Cutting and draping

by John W. Stephenson

Locate the point J where the lines E——F and G——H would intersect if continued (the distance J is from E governs the amount of flare in the bottom of the tail, farther meaning less flare and closer meaning more). With J as a centre, make with cord and chalk circling lines to intersect with each point of the raking edge, 1——1, 2——2, 3——3, 4——4, 5——5, and 6——6, also one at H and at E, making the line longer as you go towards the top of the tail.

With point of dividers at F and I as a radius allow a couple of inches extra for fold and strike to intersect line I at 1X, measure from 1 to 2 and using 1X as centre locate the point 2X on line 2, and locate the other intersecting points 3X, 4X, 5X, 6X and HX in like manner, always allowing the two inches extra for folding, rule from F to 1X, 1X to 2X, to 3X, to 4X, to 5X, to 6X, to HX, as dotted line indicates, and also from HX to J to locate GX on line E, and from points 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X and 6X to J, to find the points 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A on line E——E. These last should be notched out in pattern to mark goods for folding. Cut out along the raking edge F——1X, 2X, and so on, from H to G and the sweep E to GX, and the pattern is complete. As our pattern stands, Figure [3], it is a left-handed pattern; mark this side (Left) and turn face down on the table and mark the other side (Right) and always remember to turn over the pattern in cutting a pair, so as to make right and left tails. To cut out lay the pattern on the face side of goods with the line HX——GX parallel with the selvage and piece out the point if necessary. When all cut and pieced out complete, spread the pattern out over it and mark the points 1X, 2X, 3X, etc., and also the notches on line E——E, 1A, 2A, 3A and so on. With the edge E——F parallel with the edge of the table in front of you catch points 2X and 2A, one in each hand, and draw toward you till fold is made at 1X——1A. Take 4A and 4X in like manner and repeat till all are folded. A glance at Figure [3 B] will explain the method. Trim the top square, and the tail is complete. To pleat up the festoon requires a little more care, but facility is easily acquired with a little practice.

Mark off on a horizontal board (see Figure [4]) the dimensions of the completed festoon, as indicated on the scale drawing, Figure [1], points one, two, three, four, and put a large tack in each of these points as a guide, also about six inches above each point place another, which can be seen when the others are covered up with the goods. Temporarily attach corner D of the festoon to point three and corner C at point two, allowing in each case about three inches to project above the line. The centre of the goods between these two points lay back toward the board to form the top pleat, Figure [4], and the lowest point of this pleat should correspond with the top line C——D on the scale drawing, Figure [1]. If it is lower or higher than the drawing calls for it should be properly adjusted until it is correct. In this case, Figure [1], there is a distance of three inches from bottom of pole to X on line C——D.

In adjusting be careful to keep the goods perfectly centred, or you will not get nice pleats. Now divide the remaining space from three to four and two to one into as many spaces as you intend to make pleats. In this case (the general rule) there are six. So you need six spaces, the last pleat (which is being put up, Figure [4]) covering two spaces. Having divided the distance, now with the left hand pinch up the goods about one-fifth of the distance from fold already made and with the right hand grasp the biased edge D——B, Figure [4], and form a pleat toward the point D, adjust till the fold follows naturally around from one hand to the other without drawing, and temporarily tack it in place on the line in its space. Take the left bias edge, A——C, and make this fold follow around to the point where it should attach in the first space to the left on the line one——two. These folds should follow around from one end to the other without pulling or buckling, and will need to be helped at first by the disengaged hand until the fold is complete.

Pleat up all the remaining goods in this manner and tack each fold to the line, being sure that each fold goes around clearly without in any wise interfering with the hang of the previous one and using the same quantity of goods each time.

This will not come easily at first, but follow the method illustrated in Figure [4], and practice will do the rest.

The last fold covers two spaces and completes the festoon. If you have too much fullness for the last fold go over the rest and take up a little more for pleating them. If the distance from the centre of top line to the centre of bottom line does not correspond with the distance on the plan, you will have to raise or lower the pleating until it is the same. Leave the points C——D attached and adjust each pleat separately till the desired result is obtained.

Now, if the ends are to be joined over a pole, as in Figure [1], allow three-quarters of the diameter of the pole above the line and trim square. (See dotted line, Figure [4].) Pin or baste pleats in place and take down and bind with a bias piece of the same goods about one and one-half inches wide, turning in the raw edges. Bind tail in same way and sew together with baseball stitch that is illustrated in Figure [4] B. This stitch allows the greatest flexibility, and the tail can be on top or be turned back and the festoon on top without re-sewing, as it acts as a perfect hinge.

To estimate for this style a safe allowance roughly is one yard of goods to a foot of the width of space, and three yards more fringe than goods; thus, this drapery on that basis would take five yards of goods and eight of fringe; but for a close estimate make your scale drawing first and measure from that, thus, add together the depths of the various festoons with as much again for fullness and add to this the length of the tails on their longest side. This drapery measured in this manner would require two and one-third yards for the festoons and three and five-sixths yards for the tails, or five and one-sixth yards, six inches more than the other way. This last method, of course, is absolutely safe, while the other will vary according to the depth of the festoons. The practical man will, with the rough-estimate system, usually be correct, but the novice had better measure his plan before giving a positive quantity. Another thing, too, will be noticed between the two systems, for spaces under five feet wide the yard to the foot will be scant, while for spaces over five feet, unless you try to make too many festoons, the calculation on this basis will invariably be over the mark.

When using a striped goods that would admit of any number of seams, a seventeen-foot bay window has been effectively dressed with twelve yards of goods, including in the treatment two double tails, and presented such an elaborate appearance that a disgruntled representative of a rival house offered to alter it and save enough from it to drape an eight-foot window at the back of a room.