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Early 1940's—Ladies' Garment Cutting and Making
by F. R. Morris

Chapter IX—Skirt Cutting

THERE is to-day a great variety of skirt styles in vogue, for the participation of women in sport in growing numbers means the designing and making of suitable garments for sports wear, and the skirt style is an important factor in the design of every sports suit.

Far from having only the status of a part of a costume, skirts are now designed specially for golfing, motoring, hiking and beach-wear. For golfing and motoring purposes, we have the divided trouser-skirt ideally suited to either pursuit and, in addition, for tennis wear. The beach-wear wrap skirt for wearing over shorts, and the shorts-skirt embodying the features of both garments, are examples of the adaptability of the skirt to present-day needs.

Skirt design generally tends towards simple effects, with more attention paid to perfection of cut and line than to intricate design. Skirts are narrow at the hem line with pleats or slit openings to provide stride room in the case of skirts buttoning down the front or back. The gored skirt with four or more panels has a slight flare at the hem from the knee level downwards, but with this style very little flare must be added, for, unless the material used is very pliable, the hang of the skirt will be distorted. Pleats at the back and front centres disguise the division in a divided sports skirt, and only an expert should be able to tell the difference between this style and an ordinary skirt in wear. For beach wear or cruising, a wrap skirt with a centre front or side button fastening is an indispensable item as it may be worn either as part of a suit or over sports shorts and swimming suit. Many designers feature complete sports suits comprising a jacket with a wrap-skirt and shorts to match.

Skirt-shorts, as their name denotes, are a combination of shorts and skirt with the freedom of the former and the appearance of the latter achieved by the use of pleats and flares. These garments may be made either separately from the body part or in one piece with an opening down the centre front fastened with buttons, or, alternatively, cut with a backless bodice and have buttons down the sideseam to the side plaquet.

Apart from the adoption of the skirt for sports wear, there is little to be said of its use as part of a costume, excepting, perhaps, the vogue of wearing a skirt of contrasting hue under a short or three-quarter length loose-fitting coat.

With regard to the successful cutting of skirts, many of the thoughtless or hasty thinkers imagine this to be a simple operation. In comparison with the cutting of a body garment with the need for fitting two opposing surfaces of the figure form, skirt-cutting may be simple, but only comparatively so.

The same principles of waist suppression apply to a skirt with equal force, only the need for providing a covering in harmony with the figure form is confined to the waist downward to the hips. In the chapter on Waist Suppression, the author described the need for curving the waist and hip balance lines as the garment follows the bending of the trunk from the centre back round to the sides and front. The reason why waist suppression must be systematically applied only at the "bends" of the figure was pointed out, with stress laid upon the fact that suppression at the sideseams must be only moderate in quantity and the majority of the excess surplus between the bust, waist and hip measures be reduced from the "bend" of the figure midway between the sideseam and the centre back.

All these points are applicable to skirt cutting and the author bases his skirt system upon the knowledge obtained from cutting close-fitting coats.

Figure 87Preliminary to the Basic Principles of Skirt Construction (Fig. 87)

The basis of all skirt systems is the section of the figure from the waist to the hip level. Width of the hem line is of secondary consideration to the need for allocating the waist suppression in its correct location to harmonize with the shape of the figure. Once the waist suppression factor is decided, the alteration for style reasons of the width at the hem line will affect this factor only comparatively. For instance, a perfectly straight-hanging skirt will appear to have a larger quantity of material taken from the waist darts than a skirt of ample width. The increase is illusionary, for the proportion of suppression taken out at each section remains identical in each case.

Fig. 87 (a) illustrates the waist-to-hip section with correct allocation of waist suppression applicable to the section in the square.

For the purpose of examining the cutting of skirts with an analysis of the fundamental principles, the following measures are necessary—

The Waist Measure, taken tightly over the dress or skirt.

The Hip Measure, taken at a point 8 inches below the waist line.

The Skirt Length, at the front, side and back, taken from the waist level to the desired length.

The following drafts illustrating the principles of skirt cutting are based upon the following measures—

In the chapters on coat cutting the author has stressed the point of suppressing the waist at the sideseam by a standard quantity of ¾ inch. This is all that is necessary to agree with the contour of the figure at this region, as there is no pronounced bend or "round" from the waist downwards to the hip line.

The back waist suppression is decided as two-thirds of the difference between the bust and waist measures, and the front suppression as the remaining one-third. The indentation of the back hollow is far greater in comparison with the front, and needs twice as much extra created length of the sideseam at the side waist to enable the garment to follow the bending of the figure from the centre back to the side and front.

Therefore, when cutting skirts the author adheres to the basic principles of the allocation and proportions of waist suppression as described for coats, with the amendment of an additional increase of ½ inch to the back waist quantity as the need for greater suppression at the back waist hollow becomes apparent with the need for a closer fit to the figure. The closer a garment is required to be fitted to the figure, the greater will be the extent to which the waist and hip balance lines will curve, owing to the increase of suppression taken out.

