REWEAVE PATCH When a hole or a close group of holes would make a darn difficult or when a darn would show too much, apply a patch over the hole. This patch, put on from the right side of the material, is suitable only for material that is rather coarsely woven. On the material to be patched, mark with four pins a square or rectangle the size of the patch you need. 3. From the wrong side of the material, pull the raveled yarns through to the wrong side with a small crochet hook. Draw the raveled yarns through the spaces left by the pulled out yarns. Do this all around until the patch sets smoothly over the damaged spot. 4. With needle and thread take little hemming stitches on the wrong side of the patch along the line where the yarns have been pulled through. This holds the patch in place. Steam-press the patch. 3 2 1. Clip out only one yarn on each side of the square or rectangle. Pull one yarn out in each direction, leaving the outline of the patch you want to make. 2. Cut a matched patch piece about 1 inch larger all around than this space. Be sure the lengthwise yarns of the patch match with the lengthwise yarns of the suiting. Ravel out yarns from each side until the patch piece is an exact fit. Lay the matched patch on top of the hole on the right side of the material. Pin it in place. THREE-CORNER TEAR If the tear is not frayed badly, the best way to mend it is to seam by barely catching a yarn or two inside the frayed edge. Steam-press the seams open, clip off any thick corners. From the right side, hide the seam line with the rantering stitch used to finish off the worn collar roll (p. 6). If the tear is badly frayed, or if the suiting is so heavy that a seam would be thick, machine-darn the tear to a matching piece of suiting or a piece of lining. Baste a piece of matching cloth or lining under the tear. Arrange any loose yarns so that you will stitch over them. Thread the machine with carefully matched thread. Stitch back and forth over the tear and deep enough into the material so that it will be sure to hold. To stitch backwards, barely lift the presser foot, then move the material forward slowly enough to get stitches of the right size. Lower the foot again to stitch forward. This is quicker than turning your work or using the lever that new machines have for stitching in reverse. SMALL HOLES Repair tiny holes by reweaving with yarn pulled from the inseams. To repair larger holes, set in a carefully matched piece of cloth under the hole and darn so as to hold the cut edges flat. See page 8 for darning the elbow. Trouser Adjustments When a man gains or loses weight or when a boy grows, trousers may need to be adjusted for good fit, comfort, and better wear. TO LENGTHEN TROUSERS Pick out the tacks at the sides of the cuff and rip open the lower edge. Spread the cuffs out full length. If the cuffs have never been repaired or adjusted, there will be three sharp press lines. The top crease marks the length the trousers have been, so measure from this line when you mark for a new length. 1. Measure down from the top crease the amount you want to lengthen the trousers. Mark around the leg with tailor's chalk. Steam out all old press lines. Make a plain cuff or a French cuff, depending upon how much you are lengthening the leg. If 1 inch or less is being added to trouser length, finish again with a plain cuff. If trousers are lengthened more than 1 inch, finish with a French cuff. Fold to form the new cuff along the line where the third and first chalk lines are basted together. Baste to hold the cuff in place and press. To finish the cut edge, which is turned up inside the trouser leg, turn the cuff down again, baste, and stitch it by machine. Finish with a wear guard (see p. 4), then tack the cuffs at the side. For illustrations that show details of plain cuffs, see page 12. French Cuff Finish Plain Cuff Finish · 2 2. From the chalk mark, measure down 14 inches and mark a line around the trouser leg. Mark another line 134 inches below that. Pick up, fold, and baste along the middle chalk line. Pin the first and third lines together and baste. Steam-press. 2 If you need to lengthen the trousers more than an inch, finish with a French cuff. 1. From the chalk line that is the guide for the new length, 2, strike two more lines one 14 inches above the first line, one 14 inches below. Fold on the center line and baste. Lay this fold against the top line and baste. Fold and baste along the lower line, which marks the bottom edge of the cuff. Steam-press. Turn the cut edge up inside the pants and turn in so that it just meets the top fold. Trim off any extra material. Join the two folds with hand stitches about one-fourth inch apart so they won't catch on shoes. Put in a wear guard (see p. 4). Steam-press and tack cuffs at the side. For illustrations of details of French cuff, see page 12. TO SHORTEN TROUSERS Pick out the tacks at the sides of the cuff and rip open the lower edge. Spread the cuffs out full length. 1. From the top press crease, which marks the old length, measure up the amount the leg is to be shortened. Mark around the leg at the new length with tailor's chalk. Steam-press to take out creases. 