Examiner in Dressmaking, Tailoring, French Pattern Modelling, Millinery, and Plain Needlework of the Teachers in Training at the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, Cardiff, the London Technical Examination Centre, etc. Author of" Up-to-date Dresscutting and Drafting," also" The Practical Work of Dressmaking and Tailoring."

The " Bridle " of the Revers - How the Revers are Padded - Turning in the Front of the Coat Stitching the Back Seam of Lining

Cut a strip of linen on the straight, selvedge wise, about half an inch wide and the length of the crease edge. Fold the strip of linen down the centre, lengthwise, and press it well; unfold it and pin it very carefully down the crease edge. Place the inner crease of the linen exactly over the crease of the canvas, stretch the linen while pinning it on, thus slightly "easing" the "crease edge" of the revers into it. The pins must not be put in downwards, but across, as shown in diagram I. This strip of linen on the revers is called a "bridle," and it is placed there by all good tailors to prevent the front of the coat from stretching.

The bridle must next be run on to the coat along the crease; thread a needle with fine silk to match the coat, and work a row of small running stitches, working one stitch at a time only, through the bridle, the

Dress canvas, and the cloth of the coat. The revers must next be padded. Work the half of each stitch of the first row on the edge of the bridle, the other half on the canvas, and pad the whole of the revers upwards and downwards, as far as the tailor tacking, as shown in diagram 2.

Whilst padding the revers the bridle must always be held to the right, and the work done upwards and downwards towards the left; the work must be held lengthwise over the finger the whole time it is being padded, by this means allowing the canvas to become longer than the cloth which is underneath, and making the revers "roll" over, and not curl upwards.

N.B. - Instructions for working the padding stitch were given on page 642, Part 5, where the padding of a "roll collar" was taught.

Cut a strip of linen, on the straight, selvedge wise, about 2 1/2 inches wide (for this coat), and tack it down the front close to the line of tailor tacking, and again down the other side of the linen.

N.B. - This linen is to strengthen the right side of the coat for the buttonholes, and the left side for the buttons.

Next turn down the front of the coat along the line of tailor tacking, and tack it neatly on the right side, close to the edge (see Diagram 2).

Cut away the canvas as close as possible to the tacking, and cut away the turning of the cloth just beyond the canvas.

N.B. - The turnings of the canvas, linen, cloth, etc., in all tailor-made garments should be cut off to different widths, to graduate the thickness and avoid clumsiness. The turnings of the canvas and the cloth are cut off near the front edge of the coat to prevent unnecessary thickness in parts of the buttonholes - which would spoil their appearance.

The edge of the revers should now be turned up, exactly on the line of tailor tacking (which outlines the shape of it), to within one and a half inches of the front line of the top, and tacked neatly and firmly near the edge. Cut away the turning of the canvas close to the tacking, and the turning of the cloth just beyond it. Next damp and well p r e s s - o n the wrong side - the turning of the revers and front edge of the coat, and herringbone down the raw edge to the canvas on the revers, and to the linen down the front; then herringbone the raw edge of the linen to the canvas, so that all the turnings may be fastened down firmly and lie perfectly flat under the facing.

Diagram 1. Shows the bridle of the revers in position

Diagram 1. Shows the bridle of the revers in position

N.B. - The stitches of the herringboning need not be very small, but should be of a uniform size, and when the edge of a revers is at all rounded , any superfluous thickness there may be in the turning of the cloth must be notched away.

Before joining the shoulder seams and the under-arm seams, take the lining which was cut for the back, place the two pieces together on the table with the right sides facing. Fold the back of the coat in half, place it on the lining, and with a piece of tailor's chalk mark the centre-back seam at intervals on the lining; remove the cloth, and with a square draw a line by these marks from the neck to the waist, and from the waist to the bottom. Tack the two pieces together on this chalk line. Machine stitch - commencing at the neck - about one inch beyond the tacking, and slope it gradually inwards down to the waist until it meets the line of tacking at that point; from the waist follow the line of tacking to the bottom. Notch the turning in several places at the curve of the waist, remove the tacking from the waist to the bottom, but do not take it out from the neck to the waist. Open the back and place it on the ironing-board, wrong side uppermost. Press down the centre-back, from the neck to the waist, without opening the seam, creasing it down along the line of tacking. From the waist to the bottom open the seam, and press it flat. Remove tacking from neck to waist; there should be a flat, gradually sloping pleat, which tack down on the right side to keep it in place. Pin, tack, and machine-stitch the shoulder and under-arm seams of the fronts to the back of the coat - the cloth only - carefully matching the waist lines, and then notching in the turnings. To be continued.

The following are good firms for supplying materials, etc., mentioned in this Section: Messrs. The Jason Hosiery Co. (Hosiery); Clark & Co. (Dyeing and Cleaning); Sandow's Corset Co. (Corsets).

Diagram 2. Pad the revers, and turn down front of coat along the line of tailor tacking

Diagram 2. Pad the revers, and turn down front of coat along the line of tailor tacking