a pliant weave which will
fall into soft graceful folds. But avoid the
clinging line that is another danger point.
It’s a compliment to be called slim but
never slinky. Don’t be tempted to eliminate
your petticoat because your top skirt is a
heavy weave. A frilly camisole too, will
make your silk frock and your sheer blouse
set better.
High collars, of course, are very becoming
but they are not always in style. If you are
wearing a low neck, try adding a fold of
cream color or white chiffon, batiste or net
beyond the edge of the dress. It will soften
the effect. You will also find neck frills or
jabots very becoming.
On the other hand, a collarless neckline is
severe. If the bones show a little in your
neck, it will make the shadows under them
seem deeper. If you are making a tailored
cloth or silk dress, hunt out the styles with
vest fronts. They give you a chance to add
the becoming frill or two of net, batiste or
lace.
One of the very best styles for the thin woman
is a surplice waist.
Always see to it that there is a fullness at
the waistline of your skirt.
[44]
You can wear tunics and loose panels and

draperies.
If you are thin and also young and the
petite type, then ruffles are one of your privi¬
leges, too. There are many other nice things
which I can tell you. Since you are thin,
even if you are short, you can wear a cape
gracefully. Bulky top coats too, will become
you. Even a ripple is not out of the way on
your tailored suit. If the coat has a flaring
peplum or a little drapery, so much the
better.
In hats you want to look for softness. If
your face is thin, avoid the hat with sharp
angles,—tricorns and hats that point out at
the sides. The brim that droops a little will
probably be more becoming. Handmade
draped hats are excellent.
Avoid transparent blouses or dresses—es¬
pecially in kimono styles. Td advise, too, a
skirt that is just as long as fashion permits.
After all, no matter what the latest fad is,
the stylish thing to do is to dress becomingly.
If you want to use a transparent material
and perhaps in a kimono style sleeve, try
making the sleeves of two thicknesses of the
goods. This is often done. The same holds
true of lace. If you are using lace for a waist
or sleeves, line it with chiffon. Even skirt
draperies of lace will seem softer if they are
lined with chiffon.
[45]
Are You an Older Woman ?

—Whether you are growing older,
from forty or fifty or sixty, there
are certain changes in your figure.
Perhaps you are growing stouter,
either all over or through your
bust or hips and abdomen. Per¬
haps your chest has flattened.
You may not be quite so erect.
You will have to suit your
clothes to your new figure. They
can be just as charming but they
will have to be different.
What you want are clothes that
will do kindly things—soften the
Fig {19) For the lines of your figure. There are
™tfJeh0is be- only a very few older women who
coming softness in can wear severely tailored styles
surphce styles. weu are the broad-chested,
straight-backed older women who always
stand erect. As a general rule the middle-
aged, or older woman, looks better in a one-
piece dress or a semi-tailored suit that has a
little trimming.
Three-piece suits, having a dress and suit
coat are excellent. Or, if you make a blouse
to match the color of your suit coat, and trim
the blouse with a little suit material, it will
look just like a dress.
Another way of making a suit into a one-
piece dress is to cut the skirt off at the hips
and attach it to a silk overblouse of a match-
[46]
ing shade. When worn with cloth belt, it

makes a very good looking, straight hanging
dress for the older woman.
Surplice waists are one of the becoming
styles you may choose. Vests and long collars
are also good. Avoid the very plain skirt.
Tunic, panel and draped styles are better.
Always have a touch of white at the neck.
It’s far more becoming than a dark color next
to the skin. Don’t think that you have to
have all your dresses high neck style—make
some of them with pretty low V necks or the
U-shaped neck outline and wear them with
white guimpes that have high collars.
Another way of making the neck look trim
with a low neck dress is to wear an inch wide
piece of black velvet around the neck. Make
the ribbon to fit the neck and fasten it with
snaps in the back or with small gold pins.
Coats of soft velour made with long shawl
collar or r.evers and finished with a narrow
belt are usually becoming to the mature
woman. The older woman will do well to
avoid the extreme fads of fashion, for to be
really becoming, her clothes must have a certain
dignity.
There is the question of the length of the
skirt. Consult a full length peer glass when
you are having the hem of your skirt turned.
You will find a long skirt more graceful than
a short one. It is impossible to give a general
[47]
rule for the length of skirt that will become

every older women, but five inches from the
floor usually is about right.
The width of the skirt is another point
where the older woman must use her own
good judgment, regardless of what is decreed
by some French couturiere. A slip of a girl,
who really hasn’t very much figure, can wear
an extremely tight skirt, but when you are
older and have hips to consider, such a skirt
is quite out of the question. However, there
is no need to go to the other extreme and wear
old-fashioned clothes. It’s a fact that con¬
servative, medium width skirts are in style
season in and season out.
I might add a word about comfort, too.
Wear comfortable clothes. No woman looks
her best if her corsets are digging into her
side and her collar chocking her, or her skirt
whipping around her ankles every time she
steps. Clothes you enjoy wearing are usually
becoming.
This little rule applies to shoes as well as to
dresses, coats and suits. Nine out of every
ten older women look better in a comfortable
straight heeled shoe or slipper, than they do
in high French heels. Very high heels are
apt to throw the body forward and out of its
natural graceful poise. Naturally, an older
woman tires easier and slumps into this unbe¬
coming posture sooner than a young girl.
If you want to dress for an enduring smartness
[48]
that will last a whole afternoon or a whole

day, wear comfortable clothes.
Pay particular attention to the head size of
your next hat. Nothing spoils a woman’s
appearance quicker than a hat that is so large
that it slips down over the ears or the too-
small hat that rides perilously on the top of
the head or slips rakishly over one ear. As
a general rule, the older woman looks well
in a hat that sits squarely on the head.
Draped handmade hats are to be preferred
to the severity of a blocked hat. The brim¬
less hat is too hard for the older woman. A
hat that shades the face a little is more
becoming.
BECOMING COLORS
For the Blonde.
For the Brunette.
For the blue-eyed girl with brown hair.
For the auburn haired girl.
For the woman with gray hair.
If your complexion is sallow.
If your complexion is florid.
If you are stout.
For the Blonde.—Match up your eyes if
you want a really becoming color scheme.
Haven’t you always heard that blue belongs
to blondes? That’s because blondes usually
have blue eyes.
[49]
Fig. {20) ,
Match your eyes if you want a becom¬
ing color scheme.
You know, when an artist is studying

color composition he learns that a repetition
of a different tone of the same color intensifies
it. So if your eyes are dark blue and you
wear a pretty gray blue or peacock blue
watch ribbon, for instance, with your navy
blue dress, your eyes will seem bleur and
more sparkling.
If you are very fair and have a clear skin
and color, black will also become you. Peo¬
ple with sallow complexions ought to avoid
black, for it absorbs all light and doesn’t give
a pretty reflected glow to help out pale skin.
Of course, the blonde can wear pastel
shades, almost any of them—pale blue, lav-
[50]
ender, shell pink or light green. However, you

will be wise to avoid yellow tones as they
give too little contrast.
You must remember the importance of
contrast in your cloth dress or suit. It is a
great mistake for a blonde to wear a sand
colored suit or dress. If your hair is very
light, dark shades will tone it and make it
seem even more yellow. For street wear
make your choice among the dark blues,
dark browns, dark greens or black. Have a
dash of color in the trimming—some becoming
light shade. A soft silvery blue, for instance,
on navy blue or brown is better for the blonde
than the introduction of a vivid shade such
as scarlet on navy or orange on brown. Leave
these vivid contrasts for the brunette.
Another way of working up a becoming
color scheme for a suit or top coat is to have
the suit or coat dark blue and the lining
hydrangea blue. It gives such a pleasing
note of color when you open the coat.
In cotton frocks lavender or the medium
and light shades of blue and green are the
wisest choice for the blonde.
For evening the pastel colors, except yellow,
are all good. White is also becoming to a
blonde if it is combined with a touch of light
color, such as blue.
For the Brunette.—As blue is the color for
blondes, so brown is the color for brunettes,
[51]
ranging right
through to orange
and the copper
shades. The one
exception to this
rule is the brunette
with blue eyes. If
you have dark hair
and blue eyes prob¬
ably you will find
that blue becomes
you.
Red is another
shade that bru¬
nettes and only
brunettes can wear Fig. (21) Browns are for
brunettes.
successfully.
There are light shades a brunette looks well
in but they must be more intense than the
blonde wears. Here are some evening shades
for the brunettes—greenish blue, on the
turquoise order, apricot, peach, orange, lav¬
ender and flame.
Of course, dark brown is one of the best
street shades for the brunette. However, it
is by no means the only one. Brickish reds
and. the wine shades, which are now per¬
missible as far as good style is concerned for
the street, certainly help a brunette to look
her best.
A brunette can also wear navy blue
if she remembers to introduce one of her
[52]
special secondary colors such as tan or

