» . ii'liill ►M..V STE RL1 N G AND FRAN CINE CLARR ART INSTITUTE LIBRART A TEXT-BOOK OF NEEDLEWORK, KNITTING, AND CUTTING OUT WITH METHODS OF TEACHING I A TEXT-BOOK NEEDLEWORK, KNITTING AND CUTTING OUT WITH METHODS OF TEACHING BY ELIZABETH ROSEVEAR SENIOR TEACHER, AND LECTURER ON NEEDLEWORK, AT THE TRAINING COLLEGE, STOCKWELL, LONDON, S.W. WITH ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS, AND SECTIONAL DIAGRAMS ILoution MACMILLAN AND CO. AND NEW YORK 18 93 All rights reserved TO THE HON. MRS. EDMUND COLBORNE, H.M. DIRECTRESS OF NEEDLEWORK BY KIND PERMISSION, THIS TEXT-BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY AND RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED IN RECOGNITION OF HER WORTH AS AN INSPECTRESS AND OF HER UNFAILING COURTESY AND SYMPATHY, BY THE AUTHOF PREFACE The Author has been encouraged to hope, by many kind friends, that in publishing this text-book for the class teaching of Needlework, Cutting-out, and Knitting, she is rendering an important service to teachers in Public Elementary, High, Technical, and Evening Continuation Schools, Pupil and Student Teachers. The lessons have been practically worked out by the Author. Full details are given, not with the intention to cripple originality of plan and method, and so produce liard-and-fast teaching, but to stimulate young and inexperienced teachers to prepare their Needlework lessons with thought and purpose, with care and intelligence. The book is also intended for the use of mothers of families, and ladies engaged in parochial and mission work. “ The use of sewing is exceeding old, As in the Sacred Text it is enrol’d. VI 11 NEEDLEWORK Till the world be quite dissolu’d and past, So long at least the needle’s use shall last. A needle (though it be but small and slender) Yet it is both a maker and a mender ; A graue Reformer of old Rents decay’d, Stops holes and seames and desperate cuts display’d.” The Praise of the Needle , John Taylor, 1640. ELIZABETH ROSEVEAK. Stockwell Training College, London, S.W., 1893. CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 PART I CHAP. 1. Drills : Needle, Thimble, Position, Knitting Pin, Slip-knot for Knitting . . . .9 2. Hemming — Joining Two Colours — Fastening On and Off' — Fixing and Tacking a Hem . . . .24 3. Knitting — Garter Stitch — Chain Edge — Casting On and Off' 38 4. First Lesson on Seaming (Top-Sewing) . . .47 5. Purl and Plain Knitting — Sew-and-Fell Seam — Joining Two Colours in Seaming — Fastening Off in Seaming — Felling — Joining Two Colours in Felling . .51 6. Casting-on Three Needles — Joining Wool or Cotton . 60 7. Use of Demonstration Frame — Herring-bone — Darning — Stitching — Fastening Off and On in Stitching — Making a Band ....... 67 8. Sewing on a Tape -String — Pleating — Fixing Hems on Joined Material ...... 84 9. Calf of Stocking — Darning a Thin Place in Stocking- Web — Gathers — Setting-in . . . .94 10. Flannel Patching, i.e. Fixing and Herring- boning the Corners of Patch . . . . .111 11. Buttons — Buttonhole Stitch — Corners of Buttonholes — Buttonholes on Calico . . . . .119 X NEEDLEWORK CHAP. 12. Heels of Stockings and Socks .... 13. Patching Calico — Darning Holes in Stocking- Web . 14. Marking Stitch and Letters — Alphabets — Tucks 15. Thickened Heel of Stocking — Cross-cut and Hedge -tear Darns ....... 16. Print Patch — Gusset ..... 17. Run-and-Fell Seam — Buttonholes — Marking 18. Whipping — Setting on a Frill .... 19. Flannel Binding — Seams in Flannel 20. Various Methods of Seaming in Calico, Linen, and Muslin 21. Strengthening Tapes — Piping .... 22. Ornamental Stitches, viz. Coral and Feather Stitch, Chain, Fancy Herring-bone. Biassing, Knotting, Scalloping, Hem-Stitch, and Eyelet-Holes .... 23. Swiss Darning — Grafting — Stocking- Web Stitch . 24. Fine-Drawing a Hole — Diagonal Patch — Sewing on Cords — Twill and Wave Darns . 25. Pupil Teachers’ Samplers ..... 26. Smocking — Quilting ..... PAET II 1. Hints on Cutting-out . 2. First Lesson in Cutting-out (Drawing Lesson) 3. Second Lesson in Cutting-out (Drawing Lesson) 4. Third Lesson in Cutting-out (Paper Pattern) 5. Pinafores : Cottage and Muslin .... 6. Aprons : Women’s and Girls’ — Pillow-Slips 7. Petticoats — Placket-Holes — Draw-Strings . 8. Chemises — False Hem on the Cross — Front Fold — Com- binations — Scales ...... 9. Drawers : Women’s and Children’s — False Hems on the Straight — Scales of Proportions .... 10. Nightgowns — Scales for same . ... 11. Shirts — Scales for same ..... PAGE 136 140 157 173 186 196 202 208 215 218 223 235 248 253 257 265 267 272 274 278 286 293 301 319 332 344 CONTENTS xi CHAP. PAGE 12. Bodices : Women ’3 and Children’s .... 362 13. Infants’ Shirts and Barrowcoats • 366 14. Infants’ Day and Night Gowns . . . .374 15. Children’s Frocks — Smocks— Scales of Frocks . . 383 16. Girls’ Smocks — Dimensions of same . . . 391 PART III 1. Knitting — Terms in Knitting .... 403 2. General Rules for Stockings and Socks — Scales for same . 407 3. Vest — Petticoat — Penelope or Sleeveless Bodice — Infant’s Jacket ....... 413 4. Babies’ Hoods — Boy’s Fisher Cap .... 418 5. Comforters or Scarves — Muffatees .... 421 6. Shawls ....... 424 7. Edgings— Children’s Muffs ..... 426 8. Double Knitting — Quilts — Blankets— Fringes . . 431 9. Shells for Counterpane — Rug-Stitch — Fancy Patterns . 433 10. Netting -Stitch : Square, Oblong, Round, Twisted — Dress- making, Apparatus ..... 439 Appendix — New Code — Syllabus for Students and Acting Teachers ....... 445 ILLUSTRATIONS FIG. PAGE 1. Threading a Needle 11 2. Position of Hands for Knitting 21 3. First Lesson on Hemming .... 25 4a. Hemming on Sectional Paper .... 28 4b. „ 28 5. Hemming in Position on Finger 29 6. Joins in Hemming ..... 30 7. Needle in Position for Fastening-On 31 8. Wrong Side of Hemming ..... 32 9. Right Side of Hemming ..... 32 10. Fixing First Fold of a Hem .... 37 11. A Hem Fixed ..... 38 12. Garter Stitch ....... 39 13. Chain-Stitch in Knitting .... 41 14a . Casting-On — Slip-knot Loop .... 44 14b ., Loop on the Pin 44 15. , , Loop on Second Pin . 45 16. ,, New Loop on First Pin 45 17. Twelve Loops Cast On ..... 46 18. Casting-Off 47 19. Seaming — Needle in Position . 48 20. Strip in Position on Hand .... 49 21. Seaming — Sectional Diagram .... 51 22. Purl Stitch 52 23. Purl and Plain Knitting ..... 53 24. Sew-and-Fell Seam — Fixing .... 56 25. >> >> .... 56 26. Corner in Sew and Fell 57 27. Joins in Seaming — Sectional Paper . 58 28. Folded Stockwell Demonstration Frame . 58 ILLUSTRATIONS xm FIG. PAGE 29. Casting-On — Three Needles 61 30. Three Needles in Position — Round Knitting ... 63 31. Joins in Knitting Cotton, or Wool, etc. . . . 65 32. Cuff — Round Specimen of Knitting 66 33. Stockwell Demonstration Frame — Open .... 68 34. Herring-bone Stitch — Sectional Paper .... 72 35. Darning a Thin Place on Canvas — Oblong . . . 75 36. Darning a Thin Place on Canvas — Diamond . . . 76 37a. Stitching — Right Side 80 37b. ,, Wrong Side 80 38. ,, Fastening On and Off ..... 81 39. Preparation of Band 83 40. Drawn Thread on a Band 84 41. Fixed Tape String 85 42. Tape String on a Band — Wrong Side .... 87 43. ,, ,, Right Side .... 87 44. Pleating 89 45. Hems on Joined Material 93 46. Decreasings in Calf of Stocking 95 47. Calf of Stocking 96 48. Darn on Stocking- Web — Thin Place . . . 100 49. Gathers 103 50. ,, Drawn up 106 51 a. Setting in Gathers — Work on the Hand . 108 51b. Gathers — Set into a Band 108 52. Gathering Stitch — Sectional Paper 109 53. Setting-in Stitch 110 54. Herring-bone Stitch — Inner Corner . . 116 55. „ ,, Outer Corner 116 56. Flannel Patch — Wrong Side 117 57. ,, Right Side 118 58a. Linen Button — Diameters ...... 120 58b. Sewing a Linen Button to a Band 120 59. Metal Button — Crossed 124 60. Button — Starred . . 124 61. Buttonhole Stitch 126 62. ,, One Corner Round 129 63. ,, Eyelet-hole Corner 131 64. Dutch Heel 138 65. Calico Patch — Right Side 143 66. ,, Wrong Side ...... 146 XIV NEEDLEWORK FIG. 67. Darning a Hole — Wrong Side 68. ,, „ Right Side . 69. Marking— Simple Pattern in Cross Stitch 70. „ Cross Stitch .... 71. Capital Letters — E, I, H, L, 0, T . 72. Braue-Bred Stitch 73. Alphabets and Numerals 74. Tucks — Material Spaced 75. ,, Material Folded 76. Running Stitch — Sectional Paper . 77. Tucks — Completed . . . 78. Heel and Gusset of Stocking . 79. Cross-Cut Darn — Rhomboids . 80. ,, ,, Completed . 81. Hedge-Tear Darn 82. Print Patch — Right Side 83. „ Wrong Side — First Method 84. „ Overcasting 85. ,, Blanket Stitch . 86. ,, Wrong Side — Second Method 87. Gusset — Triangle fixed .... 88. ,, Triangle 89a. ,, Triangle and Hexagon — Wrong Side 89b. ., Triangle and Hexagon — Right Side 90. , , set into a Garment — Right Side 91. ,, set into a Garment — Wrong Side 92. ,, set into a Shirt Sleeve 93. Run-and-Fell Seam — Fixing . 94. ,, ,, Wrong Side . 95. ,, ,, Right Side 96. Buttonhole — Both ends braced 97. Band — Fixed and Seamed 98. Frill— Rolled and Whipped . 99. Whip Stitch — Sectional Paper 100. Frill — Whipped and drawn up 101. ,, Fixed to the Band 102. ,, Set on to a Band .... 103. ,, on a Band 104. Flannel Binding 105. Head Flannel 106. Binding with Braid .... PAGE 153 154 158 160 163 164 165 168 170 171 171 176 179 181 185 187 188 189 189 190 192 193 193 193 194 194 195 197 198 199 200 203 203 205 205 206 206 207 209 210 211 ILLUSTRATIONS xv FIG. 107. Seam in Flannel Petticoat 108. ,, „ ,, Herring-boned 109. Seam in Flannel Bodice . 110. ,, „ ,, Herring-boned 111. Seam in Flannelette — Herring-boned 112. Mantua-Maker’s Hem 113. Bodice Seam ..... 114. Strengthening Tape 115. on a Garment 116. Piping Cord * . 117. Coral-Stitcli . 119. Feather-Stitch and Knotting 120. Chain-Stitch . 121. Fancy Herring-bone Stitch 122. Biassing 123. Knotting 124. Round Scallops 125. ,, 126. Single Hem Stitch . 127. Swiss Darning 128. Grafting 129. Stocking- Web Stitch 130. Diagonal Flannel Patch — Right Side 131. „ ,. Wrong Side 132. First Lesson in Cutting-Out 133. Diagram of Yoke . 134. Cottage Pinafore (Child’s) 135. Muslin Pinafore (Child’s) 136. „ (Girl’s) . 137a. Tape String on Pillowslip 137b. Tape Strings on Towels and Dusters 138. Woman’s Petticoat 139. Placket-Hole of Petticoat 140. Woman’s Chemise . 141. False Hem on the Cross . 142. ,, Joined . 143. ,, Open Seam . 144. False Hem and Trimming on a Sleeve 145. ,, ,, Wrong Side 146. „ „ Right Side PAGE 212 213 213 214 214 215 216 219 220 221 224 225 226 227 228 229 231 232 232 234 236 241 244 250 250 269 273 279 283 285 292 292 297 300 303 306 306 307 307 308 309 XVI NEEDLEWORK FIG. PAGE 147. Girl’s Chemise 311 148. Woman’s Combination ....... 315 149. Girl’s Combination 316 150. Knickerbocker Drawers (Child’s) 320 151. First Size Child’s Drawers 326 152. Woman’s Drawers ........ 331 153a. Woman’s Nightgown (Body, etc.) .... 333 153b. „ (Sleeve, etc.) .... 334 154. Girl’s Nightgown 341 155. Boy’s Shirt (Body) ....... 347 156. ' „ (Sleeve, etc.) 348 157. Man’s Nightshirt 352 158. Woman’s Bodice ........ 362 159. Child’s Petticoat Bodice 364 160. Girl’s „ 365 161. Infant’s First Shirt (Open) 367 162. Body of Barrowcoat 373 163. Body of Baby’s Day gown 374 164. Baby’s Nightgown 378 165. Body of Baby’s Robe 384 166. Infant’s Frock Body 384 167. Child’s „ (2 to 3 years) .... 387 168. Girl’s ,, (6 years) 390 169a. Woman’s Tucked Blouse 393 169b. „ „ 393 170a. Woman’s Dress Bodice ..... 395 170b. „ „ 395 171a. Back of Skirt of Gown 397 171b. Front and Side Gores of Skirt of Gown 398 172. Stocking 409 173. Sock 411 ERRATA Page 34, line 8, for right, read left. ,, 72, line 10, for left to right, read right to left. ,, 250, diagram 131 — a line is left out at the right-hand bottom corner. ,, 325, line 16, for 34, read 24. ,, 412 — after No. 9 refer to Nos. 11 to 13 inclusive on page 410. ,, 412, line 2, for stitches, read stitch. INTRODUCTION Needlework is one of the useful arts, and as a branch of instruction may be made the means of training the hand and the eye. Robert Mudie says : “ Of all the human powers, the hand is that, perhaps, which admits of the most cultivation, because its education is twofold ; it may be educated in knowing and educated in doing. . . . We absolutely have a mine of wealth in those ten fingers, which the longest life cannot exhaust. We multiply it in the same proportion as we use it, and the hand, which can do the most, is the readiest in the performance of anything new.” By practice in needlework the hand becomes steady, dexterous, and powerful. But the eye must also be trained to observe correctly, to compare sizes and forms, and to measure spaces, in order that the worker may fix evenly, sew regularly, draw and cut out accurately, and construct properly and tastefully. Cutting out, as a branch of knowledge in connection with needlework, may be made the means of developing ‘some of the intellectual faculties, for, in order to cut out well, it is necessary to think, to plan, to contrive, and to be accurate. When mathematical calculations, exact measurements, true proportions, and correct diagrams are employed, cutting out ranks as a science. Looking at 2 NEEDLE WORK needlework, then, as an art and the study of it as a science, it becomes a technical subject of instruction for girls. Needlework lessons to older girls should give an insight into principles, implied in such industries as outfitting, baby-linen, dressmaking, and millinery, so that the girls may afterwards work more freely and intelligently. Workers who have been from girlhood or boyhood scien- tifically trained are, as a rule, incomparably more efficient when they enter the workroom, workshop, or factory, than those who are apprenticed to the same trade, without the advantages of any previous training, and without any intelligent interest in the work they are called upon to do. Needlework as a leading branch of good housewifery cannot be too highly prized, nor the taste for it too earnestly cultivated. The careful, ingenious thought carried into execution by active skilful fingers must materially improve the comfort and appearance of a family. When needlework is wisely taught it develops the thrifty disposition, encourages habits of neatness, cleanliness, order, management, and industry ; and may truly be considered a moral and refining influence, both in the home and in the school. Patching, darning, knitting, and home-made garments are all ways and means of economising. Needlework differs from all other school subjects, in that it can be made self -paying. It has long been the custom in voluntary and board schools to sell the garments made by the scholars at a little over the first cost of the materials. This plan answers very well in some districts, but in others, in spite of the existence of such an admir- able institution as the “ School Clothing Club,” and of the value and suitability of the garments, the burden of dis- INTRODUCTION 3 posing of them falls upon the teachers, the parents being too poor to purchase. Diagrams on the slate, blackboard, or chequered board are a great and important feature in giving needlework demonstration lessons. English teachers, however, still shrink from using rapid and bold freehand drawing from the object, when giving their lessons. Dr. Fitch in his Notes on American Schools says : “ The power of rapid and effective freehand drawing is cultivated more generally, and with more success, among the best American teachers than among our own, and it gives them a great advantage. A diagram sketched out then and there to illustrate a science lesson, as one fact after another is elicited and explained, has a far greater effect in kindling the interest of children, and fixing their attention, than any number of engraved or painted pictures, however good. A new drawing made ad hoc and associated with something which at the time is being enforced or made interesting by the teacher, has a value of a far higher kind.” The same thing may be said for illustrating needlework demonstra- tion lessons. The lessons in this manual are all illustrated step by step, from the object, and the diagrams are intended as guides or suggestions to teachers. Sewing and knitting machines cannot now be disre- garded, because they are in more general use than they were a few years ago. Sewing machines are really necessary in making up some articles of wearing apparel ; but, though they are often employed for constructing underclothing, hand -made garments are still in great request, and always command the highest price in the market. Even when machines are used, the cutting out and fixing of the garments, as well as the fastening on and off of the stitches, must be done by hand. Cheap sewing 4 NEEDLEWORK machines produce stitches which give way almost directly the garment is worn, and the machine needles often make unsightly holes in the material. Good sewing machines, e.g. Singer’s, or Grover and Baker’s, should be introduced into graded and technical schools, and the girls should be taught how to use them in making up the dress bodices and skirts, which they have previously cut out. In the Memoir of Annie Keary is the following letter, which gives excellent reasons for finishing oft* work com- pletely and perfectly : “ I am very fond of sewing myself, and I think that there is so much pleasure in learning to do anything with one’s fingers really well and beautifully. Do you remember my showing you the beautiful way in which the little wild flowers were made ? All the little leaves finished off* with such delicate fringes of soft hairs, and the blossoms so carefully fastened on to the stalks, and the seed vessels fitted so neatly ; and we said it was a lesson in finishing off* work well, which God gives us in every little flower and leaf. He never leaves anything half done ; not the tiniest little moss or weed has an end or an edge that is not beautifully ornamented and finished off. It is the same with shells, even with rocks and stones. God makes everything perfect to its last little atom, to show us how carefully we should work. We should not be satisfied with the things we make looking well in a rough, outside way ; we should find pleasure in turning out work that will bear looking at all through, as His work will.” A few words are necessary in regard to the kind of practice material which should be given to children and beginners. Coarse calico, flannel, stocking web, and knitting materials should be supplied at first. But when INTRODUCTION 5 the children have made good progress in their work, they should be allowed to deal with materials such as would be generally used for garments in their own and in better class homes. Pupil and student teachers’ needlework ought most certainly to excel children’s, both in neatness and in finish ; and they should show proficiency on fine materials as well as coarse. PART I INFANT AND GIRLS’ SCHOOLS CHAPTER I Drills. — Needle , Thimble , Position , Knitting-pin , and making a Slip-knot for Knitting Drill . — The term drill is closely connected with discipline in its modern and limited sense of control, and in this sense makes instruction possible to large classes. Needlework drills are action lessons in which the children’s imitative faculties are largely exercised ; they should always be short, bright, interesting lessons, and should be given with the precision of a drill-mistress. Needlework drills are of great use and value, not only in the infant schools, but in the lower standards of girls’ schools. The purposes of these drills are manifold. 1. To interest the children, and make them obedient and attentive. 2. To make the children’s hands supple and dexterous. 3. To make the children quick and industrious, without any undue excitement. IO NEEDLEWORK PART Needle Drill Class. — Lower and Upper Division of Infants. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — A very coarse carpet needle, coloured or white twine, or knitting cotton ; and, in later lessons, a very coarse sewing needle, and coloured sewing cotton. F07 • the Children. — In early lessons, very coarse blunt- pointed needles, known as “Baby Threaders”; fine twine or knitting cotton ; and, in later lessons, coarse sewing needles, and coloured sewing cotton. Method. — 1 . Explain to the class the uses of the needle and cotton : (a) the needle is used to hold the cotton in its eye, to make a hole with its point, and to carry the cotton through the hole made in the material ; (b) the cotton forms the stitches ; (c) the needle and cotton must both be used in making stitches. 2. Exercise the children in distinguishing the right hand from the left hand. The Right-hand Drill. — Raise the right hand and (a) show the class how to take up the twine, or cotton, very near one end, with the right thumb and forefinger ; ( b ) then how to flatten and twist the end with the left thumb and forefinger, so that it can be pushed through the eye easily and quickly. (Demonstrate again, the class working with you.) N.B. — This action must be repeated several times. The children must not be allowed to bite the cotton, because it is a dirty habit. The Left-hand Drill. — Raise the left hand and show the class how to take up the needle with the left thumb and forefinger, the eye being upwards, and the needle being I THREADING DRILL n held at a moderate distance, straight in front of the worker. Repeat this action, telling class to work with you. Threading Drill Recapitulate the right and left hand drills. The chil- dren are now holding the needle and cotton properly and are ready to work wdth you : — 1. Bring the cotton in front and very near the eye of the needle. 