rr lis 2^ (cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics United States Department of Agriculture and State Agricultural Colleges Cooperating THE PAPER DRESS FORM OFFICE OF EXTENSION WORK UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 207 Contribution from the States Relations Service A. C. TRUE, Director WoshiiiKlon, D. C. Issued January, 1922 WASHINGTON •, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFlie : l»JS Ma<9gTa»k FREQUENT REQUESTS received by the Depart- ment of Agriculture for directions for making gummed paper dress forms have led to the prepara- tion of this circular. It should be understood, how- ever, that the making of these forms having been first taught by the extension workers in the States, the directions herein given are largely a compilation from various State extension circulars and leaflets. It should also be understood that the dress form, popular as it has become as a household conveni- ence, is only one feature of extension teaching in clothing, and that clothing in its turn is only one of many home economics activities that are being car- ried on in the various States through the Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Eco- nomics. ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FRC'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. AT o CENTS PER COPY , jf CONGRESS .-.-..^iveo MOV 17 1933 ...wi^ON Of DOCUMENTS ^ ^ TT52,0 THE PAPER DRESS FORM. AN OUTSTANDING PEOBLEM of the rural home is the cloth- ing of the family. The varied activities incident to the daily work of the housewife add to the difficulty of finding time to do the necessary sewing, even if she has the knowledge and skill which this work requires. To assist the rural homo maker with this problem the gummed paper dress form is recommended by the home demon- stration agents as a time-saving and labor-saving device. I'm. 1. -It is imiJULtaul. to wink iiuickly iu aiakiiig llie form. It it. llicnl'ore di.siiablo to have two worl;crs apply iho strips of gummed paper while two others moisten them. In moistening the strips, take care to soften the glue thoroughly hut not to rub it off. INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THE FORM. With the assistance of several neighbors, a woman can make for lierself at small expense a heav}'^ paper dress form that will repro- duce the lines of her figure and be a usefulconvenience in home dress- making. The form can be made easily and quickly — five pei-sons working together, one for the model, two to moisten the strips of gummed paper, and two to apply them. (Fig. 1.) -7< 2 Department Circular W7, V. S. Dept. of Agriculture. MATERIALS NEEDED.^ < (1) Shit^t. — A light-weight cotton gauze shirt with high necl<: and cap or long sleeves. The shirt must fit the figure very snugly and ex- tend below the fullest part of the hips. Select a shirt at least 6 inches smaller than the actual bust measure. (Fig. 2.) (2) Paper. — One 8-inch roll of inch-wide gummed paper such as is now used by many firms in fastening packages, ' ' forty - pound ' ' weight generally' being preferred. (3) Base. — A piece of board three-eighths of an inch or more thick and large enough to form a base for the form at the fullest part of the hips. If the form is not to be mounted on a standard, heavy cardboard may be used for the base. (4) Varnish or shel- lac. — Wliile it is' not abso- lutely necessary to apply a protective coating, the form may be rendered proof against moisture and dry heat by varnishing it inside and out. This will require about half a pint of the inexpensive colorless varnish commonly sold or an equal amount of the more expensive shellac. Ordinary paint has been successfully used where neither varnish nor shellac w^as available. This coating stiffens the form as well as protects it. (5) Other materials. — A sponge or soft cloth, small basin of water, needle and thread, sharp scissors, pencil, yardstick, tapeline, and safety-razor blade ; waste-paper basket ; also a basin of warm water and a towel for wiping sticky fingers. 1 ("ommercial dress-form sets are now on the market in small, medium, and large sizes. These consist of a specially designed high-necked shirt and a supply of gummed paper of the proper weight. Some contain also a small sponge and an illustrated booklet of directions. Fig. 2. — The first article required is a shirt which fits the figure very snugly. The shirt shown here is part of a commercial dress form set. Note the high collar and cap length sleeves. Strips around waist and neck hold the shirt in place. To make the strips lie smoothly, stretch them slightly as they are applied. The Paper Dress Form. 3 (6) The model. — All usual garments should be worn except the dress, taking care to have a comparatively smooth surface over which to paste the paper. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. (1) The model should stand still. If she twists about or moves head or arms, she may stretch the moist paper or pull the strips out of place. (2) The work should be done as quickly as possible, without sacrific- ing accuracy. All preliminary preparations should be made with the model seated. The actual pasting on of the strips should not take more than an hour and a quarter. A practiced team can do it in a much shorter time. {"?>) The strips should l)e moistened enough to soften the glue thor- oughly, but should not be too moist. Some beginners make the mis- take of wiping off the glue instead of merely moistening it. (4) Lap the strips carefull}'^ Avhere the ends meet, as on the shoul- ders and at the waistline. Excessive overlapping at these places tends to throw the form out of proportion : insufficient lapping tends to weaken it. (5) While the first layer must bo well and strongly constructed, the same regard for appearance is not necessary with this layer as with the outside layer. (6) The important consideration is to have the paper fit smoothly, without wrinkles, and to have the dress form of uniform thickness throughout. The lines of the figure will to some extent govern the way the paper is applied. PREPARATION. (1) The paper may be left on the roll and moistened as used, or strips may be torn or cut long enough to reach from shoulder to just below fullest part of hips, and moistened as used. (2) Unless a speciallj' constructed shirt is used (a) cut button-hole section off the front of the shirt; (b) cut off a part of the sleeve, or a piece about 2| inches wide by 10 inches long from the bottom of the shirt. Stretch this well and baste smoothly around the neck to make the collar, which should meet in front. (3) Record neck, bust, and waist measures, and also the measure over the fullest part of hips, noting how many inches below the waist- line this hip line falls. (4) Place the shirt on the model. Some prefer, after the measure- ments have been taken, to draw in the corsets until the Avaist meas- ures about one-half inch less than normal. This is done because the lapping of the paper at the waistline tends to increase the waist measure someAvhat out of proportion to the rest of the figure. (5) Overhand the shirt together up the front to the top of the collar. If it fits loosely, take darts under arms and in the back. 75581°— 22 2 4 Department Circular W7, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. CONSTRUCTION. While there are many satisfactory ways to construct a dress form, the following will be found simple and reliable : FIRST COAT. Pull the shirt down tightly over the hips and hold it close to the figure by passing a strip very tightly around the waistline. If this strip is moistened on the ends only it may be shifted until the proper waistline is found. For a very heavy figure it may be advisable to make this waistband of surgeon's tape instead of paper. (See fig. 2.) The first coat should completely cover the shirt, extending just below the fullest part of the hips. If two people are apply- ing the strips, the first should complete one side of the front before the second begins to work on the back, and may com- plete the other side of the front and be read}' to work on the hips while the second worker is complete- ing the back. Front. — Starting from the strip around the neck, begin at the center front and paste a strip from the collar to the bottom of the shirt. On each side of this strip place other strips, lapping them about one- half inch. If the figure is slight, the strips may be continued to the bottom of the shirt. For a fidl figure and over the fullest part of the bust it will be necessary to use separate pieces above and below the waistline. Where necessary tear the paper at the waistline and use the balance either above or below the waist, according to length. The strips on the bust may curve toward the center. When they do this, tear off the surplus paper after it is lapped. Use short strips to extend the shoulder. Back. — Begin the back on the side already completed in front^,' lapping the strips lightly on the shoulder and pasting the j^aper Fig. 3. -Building up tlie under aim with alteinat ing diagonnl strips. The Paper Dress Form. tightly and smoothly down to the waistline. Place the strips on the back as for the front. Under arm. — For a full figure fill in the space between Avaistline and armpit with slanting strips, brought well up under the arm and alternating front and back. (Figs. 3 and 4.) For a very heavy figure the strips may be started at the waistline in center front and center back and carried diagonally across to center back and center front. For a slight figure the strips may be placed horizontally. Below the loaist. — Paste stri])s straight down from the waistline. Fill in any triangular spaces left be- tween the strips wilh shorter strips. Be sure that