PLAN No. 1242. OPERATING
Operating is done by men and women, and consists of sewing the parts of a garment together, by machine, as they come from the cutting department. In most instances it is one of the least-skilled occupations, manned to a considerable extent by inexperienced, recently-arrived immigrants. Except in the cloak and suit industry, where the greater part of the operating is done by men, the operators in these industries are predominantly female.
Speed and manual dexterity are essential. The operator must be able to stand the nervous strain of the noisy machine and of intense application to rapid work.
PLAN No. 1243. BASTING
In the cloak, suit, and skirt industry, and in the dress and waist industry, basting is done mostly by females, and consists of roughly sewing together by hand (“basting”) the partly finished garment, for the purpose of placing it, at times, on a dummy figure or living model, so that careful examination may be made by the tailor or sample maker of the character of the work at various stages of manufacture. In the cloak and suit industry approximately two-thirds and in the other industries almost all of these workers are women.
PLAN No. 1244. PRESSING
Pressing is done by males and females and consists of pressing out with a hot press or iron the seams and various parts of a garment after they have been put together by the operators—except in the case of the part presser, who is required to press out pieces, such as sleeves, pockets, collars, cuffs, and belts. The under presser presses the garment before it is lined, and the upper presser, the most skilled of the three, presses the finished garment, shaping and molding it, to some extent, into the finished product. In the cloak and suit industry, where the irons used, as well as the textiles, are rather heavy, pressing is done almost exclusively by men.
More than average strength is required for pressing and ability to stand while at work; also ability to handle a pressing machine.
Examining
The examiner looks over the garment in the process of manufacturing or when it is completed, to discover defects and ascertain whether the shape is correct. This is an important position, as it entails considerable responsibility for the quality of the garments manufactured. Men and women both are employed.