Sizing

“ No matter how even the worsted yarn, a microscopic examination would show certain fibres protruding from the surface. Sizing has the effect of smoothing the surface of the yarn, and at the same time distributing more evenly the strain of weaving. The sizing machine is rather like the back-washer used in the manufacturing of worsted yarn. The warp is run through the sizing bath and then compressed between rollers, after which it is dried by steam or fan. ”

“ Some manufacturers adopt a peculiar process of sizing, which in fact answers very much better, and is alike applicable to papers made by hand or by machine, provided the latter description be first cut into pieces or sheets of the required dimensions. The contrivance consists of two revolving felts, between which the sheets are carried under several rollers through a long trough of size, being afterwards hung up to dry upon [74] lines, previously to rolling or glazing. ”

“ Sizing.—To test papers for efficiency of sizing write rather heavily upon the surface with ordinary pen and ink. Red ink is usually more penetrative than black, so it is better to use a good black ink as a standard test. As some papers, such as account book papers, have to stand erasure, they should be tested for ink bearing after abrasion of the surface.
To test for gelatine sizing cut up a small quantity of paper and boil for a few minutes in a beaker containing sufficient water to cover the paper. Pour off into a test tube, cool, add a few drops of a 2 per cent, solution of tannic acid. ”

“ The exact degree of sizing is a matter of nicety, which can only be known by experience. They are then hung up again to dry, and when dry, taken to the finishing-room, where they are examined anew, pressed in the dry-presses, which give them their last gloss and smoothness ”

“ In calculating the weight of a piece, the warp weight is obtained from the number of ends, based upon the width in the reed. This is multiplied by the sizing length and brought into hanks, from which the weight can be obtained by dividing by the counts. The weft is calculated from the picks to the inch, the reed width, and the actual length of piece. Example—A piece has to be made full dimensions, 36 inches wide, 36 yards long, 16 square (1/4 inch) —i.e., 64 ends per inch and 64 picks; yarns 30’s/36’s, the first number being the warp, sized 25 per cent. ”

“ Sizing may be animal or vegetable, the animal size being gelatine or glue obtained from various animal substances, and the vegetable size being made of a combination of resin with soda. Alum is used to assist in fixing the size in the paper. ”

“ It must be remembered that a size too strong in glue or isinglass is liable to make the paper too brittle; again, some papers require a stronger size than others.
(4) . A size that may be used cold, and is recommended in France, to keep at hand and to use when only a single leaf requires sizing, such as when a name has been erased from a title-page, is as follows:—Boil about a quart of water in a saucepan. ”

“ The constituents of paper, as shown in the first chapter, are vegetable fibres, mineral filling, colouring matter, and vegetable or animal sizing. The fibres producing the paper which approximates most nearly to a pure cellulose material, with the minimum of chemical and mechanical treatment, are, of course, the best possible. Classified with that in view, cotton, flax, hemp, chemical wood, esparto, and mechanical wood is the order of merit. Cotton is, more than any other material, the ideal fibre. ”

“ Feather-weight Paper.—A term applied to bulky book papers much in favour for current fiction. The fibre is esparto, beaten quickly, no loading, but little sizing, very little pressure while passing through the machine. The fibre being loose occupies a large space, and the paper is very light for its bulk, hence the term. Usual sizes and weights: double crown 30 to 60 lb., double demy 40 to 70 lb., and quad crown 55 to 120 lb. per ream of 516 sheets. ”

“ When I ask for a garment of a particular form, my tailoress tells me gravely, "They do not make them so now," not emphasizing the "They" at all, as if she quoted an authority as impersonal as the Fates, and I find it difficult to get made what I want, simply because she cannot believe that I mean what I say, that I am so rash. ”

“ HOW TO BUY THE RIGHT SIZE. It is absolutely essential that you buy your pattern by the right size. In no other way can you be sure of securing the perfect lines of the original design. The right size will save you time because it means that there will be no unnecessary fitting. It will save your material. A size too large takes more material than you require while a size that is too small might make your dress unwearable. Insist on being measured each time you buy a pattern. New corsets or an unsuspected change of weight may have altered your bust, waist or hip measure. ”

“ In order to begin the grading for women's and misses' underwear, we are to understand that the model size for women's sizes is size 36 and the model size for misses is size 16. To grade the various larger or smaller sizes for each and every branch, it would he necessary to make perfect our first pattern, which is size 36 for women and size 16 for misses in such manner that it will give full satisfaction to the designer in its style and fit. ”

“ Unless you are small and slender, it is not well to buy a dress embroidered with a border pattern. They are always scanty in width, and have that look when made up. The skirts are never quite wide enough. A tall woman requires as full a skirt as a fat one; else her height will make her look lanky and narrow.
When bespeaking an article to be made purposely for you, ascertain from the maker what will be the cost, and then request him to write down the terms on a card, or a slip of paper, or on a leaf of your tablet. ”

“ To begin to draft draw a line from A to C measuring half of waist measurement amounting to 121⁄2 inches according to 25 inches waist. Then square a line up from C to D and measure 15 inches for the back raise. Measure from D towards G 121⁄2 inches, which is half of waist measurement and draw a line from D to G and square a straight line down from G to B, which makes the front length amounting to 26 inches for the envelope drawers. ”

“ The sizes of garments tend to vary considerably, and difficulty is experienced in seaming or joining them together to have each side terminate equally. There are also differences in the weight of the garments owing to the capacity which the woollen fibre has of absorbing moisture far in excess of what is recognized as essential, and the effect is to vitiate size measurements. This gives rise to pants longer in one leg than another, and one side of a seam going to a greater length than the neighbouring one to which it has to be attached. ”

