Garment cutting in the twentieth century

by Günther F. Hertzer

This is simply the lower part of Dia. [XIII], but the sides are closely connected on the angle of 15 deg., showing the pants in one solid sheet, which will fit the form of the bare body from waist to ankle. This diagram is in such a position that a new beginner may learn how to produce a nice slope for the side seam. But it is intended to serve for other and more important illustrations. It is to illustrate more fully the so-called back slope.

The upper part, or the waist, is in a perfect square from the front base. If the front and the back bases are laid on top of each other, all the sweeps from point 80 will fit together and the whole front and back will lay in position as most all pants are cut. From the position of this diagram, there is no side, nor back slope; it is simply a square block, consequently, the so-called back slope is only an imagination. But the most important point to illustrate is the following:

Considering the ankles 1¼ inches apart, will give to each side ⅝, and the front base line would run down parallel with the center of the front, though slanting backward, and parallel with the front of the leg. Now, it is true, the lower part of Dia. [XIV] is on an angle of 15 deg., but the upper part is also on a square, and we will now consider the back square line finished clear down to the bottom of a pants, and cut out a square sheet of stiff paper, as long as a pants may be and as wide as the seat requires to go around it, say 40 inches both ways, and place it on and around the body of a person whose front of abdomen does not reach outside of a straight line, running parallel with the front slope of the legs, and in this position the sheet will fit to the body all along down in front, as well as the back of the waist from the seat upward. The center of the front and the center of the back run parallel up and forward and the square sheet will fit it, but at the top of the side, and at the bottom of the side and at the bottom of the back the square sheet, wound around the body will be too large, and must be reduced as follows: On top of side of waist one or two gores are cut to represent the difference between the seat hip and waist measure. The bottom at the side and at the back is reduced from a square to a slope of 15 deg., all of which is taken off from behind. It should be observed on Dia. [XIV] that the center of the front and the center of the back seams run parallel upward and forward above the seat lines, and from the seat lines downward, both the front and back forks start outward of the square, all of which is to be turned inward to pass forward and backward between the legs.

The square sheet must be considered for the outside cover, as though the legs were grown together. Again, a square sheet must be considered so adjusted to the upper body that the square sheet closes in all around the front from top to bottom, and from the seat to the waist in the back, but stands off at the bottom behind where the square is to be reduced to an angle of 15 deg. from seat to bottom. Whatever such a square, wound around the upper body is too large at the waist, must be reduced by one large or by two small gores at the top of side, and it will be found that the reduction of the angle of 7½ deg. is always the difference between the seat and waist measure, and if the waist is as large as the seat, no reduction is required, and if the waist is larger than the seat, allowance must be made at the side and in front. If that division is not properly made the crotch will show the fault, because the sides will take up their share, whether they have too much or too little cloth.

Dia. XIV.

DIA. XV.

The figure on this diagram is poorly drawn, but it serves to illustrate. It gives the side view of the crotch, and illustrates why a larger waist must receive more cloth in front than a normal waist. Fig. [I] shows the pants from the front or back view, but this gives the side view, the back running backward and the front forward and away from the body. In this position the pants must be considered as in opposite position to Dia. [XIV], and connected on the crotch seams. Dia. [XV] is intended to illustrate the bases for the small waist as well as for the large waist. On the small waist the body of the waist is even with the front pants base, but when the waist becomes larger the base will have to be considered as located inside of the front of the abdomen, as shown on the figure. When the base strikes the front of the body, as on a small waist, the front can be swung sidewise and backward on a straight line, and the back can be swung forward and sidewise, but in order to conform to the seat the back must form the sack for the seat first.