orange.
If your hair is black, or a very dark brown,
hunt out the reds in the cottons for your
summer frocks. There are lovely red checked
ginghams, swisses and plain organdies.
Cottons come in good looking brown tones
too, which you can wear well. If you want
something lighter, try a yellow or apricot
organdie. Lavender is often becoming to
the brunette, especially the lavenders that
have a good deal of pink in them. You know
there is a difference—some lavenders have
more blue and some more pink. Remember
that the blue lavenders belong to the blonde.
Black is not as apt to become a brunette
as. it is a blonde. However, if you have a
very clear skin and lots of color you can
probably wear it. It’s a good idea to relieve
it with a vivid touch of color, such as jade
green or cerise. For instance, a black lace
evening gown ought to have a sash of either
shade.
The same rule holds true in wearing white.
Use a vivid color to relieve it. You need more
intense colors than the blonde to bring out the
coloring in your hair and eyes. Although
the reddish purples, which are sometimes
called the fuchsia colorings, are rather trying,
they are becoming to some brunettes.
For the Blue Eyed Girl with Brown
Hair.—You are the in-between girl. Proba-
[53]
Fig. {22) There are colors which will help to

bring out the pretty lights in your hair.
bly if you were named you would be called a

“blondette.” Your coloring permits you to
wear most the shades that a blonde wears and
you can also have some of the brunette’s
colors.
Of course, with blue eyes, blue in all its
shades will be sure to become you. Since your
hair is brown, dark brown shades ought to
look well on you.
Perhaps you can carry out this little
scheme and have both the coloring of your
eyes and hair. With a brown suit and a
white blouse try a narrow watch ribbon or
neck bow of double-faced ribbon—brown on
one side and gray blue on the other.
[54]
You really have a wider choice in colors

than either the real blonde or the real brunette.
Take your street dresses and suits for instance.
Since your hair is fairly dark, you can wear
the light tan which is taboo for the yellow
haired girl. On the other hand, for evening,
you can wear a pastel shade if it happens to
take your fancy.
But to go back to street clothes, you have
your choice of tan, brown, dark blue or any
of the pretty reds that happen to be worn.
If you are blessed with a good color and a
fair skin, then you can wear a light gray.
If your skin is sallow, taupe, which is gray
with a little brown in it, will be more becom¬
ing. Whether or not you can wear black
depends on your skin. If you have a clear
skin, you will probably look well in black.
Where your costume is either white or
black, try to introduce a note of color, such
as hydrangea or peacock blue. It will make
your eyes seem prettier, you know.
In cottons, the soft gray blues will probably
be your wisest choice. Remember that you
can wear the bluish lavenders too, and
yellow will intensify the lights in your hair
and not detract from it.
Light shades for evening will probably suit
you better than vivid shades. Lavender,
light blue, light green or yellow are all good.
You will find it a good rule not to wear the
too vivid shades. It takes a real brunette
[55]
to carry off a whole gown of flame color or

peacock blue. With your coloring, you can¬
not stand more than a touch of these colors
in the trimming. On the other hand, the
colorings of your hair, eyes and skin are too
intense for the very palest of pastel shades.
You will have to study the degree of color
that you choose.
You need more intense shades than the blonde,
but not as vivid as the brunette can wear.
If Your Hair is Auburn.—What you need
is contrast, but not a vivid contrast. Let
your pretty hair be the interesting spot of
color.
Black will do wonders in bringing out the
beauty of auburn hair.
If your eyes are blue, you will wear dark
navy blue well. However, avoid the light
or vivid shades of blue. Being what is called
a complementary color to red, they intensify
it. A vivid blue will make your hair seem
a more brilliant shade and you don’t want
that.
There are many neutral shades for street
wear that will become you among the grays
and taupes.
A very dark greenish brown is also good,
but a reddish brown is seldom becoming.
It’s too near your own colorings. Of course,
the same holds true of red. Green, except,
the very darkest shades, come under the rule
of too great a contrast.
[56]
The auburn haired woman may safely

choose any of the darker shades of blue for
her cotton frocks. There are lovely grays,
too, in gingham, organdie, linen and batiste
that she will look well in. Tan if it isn’t too
red, is becoming. The auburn haired woman
always looks well in white. If there is any
color introduced in the white frock for day¬
time wear, it must be subdued, as for instance,
a cluster of silk flowers or fruit in tones of
dull gray blue and lavender on a white frock.
Some auburn-haired women wear certain
shades of blue lavender well but you want to
select it carefully. Under no circumstances
wear a red lavender. You know it varies.
Even for evening the auburn-haired woman
is wise to select a black gown—black lace or
net—or if you are very young, black taffeta.
All white, of course, is always becoming
or you may have a vivid contrast with it for
evening as a torquoise blue or a jade green
girdle of ribbon or tulle. Such decided con¬
trasting colors can be used for evening if
they are not placed too near to the hair.
There are lovely gowns, too, of gold lace
and gold cloth and brocade which are becom¬
ing to a woman with auburn hair.
If You Have Gray Hair.—Certainly if
your hair is gray, you ought to have no diffi¬
culty finding pretty clothes. There are so
many, many lovely shades that seem to be
intended for the woman with gray hair.
[57]
There used to be a time when

a woman grew a little older that
she gave up all the pretty colors
and wore only gray and black.
But they don’t do that any more.
Did you know that a veiy light
and soft shade of pink is just
about the most becoming color
you can wear? You might have
a nice little informal dinner dress
of pink chiffon or a pink silk
skirt with a matching color
chiffon blouse. Such a skirt and
blouse topped with a becoming
sweater, perhaps of light gray
Fig. {23) The wool, make a smart costume for
gwomanaiwUi out>°f-doors in the summer.
do well to re- Blue, orchid and lavender
Timing shades go prettily with gray
touch of white hair, too. There are also soft
at the throat. shacjes Qf light blue which are
becoming. But don’t use very much of the
blue. Just an edge of gray blue and silver
ribbon showing beyond the neck edge of a
navy blue frock will tone it attractively.
For street wear you have quite a variety
from which to choose. Navy blue, gray,
henna and neutral shades such as taupe.
If your skin is clear and you have good color
you can wear black well.
In cottons, there are lovely flower sprigged
dimities in gray and blue tones which are
[581
becoming to an older woman. Gray swiss

dotted in blue is another good choice for the
gray haired woman. Black and white effects
too in voile, dimity, and swiss are considered
very smart.
For evening, an older woman may choose
a pastel shade of gray blue or lavender and
be dressed in perfect taste. Gray chiffon
over a silvery blue chiffon makes an exquisite
dinner dress. Brocades come in lovely shades
of gray blue and lavender too, for evening.
As I said before, you can wear black if your
skin is clear, and of course, black is always
nice for evening. The older women’s evening
gown, black and silver is a dignified com¬
bination.
If Your Complexion is Sallow.—As I
said before avoid black. It absorbs all color
and doesn’t give a reflected glow to help out a
pale skin.
Neither is it a good plan to wear brown or
yellow tones. As they intensify the yellow
tinge of the skin.
It will probably surprise you to know that
you can wear a peach shade which has pink
and yellow in it and your skin will look
whiter. It’s just a curious little fact about
color. If you place a color that has two shades
in it along side of one of the shades the two like
shades will seem to disappear.
It is true that colors do very definite
things. Colors which are opposite each other
[59]
on the color wheel, see Fig. (26),

intensify each other.
It’s just like the law of
gravity—a fact we have to
remember and accept. This
explains why you can’t wear
blue purple. It’s another color
that will intensify the yellow
tinge in your skin.
I am going to asK you to
look at the color wheel, Fig.
(26). You will see
that blue purple
and yellow are
opposite each other.
Read the colors
that are opposite
each other. You
will probably recall
naving seen some
^of the opposite
Fig. {24) A red umbrella will colors together, and
do wonders in the way of lighten¬
ing up a sallow complexion. that they did in¬
tensify each other.
Neutral tones are your safest choice. A
taupe dress with the vest edged with the
tiniest bit of old rose and gold ribbon ought to
look well or you might have a gray dress with
a touch of henna. Probably an all henna dress
would prove very becoming. Remember the
importance of a touch of cream color or white
at the neck.
[60]
Just about the best rule a woman with a

