When buying linen it is best not to lay in a stock too far ahead, for the bleaching in linen often affects its wearing quality. The threads in good linen should be long, round, and lustrous. When raveled the threads should not pull apart and fuzz, for this is a sign of cotton. It is better to buy a soft linen than one that has been made stiff by starch and sizing. Rub a little together in your hand to see if the stiffness remains. LESSON II DRESSMAKING EQUIPMENT After the careful purchasing of material, great care should be taken in the making of it. If possible, a separate room should be set aside for sewing. It should be a well-lighted, ventilated, and heated room, with varnished or linoleum-covered floors, which can be easily kept clean. A standard sewing machine, kept in good repair, a cutting table, an ironing board and iron, a few straight-back chairs, a large mirror, and a dress form are essential. Among the smaller articles which complete the dressmaker's outfit are a tape measure, a yard stick, a pin cushion filled with good sharp pins, two pairs of scissors, one large pair for cutting heavy material and another HOME DRESSMAKING 9 smaller pair for general use, thimbles, a variety of thread, a good grade of medium and small needles, and an emery for sharpening them. A chest of drawers in which old patterns may be filed is convenient, for the mate- rial which is being worked upon may be folded and placed here over night to be kept free from dust. Always keep the room as neat and clean as possible, sweeping up the scraps from one garment before starting another. Patience must be observed in sewing. Learn to be accurate about every detail. Take measurements carefully — study and alter your pattern with the same degree of care that you use when you sew the trimming on the dress. Accurateness is essential to perfect-fitting garments. When sewing never sit in a stooped position. Sit nearly erect, hold- ing your work up to you, at a correct distance from your eyes. The number of the thread and needles used will always be deter- mined by the material being worked upon. It is best, however, to use as fine a needle as possible, for smaller stitches can be taken with it. Size six or seven is best for best basting, and eight for ordinary sewing. Always cut thread, never bite it. Use thread not longer than arm's length, for a longer thread is more apt to tangle and is not satisfactory. LESSON III SEWING STITCHES Basting is the temporary stitching which is used to hold two pieces of cloth together while the permanent stitching is put in. The basting must be carefully done, if the stitch- ing is to look well. There are three common kinds of basting, even, un- even, and diagonal. Even hasting is the taking of stitches of the same length, leaving spaces of equal length. Uneven hasting is made by tak- ing one long stitch and one or more short ones. This is used where there is not as much strain on the material xjNEVEN BASTING as there is in even basting. EVEN BASTING |y.";*.,,W.WP,i,i n.V' '.'.' 10 HOME DRESSMAKING DIAGONAL OR CROSSWISE BASTING RUNNING STITCH _^ ^^ , Diagonal or crosswise hasting {?, \\\\\\\\VH' "I the taking of stitches of equal length, in a diagonal manner. This is used in basting a lining to an outer garment.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

When buying linen it is best not to lay in a stock too far ahead, for the bleaching in linen often affects its wearing quality. The threads in good linen should be long, round, and lustrous. When raveled the threads should not pull apart and fuzz, for this is a sign of cotton. It is better to buy a soft linen than one that has been made stiff by starch and sizing. Rub a little together in your hand to see if the stiffness remains. DRESSMAKING EQUIPMENT After the careful purchasing of material, great care should be taken in the making of it. If possible, a separate room should be set aside for sewing. It should be a well-lighted, ventilated, and heated room, with varnished or linoleum-covered floors, which can be easily kept clean. A standard sewing machine, kept in good repair, a cutting table, an ironing board and iron, a few straight-back chairs, a large mirror, and a dress form are essential. Among the smaller articles which complete the dressmaker's outfit are a tape measure, a yard stick, a pin cushion filled with good sharp pins, two pairs of scissors, one large pair for cutting heavy material and another smaller pair for general use, thimbles, a variety of thread, a good grade of medium and small needles, and an emery for sharpening them. A chest of drawers in which old patterns may be filed is convenient, for the material which is being worked upon may be folded and placed here over night to be kept free from dust. Always keep the room as neat and clean as possible, sweeping up the scraps from one garment before starting another. Patience must be observed in sewing. Learn to be accurate about every detail. Take measurements carefully — study and alter your pattern with the same degree of care that you use when you sew the trimming on the dress. Accurateness is essential to perfect-fitting garments. When sewing never sit in a stooped position. Sit nearly erect, holding your work up to you, at a correct distance from your eyes. The number of the thread and needles used will always be determined by the material being worked upon. It is best, however, to use as fine a needle as possible, for smaller stitches can be taken with it. Size six or seven is best for best basting, and eight for ordinary sewing. Always cut thread, never bite it. Use thread not longer than arm's length, for a longer thread is more apt to tangle and is not satisfactory. SEWING STITCHES Basting is the temporary stitching which is used to hold two pieces of cloth together while the permanent stitching is put in. The basting must be carefully done, if the stitching is to look well. There are three common kinds of basting, even, uneven, and diagonal. Even hasting is the taking of stitches of the same length, leaving spaces of equal length. Uneven hasting is made by taking one long stitch and one or more short ones. This is used where there is not as much strain on the material UNEVEN BASTING as there is in even basting. EVEN BASTING |y.";*.,,W.WP,i,i n.V' '.'.' DIAGONAL OR CROSSWISE BASTING RUNNING STITCH _^ ^^ , Diagonal or crosswise hasting {?, \\\\\\\\VH' "I the taking of stitches of equal length, in a diagonal manner. This is used in basting a lining to an outer garment.

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