Diagrams I and III are given for illustration only. Dia. II may be used
as a model by which to cut all frock coats. A pattern of Dia. II was used
to form Dias. I and III, and they should all come out the same as to the
fit. It may be, that in transferring Dia. II in the different positions,
a slight difference may have been made, but it must be admitted that
it is rather a difficult undertaking to transfer the same pattern into
different positions and always have it work out the same to the smallest
fraction. Dia. II should be considered the parent pattern, and after the
division of the angle of 135 deg. has been mastered, anyone who knows his
A, B, C’s ought to be able to make the coat draft. But as this work is
intended for beginners as well as for the old and experienced cutters, I
consider it worth the while to give a minute description of its cuttings
as well as of its making up.
Be it understood that the angle of 135 deg. and its divisions, as bases,
are the same for all frock and sack coats as well as for vests. All must
be worn over the same body, and all must have the same base. But although
coat and vest surround the same form, each has a different function;
hence the difference in the construction of the neck-hole, the centre of
the front and other points.
Notice this fact—that the top of the back of a vest is placed at 3¾ from
the point of the angle of 135 deg., or ½ lower than on a frock coat. Now,
in the first place, the vest collar should be lower than the coat collar;
and secondly, the front of a vest is cut nearly straight down at the
waist and all surplus cloth cut away sidewise, or buckled up behind—all
of which has a tendency to shove the vest backward and upward to the
neck. Hence the top of the vest back is ½ lower than the top of the coat
back. It should also be noticed that the vest and sack coat back, above
the armscye, up to 135 deg., is shorter than the frock coat; and it is
so for the reason that is set forth in the article on “Narrow and Broad
Backs.”
A vest is intended to fit best in front, and the height of back should
never be less than 14 above line 9 in front, because a short back over
the blade is apt to cause the front to be too long around the neck. On
the other hand, a coat is intended to fit best in the back, and for this
reason a sack coat back should never be longer than 13½. The sack coat,
being some shorter in the back and looser at the side, has a tendency to
fall away from the neck; and for this reason the top of back is placed at
3. Again: The overcoat must cover the collar of the undercoat. For this
reason the top of the overcoat back is placed on 2½. The side of neck, at
60 deg., should not be closer than 3½ or 3⅝, which allows the collar to
be sewed on easily at the side.
Now, it is true that there can be no difference between the height of
the backs of frock and sack undercoats, and I do not claim that there is
any, although Dia. II has a height of back of 15, on line 9 of the front
base; but according to the combination of frock and sack (see Dia. III),
when the sidepiece is turned down and in at the waist, and all parts are
even at the back and the under armhole, then the frock and sack backs are
equal in height. The foregoing comparison, as well as what has been said
in the combination of sacks and frocks, is based upon more than ten years
of experience, and it is repeated here for the reason that this question
has been more or less agitated in the different fashion journals for many
years without any satisfactory result to cutters in general.
For the frock coat in particular see Dia. II. It may be useless to
recapitulate their points, but I must again remind the student of the
fact that the connection of the sidepiece and back must be made at lines
9 and 15. The back and sidepieces are on even lines at the waist, and
below line 9 and 15, and it is only necessary to allow one seam at the
bottom of the sidepiece, as the back is in one piece. In order to get
the top of the sidepiece long enough for the back, the sidepiece must be
run out into the armhole for that purpose, with a small gore of say ¼
inch at the armhole. It is important to know exactly where to make the
connection, and instruct the journeyman to sew up and down evenly, or to
stretch or “full” certain parts above and below, as the case may require.
The gore between the sidepiece and the back always requires careful
cutting, especially over the blade. In Dia. II the gore at lines 9 and
15 is put at 1 number, and I must here state that this is as much as any
coat may require, and if the gore there is made only ¾, it will not spoil
the coat, but it may do good, and make the coat feel easy in the back.
A coat cut out too much there will feel small in the back whenever the
arms reach forward. It is true, this can be helped by cutting the armhole
forward, but will be at the expense of some other point, which will be
disturbed. A coat cut too tight at that point will show too much back
at the point of the blade, both in length and in width, and I will here
again say that if you desire a loose fitting coat, a coat that fits, too,
cut the gore at that point not over ¾, running up and down, and making
the same connection at the point of the blade and at the hollow of the
waist as in Dia. II.
I have been particular in writing about the gore between the sidepiece
and the back, and a cutter must always watch the same, because the
peculiar making by this or that journeyman will draw it out into a
different shape. The back may be called the face of a coat, and it
requires constant watching on the part of the cutter. At lines 9 and 15
the back should not be cut less than three numbers wide, and the whole
calculation in regard to the height of a frock coat back is made with a
back, three numbers wide at that point, and the calculation for a sack
coat back is made with seven number width at line 9. At the waist the
width of the back depends a good deal upon the size of a coat. A large
size may have enough with two numbers, while a small size may have two
and a half numbers. A back 2½ in. wide at the tack, will not be far out
of the way for almost any size.
