places where much strain is on the seam.

Bias hems, such as sleeve head lining, etc.

All bias hems and curved edges, should have the folds basted in.

LESSON IV.

ALTERATIONS.

How to shorten and lengthen coat sleeves. How to raise and lower collars. How to alter (or change) a coat that is too large around the neck and collar. How to make the alteration when a coat is too large over the chest. How to change a vest that is too large around. How to make a vest larger around. How to change trousers that are too long. How to lengthen trousers. How to make trousers smaller around the waist. How to make trousers larger around the waist, whether there is an outlet or not. How to make button cords for sewing on buttons. An easy way to hang a skirt. How to iron over buttons without breaking. Also how to iron embroidery.

HOW TO MAKE ALTERATIONS ON GARMENTS.

When sleeves are to be shortened or lengthened, have customer try coat on, and mark with chalk, the length desired. Then remove coat and run a basting of cotton around both sleeves, five inches above cuff, to hold lining in place, while doing the work. Then with a knife or scissors, rip lining around both cuffs. Unfasten turn up from wigan. This will allow turn up to fall down. Now mark with chalk, around both sleeves, the correct length. Turn up and baste solid, and fasten turn up, to wigan, same as before. Now allow lining to fall down, and cut off even all around the end of the cuff. Baste lining two inches from the edge of cuff, and fell with silk same color as the cloth or lining. These instructions are for shortening sleeves.

When sleeves are to be lengthened, proceed as before, but with this difference,—should the lining, and turn up of cuff not meet, it will be necessary to piece the lining or sew hand facings to the bottom of sleeve, same as the cloth in garment, or as near as possible. Then fell sleeve lining to facing.

When sleeves are to be lengthened, baste a piece of wigan to that which is now in place, the amount to be lengthened, and fasten turn up to the wigan, and turn sleeve lining in two inches from the end of cuff. Fell sleeve lining to turn up as before.

Sleeves may be lengthened all of the turn up, by sewing a piece of cloth to the sleeve, same as the garment, same size around, and sewn in a seam on the machine. Baste and turn edges out even, and press firm, stitch around with machine, thereby making it firm and solid.

Stitch edge of sleeve to match edge of coat.

Fasten ends of silk thread by threading them to a needle and taking a stitch or two, then cut off. Sew buttons on as required. This completes the lengthening of sleeves.

Should coat collar be too high, run a row of basting cotton, two inches below the collar seam; mark with chalk the amount to be lowered, then rip with knife or scissors, inside and out from crease to crease. Now baste under collar to neck of coat first, and fasten inside of coat to the stand of collar. Now baste the outside or top collar on the inside to the coat in keeping with the amount lowered and fell inside and outside of collar. Sew loop on back of coat collar inside, and remove basting. Place coat collar on press-jack in a convenient manner and press in same crease as when worn.

Place on a coat hanger, to retain its proper shape and to dry before wearing. (When basting under collar to coat neck, start basting from center back seam, forward to each side.)

When coat collar is to be raised, run a row of basting cotton two inches below the collar seam, from end to end. Rip under collar and unfasten coat from stand of collar inside and rip inside collar from crease to crease. Mark with chalk the amount to be raised, and start basting from the center back seam, forward to each side; then fasten coat to the stand of collar, and baste inside or top collar to the inside of coat the amount raised on the outside. Fasten loop to stand of collar inside, remove bastings and place coat collar on press-jack in a convenient way, press as before and hang to dry before wearing.

If however, the coat collar is to be raised and one finds that by raising, that the collar will be too long, the collar may be cut in the center and seamed or taken off at one end (if only raised on one side) or both as the case may be; if raised all around, the collar must be shortened at both ends.

This is a very particular piece of work, and should not be attempted unless the garment is old, and one wants to practice on it; this may be had by altering an old garment for practice, as with practice, most anything may be accomplished. (When one has had considerable experience in this line, then it may be done without taking it to a tailor; until then, it will be best to let the experienced tailor do the work on a good coat.)

When a coat is too large around the neck and collar, and falls away at the bottom when unbuttoned, and bulges at the opening when buttoned, is an indication that the garment is not balanced properly. This may be changed to fit perfectly in the following manner: Run a basting three inches from each side of the shoulder seams and to front of coat to collar end. Rip collar off from crease to crease, rip shoulder seams from neck to within two inches of the sleeve seam, and mark with chalk, the amount to be taken in (as the shoulder strap is too long from neck to bottom of arm hole and must be shortened so that the coat will hang squarely and well balanced when unbuttoned as well as when buttoned), mark from neck gradually to nothing at the end of the two inches, from the shoulder or sleeve head; this amount to be taken off the forepart in all cases, baste back to shoulder seam and press open, unless a trifle may be taken off the center back seam at top, which is a good idea, so that the collar will fall more closely to the neck. Baste shoulder and lining together. Now baste collar on, starting at the center back seam, and baste forward each way, and if found too long, shorten as explained above; fell shoulders and collar. Finish collar neatly and press shoulder and collar.

When one side is to be altered (this one may see when customer has coat on and buttoned, and one side stands away from the neck), in that case, only change one side.

When a coat is too large over the chest, and by setting the buttons back from the edge two and one-half inches (which is only to be done in extreme cases) will not have the desired effect; run a row of basting cotton around arm hole two inches from the sleeve seam, across shoulder to the front end of collar and two inches from the shoulder seam. Rip sleeves and shoulders out and collar off from end to end, press seam out smooth, and mark with chalk the amount shoulder is to be advanced, say from one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch, as the case may be (this may be easily determined when the coat is on the customer, notice the amount of lap and then judge the amount), baste back shoulder to forepart of coat having the top of back even with the chalk mark; seam and press open, baste shoulder and lining together, now baste collar on, then baste sleeve in, and seam and press open seam as before and fix up sleeve head, and cut off end of shoulder amount shoulder was advanced at shoulder point. This will take surplus goods away from the front and allow goods to go back; finish collar, shoulders and sleeves and press.

Double breasted coats are different, the buttons may be set from the edge, according to style and fashion.

When a coat is too large in the back, take part out in the side seams and part out in the center back seam; the best way to determine the amount to be taken out, is to pin each seam a trifle when customer has coat on, then one will get the proper effect of the