To construct the draft section from the waist to the hip level as depicted by Fig. 87 (a)—

Square from X.

Fig. 87 (b) shows the hip section after the darts have been sewn out. The curving of the waist and hip balance lines enables the hip section to follow the bending of the figure without distortion.

Figure 88The Extent of the Curvature of the Balance Lines (Fig. 88)

Fig. 88 indicates the extent of the curvature of the waist and hip balance lines; at the back yoke the curvature is 1¼ inches from the waist line and 2¼ inches from the hip line. The front yoke does not show so great a curving of the balance lines, as from the waist to the hips is practically a straight line without waist indentation. At the waist line a curving of ½ inch is indicated, and at the hip line the curvature is ¾ inch.

To establish a reliable skirt system to give automatic adjustment of the quantities taken from the waist darts as the width of the skirt increases or decreases, we must calculate from one extreme to another, that is to say, we must estimate the quantities of waist suppression in proportion to the varying skirt widths from the point where the skirt shows no increase of width from the straight to where the waist shows no suppression to be taken out in darts and a skirt width in proportion.

Therefore, the system is based upon the hip yoke shape after the darts have been sewn out, giving a full-width skirt with the extra increase of hem circumference in the correct locations as decided by the closing out of the waist darts as shown by Fig. 88.

Figure 89The System Basis for Skirts (Fig. 89)

Fig. 89 shows the hip yoke with the waist darts sewn out. The point numbers are repeated from the preceding text and draft description.

Figure 90Application of the System Basis in Practice (Fig. 90)

As a further elucidation of the skirt system in practice, Fig. 90 shows the application of the basis draft to the construction of a hip yoke with only a moderate skirt width.

To draft—

Square from X.

This completes the construction of the hip section for a skirt with a narrow-width hem.

Figure 91A Narrow-width Skirt (Fig. 91)

The accompanying draft is that of a skirt with straight lines and no increase of width in the hem line over the half-hip quantity.

Pleats will be required to be inserted for walking room, either in the form of sewn-in godets or down the centre front and back seams.

Measures are as follows—

Square from point X.

Figure 92Standard-width Skirt Draft (Fig. 92)

Fig. 92 illustrates the draft of a skirt most suitable in width for present-day design. The width of the hem line as drafted forms the basis upon which all variations of seams and designs are superimposed in the following drafts.

Measures are as for Fig. 91.

To draft—

Square from X.

For increased width in the hem, point 4 is deviated further from 2, the distance from 3 to 4 always remaining the same.

Point 4 cannot be at a greater distance from 2 than half the difference between the waist and hip measures, otherwise the waist girth would be smaller than the measure.

In the drafting of skirts with full-width hems, it will be found, on measuring up the waist from 7 to 13, that after one-third of the surplus has been applied, there is nothing left for the back darts. This is a correct state of affairs, for the increase of width in the hem line takes place at the back and front of the skirt before the sides are affected, since the closing out of the back darts gives the extra width from the hip level at the back to the hem without affecting the sideseams. Only when a very flared skirt is required is flare added to the sideseams by closing out the side waist suppression as indicated by the hip section in Fig. 89.

Figure 93Panel Skirt Draft (Fig. 93)

Fig. 93 illustrates the draft of a panel skirt. This style has perpetual popularity and is repeated every year in fashion as a basis upon which to vary design by pleats, flares or fancy and diverted seamings. The draft shows a skirt with six gores; in some instances, the sideseam may be dispensed with and the skirt cut with four gores and four panel seams. A straight skirt line is given by the draft, and, to counteract the effects of perspective upon the panel seams, they are slightly wider at the hem than at the hip level. If they were spaced equally all the way down from the hip level to the hem line, a narrowing effect would be apparent as the panels approached the bottom edge.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

The widths given are subject to variation as the width of the hem line increases and, in all cases, are governed by the proportion between the centre and side panels as described previously.

Figure 94Six-gored Skirt with Flared Panel Seams (Fig. 94)

At the present time, the gored skirt with a low-flare effect is very popular and will in all probability continue so for quite a long while. A minimum of flare should only be added to each panel if the material used is tweed of unpliable texture, and not more than 3 inches should be added in any case for tweed skirts.

For skirts made of silk, linen or otherwise pliable materials the amount of flare added may be increased up to 5 inches. In all instances the extent of flare is guided by the design and style tendencies of the moment.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 95Wrap Skirt Draft (Fig. 95)

Fig. 95 shows the draft of a one-piece wrap skirt. Such skirts are usually cut the full width of the material, and the wrap-over depends upon what the difference is between the half-hip measure in comparison with the width of the material used. A wrap-over of approximately 12 inches is necessary, and when the hip size is so great that this amount is not obtainable from the material width, the insertion of a sideseam is then necessary.

