Volume 1, Chapter 4: Assembling, Fitting .... Part 1

Chapter Four starts out talking about fit, how important it is to fit the garment so it is flattering and that it is done correctly without shortcuts.  Presumably you have already done some adjustments to the pattern so it has wide enough circumference and length.  Basically, the writer feels that it is important to baste the garment together -- darts first, then seams, baste pockets to the garment after seams are sewn to ensure they are positioned in the best place.  She also suggests basting the zipper in first to ensure correct neck fit.   It is better and easier to unpick a basting stitch than a construction stitch.  Correct sewing technique is also important to make your clothes last longer and look good. 

 Page 88 digresses into fashion history-- the evolution of pockets, buttons and buttonholes, pleats, hems and zippers.  Then on page 90 there is a blurb about hemlines and Wall Street-- higher skirts when times are flush and longer when times are tough.  There is a pretty cool picture of skirt lengths through the decades although it seems like even though the 1950's was prosperous, skirts were still longer than the 1940s (due to fabric shortages in the 40's probably but then that contradicts the whole theory).

My take on this is that while there are some great productivity shortcuts that can be employed when sewing garments, it is probably best to use those with tried and true (TNT) patterns that have already been fitted.  You can even trim out the seam allowances to 3/8's inch to eliminate lots of trimming and clipping.  But with a new pattern, it is probably better to follow the advice in the book-- but I like to just baste a muslin together first before I cut my fashion fabric.  Once all your changes have been applied to the paper pattern, you are golden until you have some weight/size changes in which you have to start all over again.  If you are like me and have frequent weight fluctuations, you might want to write the date, your weight and key measurements (bust, hip) on the pattern and save it as you might see that size again.  Sometimes shooting a picture and putting it in the pattern is good too.  The best way to get better at sewing techniques is to practice them.  Which is kind of a pain as I would rather be making something rather than doing drills.  But once you do 10 welt pockets or bound buttonholes, they become less difficult or intimidating.  Yesterday I was at the Salvation Army and looked at a short sleeved top made from the 70's in that thick polyester.  It had bound buttonholes!  Totally unexpected.

The next section in this chapter gives an overview on putting different key garments together-- dress, shirt, women's blouse, skirt, women's pants, men's pants.  The author does not delve into technique here.  This would be a cool exercise to do with the TNT wardrobe sew-alongs, 6-packs, and SWAPs going on this year.  The overviews are basically order of assembly directions.  What is neat is they give little advices for example, on page 97 at Step B for the skirt assembly, it tells you to baste the darts if there are any, baste the seams and try on the skirt.  The next step says "if the waist dart is too short, it will pucker at the tip when tried on and the skirt will have extra fabric at the hip or abdomen.  Correct it by placing a pin 1 1/2 inches above the fullest part of the upper hip or abdomen indicated by an "x" on the drawing (as usual nicely shaded drawings illustrate all the garment construction steps) and tapering the dart to the pin, Re-baste the dart."  The description then goes on to tell you what to do if the dart is too long or if it points in the wrong direction.

The pictures in this chapter of which I have shown 2 of them are very 70's cool.  I love the cream skit and the flip hairdo.  I think today, that would be too much cream and probably too covered up--turtleneck with long-sleeved overshirt?  I would wear a different color jacket but the garment styles are still relevant and would not look out of order today.

The drawings of the different garments for the assembly directions are in 2 tone blue with black stitch lines to illustrate the seam lines similar to the old McCalls two color pattern instructions from the 1970s.  They title the clothing items as "The Classic Dress and show one with bust darts and one with princess seams, "The Classic Shirt" which could be a man's shirt or a woman's shirt but has no collar stand nor bust dart, "The Classic Blouse" which has sleeves gathered at a smaller cuff and bust darts, "The Classic Skirt" which allows for pleats and/or darts and a waistband and zipper also another model with a front closure; "The Classic Women's Pants" with darts, zippers, waistband, no waistband/facing and pockets; "The Classic Men's Pants" with the standard fly, pocket and waistband.

Sewing Pattern History

It was not until the sewing machine became widely available that a demand for home sewing patterns arose. Before the "deltor", women constructed dresses from a one size pattern that was graded at home by eye and touch. Others would trace off complicated patterns printed in magazines next to a picture of the garment-- similar to a BurdaStyle, Patrones and Ottobre magazines.

Ebenezer Butterick, a tailor, started manufacturing patterns using tissue paper and in different sizes in 1863. Patterns billed as "guaranteed to make a perfectly formed garment" sold six million in one year. It was a welcome change from the tedious tracing and fitting that was necessary with the magazine patterns. He started with boy's and men's patterns and then expaneded to womens. These were not the patterns that we are used to seeing as there were no markings until later in the late 1890's punch outs directing which piece was what with directions, and layout instructions provdided on the envelope years later. Fashion magazines featuring the styles were published (The Delineator) so one could order the patterns from them. These precut patterns made sewing patterns and fashion accessible to the growing middle classes.

James McCall, another tailor, started his company McCall's patterns in 1870. McCalls started printing cutting, marking and sewing lines on their patterns in 1921. In 1968 the major pattern manufacturers agreed upon a standard for sizing so the sizes were consistent between the brands. Pattern adjustment for individuals were and continue to be necessary however.



When this book was writtin in 1973, they do mention that personal adjustments can be programmed into computer fitted programs. These measurements "are fed into a computer, which activates a "plotter" whose stylus traced a custom pattern needing no adjustments whatsoever." I wonder how accurate this was in actuality as today, I continue to struggle to get the settings on computer generated patterns to fit me correctly.

Reasons for the late appearance of sewing patterns in a world with such rich sewing heritage is no mystery. In ancient days, cloth was draped, tied and pinned and hung loosely from the body. It wasn't until clothing style became more tailored to the body (probably can be traced to the changing climate of Europe) which saw it's pinnacle in the 12th Century. The new tailored look, along with the expansion of trade that was developed during the Crusades inspired increased wool industry and an expansion of tailor's guilds in the major cities. The simple draped shapes were not sufficient, more shaped pieces were needed and the necessity to conserve the expensive fabric required shaped pattern pieces laid out to take the best advantage of the cloth. They were initially made of paper and then of cloth with no markings. The tailor's eye was the grading system and they kept their customers measures as well as liberal letting out and taking during fittings.

Men (tailors) had exclusive right to the use of patterns, it being illegal for anyone else. In the 17th Century, Louis XIV granted seamstresses the right to use patterns to make the clothes for women and children. If you remember history, the male peerage were quite the peacock. King Louis, desiring that France be the epicenter of good taste in not only wine and cheese, but Mode as well, sent lifesize dolls through the courts of Europe dressed in the latest Paris fashion. The Ladies would then order their tailors and seamstresses to copy the style and be current with the fashion. Even so, in those times fashion did not change as quickly as it does now so there was time for the celebrated fashion designer/royal tailors and demimondaine to set the trend.

Life size dolls were unwieldy to say the least. The idea was still good though and continued after Louis was gone. The dolls continued to communicate the latest fashion but in a much smaller size until the estimable Ebenezer pedaled his patterns. In the 1940's Robert Ricci revived the fashion doll ideas as a way to raise money for the war effort. This project is documented in Theatre del la Mode which can be obtained from Palmer/Pletsch at http://www.palmerpletsch.com/store/theatrebook.htm and contains lovely vintage 1940's fashion.

The clothing of the dolls were correct down to the most minute detail in order to communicate the latest style. Most were made of china or alabaster. Ultimately the paper doll succeeded the china doll and were actually used in the mass market for the less well-heeled by the mid 1800's.