The workwoman's guide

The pinafore is folded in half, and again in two, to find the situation of the arm-holes at the quarters: after sloping the shoulders, hollow out the neck about a quarter of a nail; the shoulders must then be sewed up, and the pinafore set into the neck-band, which is first doubled exactly in half; this neck-band buttons behind. The sleeve lappets are gathered near the edge, and neatly set on to the arm-hole before it is hemmed, so that when the hem is turned down, no stitches are seen on the right side; the lappet is then fulled at the edge a second time, which being also firmly sewed down, makes it lie flat upon the hem. The other edge of the lappet is hemmed, and silk washing braid put on, to hide the stitches. The lappet should be set on to within half a nail of the bottom of the slit of the arm-hole on each side; little gussets may be put in at the bottom of the slit, to make it stronger. A band is sewed on in front, of the proper length to button behind, its proper situation is in the centre in front, and a little below the level of the bottom of the arm-hole. Boys often wear a band of patent leather instead, with a buckle. This pinafore is quite open behind, being only fastened by the neck-button and the band.

A CHILD’S SMOCK-FROCK,
OR CLOSE PINAFORE.

PLATE 16. FIG. 2, 3.

If for gentlemen’s children, they are made of Holland, either black or brown, or diaper, but for the lower classes, of blue check, dark blue linen, brown and black linen, or coloured prints. These close pinafores are very suitable for children playing in a garden, or for going to school in, and preserve clean frocks, or hide soiled ones effectually. It would be well if at most large charity schools, children attended with these kind of pinafores, which at once give them a neat respectable appearance.

The number of breadths is not mentioned in the scale, as the widths of the material differ so much; but it is advisable, if possible, to obtain it of such a width as will agree with the width of the pinafore, to admit of their being but one, one and a half, or exactly two breadths in it. The sleeves, collar, bands, and gussets, may be made to cut to little or no waste, by fitting them well, one with another, especially if the band be made in two pieces, instead of one length. The pinafore is easily made up; after putting in the neck gussets, the collar is set on, the skirt being regularly fulled into it. The sleeves, &c., are all put on as in a shirt, excepting that the wristbands are sewed up so as to form cuffs.

Metal or bone buttons are those in general use to fasten them. The two nails by one and a half that are over (see K), serve for covering buttons, or make a small gusset for the slit behind, and also for the bottom of the sleeves, if the wristband is made open.

LARGE SIZED PINAFORE.

PLATE 16. FIG. 4.

To prevent waste, it would be advisable to cut out two at once, as the collars, &c., will cut for both pinafores in one width. Cut two breadths for each pinafore, and from one breadth of each, cut the sleeves. For the collars, &c., cut off a piece of Holland, seven nails long, and divide it according to the Figure in the Plate, first taking off the two collars, C C, the whole length selvage-wise, and each two nails wide; next, the four wristbands, W W, of which two cut in the length, of three and a half nails long, and three nails wide; afterwards the four gussets, G G, two and a half nails square, leaving a strip, two nails long, and five nails wide, out of which cut the two neck-gussets, each two nails square, to be afterwards cut crosswise in half; also little gussets for the slit behind, and the sleeves, if the wristbands are made open.

These pinafores are made up like those before mentioned.

PINAFORES FOR BOYS,
OF STRONG BLACK GLAZED CALICO,
OR HOLLAND, AT 1s. PER YARD.

PLATE 16. FIG. 2, 3,

Represents the width of the cloth on which the pieces composing the pinafore of the smallest size are marked.

Cut two breadths and divide one in half, from the half cut all the et cetera according to the figure.

• S S are the two sleeves, five and a half nails square.
• C  is the collar, two nails by six long.
• W W are the two wristbands, two nails by three long.
• G G are the two sleeve-gussets, two nails square.
• N N are the two neck-gussets, one nail square.

CHILDREN’S SACCARINES.

PLATE 16. FIG. 7.

These are exceedingly pretty, if finished neatly with braid or silk, and are generally made of Holland, either brown, or the light grey called French Holland. They answer well as morning dresses, in which children can run about, and work in the garden, with less danger of tearing or dirtying their under clothes, than with frocks of lighter materials.

In making up these saccarines, the work must be very good and strong. The hem at the bottom should be about one nail and a half deep. The shoulder-straps and neck-gussets being put on, the slit hemmed, and everything ready for biassing the pinafore, prepare some strong netting silk of a colour that will wash well—black, purple, or white are the best—and then bias the front and back in four rows below the collar. Small spots worked on the gathers, between the rows of biassing, in the same coloured silk, have a finished and neat effect. The sleeve is also biassed at about a quarter of a nail below the shoulder, and at the wrist. For a description of biassing, see Part I., Chapter I. Some persons put coloured worsted braid over the biassing, and, if chosen of a colour that washes well, and sewed on with crewel, it looks pretty, and stands washing better than most kinds of netting silk. Little pockets of Holland should be put in front, being particularly useful to children for their handkerchiefs, &c. The wristbands, collar, and band should have some little ornamental work, either in silk or braid, to correspond with the rest.