the lower part of the form is firm and strong, but do not distort the waistline by too much o\erlapping at that point. SECOND COAT. Brace the first coat above tlie waist by placing two or three short strips horizontally at the front and back below the base of the neck. Brace it below the waist by bringing several strips diagonally from waist line to bottom of form. Several strips placed almost horizontally over the fullest part of the hips will help to stitfen the lower part of the form. Avl)ich by reason of the spreading of the strips, tends to be less firm than the upi)er pai't. Place guide strips on shoulders and under arms to indicate where strips should meet. The front of the second coat, above the waist, should be completed before the work on the back is begun. Front. — Starting from the top of the right shoulder at the neck bring strip diagonally across the chest and well under the left arm- pit, to the guide strip. (Fig. 4.) Repeat from left shoulder and con- FiG. 4. — Slaitiug the secoiui coat. I'lii' liips aro first braced with a few diagonal strips. Diagonal strips, altoruating from right and left shoulders, arc then carried across chest to the under arm. The back is Iniilt like the front. 6 Department Circular 207, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. tiniie with alternating strips, crossing at center front, until front is covered to the waist line. The strips may curve toward the center over the bust. Back. — Proceed with the back as with the front. Below the tvalst. — Place strips as for the first coat. Cover in the ends of the strips at the waist with one or two horizontal strips. Sleeve. — The form may be finished either with a cap extend- ing two or throe inches beyond the shoulder joint, or with a short sleeve. The former is the simpler, and for most purposes all that is necessar3\ To make sleeve, have the model stand with arms slightly akimbo, resting the hands well down on the hips. The pose must be held while the sleeve is being made and until it becomes partially dry. Other- wise the sleeve tends to wrinkle when the form is removed from the model. (For a model with a large arm, it is better to make form and sleeve separately, and fasten them together with gummed paper after removal from model. Pull the shirt sleeve well into place, and paste a strip of paper around it as far down as the sleeve is to extend, and loose enough to remove readily. Draw two or three strips snugly up under the armpit and lap them on the shoulder, covering in the edge of the armhole. There will be a few wrinkles under the armpit. Fill in the sleeve with strips passing around the arm and lapping on upper side. Finish sleeve and shoulder by pasting several strips lengthwise from neck to bottom of sleeve, covering in the lapped ends. (See fig. 7.) Neck. — Place one or two strips snugly around the neck, pasting firmly to foundation collar and over the ends of the strips around Fig. 5. — Removing the form from tlie model. A safety- razor blade is handy for cutting through the stiffer portions of the form. Note guide lines and strips com- pleting neck and sleeves. The Paper Dress Form. 7 the neck. Small slashes on the lower side of these collar strips will help to make them fit smoothly. (Fig. 5.) MARKING AND TAKINC; OFK. Record neck, bust, waist, and hip measures, noting the diflFeronce between these and the original measurements. Draw a line down the exact middle of the front and of the hack. Several short lines should be drawn perpendicularly to the dividing line, both front and back, to serve as guides in bringing the halves of the finished form together. (See fig. 5.) With yardstick and pencil mark several points equidistant fi'om floor around the fullest \r,\vi of the hips and connect witli horizontal Fig. G. — Trimming tlu> lower edge of tlie form ou the hip line. line (draw a line parallel to the floor). Record distance from hip line to floor, the height of the standard required for the figure. With a safety-razor blade or a pair of strong, i)referably round- pointed, scissors, cut on lines drawm through center front and center back, and remove the form. (See fig. 5.) Trim the lower edge on the hip line, and the armholes on the creases, unless a sleeve has been made. (Fig. 6.) The finished form tends to be about 1 inch larger in the bust and H inches larger in the w^aist than the natural figure. To reduce the form to normal measure, mark off on the front and back of each half of the form one-fourth of the total difference to be sub- tracted. Take care to have the lines very straight, so that the two halves of the form will fit tosether evenly. The difference tends to 8 Department Ciiciitar 207, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. be greater at the waist line because of the larger amount of lapping in that part of the form, unless the corsets have been drawn in as