Placket And Facing

Sleeves that fit snugly at the wrist should have the seam left open two inches above the bottom of the sleeve, to allow the hand to slip through easily. When the placket is finished, the upper side of the sleeve is folded back on a line with the seam and the under side is left open to serve as an extension. To face the sleeve, cut a bias strip of cambric, three-quarter inch wide. Baste this strip on the wrong side of the sleeve, letting the 24 outer edge come to the finishing line on the upper side of the placket and the bottom of the sleeve as far as the end of the placket extension. Place another strip on the wrong side of the extension. Turn the edge of the upper side of the placket and the lower edge of the sleeve on the finishing line; miter the corners, cutting away unnecessary material, and baste. Catch-stitch the raw edge of the sleeve to the strip of cambric. Press bottom of sleeve. If outside stitching is used on the waist, apply the same decoration to the sleeve. If stitching is not used, the catch-stitching will hold 'the cambric in place. To face cuffs, cut some bias strips of silk, one and one-quarter inches wide. First sew one strip to the right side of the extension, fold to the wrong side of extension without turning the edge of the cloth. Baste, and hem the other edge to the extension. Turn the edges of another strip of silk, and baste to the wrong side of the sleeve, letting it cover the raw edges of the sleeve and cambric. Miter it carefully at the corners. Blind-hem facing to sleeve. Use tiny snap fasteners, or hooks and silk loops, to fasten the placket.

Cuffs

These may be cut by fitted patterns, from the material of the dress, or such as is used for other trimming. They are sometimes simply lined with soft silk, in which case the two right sides should be placed together, stitched one-quarter inch from the edge and turned, basted on the edge. Cuffs are sometimes stiffened with soft silk crinoline or canvas. In such cases cut the stiffening the size you wish the cuff finished. Baste material to this, turn the edges, baste, and catch-stitch to the stiffening. Baste lining to place and slip-stitch. Cuffs may be placed so that the right side of the cuff lies on the wrong side of the sleeve; baste and stitch seam; overcast the raw edges. Turn cuff up on sleeve and tack to place. Or, the cuffs may be placed on the sleeve in the position they will be when finished, letting the raw edge of the cuff come to the raw edge of the sleeve. A bias silk facing may be stitched to this edge, turned with the edge of the sleeve, so that the facing does not show at all. The upper edge of the facing should be turned, basted and slip-stitched to the sleeve. Another method, sometimes used, is to finish both sleeve and cuff and tack the latter to place.

The above principles of finishing may be applied when using frills or flounces of material to finish the sleeves at the wrist. Cordings and pipings furnish their own strip of bias for facing as well.

Ruchings or laces should simply be basted to place, so as to be easily removed when soiled.