4-H ·Clothing Project Clothes Rack Series

Extension Bulletin 617 Reprinted July 1972

Cooperative Extension Service College of Agriculture Washington State University Pullman, Washington 99163

• ta1 or rna e PHASE 6 fabric are all becoming to you. When your tailored project is Making a tailored garment is complete, you should: an exciting prospect. There are (1) Know the characteristics many interesting sty I e s and of the fabric you used, as well beautiful fabrics from which to as those of the interfacing and choose. And a tailored garment lining. can add that completing touch (2) Understand the tailoring to your wardrobe. techniques you used and why You can make a coat, cape, you used them. coat dress, suit, or jacket. It (3) Know the best way to care should have a collar, interfacing, for your garment. and buttons. (4) Be able to describe why A tailored garment is different you selected the style, color, fab­ from other garments because ric, trim, and buttons. you will use some of these tail­ After your garment is done, oring techniques: use the list of questions in (1) Pad stitching. Phase 4 to evaluate your appear­ (2) Taped openings. ance, sewing skills, and clothing (3) Bound buttonholes. knowledge. (4) Interfacing along hems. ACTION IDEAS. Take part in Select a garment with your a style revue or give a demon­ wardrobe in mind. Plan some­ stration to club members, other thing you need and will wear clubs, parents, or another adult because the style, color, and group. PLANNING THE GARMENT (2) Purpose. Th i n k a b o u t where you plan to wear the gar­ How do you feel when some­ ment. For example, if you are one says, "I can't believe you planning a coat for school, made that-it looks so profes­ church, and dates, you will need sional." ? Analyze the garment a simple, go-everywhere style that draws this kind of praise. that's neither too sporty nor Was your success accidental, or dressy. did you put a lot of thought into (3) Fashion. Fads are fun, but planning? they go out of style quickly. If your success was an acci­ Think about how long you plan dent, you're a pretty lucky gal. to wear the garment. If it's sev­ Most of us must plan and plan eral years, select a style which to achieve that professional does not have unchangeable look. faddish features.

