length of the band must vary according to the size of the waist, and must be cut by Fig. L, which represents it when doubled. The part from A to B, or that to which the apron is fulled, is five nails and a half; from A to C is one nail and a half; and from B to D is one full nail. The remainder of the band, from BD, onwards to F, is determined by the size of the waist. A piece of whalebone is stitched into the centre of the band, A C, and on each side of it a little chain-stitch is worked, in thick silk, of the same colour as the apron. The folds are exactly according to the Plate, beginning within the hem, and laid evenly along until below the whalebone, when a space is left. The chain-stitch is next worked in two rows, parallel with the curved shape of the band, allowing little more than a quarter of a nail between the rows. By this means the folds are neatly confined, and it prevents the bustling effect they might otherwise have. These folds are very small and close. The band has a small piping below, but is plain at the top, and fastens behind with hooks and eyes.

PLATE 11. FIG. 2.

This apron is generally made of silk, but looks well also in muslin. It requires care in the making as well as in the washing. The vandykes are formed by turning the edge of the apron down once, all round, to about three-quarters of a nail deep; and, after tacking it firmly down, vandykes are neatly run, in very small stitches (Fig. 5), from the edge of the apron to pretty near the rough edge of the silk, leaving sufficient to turn in well afterwards :-thus, let the vandykes be run to the depth of from A to B, leaving a small space all the way from B to C. When finished turn each vandyke inside out, and smooth all the wrinkles at the corners and points with a stiletto or scissors. When it is well and evenly pulled out, turn in the rough edge and hem it neatly down. Sometimes a little braid, or a row of chain-stitch, is put over the stitches on the right side. The plaits are regularly laid, those on each side being folded towards the middle. The band is frequently lined with buckram or stiff muslin, and is made with or without piping. Scollops are sometimes substituted for vandykes.

PLATE 11. FIG. 3.

This apron is of muslin, either clear or otherwise. A broad hem is made all round, of the proper width to admit a coloured or white ribbon of the half or three-quarter nail breadth. Some fine work or edging may be sewed to the hem all round. The band should be open at the ends to admit of the ribbon that ties it being drawn out when the apron is washed. The hem all round should also be kept open at the ends for the same purpose, and merely tacked up when the ribbon is put in.

PLATE 11. FIG. 4.

This is an apron with a broad hem all round, and a full frill of any fine material.

PLATE 11. FIG. 6.

A clear muslin apron, with a broad hem of three-quarters of a nail deep, and a shawl bordering laid all round within the hem, either half or three-quarters of a nail deep. This is a pretty apron for a young person. The bordering must be taken off before the apron is washed.

PLATE 11. FIG. 7.

This represents the bottom of an apron when hollowed out. It has a simple broad hem, turned up with a piping.

PLATE 11. FIG. 8.

The broad hem here is surrounded by a deep crimped frill of about a nail broad. These aprons are generally made of jaconet or cambric muslin, and the frill of cambric or lawn. They are very suitable for ladies to wear in a morning when cutting out, or in the housekeeper's room.

PLATE 11. FIG. 9.

This is a pretty evening apron, made with a broad hem, and muslin insertion-work let in all round, inside which, coloured ribbon may or may not be run. Edging, either of lace or worked muslin, is put on all round.

APRON POCKETS.

These vary very much, some being laid on the apron as in Fig. 3, 4, and 6; others put on at the back, a slit being made in the apron to correspond with the place of the pockets. These last are made as in Fig. P, from a long double piece, which, being sewed up, is cut diagonally or crosswise, from A to B, and forms two pockets, the part cut being sewed to the slit of the apron. The whole length of the narrow piece, before it is cut, is six nails, and the width, when double, two nails. The slit in the apron is neatly hemmed, and a trimming of ribbon or silk put round it, with a bow at the bottom, or a fringe and tassels.

In Fig. 3 the pocket is a piece of two nails and a half deep and five nails wide. This piece is plaited in regular folds at the top to a lining of only two nails and a half deep, and the same width. The bottom is fulled nearly to a point in small folds, and the lining, being turned in to the same shape, is sewed to it with a piping. The pocket is then stitched firmly on to the apron, and trimmed according to fancy. One or three small bows are put on the pocket.

In Fig. 4 the pocket is cut in the shape of a heart, and put plainly on the apron. It is about two nails and three-quarters wide, and two nails and a half deep. The pocket is piped or trimmed with edging. In Fig. 6 the pocket is particularly neat and pretty, being made of folds of the same material as the apron, with a coloured piping all round it, and three bows the same colour as the piping.

COMMON APRONS.

