BONNET CAP FOR A CHILD.

PLATE 15. FIG. 31, 32.

This is an oblong, seven nails long by four nails wide. Hem it all round. AE is the front. a ribbon is run through the hems, both in front and at the back, B C, which draws up the cap as much as is necessary to make it fit.

A CAPETTE.

PLATE 15. FIG. 33.

A capette is a sort of half-cap worn by young ladies, as a preservation from cold; it is also useful as a pretty kind of evening head dress; they are not expensive and are easily made.

Take a piece of silk or satin ribbon, the proper length for the front of a cap, and about two-thirds of a nail broad, along each edge hem in a wire ribbon so as to reduce the width to half a nail, putting three ribs or stays of wire across, to keep the ribbon its full breadth; one should be in the middle, and one at each end: then take another piece of wire ribbon, which is to go at the back of the head, and which is covered with ribbon similar to the front; the length of this must be regulated by the size of the wearer's head, and it should be very accurately fitted, as all the comfort, and much of the neat appearance of the capette depends upon it setting well and closely to the shape of the head; this back piece should be sewed very firmly to the front, a little above the ears. A border of net, tulle, or blonde is then plaited on to the front, and a gauze or satin ribbon folded, and laid upon the edge of it, so as to cover the stitches, and the foundation; this ribbon is long enough to form strings. On the back-strap is also laid a similar piece of ribbon, and sometimes a small bow is put in the centre of it. The front is trimmed according to fancy, the most simple mode generally looking the best.

Some persons wear capettes under their bonnets, and then they are usually made without wire, and merely bound with ribbon.

LAPPETS.
PLATE 15. FIG. 34.

Lappets are merely a double border of net, tulle, or blonde, three nails on each side, leaving a space in the middle; sometimes they are plaited all round, or made with a plain piece of blonde over the forehead. The edge is bound with ribbon, the ends of which form the strings.

WIDOW'S CAP.

PLATE 15. FIG. 35, 36, 37.

A widow's cap is a very difficult thing to make well, and looks particularly slovenly when ill put together; it is, therefore, often the best economy to buy one ready made, as there are persons who do little or nothing else; however, as there may be some cases in which this plan is not advisable, a pattern is given of a full sized one, and a few words on the manner of making it up.

These caps should be of book muslin (not of the thinnest kind) or of white crape.

In the Plate, half of the crown, Fig. 35, and half of the head-piece, Fig. 36, are represented. To cut out the former, let your paper be seven nails and a half long, and three nails and a half wide; from the side to A is two nails and three quarters, from the bottom to B is three nails and three quarters, and from the corner to C, two nails and a half. The doubled part of the muslin is to be laid upon D.

For the head-piece, Fig. 36, your paper must be three nails and three-quarters long, by one nail and a quarter broad. From A to the corner is three-quarters of a nail, slope gradually to B. D is the doubled part.

S

In making up, after setting the crown into the head-piece, with the fulness chiefly in the front, and hemming it behind and all round the face, sew on the borders: these are made of the same muslin, about a quarter of a nail deep, they are double in front, and put on very full: after the muslin is hemmed, a short round stick is run through, which gives a crimped appearance, and makes the hem hollow; to keep the border in its place, a fine tape is passed through each hem, which is tied up to the proper size; a sort or binder is then laid upon the head-piece and meets behind; it is thus made :—take a piece of muslin, one nail and a half broad and two yards long, make a hem at each edge and a tuck in the middle, the same width as the hem of the borders, pass the stick through all these hems, and run in a fine tape or bobbin, to draw it up to the proper size. A piece is then prepared to fasten under the chin which is three quarters of a yard long, and broad enough to admit of a hem, one quarter of a nail deep at each edge, no plain muslin being left between; the stick is passed through these hems, and a tape run in. When worn, the ends are pinned on each side at the ears of the cap.

VELVET OR WADDED SILK CAP.

PLATE 15. FIG. 38.

This cap is very useful to wear under a bonnet, especially in travelling. It is four nails long in the

front, when folded in two, and three nails and a half wide, it is sloped behind one nail, and rounded about half a nail at the top.

In making up, a lining is put into it, and a piece of wadding laid between it and the cap: they are neatly run together down the front and behind: a string-case is made at the back, for about half a nail on each side of the middle, and a ribbon run in to draw it up to the proper size. It is neatly joined for one nail and a half, and the rest is gathered up, the stitches being concealed by a large button, covered with the same silk.

SILK CAP.
PLATE 15. FIG. 39.

These are often worn by elderly or invalid ladies, under their caps and bonnets. Fig. 39 is an approved shape, to wear under a cap; it is made of silk that approaches the nearest in colour to the shade of the hair. It is in two pieces, the one a strip ten nails long, three nails deep, and sloped off at the ends to two nails; and the other a round cushion, one nail and a half across, and half a nail high: the strip is joined up at the ends, which part fits to the front of the head, hemmed all round, and strings run in to draw it up to the proper size. The cushion is made and filled with light sheep's wool, and the strip or head-piece gathered regularly to it. The use of it is to make the crown of the cap stand up. PINAFORES, SACCARINES, &c.

PLATE 16.

Pinafores and saccarines are worn chiefly by children of both sexes, and of every age, also by house-maids, while making beds, or persons engaged in particularly dusty or dirty employments. For children's pinafores during their earliest years, look in Plate 3, where two or three patterns are entered, among other articles of baby linen, and where scales are affixed for children of various ages. The following are the other shapes most in use.

CHILDS' SURTOUT PINAFORE.

PLATE 16. FIG. 1.

This is a neat and simple pinafore for a young child, and is made of diaper, Holland or print.

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 neckband 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.