2. Push the end of the cotton through the eye. 3. Put out the last three fingers of the left hand, and catch hold of the long piece of cotton, so that if the short end falls out before the action of threading is finished, it can easily be replaced with the right thumb and fore- finger. 4. Turn the left hand round so that the short end of 12 NEEDLEWORK PART cotton is pointing to the right, and can be seen by the worker (Fig. 1). 5. Pull the short end through with right thumb and forefinger, till both ends nearly meet. 6. Hold needle and double part of cotton straight overhead. 7. Put needles and cotton down. N.B. — The action of threading the needle is very difficult for young children, so this lesson must be repeated many times, if necessary. After every action has been demonstrated and explained, the teacher may drill either by numbers or words of command as follows : — 1. Take up cotton — and twist the end. 2. Take up the needle — and hold it in proper position. 3. Bring the needle and cotton — close together. 4. Push the cotton — through the eye. 5. Catch hold of long piece of cotton — with three fingers. 6. Turn the left hand — to the right (so that you can see short end better). 7. Pull the short end — till it nearly meets the other end. 8. Show needle and cotton — over your head. 9. Put needle and cotton down. Notes. — 1. Explain during the drill that threading the needle is putting cotton or silk or thread through its eye. 2. The punctuation of the drill for expertness indicates the pauses to be made. The words before the stops should be said slowly, and the words after quickly. The action of threading the needle (No. 4) requires more time, therefore a longer pause is necessary. This note applies to all drills by words of command. 3. Needle drill can be used for threading sewing needles, even in Standard II. I THIMBLE DRILL *3 4. Some say that the teacher should use opposite hands to the children’s during the drill ; for instance, that the teacher should raise her left hand when the children raise their right hands and vice-versa. This, however, is not progressive teaching. A mother or a kindergarten teacher would not do so, because such method would not train children to observe ; and would be an impossibility in knitting-pin drill. This difficulty can be overcome if the teacher turns her back slightly to the children, being careful to keep her face towards the class. N.B. — This note applies to all the drills. Thimble Drill Class. — Any infant class. Apparatus. — A bag or covered box of thimbles, assorted, infant sizes. Method. — 1. Exercise children in finger movements, and in distinguishing the right hand from the left. 2. Find a thimble that will fit each child’s right hand middle finger. 3. Explain the use of the thimble, viz. — (a) to cover the tip of the finger, and in this way to keep it from being pricked by the needle when sewing ; (b) to push the needle through the work with the top of the thimble. The Left-hand Drill. — Raise the left hand and (a) show the children how to close all the fingers into the palm, except the thumb and forefinger ; (b) show how to take up the thimble at the top, with the left thumb and forefinger ; and ( c ) how to turn it with the hole towards the right. Demonstrate the left-hand drill again, the children working with you. The Right-hand Drill. — Raise the right hand and (a) show how to close in the fingers and thumb to form a 14 NEEDLEWORK PART fist ; ( b ) then how to raise the middle finger ; and (c) how to bend it towards the left hand. Demonstrate again, the children working with you. Repeat this drill many times. The Drill for putting on the Thimble. — 1. Recapitulate the left and right hand drills. The class is now ready to put on the thimbles. 2. (a) Show how to bring the middle finger of the right hand and the hole of the thimble close together ; (b) how to put the hole over the tip of the finger ; and (c) how to press the top of the thimble with the right thumb, so as to fix it on securely. 3. Demonstrate again, the children putting on their thimbles at the same time. 4. Tell children to raise right middle finger to let you see that their thimbles are on. 5. Question them as to the uses of the thimble. When every action has been demonstrated and the children know what they must do, the teacher may drill them as follows : — 1. Take up the thimble — and turn the hole to the right hand. 2. Raise right-hand middle finger — and bend it towards the hole of the thimble. 3. Bring thimble and middle finger — close together. 4. Put on the thimble — and press the top with the right-hand thumb. 5. Show teacher — the thimble on. 6. Take off the thimble — and put it down. Notes. — 1. An object lesson on the thimble and its uses might precede the drill with advantage. 2. Thimble drill is not required by the code, but it is very necessary. I POSITION DRILL 15 Position Drill Class, — Lower and Upper Division, Infants. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — A strip of very coarse calico, unfixed, a very coarse sewing needle and black sewing cotton. For the Children . — Scraps of very coarse calico, neither too short nor too long, coarse sewing needles, black sewing cotton, and thimbles. (The needles should be fastened on the work.) Method. — 1. Tell children they are going to learn how to place their work properly, and how to use a needle and cotton to make slanting stitches. (Make sure every child has a thimble on the right finger.) 2. Right Hand. — (a) Show children how to raise the right hand and close the last three fingers into the palm ; ( b ) how to take up the work at the top edge, a little way from the end, with the right thumb and forefinger (repeat these actions, the class working with you) ; (c) tell children to show their work that you may see they are all holding it correctly ; then ( d ) to put their work down on the desks. 3. Left Hand. — (a) Show children how to raise the left hand and to close the last three fingers into the palm ; (b) how to curve the left forefinger round towards the top of the thumb ; (c) how to place the work on and round the left forefinger, well over the nail, but not beyond its first joint or crease ; ( d ) how to keep the work in this position with left thumb and middle finger. (Repeat 2 and 3, the children working with you.) N.B. — Explain why the work is placed on one finger and not on two ; (a) it is easier to hold and ( b ) it helps to make the stitches the right shape. Thimble and Needle . — (a) Show children how to put the i6 NEEDLEWORK PART top of the thimble on the eye of the needle, and take the needle off* the work with right thumb and forefinger. N.B . — Explain that it is better to use the top than the side of the thimble when pushing the needle through the work. If the side of the thimble is used the needle may slip, and is then liable to be bent. Making the Stitch. — (a) Show how to put the needle in a slanting direction towards the left, through a big piece of calico, close to the middle of the left thumb-nail ; (b) take the needle out and show again, the children working with you this time. N.B . — Explain that by putting the needle in a slanting direction through the calico a slanting stitch will be made, because the cotton will form the stitch, and will lie on the calico, where the needle is now. (e) Show children how to move the right thumb away from the needle, and place it on the front part of the left forefinger, so that both thumb-nails touch each other, at the same time lifting the right forefinger off the needle. N. B. —Explain why the thumb is moved, viz. that it may press against the left forefinger when pushing the needle through. If the right thumb is pressed on the needle, the worker may bend or break it. (Repeat, the children working with you.) (d) Show how to push the needle through, about half its own length, pressing at the same time the right thumb against the left forefinger, and then taking right hand away. Let children work with you. ( e ) Show how to draw the needle out a little way with right thumb and forefinger ; and (/) how to put out thimble and next finger and catch the cotton under them. Let the children work (e) and (J) with you. N.B . — Explain why cotton is caught under two fingers of right hand (1) to keep it clean when the hand is warm, and (2) to I KNITTING-PIN DRILL 17 avoid breaking the cotton, or cutting the little finger. (By this method the cotton falls over the back of the little finger. ) (g) Show how to draw the needle and cotton out entirely, towards the upper part of the right forearm, the children working with you. Tell the children to fasten needles on the work, and place all on the desk. When every action has been demonstrated and explained, and the children are able to describe what they must do, the teacher may drill them either by numbers or words of command thus : — 1. Work in position — on left forefinger. 2. Thimble and needle — in position. 3. Put the needle in a slanting direction — towards the middle of left-hand thumb-nail. 4. Put the needle through a big piece of calico — near the thumb-nail to make a big stitch. 5. Move the right thumb — to the front of left fore- finger. 6. Push the needle through — half its own length. 7. Draw the needle and cotton out — a little way. 8. Catch the cotton — under two fingers. 9. Draw the needle and cotton — out entirely. 10. Fasten needles — on the work. 11. Put the work down. Notes. — 1 . Position Drill should be the basis of all early lessons in hemming. 2. This drill, according to the New Code, is not compulsory in or below the Lower Division of Infants. N.B . — Position Drill is called needlework drill by H.M. Directress of Needlework. Knitting-pin Drill Class. — Upper Division of Infants. C i8 NEEDLEWORK TART Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Two knitting-pins of wood, bone, or very coarse steel, and very coarse knitting cotton or fleecy wool. For the Children. — Short, coarse, blunt-pointed steel pins, and coarse knitting cotton. Method. — 1. Give the children one knitting-pin with a loop on it, and tell them they are going to learn how to hold this pin and the cotton properly, before they learn how to knit loops. 2. Compare the knitting-pin with an ordinary pin, and elicit that the knitting-pin has two points, while the ordinary pin has a head and one point. 3. Tell children knitting-pins are very often called knitting-needles. 4. Show the class a strip of knitting, or a kettle-holder, or duster made of knitted strips sewn together ; and tell them they will soon be able to knit useful things, like these. The Left-hand Brill. — Show (a) how to take up the knitting-pin with the left-hand thumb and forefinger, just where the loop is resting on the middle of the pin ; ( b ) how to put out the three fingers of the left hand, and close them round the pin ; ( c ) how to push the pin down the left hand, till the loop is near the point, with right thumb and forefinger. The Cotton. — There are a short and a long end of cotton hanging from the loop ; show children (a) how to put the short end of cotton into the left hand, under the pin ; (h) how to put out the last three fingers of the right hand and catch hold of the long end of cotton near the pin ; ( c ) how to curve the right forefinger prettily, and put it under the cotton, close to the loop ; (d) how to bring the thumbs together, to keep the hands steady, while putting the I KNITTING-PIN DRILL 19 cotton round the pin. Repeat these actions, the children working with you till they are expert. N.B. — If the children are old enough, bright and intelligent, ask them to describe what they must do in this part of the drill. The Bight-hand Drill. — Give the children a pin without a loop ; (a) tell them to put it on the desk, so that it may lie like the figure 1 ; ( b ) tell them to raise right hand and close all fingers into the palm, except thumb and forefinger; ( c ) show how to curve the right thumb and forefinger towards the bottom point of the pin, and then ( d ) how to lift it with the right thumb and forefinger, moving the hand upwards, so that the longer part of the pin falls towards the right arm, like a pen or pencil. Repeat, children working with you until they can lift the pin prettily and easily. N.B. — Call some of the children out, to see what a pretty drill this is, when all the children work together. Knitting a Loop. — Give the children for this lesson two knitting-pins, one with a loop on it, and tell them they know how to hold the knitting-pin and cotton correctly, and now they are going to learn how to knit a new loop out of the loop on the pin. When both the pins and the cotton are in position, then demonstrate the method of knitting a new loop thus : show the children (a) how to put the right-hand pin into the front part of the loop that is on the left-hand pin, and then how to loosen this loop that you may see the right-hand pin is really IN the loop. (Repeat slowly, the children working with you. Go in and out among the children, to see that they have put the right-hand pin IN the loop.) (b) How to bring the thumbs together, and let them rest on the left-hand fore- finger while putting the cotton round the right-hand pin. 20 NEEDLEWORK PART (Repeat, the children working with you.) ( c ) How to lift the cotton, which is lying on the right-hand forefinger, round the point of the right-hand pin, so that the cotton comes between the pins. Show again, the children working with you. Examine children’s work, to see if cotton is lying between the pins, and say ROUND, and lift the cotton off each time this action is repeated. ( d ) How to raise the left forefinger and put it under the right-hand pin, to help to push it and the cotton on it through the loop, towards the worker, the right wrist being at the same time moved outwards. Show again, and call this action LOOP THROUGH, the children working with you. (Examine to see if each child has two loops, one on the right-hand pin and one on the left.) ( e ) How to push the left-hand pin down through the first loop with the right forefinger, and call this action SLIP* OFF. Demonstrate again, the children working with you. (Examine to see that every child has one loop on the right-hand pin ; and draw children’s attention to the fresh loop being on the right- hand pin, and the first loop being woven round it below, like the link of a chain.) Tell children to put pins on the desks. When every step of the drill has been demonstrated, explained, and recapitulated, and the children are sufficiently familiar with it to be able to tell the teacher what to do from the beginning to the end, the teacher might drill the class as follows : — 1. Left-hand pin — in position. 2. Short end of cotton — under the pin. 3. Right-hand pin — in position. 4. Catch hold of long end of cotton — with three fingers. 5. Put right-hand forefinger — under the cotton. I KNITTING-PIN DRILL 21 6. Put right-hand pin — IN the loop. 7. Bring thumbs — together. 8. Lift the cotton — ROUND the right-hand pin. 9. Bring the right-hand pin, with the cotton on it — THROUGH. 10. Slip the first loop — OFF the left-hand pin. N.B . — Or tlie teacher may count from numbers 1 to 10, and the class describe the actions, and then d) how to slip the first stitch off as for plain knitting, and knit on till the last stitch is reached, then demonstrate the method of purling once more. Examine continually. Note . — Purling the last loop in order to get chain edge is more difficult than slipping the first loop, purlwise, hilt if children are taught this latter method, they are likely to slip the loops they ought to purl, when they are doing knitting exercise in Standard II. Casting on in Knitting Class. — Standards I. and II. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Two very coarse knitting pins and coloured wool, slate and coloured chalks. For the Children . — Two knitting pins and a length of knitting cotton or wool. Method. — 1. Recapitulate the lesson on making a slip- knot loop (Fig. 14). 2. Tell children they are going to learn how to begin their own work by casting on to the left-hand pin every loop they knit, till they have enough. Write the words Casting on on the slate. N.B . — There are different methods of Casting on, but the simplest and best is by knitting the loops and casting, i.e. throwing them on the pin. 3. Illustrate the slip-knot loop off, and on, a knitting pin (Figs. 14a and 14b). 44 NEEDLEWORK PART 4. Recapitulate Knitting-pin Drill as far as knitting a new loop out of the one on the left-hand pin (Fig. 15). 5. Show children how to put the new loop ON the left-hand pin thus : — (a) bring the left-hand pin to the front of the right-hand one and put it IN the loop at the side nearest the right thumb, so that the new loop is slightly twisted, and the right-hand pin rests on the top of the left - hand one, and say ON ; (i b ) draw out the right-hand pin, but do not let the cotton fall off the right forefinger ; ( c ) call the children’s attention to two fig. 14b. loops being on the left-hand pin. 6. Recapitulate till six loops are cast on, then show children how to put the right-hand pin under the left-hand pin, instead of taking it out of the loop each time a loop is cast on (Fig. 16). 7. Let children cast on twelve loops, working with them all the time (Fig. 17). Casting off in Knitting Class. — Standards I. and II. Apparatus. — Fw the Teacher. — A coarse strip of knit- ting, nearly completed. For the Children. — A strip 15 inches long as required I CASTING OFF IN KNITTING 45 by New Code, Schedule III., or a strip of twelve rows, Exercise B. Day of Examination. Method. — 1 . Show the children some completed strips, or a cuff, and call their attention to the neat way in which they are finished off'. 46 NEEDLEWORK PART 2. (a) Tell them their strips are long enough, and they must learn how to fasten them off neatly and strongly ; ( b ) that fastening off in knitting is called casting off ; (c) write this term on the slate. 3. Explain that casting off must be done loosely, or the top of the strip will be made narrower than the bottom. 4. Start the lesson with Knitting-pin Drill, and when the children are ready to knit, demonstrate as follows : — (a) Slip the first loop. (b) Knit the second loop. ( c ) Bring the left-hand pin to the front of the right- Fig. 17. hand pin, and point it towards the right thumb, putting it IN the loop nearest the right thumb, from left to right. (d) Lift the loop which is on the left-hand pin over the loop from which the cotton is coming, and draw the right-hand pin with its loop THROUGH, very loosely. (e) Let children see that two loops have been made into one. (/) Repeat actions (a), (b), and (c), the children work- ing with you. Examine children’s work. 5. Knit the next loop, and recapitulate the whole of the method (a), (b), and (c). 6. Proceed in this way, till only one loop remains on the right-hand pin. 7. Tell children to put left-hand pin down, and then show them (a) how to put the cotton over the back of the I FIRST LESSON ON SEAMING 47 left hand ; ( b ) how to draw the cotton through the last loop with the point of the pin, so as to make a long loop. Repeat, the children doing the same. 8. Draw the long loop out entirely, if the cotton or wool is nearly used up ; if not, cut the loop, and draw the end of cotton belonging to the ball, downwards, and the short end coming out of the loop, upwards, tightly. Recapitulate, children doing the same. 9. Illustrate the appearance of the finished strip on the slate (Fig. 18). CHAPTER IV First Lesson on Seaming ( Top-sewing ) Class. — Standard I. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — The Paragon , or two pieces of Java cloth, fixed, tacked, and about two inches already sewn, slate and chalks. Toi the Children . — Two strips of very coarse calico (5 in. x 2 J in.) fixed, tacked, and about two inches sewn in 4 8 NEEDLEWORK PART coloured cotton, and the front edge marked with a red or blue line, thimbles. Method. — 1. Draw an illustration of the strip on the slate, and make use of it, when demonstrating the way of putting the needle in, and the spaces between the stitches (Fig. 19). 