The Middy Blouse

Because of the comfort and the freedom of movement it insures, the middy blouse is to be recommended for wear at school, gymnasium, camp, and for both indoor and outdoor sports (Fig. 173).

Suitable materials Drill Galatea

Indian-head muslin Poplin Khaki cloth Linen Serge Flannel

Materials for decoration

Linen (coarse)

Flannel

Braid

Collars and

Cuffs

Embroidery cotton D. M.C. No. 16-25 or other makes

Arrowheads Stars Anchors Emblems

Lace (for fastening front) Silk for tie

Drill (sometimes called twilled muslin), and Indian-head are the most desirable materials. They can both be had in thirty-six-inch widths, and for sixteen cents per yard. Drill is, of the two, perhaps, the more satisfactory; it does not soil quite as quickly as Indian-head, and does not turn yellow as quickly as galatea, which is narrower and costs as much. Indian-head launders more easily than either drill or galatea, and on the other hand soils more easily. Poplin is scarcely heavy enough, and linen crushes too easily. Khaki cloth makes an attractive blouse, but is rather stiff at first, and for this reason is very difficult to sew.

White is to be recommended because of its laundering qualities, and consequent freshness. Colored collars and cuffs of linen or flannel, stars and emblems, arrowheads, or laces and tie will give the correct touches of color. Khaki cloth with brown stitchings and tie, and leather lacing, makes an attractive middy for wear with a skirt of the same material. Serge is suitable for a winter school suit, where it is desirable to have the warmth of the woolen material. It is not, however, as cleanly as the cotton materials.

Serge is more wearable than flannel, which is usually too thick and wooly. Flannel is sometimes used for the upper collar on the 298 middy blouse, which gives it more the appearance of a seaman's middy. Personal taste may be consulted as to the use of braid on collar and cuffs, arrowheads, stars, anchors, eagles and chevrons

Fig. 173. - Middy blouse.

(Fig. 173). Emblems employing the monogram of the school, placed above the chevrons, instead of the eagle, are sometimes adopted by an entire class or school as a special mark for the middy blouse.

Either a commercial or drafted pattern may be used to construct the blouse. The instructions which follow are for the use of a commercial pattern. Those for drafted pattern are the same, except that there is no seam allowance on the pattern.

Read the directions for purchasing commercial patterns (p. 182). Take the bust measure around the fullest part of the bust, an easy measure. Purchase according to this measure a pattern of standard make, and the quantity of material for which the pattern calls, of the kind you have selected.