To sum up the whole stooping form: The back of such a form does not become longer, but it bends and produces a larger curve over the blade, and consequently the coat back will go with the body and requires no extra length. But the front contracts either all over the chest or at the pit of the stomach, and the coat must be contracted or shortened there, but as there is no seam there we must fall on to the next best place where we can find a seam, and here we find the shoulder seam in which the surplus length of the forepart may be taken up. Now, if we use Dia. [II] or Dia. [VIII] as a model, we simply lap the shoulders toward the blade, the same as for the normal form, but omit the lap toward the neck. This is the most reasonable way of altering for the stooping form.
Erect Forms.
(SEE DIA. [VIIIa].)
Although I have said that the backbone never gets longer or shorter in the same form, we find that whenever a body assumes the position of an over-erect form the direct distance from the blade to the seat becomes shorter, and the hollow of the waist becomes deeper and consequently longer. This can be noticed by anyone who will take the trouble to make the experiment. Take any form with a well-fitting coat and let him assume the stooping position, and the alteration for it may be found correct as described in the preceding article. Now let the same form throw himself in an over-erect position, and see the result. As the front of the pit of the stomach opens and becomes longer, it will pull the front of the coat upward. If we cut the waist through in front and sidewise, this cut will fall apart in front and at the side, and the back will set smoothly.
But we cannot cut the coat through, and so we must resort to artificial means, as follows: While the body thus expands in front, and the coat cannot follow suit unless cut through, the back of the coat will contract, starting at the side and at the most hollow part of the waist, and running backward. If we take a few pins and fasten up that surplus cloth at the hollow of the back, starting with nothing at the sides, we can readily ascertain the amount of alteration required, and fold up our pattern accordingly.
On a frock coat said fold is over the entire sidepiece, not at the waist seam, but at the most hollow part, or at and above line 17½. If it were lower it could be taken out in the waist seam. This fold, if laid in the pattern, will produce a sharp turn of the back part of the sidepiece and must be straightened by giving more width along that kink. The same is to be done on a sack. If the sack is a three-seamed one, the pattern must be cut through under the arm upward, the fold laid across the hollow of the waist, and seams allowed again in the opening, which may be an inch at the armhole; but what is not used for seams should not be cut away, but used as an outlet, which will sometimes be found quite handy. See Dia. [VIIIa].