=Shall we learn to take a few measurements?= Then we can judge if our pattern is too large or too small. It will also help you in sending for patterns. _The bust measure_ is easy to take. Pass the tape measure under the arms, and over the fullest part of the bust, not too tight; bring it to the center of the back, sloping the tape slightly upward between the shoulder blades. _The waist measure_ is a snug measure around the smallest part of the waist. For girls this measure should not be too snug. _The skirt measures_ are taken from the waist line to the floor at the front, at the sides over the hips, and at the back. For short skirts one must deduct from the full lengths the number of inches desired from the floor. EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS 1. Open a pattern and see if you can tell the different parts. Which are to be cut on a folded edge? How are you to tell which way the pattern is to lie on the warp threads? 2. Practice taking a skirt measure; then, a waist measure. LESSON 11 TAKING MEASUREMENTS AND CUTTING OUT THE PETTICOAT We understand our skirt patterns. Let us take our skirt measures, front and back, and, if it is necessary to change our pattern, we will decide how much to add or take off before cutting the garments. =To change pattern.= If you must add two or three inches to the length of your pattern, this must be done as you cut. Or possibly you may wish to shorten the pattern. If you wish to shorten it, take a plait of one inch about in the middle of your pattern, crease, and pin it. By taking this plait rather than cutting off the amount from the bottom, the good flare of the skirt is saved. Do you know what these pieces of the skirt are called which are wider at the bottom than at the top? Why is a gore made such a shape? Can you think of the advantages? In cutting from a pattern in which a plait has been laid, one must be careful to carry the outline of the pattern evenly at the place where the fold of the plait comes. =To lengthen a pattern.= Make a straight cut across a gore about the middle from side to side. Pin or paste a strip of paper the desired extra length between the two pieces. This preserves the bottom flare. If length were added at the bottom, the flare would be too great. [Illustration: FIG. 35.--The petticoat for the children of the home.] =To cut the skirts.= One must study carefully the economical use of material. It is like a puzzle to fit the pattern to the cloth, so that the perforations are obeyed exactly and there is enough cloth for all the parts.