Wrap-over skirts for beach wear usually are cut away under the wrap, just sufficient being left for a button-stand for fastening, but with a costume skirt there is no fastening of any description, so that ample wrap is essential.

Measures are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 96The Corslet Skirt (Fig. 96)

Skirts with high waist-line effects are very fashionable and smart in wear for they accentuate the height and slender appearance of the wearer and permit the wearing of a belt, either of leather or of the same material as the skirt or blouse. The extent the waist line is raised from the natural position should never exceed 3 inches as, after this distance, the figure commences to increase in girth rapidly to the bust, and consequently there is need for increase of circumference at the skirt top.

Included in the draft are instructions on allowing for knife pleats in the back and front panel seams.

Measures are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 97Skirt Draft with a Hip Yoke (Fig. 97)

The following draft illustrates the treatment of a skirt design with a hip yoke required in one piece without waist darts. The design chosen has a 6-inch hip yoke terminating in a point at the front centre with an inverted pleat set in the front seam.

Measures are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 98Another Example of Hip-yoke Construction (Fig. 98)

Fig. 98 illustrates an example of skirt construction with a hip yoke cut in one with the panels, instead of being a separate factor. The skirt panels have a slightly flared effect at the hem line, and, for the purpose of designs where the back and front panels are required to be of equal shape and size, the side-seam is placed exactly in the centre of the draft; otherwise with the sideseam in the usual position, the widths of the panels would necessarily be of unequal proportions.

Measures are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 99The Trouser-skirt (Fig. 99)

Fig. 99 illustrates the draft of a new style of sports skirt, the trouser-skirt. This garment, as its name implies, is a combination of a skirt with a trouser-leg effect. For a successful trouser-skirt, there must be ample ease of stride room for walking so that the fact of the garment being bifurcated is not too apparent.

Pleats are usually inserted at the centre back and front to disguise the break of the legs and, in the making, should be stitched down to below the fork level. The most important point to keep in mind is the need for ample fork width to give ease of movement, otherwise the trouser-skirt is based upon the standard skirt basis with additional overall ease.

To eliminate a centre front seam down the fronts from the waist line, a short hip yoke is included in the design at back and front.

Full measures are as follows—

An additional measure to be taken is the height of the body-rise. This is taken with the wearer seated upon a chair and measured from the seat level to the position in the waist line where the skirt is required to be worn. For an average figure, the height of the body-rise varies from 11 to 12½ inches. In this instance, a rise of 11½ inches is taken.

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 100The Addition of Pleats (Fig. 100)

The addition of pleats at the front and back centre seams is illustrated by Fig. 100. The success of a divided trouser-skirt depends mainly upon the pleats set in at the centre front and back, without which the garment would bear no resemblance to a skirt and appear as a widely-cut pair of short trousers! The pleats are actually inserted where the fork seam commences to curve under the body, and in wear resemble inverted pleats. The pattern is now cut through down the centre front from the point where the front yoke terminates at point 43, and a quantity of 8 inches is let in to form one-half of the pleat. Fig. 100 shows how this takes place, and the top of the pleat is shaped to a point to enable it to be sewn in with the yoke seam. The pleat is folded back from 43 to 43 and 15 to 15, and a good plan is to edge-stitch the folds of the pleat to stop them from coming out of shape. After both sides of the fronts have been treated as above, the fork seam from 43 to 16 is then sewn together, and the two edges of the pleats as indicated by line 43 to 15 are sewn together for a depth of approximately 6 inches or to just below the commencement of the leg seam.

The front yoke dart is closed out from 37 to 38 and 44 (Fig. 99) and is shown in the finished position ready for adding a seam from 41 to 42 and 43. A seam is also added to the skirt from 41 to 42 and 43.

The back skirt is treated in a similar manner to the front; the back waist darts from 28 and 32 to 27 and 31 respectively are shown in a closed-out position ready for the addition of seams, and 4 inches have been added to form the back centre pleat from 39 to 20. This pleat is folded over and sewn together in exactly the same way as the front, and, when the skirt is finished, no suspicion of a break in the skirt front or back should be apparent. The skirt should fit and hang as well as an ordinary skirt. The fork shape and length from front to back gives the necessary ease for walking and movement generally.

Figure 101Panel-front Skirt with Inverted Pleats (Fig. 101)

Fig. 101 shows the draft of a plain costume skirt with a front panel with inverted pleats set in the seams. The draft also illustrates two methods of cutting inverted pleats from the material.