sallow complexion can follow is to look for
warm rosy tints. If you choose brown,
hunt out a warm reddish brown. A greenish
brown is to be avoided. A navy blue that
is a red blue, not a greenish blue, will become
you if you touch it up with a little rose
trimming—perhaps it will only be a placque
enameled in rose, worn on a silk cord. Rose
or henna wool embroidery is an effective way,
too, of introducing the needed color.
For a dinner dress or evening dress, you
will do well to make your choice a subdued
rose shade as gray or taupe chiffon over rose
chiffon. Another way of bringing in the rose
tint in such a frock is to bead a gray, a navy
blue, or a taupe chiffon with rose crystal
beads.
When you are choosing accessories to go
with your street clothes, remember that a
rose tint will seem to bring a becoming glow
to your cheeks. Perhaps you can wear a
creamy old rose wool scarf with your tailored
suit. Or you may be able to tuck a rose-
colored flower on the brim of your hat. Even
a rose colored pocket handkerchief will help
out a drab costume.
Another item which has its importance so
far as color is concerned is your umbrella.
I hope it isn’t green. Really there is nothing
so trying for the woman with a sallow com¬
plexion as a green umbrella. It even robs
[61]
a rosy cheek of all its color. Navy blue

isn’t especially good, either. And black
never adds to your appearance. If you want
to look your very best in the rain, choose a red
umbrella, or a reddish brown one.
If Your Complexion is Florid.—Some¬
times I think the woman with a florid com¬
plexion has just about the most difficult prob¬
lem in selecting becoming clothes. Perhaps
you have had the experience of selecting a
frock and trying it on when your face wasn’t
flushed, and it was becoming, and when you
wear it your face flushes up, and it isn’t
becoming.
You can’t trust your complexion, so you
will have to go more by rule.
No doubt you already know that you
can’t wear red—that red reflects red in your
face.
It may be too that you have learned from
bitter experience that blue green makes your
face more florid. Does it puzzle you? If you
will look at the color wheel on page 67 you
will find it’s opposite red and therefore
what is called a complementary color. Not
because we know the reason why, but because
we have to accept the fact—complementary
colors intensify each other.
However, if you wear purple, it will lessen
the color of the skin for purple is made up of
red and blue. The two like shades will
[62]
disappear. I have explained the reason for

this in my suggestions for a Sallow Com¬
plexion.
Black is excellent for you for it absorbs
all light and doesn't reflect color in your
face. As a matter of tact, it will seem to
take away some of the color from your face.
The same is true of very dark shades of
brown and green as they absorb nearly all
color.
The neutral shades such as taupe, dull gray,
blue, and gray lavender, you can wear, as
the gray tones them down.
In neck wear, you will find a cream color
more becoming than dead white, which offers
such a decided contrast to your skin. I
might add that all white is not as becoming
to the woman with a florid complexion as
shades which neutralize the color in her face.
Your very wisest choice in an evening gown
will be black. Don't be tempted to relieve
it with a brilliant dash of color. It will prove
far more becoming combined with a little
cloth of silver or gold, or a few subdued
flowers in dull blue and lavender tones.
I want to add a bit of caution about your
umbrella. Don't be tempted to buy a red
umbrella. Even in the rain you won't need
the reflected red glow of it in your face.
There is the question of the green umbrella,
too. You certainly don't want to bring green
[63]
so near your face.

Black or dark
■^1 blue is a better
o/[ ^^choice for you.
If You Are
&l<xj ^ Stout. — How
much thought
have you given
to color. Just
the mere lines of
a dress won’t
make you look
slimmer if the
color is wrong.
It’s the incon¬
spicuous colors
that will make
Fig. {25) If you are stout, cross the ^9^ Smaller.
vivid, the light shades and white off Black absorbs all
y°Ur Upping list. Hght and i§ by far
the most slenderizing shade you can choose,
if black can be called a shade.
White, which does just the opposite, reflects
all light, will make you appear larger.
Neutral shades, such as §ray and taupe,
are excellent for they blend in with the sur¬
roundings and are most inconspicuous.
Dark shades of brown or blue are permis¬
sible. Avoid any bright or light shade, as
it will call attention to your size.
Take an inventory of your wardrobe and
see how many light dresses you have. Per-
[64]
haps it hasn’t occurred to you that there are

just as many pretty dark cottons as light ones.
Voiles, linens, and crepes all come in dark
shades now. As a matter of fact, dark
cottons are considered smart.
You can always lighten them up, you know,
with white at the throat, and perhaps in a
vest front.
I might speak about color in trimmings, too.
You may indulge your liking for brightness
in trimmings if you choose, but be careful
where you place the bright spot. As a matter
of fact, it’s better to make it a narrow piping
or binding than a spot. An edge of bright
red or green or peacock blue to outline a vest
front, to finish the sleeve, or across a collar
is quite permissible, and often the stylish
touch to the garment. However, it is not
advisable to sew a bright piping crosswise
on the garment or to outline a large piece.
Keep your piping running up and down for the
best effect.
COMBINING COLORS
It is not just luck that colors look pretty
together—neither is combining color a gift
which some people are endowed with and
some people are not.
When you come right down to the facts,
it’s a little problem that has to be learned
just like the multiplication table, only in
[65]
this case instead of learning that two times

two makes four, you learn where the colors
are placed in a color wheel and their relation to
one another. See Fig. (26). To tell the truth,
the rules are easier to remember than lots
of the things we had to memorize back in the
grades.
It’s just as important for the person plan¬
ning a dress to know these rules as it is for the
artist planning a painting. Both are planning
a composition in color. If you know the
rules, you won’t make a bad color composition.
There won’t be any jarring notes in your
costume. You won’t have that element of
doubt as to whether you ought to add a
certain color note.
The Color Wheel—For convenience sake,
when an artist is studying color composition,
the colors are placed on what is called a color
wheel. See Fig. (26). The wheel is a circle
divided into parts, and a color painted on each
part or the name of it written there. There
are rules regarding the placing of the colors
on the wheel, and laws regarding the relation
of one color to the other. Colors have certain
definite effects on one another when placed
close together or overlapped.
Sometimes only the primary colors of the
spectrum, red, green and violet are placed
on. the wheel. However, for dress designing,
it is more practical to include the in-between
shade as in Fig. (26).
[66]
The colors are placed on the wheel with what

are called complementary colors opposite each
other.
Complementary Colors.—A colored
object shows a certain color by absorbing part
of the light rays and reflecting part of the light
rays. For instance, we know that light
consists of the colors of the spectrum, red,
green and violet. If an object is red, it
absorbs the green and violet rays, and reflects
only the red rays of light. Therefore, green
[67]
blue which is a combination of green and

violet is the complementary color to red or
the shade which is absorbed by a red object.
That a red object really absorbs this shade
has been proven by tests. Also the other
complementary colors have been determined.
Learn the complementary colors:
Red—green blue.
Red yellow—blue.
Yellow—blue purple.
Yellow green—purple.
Green—purple red.
Make a color wheel for yourself, and place
the complementary colors opposite each other.
Those opposite each other on the color wheel
(complementary colors') can be combined—as
blue and red yellow (orange). Of course
you must remember this in making clothes—
have one predominating color and just a
touch of the other for trimming if they are
direct opposites as in this case.
The second rule is that you can combine
colors near together on the wheel as blue and
blue green (turquoise).
The third rule is that you can use different
degrees of the same shade together as navy
blue and Copenhagen, or brown and tan.
The fourth rule is that you can use three
colors together which are about an equal
[68]
distance apart on the wheel as yellow green,

blue and purple red. Here, too, have one
color dominating and the other to supplement
it. Probably such a combination would be
used on the light tones of these colors. For
instance, the bodice and drop skirt of a dance
frock may be lavender, with overskirts of
light yellowish green and blue tulle.
The fifth rule concerns black, gray and
white. As black is a combination of all the
colors in their full intensity, it can be used
with any one of them. Gray is also a com¬
bination of all or several of the colors and can
be combined with other shades. In gray
material one color is apt to be in evidence.
We have blue grays, pink grays, brown grays,
etc. In combining gray with blue, use a
bluish gray, not a pink gray. White is the
absence of all color so it can be used with any
shade.
These rules have to be followed most
explicity where the colors are intense or vivid.
Where colors are dark, that is, have black or
the complementary color mixed with them,
you can be more lax in combining them with
other colors without striking a jarring note.
The same thing holds true where light shades
are used, more white being added to them.
The whole rainbow of pastel shades can be
used together in perfect harmony.
Caution must be exercised in using colors
in their full intensity, as scarlet, emerald
[69]
green, electric blue, etc. A child or a savage

