DRESSMAKING

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 86, 7 April 1934, Page 7

DRESSMAKING

MAKE YOUR OWN Everywhere now girls and women arc wondering how they can possibly eke out there reduced dress allowances. The most obvious way, and, if they do it well, the most practical, is for them to make their own clothes. First of all, I .suggest that you set. about learning dressmaking. If you are in a town, your technical institute will provide lessons very cheaply. If in the country,' your women’s institute will do the same, even more cheaply. If neither is available, then get a good dressmaker to give you a few lessons. She might be persuaded to let you do plain needlework —finishing seams, etc.-—to help with the paying. Next equip yourself for work. If you cannot afford a sewing-machine of your own, try to get a few friends to form a syndicate and buy one between you. Or, if you cannot squeeze a small instalment out of your monthly income, buy one on the never-never plan. A heavy iron for pressing, goo.d needles, pins, and scissors and, if possible, an ironing-board. Next, begin, if you have not already done so, to follow to the letter instructions given to you with paper patterns. man amateurs seem to imagine that these instructions have been printed merely to decorate the pattern envelope! They ignore them completely, work up their garment, a* best they may, and then wonder why it doesn’t, look like the picture on the envelope! Papers patterns are scientifically cut —they are fitted on models and pass under very severe scrutiny before you know anyihing about, them. Then, needlework experts take the trouble to write the history of their growth—surely then, they are worth studying? When cutting is successful your dross stands a good chance of fitting ' and looking chic. Tacking a garment together before sewing is well worth the extra time it entails. Remember that you are trying to beat the professional at her own game, and do not imagine that you can. rush in where she fears to tread. Pressing goes on all the time. Seams as they occure should be pressed and on no account left until the garment is complete. Pressing must not be taken for ironing—see that yeur tuition includes a workable knowledge of this essential factor. Button-holes should receive special attention. If they are not '‘just so,” they can be such ‘‘give-aways.’’ .Unless you are absolutely sure of yourself, then get the local tailor odd-jobs’-man to do them for you. Suitability of material needs more than a casual thought —as also does quality. If you are tailoring a piece of material it must be good, or should be good. If you are merely running up a ho! - day frock, or a little something to wear in the house, then a remnant of ‘‘as cheap as possible” is good enough. It is foolish to use very cheap material for undies. Undies should be beatifully sewn, no matter how simply they are cot. Tor tot don' want to find that your stitches are outliving the material by years, in vm:’ Most important of all is suitability of design. Please do see to this. Choose your styles to bring out your good points and to conceal your bad ones. For no one looks so badly dressed as the woman who is unsuitably dressed.