Your Needs The Pattern Begin by going back to your After you find a pattern you closet or wardrobe plan. Ask like, check for these features: yourself these questions: (1) Undercollar pattern. (1) What type of garment do (2) Separate pattern pieces need (coat, suit, jacket, etc.)? for the lining. (2) Where will I wear it? (3) Interfacing pieces. (3) What color would coordin­ If your pattern does not have ate with my other clothes? these, you will have to redraft (4) Do I have accessories that them, following the instructions will go with my new garment? in the tailoring publication. It might be wiser to look for an­ The Style other pattern which is similar Now that you have some gen­ and yet has the extra pieces. eral ideas for a tailored garment, Coat, cape, and jacket pat­ you are ready to decide on a terns run large. As a rule, you style. Consider these points: can wear a size smaller than you (1) Yourself. You may see normally do. For example, if you pictures of a garment you like, wear a size 12 dress, you can but don't decide by pictures buy a size 10 coat pattern. If alone. Do some "style shop­ you are making a suit or dress, ping." Find ready-to-wear gar­ buy your regular pattern size. ments in the style you want. Try DEMONSTRATION IDEA. them on and see how they look Show fashions for a tailored on you. garment. FABRICS AND FINDINGS way to solve the cost problem. Be sure the blend contains Selecting the fabric for your enough wool to retain its desir­ tailored garment is just as im­ able characteristics. In most portant as deciding on the style cases, wool should be the major and pattern. fiber-particularly if the blend is with rayon or acetate. Color (2) Polyester. Double knits of polyester are attractive and easy Choose a color that you like to care for. However, it is diffi­ and that coordinates with your cult to press flat seams and wardrobe. Don't forget to think sharp creases in them. about how you will look in the (3) Acrylic. Woven or knitted color. Use your personal color acrylic is light weight and warm aid as a guide. and often looks like wool. But, like all man-made fibers, acrylic Texture is heat sensitive. A fabric of Pick a fabric which is rela­ acrylic can easily be overpres­ tively firm, smooth, and tightly sed. knitted or woven. Loose, loopy (4) Rayon and acetate. These fabrics tend to sag and bag. fibers are generally less expen­ They are often difficult to cut sive than wool. However, fre­ and sew on grain. quent wearing and washing will result in a limp, shapeless gar­ ment. They are suitable for gar­ Fiber ments that will be worn occa­ In selecting a fiber, consider sionally. the planned use, the effect you (5) Cotton, linen, and silk. want, your sewing skills, the These are generally not suited amount you can afford to pay, for tailored garments unless they and the care requirements: are blended with wool. (1) Wool. This fiber is the first Special Fabric Types choice for tailoring. Good qual­ ity wool costs a lot, but it gives Bonded fabrics, pile, fake fur, the best and most professional leather, suede, and vinyl may all results because steam can be be used for tailored garments, used to shape it into the desired but require special construction form. Part-wool blends are one techniques. Finishes (1) Sheath lining or batiste. Lightweight, tightly woven fab­ Fabrics for coats and jackets ric used for lining dresses, skirts, may have special finishes ap­ and suit jackets. plied: (2) Taffeta. H e a vi e r than (1) Felting- shrinkage. This sheath lining and woven with a heat and moisture treatment small rib. Some people object makes wool stiff and matted. to taffeta because it "rustles." The result is meltoncloth, the Used for lining dresses, skirts, fabric used for pea jackets. It jackets, lightweight coats, and is suitable for tailoring, but capes. should be used for the more (3) Satin. Woven with length­ casual or sporty styles. wise floating yarns, which make (2) Water repellent. This fin­ it slippery and smooth. Heavier ish makes a fabric resist mois­ than taffeta and often used in ture from rain or snow, but event­ capes, jackets, and coats. . ually it soaks in. A water-repel­ (4) Crepe. Has a rough, peb­ lent finish is not the same as a bly surface. The rough surface waterproof finish. makes it a comfortable fabric to wear because it "breathes." Oft­ Linings en used to line suit jackets. Linings are used for a variety (5) Crepe back satin. A fabric of purposes-to give a finished with crepe on one side and satin look to the inside of a coat or on the other. Either side can be jacket, to help a dress or skirt used for the right side. Used hold its shape, or to keep a for jackets, capes, and coats. scratchy fabric from irritating (6) Other linings. Siri, SiBone, the skin. Select a lining with Touche, UnderCurrent, and Veri­ your purpose in mind. If it's for form are all similar to cotton a coat or jacket, be sure it will sheath lining, but heavier. They slip easily over other garments. are used to line dresses and If it's for the inside of a dress, skirts. be sure it will feel comfortable In selecting a lining, consider next to your skin. In either case, the fiber type as well as the type make sure it's the right weight of fabric. Consult the fabric buy­ for your garment. ing bulletin for details. If you Many kinds of linings are plan to wash the garment, be available: sure the lining is washable, too. Interfacing Thread Interfacing gives shape and Silk thread is usually used in ( body to collars, cuffs, pocket tailoring wool garments. Its flaps, and front openings. Wov­ strength and elasticity are sim­ en interfacing responds better ilar to that of wool. However, to tailoring techniques than the cotton, cotton and polyester, or non-woven kind. polyester threads are less ex­ Choose interfacing according pensive and will probably work to the weight of your fabric, the equally well. design of the garment, and the effect you desire. Hair canvas, Buttons Super Siri, and muslin are often The right button can give yo.ur used. They can be purchased garment an extra touch that in several weights. Make sure makes it look professionally care for the interfacing is the done. The color should match same as the outer fabric. or complement the fabric. The style, weight, and texture should Twill Tape be in keeping with the fabric, Cotton twill tape is often used too. to keep the front opening of a Most patterns suggest a but­ coat from stretching and pulling ton size. However, if you are out of shape. Other seam bind­ very large or very small, you ings can be used, but they are may want to select a different not as strong as twill tape. size that's more appropriate for Buy the %- or 3/a-inch width. you. Do spend some time looking for just the right button. Don't Trim settle for anything but the best. If you are planning to use trim, BUTTON HINT. A button with buy it before you start to sew. a rough underside will cause ex­ Most trim is applied in the early cess wear, especially on napped stages of construction. Check fabrics. If this is the right but­ for fiber content and shrinkage. ton for your garment, consider It may be a good idea to pre­ using fine sandpaper to smooth shrink trim, just to be safe. the rough edges. FOR THE RECORD