revels in violent and garish colors, while
refined people instinctively choose the sub¬
dued tones. Large amounts of violently
contrasting color are never beautiful.
It is well to remember that reds and yellows
are affected more by artificial light than the
violet and blue shades. Often, red or yellow
will seem to change its shade under an
electric or gas light.
Here are a few examples of the applications
of the different rules:
ist: You know that blue and scarlet are
complementary colors. The correct com¬
bining of these two shades might be expressed
in a dark navy blue serge or twill dress.
Suppose the dress had a deep V opening in
the front, narrow revers, and a small collar.
If the revers and collar were piped with a
very narrow strip of scarlet (not more than
a cord) and then a sheer batiste or net over¬
collar and vest added, so far as the color
was concerned, the dress would be perfect.
However, if instead of the piping you used
a broad band of red goods, the effect would
be garish. It is never wise to use comple¬
mentary colors both in their most brilliant
shades unless they combine to form the
smallest motif on the dress, as bright blue
and red interwoven with dark blue em¬
broidery on a dark blue dress.
[70]
2nd: One often sees the application of

rule 2 concerning the combination of colors
near together on the wheel. Just in the way
of an example, we might consider the fuchsia
colors which are purple and a purple red
(cerise). This can be beautifully worked
out in an evening cape, using purple velvet
for the outside of the cape and then cerise
silk veiled with purple chiffon for the lining.
3rd: You have probably applied time and
time again the third rule—using different
degrees of the same color. A brown linen
dress embroidered in tan wool yarn is a
pleasing example of this rule.
There is only one danger in applying the
rule. Make sure that your two shades of
blue or red or green aren’t mixed with dif¬
ferent colors, as a yellow green and blue
green. If the dark shade is yellow green,
and the light shade a blue green, they won’t
look well together. On the other hand, a
dark blue green and a light blue green will
harmonize perfectly.
4th: Three colors about an equal distance
apart on the wheel will harmonize, too. Of
course, they ought not be used in three areas
of equal proportion. An example of a correct
combination of this kind is a dark blue chiffon
dress beaded in a paisley design with purplish
red, yellow and black beads.
5th: Black, gray or white can be intro¬
duced into any color scheme. The becoming-
[71]
ness of a white collar on any dress is a proof

of this. You have probably noticed, too,
that an edge of black braid seems in keeping
with a green, a blue, a red, or a purple dress.
Colors darken as they have more black
added to them, and lighten as they have more
white added. If sufficient black is added to
darken the colors considerably, any of the
colors can be used together, as the black
neutralizes them. The same is true if white
is added until colors are a pastel shade. All
the colors of the spectrum in pastel shades are
in perfect harmony.
YOUR SEWING MACHINE

Sewing machines differ somewhat in their
construction, but a few rules apply to all of
them:
Do not let the machine stand open when you
are not using it. Dust will clog it.
Keep a muslin cover to throw over the
machine when you do not want to remove
the work.
Oil your machine at night—a freshly oiled
machine is apt to soil the work.
Clean the machine at least once a month,
wiping it free from lint and dust.
Do not run your machine with the presser
foot down, unless there is material under
it. If the presser foot rests on the feed,
it will wear out the feed.
[72]
Do not run your machine threaded before

placing your material. The thread will
clog and break.
Remember that you cannot pull the material
faster than the machine feeds. Guide
the material, but do not pull it or you
may bend or break the needle.
REGULATING THE TENSIONS
Fig. (27) If the tensions of your machine are adjusted correctly,

the stitches will lock in the center.
On a lock stitch sewing machine, if the
tensions are properly regulated, the thread
links in the exact center of the fabric. The
stitch on the right and wrong side of the goods
will look identical. See Fig. 27.
Fig. {28) If the needle tension is tight, the thread lies flat on the
upper surfaces.
[73]
If the tension on the upper thread is too

tight, or the bobbin thread too loose, the
upper thread will lie on the surface of the
goods. See Fig. 28. The thread is apt to
catch and pucker.
Fig. (29) ,
If the bobbin tension is tight the under thread is straight.
On the other hand, where the bobbin thread

is tight or the upper thread too loose, the
reverse happens, and the thread on the under
side (next to the feed) will appear straight
on the surface. See Fig. 29. This does not
make a pretty stitching, and the thread is apt
to pucker. However, it makes a stitching
that is easy to rip. Try it sometime, when
you are just testing the fit of a garment.
Once the bobbin tension has been properly
adjusted, it will need but little change.
Usually the tension can be suited to different
materials by changing the needle tension.
Always test the tension and length of
stitch before starting to stitch the garment.
The Pressure on the Material.—Do you ever
regulate the pressure of your sewing machine
foot? There should be just sufficient pressure
to prevent the goods from raising with the
[74]
needle. On very sheer or flimsy goods,

increase the pressure. On extremely thick
goods, lessen it.
If your machine is running hard, look at the
presser foot. There may be too much pres¬
sure.
Turning a Corner.—Run the stitching to
the exact corner. Stop the machine with the
needle in the goods. Raise the presser foot,
turn the material so that it is in the correct
position for the next stitching, lower the
presser foot, and stitch.
PROPER THREAD AND NEEDLES

It is important that you use the right thread
and the right needle for the material; that is,
if you want your machine to run easily and
to have really good work. The needle must
suit the thread, too. Here are tables for
reference:
[75]
MACHINE NEEDLES AND THREAD
Material Size of Needle Sewing Cotton

Sewing Silk
Mull, chiffon, etc. Very fine needle 100 to 150 cotton

No. 9 00 or 000 sewing silk
Voile, very fine linen Medium fine needle 80 to 100 cotton

or silk goods No. 11 0 sewing silk
Shirtings, fine ging¬ Medium machine needle 60 to 80 cotton

hams, and medium No. 14 A or B sewing silk
weight silks
Coarse gingham, light Medium coarse machine 40 to 60 cotton

weight woolen goods needle C sewing silk
or heavy silks No. 16
Denim or coatings Coarse machine needle 30 to 40 cotton

No. 18 D sewing silk
Heavy woolen tickings, Very coarse machine 24 to 30 cotton

khaki cloth needle E sewing silk
No. 19 60 to 80 linen thread
NEEDLE AND THREAD FOR HAND SEWING
Sewing Cotton
Material Size of Needle Sewing Silk
Mull, chiffon, etc. No. 10 to No. 12 100 to 150 cotton

00 or 000 sewing silk
Voile, very fine linen No. 9 80 to 100 cotton
or silk 0 sewing silk
Shirtings, fine ging¬ No. 7 or No. 8 60 to 90 cotton

hams, and medium A or B sewing silk
weight silks
Coarse gingham, light No. 6 40 to 60 cotton

weight woolens or C sewing silk
heavy silks
Denim or coatings No. 4 or No. 5 24 to 40 cotton

D sewing silk
Heavy woolens, tick¬ No. 1 to No. 3 8 to 24 cotton
ings or khaki cloth E sewing silk
60 to 80 linen thread
SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENTS

Are you really acquainted with your sewing
machine? Do you know how to use all the
attachments? Do you know everything that
each attachment will do? Run over the
list and see if you know how to use the
following attachments:
Narrow hemmer
Wide hemmer
Binder
Tucker
Ruffler
Edge stitcher
Corder
Quilter
Narrow Hemmer.—This attachment is
merely another kind of a sewing machine
foot. The foot of the machine is removed
and the hemmer is put on in its place.
It is possible to do several things with a
narrow hemmer. If you are using this
attachment, it isn't even necessary to crease
the edge in order to turn a narrow hem.
Just guide the goods and as it feeds through
the foot, the edge is rolled and stitched at one
time. See Fig. 30.
It is excellent for hemming a cuff or a
trimming piece. It does not work well on
curved edges.
[77]
Fig. (30) A narrow hemmer folds and stitches the edge

automatically.
The goods must be removed from the

hemmer at a corner.
Lace can be joined to the edge at the same
time that the edge is hemmed. Slip the lace in
Fig. (37) You can hem an edge and sew on lace at one time. **
[78]
next to the thread and the one stitching

