large in proportion to the bust measure. A woman might measure 36 inches at the bust and yet have a narrow back and a very full bust. If the bust is only a little full, the alteration can be made on the underarm seam when you try on the lining and waist. For an unusually large bust the alteration must be made before you cut your good lining and outside material.
Get some inexpensive lining material. Unbleached muslin will answer perfectly. Lay out your pattern, following the instructions, and cut it out carefully, marking the perforations with tailors' tacks. (Page 85.) Put the lining together and turn under the hems, following the pattern instructions.
Take a piece of the lining material six inches wide and long enough to reach across your figure to the underarm seams. Place it over your bust and pin it carefully to your lingerie.
Put the lining on, pinning the front together with the front edges just meeting, placing the pins about 1½ inch apart. The lining will draw in wrinkles that run from the bust downward toward the underarm seam. (Ill. 45.) Get some one to cut the lining straight across the figure to the side-front seam and from the side-front seam upward to within three-quarters of an inch of the notches in the armhole. When the lining is cut, it will separate as much as the figure requires and will drop in place over the bust. (Ill. 46.) Pin the edges carefully to the piece of lining underneath. (Ill. 46.) Take the lining off and baste the edges of the slash to the piece underneath. Try the lining on again to be sure that it fits perfectly. Take it off and rip it apart, cutting through the material underneath on a line with the seams.
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| Ill. 47. Here the Bust is Small in Proportion to the Rest of the Figure |
Ill. 48. Some of the Size Must be Taken Out |
These lining pieces are not to be used as a pattern, for muslin stretches and is not accurate. Take each piece of this altered lining and the corresponding piece of the pattern and make the same alteration on the pattern, using the lining, pieces as a guide. Slash the pattern fronts like the muslin and separate the pieces of the pattern in the same way, and to the same extent, and paste a piece of tissue-paper under the slash. Keep the corrected tissue-paper and use it for any dress that calls for a French lining.
This alteration as it is illustrated here is for a figure unusually full at the bust. It will not, of course, be necessary to to make such an extensive alteration for figures of a more normal shape.
ALTERING PATTERNS FOR A FIGURE WITH AN UNUSUALLY SMALL BUST. For the woman with an unusually small bust it is wiser to make up the lining first in unbleached muslin before cutting into the regular lining. Where the bust is just a little under the average the alteration can be made at the underarm seam. The alteration illustrated here is for an extreme case.
Cut a lining of unbleached muslin, baste it together, turning under the hems and putting it on with the edges of the hems just meeting. Pin it carefully. It will fall in wrinkles below the bust. (Ill. 47.) Here again the lining should be slashed straight across to the side-front seam and from the side-front seam upward to within ¾ of an inch of the armhole notches. (Ill. 48.) Lap the slashed edges until the lining sets smoothly over the figure. Don't try to make it snug or tight. You should have plenty of room to breathe comfortably, and the lining should not compress the figure.
Pin the edges of the slash. (Ill. 48.) Take off the lining, baste in the alterations,
