Garment cutting in the twentieth century

by Günther F. Hertzer

But we must go back to the angle of 15 deg. If we take a square piece of cloth, representing the ½ breast measure of a 35 coat, we will have 17½ inches each way. If we add an angle of 15 deg. to one of the sides it will give us an angle of 15 deg., although the top point is lost, but would form like the upper part of Dia. [XIII]. The angle of 15 deg. spreads ¼ of its length; consequently it spreads 5 in. in 20, as seen in all diagrams in this work, with the front angle of 15 deg. attached.

Line 20 is located at the top of the hips, where the body spreads considerably, and the hip measure may be considered as large as the breast measure, though in different positions, as the hips spread more sidewise. The front line of the attached angle of 15 deg. is, at the same time, the front line of the angle of 135 deg., as well as the front line of the square of 20.

Now observe, that in changing the lines on the square of 20 in. into a square of 17½, with the angle of 15 deg. attached in front, the front does not change a particle, but the back, at the waist, is detached and thrown backward and upward, becoming larger at the waist and smaller on top, and forming the angle of 15 deg.—all the spread being toward the hips and seat, representing a garment without lap and without gore at the hips and seat, and without any waist suppression. Below the front of the waist the body recedes, and the front of the angle of 15 deg. is cut off accordingly, and runs straight down with the plumb line, as shown in the diagrams.

But this is not all. The angle of 15 deg., as in Dia. [II], represents a straight but pointed or funnel-shaped piece of cloth, has its proper size at the bottom of the armhole, at the hips and seat, and front of the chest and waist, but is too large at the hollow of the waist above the hips and seat; and in this position gores must be taken out to imitate the hollows of the waist at the side and back. Not all is taken out, but only a portion, just to show the outline of the form; and if everything else is well proportioned, ½ inch more or less cloth at the waist will be of little consequence. It is of more importance to ascertain the depth of the seat and hollow of the waist, so we may know where to run out the gores, or where to make it the most hollow.

Line 17½ on the front plumb line may be considered the hollow of the waist for the normal form, and the seat may be located at 27 or 28, but on extremely short or slim persons these points should always be measured with care. In cutting according to the rules adopted in this work, the outside of the elbows can always be depended upon for the location of line 20, and the hollow of the waist is 2½ numbers higher, all to be measured from top of back. For the seat point, take the largest part or the upper point of the thigh bone, which corresponds to the wrist, the arm hanging down.

If the half breast can be fitted with ½ breast measure and 2½ in., all seams included except what the lapel takes up, the hip can be fitted with ½ hip measure and 2 in., all seams included except the lap of the buttons and button-boles, because the hip requires nothing in consequence of expansion, as the chest does. If the hip measure is the same as the breast, say 17½ in. for the half coat, then it follows that the hip, at the waist seam, may require 19½ in. and about ½ in. for lap of button-holes and buttons, making 20 in all. This must be the result, no matter if the draft is made like Dia. [I] or Dia. [II]. In Dia. [II] it will be seen that whatever the hips spread at line 20 is again reduced by the gore in the center of the forepart, as well as by a small reduction from the center in front. It should be observed, that, although the breast and hip may measure the same, the form is different at the hip than at the breast. The front is compressed and spreads sidewise at the hips, just like Dia. [I].

Observe that the square of 17½ and the front angle of 15 deg. measure 22½ in. for size 35, at line 20; and it follows that 2½ in. may be reduced on and along line 20. Dia. [II], and all others laid out in the square of 17½, are not only based on the above calculation, but are founded upon years of trial, and virtually the calculation is made from facts so obtained. This is also the way in which all the other diagrams have been produced. The angle of 15 deg. will fit the normal form at the arms, at the largest part of the seat, at the side of the thigh, and the front of the chest, but is too wide at the hollow of the waist behind, and stands off below the front of the waist, and must be reduced by gores as shown. On the back, it must be considered on a plumb line, spreading sidewise and forward.

The trifling spread below the side of the thigh is taken off by the gore in the center of a frock coat forepart, and is turned forward between the skirt and forepart; while on a sack coat it is partly cut off between the back and side seam, which is further forward than the frock coat skirt seam, and by which the gore in the center of a frock coat forepart is balanced. Now, in this position, it might be reasonable to make calculations for waist reduction by comparing breast, waist and seat measures, but as the waist is not to be fitted at all it would be useless unless we could take the measure just as wide as we wanted the coat at the waist, which cannot be done satisfactorily; therefore, we take the average, and cut out the waist in proportion to the breast measure. But it can be done only after the angle of 15 deg. is established, and recognized as a base, and understood, according to the principles adopted in this book.

But I must again call the attention of the reader to the plumb base on the back. The angle of 15 deg. is based upon a plumb line on the center of the back, both shoulders and the seat touching said line, and the front line of the angle of 15 deg. running forward and away from the body below the pit of the stomach, while the back runs straight down, as a coat must hang, as is shown in Fig. [II]. The back plumb line is not given in Fig. [II], because it would interfere with the diagram above.

I do not claim that all men walk in that position, but tell a customer to stand before you for measurement and he will usually assume that position. In walking, a man is inclined to lean the upper portion of the body forward more or less; but leaning forward or backward the line from the shoulders to the seat is carried along, and the base will remain the same from the shoulders to the seat, and in a large majority of cases no attention need be given to altering either back or front; but there are extremes, and these do require a change there. A form may be stooping, or erect, but still may carry the shoulders and seat on a plumb line. Such forms require no change at the waist, but at the neck only; and a cutter must always observe such positions, because no so-called balance-measure will indicate it. But there is the so-called “sway-back,” who carries his shoulders way back of the seat. Such a form requires his coat reduced at the waist, not between the back and sidepiece, but between the sidepiece and forepart, unless a large waist requires or takes up that space again. We often see large-waisted and always erect forms with their coats too tight over the back tack, because the waist is not large enough for the hips. How much the reduction at the side should be must always be determined by the judgment of the cutter; but an outlet at the side of the forepart is more important than anywhere else—it will never do any harm and may become very handy sometimes when it is least thought to be necessary.