2. (a) Show children how to take up the work at the right-hand top edge (holding the side marked with ing with you ; (c) show how to put out the left fore- finger quite straight ; (d) how to place the work along the front of this finger, so that the last stitch with the cotton coming from it is half-way between the finger- nail and first joint ; ( e ) how to put the left-hand thumb against the work at this spot, and the short end round the tip of the left forefinger, keeping it in place with the left middle finger; and (/) how to pleat up as much of the longer end of the strip as can be held with ease, between the left thumb and forefinger. (Explain that the longer end is pleated up into the hand to prevent (1) the spoiling of the shape of the I FIRST LESSON ON SEAMING 49 stitch, and (2) to help to keep the shorter end in its place, along the front of the forefinger.) Repeat, the children working with you. 3. Elicit that this way of holding the work is different from hemming, but that the direction of working the stitch from the right to the left is the same. 4. (a) Show how to hold the work at a moderate distance in front of the chest ; ( b ) how to curve the right hand with needle and cotton round towards the work, on the left forefinger, keeping the elbow away from the side of the body, and yet a little in ; ( c ) how to put the needle through the back and front edges, over the thumb- nail, in a straight direction towards the chest, a little distance from the last stitch (Fig. 20) ; (cl) then recapitulate Position Drill for drawing the needle out (see Needlework Drill) ; (e) repeat the whole method for making a stitch, the children working with you ; (/) illustrate the position E 5 ° NEEDLEWORK PART of the needle, and the space to be left between each stitch (Fig. 19). N.B . — The needle and cotton in sewing must be drawn out towards the right shoulder. Examine children’s work to see (1) if needle is put through the two edges, very near the top ; (2) if the needle is in quite straight, and the right distance from the last stitch, neither too near nor too far away. 5. When the children have sewn the two edges as far as the first crease in the forefinger, show them how to move the work round the tip of the finger, to enable them to sew onwards to the end. 6. When the sewing is finished, show the children how to press the seam flat and smooth with the thumb- nail, or top of thimble, or with a bone flattener, and explain that this is done for neatness. 7. Explain that the seam is the line formed by the sewing together of the two edges. 8. Tell children that top-sewing is used (a) to fasten two selvedges together, like the sides of a pillow-slip, or a man’s night-shirt ; and to make a pinafore and apron broader, by joining together the selvedges of two breadths ; and (b) to join the two folded edges of material, like their strip-work ; the ends of bands for shifts, drawers, petti- coats, and collar-bands of shirts and night-gowns. 9. Show by a finished garment that the stitch is worked on the right side of the material. N.B. — The difficulties of sewing are : — 1. Slip-stitches, i.e. taking only one top edge at a time, instead of both. 2. Puckering, by misplacing the work, and drawing the cotton too tightly, and making a slanting stitch instead of a straight one. 3. Putting the needle in too far down from the top edge, and thus making a deep, hard ridge, most difficult to flatten. I PURL AND PLAIN KNITTING 5i 4. Putting tlie stitches too close together, thus marring the shape of the stitch, which ought to be slanting on the top edges, on the right side of the work, and straight on the wrong side. 5. By omitting to flatten the sewing, when the seam is finished. Note . — Sewing stitches can be taught most successfully and clearly on the folded edge of the Stockwell Demonstration Frame, even to children in Standard I. The advantages in demonstrating by this frame are as follows : (1) the teacher can show on a large scale, so that all the class can see dis- tinctly what she is doing ; (2) the teacher can show clearly that sewing is made of two stitches, one slanting on the folded edge, and one straight, underneath ; (3) by making the stitches two threads apart, the idea of the spaces between the stitches is more easily conveyed. (4) If the frame is used, illustrate the shape of the stitch on the kindergarten board, or a sectional diagram on the slate (Fig. 21). CHAPTEE V PURL AND PLAIN KNITTING — SEW-AND-FELL SEAM — JOINING TWO COLOURS IN SEAMING AND FELLING — FASTENING- OFF IN SEAMING Purl and Plain Knitting Class. — Standard II. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — Two knitting -pins, cotton or wool, slate and chalks. For the Children . — Two knitting-pins, cotton or wool. Method. — 1 . (a) Show children a knitted garment, e.g. a ribbed cuff, sock, or cap, to show the use of purl and 52 NEEDLEWORK PART plain knitting ; ( b ) show by putting the cuff on your arm that this kind of knitting is like elastic, because it stretches very much and then contracts, so that when it is worn on the body it fits closely and is warmer than plain knitting ; ( c ) explain that purl is a wave-like arrangement of the loops, and that it is sometimes called ribbed knitting, ( turn-stitch , or seam-stitch , when it is placed at the back of a sock or stocking), and that the ribbed top of socks and stockings is called the welt. 2. (a) Recapitulate making a slip-knot loop and casting on ; (b) let children cast on twelve loops loosely, and then knit eleven loops plain ; ( c ) purl the last loop thus : — (1) bring the cotton to the front of the right-hand pin, and the right-hand pin in front of the left-hand one ; (2) put the right-hand pin in the front part of the loop, from right to left ; (3) put the cotton to the back and round the point of the right-hand pin, so that it is brought in front again ; (4) put the left thumb on the right-hand pin and push it with the cotton on it through the loop out- wards, and then slip the last loop off the left-hand pin. 3. Draw an illustration of the position of right-hand pin and the cotton for purling (Fig. 22). I PURL AND PLAIN KNITTING 53 N.B . — If the children have been taught to purl the last loop in a row, for the purpose of making chain edge, the method of purling will only need recapitulation. 4. The first row is now knitted off the left-hand pin on to the-right hand one. Recapitulate exchanging pins, and then proceed as follows : — (1) Slip the first loop and knit the next plain. (2) Recapitulate the method of purling, as explained in No. 2 above. Purl two loops. (3) Knit two loops plain. Go on knitting two plain and two purl, recapitulating the method of purling, till all the loops are knitted off. 54 NEEDLEWORK PART 5. Explain that ribbed knitting can be made of any number of purl and plain loops, but that two plain and two purl makes a pretty rib, and is easy to remember. 6. Recapitulate the method of purling, till you are sure the children can purl the right loops without any demonstration. 7. Point out that the sides are in chain edge. 8. When the specimen, or cuff, is long enough, reca- pitulate casting off. 9. Draw the appearance of Exercise B, Appendix I. New Code (Fig. 23). 10. Demonstrate very clearly, slowly, and patiently all through. Examine children’s work often, and question them on the use of purl and plain, and on the difference between purl knitting and plain knitting ; elicit that the knitting is a mixture of the right and wrong sides ; that both sides of the garment are alike, for what is plain on one side is purl on the other, and vice versd. Note . — If the children have been taught to make chain edge, by slipping the first loop purl wise, then, after casting on twelve loops, let them knit these off the left-hand pin on to the right- hand one, exchange pins, and begin the second row thus : — 1. Slip the first loop purlwise. 2. Knit the second plain. 3. Purl the third and fourth loops, the teacher demon- strating the actual method of purling as described in No. 2 above, and contrasting the knitted purl loop with the slipped purl loop, at the beginning of the row. Sew-and-Fell Seam {Fixing) Class. — Standards 11. and III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — The Paragon ; two I SEIV-AND-FELL SEAM 55 strips of very coarse holland or calico, needle, tacking and sewing cotton of two colours, slate and chalks, thimble. For the Children. — In the first fixing lesson, leaflets from a finished copy-book or lined cutting-out paper — the lines being good guides for folding — then strips of coarse calico (5 in. x in.), needle, tacking, and sewing cotton of two colours, thimbles. Method. — 1. (a) Show a garment, e.g. a pillow-slip, shift, or chemise, with a sew -and -fell seam completed ; and (b) tell children this kind of seam is used (1) to join two straight or two shaped sides of a garment, so as to hide the raw edges both on the right and the wrong sides ; (2) to patch a calico garment, to put a new top to a chemise or shirt, and to lengthen a garment, e.g. a calico petticoat; ( c ) explain that a sew-and-fell seam is a very strong way of joining two edges of material together. 2. Call children’s attention to the two strips of calico being marked with a pencilled cross to indicate the wrong side; ( a ) show how to take up one strip and hold the long or selvedge sides between the left and right hands, having the marked side towards them ; ( b ) show how to measure from the top edge downwards the depth of their little finger nail, as a guide for the depth of the first fold ; (c) then how to turn this fold down very evenly and flatten and crease the edge with the right thumb and forefinger ; (d) tell children to put this strip down on the desk with the wrong side uppermost ; (e) illustrate the appearance on the slate (Fig. 24). Examine children’s work. 3. Take up the second strip in the same way as the first ; and (a) show children how to turn down a fold, on the wrong or marked side, twice as deep as the fold on the first strip, telling them the depth of their thumb-nail will 5 ^ NEEDLEWORK PART be a guide in turning the fold quite evenly ; (b) flatten and erease the edge as in the first strip ; (c) elicit that the wrong side of the strip is uppermost; then ( d ) show children how to turn up the raw edge of this fold towards the top, so as to form a second fold, the raw edge of which lies in a straight line just below the crease ; ( e ) flatten and crease this fold ; (/) illus- trate on slate (Fig. 25). Examine children’s work. 4. Point out very clearly the part which forms the fell, and explain that a fell in calico or muslin is a double fold, and in flannel a single fold that falls over another fold of the material, to hide the raw edges. 5. (a) Show children how to turn the strip, with the double fold or fell, with the wrong side away from them ; (b) how to place it on the top of the strip with one fold, so that the top and side edges are quite even, and the raw edges are hidden ; (c) illustrate on the slate (Fig. 26); (cl) examine and ques- tion. 6. Recapitulate making a knot on the tacking cotton ; show children how to begin tacking at the right-hand side edges a little below the top edges, thus : — (1) Put the needle through the front strip to the back ; (2) then go over a little space on the back strip, and Fit;. Fie;. 24. I FASTENING ON 57 bring the needle through to the front strip again, holding the work with the left thumb and forefinger. N.B . — When a few tacking stitches have been made in this way, place the work on the left forefinger as for hemming, and go on tacking neatly and firmly to the end. Take the needle oil* the tacking cotton, and thread it with the sewing cotton. Right Side. Fig. 26 . 7. Show children that the front strip with the fell on it, is narrower than the back strip, and elicit the reason of this. 8. Illustrate the appearance of the work when tacked, putting a blue or red line on the top edge of the front strip, as a guide for the depth of the stitches. Fastening on, and Joining two Colours in Seaming Fastening on at the beginning of the work. Method. — 1. When the work is in position on left fore- finger ( a ) show either by the Paragon , or Folded Demonstra- tion Frame (Fig. 28) how to put the needle in through the top edge of the front strip, towards the worker, how to draw it out and leave an end of cotton lying on the top edges ; (b) mark No. 1 on slate illustration (Fig. 19) and then 58 NEEDLEWORK PART show how to put the needle in through the back and front top edges a little further to the left of No. 1, and draw it Fast* : Tu a liner off 1 loin F - =r= astening - cm V J \ J-V/ | 1 Nl N » V ? si JS j X X |\ v- \ V X : \; irsl ! / N n s sr V s ! ~ S r n S! S Fio. 27. out. Mark Nos. 2 and 3 on Fig. 19, and draw the shape of the stitch. Fig. 28. 2. Go on demonstrating by the Paragon , or Folded Frame, and illustrating, till the children have worked over I FASTENING OFF 59 the fastening on cotton, and can work the stitches without help (Fig. 27). 3. Examine children’s work, and explain that the fastening-on end of cotton must not be pushed down, or the raw edges will be pushed down also, and will form hard ridges. N.B. — When the children have seamed half the strip with one coloured cotton, show them how to wind the cotton round the left forefinger and break it off. 4. (a) Show children how to draw the end of cotton out from the front edge by putting the needle down between the edges and lifting up the half stitch ; ( b ) with another coloured cotton show how to put the needle in the same place, where the half stitch was before ; (r) how to draw the needle out and leave an end of cotton ; (d) how to put both ends of cotton to the left on the top edges, and seam over them. 5. Illustrate on the slate (Fig. 27). 6. Examine children’s work, and question them to find out if they know the way to fasten off and on, when a fresh needleful of cotton is needed. N.B. — If the fastening off and on in the middle of the strip-work has been demonstrated on the Folded Frame, then illustrate on a sectional diagram (Fig. 27). Fastening off ( Seaming or Top-sewing) Method. — 1. Show children how to work over the last stitch two or three times, putting the needle through the last stitch to form a half-knot, draw it tightly, and then break the cotton. Or 2. When the end of the strip is reached, show children how to put the needle through to the back strip, 6o NEEDLEWORK PART turn the work round, and sew over several stitches, thus making double stitches. Or 3. Show children how to seam back from left to right over several stitches, in this way forming crosses (Fig. 27). Felling and Joining in two Colours Method. — 1. Take out the tacking cotton and flatten the seam. 2. Turn back the front strip, and (a) show children that the fell is falling over the fold belonging to the back strip, and that it is hiding the raw edge ; ( b ) show children how to tack the fell, just like a hem ; ( c ) tell them the stitch used for fastening down a fell is hemming, but now we change the name and call it felling ; (d) write the word felling on the slate ; ( e ) recapitulate fastening on, and the method of working the stitch ; (/) when the fell is partly fastened down, recapitulate the join in two colours (see lesson on joining in two colours in hemming) ; (g) when the fell is finished, recapitulate fastening off, which is the same as for hemming. CHAPTER VI CASTING ON THREE NEEDLES — JOINING WOOL OR COTTON Casting on three Pins for Round Knitting Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — Four knitting - pins, cotton or wool, slate and chalks, a cuff or a sock to show the use of knitting in rounds. f CASTING ON THREE PINS For the Children . — Four knitting-pins, knitting cotton or wool. Method. — 1. Explain the difference between knitting in rows and knitting in rounds, and show that no seams are needed in garments that are made of knitting in rounds. 2. (a) Recapitulate making a slip- knot loop and casting on ; ( b ) tell children to cast on ten loops on one pin, and explain that casting on for round knitting should be rather tight to prevent a roll at the top ; (c) illustrate on the slate one pin with ten loops on it (Fig. 29). 3. (a) Take the second pin and knit a loop out of the first one on the left- hand pin ; (b) put the second pin with the new loop on it into the left hand, under the first pin, being careful not to twist the loop on it, and letting the point of the second pin come beyond the point of the first one. Demonstrate again, the children working with you. 4. Examine the children’s work. 5. (a) Show how to knit a loop out of the loop on the second pin by putting the third pin in the under part of the loop ; (b) how to cast this new loop on to the second pin. Tell children they must be careful not to put this loop on the two pins, but on the second one only. 62 NEEDLEWORK PART Repeat, children working with you, till ten loops are cast on the second pin. Examine children’s work. 6. Illustrate on the slate (Fig. 29). 7. Show children how to keep the first and second pins in the left hand, the second lying below the first. 8. ( a ) Show how to knit a loop out of the first loop on the second pin with the third pin ; ( b ) how to turn the third pin round into the left hand, without twist- ing the loop on it, and letting it lie below the second pin. Repeat, the children working with you. Examine chil- dren’s work. 9. Illustrate the three pins with loops on, as they are resting on the left hand (Fig. 29). 10. (a) Show how to place pin No. 2 x under the point of No. 1 x , and ( b ) No. 3 x under the point of No. 2, taking great care not to twist the loops. N.B . — This part of the lesson will need much patient and frequent demonstration. Examine often. 11. Illustrate the three pins in proper position (Fig. 30). 12. Show children how to hold the three pins in the left hand ready for knitting round thus : — (a) catch hold of pin No. 1, near the loop with short end of cotton coming from it, with left thumb and forefinger ; ( b ) put the pin No. 2 between the middle and third finger; ( c ) and pin No. 3 between the forefinger and middle finger ; ( d ) put the short end of cotton and the long end behind pin No. 3, and draw pins Nos. 1 and 3 very closely together. Patiently and frequently demonstrate, till children can hold the pins properly ; ( e ) show children how to knit with pin No. 4 five loops with the double wool, then to drop the short end, and go on knitting with cotton from the ball. I CASTING ON THREE PINS 63 13. Work with children, till the ten loops are knitted off pin No. 1, then show again how to draw pins Nos. 1 and 2 close together. N.B . — Explain why the pins must be drawn so tightly together when they meet, viz. to prevent ladders , i.e. loose loops, which are very unsightly up the sides of cuffs, socks, or stockings. 14. Recapitulate till loops are knitted off pin No. 3, Fio. 30. and point out that one round has been knitted. Examine children’s knitting. 15. Draw children’s attention to the loose piece of wool between the pins Nos. 1 and 3, and show them again how to draw No. 3 very close to No. 1, and knit off the double loops as single ones. Examine work. 1 6. Demonstrate round after round, until you are sure that most of the children have mastered the difficulties, 64 NEEDLEWORK PARI' and can work alone, giving you time to help the slow and dull ones. Notes. — 1. It has been found a very good method to give the children a piece of knitting previously cast on, and a few rounds finished, before they learn how to cast on for themselves. By this plan they learn how to overcome the difficulties of (a) holding the work, and (6) preventing ladders. 2. The knitted garment, e.g. cuff, etc., must be ribbed, but the specimen on Day of Examination may be plain knitting in two colours to show a join. Joining Cotton or Wool in Knitting Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — In the first lesson two knitting-pins, and two balls of wool of different colours, slate and chalks, a knitted garment showing joins. For the Children. — In the first lesson two knitting-pins, and two balls of cotton or wool of different colours. Method. — 1. (a) Tell children they know how to join new cotton in needlework without knots, now they are going to learn how to join knitting cotton or wool, by a strong method, without knots ; ( b ) tell them they will use two different colours, that they may see the effect of joining in this way. 2. Tell children to cast on with you ten loops on one pin, and then knit a few rows, in garter stitch. 3. (a) Let them begin a row simultaneously with you and knit off two loops ; ( b ) show how to wind the wool round the left hand once, and carefully break it (if cotton it must be cut) ; ( c ) then show how to let the broken end fall behind the knitting, and place the work on the desk ; (i d ) take the new ball and show children how to wind one i JOINING COTTON OR WOOL IN KNITTING 65 end of it round the first and second fingers of the left hand, then take up the knitting, and show very clearly and carefully how to draw up the broken end near its own loop, and hold it, with the wool coming from the new ball, in the right hand, with the pin (Fig. 31) ready for knitting. 