Garment cutting in the twentieth century

by Günther F. Hertzer

Below the lines 9 and 15 the back and sidepieces should also be sewed on smoothly, particularly so for pretty straight forms. Should the form bend a trifle forward, without being stooping, the sidepiece may be stretched, or the back held full, say ⅛ to ³⁄₁₆ of an inch, at the hollow of the waist. Or, if your coats have a tendency to be a trifle loose behind, stretch the back sidepiece a trifle above the waist, and you will find that it will improve the coat. Or, if the coat is a trifle loose after it is made, you can improve it greatly by stretching both sidepiece and back; and if the lining is not long enough it must be opened and let out, or pieced if necessary.

It is wonderful what a different appearance you can give to the back of a coat by making the back and sidepiece lining longer or shorter. The peculiar manner of different persons in sewing the seams, or basting in the lining, will also have a decided effect upon the appearance, if not upon the fit itself, and a good cutter must understand all that; that is, he must be a good coat-maker, otherwise he will always be in trouble. In recent years the question has often been asked: “Can a cutter be a good cutter without knowing how to make a coat?” I, for my part, would answer: “Yes, certainly; but if he could make the garments he cuts, his services would be worth a hundred per cent. more.”

But right here let me put another question: “Would not a good coat-maker be a better coat-maker if he knew the principle by which the coats he makes are cut?” And, in answer, again I say: “Yes; a thousand times.” Cutting and making must go hand in hand, and whenever a cutter understands both, he is able to give positive instruction to a journeyman workman. If not, he is not “boss” over the back shop.

Over and along the hips the forepart and part of the sidepiece should be stretched, say about ½ to ¾ of an inch, and the top of the skirt should be shrunk about that much, so that the gore in the skirt, which is not cut out, is shrunk away; and the gore between the sidepiece and front, which is cut out, is stretched out again at the seam, and the skirt, forepart and sidepiece are sewed up just as shown in Dia. [II]. The gore between the sidepiece and forepart might be run out at the waist seam and both cut equal without stretching or shrinking either part, but it will throw the fullness over the hips too much on one point. The back skirt seam should be oval to imitate the seat. At the center of the back, and from the tack downward, the frock coat is sprung out, say 1¼ inches at line 30, but said spring is again reduced between the back and forepart. On a short sack the oval form over the seat can be partially produced by cutting the back seam oval, which, when sewed up, will produce the oval form. But on a frock coat, which is open behind, the oval center would simply produce a rounded edge at the back, but not the oval shape of the body. Now, whatever is thrown out over the base behind is again taken off or balanced between the back and front skirt, and shaped to fit the form, will remain oval when sewed up.

The width of the buck skirt depends upon notion or style, but when made up the fold and the edge of the top tack should run parallel on both sides. The shoulder seams ought to be sewed on evenly, but as the back is always more bias than the front, there is danger of stretching the back, and the seam should be so basted on that when held up without strain the back would be a trifle the most full. It is also a good idea to notch the shoulder seam in its center, and baste up and down.

In making up, the front of the arm-hole must be well stretched; then starting from the front sleeve nick up say 1 in. back of 60 deg. For this purpose the canvas and all padding should be cut into at three or four places, and fully 2 in. deep. Then about 1 or 2 in. above the front sleeve nick; the lining should be cut through and a “V” put in. All of these cuts should be so finished and again filled up, that when the coat is done no off-set will be visible on the outside.

The front of the arm-hole is guarded by three notches, and needs no further description; but I must caution against an error in regard to the under sleeve. It is frequently contended that the under sleeve should be sewed in tightly over the sidepiece, but this is a mistake. An under sleeve which is held a trifle full over the back and sidepiece will “set” far better than one that is stretched away at that point. This is on the same principle that the top sleeve will not set well if stretched at and above the front sleeve nick, or anywhere else.

When a back under sleeve drags or shows too much sleeve, it is a sign that the arm-hole has too much space somewhere over the back, and it must be reduced. Stretching the sleeve will never make it better. But by sewing in that part of the sleeve a trifle full, I do not mean that we should stretch the arm-hole that trifle. It should be secured by a suitable stay, or a solid thread drawn in, which will keep it from stretching, though the sleeve is a trifle full. All linings around the back and arms must be loose and large, and may be cut bias. The back lining should be provided with a fold as well as the under arm cut.

When I use the term shrink or stretch, I mean just what I say—not to hold one side full, and sew it together, and then press it out as best you can. A seam sewed, and particularly a machine-sewed seam, cannot be stretched satisfactorily, for it will largely return and draw the other side full. But a seam stretched before sewing up will remain so. This holds good on all seams and on all garments, particularly so on pants.