Garment cutting in the twentieth century

by Günther F. Hertzer

I intended that Dia. [V] and [VI] should both be represented with a perfect shoulder slope of 22½ deg., and that Dia. [IX] should have the perfect shoulder slope of 30 deg., all of which were made over the same pattern as was Dia. [IV]. But Dia. [V] and [VI] are cut ¾ of a number further sidewise at the side of the neck, because in the position of the shoulder seam of Dia. [V], the neckband can not be cut on, for the reason that the spring for the side of the neck would locate too far in front. Both Dia. [V] and [VI] are for illustration only. If I had placed a spring of ¼ inch at the top of the shoulder seam, the shoulder slopes as shown in each of Dia. [V] and [VI] and [IX] would have to be changed, and make the angle of 135 deg. a mess of confused lines.

If the collar opens very low, and a very hollow curve is required, the upper part of the neckband must be cut higher, say one inch, at the upper end, but the same at the shoulder seam as shown in Dia. [IV]. This will give a chance to cut a nice curve or open front, especially for a double-breasted vest, intended for very open fronts. But cutting the neckband higher on the upper end destroys spring at the neck, and for this reason an extra spring must be given in the shoulder seam. If the neckband is raised behind, say 1 in., an extra spring of ¼ inch must be allowed at top of the shoulder seam, no matter if it is cut like Dia. [IV], or if ¼ is allowed already. Forty years of tailoring has convinced me that Dia. [IV] is the best for all kinds of vests, because the front collar may be curved at pleasure, and the collar is simply a piece added for the turn-down part, and always fitting to the neck-hole of the vest. In order to make the top collar conform with the curve of the neck-hole, the inside part of it must be pretty well stretched at the most prominent part of the curve. Dia. [IV] is plain, and is cut with the neck-band on.

Dia. [V] is cut in a square of 10, or ¼ breast and 1¼ in.; the neck-hole is cut out at the center of the neck, or at 67½ deg., hence the back and front of the neck-hole are equal; the shoulder slope is taken out at the center of the neck, and when connected will form the same as Dia. [IV], except the neck-band. Dia. [VI] is Dia. [V] simply doubled. The solid lines represent one-half of the angle of 135 deg., or an angle of 67½ deg. The dotted lines passing through the neckholes of Dia. [IV] and [VI] may be called the grand center lines, and would fit a human form decapitated; and it will be seen that the actual neck-hole, from that line, is just half the diameter of the neck.

The waist of the vest is calculated upon one-ninth less than the breast, whole measure. The under-arm cut of “one” makes a close waist, and may be reduced to three-fourths, or even to nothing, for a large waist. (See [Odd Forms].) The square of 20, as for a vest, is reduced in front from the pit of the stomach down, or where the body turns backward, and whatever is taken off in front is again added behind; hence the spring over the seat, which really does not at all change the dimensions, but gives it a different direction by reducing the front and by enlarging the back, and when all this is done the waist is reduced, say 1 in., under the arm, as in Dia. [IV]. The turn of the front is higher up than in the back, and the front is to be even between 9 and 15 on the front base, from which points it turns backward both up and down.

Dia. [IV] represents a vest to close all the way up to the neck. It gives the whole front edge, and may be cut lower to satisfy notion or style. The whole front of Dia. [IV] is such that it can lose one seam to turn in the edge, but if the vest is otherwise well-balanced it will not injure it if the seam is allowed to remain, and the edge bound as it is. A difference will be noticed between the straight front of a coat and the straight front of a vest. On a coat usually worn by the clergy the buttons and front of button-holes may be placed one seam back of the front line of the angle of 135 deg. down, as far as line 17½, which results in the same thing as when we cut the front off on that line, and sew it up with a seam. The vest is to fit a trifle more snugly at that point, and after one seam is turned in, or cut off, there still remains one-half for lap of buttons and button-holes.

To regulate the top buttons of the vest and coat, the top coat button may be placed ½ inch lower than the top vest button, and the coat will cover the vest when buttoned, providing the coat lapel is 1 in. in front of point 9. It is of very great importance for a cutter to be able to regulate the above points, and this is one reason why I have placed all coats and vests on the same base; which is on the angle of 135 deg. The vest arm-hole touches lines 9 and 14 at the bottom, and the angle of 45 deg. in front, but may be ½ inch deeper and ½ more forward for a person who desires plenty of room.

At the breast line, a vest is plenty large enough if it is ½ breast and 2½ in. At the hip line, ½ hip and 2 in. is large enough, because vests are left open below the hollow of waist. If a vest is to be sewed up clear down over the hips, the bottom must have a width, which corresponds with the hip measure, when sitting down, after it is finished and buttoned up, or ½ hip and 2½ in., the same as the breast. At the waist, a vest must be treated on the same principle as a pants, that is, it must be made wide and comfortable enough for the waist when a person sits down. At the waist, a vest is shut up all around, and can not give, and provisions must be made for expansion when sitting. Such allowance depends upon the condition of the body at the waist, and like on pants, this measure may be taken in a sitting position. But a variation may be made between persons who are mostly standing, and those who are mostly sitting. The sitting person requires a larger waist partly allowed at the side, but mostly in front. The normal form requires the vest as large at the waist as it is over the hips, and the square of 20 gives that width, by reducing about 1 in. at the under-arm cut at the waist.

In Dia. [XIII] will be observed a dotted gore in the back, extending through both pants and vest, which gore is cut out on a pants, but on a vest it is usually buckled up. A vest made without buckle-straps should have that gore cut out.

At the front of the collar, the underside should be cut so that when it is sewed on it will pull the vest part over so much as to hide the under side when the top collar is finished. The inside part of the top collar must be pretty well stretched back of the curve, and if the material is not bias, and can not stretch, a “V” must be sewed in, after which the whole top collar must be shaped as it is required by the curve. This may cause some extra work for the maker, but that is the only way to produce a low opening with a hollow collar, especially on double-breasted vests. The edge of a collar should be finished about 1 in. above the shoulder seam, and the under collar cut away entirely. Over and across the back there is no need of anything but the double top collar, which is simply sewed together with a seam, which is pressed out, the top collar doubled up in shape, and the back stitched on top of the collar. On heavy goods, the top collar seam of a vest should be drawn together to make it thin.