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Show WOMAN'S WORLD Old Coats Make Nice Toppers If Tailoring Is Well Handled (Sij. Crlla Maley THE most popular coat for the younger set for the present appears ap-pears to be the short topper that fits well over all kinds of dresses and even suits. It's sort of a casual affair that slips on and oft easily but still makes the girls look well turned out. It's surprising how "many old coats can be converted easily into attractive toppers for schooL Perhaps Per-haps last year's coat looks just a bit shabby .for wear this year, or is a bit outmoded by the abundance of shorter coats the others are wearing. wear-ing. If the coat is plaid or tweed or a nice solid color, then it is perfect per-fect material for the popular topper. top-per. Look for a coat whose material is firmly woven with enough body to tailor nicely. If the coat has a nice top, such as a lapel style or even a collarless one that sets well on the girl, you will have to do little to the coat except, perhaps, to change the padding in the shoulders, shoul-ders, and make a present of a new lining that will carry it through the present school season. You will probably not use a pattern pat-tern for the coat, but in cutting it down it is perhaps best to fit it on the girl so as to be sure that you get the right length to it. This should be folded up and pinned first so that you will know exactly how it looks before going to work with the shears. When Changing Sizes Use New Pattern If, however, you are making a large coat into a smaller one, the best plan to follow is to rip the coat apart and use a pattern. Have the coat cleaned, ripped carefully, and pressed very flat so that pinning and cutting can be easily done. When working with woolens, you . can't have the ironing board too handy All seams on such heavy material should be pressed open mmm iiiiKiiiai wflgiggi. & flllSf Remodel last year's coat. . carefully as soon as they are ititched. This pressing may sound like a lot of nonsense, but it's absolutely ab-solutely essential so that you work along carefully planned lines and get the stitching as even as possible. pos-sible. The seam allowance on woolens should be ample as the fabric will pull out unless you've taken care of this carefully. It's also necessary to allow plenty for seams so that the garment can be pressed well and have the seams lie flat once they are put together. In some woolens which do not ravel rav-el easily, or those which are not too heavy, the seams may be finished fin-ished with pinking shears, but should the fabric be heavy at all it's best to overcast the edges to give a nice finish to the garment. If you are remodeling an old coat, and particularly if shortening to a topper style, you will have to remove re-move the pockets. Fit the pockets onto the coat after it has been shortened short-ened because in most cases they will have to be lifted, and they should fit the wearer. Pin the pockets in place, with the . sides of the pockets on a true lengthwise grain of fabric. Then stitch up to the top of the pocket then turn down and stitch to the bottom, across, up to the top of the opposite side, and down the width of the hem. Pivot squarely at each corner Keep stitching within A inch of the edge, which will make 'TWja.si Enfl A at-", 11 For thu year', football games. I the stitching less conspicuous than if you stitched Vs or of an inch from the edge. Easy Guide Offered For Lining Coat If you're remodeling a coat, chances are that the lining will have to be replaced. Select a fabric that slips easily a type always desirable desira-ble for lining any garment and choose a color that is harmonious. Some of the somber colors may be livened with gay plaid or contrasting brighter colors. An inconspicuous dark color, or a color a shade darker dark-er than the coat itself, is always a good guide. Remove the old lining from the coat, rip it apart and use this as a pattern for cutting a new lining. Since most lining fabrics are of a slippery material, such as rayons and taffeta, it is perhaps best to baste them before sewing. Remember that the linings are sewed on the outside, as the inside of the lining is actually the outside when it is placed in the coat You will have to attach the lining with hand stitching and this is done with small stitches so that the material will not slip loose. While you are sewing on the coat, you will press it on the wrong side making sure all the seams are flat. However, when the coat is completely com-pletely finished, the final pressing job will have to be done on the outside. out-side. Have a fairly heavy cloth well dampened, and lay this over the right side of the material before you run the iron over it. Hang carefully and the coat will be ready to wear. |