4. ( a ) Show children how to knit six loops with the double wool of two colours ; ( b ) how to drop the broken end behind the right-hand pin ; and ( c ) how to slip the wool off the first and second fingers of the left hand, and go on knitting with the wool from the ball. F 66 NEEDLEWORK PART N.B . — An illustration on the slate is thought to be useful at this stage. 5. (a) Let the children knit the next row with you ; (b) after knitting two loops off, show them how to knit the six double loops as single ones and then finish the row ; (c) let children knit a few rows in the second colour and then cast off. 6. Tell children the ends of cotton on the wrong side must be darned, by and by, into the material, and that Fig. 32. when this is done the join is made very much stronger and neater on the wrong side. 7. Recapitulate the above method, while children are knitting a round specimen as required in Exercise B. Appendix I. New Code, and while knitting a cuff, muffatee, or sock. 8. Illustrate on the slate the appearance of round knitting in two colours, to show a join (Fig. 32). 9. In joining fine wool or cotton, an excellent and strong method is as follows : — thread a darning needle with wool from the new ball, and weave the whole length I USE OF THE DEMONSTRATION FRAME 67 of the darning needle through the middle of the wool attached to the knitting, beginning at the very end of it, draw the needle through, and break off the wool which is in the needle quite close to the old piece ; then hold both the new and the old wool in the right and left hands, with the double wool in the centre, loosely, then twist it. Pull it to prove that the join is perfect. By this method there are no ends to darn in, and no double stitches to be con- sidered. CHAPTER VII USE OF DEMONSTRATION FRAME — HERRING - BONING — DARNING A THIN PLACE — STITCHING — MAKING A BAND Use of the Demonstration Frame Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — Foi' the Teacher . — A Demonstration Frame with needle and cord, a square of canvas, flannel and calico, a slate and chalks. For the Children . — A square of canvas (lined or unlined) needle and coloured knitting or embroidery cotton, scraps of flannel and calico, thimbles. Method. — 1. (a) Compare the canvas with the flannel and calico, and all these materials with the frame ; (b) elicit that the frame and all these materials have threads run- ning up and down and across, and that they are all woven in the same way, only that the threads of the frame are coarser than those of the canvas, the threads of the canvas coarser than those of the flannel, and those of the flannel coarser than the calico ; ( c ) show that the spaces between the threads of the frame are greater than the spaces 68 NEEDLEWORK PART beween the threads of the canvas, and those of the canvas greater than those of the flannel or calico. 2. Explain that the frame is made to represent canvas, flannel, calico, and such-like woven materials, on a very large scale, so that the class can be shown collectively how to work any needlework stitch accurately (Figs. 28 and 33). Definition . — The Demonstration Frame is an apparatus by means of which the teacher can show clearly and accu- I HERRING-BONE STITCH 69 rately how to make needlework stitches for all materials, except knitted ones. 3. Write the title of the lesson on the slate. 4. Show the children (a) that hemming can be worked on the fold at the top of the frame ; ( b ) that when the frame is folded seaming and felling can be worked, as for a sew-and-fell seam. 5. Tell the children (a) that they are going to learn three new stitches, viz. herring-boning, darning, and stitch- ing (write these words on the slate), that these stitches must first be practised on .canvas, and afterwards on flannel and calico ; that each of these stitches must be worked according to rules with regard to a certain number of threads, and so they can be more easily and quickly learnt by practising on such material as canvas, where the threads are very coarse and distinct and can easily be counted. 6. Draw a diagram of the canvas on the slate, and show on it, whatever stitch is taught after the lesson on the frame. 7. Work herring-bone stitch with the class to show the use of the Demonstration Frame. N.B . — Stitching or darning might be worked first, if preferred. Herring-bone Stitch Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — Demonstration Frame, sectional diagram on slate, chalk, square of canvas (lined or unlined), needle and coloured knitting or embroidery cotton, square of flannel. For the Children . — Square of canvas (lined or unlined), needle and coloured cotton, scrap of flannel. 7o NEEDLEWORK PART Method. — 1. Tell children the use of the stitch, viz. to fasten down one fold of flannel, or any other woollen material, to prevent the raw edges from fraying out. 2. Show ther children (a) how to hold the canvas over the left forefinger as for hemming ; (b) show the direction of working the stitch from the left side of the material to the right ; (c) compare the direction of working hem- ming and seaming, viz. from right to left. 3. Tell children to put their work in position, and to hold their needles and cotton in the proper way, then to watch what you do on the frame. N.B. — If the canvas is lined, the lining is the wrong side, so tell the children to hold the canvas side towards them. 4. Fastening On. — (a) Turn the wrong side of the frame towards the class, and work the stitch on the fold at the top of it; (b) show children how to bring the needle through a space four threads up from the bottom edge of the fold from the wrong to the right side, and leave an end of cotton. N.B. — As it is a first lesson on the stitch, the fastening on can be better taught, when the stitch is worked on flannel. Demon- strate again, the children working with you. 5. Put a dot of coloured chalk on one of the spaces at the left-hand side of the sectional diagram on the slate, and mark it No. 1. 6. Demonstrate by frame : count four threads to the right of where the cotton is coming out on the fold, and four threads down, and put the needle straight under two threads from the right to the left, below the edge of the fold. Take the needle out and demonstrate again, the class working with you. Examine children’s work. 7. (a) Show the children how to draw the needle out I HERRING-BONE STITCH 7i under the cotton coming from No. 1, and explain that this is a half stitch ; ( b ) elicit that this half stitch is slant- ing and is four threads deep on one side ; turn the frame round that children may see there is a short straight stitch covering two threads on the other side. 8. When children have drawn their needles out to form the first half stitch, recapitulate by illustrating on the sectional diagram the appearance of it. Let the children count with you, telling them the lines represent threads ; (a) count four lines to the right of No. 1 and four lines down, and put a chalk dot in the space below the fourth line, and mark it No. 2 ; ( b ) count two lines to the left and put a chalk dot, and mark it No. 3 ; (c) draw a slant- ing line from 1 to 2 through the diagonals of the squares, and dot a straight line from 2 to 3 (Fig. 34). Examine children’s work. 9. Tell children to take up work in readiness to make the next stitch. N.B. — The first is left a half stitch, because it helps to keep all the succeeding stitches upright, and when herring-boning a patch it can be finished off, but if herring-boning a fell in flannel, it is left a half stitch. 10. (a) Demonstrate by the frame how to count up from where the cotton is coming out four threads, and to the right four threads ; ( b ) put the needle under two threads, double material of the fold, quite straight from right to left ; and ( c ) draw the needle and cotton out ; ( d ) tell children this is the first half of the second stitch, and that it crosses the first half stitch at the bottom ; (e) de- monstrate again, the children working with you. Examine work. 11. Recapitulate by illustrating on the sectional diagram ; (a) count up from No. 3 four lines or threads, 72 NEEDLEWORK PART and to the right four lines, and put a chalk dot in the space above the fourth line, and mark it No. 4 ; ( b ) count two lines to the left, and mark the space No. 5 ; (c) draw a slanting line from 3 to 4, and dot a straight line from 4 to 5 to represent the short straight stitch on the other side (Fig. 34). 12. Demonstrate by the frame how to finish this stitch ; {a) count down four threads from where the cotton is coming out, and four threads to the right; (b) put the needle under two threads from left to right, and draw it out under the cotton as before ; ( c ) tell children the second Fio. 34. stitch is now finished, and is composed of two slanting stitches (the second half stitch crossing the first half at the top) and two straight stitches, one at the top on double material of the fold, and one below the edge of fold on the single material. 13. Illustrate as before on the sectional diagram. Ex- amine children’s work. 14. Demonstrate another whole stitch, then let children tell you how to work a complete stitch on the frame, and how to draw a picture of it on the slate. 15. Explain the rule for the stitch, viz. four threads deep and two threads apart, the stitches crossing each other alternately at the bottom and the top, and when I DARNING A THIN PLACE 73 worked on flannel the stitch is taken through the double material at the top, and through the single material at the bottom, just below the raw edge. 16. When you have demonstrated and explained, let the class work on alone, and go in and out among the children to see that all have learnt the stitch. The children who have made mistakes should be formed into a class, and taught again as above, by the frame and slate, collectively. Notes. — 1. When the stitch has been learnt and practised on the canvas, the children should be allowed, as soon as possible, to apply it to a fold on flannel. The whole method of working it should be again recapitulated by the teacher. 2. The difficulties of the stitch are only discovered by the children, when they work it on flannel or woollen material, for it is comparatively easy to them when worked on canvas. The canvas is only useful for learning the shape and size of the stitch. Darning a Thin Place Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — Demonstration Frame, needle and cord, slate and chalks, square of cheese-cloth or single-thread canvas, needle and knitting or embroidery cotton for the canvas. For the Children . — A square of cheese-cloth or single- thread canvas in the first lesson, needle and knitting or embroidery cotton. Method. — 1 . (a) Show children a flannel vest or petti- coat, or a frock which has been darned, and explain that this part of the garment was worn into a thin place and was darned to prevent the weakened threads from break- 74 NEEDLEWORK PART ing into a hole ; ( b ) show that a worn place on a garment is always very much stretched, and is consequently loose. 2. Tell children they are going to learn how to darn on canvas first, because they can count the threads more easily, and will be able to learn the rules more quickly. 3. Tell children that darning should precede patching on such garments as flannel vests and petticoats, table and bed linen, and dress materials, and that it is a more economical method of mending than patching. 4. Explain that darning, as a rule, is worked on the wrong side of the materials, except in parts of garments which are lined, then it is done very neatly on the right side. 5. Shape of Darns . — Show by the garments that the shape depends upon the position of the worn part, a diamond, triangular, or waved shape darn being best for the gusset or armpit part of a flannel vest, oblongs and squares for plain shaped parts of the garment. 6. Show children how to hold the work over the back of the first and second fingers of the left hand, keeping it in place with the thumb and third finger, and tell them that the work must be kept in this position all the time they are darning, the needle pointing in a straight line towards them in one row, and then pointing away from them in the next. 7. (a) Show by the frame how to put the needle under and over the threads down and up with the selvedge, and explain that darning is weaving in the new mending material, in order to cover the weft or crosswise threads both on the right and on the wrong sides, so as to strengthen and protect every thread. 8. Draw a sectional diagram on the slate, and mark the thin place, putting in crosses to show that the darning or I DARNING A THIN PLACE 75 weaving in of the new material is always begun on the stronger threads away from the thin place first, to form a firm border. 9. Demonstrate a row of darning on the single material on the wrong side of frame, beginning at the left top (or bottom) corner, and draw the needle out, leaving an end at the top, the children working with you. (a) (1) Explain that it is less awkward to darn from the left side of the material to the right, (2) that the fastening on always belongs to the first row, (3) that e\ ery row must be worked in straight lines between the selvedge threads and on coarse material under and over one thread, (4) that in fine materials the needle may be put under and over more than one thread, but whatever number the needle is put under, it must also be put over ; ( b ) draw a line of darning on the sectional diagram on the wrong side (Fig. 35) ; (c) demonstrate on the frame, the children work- ing with you, how to darn the second row thus : — (a) count one selvedge thread to the right and one weft thread below the space, where the cotton is coming out (or one thread above) and put the needle under and over one thread, stopping one thread below the space from which the fastening on cotton is coming, draw the needle out and leave a loop at the bottom ; ( b ) explain ( 1 ) why a \ f 1 r 1 n i i \ i r 1 i i ! i j j l ■ i 1 j i i i r i ! i 1 i 1 i * j j j j y j it j 1 i I i 1 jl ! 1 i y i [i j , i j i i i i I : 1 4 i i | 1 j l] i 1 i I 4 i ! j i j I i i t , j ! i i I i i j I j I i 1 i ! , i i I i I i T : 1 i r j I j y i 1 J j i i r * i T i 1 u I • i j u \ \ Fig. 35. 7 6 NEEDLEWORK part thread is left between the rows, viz. to make room for the darning material, and so prevent a hard cobble ; (2) why one thread lower down or higher up is gone under in the second row, viz. to produce irregular edges at the Fio. 36. top and bottom, and thus to equalise the strain of the new mending material, and to cover the same thread every other row on both sides ; (3) why loops are left, viz. to allow of the new mending material working up into the original, and thus preventing an ugly pucker, and also to I FIRST LESSON ON STITCHING 77 allow of shrinking in the case of woollen materials, when washed. 10. Illustrate the second row on the diagram, eliciting reasons for each step of the method. 11. (a) Demonstrate again by the frame how to darn the third row, pointing out thdt the needle is put under and over the same threads as in the first row ; ( b ) illustrate on slate ; ( c ) demonstrate fourth row, and point out that the needle is put under and over the same threads as in the second row ; ( d ) illustrate on slate (Figs. 35 and 36). 12. Go on demonstrating on the frame, illustrating on the slate, examining the children’s work after every row, and questioning, till the whole of the thin place is supposed to be covered on the canvas. Notes. — 1 . The darning stitch which is taught in Standard III. is the stitch used for darning all materials throughout the Standards. Swiss and stocking web darns are foreign ways of mending stocking- web materials. 2. The mending materials should be of the same colour and kind as the garments to be darned, only finer in texture. First Lesson on Stitching Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Demonstration Frame, slate and chalks, a square of lined canvas, needle and coloured knitting or embroidery cotton. For the Children. — A square of lined canvas, needle and coloured knitting or embroidery cotton, thimbles. Method. — 1. Show by some finished garments that the stitch is worked (a) on the right side of the edges of 78 NEEDLEWORK PART bcands, e.g. neckbands, wristbands, collars ; on front folds, false hems, and gussets, to improve the appearance and to make the edges firm, smooth, and strong ; ( b ) on the wrong side of some garments, e.g. dresses, petticoats, to make the seams firm and neat. 2. (a) Show by the fold on the top of the frame, as well as by the bands and seams on the garments, that the stitch is always worked on double material, and explain that it is for this reason their canvas samplers are lined ; ( b ) show children that the work is held as for hemming, and that the stitch is worked from the right hand to the left, and on the canvas side of the sampler ; ( c ) bring the needle from the wrong side to the right, through a space between two threads, and leave a long end of cotton, which will be fastened on afterwards ; ( d ) demonstrate again, the children working with you. 3. Put a chalk mark on a space between two lines of the sectional diagram, which you will have previously drawn on the slate, and call it No. 1 (Fig. 37a). 4. (a) Tell children to count with you two threads back from where the cotton is coming out on the fold, and show them how to put the needle in quite straight from right to left, and bring it out two threads in front of the cotton, drawing it rather tightly to raise the stitch ; (b) demonstrate again, the children working on their canvas and counting two threads to the right of where the cotton is coming out, and two threads to the left of it ; ( c ) let the children see the needle is lying under four threads, and then tell them to draw the needle and cotton out ; (d) elicit that the stitch on the right side is short and raised, covering two threads, and on the wrong side it is a long stitch, covering four threads ; ( e ) tell children two thread stitching is prettier and stronger than three, four, I FIRST LESSON ON STITCHING 79 or five thread stitching — that is, if they are working on coarse materials. N.B. — Three or more threads are allowable on fine materials. 5. Recapitulate by drawing the appearance of the stitch, both on the right and wrong sides : count two lines back from No. 1, and put a dot in the space, and mark it No. 2; count two lines in front of No. 1, and mark the space No. 3 ; draw a short rounded stitch from No. 1 to No. 2, and dot a line from No. 2 to No. 3 to represent the long stitch (Fig. 37a). 6. Show by the frame how all the succeeding stitches are worked : (a) count back two threads, and show children how to put the needle in a slanting direction in the space close to the first stitch and above (or below) the cotton at the back, and bring the needle out two threads in front of the cotton, drawing it rather tightly ; ( b ) explain why the needle is put above (or below) the cotton at the back — (1) to prevent splitting and tangling the cotton ; (2) to make the wrong side of the stitches neat ; (3) to increase the regularity of the stitches on the right side. Demonstrate again, showing how to press the cotton down at the back, by the help of the left forefinger, the children working with you. N.B. — In putting the needle above or below the cotton at the back, care must be taken to prevent a wave-like appearance of the stitches on the right side. If this occurs, show children how to put the needle in the space vertically, close by the last stitch, and then how to turn it in a slanting direction to the left under four threads. 7. (a) Recapitulate by drawing the stitch on the sectional diagram (Fig. 37a) as before; ( b ) show by the illustration that the needle being put above the cotton, 8o NEEDLEWORK PART every succeeding stitch on the wrong side lies above the preceding, and slants from left to right ; (c) because the needle is put back every time a stitch is made, the long stitches on the wrong side cover two back threads, which form a part of each preceding stitch (Fig. 37b). Examine children’s work. 8. Tell children this stitch is also called bach-stitcliing , because the needle is always put back in making a new stitch. 