suggested under " Preparation." In case the amount to be subtracted at the waist is larger than the amount to be subtracted at the bust, mark off on each of the four edges, on a line extending from bottom of form to top of waist- line, one- fourth of the total amount to be sub- tracted at waistline. At the neck allow one-eighth inch on each edge and join the two points (neck and top of waistline) with straight lines. Trim on these lines. Experience has shown that a dress form so trimmed can be fitted together with very little trouble. FINISHING. Two people will be needed to put the form to- gether. This should be done as promptly as pos- sible. If the halves are allowed to dry out it will be much harder to put the form together. Further- more, the true contour of the hips is likely to be lost. Cut a number of 2|-inch strips, moisten one end, and paste them, about 1 inch apart, along the front and back edges of one-half of the form. (Fig. 7.) The strips may be placed either on the inside of the form or on the outside. Many persons find it easier to place them on the outside. Put the back together first, beginning with the bottom. One worker should moisten the ends of the strips, the other should brace the form, holding one hand inside and one outside, and smoothing down the strips as they are moistened. (Fig. 8.) Put the front tosether in the same manner. " ft ^ £ .^ i m # ■■1 ^ ^H|' i ^^BMI^BI^^B^^^Bfc. K^^Ktk Fig. 7. — To put the form together,, short strips are pasted about an inch apart to the edges of one of the halves. The projecting portion is not moistened until the form is to be put together. Note finish on neck, sleeve, and bottom, made by pasting short strips over the trimmed edges. The Paper Dress Form. 9 If the cross strips have been placed on the outside of the fonn. brace the joining on the inside with a few short cross strips if neces- sary. If the work has been skillfully done, however, it will be suffi- cient to paste a long strip slightly slashed at intervals on both edges, over the joining from top to bottom on the inside of the form. The joining and any cross strips used on the outside should be covered with lengthwise strips, slightly slashed at the waist line. (See cover illustration.) Test the form to see if it stands level. If it does not, trim it as necessary. Stand the form on the board or cardboard selected for the base, and mark around the lower edcre. Cut on this line. The base should I'm. S. — Tho halves; of the form must bo put together promptly to prcvcut warpiuj;. Join the hacks first, then the fronts. At least two persons are required to accom- plish this quickly and easily. fit snugly into the bottom of the dress form, so that the lower edge of the form may be nailed to the wooden base, or pasted to the card- board base with 24-inch stl-ips of gunnned paper. (Fig. 9.) Before adjusting the base, however, trim collar and armholes or sleeves, and bind by pasting 2J-inch strips over the raw edges, form- ing a neat finish. (See fig. 6.) Finish the bottom of the form in the same manner. Varnish or shellac the inside of the form, and when it is dry enough to handle attach base and varnish the outside. An inexpensive and satisfactory covering for a dress form ma}^ be made of a light-weight gauze "opera-top" undervest. sufficiently long to permit of being drawn up around the neck, the extra fullness 10 Department Circular 207, U. S. Dept. of Agriciiltiire. being taken in with shoulder seams. This sufficiently covers both arms' eyes and forms a protection for the form, making a foundation to which the fabric may be pinned in fitting. THE STANDARD. It may be desirable to provide a standard of the proper height, so that the form may be used for hanging skirts. A standard may often be found ready at hand in a discarded music rack, commercial dress- form standard, piano stool, or kitchen stool. Simple standards on the general order of the Christmas-tree holder may be made at home, or Fig. 9. — AdjustiDg- the cardboard base. This should hi into the liottom of the fonu. If a wooden base is used, the form is usually tacked to it. The form is most useful wheu provided with a stand of proper height. a more elaborate standard may be made by a carpenter. Revolving standards are especially satisfactory. USES OF THE DRESS FORM. Among the uses for the dress form arc planning and fitting new garments, pattern making and alteration, adjusting collars, girdles, vests, and the like, remodeling out-of-style garments, altering ready- to-wear garments, and hanging skirts. The position of shoulder seam, arm's eye, underarm seam, and normal waistline may be indi- cated on the form in pencil or with narrow tape, as may also becom- ing outlines for round, square, and V-shaped necks, and for necks and arm's eyes of combinations and camisoles. o LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 964 921 7