FIG. 5

Represents the width of the Holland on which the pieces are marked for the largest saccarine, supposing two of them cut out together, which is by far the most economical way.

After cutting out the skirts, mark off and cut in one piece the two breadths for the two pairs of sleeves, and, before dividing the breadths, cut selvage-wise the whole length a strip two nails wide, which will be twelve long, and form one of the bands. The two sleeves exactly fit in the remainder of the width. Cut next another breadth of the cloth of six nails long, and from it take, according to the Plate:—

• Two collars, C C, the whole length, and one nail wide each.
• Four wristbands, W W, two in the length, and one nail wide each.
• Four gussets, G G, three nails square, two in the length.
• Two half bands, B B, to be sewed together to make one, each
• one nail wide, and the whole length.
• (The other band is already cut off.)
• Two neck-gussets, N N, of two nails square, to be afterwards
• cut crosswise to form the pair.
• Four shoulder-straps, S S S S, of half a nail wide and one
• nail and three-quarters long, and one piece over, which will
• form a slit-gusset.

FIG. 6

Represents the smaller saccarine on cloth of the proper width. In this case, also, it is necessary to cut two at once, to prevent waste.

After cutting the two skirts and two pairs of sleeves, of which two sleeves exactly fit in the width, cut off a breadth six nails down the selvage, and divide it as follows, according to the Plate:—

• Two collars, C C, one nail wide each, and the whole depth.
• Four half bands, B B B B, one nail wide each, of the whole
• length of two nails and a half, leaving one nail over.
• Four sleeve-gussets, G G G G, of two nails square,
• underneath which lie
• Four shoulder-straps, S S, of three-quarters of a nail wide
• and one nail and a half long, and two other gussets.
• A strip of Holland, half a nail by three nails, remains to
• bind round the slit behind, which makes it firm and durable.

HOUSEMAID’S PINAFORE.

PLATE 16. FIG. 8.

House-maids have, or ought to have, a calico pinafore to put on when making beds, as, after cleaning grates and emptying slops, their clothes should not come in contact with clean bed-linen and counterpanes, lest they should soil them.

The sleeves should be left large and loose, so as to admit of the pinafore being easily put on and off, over the gown. It is more economical to cut out two pinafores than one, as otherwise two gussets are wasted.

SCHOOL GIRL’S PINAFORE.

PLATE 16. FIG. 9.

Pinafores for the national and other schools are generally made of strong blue linen check, with one or two pockets at the front and sides, in which their knitting and needle-work are put. These pinafores, after buttoning up the pockets, are carefully taken off when school hours are over, folded, and locked up at the school-house. In front, near the top of the pinafore, is sewed a square patch of the linen, on which is marked, in red or other tape, the number of the child to whom it belongs. The child is generally called by her companions by the number of the pinafore, instead of being addressed by her name, which is, in many ways, a great saving of memory, time, and trouble.

A CHILD’S PINAFORE.

PLATE 16. FIG. 10.

This is made of brown Holland, or any other neat material, and trimmed with braid or an edging, or simply piped, to give a sort of finish to it. Take two breadths of the proper length (say twelve nails), and sew them together up the seams, leaving two nails and a half from the top for the arm-holes. When thus sewed, fold the skirt in half the width, and hollow out the arm-holes, cutting into the cloth, from A to B, half a nail. The neck is also hollowed to about one nail, from C to D, leaving one nail and a quarter for the shoulders, which are not sewed up, but neatly hemmed and made to button together.

There is no slit behind, but the back is made exactly like the front, either with large plaits, as in the figure, biassed, or gathered. A band, sewed on in front, buttons round the waist. When the pinafore is taken off, the shoulders are merely unbuttoned, and it falls down, as seen on the right hand side of the figure. Lappets or frills may be added with advantage round the arm-holes, taking care to divide them at top, to allow of the shoulders separating.

A SURGEON’S
DISSECTING PINAFORE.

PLATE 16. FIG. 11.

These pinafores are worn by surgeons over the coat, and are made high up to the neck and down to the waist, to prevent anything soiling the dress while dissecting and performing operations. The pinafores are generally of black, but sometimes of grey Holland. They have two pockets, in which to put the instruments, cloths, &c. &c.

The breadth and half are sewed together, the pinafore doubled as usual, and the slits for the arms cut; after which the shoulder-straps are sewed between, and not upon the parts forming the shoulder, taking care to put the wide end of the shoulder-straps (which are sloped as seen below), towards the neck. Put in the sleeves, and set the neck into the collar. Find the situation of the pocket-hole, letting the middle of it fall in a straight line, exactly under the arm. The slit is cut width-way, and a piece of narrow tape is sewed round it at the edge, and hemmed down. The pocket is sewed on (but not hemmed) at the inside with small stitches, and, when done, well flattened with the finger and thumb.

