2. All seams and edges must be as thin and smooth as they can be made, without weakening the garment. 3. All edges must have good shape with accurate corners and curves. 4. Facing edges, whether beneath a neckline or collar, must be hidden from view.

3. Preparation of fiber: (a) Rippling: The seeds and the leaves are removed from the stems of the flax plant by passing the stalk through coarse combs. This process is called Rippling. (b) Retting: The bundles of plants are then steeped in water so that the tissue or woody bark surrounding the hairlike flax fiber will decompose, thus loosening the gum that binds the fiber to the stem. The decomposition is called retting.