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Early 1940's—Ladies' Garment Cutting and Making
by F. R. Morris

Chapter XVI—Dressing-Gowns and Lingerie—Bias Cutting

IT is quite a new departure in works on cutting to describe the drafting of négligé garments, including underslips, dressing-gowns, knickers and tailored cami-knickers. The term "tailored lingerie" is a true one in the sense that it indicates that the garments are as well cut as a tailored garment, in contrast to the more shapeless, ill-fitting articles of clothing on the market. This chapter is concerned only with "tailored" undergarments, and the systems described for the cutting of négligé garments have been used with great success.

The extreme interest modern women take in the faultless cut and fit of their day and evening ensembles is reflected in their leisure-hour attire, for no longer are they content with shapeless garments, preferring instead perfect fit and style. Especially is this the case since the advent of the streamline mode for day and evening, for every crease or wrinkle of the foundation garments shows under the closely-fitting dress if the undergarment is not as perfectly fitting as the outer garments. The foundation garment is really the "foundation" of a smart appearance, and must be well cut.

Dressing-gowns have graduated from the wrapper stage to become imbued with design in many diverse ways. The Russian influence is shown by high-closing neck lines, wide revers and decorative sleeves contributing their quota of style, while the standard roll-collar dressing-gown is a perennial favourite.

Underslips are cut on the moulded line to fit the figure without any wrinkles or surplus material by means of bias cutting. A curving waist seam or panel seams assist the cutter in achieving the desired close fit, and darts to the bust keep the top edge close to the figure and provide a brassiere effect.

The author cuts knickers and cami-knickers on the shorts principle, with the fork section cut in one with the body part, instead of the usual method of insetting a triangular gusset between the legs. This method gives a much better all-round fitting garment, and, in the opinion of the majority of women, a much more comfortable garment. Bed and beach pyjamas are cut on the trousers principle, with either elastic or a shaped hip yoke at the waist.

DRESSING-GOWNS

Figure 215Dressing-gown Draft (Fig. 215)

The system for drafting the dressing-gown is that used for dresses, with a slightly greater allowance over the half-bust measure for additional ease. No seams are allowed in the draft, but when the garment is being cut from the material ½ inch provision should be made for lapped seams.

The draft illustrates the graceful lines of a modern dressing-gown designed in the roll-collar style. The roll collar may be stereotyped, but the effect of the fronts wrapping over a greater distance at the hem than at the waist resembles the "swagger" lines of a military uniform. The waisted cut is another feature, being defined in excess of most notions. But if the dressing-gown is made to measure, it is absurd to cut the garment as though it were intended to fit anyone varying inches in size. In the wholesale trade, such allowance for fitting many wearers is permissible, but if the garment is specially cut to a particular figure, the author believes in interpreting the term "tailored dressing-gown" as meaning a fitting dressing-gown.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

Square from X

The draft of the dressing-gown is now completed.

It is not necessary to include a sleeve system. The basic system will satisfy the needs of the deeper scye if the drafting principle of measuring the depth of the scye from the back pitch to the scye base and then subtracting ½ inch for the sleeve depth is adhered to.

The facing and collar for this design are cut as described in the chapter on collar cutting under the heading of "The Roll or Shawl Collar."

Stile illustrations of Figures 216, 217, and 224LINGERIE

Figure 216Draft of an Underslip (Fig. 216)

The draft illustrated by Fig. 216 is that of a slim-fitting underslip, designed with a curving waist seam and a plain bias-cut skirt. The fronts are vandyked to form the shoulder strap positions for sewing, and at the back the top edge may either be straight-cut or cut away to a low back line.

The manipulation of the pattern is necessary to produce a perfect garment and this must not be neglected. From his experience, the author knows that it is impossible to cut a fitting garment by reducing the waist to a close measure at the sideseams only, and the little extra work entailed by cutting up the outline pattern and closing out the waist suppression is amply repaid in the finished garment.

The system allows for the top of the underslip to fit just under the arm level so as to permit lace edgings to be overlaid. In any case, it is a simple matter to adjust the top-edge level on the wearer.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

Square from X at the breast line.

This completes the draft of the underslip style with a high back line.

For a low back—

Manipulation of the Outline Pattern for Waist Suppression

Cut through the waist seam from 19 to 1 and up the manipulation lines from 35 and 36 to 39. Close out the waist suppression and re-mark round the outline of the back pattern to give a reconstructed bodice for both high and low back lines.

