HINTS FOR HOME DRESSMAKING.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3673, 2 October 1880, Page 4

HINTS FOR HOME DRESSMAKING.

The first necessity in the attempt at making or remodelling a dress at home, is to have a clear idea of what you want to do, of the result you want to produce, and then try to do it. A little careful thinking at first often saves much after-tribula-tion, and eren an admired design should not be determined upon until it has been found to suit the material and purpose, and it is not likely to test too hardly the dressmaking ability of an amateur. In remaking a dress of unwashable material, or which is to be combined of part old and part new fabrics, cut first a fining skirt, and then proceed to mount the different parts of the upper portion upon it, following the design and the directions closely, but trying it on with sufficient frequency not to make mistakes, which can only be remedied with much trouble and loss of time.

The bottom of the skirt should be finished with a hem, a binding, and narrow facing (if it is a silk or woollen dress), before the flouncing is put on. Cording, now, is not used, or at least very unfrequently, and more as a trimming than to strengthen seams. The most fashionable basques are perfectly plain and straight round, and what ever is " trimmed on," should be made to seem, as much as possible, a part of the thing itself, not merely patched on. Still it is much better to be careful of the neatness, the regularity, the general fitness of a design, than to attempt extraordinary and unusual effects. Trimmed skirts, as a rule, are best for silks and woollens; overskirts, or polonaise, for washing materials. Some of the light summer dresses will, however, be made and worn without overskirts* or trimming, except perhaps a narrow flounce or two. A fichu will cover tbe shoulders.

In the matter of flounces one can be guided by taste and convenience. Narrow gathered ruffles are coming in again, and if time is not of great importance these may be used very successfully to give •tyle to inexpensive summer materials, such as barege or. wool grenadine. Flounces with pleats laid in clusters, with spaces between are also useful where the quantity of material is rather limited, the spaces being filled up or not, at may be considered desirable, with straps or contrasting loops or pleats.