Fiber Preparation Content Description for Use Care

Fabric

Lining

Interfacing

Thread

Twill Tape

Trim GETTING STARTED (5) 8 u t to n placement and spacing. There should be more Now that you have your shop­ space from the bottom button ping done, you are ready to be­ to the hem than between the but­ gin your garment. But first, take tons. time to check for fit and for but­ (6) Pocket placement. Poc­ ton, belt, and pocket placement. kets should be placed so that If you are making a dress or you can put your hands in them suit, alter the pattern as you comfortably. normally do for any garment. (7) Dart placement. However, for a coat, cape, or Make the necessary jacket, make the pattern up in tions on your pattern pieces. muslin, an old sheet, or other in­ Keep in mind that the trial gar­ expensive material. ment should be a little larger This should be a quick job of than the finished garment, due simply basting the main pieces to difference in fabric weight. together. Mark button and pock­ If you have preshrunk your et placement with a marking fabric, lining, interfacing, twill ~ pen and cut the trial garment tape, and trim, you are ready to off at the desired hem length. begin cutting and sewing the Try the garment on and check garment. Use your pattern in­ these points: struction sheet and the tailoring (1) Fit across the back of the publication as guides in learn­ shoulders. ing tailoring techniques. (2) Length of the garment. DEMONSTRATION I D E AS. (3) Length of the sleeves. Show alteration techniques or (4) Waistline or hipline place­ different ways to make button­ ment. holes.

<2> · aeod {7) Good

(7) Bad

(6) Good (6) Bad

{4) Bad

(2) Bad

{5) Good {5) Bad PRESSING TECHNIQUES backing. Place the pad on the board with the wool side up. Pressing is an important step Place the detail to be pressed in making any garment. It is es­ right side down on the pad. pecially important for the tail­ (2) Pounding block. A smooth ored garment. wooden block used to flatten Try various pressing tempera­ edges of lapels, collars, facings, tures and techniques on small pleats, and details on heavy, bul­ samples of your fabric to find ky, or hard-to-press fabrics. Ap­ which ones are best. ply steam to the area to be flat­ There are many pressing tools tened. Then tap with the pound­ that will help you do a better ing block or weight the area job. They can be purchased or with the block until the shape is easily made at home: set. Do not overpound. Too (1) Pressing pad. A soft pad much pounding damages the used for pressing monograms, · fabric. Practice until you learn lace, embroidery, zipper inser­ how much pressure your fabric tions, bound buttonholes, set-in requires. pockets, and napped fabrics. To (3) Pressing ham. This stiff, make a pad, cut four 14-by 20- ham-shaped cushion is used in inch pieces of woven wool inter­ pressing darts and curved seams lining and stitch to a drillcloth to retain a rounded shape. It is

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(1)

(2) made from muslin or ticking, length at a lumber or hardware filled with sand or sawdust, and store. Either 1 or 1 Y2 inches is then covered with a wool fabric. a good width. Sand before us­ (4) Press mitt. This heavily ing to keep the rough edges padded mitt fits over the hand from snagging your fabric. Use and permits access to areas im­ with the flat side down. possible to reach with the iron­ (7) Needle board. The needle ing board. board is a bed of needles. It (5) Seam roll. The seam roll allows high pile fabrics, such as helps prevent marks on the out­ velvet, to be pressed without side of the garment when seams matting. Sewing centers and are pressed open. It is usefu I for equipment counters usually have pressing sleeve seams and other needle boards available. A stiff hard-to-reach areas. It may be brush will serve the same pur­ purchased or you can make it pose for small areas. Press with yourself by stitching a tube of the pile side down. heavy muslin and stuffing it with For more complete instruc­ a tightly rolled magazine. tions on making these pressing (6) Half round. A piece of half aids, see the pressing bulletin. round is especially handy in D E M 0 N S T RAT I 0 N IDEA. pressing seams open for long Show pressing techniques for tie belts. Buy a 1- or 2-foot various fabrics.

(7) Susan J. Hendrix and Thine Lu Bloxham Extension Clothing and Textile Specialists

Published and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Service, John P. Miller, Director, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating.

Trade names have been used to simplify information. No endorsement of products is intended.

2M 772 KA