Cut down the manipulation lines from 35 and 36 to 37 and up from 38 to 37. Close out the waist suppression from 36 to 35 to open the skirt width at the hem line and reconstruct the back skirt section.

The front of the underslip may have the bust dart only, or the contour shape so provided may be transferred to the waist seam or down from the top edge of the fronts, by cutting through from 32 and 33 to 29 or from A to 29. If the dart is required at A, close out both the side dart and the waist suppression to open the dart line from A to 29. Similarly, if darts are required in the waist from the seam upwards, close out the sideseam dart from 27 to 28 to open the suppression lines from 29 to 32 and 33. The quantity indicated at 32 to 33 by this manipulation may be reduced by two or three darts instead of a single large dart and a smart effect will be achieved.

Close out the skirt waist suppression by moving point 32 to 33, pivoting from 40, and thereby causing the skirt to open at the hem line from 41.

Figure 217Panelled Underslip (Fig. 217)

The panelled underslip is a great favourite among women, for the fitting qualities could not be bettered by any other style.

Measures for this draft are as before—

To draft—

Square from X.

The shape of the top is to the finished length.

This completes the draft of a panelled seam under-slip.

Figure 218Draft of Cami-knickers (Fig. 218)

The cami-knicker draft presented is intended as a basis for variation of design, and no pretence has been made to elaborate the system or to describe a definite style.

As a basic outline, this draft can be adapted to any style of cami-knickers cut with the fork extension in one with the skirt section.

A hip yoke is included in the basic draft to demonstrate a characteristic style feature, and the skirt sections below are cut on the bias of the material without a sideseam.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

The lower draft illustrates the placement of the back and front skirt sections together at the sideseams from 26 to 27 and 41 to 42, to enable the entire section to be cut in one piece on the bias of the material.

Cut through the waist seam from 6 to 24 and close out the suppression from the bodice section and from the front hip yoke. If a greater amount of flare is required in the skirt section, this should be cut through and opened out as described in the drafts of dresses with flared skirts.

Figure 219Draft of Cami-knickers with a Brassiere Top (Fig. 219)

The following draft of cami-knickers was taken from an actual drafted pattern which gave extreme satisfaction. The brassiere top is very suitable for evening underwear, giving support to the bust with the minimum of material.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

After the back waist suppression has been closed out from 33 to 34 and 46 to 47, the bodice section from 45 to 1, 31 and 30 may be cut in one piece with the hip-yoke section, indicated by points 31 to 25, 30 and 53, on the fold of the material.

The lower draft shows the skirt sections laid in position to be cut without a sideseam from 53 and 51 to 25 and 26.

To obtain a skirted effect at the centre front and back, cut through the pattern from 9 to 52 and 11 to 30 and insert a 1½-inch flare wedge at each point.

The skirt section should be cut on the bias of the material for a slim-line effect.

It will be noticed that the front waist suppression quantity has been ignored on this draft, but it is not advisable to cut garments of this type too close-fitting; otherwise, they will be found difficult to get into without a side opening, unless they are cut entirely on the bias.

Figure 220Knickers Fitted at the Waist (Fig. 220)

Figs. 220 (a) and (b) show the drafting of pantie knickers cut in the fashionable abbreviated line and fitted at the waist. Fig. 220 (a) shows knickers with small tucks at the front and back waist to gain the required fit, while Fig. 220 (b) has a shaped hip yoke at the front waist and is gathered in at the back waist by elastic. The former style is cut with a side-seam and a side opening on the shorts principle, and the latter style is cut to resemble a skirt without a seam at the side.

Measures for Fig. 220 (a) are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

THE UNDERSIDES

To draft the undersides—

As previously indicated, the draft in Fig. 220 (b) is based on an adaptation of the skirt basis system.

Measures for the draft are as for Fig. 220 (a).

To draft—

Square from X.

When cutting from the material, if the yoke from X to 24 is cut on the fold of the material, reduce a seam at the front so that the length from 23 to 24 on the yoke is equal to 23 to 24 on the leg section after a seam has been sewn away from 24 to 4.

Figure 221Pyjamas (Fig. 221)

Figs. 221 (a) and (b) show the drafting of two varieties of pyjamas. The first draft illustrates pyjamas cut without a sideseam on the crease of the material and loose-fitting at the waist, elastic being relied on to draw the surplus material to the figure. This style of pyjama is made without a sideseam opening, so that the waist must be sufficiently large to enable the garment to pass over the hip line.

