Page:The Girl Who Earns Her Own Living (1909).djvu/206

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lars per week. From this work she passes on to joining garments and adjusting trimming by machine, and at this an experienced hand makes from twelve to fourteen dollars per week. The girl who can embroidery neatly can secure work in shirt factories embroidering initials and monograms on custom-made shirts.

The girl in search of this work must watch the "want ad," columns of the daily papers and haunt the neighborhood where such factories are to be found. Here she will find signs "Experienced Operators Wanted," or "Apprentices or Learners Wanted." She is always safe in applying where she sees the latter sign. Best of all is the acquaintance of some one already employed in the factory, who will not only let her know when an opening occurs, but will help her during the first weeks of her apprenticeship.

In suit, shirt-waist and skirt factories girls are employed as sorters. That is, they take the various pieces of cloth from the cutters, assorting sleeve-pieces and various parts of the waist according to size, 34, 36, 38, etc. This develops the bump of accuracy. The minimum salary is generally three dollars, the maximum eight dollars. There is little chance for advancement. In factories handling cloth suits, men are employed largely as operators, but girls are employed to sew on trimming, run buttonhole ma-