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is the some as worn by the verger, pew-opener and sometimes the clergy themselves wear the same style. It is out as a very long Chester, with full skirts, and sufficient left on for box plaits at the centre of back and side seams. It should be made rather easy fitting, in fact, may be treated exactly as is Chester, with the exception taut it is only worn over the vest, The waist ls only intended to slightly define the figure, so that it is not made at all close to the measures, and, as will be seen, only 1 inch of suppression taken out between the back and forepart at sideseam. The spring of sideseam at, bottom is got by coming in from it on either side of natural waistline 6 inches, and dropping down 1 or 11⁄4, and than drawing this seam at right angles; this will readily be gathered from the diagram. A pocket is sometimes put in the pleats at side, and a small ticket or cash pocket is invariably put in the fore-part. The one great feature about the garment is to keep it close up at the neck, as any excess of size at that part would detract from the fit. The collar is of the ordinary stand form, and the cuff either left plain or made to form a gauntlet style of cuff as shown on diagram 49. A button stand of 11⁄4 inches is allowed on, so that the buttons may come just down the centre. These run somewhere about 40 for a run of 5ft, 8in.; some contend they should be just 39 to agree with the 39 articles, but this is not looked upon as regulations; they, are, however, placed very close together, very little over 11⁄4 inches apart, and are generally arranged for every one to button down to a little below waist, say the first 15, and below that every other one. They are usually lined low enough to cover the top of the pleats, which thus brings it to about the hip. A facing is put down the front from the neck point to about 3 or 4 inches wide at bottom; this takes the holes and buttons. The bottom are usually a 28 line flexible, sometimes oval top, this size being about midway between a coat and vest size. The materials generally used for these are fine Serge, Russel Cord, Worsted Diagonal, or Alpaca. A small space shows between the collar ends, when finished, say of about 1 or 11⁄2 inches, although a variation of opinion exists as to this. To get the correct length for these, we know some of the London specialists in this branch make it a rule to take the total height of the customer, and deduct 10 inches; they also ask the customer the size linen collar he wears, and adjusts the Cassock collar to agree with it. We now come to another semi-clerical garment, viz.,
THE CHORISTER'S SURPLICE.
Diagram 50. Figure 28.
This is a garment tailors are not often called upon to make, for two reasons: one is, they are more generally supplied ready made by firms who devote themselves to this particular branch, and secondly to the fact that those who have them make them last a very long time, as being made of linen they wear out very slowly. However, we fell it would be adding very greatly to the value of the present work, if we gave diagrams and instructions how these are made as it being only an occasional garment, few tailors would have the necessary knowledge at their finger ends, and so would be glad of any information obtainable on this topic. The cutting of a surplice is a very easy matter, it being the usual custom to use one pattern for all medium sizes; and merely adjusting its length at the bottom, so that it will be better to reproduce this one by the aid of graduated tapes, to agree with the chest measure. We think the diagram is fully explanatory, and we have placed the various parts exactly as they go together. It does not come close round the neck, but shows the cassock above some 3 or 4 inches. The sleeve as will be seen is cut upon the crease from 8 to 29, and goes up into and forms part of the neck, as with the old Raglan sleeve. The top part is cut much shorter than the back as illustrated at 2. The back and front are both cut on the crease, but as the linen is only 36 inches wide on the single, it will he found necessary to put wheel pieces on the back, the front just coming out of the width.
The sleeve will be able to be got out of the material if it is opened out, but if any piecing is necessary, it must be done at the bottom of the sleeve. In making up, the sideseams are first sewn, and then the sleeves put in from the neck end in the same manner in which they are placed on the diagram. When about 4 inches from the sideseam, a gusset 4 inches square, as diagram 51, is inserted, and the remainder of sleeve sewn together, and so