9. Demonstrate by the frame and board, the children working with you, till they can tell you what to do in making a stitch, and can give reasons for every step. Examine children’s work after every stitch, to see (1) if the number of threads haye been covered, (2) if the cotton lies above (or below) every preceding stitch, and (3) if the stitching has been kept in a straight line, between two threads. I FASTENING OFF AND ON 81 Fastening Off and On (Stitching) Apparatus. — For Teacher and Children. — The same as for the first lesson on stitching, and two different coloured cottons, to show the result of the join. Method. — 1. Show by the frame (a) how to put the needle back two threads from where the cotton is coming out and above the cotton of the last stitch on the wrong side ; ( b ) draw the needle and cotton through to the wrong side ; (c) take the needle off the cotton ; ( d ) let the children see that the fastening-off cotton comes out on the r~ __ — g J ■i~* H N\ ■or ig S id< ■w o Z ( 3 •< Wrong s de | o z 1 | L j — IT 1 Fig. 38. wrong side in the middle of the stitch and above it ; (e) illustrate on the slate (Fig. 38) ; (/) tell children to thread the needle with the new needleful, and then show by another coloured cord and the frame how to fasten on ; (g) show how to bring the needle from the wrong side to the right two threads to the left of the last stitch, and leave a long end of cotton, then go back two threads to the right and two threads forward to make a stitch ; (h) turn the frame with wrong side to class and show that the fastening-on cotton lies in the middle of the stitch and below it (Fig. 38) ; (i) let children work on till this cotton is nearly used up, then show them again how to put the G 82 NEEDLEWORK PART needle back to the right over two threads above the cotton on the wrong side, and bring it out on the wrong side ; (j) show them how to weave the needle and cotton under each long stitch from right to left, to form a cord, then cut the cotton ; (k) go back to the fastening off and on, in the middle of the work, and tell children to thread the needle with the fastening -off cotton (red), and show that this must be woven under five or six of the long stitches from the left to the right, then cut the cotton ; (l) tell children to thread the needle with the fastening- on cotton (blue), and show them how to weave this over the long stitches to the left, and again cut the cotton. N.B. — This is an elaborate method, but a very neat and strong way of fastening off and on in stitching. Notes. — 1. Another method of fastening on and off is simply to slip the needle between the folds of the band, and leave an end of cotton at the edge of the band. 2. A third method is to fasten on and off at the back of the band by a few running stitches, working over the last stitch two or three times. Making a Band for Stitching Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — Fat' the Teacher. — A very coarse piece of calico (5 in. x 2| in.) or a piece of Java cloth, sewing needle, tacking and sewing cotton, slate and chalks. For the Children. — Very coarse calico (5 in. x 2J in.), needle, tacking and sewing cotton, thimbles. Method. — 1. Draw an illustration of piece of calico on slate. 2. Show children how to hold the calico with the selvedge sides going from left to right. I MAKING A BAND FOR STITCHING 83 3. Teach children how to find the selvedge way of the material ; (a) tell them the long sides of the material are the selvedges ; then let them pull one long side to see if it stretches much or little, next let them pull the weft, or one short side for the same purpose, and elicit that the weft way of the stuff stretches the most, the selvedge way the least ; (b) point out the difference between the selvedge threads and the weft threads, viz. that the selvedge threads are coarse and twisted, the weft threads wavy and fiat, and will break easily when pulled ; ( c ) tell children the selvedge can also be detected by the sound made when pulling it, the selvedge way has a sharp sound, whereas the weft way has a flat or dull sound. 4. Fixing. — (a) Show children how to turn one fold about the depth of the little finger nail along both selvedge sides ; (b) how to turn one fold along both weft sides, making all these folds the same depth, and flattening and pinching the edges ; (c) explain that the selvedge sides are turned first to keep the corners flat ; (cl) show how to fold the material in half along its length or the selvedge way, thus hiding the folds and forming a band ; (e) illustrate on the slate (Fig. 39). 5. Drawing a Thread. — (a) Show children how to pick out with the point of the needle or a pin, one selvedge thread a quarter of an inch from the top edge, then how 8 4 NEEDLEWORK PART to hold the band between the left thumb and forefinger and draw it backwards, the right thumb and forefinger pulling the thread outwards \ ( b ) if the thread breaks show patiently and carefully how to pick out the broken one, or the band will be spoilt (Fig. 40). N.B.— 1. The children should be taught to draw the thread from scraps of calico first. 2. It is easier to draw the thread, before the edges of the band are tacked, than afterwards. 6. ( a ) Show children again how to fold the band in half, being careful that the drawn thread is in a straight line ; ( b ) recapitulate the tacking stitch, tacking two short sides and one selvedge side. 7. By means of the Demonstration Frame and a sec- tional diagram on the slate, recapitulate stitching and fastening on ami off of the same. CHAPTER VIII SEWING ON A TAPE — PLEATING — FIXING HEMS ON JOINED MATERIAL Sewing a Tape String on a Band Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — A stitched band, a piece I SEWING A TAPE STRING ON A BAND 85 of tape, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, pins, slate and chalks, a strip of kindergarten paper to demonstrate the folding of tape. For the Children. — A stitched band, a piece of tape about 2 or 3 inches long, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, pins, a strip of paper. Method. — 1. Illustrate the stitched band, both on right and wrong sides (Figs. 42 and 43), and the tape. 2. Show some garments with tapes sewn on, e.g. apron, pinafore, pillow-slip, drawers, and elicit (a) that tape strings are used to fasten the garments tidily ; ( b ) that tapes can be sewn both 011 the wrong and right a sides of a garment. /' j \ 3. Fixing the Tape. — (a) Show [ \ ^ children (first by the strip of paper) | how to crease the tape in half, then \ fold the creased edge at right-hand \ top corner down to the open edges ! to form a triangle ; ( b ) open the tape 1 and show that the depth from the * raw edge at the top to the point of the triangle is half the width of the tape ; (c) show how to turn this down for a fold ; ( d ) show how to turn the „ right-hand top corner down to the opposite edge of tape, to form a triangle, holding the wrong side towards you ; ( e ) then crease the triangle back to the right side of tape ; (/) open the tape and let children prove that from c d to e f is a square, the whole width of the tape ; (g) illustrate on the slate (Fig. 41). Rule 1. — The first fold of the tape (except in very narrow tapes, when the first fold must be the whole width) is half its own width. 86 NEEDLEWORK PART 2. The tape sewn on the band is a scpiare, or the whole- width of the tape, except in very narrow tapes. 4. Fixing Tape to the Band. — (a) Show children how to crease the band along its length ; ( b ) illustrate by a dotted line (Fig. 42) ; ( c ) put the wrong side of the band upper- most ; ( d ) tell children the band is only wide enough for one string, and this must be placed evenly near one end ; ( e ) show how to place the wrong side of the tape to the wrong side of the band with the folded edge of the tape (c d, Fig. 42) on the band, and the creased line across it (e /, Fig. 42) at the edge of the band, the crease down the middle of the tape matching the crease along the centre of the band ; (/) show children how to pin this square of tape on the band quite evenly and neatly ; ( g ) illustrate on the slate, and examine children’s work, then let them put a few tacking stitches to keep the tape firmly in its place. N. B. — The tape may be seamed to the edge of band, before it is hemmed. 5. Recapitulate hemming stitch : ( a ) show children how to fasten on neatly at /, and hem as far as e through the wrong side of the band only, if the material is coarse and thick, if very fine and semi-transparent then through both thicknesses, being careful that the stitches are seen distinctly on the right side ; (h) illustrate on slate when the three sides are hemmed (Fig. 42) and examine children’s work, then show how to bring the needle through the edge of the band to the right side, and fold the tape back to the wrong side of band ; (e) show how to hold the right side towards them, and seam it through the edge of the band from e to /, and fasten off* securely ; break the cotton and flatten the seam ; (d) illustrate the seaming stitches I SEWING A TAPE STRING ON A BAND 87 (Figs. 42 and 43) on right and wrong sides ; (e) turn the wrong side of band towards you and show children how to finish off the end of tape neatly by a narrow hem ; (/) f rf* i* it* d - 3 1 t i • 3 * v i/ / / . 1 e * 9 * C. 1 Wrong Side Fio. 42. recapitulate top-sewing the corners and hemming; (g) illustrate on right and wrong sides (Figs. 42 and 43). Notes. — 1. In the first lesson it is better to teach how to fix a tape to the wrong side of the band, to prepare the children for sewing on a tape to the band of an apron, or child’s drawers. I 11 a later lesson the children should be taught how to put a tape on to the hem of a pillow-slip or on a pinafore, both on the wrong and right sides. 88 NEEDLEWORK PART Pleating Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — A woman’s or girl’s apron and band, pins, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, a card inch measure, slate and chalks. For the Children . — A woman’s or girl’s apron, previously hemmed, a band fixed and the ends seamed, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, pins, card inch measure, thimbles. Method. — 1. (a) Show the children a finished garment, e.g. an apron, shift, flannel petticoat or flannel drawers, and explain that pleats are folds which are used instead of gathers to narrow the full part of a garment, either at the neck, or wrist, or waist, or leg ; (b) show by the finished garments that pleats differ in size, for instance they are smaller at the neck, wrist, or leg of a garment than at the waist ; ( c ) that they are made on the right side of a gar- ment, the weft way of the material like gathers, and that they must be regular in size ; ( d ) that the rule for pleating the fulness of a garment into a band is as follows, viz. the portion of the garment to be pleated must be two to three times the length of that portion of the band, into which it is to be fixed. 2. {a) Show children how to divide the top part of the garment and the band into halves and quarters, for the sake of regularity, when setting in the pleats, and put a few stitches to mark the divisions ; ( b ) illustrate an apron on the slate (Fig. 44), and mark the centre line C, and the two sides A and B. 3. Show how to mark off at top of apron with inch measure, 1 inch to the right and left of C, and put in pins, and mark the illustration D and E, and explain that this will be left plain. I PLEATING 89 4. (a) Show next how to measure 2 inches from E towards B and put in a pin, then how to crease these 2 inches in the middle on the right side of the garment so that the fold is 1 inch wide on its upper and under sides ; ( b ) turn the work to the wrong side and crease the edge of the under part of pleat in order that it may fall back to the right ; ( c ) let children see that there are now three parts all 1 inch wide, i.e. the two parts of the pleat, and the single material upon which it rests ; (d) put in a pin to keep the pleat quite even and in its place ; ( e ) illustrate on the slate (Fig. 44), examine children’s work and Fig. 44. explain that the apron has been narrowed by the pleat 2 inches. 5. (a) Show children how to measure 2 inches from the edge of the first pleat towards B, and again demonstrate how to crease it in half on the right side, and how to crease on the wrong side, that the pleat may fall towards the right, putting in a pin to keep it in its place, and the top edges quite even ; (b) illustrate on the slate and examine as before ; ( c ) elicit from the children how much the apron has been narrowed by the two pleats ; ( d ) show that the edge of the pleat on the wrong side touches the 90 NEED1.EW0RK PART front edge of the first pleat, because no spaces are left between the pleats. N.B. — Explain that spaces are left between the pleats, when the fulness is not twice or thrice the length of the band. 6. When the right hand side of apron is pleated, then show children how to tack the pleats firmly and securely, about a quarter or half an inch from the top. 7. Recapitulate by pleating from D towards A, the pleats on this side falling to the left. Illustrate, examine, elicit, and question, step by step. N.B. — Some prefer the pleats falling towards the centre of the apron. Notes. — 1 . The lesson to children in Standard III. should be given on lined paper, the lines being a quarter of an inch apart, to allow them to measure accurately and easily. 2. If spaces are left between the pleats, they should be kept as regular as the spaces between tucks. Setting Pleats into the Band. — 1. (a) Show children how to put the apron between the edges of the band, the centre creases matching, and the band resting on the line of tacking stitches, about a quarter of an inch or more from the top edge ; ( b ) show how to fasten the band to apron with a pin ; ( c ) demonstrate most carefully how to set the pleated portions into the band, so that the under half of pleat shall not be pulled out of place ; (d) pin the band to every pleat ; ( e ) show how to tack the band firmly and securely to the apron, and then remove pins ; show how to fell the band to the apron. 2. Turn to the wrong side and show how to fix this side of the band to the apron, viz. (a) by letting children begin at the right-hand seamed edge of band and tacking I FIXING HEMS ON JOINED MATE DIAL 9i that portion, that goes beyond the sides of the apron, as well as the band to the apron, being careful that the edge of the band rests on the stitches from the right side, and that the edges of the pleats are flat ; (b) show how to top-sew the edges of the band, that go beyond the sides of the garment ; (c) then how to fell the band to the garment. N.B. — 1. Great care is needed in fixing the band, to prevent its being puckered, and so that the pleats are not clumsily huddled together. 2. A bib and a pocket both hemmed first and then seamed to the garment are improvements to a working apron. Strings are sometimes needed at the ends of the band ; these can be sewn on by children in Standard III. The apron should be cut out in an upper Standard. 3. Pleating is a very difficult exercise, and the children in this Standard may not be advanced enough to pleat their own garment work, but they should be encouraged to practise pleating on scraps of calico, as well as on lined paper. 4. Pleating towards the centre is to make the fulness fall to the front of the garment, and pleating from the centre towards the sides throws the fulness to the hips and back. Fixing Hems on Joined Material ( Standard III., Exercise D, Appendix I, New Code.) Class. — Standard III. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Two strips of very coarse calico (5 in. x 2 J in.), two coloured sewing cottons, tacking cotton, needle, slate and chalks. For the Children . — Two strips of coarse calico (5 in. x 2^ in.), needle, two coloured sewing cottons, and tacking cotton. Method. — 1 . (a) Tell children they learnt how to fix a sew-and-fell seam, and how to join two coloured cottons, 92 NEEDLEWORK PART both in seaming and felling, when they were in Standard II., and that they are now going to do the same with the two strips of calico, and then learn how to fix a hem on all the four sides ; ( b ) explain that it is difficult to fix two breadths of material, when joined by sew -and -fell seam, because the seam must be matched on the hem, and that when four sides are fixed, the corners need skill in fixing. 2. Recapitulate the lessons oil sew-and-fell seam , and the join in two colours , and when all the children have finished this part of the exercise, demonstrate the fixing of the hems. 3. Illustrate the joined material on the slate, and number the corners 1, 2, 3, 4 (Fig. 45). 4. (a) Tell children to turn the work with the wrong side towards them, and with the sew-and-fell seam going across, and turn down one fold the depth of the little finger nail, on the left-hand side, marked 1 and 2 in Fig. 45 ; ( b ) show children how to turn the second fold a little deeper than the first, and (c) recapitulate the tacking stitch ; ( d ) illustrate on the slate ; ( e ) show how to fix and tack the right-hand side, marked 3 and 4 in Fig. 45, in the same way. 5. (a) Show children how to turn the crosswise of the material, telling them the two sides 1 and 4, and 2 and 3, need great attention, on account of the sew-and-fell seam and the corners ; (h) show how to turn down one fold the same depth as for the selvedge hems ; (c) then how to turn the second fold deeper than the first, being careful that the edges of the corners are even and flat, and that the line of seaming and felling stitches on the right side lies on the stitches on the wrong ; (d) recapitulate the tacking stitch, showing children that the stitches at the I FIXING HEMS ON JOINED MA TERIAL 93 corners must be taken through, so that they may lie flat and even, and at the seam the tacking stitches must be placed, closer together, because of the thickness, and to 4 i keep the seam in its proper place ; ( e ) illustrate one side at a time. N.B . — If the children have already fixed a hem on a pocket-hand- kerchief in Standard II., the above lesson would be somewhat familiar to them. 94 NEEDLEWORK FART CHAPTER IX CALF OF STOCKING — DARNING A TIIIN PLACE ON STOCKING-WEB — GATHERING — SETTING-IN Calf of Stocking (Decreasings) Exercise. — To cast on 15 loops ami show 2 pairs of decreasings ; ami to knit 15 rows, ami then cast off Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — Far the Teacher. — Two knitting needles, ball of wool, a finished stocking, slate and chalks. For the Children. — Two knitting pins, and a ball of wool or cotton. Method. — 1. (a) Explain that a stocking must fit the leg comfortably, and for this reason it is always made large enough at the beginning to go over the knee, and at the calf is gradually decreased, so that it may fit the ankle neatly and properly ; ( b ) that it is better to learn how to decrease on a small specimen than on a stocking, which might be spoilt by mistakes ; ( c ) and that such a small specimen is needed on the Day of Examination. 2. (a) Recapitulate the method of making a slip-knot loop ; and (b) tell children to cast on one needle fifteen loops, and knit four rows plain and purl alternately, slip- ping the first loop in every row except the first row, after the casting-on, and purling the eighth loop in the plain row, and knitting the same loop plain in the purl row, to form the seam stitch ; (c) draw a simple illustration on the slate, making white chalk lines represent the vertical rows of the knitting. 1 CALF OF STOCKING 95 3. The plain side of the knitting must be towards the worker when the decreasings are made, (a) Tell children to slip the first loop and knit three loops plain ; ( b ) call their attention to three loops being left to the right of the seam, and that this is the place to begin the first decreas- ing ; (c) explain that decreasings are sometimes called narrowings , and sometimes intakes , and that these words mean (1) lessening the number of loops, (2) making this part of the stocking less in width, (3) taking the loops in towards the seam stitch. 4. (a) Colour these three loops to the right of the seam in the slate illustration (Fig. 46) ; ( b ) show children how to slip one loop, knit one, and then pull the slipped stitch over the knitted one ; (c) elicit that this is like casting-off, and that now instead of seven loops there are only six to the right of the seam ; ( d ) knit one plain and purl the seam stitch ; ( e ) show children again that one loop to the left of the seam stitch must be knitted before the second decreasing is made ; (/) colour three lines to the left of the seam in the illustration (Fig. 46), and then show how to knit the next two loops together by putting the needle in the front part of both loops at the same time ; (g) point out the difference in the method of decreasing on the left side of the seam from the right side, and explain that this is done to make the decreas- 9 6 NEEDLEWORK PART ings fall towards the seam stitch, and so to match each other (for if the second were done like the first, it would fall away from the seam) ; ( h ) explain why a loop is knitted between each decreasing and the seam stitch, viz. to prevent the seam stitch from being pulled out of shape by the heavy double loop, which forms the decreas- ing : examine children’s work ; ( i ) illustrate the appearance of the first pair of decreasings (Fig. 46) ; (j) tell children to finish this row of knitting, and then knit five rows purl and plain alternately : examine work ; (k) illustrate five rows knitted in white chalk, and colour three lines on either side of the seam ; ( l ) recapitulate the whole of the method, eliciting, illustrating, questioning, and examining as above, while making the second pair of decreasings ; (m) explain that the number of rows left between each pair of decreasings for the calf may be at first nine, seven, I DARNING ON STOCKING- WEB MATERIAL 97 or five, and then three ; (n) that the decreasings are always knitted in pairs, and on the right or plain side of the knitting ; (o) illustrate the second pair of decreasings, and elicit that there are eleven loops left ; (p) tell children to knit five rows purl and plain alternately, and cast off’. 