Cut from G to B, and one fold from G to E; the other is from G to F. A triangular piece is put in at the top of the back, of 3 nails in continuation from F to H. The pair of drawers has two bands of about 7 nails long each, and 13 nail deep, when doubled. In making, sew up the legs, and put on the extra piece at the back. Sew the two legs together at the back, and hem the slit on each side in front. Set each leg into a separate band, leaving them open before and behind. Work four little oylet holes in the band behind, to admit tapes, which are laced through them and tie; in front, metal buttons are put, and button-holes made. Down each leg, in the front, a broad tape or piece of strong calico is laid, to strengthen it. A slit of about 2 nails long is made at the bottom of each leg. Broad tape is laid on round each leg at the bottom, forming a sort of hem, and oylet holes are worked on each side of the slit, for tape to come out at, which draws them to the proper size. Fig. 20 represents the back of the drawers cut out. Night jackets for the higher classes are made of linen, lawn, cambric-muslin, and fine calico; also of dimity and twilled calico; and for the lower orders, of linen or calico. The calico should be soft and strong; and the unbleached or grey calico, as it is usually called by Linen Drapers, is warmer and often more durable than the white. Fig. 1 represents the plan or picture of a piece of cloth of the proper width, on which all the parts for forming a woman's jacket are accurately marked, with the exception of the shoulder-straps, which, as they do not fit in, might be made of any extra bits. Cut out the two breadths of the skirt in one length, to avoid a seam on the shoulder. Fold it very exactly in half, and, after leaving 3 nails at each end of the folded side, to allow for the shoulders, slit open the neck from A to G, after which, measure carefully and find the middle of the neck, C, and slit it down to the bottom, D, to form the opening in front of the jacket. The sleeves, which are 10 nails long, and the two cut in the width, are either sloped off towards the wrist, fulled into a wristband, as in Fig. 10, or else neatly run, at a sufficient distance from the edge, to form a kind of frill (Fig. 9). This running is done in two rows, extended nearly all round the cuff, and neatly stretched upon a piece of tape, which is laid inside, and carried all round the cuff. Fig. 3 represents a plan for cutting out twelve jackets, which is the most economical number, cut out at once, to avoid waste. The pieces in the Plate are marked with the initial letter for their use, and the width of the piece, thus, S 7, signifies sleeve 7 nails wide. On the left hand of the plan is marked the length of each piece, and on the right hand is set down the number of those lengths required to be cut to form the set complete, thus, 12 L means 12 lengths. The frills are generally of fine lawn or cambric, or else corded, jaconet, checked, or other muslins. This shape is not so much worn as that of Fig. 4, nor perhaps has it so neat and finished an appearance, but on many accounts it is the most desirable, being in the first place, more economical; it also washes more easily, and above all, is particularly convenient in time of sickness, when it is very essential to a weak or suffering person to be able to draw open the gown at the neck and wrists, so as to have full play for the arms in changing her linen, or having blisters, leeches, &c. applied; whereas those night dresses confined at the neck in collars are very irksome, and cause much unnecessary suffering in being removed. The scale and plans so clearly explain the size, shape, &c. that nothing remains to be said, except that a band is sometimes worn round the waist, with a narrow frill sewn round the ends, which are sloped off, according to fancy. It is better economy to cut three or six gowns together, as the gussets, binders, &c. take about the third of a breadth, so that in cutting out one, there is an unavoidable waste of the other two-thirds of a breadth. The two sleeves cut in the width, and are, for the largest size, 9 nails long. ANOTHER NIGHT GOWN. PLATE 8. FIG. 4. It is more economical to buy your material of a sufficient width to merely gore it, if only one gown is to be cut out. It is better to cross the skirt, and use 11⁄2 breadth of very wide material, if six are to be cut. |