Part 15
The five-eighths lap at about eight numbers from O, may also be accounted for as being required for the roundness of the shoulder blade, which is partially reached by the shoulder seam of a coat. Between the top of the shoulder seam and eight numbers from O, the lap, of whatever it is made, should not be even, but should be a trifle less a few inches below the neck, say one-eighth to three-sixteenth of an inch, as shown in the diagrams. This will give the finished shoulder a better appearance than if cut and made flat. The shoulders are hollow there, and the coat must conform to that, because a coat must fit there to the body and must be made to fit to the body there, it must hang and balance itself there, and if it don’t fit there it must make a break, and in fact this is the only place where a coat is required to actually fit the body.
The shoulder seam for a vest must also be considered in particular. Dia. IV gives the vest shoulder seam without lap or gore upon the angle of 135 degs., and the top of back is cut as wide, at point 5, as the angle of 45 degs., and it may be cut one-half inch wider in order to bring it fully to the side of the neck, where the spring is required, but it should not be over 3½ numbers. Dia. IV requires that in finishing the neck, the neckband must be cut long and sewed on full at the shoulder seam, say one-quarter inch, or plainer, the back should be stretched that much at and close to the shoulder seam. If a cutter prefers to sew the neck band even on the back, he must allow one-quarter to three-eighths spring at the top of the shoulder seam, and at the back, starting it about two inches downward.
Now it will be found that by reducing the spring at the neck of a coat to nothing, but leaving the five-eighths lap toward the blade, the great majority of stooping forms may be fitted, for it makes the front shoulder shorter, and that is all that a forward leaning neck requires. Stooping persons often throw their shoulders up, and such must be considered a combination of stooping and square shoulders. The lap of from three to five-eighths must always depend upon how the collar is sewed on. A three-eighths lap and one-quarter stretch of the neck-hole makes a better shoulder than a five-eighths lap with the collar sewed on close. A tight collar around the back and side will always spoil the shoulder. If a coat be too wide there, sew in the shoulder seam, but never draw in the side or the back of the neck with a short collar. A square shoulder may be produced by a lap of one-half between the back and front shoulder seam toward the shoulder blade, and no lap at the neck, and placing top of back at 3½. The armhole itself must be the same for both the square and for the low shoulder, or the long neck. The lap of the shoulder seam requires that seam to be nicked as shown in the diagram. It is better all around if the jour. has a sure point at the middle to connect said seam, when he can baste up and down. He is less apt to throw one side up and the other down than if he makes the connection at the neck or at the armhole. To connect the shoulder seam with a satisfactory result, square up from line 11¼ and in front of armhole, and nick each back and each front on said line, which is even, to moving the forepart down on the front plumb line until the shoulders meet. In sewing the shoulder seam together the back should always be a trifle the fullest, because the back passes over the round shoulder blade and the front passes over the hollow on top of the shoulders, and should be stretched a trifle. By a trifle I mean about one-eighth of an inch on each side of the nick.
Locating the connecting point at the center in the shoulder seam, the jour. must be instructed to baste up and down, and if any part is too wide at the neck or at the armhole, to trim it off or let it stand as an outlet, but in all cases insist that both neck and armhole must have a nice slope after the collar is sewed on, or the sleeve is sewed in. If the cutting is done according to this work, there will be no trouble in obtaining a nice round armhole.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
COLLARS.
(SEE DIA. VII.)
