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 ls. 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 T 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 subdivided 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 cross-wise 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. Represents the best mode of cutting out six shirts of the same size as Fig. 1. Cut off the bodies or skirts. Cut off from the breadth the strip for the twelve sleeves, being in all three yards six nails in length, and six nails in width. Cut from the remainder of the breadth the twelve linings, two in the breadth, six nails and a half long, and the twelve wristbands, two in the breadth, of two nails and a half long, thus using up all the strip. Cut the other pieces as follows:- Two collars in the breadth, C C, six nails long, three breadths. Nine shoulder-straps, SS, three nails long, one breadth. Three shoulder-straps and six neck-gussets, N N, three nails long, one breadth. Four sleeve-gussets, G G, two nails and a half long, three breadths. The collar is very wide, and intended to turn over. PLATE 17. FIG. 4. The most economical plan of cutting six shirts, the size of Fig. 3:- |