Examiner in Dressmaking, Tailoring, French Pattern Modelling, Plain Needlework and Millinery, 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 Cuffs-how to Machine-stitch and Line the Cuff-attaching the Cuff to the Sleeve-how to Make the Buttonholes in the Coat-"tailor-made" Buttonholes-sewing on the Buttons" Facing " the Collar with Velvet

Place the piece of padded canvas for the cuff along the cut edge of a piece of the material (folded double), and cut out the cuff, allowing turnings all round.

N.B.-The reason the material for the cuffs must be cut along the " cut edge," and not along the selvedge, is that the " grain " of it may match that of the material of the sleeve. The canvas will prevent the cuffs stretching.

Tack the material flat on to the canvas, turn the edge over it all round, and tack it firmly and neatly near the edge. Cut away all superfluous turning at the corners to avoid unnecessary thickness, herringbone the raw edge to the canvas all round, damp and press it well on the wrong side. Machine-stitch round the cuff (the same distance from the edge as on the rest of the coat) up the one end, along the top, and down the other end, but not along the bottom.

N.B.-When turning the corners in machine-stitching, the needle must be down, through the work, while the presser-foot is raised and the work turned in the machine to make the corners sharp.

Finish off the machine-stitching at the two ends by drawing the upper thread through to the wrong side and tying it to its own under thread. Place the cuff along the cut edge of the lining, and cut it out, allowing a quarter of an inch all round for turnings.

Pin and tack in the lining along the centre, with the cuff lying flat on the table. The lining must be put in rather " short."

N.B.-The cuff must not be held round the hand when the lining is being put in, or, when the cuff is placed round the sleeve, the lining will set "full."

Turn in and tack the lining all round the cuff and fell it, just to cover the machine-stitching, and along the bottom. Sew on two buttons securely, in the position shown in the finished sketch on page 758, Vol. 1.

Join the cuff round in a circle by oversewing the bottom of the two ends together with two or three stitches. These stitches must not show. Slip the cuff-right side out-over the right side of the bottom of the sleeve, and about a quarter of an inch below it. Pin it carefully in this position, and neatly fell the edge of the sleeve to the cuff.

Next measure, and mark with chalk, the position for the buttonholes; one just below the bottom of the revers, a second at the waist, and a third at an equal distance below the waist. (See finished sketch, page 758, Vol. 1, Every Woman's Encyclopaedia.)

Position Of The Buttonholes

The buttonholes must be placed on the right half of the coat, and just beyond the row of stitching down the front.

Take a piece of card, or stiff paper, and measure the diameter of the button to be used, and make a notch at that measure.

Draw a chalk line on the coat, a little longer than the diameter, where each buttonhole is to be made.

As this line will be a guide on which to cut the buttonhole, it should be very carefully drawn with a fine piece of chalk and a square, so that it may be perfectly even, and ensure the cut being quite straight.

Tack round each line (about a quarter of an inch from it) to keep the thicknesses of the material, interlining, etc., together.

Next punch the holes with a " leather punch" (illustrated on page 73, Vol. 1) at the end of each line, about one-eighth of an inch from the row of stitching, and measure with the card on which the diameter of the button is marked, from the inner side of the "punched" hole-along the chalked line-the length to cut the "slit," and make a mark.

N.B.-The length measured from the inner side of the punched hole will be greater than the diameter of the button. This is necessary to allow for the thickness of the button.

Diagram I. The slit for the buttonhole must be a clean cut

Diagram I. The slit for the buttonhole must be a "clean cut"

When quite ready to commence working the buttonholes, cut the slit of one, and work it before cutting the next. The holes can all be punched at the same time, but the slits must only be cut one at a time, or they will fray. The slit must be a " clean cut," made with a short, sharp pair of scissors. It should now appear as in Diagram 1; but as the buttonhole must be pear-shaped at one end, a small piece must be cut off from each side of the "punched" hole into the slit, to give it the pear-shaped appearance illustrated in Diagram 2. The two sides must be cut exactly to correspond, or the buttonhole will be crooked.

Diagram 2. Cut off a small piece from each side of the punched  hole

Diagram 2. Cut off a small piece from each side of the "punched " hole

"Tailor-made" Buttonholes

For "tailor-made" buttonholes, both twist and linen thread are needed, and two thick "egg-eyed" needles. The thread must be twisted and waxed. Take a long length of it, thread one of the needles with it, double it, and knot the two ends together. The knot must be held by one person and the needle by another, and, whilst the thread is being held in this extended position, it must be twisted at both ends. When twisted, it must not be allowed to drop until it has been waxed, but held firmly, and still. extended. The instructions given on page 1484, in Vel. 2, for waxing skein silk should be followed in waxing the thread.