5. Illustrate by a simple diagram the appearance of the specimen when finished (Fig. 47). Note . — The average number of decreasings in long stockings is eight, and in socks four. Darning a Thin Place on Stocking-web Material Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — A specimen of plain knitting, made of 12 -ply black or crimson fleecy wool, fastened to the Paragon Frame, or to a slate, a very coarse darning needle, and white or black 6-ply fleecy wool ; the Demonstration Frame, slate and chalks, a knitted sock or stocking or vest, which has this kind of darn on it. For the Children . — A waste piece of knitting, or a cuff’ in wool or cotton, darning needle and suitable mending material, of a contrasting colour, that children may see the difference between the darned and undarned surface ; or a piece of woollen stocking-web, darning needle, and coloured embroidery (D.M.C.) or knitting cotton (Strutt’s), and a scrap of canvas. Method. — 1. Draw on the slate, illustrations of the right and wrong sides of the web, and of the canvas. 2. Contrast the knitted web on the Paragon Frame with the canvas of the Demonstration Frame, the children contrasting their piece of web with the canvas at the same time, and elicit the differences ; (a) that the stocking - web H 98 NEEDLEWORK PART is quite different in manufacture, because it is formed of loops which interlace, some going up and some going down ; ( b ) that the stocking-web stretches a great deal and then contracts again ; (c) that the right and wrong sides differ very much, the right side being plain knitting and the wrong side purl ; ( cl ) that the loops form ridge - like rows across or round the material on the wrong side, as well as perpendicular l ows of up-and-down loops, while on the right side the perpendicular rows, as well as the crosswise rows, form a pattern like the links of a chain interlaced ; (e) that the canvas of the frame and their piece of canvas are formed of threads and not loops, that it does not stretch in the same way as the stocking-web, but that spaces are left between the threads ; that the difference between the right and wrong sides is not so striking as in stocking-web. 3. Position of the Work. — Show children how to hold the web over the first and second fingers of the left hand with the wrong side towards them, because the darn for a thin place is always worked on the wrong side, and with the ridge-like rows going from left to right, and the up- and-down loops running from top to bottom. 4. The Darn. — First Piow. — (a) Explain that they are going to learn how to strengthen and protect the weakened loops by the same stitch which they learnt in Standard III. ; (b) that the fastening on and off must be on the stronger looj^s away from the worn part, and that the darning must be worked from the left to the right above and below the worn part ; ( c ) show by the knitting frame how to put the needle under one down loop, at the left-hand top (or bottom) corner, over one and under one, till the whole of the thin place is covered, and draw the needle and cotton out leaving a short end. I DARNING ON STOCKING-WEB MATERIAL 99 N.B . — When drawing the needle and cotton out, it is necessary to put the left thumb on the web to prevent puckering the darn. (d) Explain that if we begin at the top, we must always put the needle under and over the down loops, but if we begin at the bottom we must put the needle under and over the up loops, or when we pull the needle and cotton out we shall drag the stocking-web out of shape. lie- capitulate, the children working with you on their web ; examine children’s work. 5. Illustrate the first row with a coloured chalk on the wrong side of diagram (Fig. 48). 6. Second Row. — (a) Show by the knitting frame how to come down one ridge, below the loop from which the darning material is coming, and then how to put the needle under the up loop in the next perpendicular row, and proceed as before, till the whole space is darned as far as the ridge of loops below that from which the fastening- on end of cotton is coming ; (b) take your needle out and demonstrate again, the children working on their material as well as watching how you do it, draw needle and cotton out and leave a loop ; ( c ) elicit that a thread was left between every row to make room for the darning cotton, when they darned on the canvas. Note. — When darning on stocking -web material no rows must be left between, because the web is so very elastic, and when it is stretched there is plenty of space for the new darning wool, or cotton, or silk. (d) Explain why loops of darning material are left at the bottom and top of the darn : (1) to allow of the new material working up into the original, and (2) to allow of shrinking in the case of wool, when the garment is 100 NEEDLEWORK PART washed ; (e) explain why they must come down one ridge, and not put the needle under the up loop in the same ridge as the down loop in the first row : (1) so that the rows of loops shall be covered alternately on the right and wrong sides. Stretch the knitting on the frame to prove that every loop on both right and wrong sides is covered, if they come down one ridge ; (2) that the top and bottom edges will be irregular, and the strain of the r DARNING ON STOCKING-WEB MATE RIAL IOI new darning material will be the same all over the surface of the thin place. 7. Illustrate the second row on diagram (Fig. 48). Examine children’s work. 8. Third How. — (a) Show by the knitting frame how to put the needle under the same down loop as in the first row, and proceed as before, i.e. under one loop and over one loop, till the row is the same length as the first row of darning. 9. Illustrate on the slate (Fig. 48), and elicit (1) why we darn a thin place ; (2) why we leave loops ; (3) why no rows of stocking-web loops are left between each row of darning ; (4) why in the second row of darning we either come down a ridge, if working from the top to the bottom, or go up a ridge, if we are working from the bottom to the top ; (5) why we .go under and over the down loops in darning downwards, and under and over the up loops in darning upwards ; (6) why the top and bottom edges must be irregular. 10. Fourth How . — Show by the knitting frame that this row is darned in the same way as the second, recapitulat- ing the whole of the method, the children working with you, and in answer to your questions, giving reasons for what they are doing. Go on in this way, till the whole of the thin place is covered. Illustrate the shape of the darn on the slate. N.B . — The shape may lie a diamond, an oblong, an octagon, or a circle, according to the position of the thin place. Notes. — 1. As soon as the children can darn a thin place on waste pieces of knitting, or on the coarse woven stocking-web, let them try to darn the heels and toes of the new socks or stockings, which they have knitted while in Standard III. or Standard IV. This can be done in school if there is time, or 102 NEEDLEWORK PART as a home lesson. Explain that the heels and toes are darned to thicken the parts which have the most strain. 2. Children must learn on waste knitting, but they should, as soon as possible, practise what they have learnt on a garment. This is practical, and the only way of meeting the complaint of persons, who take our elementary school girls into their domestic service, “ that these girls can spoil new materials, but cannot mend their worn or torn garments.” 3. Encourage the girls to bring to school worn socks and stockings in a clean condition, and show them how to hold these while darning, and suggest the shape that will be best for the thin places, and give the girls time in school to practise the darns, if possible. 4. Some people in darning stocking-web material do not go down or up one ridge in the second row, as described in direction No. 6 above, but put the needle under the up loop in the same ridge as the down loop, thus covering the same ridge twice in every row of darning. This method is not to be recommended. Gathering Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — The Paragon or two pieces of Java canvas, or Tea cloth, one piece to represent the garment, the other for the band, needle and coloured tacking and sewing cotton, the Demonstration Frame, slate and chalks. A finished garment, e.g. a chemise, night- shirt or night-gown, or blouse, to show the use of gathers ; pins. For the Children . — Two pieces of coarse calico, needle, tacking and coloured sewing cotton, pins. Method. — 1 . (a) Show by the finished articles that gathers are used to narrow a garment either at the neck, I GA THE RING 103 shoulder, waist, wrist, or leg (and then are set into a band or yoke or cuff), and at the same time to give fulness either above or below the band ; ( b ) show by the garments that the gathers are made across the material, and not up and down with the selvedge ; (c) show by comparison that gathers are better than pleats in some garments. 2. Give the children one piece of calico, which is to represent the garment in the first lesson. 3. Draw an illustration of this on the slate (Fig. 49). 4. (a) Show children that the calico is broader than it is long, and that the shorter sides are the selvedges ; (b) let them pull the selvedge and the woof of the material for practice in finding out the way of the stuff; (c) show them how to turn down narrow hems on the selvedge sides first, and then on one long side, and tack these hems, to make the specimen neat, and more like such a garment as an apron ; ( d ) illustrate the tacked hems on slate, and mark the diagram with an arrow to indicate the selvedge way of the material. 5. (a) Show the children how to divide the calico down its length into halves and quarters, creasing the material at first, and then showing children how to put a 104 NEEDLEWORK PART few stitches at the divisions on the wrong side of the material ; (b) explain that these divisions are necessary in a garment, in order to set the gathers into a band or yoke or cuff, with regularity. 6. ( a ) Explain that gathers are always worked on the right side of a garment, on single material, and tell children to put the right side of their work uppermost ; (b) tell them that gathering should be done in a straight line and at a certain distance from the top edge of the material ; (c) show that a straight line can be obtained by turning down the top edge on to the right side about a quarter of an inch all the way along, and then pinch and press the calico to make a crease. (Some let children draw a thread, but this is a bad method, for the material is weakened thus) ; (d) let children turn down a fold of the calico at the top, and make a crease ; (e) illustrate this by a dotted line on slate diagram (Fig. 49). 7. Fastening-on. — Tell children they begin at the right- hand side, close to the hem, but never on the hem. (a) Show by a mark on the diagram, where they must fasten on, and by the frame and your own material how to fasten on, by taking up a little piece of the material and working over this two or three times with a back stitch, pulling the cotton to find out, if it is very securely fastened. (Some give children double cotton for gathering, because if one part of the thread breaks, the stitch can be con- tinued with the single thread, but it is not a good method, because the cotton gets twisted, and, if broken, becomes entangled) ; (/>) demonstrate again, the children fastening on at the same time. 8. The Gathering Stitch. — (a) Show by the Demonstration Frame and then by your own material how to work the stitch thus : — On the Frame , pass over four threads and I GA THE RING io 5 take up two threads ; on the Java Canvas , pass over a long piece, and take up on the needle half as much as you have passed over, thus making a long stitch on the right side, and a short one on the wrong side ; ( b ) repeat the process of making the stitch, telling the children to work on the crease on their calico in the same way ; ( c ) illustrate the appearance of the stitch (Fig. 49) ; and on a sectional diagram to represent the frame, the true proportions of the stitches (Fig. 52) ; (d) go on working with the class, illustrating on the slate and examining, till the opposite side is reached ; ( e ) tell children they must leave off, when they reach the hem ; (/) show them how to draw up the material by gently pulling the gathering cotton, and working the material back to the right with the right hand, then take the needle off the cotton ; (g) give the children a pin and show by the frame, needle and cord, your own work, and an illustration on the slate (Fig. 50) how to put the pin in the work, and wind the gathering cotton round it. N.B. — The gathers must not be drawn up too tightly at first. 9. Illustrate the appearance of material, when narrowed at the top (Fig. 50). 10. Show children that the long stitches on the right side make the gathers on the wrong side, and the short stitches on the wrong side make the gathers on the right side, so that the wrong side gathers are twice the size of the right side. N.B. — 1. Fresh gathering cotton should be fastened on at the divisions of the garment, and twisted round pins, when the work is drawn up. 2. The material to he gathered should be twice (or a little more) the length of the band, into which it is to be fixed. This rule cannot always be carried into effect, but it is always better to have gathers full, than scanty. io6 NEEDLE WORK PART 3. Gathers are made on double material, sometimes, for instance, at the back part of a gown, under-petticoat, and baby’s robe, and all round the waist of children’s muslin frocks. 11. Stroking. — (a) Show that the result of drawing up the gathering cotton is to form folds, called gathers, and that these are all uneven, and need to be arranged in regular order by stroking them down, before they are set into the band ; (b) show the children that the stroking must be done on the right side of the garment, at first below the gathering thread, and then above it, beginning always at the left-hand side ; (c) show how to lift up each gather without scratching or scraping the material, with the point of the pin, or eye of the needle, and push it under the left thumb, moving the thumb up and down on the gather, till it is flattened or smoothed to the depth which you want (say from a quarter to a half inch below the gathering cotton) ; (d) when the gathers below the gathering thread are completely stroked, take out the pin, draw up the gathers more tightly, twist the cotton round the pin and re-stroke ; ( e ) show the children how to turn the work round, and stroke the gathers above the gathering cotton, explaining that these must be as regular and flat as those below, or they will not set well under the band; (/) examine the children’s stroking and give individual help, where necessary. I SETTING -IN GATHERS 107 N.B . — Explain that scratching or scraping the material leaves ugly marks, which not only spoil the appearance, but often weaken and break the threads of the material. Stroking needs to be well done. All the gathers should go up and down in straight lines after being stroked. 12. Making the Band. — (a) Recapitulate the way of finding the selvedge and the fixing as described in Standard 111. (Fig. 39). Tack the top folded edge and two ends, seaming the latter before fixing the band to the garment ; {b) show children how to divide the band into halves and quarters, and mark the divisions by a few cross stitches (Fig. 51b); (c) explain that this is done to match the divisions in the garment, and to help to set in the gathers, regularly. 13. Fixing the Band to the Garment. — (a) Show how to take out the pin or pins, and move the gathers along the gathering cotton from right to left, till the garment is the same length as the band ; (b) show very clearly how to place the garment between the bottom edges of the band, matching the halves and quarters, and putting in pins at these divisions, and at each end of the band, where great care is needed to prevent the hems being rolled into hard lumps. (Some do not top-sew the ends of the band, till the gathers have been set in, because the hems on the sides of the garment call be fixed more easily) ; ( c ) show children how to regulate the gathers, while placing the band, and point out that the band must lie on the gather- ing cotton in as straight a line as possible ; (d) show children how to tack the edge of the band on to the garment, without marring the regularity of the gathers ; then take out the pins. 14. Setting-in Stitch . — Show how to hold the work (there are several ways of doing this ; the method shown 108 NEEDLEWORK PART in Fig. 51 a has been found the best, because the gathers I SETTING-IN GATHERS 109 setting-in stitches can be kept the same in shape all along) either (1) with the garment over the left forefinger quite straight as for seaming, the edge of the band resting on the forefinger, and the left thumb close to the edge of the band ; or (2) the band being placed over the left fore- finger as for hemming; or (3) partly like hemming and seaming. Show children by the Demonstration Frame how to make the stitch. The fold at the top of the frame represents the band, and two strands of tape below, one gather. (a) Fastening on is the same as for hemming, because the right-hand end of the band must be hemmed to the hem on the garment, so at first the children must hold the band in the same way as they would for hemming; (fr) when the first gather is reached, tell the class to watch you, while you work the stitch on the frame thus : — the cotton is coming out on the fold or band, place the needle in the hole below the edge of the fold, and then in a slanting direction forward under two strands of tape, and bring it out on the fold, one strand above the edge, then show children that a straight stitch has been made on the right side, and a slanting one on the wrong side ; ( c ) illustrate on a sectional diagram to represent the frame thus : put a chalk mark in a space between two selvedge lines, and mark it No. 1, then count down two lines and put another mark and call it No. 2, count to the I IO NEEDLEWORK PART left two lines, and two lines up, and put a mark and call it No. 3 ; draw a straight line from Nos. 1 to 2, and dot a slanting line from Nos. 2 to 3 (Fig. 53). Elicit that setting-in stitch is the reverse of seaming stitch, (d) Show how to work the stitch by the frame and sectional diagram, till they understand how to do it (let the children prac- tise the setting- in stitch on canvas before they work it on calico). Then use the Paragon, or a larger specimen than the children’s, to show how each gather must be lifted up to the edge of the band, the cotton being drawn down straight from the band, and the needle placed in a Fio. 53. slanting direction well under each gather ; (e) try to make the children see that by placing the needle well under the gathers, they are increasing the size of those on the right side, and lessening the size of those on the wrong side, so that when the setting- in is finished on both right and wrong sides, the gathers will be equal in size ; (/) when the end of the right side is reached, fasten off the gathering cotton on the garment underneath the band, hemming the end of the band on to the hem of the gar- ment, and then turn the work round to the wrong side ; (g) show how to tack the wrong side of the band most care- fully and evenly above the gathering cotton, and slanting I FLANNEL PATCL1ING 1 1 1 setting-in stitches, and recapitulate the whole method, as given for the right side of garment (Figs. 51 A and 51 b). N.B . — Point out that the band on the wrong side must not be taken above the gathering cotton, and never below it, or the band will be puckered, and the gathers on the right side will be displaced and tightened. CHAPTER X FLANNEL PATCHING — CORNERS IN HERRING-BONE STITCH Flannel Patching {Fixing) Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — Two pieces of coloured flannel, one much larger than the other, scissors, needle and white tacking cotton, a torn flannel petticoat, or vest, or drawers, or shirt, or bodice, or infant’s night-gown, also a patched flannel garment, pins. For the Children . — Two pieces of coloured flannel, needle and white tacking cotton, pins, scissors. N.B . — In the first lesson the shape of the patch should be a scjuare or an oblong. Method. — 1. (a) Draw an illustration on the slate to represent garment worn into a hole, and another to represent the patch ; (b) explain that patching is repairing or mending a garment, which is either worn very thin, or into a hole, or which has been accidentally torn. Show a garment, which is too much strained to be darned, and another with a hole, and tell children these must be mended by means of a patch of material of the same colour and age, so that they may last some time longer. Tell 1 12 NEEDLEWORK PART them that patching, like darning, helps to make people thrifty. 