All dimensions mean numbers of the scale, unless specially called inches
or referring to the size.
All scales are one-half breast or one-half seat, and two and one-half
inches, divided into twenty even parts. The two and one-half inches
addition to the one-half breast or seat measure makes the small sizes
large enough and the large sizes small enough for all purposes.
Take the breast measure over the vest for both undercoat and vest.
The circumference measure of the breast and seat must be taken tightly
over the vest and pants. The breast measure is to be taken with the tape
touching the extreme point of the shoulder blade, with the lungs empty.
The seat measure must be taken over the largest part of the seat, which
is about three to three and a quarter above the fork or junction of the
legs.
The half coat as well as the half pants take up about one and a fourth
inches for seams, leaving about one and a fourth inches slack for other
purposes on the half garment. This measure is to be taken with a small
tape, and all the diagrams are calculated accordingly.
In taking a measure around the human form, there will be found a
difference of from one and one-half to two inches between a narrow tape
and a strip of cloth ten inches wide. The narrow tape cuts deeper into
the flesh, and therefore will record less surface measure than a strip of
cloth ten inches wide. If we take a narrow tape and a strip of goods, say
ten inches wide, and with both measure over the seat or chest, drawing
one as tightly as the other, we will find that the broad strip will
record about one and a half inches more on the whole circumference. Now,
if the broad measure gives three-fourths of an inch more over the half
breast than the narrow tape, then it follows that, after sewing seams,
there will be left half an inch on the half frock coat only for expansion
of the lungs and the movements of the arms.
The same is true of the pants, and though they require nothing for
expansion of lungs or movement of the arms, yet it requires a certain
space for expansion while sitting, for it will be found while a person
is in that position his seat, hips and waist will expand anywhere from
one to five inches, but the waist will expand the most. The seat, hips
and waist require their circumference measure while sitting—nothing more
nor less—and, consequently, seams must be added to that measure, and must
be applied at the point which I have termed “the seat line,” as shown in
Dia. XIV., and on the back on the upper line. If stitches are drawn in,
on that line, it will be found that when the pants are on the body said
line is a horizontal one all around, and at the largest part of the seat.
A large and fleshy person, particularly one with an extra large abdomen,
cannot be fitted with the old maxim, viz.: Make the half-waist one-half
the measure and add three-fourths of an inch. This usually holds good as
to persons with small waists, who do not spread much in sitting, but when
a large-waisted person, who perhaps weighs 250 to 300 pounds, assumes
such a position, his legs will press his stomach upward, decreasing it
in length and expanding it in circumference. There may be persons with
sole-leather stomachs who can stand any pressure for a short time, or
while taking a meal, but when compelled to sit most of the time, they
want their pants large enough to be comfortable while in that position.
It is true, such pants must hang loosely while standing, and must be
supported by suspenders, but this difficulty cannot be overcome.
This work takes the seat measure as a guide to select a scale, no matter
if the hips are larger or smaller than the seat; nor if the waist and
hips are larger than the seat, proper allowance must be made there. And
it should be observed here that whenever the hip measure is larger than
the seat measure, it may be concluded at once that said large hip measure
is caused by the unusually large abdomen directly in front.
In regard to the taking of measures close or tight, the following must
be observed: A person may be measured over the breast very close, like
a stove pipe, and will not object to that pressure, for it lasts only
a short time; but subject him to that pressure for five minutes and he
will not endure it. He _cannot_ endure it, and the pressure would be
still more intolerable if the tape should be ten inches wide. It is very
important for the cutter to know what he is measuring, and _with what_
he is measuring. Old and experienced cutters have learned this at much
cost, therefore young cutters should be told this in the beginning. Young
cutters should be instructed to always request their customers to remove
their coats at the time of measuring, and take the breast and waist
measure from behind, because the breadth of the two will not always agree.
To obtain satisfactory length of sleeve is often a difficult job. There
is the style, then the notion of the cutter, then the notion of the
customer, and lastly the notions of the wife, mother and aunt—all of
which frequently have a word to say in the end. Therefore the best of
cutters are often obliged to alter the sleeve length. The young cutter
should locate for himself a permanent mark at the wrist, so that he is
able to take such measure always the same, and whenever he finds that his
sleeves become too long or too short, he can readily make the necessary
change in measuring. But to obtain a thoroughly satisfactory sleeve
length, the cutter must know at what point to transfer the measure to the
cloth. Different systems produce different sleeves, and the seams are
located differently. The sleeve, as given in this work, has its centre at
eight on the back, and there the sleeve length must be transferred, no
matter where the seam is located; for if the back sleeve seam is further
down, and the sleeve length is transferred at the seam, then the sleeve
will become too long, and _vice versa_.
