Facing For Opening Of Blouse

Place the right side of the facing to the right side of the blouse, baste a narrow seam to within one-quarter inch of the end of the opening; lay the seam over the first finger of the left hand, hold it tight and sew with fine backstitches from this one-quarter-inch point around the end of the opening and one-quarter inch above the end; continue basting to top of opening. Stitch seam by machine except where back-stitched. Remove bastings, turn facing to the wrong side, baste folded edge to hold it firm; then turn in raw edge of facing one-quarter inch, baste and stitch to place (Fig. 175).

Basting Seams

Pin shoulder seams together, having neck and armhole lines meet, seams on right side of garment. Baste with small stitches. Baste box plaits or tuck at lower edge of sleeve, if either mode of finish is desired. Pin sleeve in armhole, having notches meet seam outside; gather with very small stitches between the notches; this will distribute the small necessary amount of fulness so equally that it will be lost when the seam is finished. Let the basting in armhole stop one and one-half inches from the shoulder seam, and fasten off. Begin at the same distance on the opposite side of the seam and baste to the end of the seam; then place a short basting across the space left vacant. When the shoulder seam is stitched, this can be removed, it not being necessary then to remove the entire basting in the armhole. Pin the underarm and sleeve seam, having the armhole lines meet.

Fitting Blouse

Slip blouse over head to see if it fits. It should set easily on the figure. If it seems too low in the neck, raise the shoulder seam and pin, following same line to armhole. Take sleeve in the same amount, and cut the armhole down at the underarm so that the sleeve will fit. If the neck is too small, let out shoulder seam and sleeve as well. If the bust is too small or the blouse too tight at the bottom, let out the underarm seam; if too loose, the reverse. Notice the length of sleeve also. Fit one side only. Remove blouse, open corresponding seams and make necessary changes.

Fig. 175. - Placing facing at front of middy blouse.

When alterations are completed, and the blouse has been tried on again to test corrections, unpin the underarm seam, and rip the short basting from the shoulder seam. Stitch the shoulder seam as a fell, having the upper machine thread on the upper side of the fell. Trim the front shoulder to 6ne-quarter inch and the back shoulder to three-eighth inch. Baste fell and stitch it. Re-baste sleeve to blouse at shoulder, stitch sleeve and trim sleeve to one-quarter inch and waist three-eighth inch. Turn the blouse down on the sleeve, baste as a fell, and stitch.

Collar

The collar facing, which is the upper side of the collar when finished, the part to which the decoration is applied, should be one-eighth inch larger on the sides and lower edges than the collar.

Fig. 176. - Middy collar, cuff and box plaited sleeve; A, detail of cuff placing; B, finish at wrist of a box plaited sleeve; C, D, braiding on collar and cuff.

If the collar is to be trimmed with braid and stars, this must be done before the facing and the collar are put together (Fig. 1760). Baste the braid to place, setting the outside edge of the first row far enough from the edge of the collar to allow for the seam, and a pleasing arrangement of spaces. Baste and stitch the upper edge of the braid, turning the corners with good miters which face in opposite directions. Place the right side of the facing to the right side of the collar, baste and stitch around the sides and lower edge, leaving neck open. Trim the corners of the seams diagonally, to avoid unnecessary thickness in the seam, turn and baste closely on edge to keep it firm. Then pin the neck line of the facing to the neck line of blouse, having right side of the facing to the wrong side of the blouse, center of facing to center of neck and ends of neck and ends of facing meeting. Baste and stitch seam; clip seam on curve to let it spring. Turn in edge of collar along the machine stitching, baste, and hem by hand, being careful to finish the ends of collar where it joins facing, very neatly (Fig. 177).

Fig. 177. - Placing collar on middy blouse.