The simplest kind, and that generally worn by working men, is a yard wide or more, hemmed at the bottom and at the top, with a string run through to tie round the waist. It is thus worn by brewers, &c.

PLATE 11. FIG. 10.

This is a simple shape, and the one most in use. It is either plaited or gathered into the band, which is about a nail deep. These aprons are usually worn by all servants and women while at work. Blue, check, and brown linen are most used for scouring and cleaning; white linen, Holland, and print, for less dirty employments. Ladies wear them of silk or muslin, with or without pockets.

PLATE 11. FIG. 11.

This is a pretty apron, often worn by girls from eight to sixteen or eighteen years of age. The bib is made of the proper size to fit in front, between the shoulders of the wearer, coming down in a slope to the waist. These bibs may be plain, or they are ornamented with tucks or folds, either upright or length-wise. The shoulder-strap may be of the same material, or of tape or ribbon. The apron is

gathered evenly, or plaited so as to reach to A on each side, which is situated exactly between the bottom of the bib and the shoulder-strap behind.

PLATE 11. FIG. 12.

May be worn either as a common or as a pretty dress apron, according to the material and trimming. It may be made of silk, coloured muslin, or print. After being properly gathered into the band, two shoulder-straps, in the form of four lappets, are cut out, either pointed, as in A, or rounded, as in B. These lappets may be piped, and either edged with lace or fringe, or left plain. For a full size, the lappet is five nails along the selvage, from D to C, and one nail and three-quarters from C to B. The two straps are sewed together at C, and fastened with a bow of ribbon. The lappet is piped all round with a strong cord, to make it wear well.

PLATE 11. FIG. 13.

This shape is much worn by men servants, apothecaries, grocers, &c., and is simply gathered into a band, leaving a piece of two nails unattached to it, A B, which is hemmed at the top, and falls negligently down.

A COOKING APRON.

PLATE 11. FIG. 14.

This is a neat pattern for a housekeeper, cook, or kitchen-maid. The bib is quite plain, and pins to the gown at the corners. The size given in the Plate is suitable for a girl, but the bib should be cut to suit the wearer at once, and not made by guess. The apron is made of check or strong linen.

A PANTRY APRON.

PLATE 11. FIG. 15.

A very good shape for men servants to wear when trimming lamps, cleaning shoes and knives, &c. The apron is about a yard and a quarter long, and it is made of strong linen or calico. The tape for the neck should be nine or ten nails long. A pocket may be added in front. The corners of the apron are simply turned down to the distance of five nails and a half from the top (see A A), the letters, A A, being each exactly five nails and a half from B. These corners are either sewed or strongly hemmed down.

GENTLEMEN'S WORKSHOP APRON.

PLATE 11. FIG. 16.

This is very useful for gentlemen when turning, or using tools, and is generally made of Holland or strong white or brown linen. The width is fifteen or sixteen nails; the part for the neck four and a half, five, or more, according to the width across the shoulders of the wearer. The depth of this part two nails and a half or more. The straps, about eight nails and a half long, cross each other from the neck to the half of the shoulder part of the apron; which plan holds it up neatly in front, and makes it set more comfortably. A pocket may be added, according to pleasure, in front, or two at the sides. A slit in the apron, bound round with tape, and a square piece put on behind it, looks the neatest as a pocket.

SENTIMENT, FIANCÉE, OR NECK-TIE.

PLATE 11. FIG. 17, 18.

This is made of velvet, satin, or silk, and is worn for the purpose of keeping the neck warm, and as a finish to the dress. It is made of two colours, which are joined in the middle and lined with

sarsenet: the silk or other material is cut cross-wise and pointed at the ends. The sentiment is six or seven nails long from point to point, when made up, and within one nail and a half of the point at one end, is fastened with strong stitches or a silk ring. When the tie is worn, the other point is passed through the ring and drawn close. Sometimes the neck-tie is of a dark-coloured silk in the middle with two coloured ends.

A DRESS SCARF OR CAPRICE.

PLATE 11. FIG. 19, 20.

This is made of the broadest satin ribbon that can be procured, say two nails and a half wide, and is two yards and three quarters long. Double the ribbon on the wrong side exactly in two, and, while so doubled, run across the width of the ribbon in a slanting direction (Fig. 19, A B), and when opened, the scarf will set to the form of the neck. An edging of swansdown is sewed all round, and the ends may be either embroidered, braided, or left plain, according to the taste of the wearer.

A CACHEMIRE OR INDIANA SCARF.

PLATE 11. FIG. 21.

