Ill.12. A Doll is Measured from the Top of its Head to the 5ole of Its Feet
or small. In that case measure the head as shown in llustration 11.
MEN'S SHIRT PATTERNS should be bought by the neck measure. You fan get his neck measure from his collar, a comfortable shirt, or his own neck. If you buy his shirt patterns by his collar size find out whether he prefers his shirts ½ inch or ¼ of an inch smaller than his collar or the same size. All three sizes are correct, it is a matter of individual preference.
If you are measuring from a shirt that is comfortable, measure from the center of the buttonhole of the right end to the center of the buttonhole of the left end.
If you measure his bare neck, measure it where the neck band comes. Do it carefully and hold the tape-measure easy. Add ½ inch to his actual neck measure for his shirt size.
Butterick shirt patterns allow for all shrinkage of the silk and cotton materials. Wool materials should be shrunk before cutting.
Buy his nightshirt and pajama patterns by the same neck measure as you would a regular shirt. Don't buy a larger size; the night-shirt and pajamas patterns have the necessary allowance for an easier fit around the neck and through the body.
DOLLS' PATTERNS. When you measure a doll measure its length from the top of its head to the sole of its foot. (Ill. 12.)
HOW TO BUY YOUR MATERIALS. The effect of a dress depends very largely on choosing the material that is suitable for it. For example, you would never choose chiffon for a circular skirt on account of the fact that chiffon would stretch badly when cut on the bias, and that it is so soft that it would not give the flare at the bottom which is characteristic of the circular skirt.
You would not choose a stiff silk that would give the bouffant effect in a style period when fashions were soft and clinging. Nor would you use a soft, clinging silk when it is desirable to have the bouffant effect given by a stiff silk. A material that has had a great vogue and that has become passe should never be used for a new dress for it will give the dress an out-of-date appearance.
The same thing is true of colors. For certain staple materials like serge and gabardine, the accepted colors like black and navy blue are always worn, but for the most part it is necessary to inform yourself each season as to what is new and correct. This information is given each month in The Delineator and every season in Butterick Fashions. Materials suitable for the pattern are also given on the back of the pattern envelope.
The quantities on the pattern envelope will tell you what width of material you can select. Never choose a material narrower than those given on the envelope. The widths given are the ones in which you can cut the garment without ugly piecings. Narrower widths are not given because they would be undesirable.
The pattern envelope will tell you exactly how much material you would need for any size and in every suitable width for the different views on the pattern envelope. For that reason you must always buy your pattern before you buy your material. If you buy your material first you will do it by guesswork and you will get either too much or too little. If it is too much you are wasting material and money. If you get too little, one of two disagreeable things might happen. You might not be able to get more material when you went back for it. or you might find that the amount you bought originally was a quarter of a yard too little for your sleeves, making it necessary to get three-quarters of a yard of new material, where a quarter of a yard more material in the first place would have answered if it had all been cut in one piece. Buy your pattern first and decide which view you will follow in making it up so that you can find out exactly what material you will require. It will take less material, for example, if you are going to make a dress with the short sleeve of one view instead of the long sleeve of another. The pattern gives the quantity for each view.
In planning the length of your skirt and before cutting your material, it is necessary to decide whether the lower edge is to be finished with a hem or facing. Butterick patterns