2. From the line just drawn, measure down and mark two more lines 14 inches apart. Strike a fourth line about 11⁄2 inches below the bottom line and cut away all goods below this line. 2 Finish as a plain cuff. Pick up, fold, and baste along the middle chalk line. Pin the first and third lines together and baste. Steam-press. Fold to form the new cuff along the line where the third and first chalk lines were basted together. Baste to hold the cuff in place and press. To finish the cut edge, which is turned up inside the trouser leg, turn the cuff down again, baste, and stitch it by machine. Finish with a wear guard (p. 4), then tack the cuffs at the side. Illustrations on page 12 show details of finishing the plain cuff. LET OUT OR TAKE IN SEAT At the back rise of most trousers there is a generous seam allowance. Reseam along the back rise to make the seat smaller or larger as the need may be. Do this before you rip out the old stitching, then rip the old seam, and steam-press the new seam. However, if there is some doubt about the fit, baste the new seam line, rip out the old stitching, and fit the trousers before stitching by machine. LET OUT TOO-SHORT CROTCH Rip the inseams down from the crotch point about 12 inches. Open the back and front rise slightly just so the seam allowances of the inseams are free. You will find plenty of seam there for this purpose if the trousers have not been adjusted before. Let out the seam as needed and resew, tapering off to meet the old stitching lines of the inseams. Press open, then reseam the front and back rise, and press again. Care Saves Mending Here are a number of preventive measures that make a suit "live" longer and help BRUSH AND AIR. Brush suits often in the If a closet isn't well-ventilated, it's a good idea to let a suit hang in the open to air before it goes into the closet. From time to time, give suits an outdoor airing. HANG IT STRAIGHT. Put suit on a hangar as soon as you remove it. Don't spoil the press by laying it carelessly over a chair. Put coat on a wooden hanger-one with broad shoulders made especially for men's shoulders. See that shoulders set squarely on the hanger. Hang trousers on a special trouser hanger or over the cross bar of a wooden hanger. If you must use a wire hanger, place a heavy piece of cardboard or a thick piece of paper over the crossbar first to help prevent crosswise creases on the trousers. Pull trousers through the hanger as far as the width of the hanger will allow so that the thicker part of the trousers lies over the hanger bar. Creases here show less than in the middle of the trouser leg. When there is no hanger at hand, use the loop at the back of the neck to hang a coat. Or hang it over the back of a chair. But save the shape of the shoulders and collar . . . pinch up the coat back so that the shoulders rest on the corners of the chair. REGULAR CLEANING AND PRESSING. Dirt grinds into wool and makes it wear out more quickly. Take your soiled suits to a cleaner who does a thorough cleaning job. More drasticand therefore more wearing cleaning methods are needed for badly soiled suits. If you press suits at home between cleanings, look for spots before you press. A warm iron "sets" spots so they will never come out. Always steam press wool-never set the iron directly on the wool itself (see Pressing Supplies, p. 3), and be careful about scorch. Wool can scorch even when you have a cloth over it if your iron is too hot. 23 PROTECT AGAINST MOTHS. Clothes moths can undo all your saving of wool. Never leave woolen clothing lying around on closet shelves. If you have a woolen garment hanging in the back of the closet, air and brush it once in a while. Before storing wools away for a season have them dry-cleaned, or brush and air them thoroughly in the sun. Store wool suits and overcoats or have them stored in paper bags, wrapped in paper, sealed in boxes, or in trunks, chests, or tight closets. Seal paper bags and packages. Trunks and chests must have tight-fitting lids. A closet set aside. for storage of wools should have all cracks in plaster and around baseboards filled up and a gasket on the door so that it shuts tightly. Play safe by using flakes, crystals, or balls of naphthalene in wool you store at home. As these preparations evaporate they give off a gas that first discourages the moth larvae from feeding on wool and then, if concentrated enough, kills them. About 1 pound of flake naphthalene is enough for a small chest, trunk, or box. Sprinkle through folds of clothing around cuffs and creases, tie in sacks on hanger necks, slip into pockets, or hang high in closets. TIPS TO THE MAN WHO WEARS THE SUIT. Remember that keys carried everyday in the hip pocket rub against chairs and wear holes through both pockets and outer cloth. Overloading stretches and strains pocketssometimes tears the corners. Pens and pencils need clips and well-fitting tops if they are not to stain or jab holes. Thin pads on office chairs save the seat of trousers from getting shiny so quickly. A belt that fits easily through belt loops won't rub the loops fuzzy as will a wider belt. Trousers one-half inch above the heels don't get so much rub and therefore wear longer about the lower edge than longer trousers. If you get a suit soaked in rain or snow, let it dry slowly in a well-ventilated room, away from heat. Brush the suit well after it dries. |