Measures for the draft are as follows—

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 102Cutting Pleats from the Material (Fig. 102)

Fig. 102 shows the usual method adopted for cutting inverted pleats from the material. Fig. 102 (A) illustrates the front panels with the additions for the pleat placed together to form a whole front piece. The centre front of the skirt is placed to the fold of the material and the whole section cut out in one piece, after allowing seams round each panel seam.

This method may prove to be expensive with regard to the length of material used, and an alternative method of cutting inverted pleats is shown by Fig. 102 (B). In this instance, the addition for the pleat is made unequally as indicated, with three-quarters of the pleat added to the side panel and the other quarter added to the front panel, the pleat being sewn together at the fold. By adding the pleat in this way, it is possible to vary the layout of the pattern when cutting from the material to a greater extent than is possible with the first example. The seam of the pleat need not necessarily be placed in the fold on the front panel; it may be transferred to the fold of the side panel from 38 to 39, but in no instance must the seam be placed down the centre of the pleat, as it will show in wear.

Figure 103The Shorts-skirt (Fig. 103)

The shorts-skirt has become very popular in tennis circles as a garment that gives the freedom of shorts with the grace of a skirt. As in the trouser-skirt, pleats at the centre back and front hide the fork seam, and additional pleats at the side of the back and front give a graceful appearance and freedom of movement.

Rightly, as these garments are only suitable for the young and slender, the draft is arranged to agree with the following measures—

To draft—

Square from X.

Figure 104Provision for Pleats (Fig. 104)

The front skirt is illustrated by Fig. 104 (A).

The pattern is opened up from X to 13, and an addition of 6 inches is inserted from X to 13 for half of the front inverted pleat, as illustrated by the diagram as from XA to X and 13A to 13.

Split the pattern through from 24 to 31 and square down to the hem, and then insert 4 inches for the side knife pleats as shown from 24 to 24A and from 31 to 31A.

The front pleat is sewn down to the fork level and the side knife pleats to a level commensurate with giving the maximum amount of freedom in wear. As an approximate guide a distance of 8 inches is usual.

Fig. 104 (B) illustrates the addition of pleats at the back skirt. The pattern is opened up from 7 to 19 and a quantity of 6 inches is inserted for the back inverted pleat as illustrated by the diagram.

From 26 to 29 and square down to the hem line, open up the back skirt pattern and insert 4 inches for the back knife pleat as shown.

The shorts-skirt may be cut without a sideseam by overlapping the sideseams two seams from 34 to 35 and then sharing out the sideseam dart from 33 and 32 to 34.

This sideseam dart may be left in whole without cutting out to preserve a clean finish inside the shorts, and only on the left side for the placquet should it be cut out.

If the placquet is to be finished with a zip fastener to be concealed from sight, an addition to the side-seams of 3/8 inch for lapping over the zip will be required and carried down the sideseams at the back and front to the length of the zip fastener that is used. With a single zip fastening, the shortest length of zip is 8 to 9 inches, while if two zips are used a length of 7 inches is usually sufficient.

This garment is different in construction from ordinary shorts, owing to the necessity for obtaining a straight-hanging front and back with the addition of the fork section considered as a separate entirety. When cutting shorts, we have to consider the factor of allowance for movement and the fork section all in one with the body part without a hip yoke to achieve the waist shape of the figure.

All shorts-skirts are based upon the system as described, each garment being considered firstly as a skirt and then the requisite quantity of fork size being added as a supplement to the constructional basis. Shorts-skirts are intended to hang straight from the waist loosely over the hips and resemble a flared and pleated skirt in wear. Shorts are cut closer in fit and consequently require allowance for ease of movement in a different degree from the shorts-skirts, but, even so, they do not require the excessive quantity of material over the hips for stooping that is usually allowed. We have to submit to misguided and uninformed members of the general public writing to the daily Press and deploring the fact that the modern girl will wear garments totally unsuited to the feminine form, whereas the fault lies with the badly cut and designed shorts which are worn. The fault is due to a lack of knowledge of cutting these garments, and also the retention of out-of-date cutting methods. The modern woman has a figure that bears no comparison with that of her predecessors, and the framers of systems calculating on an increase of 7 inches in size between the bust and hip measures are liable to be slightly out of proportion when adapting their systems to the contours of the typical modern woman. But as the experience of the author is with cutting for the modern figure and modern designs, he feels justified in refusing to agree with methods that may have thirty years' or so experience behind them, and, in the majority of cases, the methods are really thirty years old and have received very little modernizing. He has found amongst cutters a reluctance to accept new ideas at their birth; they prefer to stick to their well-tried methods, and fail to move with progress until designs have progressed still further.

Many cutters use a breeches system for drafting trousers or shorts. But breeches are worn for a special purpose and consequently require specialized cutting, whereas shorts and trousers are worn when the figure is in a normal attitude. That was the fault with the early shorts and trousers in wear; they were constructed on a breeches system owing to the lack of knowledge available regarding the cutting of these garments.

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