| Show 5 it WOMANS WOMAN'S WORLD S Dresses Made at Home Can Achieve Professional Look By Ertta Ertla Haley LANNING to make a dress Was P PLANNING the last one you made a success suc- suc success success suc suc- cess or did it fall short of expectations expectations expectations in spite of the material and expense to which you went If the latter is the case then Its It's high time to stop puttering around in an amateurish way and pay attention attention at at- to the difference between something that just covers you ou and a flattering dress that looks as though you'd been melted into it Most common mistake which Is frequently made by the too not seamstress Is the failure allure to tobe tobe tobe be realistic about figure faults A woman hates to think her hips spread more than the Ideal measurement measurement measurement measure measure- ment on a pattern or that her upper ms a ms are flabby or something else of the kind These are the usual causes of ill-fitting ill dresses and consequently consequently consequently con con- the dress only points up figure faults Perhaps youre you're one of at the thousands thousands thousands thou thou- sands of women who have not given It any thought before but almost every feminine figure has distinct variations such as differences between between between be be- tween the left and right sides of the bust hip and shoulder measure measure- ments Chances are that if 11 you neglect to recognize these facts in your own figure and thus make the proper pattern pattern pattern pat pat- tern adjustments you will do away with one of the primary reasons for making your own clothes that of ot a perfectly fitted garment Perfection of figure is almost an impossibility to achIeve but a perfectly perfectly perfectly per per- fitted dress is within everyone's everyone's everyone's every every- ones one's reach With little adjustments here and there figure faults are minimized so so as to be almost non non- existent I i i t F- F M i-M f J L f H LI i Cut CuI down on countless fittings fillings I Follow Basic Rules For Successful Dress Once youre you're aware of your own individual figure faults youre you're ready to proceed with the steps necessary to turning out a truly professional-like professional dressmaking job For instance its it's wise to provide generous seam allowance from underarm underarm underarm un un- un- un to waistline for sleeve ac ac- ac- ac tion This will also keep bodice details details details de de- de- de tails toward the center front as indicated in indicated indicated in- in on pattern instruction charts Just in case youve you've been skipping some dressmaking details like pressing pressing pressing press- press ing after basting and sewing seams on a machine you'll find out that this step also helps in ha turning out better jobs This avoids puckering and helps eliminate inaccuracies If U possible use a pressing cloth that's chemically treated to force I steam into seams when a little water is sprinkled on the cloths cloth's I Dressmaking Aid AidOne I IOne S g 4 T One of the easiest ways to detect detect de de- de- de ted figure faults quickly Is to use a thermoplastic dress form twin molded to your own figure to use at dressmaking making sessions It will enable you to to- tomake make snake pattern pattern pattern pat pat- tern adjustments readily and thus turn out garments which are figure flattering At the same time It cuts down on time needed to try on the dress inthe in inthe inthe the making top surface With a pressing cloth you OU can escape ugly pressing marks and stains Another aid to dressmaking success success suc sue cess is the use of a thermoplastic dress form which Is really a twin of your figure With this form you can take accurate measurements all on your own and then by adjusting the pattern to the form you'll find its it's easy to turn out garments that provide provide provide pro pro- vide figure flattery Countless try-ons try can be eliminated eliminated elim elim- mated with the use of the form and thus time is actually saved You need no help in pinning hems seams or many of the other dressmaking dressmaking dressmaking dress dress- making steps which require the help of an extra person When you pin-fit pin the pattern to the thermoplastic form be certain to pin all darts and tucks as shown on the pattern Eliminating just one of them may throw off the line of the pattern completely I and fashion flattering figure clothes clothe Have your Dress Fitting but Comfortable When fitting the back bodice allow about one inch slack In the pattern from neck down to the center center center cen cen- ter back to the waist This will allow for arm movement when the garment garment gar gar- ment Is cut Also allow a little slack around the arms' arms eye for tor arm move move- ment If It youre you're pattern Is too long waist waist- ed for the form which is the twin of your figure take a horizontal tuck In the pa pattern between the side seam notch and the dart on the pattern that allows for bust fullness When the pattern is too short for the form slash pattern and insert a strip of tissue paper for the extra length required Waistlines on patterns are sometimes sometimes sometimes some some- times too large for the wearer while at other times they are too small In Inthis Inthis Inthis this case never let out or take inthe inthe in inthe the bodice darts as this will alter the original line of the pattern Merely make a small tapering dart to decrease the pattern or a slight slash filled out with tissue paper to increase the pattern size If It you have made pattern adjustments adjustments adjust adjust- ments on the bodice of the pattern the same alterations should be made at the waistline of the skirt In this way you can continue to coordinate all the pattern markings which are the actual sewing guide After the fabric has been cut according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to an adjusted pattern baste all darts and seams Put the garment on the dress form right side out and check for fit On regular hems tape may be used for the finishing edge You'll find that this is easier to sew than the dress material and it will give a nicely finished edge and also avoids the turning of fabric which may be difficult I Select elect Flattering Length In Hemline The dress should be almost finIshed finished finished fin fin- before the hem is pinned Make certain that all side seams arc are sewed and if 11 the dress has a abelt abelt abelt belt use this before pinning the hem as it may lilt lift the dress slightly slight slight- ly higher Current dress lengths may mayor or may not be flattering to you If It they are not then select one closest to the length now worn and use this on your dress Expert designers do not insist on a hard and fast rule for length as long as trend is observed If II you have a dress of ot flattering length try this on your form to use as a guide for the hemline atthe of at the new dress Its It's easy casy to pin hem marking In with a dress form since you need only place one end of the ruler to the floor and place the pins at whatever whatever whatever what what- ever measurement you want for the dress Cut off oft only enough for tor a proper hem This is usually two inches inch inch- es but on a flared skirt that is very full the hem is just turned under enough to make a very narrow narrow narrow nar nar- row hem Careful Sewing Increases Value Suppose that you have made a well-fitting well dress You'll like wearing wearing wear wear- ing lag it because of the compliments received as well as the comfort it gives in hi the wearing Garments like this are arc worn often otten It will pay you to take special care careIn careIn carein in sewing carefully so that you'll get the utmost in wear and value Many women say that their best best- liked garments often dont don't wear long enough |