will do all the work. See Fig. 31. It can
also be used for setting in insertion, handling
the insertion the same as the lace.
The neatest kind of a lapped felled seam can
also be made with this attachment. Place the
two pieces to be joined one on top of the
other under the hemmer with the underpiece
extending a quarter inch beyond the edge of
the upper piece, and stitch. (Here the edge
of the material is not turned under.)
Open up the two pieces of the material
and hem the free edge of the under piece.
Such an attachment is invaluable in making
underwear, blouses, men's shirts and children's
clothes. As you progress with the lessons,
you see innumerable ways of applying it.
Learn how to use the narrow hemmer for
your machine now.
The book of instructions that comes with
every sewing machine will tell you just how
to adjust it to your particular machine.
Wide Hemmer.—This attachment is ad¬
justed at the side of the foot.
Instructions for adjusting the hemmer comes
with every sewing machine.
I add just these few suggestions. Pull the
goods back and forth in the hemmer until
the hem is turned properly. Then stitch,
guiding the material so that the hemmer is
always full. See Fig. 32.
[79]
The wide hemmer will work only on straight

edges. It is a great convenience in hemming
sheets, making underwear, children’s clothes,
wash dresses and blouses. Just in the way
of an example, there is the center front closing
of a waist, and the hem at the top of the
turn back cuffs. Perhaps you have planned
your work so that you are making several
blouses at one time. With the wide hemmer
you can roll and turn the edges and finish all
these pieces in a few minutes.
In making a garment or garments where
you expect to use the wide hemmer, place all
the pieces that need hemming in one bundle,
and run these through the hemmer before
closing the seams. It will facilitate the work.
[BO]
The hemmer works better when the pieces

are flat, and if you run them through all at
one time it saves taking the hemmer on and
off the machine.
Binder.—Another time saving attachment
is the binder. It is a scroll shaped piece of
metal which sometimes attaches like a presser
foot or in other machines screws to the side
of the regular foot.
Draw the bias strip of material through
the scroll and under the needle. Insert the
edge to be bound between the two thicknesses
of the bias and stitch. See Fig. 33.
Fig. (33) There is no hand folding when you use a binder.

Think how simple it is to make a house-
dress when you can bind the edges with just
one stitching. There is no folding or pressing
either of the bias to prepare it. Bias bindings
[81]
make a pretty trimming, too, on children’s

gingham, percale and chambray frocks.
Tucker.—There is no tiresome measuring
and marking for the widths between the tucks
or the width of the stitching if you use a
tucking attachment. The attachment is ad¬
justed to the machine the same as a presser
foot. There are gages you can set to regulate
the width of the tuck and the width between
the tucks.
Crease the material and stitch as shown in
Fig. 34. The attachment marks where the
next tuck is to be creased.
underwear or summer dresses.

One point you must remember in using a
tucker is to form the tuck on the straight
thread of the goods. It is almost impossible
to tuck a bias.
You can have just as many pin tucks in
your summer organdies and dimities as your
[82]
heart desires if you learn how to run your

tucker. And think how much prettier you
can make your blouses and children’s clothes
with the addition of tucks here and there.
Ruffler—How many hours have you spent
running in gather threads? Of course, there
are places where nothing else will answer
for the gather thread, but how about the
ruffles and frills? You can run them through
a ruffler in just about three minutes and do
away with an hour’s hand work.
There is a ruffling attachment which comes
with nearly every sewing machine. Take out
yours now. It is just the matter of a couple
of thumb screws to adjust it. Place the
material between the two blades of the
ruffler and stitch as shown in Fig. 35.
Fig. (35) Use a ruffler and do away with handrun shirr threads
wherever you can.
[83]
If it’s a petticoat ruffle that you are gather¬

ing, you can sew it to the bottom of the petti¬
coat and sew on a bias at the same time, by
laying the ruffle on the right side of the petti¬
coat and inserting the bias as in Fig. 36.
After the petticoat is removed from the

machine, turn the ruffle into its finished
position, fold under the free edge of the bias,
and stitch a second time, using the regular
presser foot.
Edge Stitcher.—The name almost tells the
story—an edge stitcher is for joining lace.
If you are making underwear or children’s
clothes or dainty summer dresses it is almost
indispensable.
The lace is placed in the attachment as
shown in Fig. 37. All you have to do is
guide it and the attachment laps one edge
over the other and the needle stitches through
both pieces of lace.
The edge stitcher can be used for joining

narrow bias trimming folds to the material,
too. Or, you can use it for sewing on ribbon.
It will keep the stitching true to the edge.
Cording Foot.—Of course, you know, that
you can't stitch cording with an ordinary
sewing machine foot. The frong of the foot
won't permit you to stitch nearer the cord
than an eighth of an inch which is simply
useless.
I heard one woman say who had been
sewing for years, “there isn't any way of
[85]
machine stitching cording. It has to be

stitched by hand.” Probably all the time,
there was a cording foot packed away in
her sewing machine drawer.
The cording foot is just like a regular foot
except that the narrow frong isn’t there.
This makes it possible to stitch close to the
cording. See Fig. 38.
Fig. (38) A cording foot is made without the narrow frong that
an ordinary sewing machine toot has.
You will find cording fully described in

Lesson XII.
Probably in the seasons when cording is
the style, every dress that you make will
require endless cording. There is always
more or less cording used to trim children’s
dresses.
Quitter or Foot with Gage.—Just because
this sewing machine foot is called a quilter
[86]
doesn’t mean that it is used only for quilting.

As a matter of fact, the name is rather mis¬
leading for the foot with a gage comes in
handy for many ordinary purposes.
The novice at sewing especially cannot
afford to be without the foot with a gage.
If you want to double stitch a seam, it
will keep the second stitching even.
If you want to stitch back from the edges
of a coat, it will keep the stitching exactly
true.
If you want to add several rows of parallel
stitching for trimming around a collar, use
the foot with a gage to keep it parallel.
Fig. (39) A foot with a gage will help you to

.
keep your stitching true
[87]
It can be used for diamond shaped quilting,

too. It will keep the rows exactly even.
Fig. 39 shows the attachment. It goes
onto the machine just like the regular sewing
machine foot. Three minutes with your screw
driver will attach it.
HAND SEWING
Do you vary the stitches you use in hand
sewing? One kind of a stitch wont serve for
all purposes you know. Suit the stitches to
the kind of work that you are doing. Here
are the stitches you will need to use the most.
Practice making them until you are adept
with your needle.
Running Stitch.—The simplest of all hand
stitches is running stitch shown in Fig. 40.
Making this stitch is merely a matter of
running the needle in and out of the goods
at regular intervals. It is the kind of a
stitch that is used for handrun seams and
gathering.
Fig {40) Running stitch which is used for bastings handrun

,
seams etc. r
Once you have inserted the needle in the

goods do not remove it until the needle has
all the material on it that it will hold.
Running stitches for ordinary purposes are
made usually about one-eighth of an inch
long. However, an old rule which always
holds true is “The finer the material, the
shorter the stitch.”
Keep in mind two things in practicing to
make running stitches. Make them as evenly
as possible and keep them in a straight line.
A crooked seam is an acknowledgment of
the lack of practice.
It is a good idea for the beginner to mark
the exact stitching line with a tracing wheel
run along the edge of a ruler.
Back Stitch.—One might almost call this
a stay stitch for that is its purpose. If you
want hand sewing that is firm use back
stitches. See Fig. 41.
Fig. (41) Back stitches hold the goods firmly.
They are formed by inserting the needle

as for a running stitch, bringing it out oil
the right side of the goods and inserting it
a second time at the point where it was first
[89]
inserted. This time bring it out beyond the

first stitch.
Sometimes, in a handrun seam, every
fourth or fifth stitch is made a back stitch
to strengthen the stitching. There are places
where a seam finished in this way is to be
preferred to a machine stitched seam. For
instance, the daintiest and most expensive
lingerie in the shops is made entirely by
hand. A neatly run French seam, in a sheer
camisole or chemise adds as much as the
trimming. Babies’ clothes too seem to call
for a hand finish and certainly hand work
adds to the little girl’s sheer batiste or lawn
frock.
Basting.—The basting stitch you use de¬
pends on what you are sewing. Seams are
usually basted with a long and short running
stitch. In this case, the long stitches are
about one inch long and the short stitches
measure about one-half inch.
In basting a seam, place the basting beyond
the seam allowance. When you stitch, run
the stitching just inside the basting. This
makes it possible to remove the basting
threads easily. However, if the stitching is
directly on top of the basting, it is almost
impossible to pull them out.
There is a cotton which comes especially
for basting. It is easily broken. Ask for
basting cotton.
[90]
Always use a cotton that contrasts to the

material. A matching cotton is difficult to
see and pick out.
If you use sewing silk to baste silk material,
the stitches will not be so apt to leave a mark.
In basting one piece of material to another

as a lining to a coaty use diagonal, basting as
shown in Fig. 42. Diagonal stitches hold
more firmly than running stitches. In
[91]
diagonal basting, the cross stitches are about

one-half inch wide and the diagonal stitches
are about one inch long.
Overcasting.—Where you want to finish
the raw edges of a seam, whip them with over
and over stitches. See Fig. 43. It will
prevent them from ravelling. If the stitches
are placed about one-quarter of an inch
apart the overcasting can be done rapidly.
Fig. (43) Seams that are overcast will not ravel.

