Fashion and Things Feminine.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 4, 15 January 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

Fashion and Things Feminine.

By IDA MELLER

A SIMPLE STYLE FOIt LIN EX. To-day it is quite tlie exception when girl. out oi tlic schoolroom, docs not make a great niaLy of her blouses and frocks with lur own hands, and astonishingly well docs the amateur dressmaker turn out this and that mode. Owing to the simple dre.-s-fasn--011s of to-day, a trousseau, of 1 rocks can bo got together at a very small price if the garments are made at home. A good papelr pattern is, of course, necessary to work by, and with this as a guide it is no difficult matter to produce dainty, well-cut dresses that shall do credit to the hands that fashioned them.

Young dre.-smakeiß find it a good plan to make two or three dresses iro.n the same pattern, as in this way tho worie becomes easier and quite mechanical, as it were, and tho worker knows exactly what to elo without i l *-'- pcated measurements and fittings. At first she may find some little dilficulty in mounting the waist of a skirt to a band, in linidiing off the placket neatly, and especially in regard to any li< — 110 drapery that may enter into the designs; mi; after having dealt with the pattern once or twice, she can tell at a glance what to do and she performs the work in a trice. Thanks to tlie faithfulness of fashion in relation to ono-p:eco frocks, dressmaking was surely never so easy as it is

to-dav, and became so few jards of material are consumed iu tho making of tlio "little- dress"' tiio Litter is <X.oliomieal, of course, even wlien slightly draped. . , ~ A siiuplo representation ot the utile dress' is given in the aecompanyiurr sketch, and the design is o~:e tmu may bo recommended tor linen or any ot the new soft- fancy fabrics, for voilo, cotton ci'L-i'C (plain or broclie), tussore, and to on. The bodice is cut round at the nock and surmounted by a small yoke wun stole front of washing glace, piped all round with plain, coloured material, matching the colour of the stripe m the dress. A row of tiny buttons trims the front of the yoka. and at tlio waist is a band of the piping material. The s'eevo tops are eat in one with the bodice, and joined to them are tight, .shapely sleeves cut very long. The skirt is plain and fasten.-, like the bodice at -the back. This -rock would look very pretty in saxe-bluo crepon .striped with white, or in cerise and grey striped washing stuff. dainty summer frock for a GIRL. A particularly pretty little frock for a firl of about- six or .-even years of iiov is sunnosbod in tlio d osier n .'lliistratod and might lt e carriul out tnu^lin and lace, or in embroidered cambric or flouncing. The yoke and sleeves are eut in one and a sn-Ui is worn low. -jiving the fashionable lomguaisted effect, so much followed in re-

gard to coats and frocks alike. This dainty little dross can bo auade from 2J yards of 12-incli cambric, or from flouncing jjot less than 27 \nches vide.

Copyright.

The srtiall back view of the frock shows that the latter is complete without the a:d of a sash, and is not joined beneath. the 'ribbon.

As no doubt this pattern. will bo a very popular one with mothers wlro have little daughters to clothe, a tvw words about it may be useful to tlio&> who intend to make it up. The pattern comprises four pieces, representing half the frock, and these, as shown by the diagram, are: —Half the front, No. 1; one back, No. 2; half the yoke with sleeve, No. 3; and half the collar. No. 4. These pieces should be iaid on the material folded lengthwise, and, to avoid a seam down tho iront of frock, lay the straight edge of front pattern to th e fold, a<nd lay alio against the fold the front of yoke. l'he dotted lines on front and back, in diagram, suggest the position of tlto fash (for which lj yards of wide ribbon will lx> needed), and also the gathering threads that mtust draw the frock to lit the size of tho yoke. Cut out the Hack and collar patterns in duplicate, the collar, like the back of the frock, being in two distinct pieces, and when the front and yoke have been cut out, each in a single piece, tack the frock together, carefully regulating the fullness to the yoke and tacking the underarm seams of the sleeves, single and doublo notches acting as a guide in tho union of the various parts. Make the two-piece collar and fit it on the neck when the frock is tried on.

The yoke should be lined, and the gathered edge, of the frock should bo sandwiched between tho yoke and its lining. In seaming tlie back of the frock, a placket must, of course, be left, and this must be fao d on tho inside with material. Provide ■bnttons and buttonholes for fastening the frock, and fin-i-li the collar and sleeves with frills of narrow lace. The sleeves should previously he gathered into narrow bands, the dotted line on diagr-Mn indicating the gathers of the sleeve.