All top collars should be cut bias and without a seam behind. All under collars should be put on rather loose, but not full, at the side of the neck. The principle of a standing collar must be well understood, for it is a permanent thing, and to be applied equally in the construction of all garments with collars, no matter if it is standing alone or if a turn-down piece is attached to it. It is true, a separate collar can be fitted to the neck in any shape, and may be so fitted that the forepart and collar meet in front, allowing the standing portion over the back to go down anywhere. But this is not the principle for a standing collar, for the reason that it cannot so be applied on a vest, or any other garment, with the standing collar cut on the forepart. The neck-band of a vest, or the standing collar of any garment, has a certain function to perform. Whenever a vest is on the angle of 135 deg., the neck-hand must lap over the back a certain distance, as shown in the diagrams. Whenever the neck is finished, said band is turned upward to the top of the neck, and in so doing it will form a spring near the shoulder seam to permit the neck to pass through; and it is just the same whether a turn-down piece or a turn-down collar is attached to it or not. If the neck-band is cut too low behind, it will form too much spring and the vest will be too wide at the side of the neck, and must be shrunk, which will never make a well-fitting job. If the band is cut too high at the back center, it will not have spring enough at the side, and the vest must be stretched, which, however, can be done better than if drawn in. But in either case, whether stretching or shrinking is required, I would advise the band being ripped open, the stiffening taken out, and re-shaped under the iron, which can easily be done. If a garment is worth altering at all, it is worth altering correctly.
A coat or vest of the present style, and likely to be for many years to come, is intended to reach up to the side of the neck where it (the neck) shoots nearly straight upward. The collar being an addition to the coat, it must be so constructed that it will turn aside and permit the neck to pass through. Now, the position of the standing part of a coat collar must be the same as on a vest, where the standing collar is not cut off, for it performs the same function. Take any good coat pattern that is furnished by a reliable firm and lay the parts out as in this book, and put the bottom of the standing part of the collar at the point indicated in the vest diagrams, and you will find that the front of the neck and front of the collar will not fit together, but lap over each other from 1 to 3 in. according to the size of the roll. The more it laps, the less roll it will produce, and if the collar and neck-hole were cut evenly in front, the collar would pull the lapel down to the bottom of the skirt. (See Dia. VII.)
I must repeat, however, that it is almost impossible to give a positive distance for the lap of the coat lapel, or a positive shape of the collar. We must watch fashion, and see how high the standing collar is, how much the turn-down is behind, or how wide the front is to be. A competent coat-maker can take almost any piece of bias cloth and canvas and press it into shape to make a good collar, but experience proves that not all coat-makers will or can do it. A vest with the standing collar cut off must have the neck cut out at the side, and at the angle of 45 deg., at least from 4½ to 4¾; because the sewed-on standing collar must fill the place of the neck-band of a vest with the collar cut on. All vests with the standing collar cut on should have the top of the back cut as wide as the angle of 45 deg. at least, in order to bring the spring, created by the turning upward of the neck-band, to the side of the neck. If the top of the back is cut too narrow the spring will locate too far behind, and will be loose there, while at the side of the neck it may be too tight. All vests, with and without turn-down collars, should be cut alike at the neck. The turn-down part of the collar is simply a piece cut just like the neck of the vest, as shown in Dia. IV.
Now, it should be observed that if Dia. IV is made without a turn-down collar the edge must be turned in, consequently it loses a seam at the side of the neck, which seam must be reduced on a vest with a turn-down collar, because the edge is not turned in, but covered over with the top collar, and the difference should be at least ⅜ of an inch—that is, for a turn-down collar the neck-band at the side of the neck should be reduced ⅜ of an inch, starting at the center of the back and running out to nothing anywhere in front. In all cases the bottom of the neck-band remains at 5 on the angle of 45 deg., as in Dia. IV. This manner of cutting a vest for a turn-down collar enables the cutter to curve the neck just as he pleases, as the turn-down piece will always follow the curve.
In this connection it would, no doubt, be proper to speak of the cutting of the top-collar and its dressing, or pressing in shape, before it is put on, in order to produce the curve of the flat top-collar.
To cut the top-collar, turn the underside upward in front and above the top button, and even with the fore-part as far up as possible. According to the prominence of the curve, the top of the under-collar will fall over toward the arm-hole and toward the shoulder seam, and in this shape the top-collar must be cut; and, by all means, should be on the bias, on the most hollow part of the curve. In making up, the inside part of the top-collar must be well stretched, and pressed over, and shaped to the curve of the under-collar, and for this reason must be cut bias. The collar and the whole facing can be dressed under the smoothing iron just as the curve of the vest requires it by turning and pressing the standing collar part under. It requires a few extra touches to shape the top collar, and some cloth may be wasted in order to get it bias, but this is the best manner in which to make a well curved collar on a low-cut vest.