The position of the back and sidepiece requires both to be sewed on
smoothly. Never hold the back full over the blade, nor sew a large seam
over the curve. A back may easily be made too full or too long by fulling
it over the blade, either by doing so in basting or in sewing a deep seam
over the curve, and the more curved the sidepiece is the more will be the
danger of fulling the back, or going to the other extreme and stretching
it.
Below the lines 9 and 15 the back and sidepieces should also be sewed on
smoothly, particularly so for pretty straight forms. Should the form bend
a trifle forward, without being stooping, the sidepiece may be stretched,
or the back held full, say ⅛ to ³⁄₁₆ of an inch, at the hollow of the
waist. Or, if your coats have a tendency to be a trifle loose behind,
stretch the back sidepiece a trifle above the waist, and you will find
that it will improve the coat. Or, if the coat is a trifle loose after
it is made, you can improve it greatly by stretching both sidepiece and
back; and if the lining is not long enough it must be opened and let out,
or pieced if necessary.
It is wonderful what a different appearance you can give to the back of
a coat by making the back and sidepiece lining longer or shorter. The
peculiar manner of different persons in sewing the seams, or basting in
the lining, will also have a decided effect upon the appearance, if not
upon the fit itself, and a good cutter must understand all that; that is,
he must be a good coat-maker, otherwise he will always be in trouble. In
recent years the question has often been asked: “Can a cutter be a good
cutter without knowing how to make a coat?” I, for my part, would answer:
“Yes, certainly; but if he could make the garments he cuts, his services
would be worth a hundred per cent. more.”
But right here let me put another question: “Would not a good coat-maker
be a better coat-maker if he knew the principle by which the coats
he makes are cut?” And, in answer, again I say: “Yes; a thousand
times.” Cutting and making must go hand in hand, and whenever a cutter
understands both, he is able to give positive instruction to a journeyman
workman. If not, he is not “boss” over the back shop.
Over and along the hips the forepart and part of the sidepiece should be
stretched, say about ½ to ¾ of an inch, and the top of the skirt should
be shrunk about that much, so that the gore in the skirt, which is not
cut out, is shrunk away; and the gore between the sidepiece and front,
which is cut out, is stretched out again at the seam, and the skirt,
forepart and sidepiece are sewed up just as shown in Dia. II. The gore
between the sidepiece and forepart might be run out at the waist seam and
both cut equal without stretching or shrinking either part, but it will
throw the fullness over the hips too much on one point. The back skirt
seam should be oval to imitate the seat. At the center of the back, and
from the tack downward, the frock coat is sprung out, say 1¼ inches at
line 30, but said spring is again reduced between the back and forepart.
On a short sack the oval form over the seat can be partially produced by
cutting the back seam oval, which, when sewed up, will produce the oval
form. But on a frock coat, which is open behind, the oval center would
simply produce a rounded edge at the back, but not the oval shape of the
body. Now, whatever is thrown out over the base behind is again taken off
or balanced between the back and front skirt, and shaped to fit the form,
will remain oval when sewed up.
The width of the buck skirt depends upon notion or style, but when made
up the fold and the edge of the top tack should run parallel on both
sides. The shoulder seams ought to be sewed on evenly, but as the back is
always more bias than the front, there is danger of stretching the back,
and the seam should be so basted on that when held up without strain the
back would be a trifle the most full. It is also a good idea to notch the
shoulder seam in its center, and baste up and down.
In making up, the front of the arm-hole must be well stretched; then
starting from the front sleeve nick up say 1 in. back of 60 deg. For
this purpose the canvas and all padding should be cut into at three or
four places, and fully 2 in. deep. Then about 1 or 2 in. above the front
sleeve nick; the lining should be cut through and a “V” put in. All of
these cuts should be so finished and again filled up, that when the coat
is done no off-set will be visible on the outside.
The front of the arm-hole is guarded by three notches, and needs no
further description; but I must caution against an error in regard to the
under sleeve. It is frequently contended that the under sleeve should
be sewed in tightly over the sidepiece, but this is a mistake. An under
sleeve which is held a trifle full over the back and sidepiece will “set”
far better than one that is stretched away at that point. This is on the
same principle that the top sleeve will not set well if stretched at and
above the front sleeve nick, or anywhere else.
When a back under sleeve drags or shows too much sleeve, it is a sign
that the arm-hole has too much space somewhere over the back, and it
must be reduced. Stretching the sleeve will never make it better. But
by sewing in that part of the sleeve a trifle full, I do not mean that
we should stretch the arm-hole _that_ trifle. It should be secured by
a suitable stay, or a solid thread drawn in, which will keep it from
stretching, though the sleeve is a trifle full. All linings around the
back and arms must be loose and large, and may be cut bias. The back
lining should be provided with a fold as well as the under arm cut.
When I use the term shrink or stretch, I mean just what I say—not to
hold one side full, and sew it together, and then press it out as best
you can. A seam sewed, and particularly a machine-sewed seam, cannot be
stretched satisfactorily, for it will largely return and draw the other
side full. But a seam stretched before sewing up will remain so. This
holds good on all seams and on all garments, particularly so on pants.
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