2. (a) Tell children they are going to learn how to fix a patch on flannel or some other woollen material at first, with two pieces from a worn-out petticoat, or entirely new material (new material is supplied by the London School Board) ; (b) show them how to fold the larger piece diagonally, and then cut a hole in the centre ; (r) show how to find the selvedge of the garment (in a real garment this goes from top to bottom), the selvedge in flannel can easily be detected, because it stretches little in comparison with the woof, and the threads do not form so deep a fringe when torn ; (d) tell children to place the garment on desk with the selvedge side going up and down ; ( e ) show children the difference between the right and wrong sides by turning back one corner of the material and comparing the surfaces ; tell them the surface with the thickest woolly substance, which is called the nap or ply, is the right side, and the side which is bare of nap, and with the threads more distinct, is the wrong side. N.B . — Write the word nap or ply on the slate, and explain the meaning of whichever word you use. (/) Tell children to place the garment with the right side uppermost, and selvedges going up and down, then show them that the nap can be rubbed up the wrong way, and that when this is done the surface of the material is rough looking, but when the nap is rubbed down the right way it is flat and smooth and nicer to the touch ; ( g ) explain that the nap of flannel and other woollen materials must always go downwards with the selvedge, because the material will wear and keep clean longer than if the nap is placed upwards. The material is worn thin in a short I FLANNEL PATCHING 113 time, and catches the dirt more quickly,- if the nap is placed the wrong way. 3. Examine to see that children have found (1) the selvedge; (2) the right side; (3) the way of the nap; and (4) that the garment piece is lying on the desk with right side uppermost, and the nap going down from them with the selvedge. 4. (a) Show children how to tack the left-hand side of garment near a selvedge edge, the knot of cotton being at the bottom, showing the nap is falling towards it ; ( b ) illustrate, and write these three important details on the slate. N.B. — A tacking thread is better than a pin. 5. (a) Tell children to take up the ptftch and to find (1) the selvedge; (2) the right side; and (3) the way of the nap ; ( b ) examine to see that they have found all correctly ; (c) show how to tack one side near the edge like the garment ; (cl) examine children’s patch ; ( e ) com- pare the size of the patch with the size of the hole, and explain that in an actual garment there are sure to be thin places round the hole on all sides, and therefore a patch must always be . an inch or two larger than the hole, or the garment will break away from the sides of the patch ; (f) show children how to turn the garment over, so that the wrong side is uppermost, the tacking to the right- hand side, and the knot at the bottom. 6. Placing the Patch on the Garment. — (a) Show children how to place the right side of the patch to the wrong side of the garment, matching the selvedges and the way of the nap (the tacking being on the right-hand side and knot at the bottom), and letting the centre of the patch lie over the hole ; ( b ) show how to hold the garment up to the I NEEDLEWORK PART 114 light to see if the patch is well over the hole on all sides, and that it is quite evenly placed. (This part is very important, and in addition to demonstrating collectively, it will be wise to give individual attention, before tacking the patch on to the garment) ; ( c ) show how to press the patch down with the right hand, so that it adheres closely to the garment ; (d) show how to tack the patch to the garment, beginning at the left-hand selvedge side, five threads from the raw edge ; ( e ) illustrate on the slate the hole covered and the patch tacked ; (/) elicit by question- ing that the wrong side of garment and patch is upper- most, that the hole is well covered, and that the knots of the tacking cotton are hidden. 7. (a) Tell children to turn work over, so that the hole can be seen ; \b) illustrate on slate ; (c) elicit that the right side of patch can be seen through the hole ; (d) show children by the illustration, and then by your own speci- men, that it is necessary to cut away all the jagged edges of the hole, and the thin parts round it, and elicit that in so doing the hole is made larger and the same shape as the patch ; ( e ) draw diagonal lines from the hole of illus- tration towards each corner of the patch, to show how far the worn part must be cut away. (This is the most diffi- cult part of the fixing, because children are apt to cut away either too much or too little.) A sufficient depth of the garment must be left lying on the patch, so that there may be a space between the herring-bone stitches, on the right and wrong sides ; (/) show by your own specimen how to cut up towards one corner to within eight or nine threads of the tacking cotton, then let children cut up to one corner of their work ; ( g ) demonstrate till children have cut up to all four corners, then show them how to cut away all the torn and worn parts in straight lines, I TO HERRING-BONE THE CORNERS "5 true to a thread, the children doing the same on their work ; ( h ) illustrate on the slate ; ( i ) examine work ; (j) show how to press the garment to the patch, and tack it five threads above the edges. N.B. — (1) The tacking stitches on flannel should be very neatly done. (2) The garment must be fastened to the patch on the right side by herring-bone stitch first, then the patch to the garment. (Some prefer fixing and herring-boning the wrong side first.) (3) Great care is needed in fixing to prevent the patch from being put on too tightly or too loosely. (4) Re- capitulate the herring - bone stitch by frame and chequered board ; and if the girls have not been taught the corners in Standard III., teach them these on canvas at first, and then on the flannel patch. To Herring-bone the Corners Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — Foi' the Teacher. — A fixed patch, needle and sewing cotton, Demonstration Frame with corner attached, slate and chalks. For the Children . — A fixed patch of coloured flannel, needle and white sewing cotton (or coloured cotton if white flannel), to help the children to see if the stitches are all distinct and regular. Method. — 1 . (a) Recapitulate by the Demonstration Frame, illustration on slate, and your own specimen, how to begin the herring-bone stitch on the flannel ; (h) show children how to fasten on the cotton in the middle of a selvedge side on the right side of the garment, either by weaving the needle over and under a thread as high as four threads from the raw edge, or by slipping the needle under the garment, and bringing it out four threads high, and tucking the end of the cotton under the fold ; ( c ) go on demonstrating and illustrating on sectional diagram the ii6 NEEDLEWORK TART herring-bone stitch, in the same way as given in lesson in Standard III., being careful to see that children take their needles through the double material at the top, and through single material just below the raw edge. 2. The Inner Corner . — (a) When the corner is reached the cotton must be coming out at the top from the last stitch (the children should be taught the corners on canvas before they work them on flannel) ; let children I TO HERRING-BONE THE CORNERS ii 7 count down four threads with you, and four to the right, and then show by frame how to put the needle under two threads of the double material vertically, the eye of the needle being downwards, then draw it out, and turn the work round ; count down four threads and to the right four threads, and put the needle under two threads of single material horizontally ; (b) illustrate on sectional diagram the position of the needle (Fig. 54) ; examine. The children can go on working the stitches without any demonstration on frame, while you illustrate one side of stitches on slate (Fig. 57); ( c ) when the second corner is reached, show by the frame again, how to put the needle IIS NEEDLEWORK PART under two threads vertically, as before. Repeat this till the garment is herring-boned to the patch, and all the inner corners are completed. To Fasten Off . — Show children how to weave the needle under the crosses at the top, and work over the last stitch as for stitching. Fig. 57 . 3. The Outer Comers. — (a) Show how to fasten on in the middle of a selvedge side, and recapitulate the stitch, as before ; (b) when the corner is reached, the cotton must be coming out of the last stitch at the bottom, on the single material ; (c) show by the frame how to count up four threads and to the right four threads, and put the I SEWING ON AN UNPIERCED LINEN BUTTON 119 needle under two threads of single material vertically, the eye of the needle being upwards ; draw the needle out, and turn the work round ; (d) illustrate the position of needle at outer corner (Fig. 55 ). Let children go on working this side of the patch, while you illustrate the appearance of stitches on the slate (Fig. 56 ). Examine children’s work frequently. Demonstrate by frame and slate every corner, till all are finished, and then fasten off, as before. Notes. — 1. The fastening-011 stitch is alwaj^s a half one, but in herring-boning a square, oblong, or triangular patch, this half stitch is always finished, before fastening off. 2. The herring-bone stitch is worked on the right and wrong sides in patching, and the stitches on the reverse sides should be quite clear and distinct, to make the patching strong, and lasting. CHAPTER XI BUTTONS AND BUTTONHOLES Sewing on an Unpierced Linen Button Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — A band of very coarse calico, and a very large unpierced linen button, needle and coloured sewing cotton, slate and chalks, specimens of pierced pearl, bone, metal, and linen buttons, unpierced flannel, holland, and fancy dress buttons, with and without shanks, and various garments with different kinds of buttons securely sewn on. For the Children . — A calico band already fixed by them- 120 NEEDLEWORK TART selves, an unpierced linen button of moderate size, needle and coloured sewing cotton. Method. — 1. Draw an illustration of the band and the button (Figs. 58a and 58b). 2. (a) Show by the finished garments that buttons and buttonholes are used to fasten certain parts of clothing ; (b) that gar- ments can be more easily fastened by buttons than by tape strings, which take time to tie ; ( c ) that buttons are always sewn on double material, and on the right side of the garment, with the right side of the button uppermost. Fig. 58a. 3. (a) Show children how to fold the band into halves across its length, and crease it well : then open it and fold the right or left hand end in about a quarter or half an inch or more, according to the size of the button ; (b) illustrate the creases on the band (Fig. 58b) ; (c) explain that these creases are guides for placing the button in the I SEWING ON AN UNPIERCED LINEN BUTTON 121 middle of the band, and at the right distance from the end. (Buttons should not be placed, if it can possibly be avoided, quite close to the edge of the band, because it is always better to allow some portion of the material to lie under the buttonhole (illustrate by a dress bodice). Examine, to see if children have creased their bands accurately. 4. (a) Show that all buttons have a right and a wrong side, and that linen buttons have a join on the wrong side, and are covered with calico, instead of linen, that pearl buttons, etc., are rough and unfinished on the wrong side ; ( b ) explain that linen, holland, and flannel buttons have metal rims, and that the material is folded more than once over this rim, so that buttons are said to be made of twofold, threefold, and fourfold linen, etc., and are dearer in price, according to the number of folds, on the right side. 5. ( a ) Tell children to hold the right side of the button towards them, and then show them how to find its centre, by drawing the eye of the needle from the top to the bottom, vertically, and then across it, horizontally ; (b) explain that where these lines intersect each other is the centre of the button. (The holes made to attach buttons to the card on which they are sold are not always in the centre, but may be so by accident.) 6. Illustrate the diameters of the button by dotted lines (Eig. 58 a ), and examine children’s buttons, to see if they have distinctly marked them, without scratching the linen. 7. (a) Explain that the linen button must be fastened to the band very securely by stitching, which at the same time will ornament its surface, and that stitching is more regularly done, if it follows the circle of the metal rim, but 122 NEEDLE WORK PART it must not be worked close to the rim ; ( b ) show the children how to hold the button up to the light, with right side towards them, and mark a circle with the eye of the needle, half-way between the outer rim and the centre. (Some let children prick holes with the point of the needle, others let them draw a circle with lead pencil.) Illustrate the circle (Fig. 58a). N.B . --The marking of the circle is a difficult process for children, and needs much practice to be done perfectly. Examine children’s buttons, to see if the circle is distinct, well formed, and the right distance from the outer edge. 8. Fastening on the Sewing Cotton. — (a) Show by your own calico band how to fasten the cotton on by working over a small piece of the material, two or three times, a little distance from where the lines on it intersect each other ; (/>) put a chalk mark on slate illustration to show the exact place. Examine to see if children have fastened on securely and correctly on the right side of the band. 9. (a) Show children how to bring the needle from the wrong to the right side of the button, somewhere on the circle, and then show by the Demonstration Frame or your calico band how to put the needle back two or three threads, and push it through the button and the band, and draw it out gently and loosely to the wrong side ; (b) illustrate the stitch on the button, marking the place where the cotton first came out No. 1, and the place where the needle was put in to form the stitch No. 2 (Fig. 58b). Examine children’s work ; ( c ) show how to put the needle through the wrong side of the band, and bring it out on the circle, either two or three threads above or below the first stitch, then how to put the needle back close to the stitch already made, and above or below the cotton at the back, as in ordinary stitching, I SEWING ON AN UN PIERCED LINEN BUTTON 123 (elicit the reasons given in Standard III. for doing this), and draw the needle out as before ; (d) illustrate and examine ; ( e ) explain that stitching on the surface of the button must be neat and regular, and on the wrong side must be cord-like, as in ordinary stitching; (/) go on demonstrating, illustrating, and examining, till children are ready to make the last stitch, then show them how to put the needle back to touch the last stitch, and bring it out between the button and the band ; ( g ) explain ( 1 ) that the stitching which is loose on the surface of the button must be tightened, and (2) the cotton lying between the button and the band must be protected from the friction of the buttonhole, and (3) that the button must be raised, and all three by means of a hand-made stem or shank of cotton. 10. — Stemming the Button. — (a) Show a button with a shank, and elicit that this kind of button is raised, and so gives a buttonhole plenty of space to rest on underneath it, but linen and other buttons without shanks must always be raised by stemming with cotton or linen thread, or silk to match the material upon which they are being sewn ; (h) show children how to stem by winding the cotton four or more times round the button rather tightly ; (c) when they have stemmed it, examine to see if correctly done, and then show how to fasten off, on the right side of the band, under the button, and break the cotton. Notes. — 1. All buttons, whether pierced or unpierced, should be stemmed by rings of cotton, if they have no shanks, when bought. 2. If the metal rim to the button is narrow, then the circle of stitching on it must be half-way between the outer edge and the centre, but if broad, the stitching may be worked close to the rim, so that a sufficient space is left for the buttonhole to lie quite flat under it. 124 NEEDLEWORK PART 3. There must not he a deep pit on the wrong side of the band, underneath the button. This pit is caused by stitching and stemming the button too tightly, which, in addition, puckers the band. 4. A circle of stitching quite close to the narrow rim of a button is incorrect. 5. Linen buttons may be fastened to a band by long stitches to and from the centre to the made circle, thus forming a star. . This method is only suit- able for small buttons on baby-linen (Fig. GO). 6. Pierced buttons must be fastened to a garment by means of the two, three, or four holes on them, by stitches passed through the holes and forming sometimes straight stitches and sometimes crosses or triangles. Bone, metal and pearl buttons used on men’s and boys’ clothing must be very strongly fastened and stemmed (Fig. 59). 7. If a button is required for a pinafore, etc., where there is no hem, a piece of tape or calico must be placed on the wrong side of the garment, to form double material, for if buttons are sewn on single material, they cause it to break away into holes. 8. Some people mark a star on the surface of the button, and stitch the rays to and from the centre to the inner circle, then stem it. This is a very strong method. Buttonhole Stitch (First Lesson) Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — Foi' the Teacher . — Demonstration Frame, slate, chalks, a square of lined canvas, needle and coloured embroidery cotton, finished specimens of buttonholes on garments. I BUTTONHOLE STITCH 125 For the Children. — A square of lined canvas, needle and coloured embroidery cotton, thimbles. Aim of Lesson. — To teach the stitch on canvas, only. Method. — 1. (a) Show by the garments that button- holes are needed to fit buttons, so as to fasten clothing properly ; if the holes are too small for the size of the button, they are useless ; if too large, they are untidy and liable to slip off the buttons ; (b) that button- holes are always worked on the right side of double material, sometimes at the right-hand side of the garment, and sometimes at the left, e.g. in chemises and shirts ; (c) that they are cut on the selvedge, the woof, and the cross of the material ; (d) draw an illustration of a band with a button 011 it at one end, and a slit on the other end to show the use of it ; ( e ) let children draw out two threads of the canvas to represent the hole; (/) tell them to hold the work over the left forefinger, like for setting- in gathers, and fasten on at the left-hand side. (This stitch is worked from left to right, like herring-boning.) 2. Fastening on. — (a) Show children by the frame how to weave the needle and cotton under and over four threads, on the right side, above the space made by the drawn threads ; (b) let the children weave the needle under and over the material in the same way ; (c) then draw the needle and cotton out, leaving a very short end, which will be covered by the last stitch of the opposite side of the slit, and also worked over, when bracing the end. N.B . — The advantage of this method is that the stitch is taught directly, whereas in the method given in Note 1, the first stitch is the fastening on. 3. The Stitch. — ( a ) Show how to put the needle into the 126 NEEDLEWORK PART space immediately below the fastening- on cotton, in a vertical direction under four threads, keeping the fastening- on cotton behind the eye of the needle, and putting the cotton coming from the eye of the needle round its point from left to right, then drawing the needle out and up to the top, rather loosely, making a knot. Repeat this, letting children work with you, then examine ; (b) let the children see that two straight upright stitches are made, covering four threads, both on the right and wrong sides ; (c) illus- trate on the sectional diagram thus : — put a mark in a space between two lines and call it No. 1, count down four lines and mark a dotted line to represent the stitch on the wrong side, then put a thick chalk line to represent the stitch on the right side, with a knot at the top of it (Fig. 61); (d) explain that the knots of the buttonhole stitches protect the raw edges of the material, when cut to form a buttonhole, and that these knots require room to lie flat and in regular order, so a thread must be left between each stitch on coarse material, and two threads on fine. (The buttonhole stitches should never be too far NX 4 - 1 1 1 3 i i fn 7 | n i i i ; i i i i l : • Mil Til| nr Fig. Cl. apart, or the hole has a ragged unfinished appearance, and is not firm and durable.) 