Fashion Design Drawing

at both sides. Baste it to the skirt along its lower edge, if the skirt is to have a facing. For a hem that is to have an interlining, mark the skirt all around a distance above the lower edge to equal the width of the hem. Then the strip for the interlining is basted along this line. The hem is then turned up, and with the narrow seam turned in at the top, one row of stitching catches through both the hem edge and the upper edge of the interlining.

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When it is not desirable to finish a hem with machine stitching, and it must be done by hand, do it with blind or slip stitches. When this is the case, the interlining must first be securely stitched on the inner side of the facing, or the turned-up portion of the hem, with the seam edge turned over the upper edge of the interlining:.

TUCKS are sometimes made above the hem for trimming or adding weight to the lower edge. If tucks above the hem are desired they should be basted in before the lower edge is finished. If the pattern does not allow for the tucks, the additional length must be calculated in the cutting. They may be of any width and of any number desired. If the lower edge of the skirt is straight the tucking is simple. The greatest difficulty is when the lower edge is very circular in outline, for then the tucks must be marked and basted before the stitching is done. Usually the skirt is fitted and finished at the waistline first.

Nun Tucks are wide tucks, usually two inches or more in depth. The method for making all tucks is the same, more or less, but the wider the tuck the greater the difficulty in keeping the lines and the distances between the tucks even when the bottom of the skirt is circular at its lower edge.

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The number and width of the tucks must be decided before the skirt is cut, and the additional length allowed in each gore. For instance, when two tucks two inches wide are desired, you must add eight extra inches in the length, and two inches more if a hem is to be used also.

After the gores of the skirt have been joined, and the belt finished, the length of the skirt is made perfectly even at its lower edge. The easiest way to get an even line is to try the skirt on the figure, standing on a footstool or some elevation that will permit the entire skirt length, including the allowance for the tucks, to hang straight.

The hem is then pinned up and basted. From the sewing line of the hem measure the distance desired between the tucks (the hem is counted as a tuck in this instance), and from this point measure again to a line two inches above, for a two-inch tuck. Baste a fold evenly all around the skirt at this point, being careful not to twist at the fold edge nor deviate from the exact line. Mark with i basting thread a line two inches above and also one two inches below this fold edge all around the skirt. Then hav ing the skirt on the lap board or sewing-table, with its lower edge toward you, baste in the tuck by bringing these two lines together. It will be seen that the lower line is a trifle wider than the upper one and this is just wherein the difficulty of making tucks lies (Fig. 290.) As you proceed, the lower basting thread must be drawn up a trifle here and there, to keep the tuck perfectly flat on its upper surface. The final stitching can then be put in, either by hand or machine sewing. (Fig. 291.) For the second tuck proceed in the same way.

PLAITED SKIRTS are more or less worn at all times, though some years they are more popular than others. Different arrangements of plaits are worn each season, but there are certain general instructions that apply equally well to the different styles of plaited skirts.

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The first step, of course, is to read the pattern instructions carefully, and to get a clear idea of the particular style of the skirt that is being made.

In cases where the skirts are composed of seven, nine or more gores it is not so difficult to handle them successfully, since alterations may be made at the seams. But in skirts where few gores are employed, particular attention must be paid to the correct position of the lines, in order to keep the plaits perfectly even. Furthermore, the skirt must be joined to the belt and the material between the plaits properly disposed, so that the plaits themselves will have a uniform appearance.