Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1981 - 34

____________Research
Costume Pattern Drafts
by Kevin L. Seligman

The Collar
From Leggatt, WE and T. W. Hodgkinson, The "Climax" System
for Cutting Gentlemen's Garments. 4th ed. (London: Minister and Co.,
1920[?J), pp. 86-89. (See introduction in Fall, 1980 issue, p. 21.)
In dealing with the subject of collars the authors propose to lay
down a few simple rules which have been found to work in a very satisfactory manner. The methods herein advocated have one outstanding feature--viz., that they can be explained to the workman in a
few words, enabling the cutter to feel fairly safe of his ground should
he belong to that great majority which, from one reason or another,
leaves the cutting of the collar to the coatmaker. The method hinges
on Dia. 22 (Figure 1) below, which forms the key to all the other styles
of collars and will be found to work satisfactorily in the hands of capable workmen.

The Ordinary Turn Collar (Figure 1 [Diagram 22])
Mark G from C, 1 \/," in all undercoats, 1" vests, and 2 \/," in overcoats. Place 4, \/," from S (neck-point) always. Square D 13 by D C.
To determine point 13, rule from G through 4 to 2.
Point 13 is at the intersection of D 13 and G 4.
To find length of collar, measure the backneck and from the break 1 at
13 to S, mark off from 13 to 2, this amount and 3/4".
Square by 13, 2 to 3 and 1.
Make 3 from 2, 1 'I." or height of stand.
Mark 1 from 2, 2" or depth of fall.
Give 1/4" spring at 1.
Complete the sewing edge from 3, by gorge 2 near 13, and allow 1/4"
spring at the collar end.
Chalk the fall 3 from 1 and make the step and width of the collar end to
taste.
When cutting allow all seams on this draft.
Under all circumstances the greatest care should be taken in the
manipulation of the collar, for the old axiom that "a well-made coat
can easily be spoiled by a bad collar, while a badly made coat might
be made wearable by a well-shaped collar" is undoubtedly true. As
every coatmaker knows, the working-up of the collar is of the greatest
importance, and while in certain cases it may be easier for the workman to draw the collar crease edge in and shrink it-or perhaps it
would be more correct to say "boil" it-than to work it up in the
proper manner, the drawing-in thread once broken spoils the collar
beyond redemption, while there is always the fear of small pleats appearing in the break.
After seaming the collar together at the back when pressing the
seam open,the outer and inner edges of the collar should be well
stretched. This will obviate the necessity of drawing the collar in on
the crease edge and give it a much more permanent shape. The canvas should then be basted on the bias after it has been previously
shrunk and stretched on the edge as the melton undercollar. 4 Having
observed these preliminaries, the mellon must be basted on the canvas with very few stitches along the break, just sufficient to keep the
two together until the important work of padding is accomplished.
If the workman knows his business he will then work the canvas in
gradually all round, keeping the cloth taut and working the canvas
well in. Most men commence their padding at A, and then gradually
work round the collar in circles towards B until the entire collar is covered to the outer edge C D. A better method is to pad in a vertical direction as shown by the small diagram (Figure 2). The advantage of
this is that should it be necessary to get a greater curve on the outside
or fall edge from C to D, the collar can be further stretched or, if necessary, notched between the vertical rows without disturbing the padding stitches.

Theatre Design & Technology

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OIA.22
Figure 1

Figure 2

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C-J~~j---_ .._..__.---THE

DRESS COAT COLLAR

Figure 3

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DIA.67

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Figure 4
USITT /Spring, 1981

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1981