Fashion and Things Feminine.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7569, 23 May 1914, Page 3

Fashion and Things Feminine.

By IDA MELLER

TH I'i ECONOMY OF HOME HRESSMAKING. Tho secret of dressing well on small means is to learn thow to make one’s clothes oneself. With a knowledge of dressmaking, and aided by good paper patterns, it is not difficult to make an excellent show on less than half the amount that is spent by the woman who gives out all her clothes to be made up by tho professional dressmaker. There aio women'who arc always well-dressed and admired because of their fashionable appearance, yet who make, perhaps, all their frocks themselves and spend practically nothing on dress, because they save dressmaker’s expenses. Tho making-up mav cost twice as much as the material itself, and it is easy to see, therefore, how wise and economical it is to understand tho art of dressmaking and put one’s knowledge to practical account in tho horn© workroom. A SIMPLE RUSSIAN COAT. Tho pretty Russian coat illustrated is typical of tho latest fashion, and is one that can confidently be copied by the home' dressmaker, as it is simplicity itself, and is, moreover, a very useful pattern, as it suits an “odd” coat of fancy material to be worn over a plain cloth skirt. Tho fashion of wearing a coat and skirt in contrast is very popular just now, and is expressed in skirts of black and white checked material, accompanied by coats of plain cloth, with collars and cuffs of tho check, maybe, and also in plain cloth skirts with striped, checked, or floral-patterned coats. Tho Russian model illustrated is suitable for making up from a remnant of any of the numerous wool-brocade materials that are fashionable, or from printed velveteen. Tho bodice is cut on the popular one-piece plan, but the

sleeves might require a join below the shoulders to bring them to wrist-length. At the waist, the bodice is gathered to a belting, to which also the nicely-round-ed uUsquc is sewn, and a fold of satinribbon, velvet or cloth is afterwards added. Tho single, big tab, cut with the crossover right front, gives a novel touch to tho design. It is studded with a big button that should bo covered with the belt material. This button may be ot practical account in fastening the coat, or on the other hand it may be purely ornamental, the coat fastening with stud fasteners. The trimming at the throat and elsewhere is of marabout, which gives a ve.ry seasonable touch and is quite inexpensive. The home dressmake* who is on the look-out for a really smnr c little coat pattern, easily dealt with, can not do better than consider the advantages of this very charming model. A CHILD’S SLEEPING SHIT. Chills caught by children in winter time arc not infrequently due to the habit of throwing off the bed clothes during sleep, wherefore an excellent precaution against chills so.caught is to provide young children with sleeping suits made of woollen material, that shall pi otoct the body so well, it matters little if bed clothes are discarded. I am showing a design for a sleeping suit that mothers with young children to clothe will not doubt be delighted to copv. The suit can bo buttoned hack or front, as preferred, and it can he made with or without feet. As the diagram is planned, the foot

portion is added; but if this is not reel uired, cut tho material rather wider

Copyright

Uiiiu pattern along the leg pan,, and cut Jt on m almost a suaigut line at amae icvci, allowing lor a good turning, ino leg can be gatnereu into a uauu if'preferred. MAKING IT UP. Hygienic woollen material or good shrunk- flannel should be used for the sleeping suit, ami lor a child ox about eight years of ago four yards of 3(j-mcli stulf will be required, or, if the child is small, 27-inch material might serve. This allows of a oU-mch length ot pattern. hold material double and lay the pattern pieces, three m all (half the body and leg in one, a complete one-piece sleeve, and one sole), upon it as snown by the diagram, and cut out each piece in duplicate. Allow margins for seams. When the pattern is lor a younger child, less stulf will, of course, be required, and there will probably be room for the sleeve to be cut on a level with tho leg of the suit, thus saving material. The body of tho suit is seamed together after the manner of combinations. An opening must bo left back and front, as decided on, and Ifin. should be turned in at the back or front edges for hems. The sola must be neatly and securely joined to the foot, and -when the shoulder seams are stitched, put in tho sleeves. These can hang straight, or each be gathered into a narrow bana along tho lower edge. The neck should bo turned in and faced with material, and buttons and button-fioles be provided at the placket, a little frilling at the throat and termination of tho sleeves givm ga pretty finish to the suit; or of course a; lay-down collar could be adden, cut from the waste material. I hope many mothers will make this little garment, for it is so important that every precauion should be taken to avoid cold-catching by the young, and much can lie done by a judicious selection of clothing to keep children free from colds during the winter. The sleeping suit illustrated would look nice in pink or pink and white striped flannel.

A CHEAP VELVET HAT. Tho hat illustrated is one of the latest shapes, and is of blocked velvet, such as can bo bought for four or live shillings. I hose velvet hats are really extraordinarily cheap, and only require a fibre osprey and a band of ribbon, as in the sketch, to render them ready to wear and extremely smart-looking.