The piece for the shoulder-straps is crossed, making the narrow end about one-third of a nail, as in Fig. 12.

A strong case is sewed round the pinafore inside, made of 2d. or 3d. tape. Two large oylet-holes are made at the sides, and a very long piece of tape is first drawn all round the string-case coming out behind, and secured in front. These strings cross behind, and are carried through the opposite string-case, as far as the oylet-holes, at which they are brought out. The pinafore is generally put on over the head. The strings draw round and tie in front.

WAGGONER’S SMOCK-FROCK.

PLATE 16. FIG. 13, 14, 15, 16.

It is made of strong linen, similar to that used for sheeting, and the biassing upon it is worked with the strongest glazed thread or cotton that can be procured. This work must be firmly and regularly done, as the price of these frocks depends on the quantity and quality of work in them.

The two breadths are cut in one piece, and hollowed out at the neck to the depth of one nail, making the hollowing, Fig. 13, from A to B, as abruptly as possible, so that from B to C is quite straight by a thread. After the body is gathered to the proper size, so as to correspond with the two half collars, set them on so that the divisions shall come behind and in front, at which places the frock itself is cut down one nail and a quarter deep.

The shoulders and wrists, as well as the front and back, are biassed with strong glazed thread, in various patterns, and stitched as in Fig. 16. The plain part, between the biassing and arm-hole, is worked in chain-stitch, as also the collar, in various patterns.

These frocks are to be met with at clothing warehouses, and cost from 9s. to 18s. each, the price depending upon the quantity and quality of work put on.

SHIRTS FOR THE
LABOURING CLASSES.

PLATE 17.

Shirts for labouring men are generally made of the stout linen called shirting-linen, at from 9d. to 1s. per yard. Shirts for men of lighter occupations are sometimes of calico, with linen collars and wristbands. Blue checks, unbleached, and striped calicoes, or prints, are used for that purpose.

Linen for shirts should be chosen of exactly the proper width, according to the size wanted; and as it is an expensive article, especially when cut to waste, six Scales are drawn upon the Plate for six different sizes of shirts, by which the most economical plan for cutting the shirt is seen.

Each Scale is drawn upon the width of cloth suitable to the sized shirt. Scales are also affixed for cutting out a set of six of the same sized shirts, as, by a little management, and occasionally reducing or enlarging a sleeve a quarter of a nail, or making some such immaterial difference, the various parts of a set, take much less cloth by being cut together.

If shirts are made of linen, they should always be cut by a thread; but if they are of calico, they may be torn: still, however, the smaller parts, as gussets, straps, &c., should be cut, in preference to tearing, as they are apt to pull out of shape. In preparing a set of shirts, time is saved by cutting out all the pieces of the same size together, instead of cutting first a sleeve, then a wristband, &c. It also saves cloth to cut strips all in one length, and then sub-divide it: for instance, when binders and sleeves are cut in the breadth, as one is longer than the other, it is necessary to mark off the width of the sleeve, and then cut down the whole length of the set of sleeves, leaving the strip in one length, to be sub-divided afterwards. The bodies should be cut each in one piece, and not in two separate breadths. The neck-gussets are generally single, therefore, one gusset, cut crosswise in half, forms the pair.

Before cutting the bosom, slit, &c., of the body, observe that the shirt should be folded in two, so as to let the front breadth be one nail shorter than the back breadth. When thus folded, crease it by a thread, and, after leaving the proper distance for the shoulders, proceed to cut the slit for the neck, and down for the bosom. Next measure the length of opening for the flaps, and for the arm-holes, and put in pins as marks.

A FEW GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
ON SHIRTS.

There are nineteen useful parts to a shirt, which are cut out pretty nearly by the following rough proportions; but as the figures of men differ materially, no exact rule can be laid down.

• 1st The SKIRT or BODY, which is cut, with the two
• breadths in one piece, and should be long enough
• to reach from the shoulder to the knee of the wearer.
• 2nd and 3rd. The SLEEVES, which are generally about
• half the length of the skirt when sewed up, and the
• breadth the same.
• 4th The COLLAR, which is the same length as the
• sleeve.
• 5th and 6th. The WRISTBANDS, each of which is half
• the length of the collar.
• 7th and 8th. The BINDERS, the length of a sleeve
• and a quarter.
• 9th and 10th. The SHOULDER-STRAPS, the same length
• as the wristbands.
• 11th and 12th. Two SLEEVE-GUSSETS.
• 13th and 14th. Two NECK-GUSSETS.
• 15th and 16th. Two HIP, or SIDE-GUSSETS.
• 17th and 18th. Two WRIST-GUSSETS.
• 19th One BOSOM-GUSSET.

PLATE 17.

PLATE 17. FIG. 2