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."

How to Arrange the Tucks - Making the Collar - Trimming the Collar - To Make the Sleeves

After the bottom of the dressing-gown has been hemmed or machine-stitched, it is better to press the hem before fixing the tucks. Cut a piece of card, or stiff paper, twice the width the tuck is to be made (1 inch), plus the space to be left between the top of the hem and the edge of the tuck.

From the top of the hem, measure with the card, and make a chalk mark for the edge of the first tuck; continue placing the card at the top of the hem, and marking with chalk at intervals, to get the right depth all round the dressing-gown. Make a fold on these chalk marks, and tack the fold together neatly, near the edge all round. This fold is the edge of the tuck. Cut another piece of card, 1 inch wide, for the depth of the tuck, and with it measure and mark from the edge of the fold all round the dressing-gown. Form the tuck by tacking through the folded material on these marks. This row of tacking gives the position for running or machine-stitching the tuck.

N.B. - It will be found necessary to make an occasional small, shallow pleat in the material in the under part of the tuck, to make it fit. These pleats require to be care-fufly done, and they must not be made too deep, or the edge of the tuck will be uneven.

Measure, mark, and tack the second and third tucks in the same way.

When all the tucks have been fixed, run or machine-stitch them, and remove the tacking, but do not remove the tacking at the edge of the tucks, until they have been pressed. Place the bottom of the dressing-gown on the table, right side out, turn the first tuck down towards the hem, and tack it in this position. Do the same to the other two tucks. Turn the dressing-gown to the wrong side, and again place the bottom of it on the table, over an ironing blanket, and press the tucks down lightly with a moderately hot iron on the wrong side, and, of course, without damping them. Leave the tacking threads until the dressing-gown is finished, so that the tucks may be kept in position.

To Make the Collar

Tack the back of the collar smoothly on to a piece of soft, white muslin, and cut the muslin the same shape.

Turn the edge of the cashmere and the muslin over together evenly all round, but do not turn it over at the neck, and tack it neatly near the edge, making the corners sharp, and all to match, and cutting away any superfluous material, to prevent their being clumsy. Catch the raw edges down to the muslin - not through the right side - with long herringbone-stitches. Interline the other two pieces for the front of the collar with soft muslin in the same way, turn down, tack, and herringbone the edges in the same way, but do not turn in the edge of the "front neck," which is shown on the diagram between the one and two stars. The diagran was given in the last lesson with the directions for cutting out the dressing-gown (page 2201). Lightly press the edges of these three pieces on the wrong side, over a blanket, but do not damp them.

The Trimming: Of The Collar

The pieces for the collar are now ready to be embroidered or trimmed with lace insertion.

N.B. - If it is to be embroidered, and the worker wishes to trace the design herself, she can do it by following the instructions given for "Pouncing," in Vol. 3, page 1960, for the "Evening Wrap."

The front of the gown can now be embroidered or trimmed with lace insertion. For the gathered lace frill, as shown in the finished sketch, double the amount of lace is required for the fulness, and has been allowed for in the list of requisites.

N.B. - The best way to press the embroidery is to place it, wrong side uppermost, over something very soft, such as a cashmere shawl folded a number of times, and to press it with a moderately hot iron. This method will raise the embroidery instead of flattening it, as would be the case if it were pressed on a harsh blanket or cloth.

When the pieces for the collar have been trimmed, they can be lined.

Tack the lining on each piece smoothly, turn it in all round the edge, except at the neck, tack neatly, and hem it.

Mark the centre of the back piece of the collar with a pin, and then pin it to the centre-back neck of the yoke, with the raw edges of both level, and tack them together round the back of the neck. Place the front pieces on each side to meet the back piece, as shown in the finished sketch (page 2080), pin and tack them in this position, the raw edges level. Stitch on the collar by hand, about a quarter of an inch from the raw edge. Turn the raw edges over together, about half an inch, tack them to the inside of the gown, and "face" the raw edges with a narrow piece of silk, cut on the cross.

Hem on the top edge of this "facing" just to cover the stitching on the collar, and the lower edge to the gown only, being careful not to take any stitches through to the collar.

To Make The Sleeves

Tack the seam of the sleeve together, stitch and press it open, then interline it with soft muslin, tacking it in smoothly, lapping one edge over the other at the seam, and running them flat together.

Turn the sleeve up evenly all round the bottom, tack, and then herringbone the raw edges to the muslin. Press the turning round the bottom, then embroider or trim the sleeve.

Join up the seam of the silk lining for the sleeve, and press the turning open. Turn the lining right side out, and slip it over the wrong side of the sleeve, the seam to the seam, and the turnings "facing."

Tack the lining smoothly round the top and round the bottom; turn in the bottom edge just to cover the herringbone stitches, and hem it neatly all round.

Make the other sleeve in the same way Gather the top of the sleeves, about half an inch from the edge, commencing at the under-arm, about five inches from the seam, and gathering round to the seam.

Put the dressing-gown on a stand and find the position for the sleeve; pin the seam of it to the gown, draw up the gathers to the size of the armhole, and arrange the fulness gradually round. The five inches that were not gathered round the under-arm must be put in plain. Pin in the sleeve at intervals round the armhole. Take off the gown and carefully reverse the turnings at the armhole, commence at the seam of the sleeve, take out one pin at a time, reverse the turning, and put the pins in again; tack in the sleeve and stitch it in by hand, about half an inch from the edge. The sleeve must be held next the worker, and each gather should be stitched in separately. Cut off any superfluous turnings, and overcast the raw edges neatly with silk.

N.B. - Dressmakers sometimes bind the armholes, but this is apt to be uncomfortable and cut round the armhole; overcasting yields better to the movements of the arm.

Make the buttonholes down the front, following the instructions given in Vol. 1, page 378, and sew on the buttons, following the instructions given in Vol. 2, page 1482. The dressing-gown is now finished, with the exception of the girdle, instructions for the making of which will be given in a subsequent lesson.

To be continued.