Ladies
Drawers
Choose any
proper material, and form the article by making two legs,
set on to a band
to fasten round the waist. Set on a plain or worked frill
at the bottom. When setting the legs on to the band,
place them so as to overlap each other. The band is
eleven nails long and three deep.Shifts
These are
generally made of fine Irish [linen] or calico.
They are made either with gores, or crossed. The latter
is the neatest method. Two breadths are sufficient for a
full sized shift, and gores are cut off, of a given width
at the bottom and extending to a point, in order to widen
the garment. In crossing a shift, you first sew the long
seams; then you double it in a slanting direction, so as
to mark off at top and bottom, ten nails at opposite
corners; this done, you join the narrow ends together and
sew the cross seams, leaving a sufficent slit for the arm
holes. There are various methods of cutting the back and
bosom. Some cut a scollop both before and behind; but in
this case, the back is hollowed out one third less than
the front. Some ladies hollow out the back, but form the
bosom with a flap, which may be cut either straight, or
in a slanting direction from the shoulders. Another
method of forming the bosom is by cutting the shoulder
straps separate from the shift and making the top quite
straight.; bosom gores are then let in front; the top is
hemmed both before and behind, and a frill gives a neat
finish to the whole. The sleeves may be either set in
plain or full, as suits the taste of the wearer.
Sometimes the sleeves and gusset are all in one piece; at
other times they are separate. In all cases great care
should be taken in cutting out, not to waste the
material. For this purpose it is always advisable to cut
out several at one time. Shifts for young children of
from five to ten years of age are generally made with
flaps both before and behind. This is decidedly the
neatest shape for them. The bottom, in all cases, should
be hemmed with a broad hem.
Ladies
Flannel Waistcoat
This is, in
many cases, an indispensable article of female attire.
For an ordinary size, you must take a piece of flannel
twelve nails wide and seven deep, folding it exactly in
the middle. At two nails from the front, which is
doubled, the arm-holes must be cut, leaving two nails for
half of the back. The front is to be slightly hollowed.
At the bottom, cut a slit of three nails, immediately
under the arm-holes; insert a gore three nails broad, and
the length and terminating in a point. Bosom-gores are
also to be introduced of a similar shape and just half
the size. They are to be put in just one nail from the
shoulder-strap. In making the waistcoat, it is to be
herring-boned all round as are also all the gores and
slits. A broad tape, one nail in width, is laid down each
side of the front, in which the button-holes are made,
and buttons are set on; the shoulder straps are of tape,
and the waistcoat fastens in front.
Ladies'
Night Jacket
The
materials are various including lawn, linen and calico.
The jackets are made of two breadths, and it is desirable
not to have a seam in the shoulder, the two breadths
should be cut in one length and carefully doubled in the
middle. The neck is to be slit open, leaving three nails
on each side for the shoulders; and a slit is also made
in front, so as to allow the garment to pass freely over
the head of the wearer; the sides are then to be seamed
up, leaving proper slits for the armoles; and the neck
and bosom are to be hemmed as neatly as possible. The
sleeves are to be made the required length and gathered
into a band at the wrist, after being felled into the
arm-holes mentioned above. A neat frill round the neck,
bosom and wrists finishes the whole.
Night
Gowns
These must
be made of a size suitable to the wearer. The following
are directions for three different sizes. The length of
the gown on the skirts is one yard and a half for the
first size, one yard and six nails for the second and one
yard and three nails for the third; the width of the
material is eighteen, sixteen and fourteen nails,
respectively; and the garment is to have one yard and a
half breadth in width. They are to be crossed so as to be
at the bottom twenty-one, eighteen and sixteen nails; and
at the top, fifteen, fourteen and twelve nails, as the
sizes may require. The length of the sleeves is nine,
eight and seven nails, and the width is half a breadth;
they are furnished with gussets, three, two and two nails
square, and with wristbands of the proper width and of
any depth that is deemed desirable.
A binder of
one nail and a half is put down the selvedge of each
sleeve, which strengthens it much. The gown is furnished
with a collar about three nails deep, and of the length
required by the wearer; and, in order that it may fit
properly, neck gussets of two, one and one nail square,
are introduced. A slit of about six nails is made in
front, which is hemmed round, and the square left for the
shoulders, is three, two and a half and two nails,
respectively. The whole is finished with a neat frill
round the collar and wristbands. If economy is an object,
cut three gowns together. This will prevent much waste of
material; an object, by every head of a family to be
constantly kept in view.
Flannel
Petticoats
These are
not only useful, but indispensable articles of dress.
Fine flannel is the best, as it is most durable and keps
its color best in washing. The length of the petticoat is
regulated by the height of the person for whom it is
intended, and the width ranges from three breadths to one
and a half. The bottom is hemmed with a broad hem; and
the top is gathered and set on to a strong band of calico
or jean, leaving the front nearly plain. Sometimes a
button hole is made, about two nails from the ends of the
band, to which strings of tape are attached; these are
passed through the opposite holes, and the parts thus
brought over each other form a kind of bustle, which
makes the garment sit more neatly to the figure. A slit
of about four nails is left on the back, which is to be
hemmed round, or bound with strong binding.
Petticoats
Petticoats
are worn under the dress for the sake of warmth, and also
to make the gown hang more gracefully from the person.
They should have three or three and a half breadths of
the material in the width, and the bottom is made with a
broad hem three nails deep, or with tucks or worked
muslin. The latter is extremely neat. They are to be set
on to a strong band or stock and are to have a slit left
at the back, about four nails in length. The skirt may be
gathered full all round, or only at the back and front,
leaving the sides plain; sometimes all the fulness is
thrown to the back. Having shoulder-straps to keep up the
petticoats, is a great advantage; but they are
unnecessary if a waist or body, with or without sleeves,
be set on a band. In this case the body should be made to
fit as tight to the person as possible. The band is
generally about one nail in breadth. The materials proper
for petticoats are dimity, calico, cambric, jaconet
muslin, calamanca, stuff etc. What are called middle, or
under petticoats are made in the same manner. Those
ladies who pursue the laudable practice of nursing their
infants and who wear petticoats with bodies to them, have
them to open in front.
Pockets
These are
made of any kind of material you please. You take a piece
double and cut it to the shape required. Stitch the two
pieces neatly round a little distance from the edge. Then
turn it and let the seam be well flattened, and back
stitch with white silk a quarter of an inch from the
edge; cut a slit down about four nails, which is to be
either hemmed, or have a tape laid round it on the
inside. Set on the strings and the pocket is complete.
Some ladies have pockets attached to the petticoat. In
that case, it is only a square of calico, about ten nails
long and eight broad, set on to the inside of the
petticoat as plain as possible.
Bustles
These are
worn to make the waist of the gown sit neatly upon the
person. They are made the width of the material and eight
nails deep. The piece is to be so doubled as to make two
flounces; one four nails and a half, and the other three
and a half deep. A case, to admit of tapes, is to be made
one nail from the top, and the bottom of each flounce is
to have a thick cord hemmed into it. When worn, the
article is turned inside out. The materials are strong
jean or calico.
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