Patterns For Smartness (1948)

[Music] careful you can my pattern how did you get any just open the door look I've got some new records let's try it but first I have to decide on the material for my new dress ah just like a girl always thinking about new clothes well you don't have to have a new dress you always look good you've got that know-how look what doing that know-how look well it's what we fellas like a girl to have and you have it plus it's sort of like oh look out of the window there quick now there's just the opposite of what I mean by the know-how look once I looked like that myself grimy shoes my slip showing a sweat a big-enough of Babe Ruth and all those crazy gadgets and the way I walked scuffing along the pavement head down leading with my Tim my skin was horrible - not enough milk and green vegetables not enough outdoor what I took the Home Economics course we learned so much more than just how to make clothes good grooming how to take care of our skin and hair how to carry ourselves so I closed up really not on it all those things that make Johnnie say I have the know-how look see what I mean now taking yours cute I figure that's all done with a book you mean your grandmother made you walk with a book on your head to make you stand up straight maybe I'd been better if she had look here's me you don't look that way here give me the pencil you look like this illusion Johnny done with this book see area B looks larger than area a but they're the same size to add pounds use shoulder accents broad contrasting belts full sleeves do you understand that oh sure as a future architect I use the same principle it's myself yeah I see how girls could use them to change their figures which of these colors would you like for my new dress oh but how about light blue I like blue well let's see what my book says here I am my eyes are hazel not pure blue but it works out the same way what is your time what colors make you your most exciting and attractive self experiment with actual fabrics you're right after all make it red that's what I decided everybody can wear some shade of red do you make on your own clothes sure not the bus girls do but your clothes look so professional Johnny don't you know that the most professional-looking clothes are those made by hand individually you don't think that people like me movie stars buy their clothes off a rack do you well no but see the people that make their clothes are professionals you're just a high school girl gee maybe you ought to be a designer yourself well Billy I am a designer for myself we learned that in our home economics classes too besides how to fit and so like a professional you sound as if dress making is an easy thing it is I just let my pattern tell me what to do and it comes out all right that's right Betty let the pattern tell you we're your pattern tissue paper stuff but in this battle frame there is enough of glamour charm and chance until you're that young heart to fire and we can cure that curved or bored you'd like to lose if you think carefully before you choose you sound like a magician what you come from this is our birthplace where your pattern clothes are born they're ideas from around the world come pouring in ruling their way into the designers imagination cleverly taking form under agile pencils emerging as the clothes you like best to be sure you can make them with the utmost simplicity each design is actually made up in muslin before your pattern is cut thus pre-tested for you but it is your responsibility choose the style best for you and the right fabric for that style you want the best quality you can get for what you can spend and it should be appropriate depending on the season or climate a basic dress like this is right in cotton wool or rayon how much fabric do you buy how much to get alas select to answer that I have to turn my back mark at the top decide it's you now down the left you must pursue the width of good then tricks prepare to mind you draw and right there where the two lines meet your pin so there it is you find the yard clever does it always work out right oh yes the pattern maker figures that very carefully the pieces of the pattern and the various figure sizes are arranged on tables marked lengthwise and fractions of yards and crosswise in the standard widths of materials different arrangements are tried to find the one using the least material a drawing of this arrangement is included in the instruction sheet of your pattern yes I see how that diagram makes cutting both easy and economical but pattern the picture showed two ways to make you how does a girl know what pieces to use that's easy on each pattern piece is printed both its name and the star to which had belonged girls making starts by pinning the pattern together so it can be tried on to see if adjustment is needed well what are you doing there they needs a full-length mirror for her pattern Tryon there isn't one in her living room so we gave her one what happens if the pattern doesn't fit it will she checked her measurements and got the correct pattern size she also got correct sewing equipment 9-inch shears good quality pins and needles plenty of thread a slide fastener and a 60 inch tape measure right here is where you use that cutting diagram you saw being made when you lay the pattern on the material for cutting [Music] look let's piece that slipped don't worry see that long walk straight of fabric you measure from the fabric edge to the top and bottom of that line when the two measurements agree the piece is straight [Music] in a printed path pins should be put in in the direction of the cutting line not a crossing and just enough pins to hold the pattern in place cutting line what's that the heavy line around each piece you cut inside that line no no no you cut exactly on the line with long firm slashes eddie's pattern has v-shaped marks showing what seams are to be joined she had cut these out onto the material or she could clip them into the seam allowance arrow shaped lines indicate dot other important points are indicated by dust all of these betty marks with taylor's tax taking a double stitch through pattern and material she Clips the top loop lifts the pattern off the material [Music] and Clips the thread between the fabric layers the fabric now separates easily with both pieces clearly marked