[92]
It is a help to thumb tack the material to

the sewing table, overcast for a ways, then
thumb tack again further on.
Just overcasting makes a pretty trimming,
too, for a child’s dress. Sometime, try over¬
casting the collar and cuffs of a yellow cham-
bray with black mercerized embroidery cotton.
Felling.—Hems, folds and lining are felled
in place. This means taking stitches in the
hem and outside material which will hardly
show.
Insert the needle first in the hem, the
fold or the lining and then in the outside
garment as shown in Fig. 44. Take up only
a thread or two of the outside goods as the
Fig. (44) The correct position of the needle in felling a hem.

[93]
stitches ought not to show on the right side

of the goods.
In turning a hem, you will find it a great
help to press it before attempting to fell it in
place. Folds ought to be thoroughly pressed
before they are sewn to the garment.
Blind Stitching.—It is possible to blind
stitch more quickly than to fell by hand
because in blind stitching the stitches are
placed further apart.
Blind stitching is used to tack trimming in
place. For instance, the girdle that looks
loose and careless yet ought to be firm. Just
a blind stitch here and there will hold it.
Fig. 45 shows the position of the needle.
The stitches may be placed from one-half
inch to five inches apart, as the case requires.
[94]
SEAMS AND THEIR USES

Suit your seam to the material and the
place. Thick materials need as flat a seam
as possible. On the other hand, in thin
goods it is often advantageous to give quite a
different finish.
We have all heard the remark that a
certain garment has a homemade look. It
may be, too, that the garment is carefully
and neatly made. It is not always the case,
but very often the fault can be traced to
seams. There is a thick seam where there
ought to be a thin one and a tailored finish
where there ought to be a delicately hand-
run seam. And so it goes. The garment
isn’t well turned out.
Study your material and use the right
seam.
Open Seams.—Where a flat finish is de¬
sired, press the edges of a plain seam open.
See Fig. 46.
For instance, you would know at a glance
that a heavy overcoating ought not to be
stitched into a French seam. Four thick¬
nesses of the goods would make a bulky
unsightly ridge. However, if the two pieces
of the overcoating are placed with the right
sides of the goods together and stitched the
length of the seam and the seam pressed
open, the joining will hardly show.
[95]
pressed open, too, and where a dress material

is heavy, it is best to press open the seams.
The edges of an open seam are finished

with a binding or overcast. See Lesson II,
for binding.
French Seams.—Probably the French
seam is used more than any other in ordinary
Fig. {47) An enlarged view of the first stitching in a French seam.

sewing. A French seam is the neatest finish

for underwear, cotton dresses, blouses and
little girls' frocks of gingham, chambray,
organdie and like materials.
A French seam is also used for silk and no
finish is daintier than a French seam hand run
in a batiste chemise, an infant's nainsook
frock or a little girl's party frock of chiffon.
To make a French seam, lay the two pieces
to be joined with the wrong sides of the goods
together and stitch the length of the seam,
running the stitching one-eighth of an inch
from the edge. See Fig. 47. Turn the pieces
wrong side out and crease along the joining.
Press the garment and stitch a second time,
running the stitching one-quarter of an inch
from the creased edge. See Fig. 48.
This gives a neat finish on both the right
and the wrong side of the garment but a French
seam won’t answer for every purpose.
Don't use a French seam in thick material.
It is too bulky.
Don't use a French seam where you want
a flat finish. For instance, at the shoulder a
French seam will make a ridge. Except in
sheer materials, an open or double stitched
seam is better.
Don't use a French seam where you want a
tailored finish. A tailored blouse or a boy’s
shirt looks better with double stitched or
lap felled seams.
[98]
Fig. {48) The second stitching in making a French seam.
Double Stitched Seams.—If the raw

edges of a plain seam are both turned in one
direction and the seam stitched a second time,
it is called a double stitched seam. See Fig.
49. Such a seam will give a garment a tailored
appearance.
Double stitched seams are used in some
cases at the side front and side back seams
of a coat.
[99]
Fig. (49) Double stitched seams are used where a tailored finish
is desired.
If a dress is semi-fitted with a dart or side

front seams, the dart or seam is usually
double stitched. Sometimes where speed is
to be considered, it is also used in the place
of lap felled seams in blouses and children’s
clothing.
To make a double stitched seam, lay the
two pieces to be joined with the right sides
of the material together and stitch the length
of the seam, running the stitching a seam’s
width back from the raw edges. The regu¬
lation seam allowance is usually three-eighths
of an inch. Open up the garment and turn
[100]
both raw edges of the seam in one direction.

Press the garment and stitch again. This
time stitch from the right side of the garment
and run the stitching parallel to the seam.
Here is where a sewing machine foot with
a gage comes in handy. The gage can be set
the distance you want the stitching from the
seam. Then, in running through the material,
place the edge of the gage on the joining of
the seam and the needle will stitch evenly
the exact distance back from the seam that
you want the second stitching.
The distance the stitching is placed back
from the seam is a matter of choice. In a
coat or dress the stitching varies from one-
eighth of an inch to one-quarter of an inch
from the seam.
Lap Felled Seams.—You will recall that I
have already told you how to make a lap
felled seam with the special attachment—a
narrow hemmer—in place of the regular sew¬
ing machine foot.
It is also possible to make a lap felled seam
with regular sewing machine foot, although
it means turning the edge by hand. For the
first stitching, lay the two pieces to be joined
with the right sides of the goods together,
letting the under piece extend one-quarter of
an inch beyond the edge of the upper piece.
Stitch the length of the seam, running the
stitching one-quarter of an inch from the
edge of the upper piece. See Fig. 50. Open
[101]
Fig. (50) The first stitching in making a lap jelled seam.
out the garment and press the seam. Turn

both raw edges of the seam in one direction
and press the seam. Turn under the raw
edge and stitch a second time as shown in
Fig. 51. .
This gives you a flat seam finished on both
sides. Perhaps you are wondering why it is
called a lap felled seam when it is stitched
by machine. The seam was named at the
time when all sewing was done by hand.
Then, the first joining was done with running
[102]
stitch and the raw edge caught down on the

wrong side of the garment by hand felling
and so we have the name lap felled seam.
Even today, where it is best not to have the
second stitching show, the raw edge is caught
by hand felling.
[103]
A lap felled seam always gives a tailored

look to the garment. It is used in making
men’s shirts, underwear and pajamas, also
for boys shirts, wash trousers, underwear and
pajamas. It gives a plain blouse style to
tailor it with a lap felled seam. It is a good
finish, too, at the shoulder of little girls’ wash
dresses.
A lap felled seam never looks nice in
transparent material such as chiffon or very
thin miislins.
A Slot Seam.—Where the edges of two
pieces are turned under and they are joined
to an inset section, tuck fashion, the joining
is called a slot seam. It really adds a trimming.
See Fig. 52.
The center front of a skirt is often finished
with a slot seam. It’s a pretty way, too, ot
trimming children’s clothes, especially if the
under section is of contrasting material. A
navy blue serge with the undersections of the
slot seams bright red or green is effective.
A little girl’s dress may have slot seams at
the center-front, the center-back and the
sides of the skirt; also at the center-front of
the waist.
To make a slot seam, bind either edge of
the under facing. See binding, Lesson II.
Turn under the edges of the two pieces to be
joined and lap them over the under facing,
letting the edges of the two pieces just
[104]
Fig. (52) A slot seam makes a pretty trimming for children's dresses.
touch at the center. Stitch any desired

distance back from the edges. See Fig. 52.
Sometimes, the two pieces are spread
apart a little letting the inset section show
more. The amount you spread them is a
[105]
matter of taste. They are spread all the

