On a vest the stripes should run at right angles with the pockets, and nearly parallel with the front edge. On all cut-a-way coats, run the stripe with the front plumb line. On the back, run it with the edge of the back tack, and with the edge of the side of the back skirt as well as with the edge of the front skirt, so that the stripes fit to the pleat; but on straight coats, the stripes should run parallel with the front edge, even if the back edge is a trifle bias.
On the side-piece, the stripe should run nearly with the back when they are sewed together, and at the same time the stripe of the side-piece and skirt below should run nearly in the same direction, or as near as possible. On the sleeve, the stripe should run with the front sleeve base.
Coat and Vest Bases and the Angle of 135 Degrees.
Scale: One-half breast and 2½ in., divided into 20 parts. The common inch produces breast size 35. Bases: See Fig. [I] and [II] and Dia. [XI] and [XII]. Fig. [I] shows the angle of 135 deg. to be applied in measuring the shoulder slope. The angle of 135 deg. is the base. The cutter is to find the variation, which is seldom over ⅜ inch higher or lower, but the angle of 135 deg. will fit 49 in every 50 cases. Fig. [I] shows the angle of 135 deg. over the back as well as over the front. In this position the two angles of 135 deg. cover two backs and two fronts.
The center of the back and center of the front represent the center of each angle of 135 deg., as the center of back and front, a hole being cut for the neck to pass through. Dividing the angle of 135 deg. in the center of the back or center of the front leaves half an angle of 135 deg. on each side of the back and each side of the front. The two halves again united will form another full angle of 135 deg. placed on the body, as shown on Fig. [II] with the front line running forward 15 deg. of the plumb line, and after a hole is cut for the neck the back line can fall down to the center of the back, closing into the top of the shoulder, for the shoulder slope is within the angle of 135 deg.
Taking away 15 deg. in front of the plumb line leaves 120 deg., or 2 points of the circle, as shown in Dia. [XI] and [XII], each containing 60 deg. The center of the 120 deg. and the center of 135 deg. represent a space at the top of the shoulders, which may be used for the shoulder straps on military or society coats. The shoulder seam is cut through according to style or notion, and the forepart and side connected under the arm with the center of the back and the center of the front running parallel, as in Dia. [I]; or the back running parallel with the plumb line, as in Dia. [II].