A HINT FROM JOSEPH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19268, 3 January 1931, Page 20 (Supplement)

A HINT FROM JOSEPH.

THE PATCHWORK COAT. The coats of painted linen and shantung, which exhibit all the colours of the rainbow with cheerful effect, are not only attractive in themselves, but are being used for evening coats in other forms. This consists of nothing more or less than patchwork. By this means coats of many colours and many designs may be made, and as the cut is simple enough—being usually quite straight with a stand-up collar—the effect of the coat depends chiefly upon the arrangement of the different pieces. In making the patchwork coat it is important to keep within the same plane of stuffs and colours. That is to say, where very rich stuffs are used they should all be rich, and where lowtoned stuffs form the coat the low tones must only be given a shock with care. To make the coat?, pieces may be collected from anywhere, and brocades, gold and silver tissues, velvets and satins make beautiful colour schemes. It is a good plan to lay them out on a straight piece of material—unbleached calico perhaps—to get the balance of the colourings. Where gold is used it should be sewn together in patches that are not regular, but that balance. Very often it is a good plan to have an under-colour, which appears perhaps at the yoke-line or to outline the edges. Some coats are made of pieces mounted on black satin, which is then cut away except round the edges and neck. Velvet is sometimes used for patches, and shades of grey, with a little silver introduced, make charming colouring. As a rule the coats barely cover the hips and allow most of the long skirt to show. Collars are sometimes finished off with a little fur. Patchwork may also be used as though it were embroidery or brocade, and a round patch of it may be introduced in the plain field of stuff at wide intervals only.