way from one-quarter of an inch to an inch.
HOW TO TAKE MEASUREMENTS

The following measurements are necessary
and after they are obtained, should be kept
ready for reference all the way through in
the making of a garment:
Bust measure
Neck measure
Width of chest
Width of back
Length of front from neck to waistline
Length of back from neck to waistline
Length of sleeve
Waist measure
Hip measure
Length from waistline to floor at center
front, center back and each side
Remove the Dress to Take all Measurements.—
Measure over the underwaist and petticoat.
In ordering commercial patterns, always order
by the actual measurement. Allowances are
made in the patterns for different types of
garments. For instance, a pattern for a
coat is made larger than a pattern for a
blouse, although they are both marked the
standard size as thirty-six or forty.
Taking the Bust Measure.—Stand behind
the person being measured and pass the tape
[106]
around the form loosely. Hold it between

the thumb and first finger of the right hand
at the center back and with the left hand
slip it down in the front over the fullest part
of the bust. Bring it well up under the arms
and high across the back over the fullest
part 01 the shoulder blades. Draw up the
tape snugly but it ought not to be really
tight. Note what the measurement is in
inches.
The Neck Measure.—Also take this measure¬
ment from the back, passing the tape around
the base of the neck. Draw it snugly.
The Width of Chest.—Measure across the
chest at a point that would be about two-
thirds of the way down the armholes of the
finished garment. Do not continue the tape
under the arm but take the measurement
from arm muscle to arm muscle.
The Width of Back.—Measure across the
back at a point about half way down the
armhole. This gives you the narrowest point
across the back and is the width that the
garment ought to measure across the back.
Length of Arm.—The best way of determ¬
ining the length of the arm, is to place the yard
stick or a tailor’s square under the arm and
note the length to the wrist. If a square is
used, place the short arm of the square
across the armpit and let the long arm extend
along the inside of the arm. The sleeve
[ 107
length ought to be taken to the joint at

the wrist.
The Waist Measure.—In taking the waist
measure, you will find it a help to place a
cord around the waistline to locate the
smallest point. Make a loop in one end of
the cord and place the cord around the waist¬
line, pass the other end through the loop,
draw up the cord tightly and tie it. It will
naturally slip to the smallest part which is
the normal waistline. Measure over the
cord with the tape. Even if you want a
loose garment or one with fullness, this
measurement will give you the right basis on
which to work.
The Hip Measure.—Before removing the
cord from the waistline, measure down at
the center front, center back and sides six
inches and fasten pins to the skirts at these
points. Measure around the skirt over top
of the pins for the hip measurement. (Note.—
The six inch point is where the hip measure
is usually taken, however, some commercial
patterns specify that the hip measure is
taken at a lower point.)
Length of Front from Neck to Waistline.—
You will find it a great help to know the
length from the neck to the waistline. Take
this measurement while the cord is around
the waistline.
Length of Back from Neck to Waistline.—
Measure from the neck bone at the base of
[108]
the neck in the back to the cord at the waist¬

line.
Length from Waistline to Floor.—It’s a poor
plan to attempt to measure the length of
the skirt that a woman is wearing. Measure
from the waistline to the floor—it will give
you a better guide to work with. Then if
you want the skirt, six, eight or ten inches
from the floor you can subtract it from the
total amount. Have the person being meas¬
ured stand squarely with her heels together
and measure from the cord at the waistline
to the floor at the center front, center back
and sides.
SEWING EQUIPMENT
Of course you have your sewing machine.
IPs hard to find a woman who hasn’t these
days. Well, all you need to start right in
sewing is a needle and thimble, a pair of
shears and a tape measure.
As a matter of fact, it’s a good plan not
to buy a whole lot of equipment until you
have sewed a while and found out just how
much you really need and just how much
you can do without.
However, perhaps later on you will make a
profession of Dressmaking and here is a little
list for an ideally equipped sewing room that
you can usse for reference at any time :
Chest of drawers
Closet or wardrobe
[109]
Cutting table
One or two full-length mirrors
Ironing board (regular size)
Sleeve board
Iron
Basin
Sponge
Press cloth of duck or canvas
Shrink cloth
Several strips of muslin with which to
cover work
Wire coat and dress hangers
Dressmaker’s dummy
Square
Yard stick
Curved ruler
Steel tape
Steel tracing wheel with sharp points
Heavy shears for cutting cloth
Shears for cutting paper
Small scissors for clipping threads
Waste paper basket for clippings
Paper weights
Pins
Needles
Thimble
Elastic bands
Tailor’s wax and chalk
[HO]
Pad of paper and pencil

Sharp knife
The chest of drawers is needed for patterns,
material and sewing equipment. It is a good
plan to keep one drawer for patterns, one
drawer for new materials, one drawer for
garments which are cut out, another for tools,
and one for left-over ends and scraps of
material.
Fig. {53) A shelf will serve in place of a closet.
From the very start, make it a habit to

mark for whom each pattern is, and always
take time to fold the pattern into its proper
envelope before putting it away.
Fig. {54) The curtains adjusted to shelf.
When garments are partly or nearly finished,

hang them up when you stop sewing. It
prevents them from getting soiled and mussed.
If your sewing room has a closet, it easily
[111]
solves the problem of where to hang them.

If there is no closet and you do not want
to go to the expense of buying a wardrobe,
a shelf put up on brackets with a curtain
tacked to it will answer the purpose of a closet.
The Figs. 53 and 54
show the shelf and cur¬
tain. Suitable wire coat
and skirt hangers can
be bought at any
department or five and
Fig. (55) Hang up the coat or ten cent store. Good
partly finished dress to prevent types are illustrated
it Jrom wrinkling.
in Figs. 55 and 56.
The cutting table ought to
be forty inches or wider and
at least two yards long. If
your space is limited have a ™{56) Trouserhang.
carpenter build horses and ers answer admirably for
a collapsible top. (See Figs, hanging up a skin.
57, 58 and 59.) A table of this description
can be easily taken apart and leaned
against the wall.
Fig. (57) A wide cutting table is a great advantage.

[112]
If the top of the table is soft wood and

smooth it is not necessary to cover it. How¬
ever, in time it is bound to rough up from
the tracing wheel. It pays to cover any
table with linoleum or heavy oilcloth. If
linoleum is used shellac it so the fabric will
not cling to the surface.
If you have two
mirrors place them
opposite each other
so that by looking
in one glass you
can see your back
in the other.
An ironing board
without a frame is
the most S a t i S fa C- (•&) The horsefor a collapsible table
\ i • i is easy to make.
tory. Askirtcanbe
slipped over it without danger of crushing the
part that comes at the under side of the board.
If your table is supported by horses, these
will work nicely for the ironing board too,
or rest the board on the backs of two chairs.
Be sure to pad your
board well. Tailors’
wadding can be used
for this purpose, put
on in smooth, even
sheets. Fold the wad¬
, „ ... ding over the edge and
UIIliiUVtA aiiu
The WpeJ a collapsible ^ jt tQ ^ un(Jer
[113]
side of the board. Several thicknesses of a

woolen bed blanket also make a satisfactory
padding. After the padding is tacked to the
board, cover the board with several thick¬
nesses of muslin. Draw the outside muslin
tightly and smoothly, rolling it over edge
and sewing it securely or tacking it to the
under side of the board.
For coat mak¬
ing, you will need
a sleeve board. (See
Fig.6o.) This, too,
needs a thick
Fig. (60) A sleeve board is an advantage
in pressing a coat sleeve. padding.
An electric iron is a great convenience
but not a necessity. A one burner gas
stove or a small oil stove and an ordinary
flat iron make a practical substitute.
Do not try to get along without an iron
and ironing board.
Pressing is One of the Most Essential Things
in Garment Making.—It is impossible to
do neat work unless each piece is pressed
before joining and every edge pressed before
stitching.
Include in your pressing outfit a press
cloth, a basin for water, and a small sponge.
Duck makes the best press cloth as it does
not cling to the iron. The press cloth ought
to be about a yard and a quarter long.
[114]
Most cotton wash fabrics can be pressed

successfully without a press cloth, but cottons
in woolen finish and woolens must be covered
with a damp cloth or the heat of the iron will
shine the surface.
Press silks from the wrong side and with
an iron only lukewarm. Heat rots silk.
Seams are pressed open more easily if they
are dampened; so keep a basin of water
and a sponge handy.
Cottons and woolens ought to be well shrunk
before they are made up. Wash goods is
easily shrunk by soaking in water and hanging
in a shady place to dry. It is the slow drying
that shrinks it.
Woolens or cottops in woolen finish are
treated differently. The best home method
is to wrap the fabric in a wet cloth. Duck
makes a good shrink cloth. The shrink cloth
ought to be about a yard longer than the
material.
Lay the fabric on a flat surface, smooth out
the wrinkles, dip the shrink cloth in water
and cover the fabric with it. Roll shrink
cloth and fabric over a board. The thin
boards on which bolts of fabric are wrapped
are excellent for this purpose.
The fabric must be wrapped in the wet
cloth at least twenty-four hours. It is then
unrolled, hung up to dry and pressed while
it is still damp. Mere sponging with a damp
1115]
cloth or sponge will not shrink material suf¬

