Centre Back Line

[Schneiderfrei]

The following are pages from  ÖSTERREICHISCHE SCHNEIDER-ZEITUNG

They concern the point where the adjustment for the centre back was examined very closely for precision in a very visual and practical manner.

I feel that I posted this already, but covid has caused me to forget utterly where it is in these forum pages.  And I forget where I got the original, I'm very sorry (Was it Pfaff260?).

I consider this to be a very inspiring advance in tailoring fitting.

As always this is presented for private study

154                             ÖSTERREICHISCHE SCHNEIDER-ZEITUNG

The Shape of the Centre Back Line in the Cut of Ladies Garments.

The shape of the centre back line in the cut of the adjacent garment must completely adapt to the natural body shape from the vertebra to the seat line.  In general, there is a mistaken view among experts, that the centre back line of the cut must show quite a strong hollow at the waist line if a good schluss [closure] is to be achieved. This hollow is usually kept excessively strong, especially with a hollow-backed figure.

To prove that the shape of the centre back line may only have very slight differences, no matter, whether dealing with normal or abnormal stature and posture, we show the side aspect of three different models.

Illustration 1 shows the model of a figure with normal posture, with both the waist and belly a bit shifted to the front and thereby the centre back already has a somewhat pronounced hollow.

In Illustration 2 we show a strongly developed figure with very straight upper back and in

Illustration 3 is a hollow-backed figure displaying a pronounced seat.

In many cases, even with thicker shoulder blades, the mid-line in the region of the bottom of the armhole, shows a strong curve.  Figures 4 – 6 prove that this curve, at the level of the shoulder blade is not necessary, or may even be incorrect, (except for a jacket back, where it must be lifted again through iron shaping).  Here, in all three busts, we have smoothly applied a straight edged piece of paper about 6 to 7 cm width from the vertebra to the hip line of the model. It shows that with the normal figure, Illustration 4, in the figure with the very straight back, Illustration 5, and also in the hollow-backed figure the prominent seat, Illustration 6, the centre back may actually only get about ½ to ¾ cm of hollowing. 

Illustration 1
Side view of a model made of a body with relatively normal stature and posture

Illustration 2
Moulded, natural body model with a fairly straight upper back part and normal waist hollow.

Illustration 3
Side view of a model with a fairly hollow back and very prominent seat.

Illustration 4
If one smoothly applies a straight edge strip of paper from the Vertebra to the Seat line, it forms only a small hollow in the centre back line, at the level of the waist

The Figure Fitted: Regular Waist Hollow in the Cut

Drawings 1 to 3


In order to achieve this even, small hollow, with more or less strong adjustment or even with a protrusion from the vertical baseline, it is necessary to first draw a straight, connecting line from the fixed point [finally determined] G at the seat level to the Vertebra W.  From this connecting line, drawn here in dashed lines, the necessary hollowing is marked out at waist level, from ½, ¾ to 1 cm at most.


ÖSTERREICHISCHE SCHNEIDER-ZEITUNG   155

With a normal, very small adjustment of only 2 cm, as shown in illustration 1, it is possible to omit the straight connecting line between the adjustment point at the seat height G and the Vertebral point W and at the waist height simply the same or till 0.5 cm more adjustment as at the Seat height, as we have done many times in our cuts.  But then one must be clear that one has already reached the normal hollow at the waist line.  If one sets the same amount at the waist and at the seat and that this hollow makes a good 1 cm with a small adjustment of 2 cm at the seat height, when only 0.5 more adjustment at the waist height than the seat height.

Illustration 5
With the straight back line that is somewhat flat in the upper part, one gets only very little hollowing at the waist height.

Illustration 6
Even with the somewhat strongly developed hollow backed figure, only a comparatively small waist hollow develops.

Drawing 1: Normal centre back with an adjustment of 2 cm on the seat line and a waist hollow amount of only about 0.5 cm (right)

Drawing 2:  Also with a larger adjustment at the seat height the waist hollow must only be an amount of 0.5 cm (middle)

Drawing 3:  If one wanted to calculate a 0.5 cm greater adjustment at the waist line than at the seat, it would have to form an excessive hollow.


If, for example, as portrayed in Drawing 1, one marks out only a 0.5 cm hollow from the straight, dashed connecting line, then there is an amount of only 1.9 cm from the vertical base line, i.e. 1 mm less than at the seat height.

We show in Drawing. 2 and 3 an example of how with very strong adjustments at the seat line, that are often necessary with a strongly pressed, in-drawn seat, very easily gives too strong a hollow at the mid-line.

In Drawing 2, first the normal amount of 2 cm is set out from Gt at the seat height, from this normal adjustment point again, a further 2 cm for in-drawn seat. In total, thus 4 cm adjustment. Then, at waist height from the dashed connecting line out only 0.5 cm hollow is noted.  The distance developed from T1—T is still 8mm less than the final position from Gt—G.

Now, as illustrated in Drawing 3. at waist height from the vertical base line, adjust only 0.5 cm more than on the buttocks line, i.e. 4.5 cm, then a cavity in the centre seam of approx. 2 cm should form. It shouldn't need to be explained, that this will not result in a good fit.  The excessive hollow would have a particularly bad effect in figures with drawn in buttocks, which are usually quite flat and straight at the back, and require a rather flat and straight centre back.

In order to achieve a smooth hollow, fitted to the figure, with either a strong or minimal adjustment and to also be able to apply the same construction rules to all cuts, in future we will connect the final adjustment point G with W and from this line determine the waist hollow with a 0.5 to 1.0 cm adjustment.

[Hendrick]

Thank you!