This is a kind of scarf which is easily made, and is a pretty finish to a walking dress, or may be worn in an evening at home: it is formed of three colours, say black, scarlet, and light blue. To make one scarf, you will want one yard and six nails in length and four nails and a half in width, of the black cachemire. Sometimes the length of the scarf will lie in the width of the material, in which case it will be a great saving of expense. Procure a piece of each of the other two colours, seven nails long, and of the same width as the black, viz., four nails and a half. Find the middle of each end of the black strip, and slope off one nail and a half from the middle to each side (see Fig. 21, A C A D): next, slope one end of the blue, and one end of the scarlet strip, to accord exactly with the black strip, cutting the nail and a half from the middle to the ends. After this, split the blue and the scarlet pieces down the middle, sew half the blue and half the scarlet very accurately, first together, and then to the black strip, making the points fit in as neatly as possible to the half strips: do the same at the other end, arranging the colours so as to be at cross corners with each other. Observe that the pieces are sewed flatly together, and herring-boned all round on the right side. A narrow silk gymp, one-third of a nail wide, is laid at the edge and upon all the joinings; this gymp should be of some clear bright colour, as yellow and deep brown or gold colour, and at the ends is a silk fringe of blue and scarlet, to match the two half strips.

A SIMPLE SCARF.

This is made of plain net or tulle, the whole width of the material, say three quarters of a yard, and three yards long. A broad hem is made all round, wide enough to admit of a satin ribbon of a threepenny breadth.

STAYS OR CORSETS.
PLATE 11.

It is impossible to give any particular patterns or sizes of stays, as they must, of course, be cut differently, according to the figure, and be variously supported with more or less bones or runners of cotton, according to the age, strength, or constitution of the wearer; we shall, therefore, confine ourselves to a few observations on the making up: and with respect to the cutting out, it is recommended to those who make their own stays, to purchase a pair from an experienced stay-maker that fit perfectly well, and also a pair cut out, but not made up, so as to be a good pattern for the home-made stays.

WOMEN'S STAYS.

PLATE 11. FIG. 22.

If for ladies, they are made of sattine, or best French jean, which is half a yard wide, and about 20d. or 2s. per yard: if of au inferior quality, they are made of white, brown, grey, or naukeen jean, at 8d. or 10d. per yard, and lined with calico between the doubles. The stay is generally lined between the two pieces of jean with union cloth or Irish linen in every part excepting the gores. Stays are usually cut in four parts, all of which are generally upon the cross, as this assists materially in making them set better to the figure. Two of the pieces reach from each side of the back, nearly to the hips, and the other two from thence to the middle of the busk or steel. There are two gores on each side for the

bosom, and two larger ones on each side below, for the hips. The necessary bones are as follows:

A steel in the middle, which should be narrower at the top than at the bottom, and confined in a strong wash leather, before being put into the stay-case.

Two bones at the extreme ends, to prevent the holes from bursting beyond the edge.

We may also add, as they are in common use, a second bone down each back, on the other side of the lace-holes.

Bones between the front bosom gores, on each side; but these should be very thin and elastic, and are seldom wanted unless the wearer requires much additional support.

Two other bones, one on each side, from about a nail below each arm-hole to the bottom of the stay. A few slight rib or cross-bones are sometimes put in.

It is as well to observe that unless particularly feeble, or otherwise an invalid, it is most desirable to wear as few bones as possible; and that for healthy persons, the two back bones, with the steel in front, are quite sufficient. The casing of the steel in front is sometimes made elastic to the depth of four nails from the top, by means of Indian rubber runners; which adds much to the comfort of asthmatic or delicate persous. (See Fig. 23.)

On each side of the steel is a cotton runner, and these are also put in various other parts of the stays, according to fancy.

ON MAKING UP.

The needles used for making stays are called the between needles. Strong sewing silk, called staysilk, is used for the best corsets, and strong waxed cotton for the common ones. In sewing the seams, take greai care to turn in the worl: properly, so as to have all the rough edges within the stay: for this purpose, first turn down the outside and inside piece of jean lying on one side of the seam, with the rough edges and the lining prepared as if for common sewing; do the same with the other side of the seam, placing the two scams, thus prepared, side by side, and sew them firmly together. It will have the effect of a double ordinary seam, when held between the finger and thumb. The mode of sewing these four thicknesses so as to make them lie flatly when opened, is rather peculiar. Take up with your needle, three of the thicknesses, leaving the fourth unsewed. The next stitch, take again three folds, leaving the other outside one unsewed: continue alternately taking up one outside and omitting the other, letting the stitches lie close together: when completed, open the seam, and flatten it with the finger and thumb.

The gores are next laid between the doubles of jean, and neatly back-stitched all round; the narrow parts at the top being worked in button-hole stitch.

The bone-cases are then made, and the cotton runners back-stitched.

M