ficiently so that it can be properly handled in
tailoring. Material that has not been properly
shrunk is sure to shrink and pucker under
the iron when pressing.
You will find several strips of muslin
about three yards long a great help in
keeping your work clean. For instance, if
you stop working when a garment is half
cut you can cover your cutting table with
one of these pieces of muslin. The same
thing applies to the machine. You need
not always take the work out of the machine,
but can throw the muslin over the machine
to keep the work clean.
There are many good adjustable dress
forms on the market, but you can make
an ordinary form answer your purpose. If
you are sewing just for yourself, buy a size as
near your measurement as possible.
Make a muslin French lining that fits you
and slip it over the form. If it is too loose
at any point, pad it out.
If you are making a business of dressmak¬
ing, buy a medium size form and pad out
muslin linings for larger sizes, making them
detachable so you can slip them on and off the
form.
The Fig. 61 gives
an idea of the
type of curved Fig. (61) A curved rule will help you with
ruler to buy. your pattern making.
[116]
Heavy shears are

^needed for cutting
Fig. (62) The cutting shears must he fabrics, a® . iHuS—
heavy. trated in fig. 62.
These ought to be kept very sharp and used
only for cutting fabric. Keep a second pair
of shears for cutting paper, and a small pair
of scissors for clipping threads.
Many of the cloth tape meas¬
ures are not accurately marked.
Compare your cloth tape
measure with the yard stick.
A steel tape such as the one
shown in Fig. 63 is always FiA st'el ta*e
right.
I\ —~ "A Keep tailor’s wax and chalk
for marking around the pattern
on the goods. Use the wax only
on the outer edges where the
Fig. (64) Chalk
and wax for mark¬ marks will be cut off. Chalk
ing around the marks can be whisked off of
pattern come in
convenient little woolens. The chalk and wax
cakes. come in little cakes, as Fig.
64, and are packed in boxes. They come
in white; also gray, black and red, and are
on sale at all dressmaking and tailors’
supply stores.
A steel tracing wheel is a good investment.
It can be used for copying patterns or mark¬
ing tucks or pleats on fine silk without injur¬
ing the fabric. A tracing wheel with rough
or blunt points will tear and cut silk.
[117]
Keep a good supply of pins and needles

on hand. It is a waste of time to stop in the
middle of your work and go to the store
for the necessities.
Black headed steel pins are the best to use.
They are much easier to pick up than the
ordinary metal pin and they are so slender
and sharp that they will not mar even fine
fabrics.
Elastic bands come in handy for slipping
on a bundle of cut-out pieces or the pattern
if the envelope is torn.
Paper weights are excellent for holding the
pattern to the goods while cutting. No
sewing room is complete without paper,
pencils and a sharp knife.
If You Have no Sewing Room, keep a
chiffonier or chest of drawers in which to
put your work. Also reserve one closet
or part of a closet in which to hang the
partly finished garments^
Where the dining-room table must be used
for a cutting table, buy the rubber floor
matting such as is used in hospitals. It is
thick enough so that a tracing wheel will not
punch through. It can be rolled up when not
in use.
Another way of protecting the table is to
quilt a thick pad, put this on the table and
then cover it with table oilcloth,
[118]
If you sew in your living room or bedroom,

spread out a piece of table oilcloth and place
the sewing machine on this. After you are
through sewing it is an easy matter to push
the machine off the oilcloth, gather up the
oilcloth and slide the threads and bits into
the waste paper basket.
HOW TO STUDY
Read Lesson I through three or four times.
Study just one of the subjects at a time.
After you have read one subject through
several times, run over it in your mind and
see if there are any points on which you are
in doubt. Read it through again, keeping
in mind the points on which you want
information.
After you are through studying Lesson I,
give yourself a little examination. You know
you would have to write out an examination
paper if you were studying in a class. There
are a list of test questions below.
Write down your answers and compare
them with the information in Lesson I
TEST QUESTIONS
What styles are most becoming to a stout
young girl?
What styles ought a short woman to
avoid?
[119]
What colors are most becoming to a

blonde?
Does a woman with a sallow complexion
look well in black?
Does a stout woman look well in white?
What are the complementary colors?
Give list.
Can you give the definition of a comple¬
mentary color?
Can you state the five rules for combin¬
ing colors?
Which tension of your sewing machine
needs the most regulating—the bob¬
bin or the needle tension?
Can lace be sewed on with a sewing
machine attachment?
Can you make a lap felled seam with an
attachment?
What kind of seam is used at the shoulder
of a coat?
What seam looks best in sheer materials
such as organdie?
What is the correct position for a person
taking the bust measurement?
What measurement is taken from arm
muscle to arm muscle?
How do you determine the length of arm
at the wrist?
Why is a press cloth necessary in pressing
woolens?
[120]
Is sponging and shrinking woolens the

same process? Does it answer the
same purpose?
A great deal of the data in Lesson I is for
reference. When you take up the making
of dresses, Lesson VI, you will want to refer to
Suitable Styles and perhaps Becoming
Colors.
In deciding on the seams to use in making
the garments in Lessons III, IV, V, VI, VII,
VIII, IX and X, it will be an advantage to
have Lesson I handy to refer to.
The information about taking measure¬
ments is for reference later on, too. You will
see how to apply this material when you take
up blouses, dresses, pattern making and
draping.
Lesson II shows the first steps in applying
quick and efficient methods to sewing. It
takes up the making of aprons and housedresses
just to demonstrate several points in sewing.
Even if you have sewed before, it will be
well to study Lesson II. Remember that it is
not just the aprons and housedresses illus¬
trated that you are learning to make but
you are learning the principles which they
illustrate. You will find many of the sug¬
gestions for the aprons apply to blouses,
children’s garments and ladies’ dresses.
To become efficient, study the whole course
in the order in which the books are printed.
[ 121 ]
t-aS -fiair'l ■’

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^Twelve Leiroru^

ISABEL DeNYSE CONOVER

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WHAT DOES STYLE MEAN TO YOU?

Of course you want to be stylish. Every

know that it doesn’t make any difference how

type. We might as well recognize the fact

It is well to keep in mind that every season

elaborate material is just as much out of place

manners. Here are a few of the general rules.

After all, we are judged by our clothes.

are worn. One may have a subdued tone,

The riding habit depends on two

is completed with a shirt blouse, a soft felt

with silks such as chiffon, crepe de chine,

or velvet and draped to the figure. Often it

Of course, your street costume may be a

or wool skirt and sweater or jersey jacket adds

worn for any one outside of the immediate

wedding and engagement ring. A jet chain

dered with crepe, one and one-half inches

HOW TO USE YOUR FASHION

quarter, or short, this season; that necks are

you a list of the dresses that you can wear,

clothes, prettier clothes—clothes that suit your

WHAT IS YOUR TYPE?

If You Are a Slim Young Girl—Then

select is youthful. Crepes and satins are both

Just because you are plump is no reason

*ing Silhouettefor chine> finished with a V neck

the side seams of the skirt. You see, placed

The collar, too, ought never to be more than

bit longer than the slim girl, you will find

utter simplicity and have loose panels and

You will find probably that a hat with a

Your summer cottons may be gay calico, sub¬

Would You Be Classed as a Stout

in the color of two fabrics in one dress will do

Probably, you have

If You Are Short .—Which class of short

Some of the styles which you

Don’t wear a suit coat that cuts you right

the length of your skirt will seem to add an

If you are short and stout, look up the

Avoid the too-short skirt and the skirt that

with so many crosswise lines that look like a

I am going to put cascaded folds in a

according to the prevailing mode and shoes

instance. It will accentuate your thinness.

What you want in material is not a texture

You can wear tunics and loose panels and

Are You an Older Woman ?

ing shade. When worn with cloth belt, it

rule for the length of skirt that will become

that will last a whole afternoon or a whole

You know, when an artist is studying

ender, shell pink or light green. However, you

special secondary colors such as tan or

Fig. {22) There are colors which will help to