she runs basting thread down the center of her blouse and skirt but when she fits her dress you know whether the center is hanging straight what is she stitching she's making stay stitches the long curved edges so they won't pull out of shape these preliminaries are important it says to be very careful about them now she based her dog from the point to the wide end how does a girl know where to begin she just follows her instruction sheet step by step first she matches the notches previously cut and pins the pieces together [Music] what's that thing the same line printed on the pattern pieces shows how deep to take each seam to keep the basting even you use a gauge or a tape measure even seams mean better fit she's ready to baste in the sleeve putting in sleeves is simple if you follow the patterns and structures using a long stitch on the machine already put in to roll between the seam line and the edge with the base to dress wrong side out and the basted sleeve right side out the sleeve is set in the armhole [Music] matching the single notches at the front [Music] matching the double notches at the back matching the underarm scenes and with sleeves top at shoulder top pin-drop gathers to fit fasten the gathering thread and simple isn't it it doesn't sound hard but I want to see how the dress looks on Betty kotas Betty but right here she makes any fitting adjustments that may be needed maybe I shouldn't criticize but aren't the shoulders a bit droopy she's forgotten her shoulder pads shoulder pads must be pinned in place for all fitting those darts need to be taken in that's hard to do by yourself let's help her after all a good pattern is one of the girls best friends so we have a right to be there this will fix it and after she takes the dress apart and rebase those darts she can stitch must a girl tie yourself up in knots to stitch Betty straighten up remember correct posture at the machine what is she stitching a dart starting from the wide end and taper off to nothing at the point watch how carefully she fastens the threads she's a regular Boy Scout with that knot I suppose the base things come out now yes but she Clips them before pulling them out if she through with her stitching he's pressing only the darts just stitched press as you go with a rule of good sewing it helps achieve that professional look see she has pressed the dart toward the center of the garment there she's finishing her stitching the next step is to hang the hem and it takes two for that we must help her again how many inches from the floor Betty I know that I read in the paper yesterday that skirts are 13 inches from the floor my home economics teacher says to make skirts the most becoming leg your teacher is right naturally you don't want your skirt so much shorter or longer than the average that you'll be conspicuous but an inch or so one way or the other won't matter there that's done now to put in the hem and easy does it hemming stitches must not be pulled tight and tack in the shoulder pads or put them in with snap fasteners is that all there is to making a dress except for a final once-over with the iron and that's easy because she's pressed each theme as she stitched it do you like it Johnny I'll say I do want to see some quick change magic well there's a brand new dress now of course nobody could make it in just a few minutes as Betty seems to have done but it could be made in one weekend by anyone who knows the fundamentals of sewing try it yourself and you'll see quite a fashion show on time Betty I've got it why don't you and the other girls put on a fashion show to get money for new equipment for the basketball team wonderful Johnny the girls will be crazy about it I'm going to call it my home economics teacher right now and see if she'll help your patent catalog is a book of magic for it transforms all who use it into creative artists yes just as the portrait artist uses the paints and brushes to express his impression of a personality so you can use fabrics and lines and colors to express your own personality [Music] hello everyone thanks for coming to our little fashion show you will be glad to know that the basketball team is a hundred and twelve dollars richer because you came now don't expect anything grand these clothes are just what we've made in our clothing class this past semester I hope you'll like them [Applause] wouldn't you like to look this cool on a summer day white does wonders for your suntan and takes any color accessories this basic dress goes smartly to sports events to school order the movies with a boyfriend a bright colored boxy jacket takes care of fooling now here's a grand idea plan a wardrobe that makes two outfits do the work of several for instance the three-button jacket of this green wool suit can be combined with the other costumes plaid skirt to make a third ensemble or you can team up the green turtleneck blouse with a green suit skirt and you have a fourth smart outfit screw mates the corduroy jumper and a gabardine sack dress both with a new angle the jumper has a squishy circular back contrasting with a prune square bodice and there's a clip a trick in the sack dress a belted in shoulder scarf ending in a pocket Seiler beware here's the new midi dress a long torso topped over a box pleated skirt match or mixture colors make sleeves long or short both of these dresses are of bull jersey Betty tells me that blouse is and skirts rate a plus with school girls here's a combination and Jersey and striped ball good for fall or spring the deep armhole is not only smart it's comfortable too wide belt gives the new look of small waistline and rounded hips striped cotton shines at the beach the pool or even in the garden this dirndl skirt wraps around and buttons when you want to complete your suntan take it off throw it over your shoulders to like a shawl when you've had enough Sun on your back can't you see this outfit pedaling along on a bicycle going to a picnic looking very gay in fact at any of summers fun spots it's new fashion to look old-fashioned candy pink plaid catheter rustles it's quaint bustle and flirts a lace dust ruffle and so Betty's fashion show ends but everywhere sewing machines are humming preparing for the fashion shows girls put on every day when they step out in the clothes they've made for themselves happy sewing to you all