“ If thought advisable, these measures may be supplemented by the width of shoulder, the size of the sleeve, &c. These measures apply to all body garments.
For skirts, take the front length from 19 to 21, the side length from 8 to 9, the back length from 3 to 6, the size of waist and the size of hips. The same measures will supply all that is necessary for trousers, though a measure taken from waist to the seat of a chair, when the lady is seated, will give a good guide for the length of leg. A measure from centre of back to wrist bone will invariably give the accurate length of leg. ”

“ Always buy patterns of firms that make proportion of figure as well as fashion a study. These patterns state length of skirt, waist and hip measure and quantity of material required in all widths. Buy a skirt pattern with correct hip size, as it is much more difficult to change this than to alter the dimensions of a waist. Adjust the pattern to the figure for which the garment is to be cut and see that it is right in all of its proportions. Always follow the notches indicated in the seams of the pattern, and thus avoid putting wrong pieces together. ”

“ We allow four inches for stretch in all our sweaters, and sizes are marked accordingly. It is suggested, however, that for very heavy men a size about two inches larger than coat measurement be ordered to insure a comfortable fit. ”

“ It is important to take the groin measurement and the length of front clasp from waist line down when customer is standing and also when sitting. Standing measurement is for length of material; sitting measurement is to decide length of boning.
You should by all means take all the measurements called for in our Special and Customer Order Blank. After taking all regular measure­ments, if you find that a certain style fits your customer exactly, or these measurements correspond very nearly to the proportions given in Catalog, it will doubtless be best to order a Standard Corset for her. ”

“ Tight Lacing.—"The waist of well-formed women, of the average height, varies in circumference from twenty-seven to twenty-nine inches; and there is scarcely any difference in its proportional size between male and female. But such is the power of fashion, that the waist is seldom permitted to expand to the dimensions of twenty-five inches; the majority are within twenty-four; thousands are compressed to twenty-two ”

“ Size is considered of more importance than form; and justly so if it is a sine qua non that the foot must be small, because the efforts that are made to diminish its size generally render it deformed. We have before mentioned that to endeavor to diminish the size of the human body in a particular part, is like tying a string round the middle of a pillow; it only makes it larger at the extremities. It is so with the waist, it is so with the foot. If it be crippled in length, or in width across the toes, it spreads over the instep and sides. ”

“ Shall we send for a pattern? Patterns are bought by age or by measure: a nightdress, drawers, or a skirt pattern is ordered for fourteen year age; a shirtwaist for 34 inch bust measure. Patterns sometimes give other measures; a dress skirt may state the waist measure, the length of skirt, and the measure around the hips. For children and for young girls, the patterns can nearly always be bought according to age; but, as some girls are large for their age and some small, Miss James will have to help order the right sizes. ”

“ The first line of measurements under the style number refers to measurements of the garment above waist; the second line to measurements below waist. F— Front.
When appearing in the first line of "Measurements" it refers to the height from the waist line to the top of the garment at centre front. (Note—In garments carrying a clasp the clasp above the waist will be made 1⁄2 inch shorter than the front measurement given. In the Maternity Support the clasp extends only to the waist line.) ”

“ A waist of sixteen and a-half-inches would, I am of opinion, be considered, for a lady of fair average size and stature, small enough to satisfy even the most exacting of Fashion's votaries. The question as to how small one's waist can be is rather hard to answer, and I am not aware that any standard has yet been laid down on the subject, but an application to any of our fashionable corset-makers for the waist measurement of the smallest sizes made would go far to clear the point up. ”

“ If you are of average size and height it is probable that no change will be needed, but if you are shorter or taller than the average it is advisable to adjust the length of the pattern before cutting your material. ”

“ A skirt stretches because its own weight and the weight of the hem or facing draw it down. If you hang it up for two or three days properly weighted at the bottom, it will stretch as much as it can stretch and you can then hang it safely. Every woman who sews accumulates a lot of useless material which can be used to weight the lower part of the skirt. ”

“ At the top of every pattern you will find instructions as to how to buy that particular pattern that is, whether it should be bought by the bust or hip measure, etc. Follow these instructions in buying your pattern. Skirt patterns should be bought by the hip measure. (Ills. 4 and 5.) If the waist is small in proportion to the hips, it is an easy matter to take in the skirt a little at the top. If the pattern is small for you at the waist—and this will happen only in rare cases— a slight allowance can be made for the necessary waist size when you cut out your material. ”

“ Should no gathering be wanted around the waist, then measure the waist curve from 9 to 5. If the space there measures 18 inches take out for a dart the amount that is over half of waist including the amount allowed for seams, which is as follows: Half of 25 inches waist is 121⁄2 inches and if 2 inches are allowed for seams which makes 141⁄2, in such case, deduct 141⁄2 inches from 18 inches, which shows there is an over-amount of 31⁄2 inches. ”

“ The diameter of the normal male form may be considered to measure one inch less at the waist than at the chest, both backward and forward and sidewise, and the circumference of such a body may be computed as being one-ninth less waist than the breast on the whole measure, as 36 breast and 32 waist. ”

“ A STANDARD CORSET of any particular style is always built on the same proportions, regardless of size. For instance, if you order a certain style, size 26, the proportions will be the same as sizes 22 or 30 and as given in our revised Catalog. (See your Catalog.) When ordering a Standard Corset, the only dimensions necessary is to give the waist size. ”