Ill. 102. Tape and Weights
in the lapel or revers on the front, must be held firmly by many small stitches called "padding stitches." (Ill. 101.) These stitches are about half an inch long on the canvas side and just barely caught through on the right side. Hold the collar or lapel firmly over the hand, the canvas side uppermost, and, in stitching, roll and shape the section in the direction in which it is to lie. (Ill. 101.) The stitch should be started at the line of the fold of the lapel or collar and worked in successive rows to the edge. The edges should be turned under, caught to the canvas and pressed.
On a coat which is sometimes worn rolled high there should be no padding stitches in the revers, as they would show when the coat is worn with the collar turned up.
Baste the collar, canvas side up, flat on the coat, according to the notches in the collar and in the neck. (Ill. 102.) Stretch the neck edge of the collar between the notches so that it will set smoothly on the coat. The upper or turnover part of the collar must lie flat, joining the turned-over lapels at the top of the fronts, to form the notched collar.
When the coat has advanced thus far, try it on. Fold over the lapel corners at the top of the fronts and see that the collar is the correct size and fits properly. If it does not, it may be shaped by shrinking, stretching and pressing. The front edges of the coat should lie close to the figure at the bust, and a well-fitted coat should hold itself in shape to the figure at this point, even when unbuttoned. If the coat is inclined to flare away at the front line, pin one or two small dart-like tucks about one-quarter of an inch wide at the coat's edge and running out to nothing about two inches inside the edge, to shape in the edge and take out the stretched appearance. Mark these tucks with chalk, remove the pins and slash in the canvas at each chalk mark. Lap the canvas the same space that the tucks were made, cut away one edge to meet the other, lay a piece of cambric over the slash and sew the cambric to hold it to shape. The cloth will still have the fulness that has been taken out of the canvas and must be gathered on a thread, dampened and shrunk out with the iron.
Ill. 103 and 104. The Interlining for Warmth
Cut away the interlining to within ⅜ inch of the front edges of the coat. Cut the hem allowance from the bottom of the interlining, turn the edges of the coat over on the interlining and catch-stitch them.
TAPING THE EDGES. Narrow linen tape, well shrunken, should be sewed to the canvas toward the inside of the coat at the crease of the lapel, drawing it taut to prevent stretching. (Ill. 102.)
The edges of the lapel and the front coat edges should also be taped (Ill. 102), drawing the tape snug at these edges to give them a good shape.
Press the fronts carefully. (Chapter 32.)
WEIGHTS. Flat lead weights about the size of a quarter are tacked in the bottom of the coat to weight it properly. Cover them with the lining satin so they will not wear through the lining. (Ill. 102.)
AN ADDITIONAL INTERLINING, if required for warmth, is made of outing flannel or the regular silk-and-wool interlining that comes for the purpose. (Ills. 103 and 104.) Cut it with the
