LESSON VIII
PLAIDS, STRIPES AND FIGURES
By this time the student should be proficient in drawing dresses, and if this is the case, plaids, stripes and figures will seem, very easy.
Around Fig. U will be seen many examples of plaids, but the student should pay no attention to them until the principle of all plaids is understood.
It is assumed that the student has drawn the outline of Fig. U, and that a very good bottom line has been secured. If not, re-draw the outline before attempting to plaid it.
Suppose it is desired to stripe this dress up and down. Begin on the skirt by placing all stripes at the belt, using the instructions given for the plaited skirt, Lesson III, Fig. F, and draw directly down to the bottom line, but do not flare as you did the plaits. Some of the stripes will vanish at the sides.
On the waist the stripes follow the center line, fitting nicely over the bust. They continue to do this until they reach the arm, where they take the opposite direction and follow the under-arm line. Remember the instructions given in Lesson II, "The form is oval and the lines follow the form." On the sleeve they follow the form up and down.
On this foundation any kind of a stripe may be created.
To place a plaid on a dress draw all up and down stripes, then all stripes going around, being careful to make the squares as even as possible.
All stripes running around a skirt should be marked on the center line from the bottom up to the waist, placing one-half of a square on each side of the center line.
The stripes near the bottom follow the bottom fine of the dress (as did the hem and tuck), going in and out of the fullness. They continue to do this, gradually changing until, at the waist, they follow the waist line. Be particular to make the stripes go in and out of the fullness, and where the fullness stops, go around the skirt in good even plaids.
When placing the stripes around, do not allow them to touch XX on the top, thus leaving a high light on top of the fold, but underneath draw them close to XX, and under stripes being well in the shadow.