The second draft is cut on modern pyjama lines. The waist is fitted by small darts at the front and back, and a sideseam with an opening makes possible more shape in the legs.

Measures for Fig. 221 (a) are as follows—

Fig. 221 (a)

To draft—

Square from X.

THE UNDERSIDES

Fig. 221 (b)

Measures are as for Fig. 221 (a).

To draft—

Square from X.

This completes the drafting of the topsides.

THE UNDERSIDES

This completes the pyjama draft.

LINGERIE CUT ON THE BIAS

Figure 222Bias-cut Cami-knickers (Fig. 222)

The draft of cami-knickers here presented is suitable for bias cutting only, for the waist suppression is reduced entirely from the sideseams in contradistinction to usual standards, and it is only possible to do this when the garment is so cut on the cross, which enables the material to assume the shape of the figure without any drags or folds of surplus material.

It is advisable, when designing bias-cut garments, to keep all the design seams at an angle of forty-five degrees from the vertical, so that, when the pattern outline is placed on the bias of the material, these design seams will all be on the "straight" and twisting of the various sections will be minimized.

The design of these cami-knickers embodies a brassiere-top effect and diagonal seams from the side-seams to the centre front and back.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

No addition has been made for ease over the bust measure as the author finds that with bias-cut garments they need to be cut to the exact size, otherwise there is a tendency for the weight of the garments to drop and pull the bodice part out of position.

Cutting the garment to the exact size or even slightly smaller causes the bias to stretch outwards instead of dropping downwards.

When cutting from the material, the top bodice section from 27 to 1, 24 and 35 is cut in one with the hip yoke section from 24 to 25, 34 and 35, on the fold of the material.

Cut the garment from the material on the bias as shown by Fig. 223.

Figure 223Cutting on the Bias (Fig. 223)

Fig. 223 illustrates two methods of cutting the cami-knickers on the bias of the material.

Fig. 223 (a) shows a layout taking 1½ yards 16 inches of 36-inch width silk with all sections of the garment cut the same way of the material or pattern. The diagonal lines indicate the true bias of the grain, and the various parts of the garments should be placed to run exactly in alignment with the bias lines, otherwise twisting will occur in the making-up.

The front skirt or leg section should be marked out first with 1 inch added down the inside leg seam for the leg fastening.

Allow seams all round the pattern before cutting out; ½ inch is the usual seam allowance, which gives sufficient material for either French or plain seams.

The brassiere section is taken out in the corner below the bottoms of the legs as indicated, with ½ inch allowed for seams at each edge.

Further up the length, the back and fronts of the body part are marked out. The fronts are indicated by the dash lines and are taken from the single width either above or below the back part. Allow ½ inch seams round each pattern edge, and then complete the layout by placing the back leg section above the body part towards the end of the length.

Add 1 inch down the inside leg seam for the leg fastening, and add ½ inch seams throughout.

Fig. 223 (b) illustrates another layout for bias cutting, in which the front and back leg sections are cut in one piece without a sideseam. The same amount of material, 1½ yards, is used and, to commence, this length is folded end to end so that the selvedges are level and we have a length ¾ yard by 36 inches in width.

The parallel lines show the exact bias, and the layout is as follows. Place the back and front body parts in the left corner of the length, and mark out to their full width so that one section can be taken from the top layer of material and the other section from the under layer.

Place the sideseams of the back and front leg sections together, and then mark out on the length as indicated. Allow ½ inch seams at all seam edges and 1 inch at each inside leg seam for the leg fastening.

Figure 224Draft of a Foundation for a Nightgown or an Underslip (Fig. 224)

The following draft illustrates a foundation for adapting to nightgown or underslip cutting on the bias of the material. Based on the dress system, the draft illustrates the reduction of waist suppression without manipulation.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

This completes the foundation draft for either a nightgown or an underslip.

When cutting from the material on the bias, it will be necessary to cut the skirt section with a corner piece joined on, as it is impossible to take the length out on the bias owing to the material used being only 36 inches approximately in width. It is the usual practice to make this join at the sideseam on one side only.

Figure 225Fig. 225

The layout for bias-cutting illustrated by Fig. 225 is useful for the general method of placing the pattern sections on the silk to the best advantage. The layout takes 2½ yards of 36-inch width silk, and the skirt sections are cut without sideseam joins.

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