The angle of one hundred and thirty-five degrees, cut from a piece of
pasteboard or tin, and as large as both shoulders, is a very important
measure, and should be applied as shown in Fig. I. I do not claim that
this measure can always be taken exact even over a good-fitting coat,
but it can be taken with as much certainty as the breast measure, and it
serves the purpose.
To measure the slope of the shoulders, the angle must be adjusted at the
highest points of both arms at the side of the shoulders, and if the
sides of the neck extend up higher, or lower, that amount is to be noted
down, and it will be found that only extreme cases require alterations.
Extreme cases, and I should call all such in which the difference is
three-quarters higher, as on low shoulders, or that much lower, as on
high or square shoulders. No attention is to be paid to the variation,
if it is only one-quarter inch more or less, as in fact the sides of the
shoulders, at the arms, are not to be fitted as close as the body itself
indicates. It may not be out of place to mention here how to draw that
angle of one hundred and thirty-five degrees, for it is a new measure and
an unknown quantity to the great majority of cutters at present:
Form a right angle; from its point draw a circle as large as you can,
and form two points, as shown in Dias. XI and XII; draw a line from
the starting point to the second point of the circle, which will make
one angle of one hundred and twenty degrees, to which is added fifteen
degrees in front, to make the angle of one hundred and thirty-five
degrees. The fifteen degrees are two lines spread one-quarter of their
length, as a part of a circle twenty inches long and five inches wide.
The angle of one hundred and thirty-five degrees is also one square,
and one-half square, and may be found as follows: From the center of
back and through the starting point draw a right angle, as shown by
the front sleeve bases in all the diagrams, and on that line, go down,
and square across and forward at equal distances, say twenty inches,
and through that point draw the front line of the angle of one hundred
and thirty-five degrees. Forming a right angle, and marking each line
at equal distances, and drawing a line through said equally distant
points, is equal to cutting a square in two from point to point, and
consequently, said points will form an angle of forty-five degrees. The
square contains ninety degrees, and the half square contains forty-five
degrees, and the whole of it is _one hundred and thirty-five_ degrees.
(See Dia. II-A.) In all cases where an angle is to be found, the
dimensions should be taken on a large scale, because on a large scale the
variations are less than on a small scale.
The form of Dia. I is correct, and may be used as an instrument to
measure all shoulders, and the edges of the angle should not be less
than eight inches and may be drawn out more. It should be large enough
to reach over both shoulders of a full grown person. The application and
the use of said angle of one hundred and thirty-five degrees is fully
described elsewhere.
How to make a scale: Take one half breast measure and two and one-half
inches, in all cases, and divide the result into twenty equal parts.
The common inch will produce a breast size of thirty-five, and the
same for the seat size. Seventeen and a half inches is one-half of
thirty-five, and the two and one-half inches make the twenty units for
size thirty-five.
To make the larger or smaller scales: Take the half-breast and two and
one-half inches; mark the half, the quarter, and the three-quarters of
it, and divide each quarter into five equal parts with a compass, and
then divide each unit into halves, quarters and eighths. A cutter should
always know just what his scale contains, and should in all cases be able
to make his own scales.
The use of fractional scales is not necessary. If the measure indicates
a somewhat larger size, say thirty-six and a half, take a scale of
thirty-six for a short person, and do not cut away the chalkmarks in
width. If the person is tall, take a thirty-seven scale and cut away all
the chalkmarks in width. Ordinarily, make small chalkmarks and cut them
through in the center. Material which requires large seams should also
be cut on the outside of the chalkmarks. It is an easy matter to cut a
garment one-half size larger or smaller, without using fractional scales.
A set of scales will accompany each copy of this work; but any graduated
set of scales can be used. All we have to do is to select a scale which
contains one-half breast and two and a half inches, in twenty units.
Such selection may result in a fractional scale by some, but it can be
used. There is no other system in existence by which a forcing scale can
be used, and give satisfactory results. (See article on “_Scientific
Calculations_.”)
[Illustration]
[Illustration]