Ohio Cultivator, July 1, 1861
The Housekeeper.
For the Ohio
Cultivator.
Shirt Making.
Perhaps
some poor little wife who has before her the awful task of making her first
pair of shirts for her “liege lord,” is anxiously waiting to hear the advice I
promised.
Take an old
shirt, rip it to pieces and cut out the new one by it, baste it together and
try it on. Don’t laugh at the idea, I know it is an odd one, for I once heard a
young man say he “did not know there was any fit to a shirt,” but trying it on
is the only way a shirt can be made to fit, unless you have a scientific
pattern, cut by a practical tailor, to go by.
After you
have got it to fit nicely, unbaste it and cut out a pattern, allowing for the
seams, and marking all the hems, gathers etc., by notches, so it will be just
right to cut your cloth by. So far your trouble is ended. But few ladies are
compelled, now, to make bosoms, as they can be bought ready made for a trifle
more than the linen would cost, and by the way, young wives, buy cheap bosoms,
nice high priced bosoms will not wear outs the shirts and two cheap ones that
cost about the same will, and when starched and ironed nicely a twenty cent bosom
looks nearly as well as one costing forty or fifty cents. I know this by
experience, and I find two cheap bosoms last as long as the shirt, while one
nice one is gone, leaving the shirt good. As a general rule I do not approve of
cheap goods, but this is an exception.
Putting the
bosom into the shirt is the first thing to be done, after it is cut. Double the
front of the shirt in the middle, also double the bosom, and lay it upon the
shirt exactly square and even all around, then cut out a piece one inch wider
than the bosom, and half an inch shorter. Unfold shirt and bosom commence at the
top of each side and sew the bosom in, in place of the piece you cut out. Then
lay a plait at the bottom, and upon each side, both plaits of a size, and large
enough to make the bosom set smooth; stitch the bottom across, turn the bosom
under and hem it down, it being half an inch too long, having been left so for
that special purpose, and saves sewing a tape across as some do.
The object
of making a plait in the shirt, at the bottom of the bosom, is, to make the
front of the shirt narrow. The back you will at once see needs to be wider than
the front, to give freedom to the arms and shoulders; if both side are of a
width the bosom will shrug together and set out beyond the vest, in a manner
you may have seen bau could not explain.
Line the
front of the shirt the whole length and width from the bosom back to the arm
size. Some only face a narrow strip just round the arm size, but the best way
by far is to line the whole back from the neck down to the bottom of the arm
size and the front as I before said.
The
quickest and easiest way to sew up seams in shirts, and all other under
garments, is in this wise: Sew up you garment or sleeve, upon the right or
outside, trim the seam very small, turn and sew up again on the wrong side and
your seam is quickly and neatly finished, without felling, which is a branch of
sewing most ladies dislike very much to do. The first time sewing the seam, the
stitches may be long if the cotton is strong, but the second time it must be
done tight and well, and you will find the seam strong and soft. Try it,
ladies.
When the
shirt is together, but on the back binding, which be sure is just the right
size, and buttoning it, double it in the middle, and taking a piece of linen
two inches wide, double, cut it one inch shorter than the neck binding then
unfold the linen, put a stip of cotton cloth inside to make the collar stiffer
and firmer when starched, sew up the ends which should be cut a little
slanting, that is, longer on the top than where it is sewed on to the shirt
binding, fold again, stitch neatly all round, sew tightly on the binding by two
edges, turn the other under and fell over the seam and your collar is made and
fastened to the shirt. No need of pins, buttons, or strings, no losing in
washing or trouble in ironing. Perhaps your “liege lord” will growl a little at
first, as the shirt so made must be taken off every night, and a night shirt
substituted instead, which is by far more healthy than sleeping in the soiled
sweaty shirt that has been worn three or four days.
But your
husband will soon learn to like shirts so made as they are much less trouble
for him, when he gets used to not sleeping in them. I have heard my husband say
he would almost as willingly set up all night, as to attempt to sleep in his
day shirt and flannel.
Make
sleeves large, as they wear much longer and also look better. Sew the linen
cuff on, without a binding as it is less work, and looks neater, by that I mean
gather the sleeve at the wrist, and sew the linen cuff directly on.
I now flatter
myself that some puzzled young wife with no mother to aid her, will know better
how to go to work to make a pair of shirts, than she would had I remained
silent. If so, I am content.
MRS. S.B. SAWER.
West Amesbury, Mass.
June 1861
NOTE—Now
Sarah dear, let me tell you something we have found out about shirt bosoms:
Last winter wife Mollie made us a lot of shirts and did not cut out the body
cloth at all form the bosom, but put the linen bosom right over the cotton. The
effect is to make the bosoms “fit” better than they can do where the body is
cut out, and also so to strengthen this most exposed part of the shirt, that
even light linen will wear as long as the rest of the garment. We think this is
a great improvement.
--ED. Field Notes.
