Fashion Design Drawing

PINS, NEEDLES, ET CETERA. Clean, unbent pins are important. Small pins are better than large, and fine steel pins should be used on silk or any material that will mark. Never push a pin through a fabric. Use the points only and take up as little of the material as possible.

You will need a thimble that fits correctly, needles of all sizes, basting cotton, different colored cottons for marking tailor's tacks, chalk, a yard-stick and a tape-measure. Learn to use your tape-measure accurately, for one of the points of fine dressmaking is the difference between an eighth of an inch and a quarter, a quarter of an inch and three-eighths.

IRONS. You should have either an electric iron and two ordinary irons, or else three ordinary irons. The two extra irons are used to hold the third in an inverted position in steaming velvet. An eight-pound smoothing-iron is the most satisfactory type for pressing.

IRONING-BOARD. Skirts and coats can be pressed on your long laundry ironing-board or on your sewing-table. Seams should be pressed over the curved edge of an ironing-board so that the seam edges will not be marked on the garment.

A SLEEVE-BOARD which can be used for sleeves and short seams can be made from a board two or three feet long, and tapering from five or six inches in width at one end to three inches at the other. (Fig. 174A.) The ends and edges should be rounded and the board should have an inner covering of flannel or a similar wool material, and an outer cover of smooth cotton cloth. (Fig. 174A.)

A TAILOR'S CUSHION is used for pressing darts and curved seams. (Fig. 174B.) It is ham shaped and is stuffed tightly with cotton rags. Cut two pieces, eighteen

by fourteen inches, making them narrower at one end. (Fig. 174B.) Round off all the

edges. Stitch the seam with a close stitch.

THE SEWING-MACHINE should be of a good, reliable make. You will get full directions with it, and in using it be careful to observe the correct tension, length of stitch, etc. Tucking and gathering, etc., can be done on a machine.

Fashion Design Drawing - Efficient Equipment For Dressmaking 3.jpg

THE DRESS-FORM. It is necessary in dressmaking to have a perfect duplicate of your own figure on which you can try your clothes as you make them.

Buy a dress-form one size smaller than your bust measure. If you have a thirty-six-inch bust, buy a thirty-four-inch dress-form. It should have an extension stand that can be lowered to your skirt length. The stand should be on casters so that you can move it around and turn it easily. It is

not necessary for you to have a wire skirt frame.