If any one will look up the authority on the cutting of garments of from 30 to 40 years ago, and particularly the works of Genio C. Scott, he will find that at that time vests “_without_” collars were produced by sewing on a neck-band with a “V” attached to it in the same shape as I have shown the front of the standing collar part in Dia. VII. This “V” sewed in produced the spring at the side of the neck. That sometimes proved a difficult task for me while learning the trade in order to get in a nice “V,” and I suppose it would be a difficult task for some of our journeymen of to-day. But the world is progressing. To-day we accomplish it with a straight piece, and do it just as well, and perhaps better. All that is necessary for us to observe is, that the shoulder seam points to the side of the neck where the spring is required.
But, for the purpose of variety, I will propose another plan. Cut the vest as in Dia. IV. Leave off the neck-band and simply add ¾ of an inch to the top of the back and running out to nothing at about 3 inches below the shoulder seam. At the middle of the shoulder seam commence and put in a spring of about 1 in., giving half to the front and half to the back; then sew up, and you will find the same task accomplished.
If we turn the neck-band in Dia. IV upward until it meets with the top of the back, we shall find that a fold of about 1 inch will form on and above the shoulder seam, and all that is necessary is to imitate this by cutting a spring of ½ inch to both the back and front at the top of the shoulder seam or at point 5. It is somewhat of a question whether it would be advisable to cut vests in this manner, but they can be as far as the fit is concerned, more particularly those cut with a cloth back.
Now I must say a word about coat collars in particular. In visiting different tailor shops we find that the dressing of the under-collar is accomplished in many different ways, and for aught I know all may be right—if they suit the customer, or if the collar is on, as it is required by the coat. Coats which require a collar to be stretched nearly into a circle around the back are often cut too low or too wide at the neck. For such a round-shaped collar may be required to close well in at the neck, but it will never make an elegant job, and such coats usually indicate too much cloth in the shape of wrinkles below the collar, or on the top of the shoulders. A collar must not run with the slope of the shoulders, but must turn upward at the side of the neck to permit it to pass through. It must stand up, no matter if a turn-down part is cut on or if it stands alone, as on military or clergymen’s coats. A well fitting military or clergyman’s coat requires for its standing collar nothing but a straight piece of cloth, and sewed on straight. It will not be too loose at the top, nor will it “saw” the neck sore in half an hour.
Now, a coat collar, with a turn-down, represents a standing collar over the top of the back and side of the neck, as shown in Dia. VII, and on that piece or wedge the turn-down part is added. This wedge, or the standing collar as shown in Dia. VII, must retain its shape as on a vest, but as soon as the standing collar is stretched at the bottom the spring at the neck is destroyed, and a tight or flat collar is the result at the side of the neck. But to fit the standing collar and turn-down part together, so that the turn-down part is so much larger that it will go around the standing part without strain, the collar should be dressed as follows: Lay the whole under-collar flat on the table and turn and press the standing part up where it belongs, without stretching the outer edge of the turn-down part, and the collar is done. Whatever is trimmed off in front depends upon how far the lapel is to be drawn down. In this respect we all can learn something from an ordinary paper collar, which is a quite flat piece of paper—the break is not on a straight line, but on a curve of about half an inch at the center behind, and they all fit well. Many a cutter and many a journeyman would profit by studying the principle of a turn-down paper collar.
Of late years a great many overcoats, and especially ulsters, have been made with very wide collars, turning down about five inches or more. Such necks should be cut with the standing collar on the top of back and on the side of the forepart and running out to a point at or near the front sleeve base, and an extra spring of not less than one inch added to each shoulder seam, and evenly divided on back and on front. This addition furnishes the standing part of the collar, and the turn-down collar part is put on, just as it is put on to the vest, which will give form to the shape of the shoulder and not lie flat, as most of such collars are seen to-day.
See collar as it is to be pressed.
