SUN SUITS

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 5, 15 November 1949, Page 516

SUN SUITS

FOR summer days, simple sun suits which are easily washed and ironed are the ideal wear for active small boys. These garments receive hard wear and many washings, so sturdy materials and workmanship are essential. To encourage self-reliance in the wearers and to lighten the mother’s tasks during the hot weather, when everyone, old or young, wilts a little, fastenings should be simple and easily manipulated. Hooks and eyes, small dress fasteners, and very large or very small buttons are too difficult for little fingers, which, however, soon learn to fasten a mediumsized , button and buttonhole. Some styles of garment can be adapted to make the fastening arrangements easier, and construction can be simplified to save time when sewing. The sun suit described by Eva Topping, Rural Sociologist, Department 's of Agriculture, Auckland, has only two fastenings and few pattern pieces, so it is quickly cut out and stitched, easily put on, and takes little time to —all points of special advantage where the family includes several small children.

'T'HE suits illustrated will st. boys of 2 to 3 years. The -*■ measurements of a completed suit cut» to the pattern given are: Waist 22in., outside leg seam BJin., waist to crutch at front 9in., inside leg seam IJin,, bib sJin., and length of shoulder strap 12Jin. z ’ . . Cut out a pattern in paper by following the directions under the diagrams on the opposite page. No pattern need be made for the straps or waist facing. The straps are straight pieces 13 Jin. by 3Jin., and. the waist facing is cut on the true cross 23in. by 3in. Cut out the pattern pieces and mark the position of the flap as shown on the diagram. Turnings of jin. are allowed for on all seams, lin. on the hem for the legs, lin. for 'the top hem of the bib, and Jin. for the side hems. A yard of 36in.-wide material is ample for one suit in this size, and 2Jyds. will make three garments. Two buttons are needed for each suit. Lay the pattern on the material, leaving sufficient space for straight pieces of the required length for the straps and enough for the crossway piece for the facing. If the material is cotton, linen, lightweight woollen, or synthetic, french seams are not too bulky and save the time needed for neatening single seams. Stitch in the darts of the two trouser backs, tapering them to fine points at their lower ends. Press the darts back toward the,centre back. Join the back seam. Stitch round the curve of the front flap, trim the seam, turn the, flap right side out, and press it. Stitch it into place' on the right front between the two marks. Join the front seam, leaving it free over the flap. Hem the left front narrowly at the -opening. Trim the flap seam and neaten the edges. ■ Join the two side seams, then stitch the leg seam. ‘ Turn up the hem at the legs and stitch it by hand, making invisible stitches on the . right side. Join the long edges of the . shoulder straps and turn them right side out. Cut the back ends at an angle and tack them in place jin. from the back seam with the shorter sides toward the centre. Turn -jin. hems on the sides of the bib and a fin. hem at the narrower edge, which is the top. Stitch round continuously. Set the centre of the lower end of the bib at the front seam, right sides together. Join the crossway strip for the waist facing and set it on the right side of the trousers. Stitch round jin. below the raw edges, catching in both straps and bib, then press the facing over to the inside of the garment. Make a Jin. hem on the lower edge of the facing. . Make buttonholes on the top corners of the bib and sew buttons in the right places on the straps. The straps are longer than necessary at first so that the buttons can be moved down as the child grows taller.

All photographs by Sparrow Industrial Pictures Ltd

Take a piece of paper lOin.x I4in. Fold it in four lengthwise then again in four crosswise. Open the paper out and, using the creases as a guide, make pencil crosses at the following points: l|in. down from E; jin. down and jin. to the right of B; jin. down and I in. to the right of C. Join these three marks for the waistline as shown in the diagram. The intersection of the two creases to the right of F; to the left of the intersection opposite G; jin. above H. Join these three marks as shown in the diagram, and continue the line to the end of the waistline, thus making the back seam line. jin. in and -£in. up from I; Ijin. down and in from H. Join these two marks, and continue the' line to the end of the back seam line for the leg seam line. I jin. up from J. Join to the bottom of the leg seam line. For the dart in the back draw a straight line parallel to crease C sin. long and jin. to the right of the crease. Join the lower end of this line to a point I in. to the right on the top edge of the pattern.

Take a - piece of paper lOin. x I2in. and make crosses at the following points: - I in. to the right of B; to the right of the intersection of creases to the right of F; at the’ intersection of creases to the right of G; jin. up from and jin. to the right of H. Join these marks to make a smooth curve for the back seam as shown in the diagram. Ijin. to the right of I and jin. up; 2in. up from J. Join, these two marks with a straight line. I in. down from H and in. Join this mark to the, back seam and leg to give the inner leg seam. .