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[Illustration]
ARMHOLE AND SLEEVE.
(SEE DIA. VII.)
Both armhole and sleeves as well as the shoulder seam are very closely connected, and must harmonize. No matter in what position we choose to place the different parts of a frock or sack while cutting, they must all assume the same position at and around the armhole and shoulders when on the body. The question of locating the front of the armhole is solved in the application of the angle of 135 deg. The normal form has its arms at the center and side of the body, and Dia. I has its armhole in its center and side. If the old rule—front of armhole ⅔ half-breast from back—holds good, then the back of the armhole must also be equally good at ⅔ half-breast from the front base, as in Dia. I. There is no question but that the armhole may be made more or less without injury to the fit as long as the sleeve fits into the armhole. The front of the armhole is located two seams back of 45 deg., from the starting point, and on the front base, as shown in Dia. VII. This gives an easy-fitting armhole for a well-built form, but if the armhole is cut forward to meet the front sleeve base, it will not injure the coat.
It is generally claimed that a stooping form requires its armhole more forward, and an erect form more backward, but this is not always true. We find plenty of forms which bend the back, and throw the neck downward in front, but throw the arms and shoulders backward, and which forms do not require their armholes forward of the normal position. We also find forms which are very erect or straight in the back but throw their arms forward, and _do_ require the armholes forward from the normal position. Now, no matter if the form is erect or stooping, the armholes do not require to be larger or smaller. Because a man throws his arms forward or backward does not show that his arm becomes larger or smaller. If the armhole is required to be cut ½ an inch more forward the back should be that much wider. If the armhole is cut ½ an inch backward the back becomes ½ an inch smaller—the location of the armhole changes, not the armhole.
A cutter must also take into account the occupation of a customer. A musician who blows a great horn requires his armholes backward, and a full breast, while a person who plays the violin requires his armholes pretty well forward, or, at least, he needs extra length in the back sleeve seam, no matter if it is a trifle loose when the sleeve drops downward. But if everything is well balanced it is wonderful how small, and again how large, an armhole a man can have in his coat and feel good in either of them. But as stated, the sleeve must fit into the armhole, and for this reason we must consider the sleeve in particular.
When one or both arms are thrown into a horizontal position they show themselves as a sidewise growth of the body, like the limb of a tree, and consequently have their base in the center of the back, or in the center of the front. For the purpose of permitting the arms to drop down to the side, a wedge, or gusset, or a lap, is made between the top of the armhole and sleeve, which is taken up when the arm drops down into its natural position at the side.
At 60 deg. from the center of the back the sleeve and the shoulder lap 2¼ numbers for a close-fitting sleeve, and it is so shown in Dia. VII and X. At 45 deg. from the back, or at the top square line from the front base, the sleeve and shoulder lap 2 numbers. While the lap of 2 at 45 deg., may be considered as a permanent thing for all sleeves, the lap at 60 deg. may be considered as changeable, according to the style of the sleeve head, or according to the kind of the coat, as over or under coats. The lap of shoulder and sleeve, at 60 deg., also depends upon a low or a square shoulder, as well as upon a broad or a narrow style of the shoulder. Two and a quarter may be taken as the smallest amount to be allowed at 60 deg., and 2½ may be considered not too much for any style, and 2¾ may be considered plenty for a very full sleeve head and a narrow style of shoulders.
At right angles with the center of the back and through the point of the angle of 135 deg., is the front sleeve base, to which the front sleeve seam is connected at point 11, and from which line the normal form requires the front of armhole backward 2 seams, as in the position of Dia. VII, and which is intended for a close-fitting armhole. On the back the center of the sleeve is 8 from the point of the angle of 135 deg., and there the sleeve and the coat connect even, and there the sleeve length must be transferred.
In taking the sleeve length it makes no difference if the length is taken 1 inch higher or lower, but in transferring the measure to the sleeve, the cutter must know where to transfer, no matter where the seam may be located. After the front and back are formed the top sleeve may be made wider on either seam, and the under side that much smaller, and notches cut accordingly.