4. (a) Show children how to put the cotton, coming from the knot back over the left hand, that it may lie behind the needle ; (b) then how to put the needle into the lining at the back of the canvas, one thread to the right of the last stitch, under four threads vertically as before, and bring the cotton from the eye of the needle and place it round the point from left to right, draw the needle out and up to I BUTTONHOLE STITCH 127 the top rather loosely, making a knot ; (c) elicit that two stitches are made at the same time, one on the right and one on the wrong side ; that the knots are only seen on the right side of the work (this can be clearly shown by the frame) ; that one thread is left between two stitches ; that the stitches must not be drawn tightly ; (d) explain that if the stitches are drawn up to the raw edges of the slit too tightly, when working on calico or other material, the edges are apt to be rolled over to the wrong side, giving a ragged appearance, and also making the slit hard at the edges. Buttonholes should be firm, but the stitches should all lie flat and even as well ; ( e ) illustrate the second stitch un the sectional diagram (Fig. 61 ) ; (/) demonstrate on the frame, illustrate on the slate, and question, till children can work the stitch without assist- ance ; examine frequently and give individual attention, where it is required. Notes . — 1. Another method of fastening on is as follows put the needle in between two threads, and bring it out under four threads, vertically, draw the needle through, holding a short end of the cotton with the left hand, and then show the class how to put the needle under this cotton from left to right, to form a half knot, like the first part of tying a string. The class must do the same on the space made by the drawn threads, putting the short end of cotton under the left second finger, and then putting the needle under this end from left to right. 2. If the cotton coming from the last stitch is allowed to fall in front of the needle, instead of behind it, no knot is made at the top edge, and if the cotton from the eye of needle is put round the point from right to left, only a half knot is the result. 3. Children should be allowed to practise the stitch on canvas, and should learn all parts of the buttonhole, before they apply the stitch to a slit on calico. 128 NEEDLEWORK PART The Corners of -Buttonholes Round Corners A. Seven Stitches with Knots Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — For Teacher and Children. — The same as in the previous lesson on buttonhole stitch. Method. — 1 . (a) Show children specimens of button- holes, either with both corners rounded or barred, or with one corner rounded and the other barred ; (b) tell children they have to learn how to work a buttonhole with one corner rounded and the other barred, while they are in Standard IV. ; ( c ) explain that the rounded corner is always worked at that end of the buttonhole nearest the edge of the band, because it lies flatter under the button than the braced end ; (cl) tell children that the rounded corner can either be made by seven stitches with knots, or nine stitches without knots ; that the corner made of knotted stitches is unquestionably the stronger of the two, and if the stitches are worked with regular spaces between them, it will set as well under the button as the corner made of nine stitches, without knots. 2. Show by the Demonstration Frame how to make the corner, the children working with you on their canvas samplers, thus : — (a) put the needle under four threads, and one thread to the right of the last stitch, and put the cotton coming from the eye of the needle round the point from left to right, draw the needle out and upwards, thus forming a knotted stitch ; (b) illustrate on sectional diagram (Fig. 62), and mark this stitch No. 1 ; examine children’s work ; (c) put the needle back into the same hole and bring it out two threads to the right of No. 1, I THE CORNERS OF BUTTONHOLES 129 and one thread higher up, so that the needle lies under three threads, and finish this stitch with a knot ; (cl) re- capitulate by means of sectional diagram, counting two lines to the right of No. 1, and one line up, and draw a slanting stitch from the hole over three lines, and a dotted line beside it to represent the stitch on the wrong side ; mark this stitch No. 2 (Fig. 62) and examine children’s work ; ( e ) show by the frame how to work the third stitch : — put the needle back into the same hole, and bring it out two threads to the right of No. 2, and one thread higher up, and make a knot as before ; (f) recapitulate by diagram, counting two lines to the right and one line up, and draw a slanting line from the hole and a dotted line as before, and mark this stitch No. 3 (Fig. 62) ; examine work ; (g) show again by frame how to make the fourth stitch ; put the needle back into the same hole and bring it out two threads to the right of No. 3 stitch, making a knot ; (li) recapitulate by diagram as before (Fig. 62), and examine ; (i) the fifth stitch is worked the same as the third ; (j) the sixth stitch like the second, and the seventh like the first (Fig. 62) ; ( k ) show children how to go on working the second side of hole. K 130 NEEDLEWORK PART Notes. — 1. The knots of the stitches should be drawn rather tightly or the edges will be raised too much, and so will spoil the shape of the end. 2. In the knotted corner two threads are left between each stitch. If the stitches are put too close together the knots will not lie flat. Seven stitches in addition to the last stitch of the first side of the hole and the first stitch of the second side are too many, and make a very clumsy end to the buttonhole, so there must only be seven stitches, including the last of the first side and the first of the second side of the hole. B. Nine Stitches without Knots Method. — 1. Tell children when they have quite finished the first side of the hole, and are ready to turn the corner, that in this round corner there are two stitches with knots and nine stitches without knots, and that the nine stitches are divided into sets of three. 2. First Set of Stitches. — (a) Show by the frame how to put the needle into the same space as the stitch with a knot, and bring it out four threads deep and one thread to the right ; ( b ) turn frame round and let children see the first of the nine stitches is made on the wrong side of of the hole and has no knot ; (c) recapitulate on sectional diagram, drawing a dotted line to represent this stitch, then let children make a stitch, and examine their work ; (d) show how to put the needle into the same space, and bring it out one thread to the right and one thread higher up, let children see that two stitches are made, one on the right side four threads deep and one on the wrong side three threads deep ; ( e ) recapitulate by sectional diagram, drawing a line and marking it No. 1, and a dotted line to represent the wrong side of No. 2 ; examine children’s work, when they have made this stitch ; (/) I THE CORNERS OF BUTTONHOLES 131 show how to put the needle back into the same space, and bring it out one thread to the right and one thread higher up, thus making second stitch on right side and third stitch on wrong side, the children working with you ; ( g ) recapitulate by diagram as before (Fig. 63), and examine ; (h) show again how to put the needle into the same space, and bring it out one thread to the right and one thread higher up, thus making the third stitch on the right side and the fourth on the wrong side ; ( i ) recapitu- late by diagram as before (Fig. 63). The first set of these stitches is now finished, and the children will see they have made the first stitch on the wrong side of the second three. 3. Second Set of Three Stitches. — (a) Show how to put needle back into same space, and bring it out one thread to the right and one thread deeper than No. 3, thus forming the fourth stitch and the wrong side of No. 5 ; ( b ) re- capitulate by diagram as before (Fig. 63) ; ( c ) show how to work the fifth stitch, letting children see that this stitch is in the same direction as the slit would be, and that it is quite straight ; ( d ) recapitulate by diagram (Fig. 63) ; (e) show how to work the sixth stitch, which is like the fourth and fifth, in being one thread to the right and four threads deep ; (/) recapitulate as before, the children working each stitch with you. 4. The Third Set of Stitches. — ( a ) Show by frame and slate how to make the seventh and eighth stitches, which are worked in the same way as the third and second ; (b) show by frame how to make the ninth stitch without a knot, and the first stitch of the second side of hole with a ,1 C it ■ 9 l. 1 /# : ]// ;6 -5 0 v nc* ' ; vJv ' 1 £ Fig. 63. 132 NEEDLEWORK PART knot, thus : — put the needle back into the same space and bring it out one thread to the right and four threads deep, then bring the cotton coming from the eye of the needle round the point from left to right, and draw the needle out and up, so forming two stitches at the same time ; (c) recapitulate by diagram as before (Fig. 63) ; (cl) let children go on working the second side of hole, and examine their work frequently. N.B . — This corner is called the eyelet-hole , and is a quick and easy way of rounding the end of a buttonhole, but it is not strong and lasting, for the friction of the' button often breaks the cotton, and then increases the length of the slit. C. The Braced Corner of Buttonholes (Eight or nine knotted stitches) Method. — 1. (a) When children have completed the second side of the hole, show by the Frame or Paragon how to finish off the inner end by barring or bracing it, i.e. sewing over the first and last stitches from side to side, two or three times to draw the sides of hole closer together (without puckering) and to give greater strength, being careful to hide the fastening-on end of cotton ; (b) show children how to begin at the left-hand side, by put- ting the needle in above the strands of cotton close to the bottom edge of the side stitches, and bring it out four threads deep, proceeding in the usual way to make a knotted stitch, and pulling the cotton upwards towards the hole, then let children make a stitch ; (c) recapitulate by drawing the appearance on the sectional diagram (Fig. 62). Examine children’s work; (d) show again by the frame how to make each succeeding stitch, leaving one thread between each, and being careful that the fifth stitch I THE BUTTONHOLE ON CALICO 33 is in the same direction as the hole, and that the last stitch is worked on the bottom edge of the first side stitch ; (e) illustrate on sectional diagram, after every stitch has been worked on the frame, and examine children’s work frequently, to see if the stitches have been taken quite through the double material, and that they are four threads deep, on the wrong as well as on the right side. 2. Fastening off . — Show children how to bring the needle through to the wrong side, and weave it under and over the buttonhole stitches through the single material. N.B . — When children can work all the parts accurately on canvas, they should be taught how to cut a hole, to apply the stitch, and to manage the corners on calico. The Buttonhole on Calico Class. — Standard IV. Apparatus. — F(n' the Teacher . — A band of coarse calico or holland, with a button sewn on, at one end ; scissors or penknife, needle, and coloured sewing cotton, slate and chalks. Foi' the Children . — A calico band, with a button sewn on, scissors or penknife, needle, and coloured sewing cotton. Method. — 1 . Cutting the Hole. — (a) Show children how to crease the band in half across its length, so that the hole may be cut exactly in the middle, and opposite the button, then place the button on this crease, inside the turnings at the end of the band, and put a mark with the point of the scissors or penknife on either side of the button to measure its width across, explaining that a buttonhole must always be the same size as the width across the button, allowing a thread or two at each end, in addition, for the corners ; 134 NEEDLEWORK PART (b) illustrate the band on the slate (Fig. 58b) ; (c) show children how to fold in the end of the band, till the two marks meet, and then how to cut the hole on the crease through the fourfold material, a thread or two beyond the mark ; ( d ) or, how to cut the hole with a penknife by spreading out the band quite flat, even, and smooth, on some hard substance, e.g ., the wooden desk or a stone letter- press, and drawing the knife along the crease, in a perfectly straight line, and cutting quite through the double material ; (e) examine children’s work, when they have cut their slits ; (/) illustrate the slit on slate (Fig. 58b). N.B. — 1. The hole must be cut the selvedge way of the material, perfectly straight to a thread. The children should never be allowed to work a hole that has been cut unevenly. As this is a difficult process to some children, they should be allowed to practise the cutting of holes on scraps of waste calico, first of all. 2. Older girls should learn how to cut holes on the cross, as well as on the selvedge and woof, because buttonholes are needed for all these ways of the material ; beginners should cut and work the selvedge way only. 2. Working the Hole on Calico. — (a) Show children how to hold the work, so as to get the round corner, in the correct position at the end of the band : if the button is sewn on the right-hand end of band, then the band must be held with the folded edge towards the worker ; but if the button is sewn on the left-hand end, the fixed edges of the band must be held towards the worker ; ( b ) show by a mark on the slate illustration where the children must begin ; (c) recapitulate the fastening on, as given in the first lesson on the stitch, and show children by your own larger specimen of a band, how to put the needle in the hole (and not between the edges of the folded material), and bring it out between two threads of the calico four I THE BUTTONHOLE ON CALICO 135 threads deep, and recapitulate the process of making the stitch, being careful to draw the cotton up to the hole, tightly, without puckering or rolling the cut edges ; (d) illustrate the stitches on the hole of band and sectional diagram (Figs. 58b and 61); (e) examine children’s work frequently, and question them as to the use of the knotted stitches; (f) when the first side of the hole is com- pleted, and the last stitch is near the end of the slit, recapitulate the method of working the round corner, either with or without knots, telling children they must never turn the corners too soon, nor crowd the stitches too close to the end of the slit, before turning the corners : (all the stitches of the round corner, whether knotted or eyelet- liole , , must be drawn up tightly to the cut edges, without puckering the material) ; {g) illustrate on slate as before, and examine children’s work very often, helping the back- ward ones, either by individual attention, or by forming them into a separate class, and teaching collectively as at first ; ( h ) let children work the second side, and then re- capitulate the method of making the braced end, as given in a previous lesson, and illustrate the completed button- hole on the band (Fig. 58b). Notes. — 1. Buttonholes should be very firm and neat, and should not be ragged - looking, either on the right or wrong sides. 2. Some let children overcast the edges, before working the buttonhole stitches, and others allow them to fasten the double material together, just below the cut edges, by running stitches. NEEDLEWORK PART 136 CHAPTER XII HEELS OF STOCKINGS AND SOCKS A. The Dutch Heel. ( Cast on 25 loops foi' Specimen .) * Class. — Standard Y. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Two knitting-pins, No. 1 2, and a ball of five - ply Scotch fingering, slate and chalks, a finished stocking or sock with Dutch heel. For the Class. — Two knitting-pins, Nos. 14 or 15, and a ball of three or four ply Scotch fingering, or knitting cotton. Method. — 1. (a) Let the girls cast on with you twenty- five loops on one pin, then tell them to knit and purl alternate rows, making the thirteenth stitch the seam, and always slipping the first loop in every row ; (b) when the girls have knitted twenty-four rows (finishing with a knitting row), i.e. a square, having twelve slip stitches up the sides, then show them collectively how to turn the heel ; (c) explain that heels of stockings and socks vary in length (a good rule is that the heel, when doubled, is half a square in its length). Heels of stockings and socks for adults vary in length from two to three inches ; (cl) illustrate on the slate. Examine girls’ work. 2. Turning the Heel. — The class works all together with you as follows : (a) Slip one, purl to the seam, knit the seam, purl three, purl two together, thus leaving seven not purled, turn ; (b) slip one, knit three plain, purl the seam, knit three, slip the fourth, knit one of the eight side stitches, pulling the slipped stitch over the knitted one, I THE DUTCH HEEL 137 thus leaving seven not knitted ; (c) illustrate on the slate, explaining that the decreasings of the heel are made alternately on the wrong and right sides of the knitting, and always to the left of the seam, and that they fall away from the seam. Elicit that this differs from the calf, the decreasings of which are made on the right side to the right and left of the seam stitch, and fall towards the seam ; ( d ) turn, slip one, purl three, knit the seam, purl three, purl the fourth and one of the seven side stitches together; ( e ) illustrate on slate, showing that this decreas- ing is made on the purl side of the knitting, to the left of the seam, and that by purling two together, this decreasing matches the first one made on the plain side of the knit- ting, in that it falls away from the seam. Examine girls’ work. (f ) Turn, slip one, knit three, purl the seam (then call the attention of class to the fact that one row of knitting is always made between every heel-decreasing), knit three, slip the fourth, and knit the first of the seven side stitches, pulling the slipped stitch over the knitted, and again calling upon the class to notice that one row of knitting lies between the first decreasing and this one ; ( g ) illustrate on slate, and elicit that the decreasings in the heel are made alternately on the plain and purl side of the knitting, always to the left of the seam, and always with one row of plain or purl between each. Examine work. Repeat the above method, till all the stitches on either side of the nine are drawn in by the decreasings, eliciting that the decreasings in the calf are always done on the right side of the knitting, two in a row ; the decreasings in the heel one in a row, and alternately on the right and wrong sides. 3. (a) Show girls how to take up the twelve slip 138 NEEDLEWORK PART stitches at the side of the heel, by putting the knitting- pin through the inner half of the loop, i.e. the part of the loop lying on the purl stitches, and then drawing the wool through as in plain knitting to form a loop ; ( b ) when all twelve loops are taken up, examine the girls’ work, and tell them to purl all the stitches, till they reach the other side with the twelve slip stitches, then show them how to take these up, by putting the knitting-pin in the middle of each slip loop from right to left and purling them on to the pin ; ( c ) tell girls to turn knitting round to the right side, and cast off very loosely; ( d ) (Fig. 64) gives the appearance of Dutch heel when finished. N.B. — 1. The girls in Standard V. are not expected to take up the slip stitches at the sides of the specimen, knitted on the day of examination ; then they have only to cast off the nine loops very loosely. I THE GUSSET HEEL 139 2. In turning the heel, some people knit and purl the first loop in every turn, instead of slipping. Both methods differ in appear- ance ; slipping the first loop forms a row of chain stitches, while knitting and purling form a row of hard knotted stitches, with holes between. 3. The Dutch heel fits better and wears longer than the gusset. 4. The knitting-pins must differ in size, not only because of the size of the wool, but to suit tight and loose knitters. Tight knitters must use one size coarser pins than loose knitters of the same ply wool, or cotton. 5. Illustrate on the slate by vertical lines as for the calf. B. The Gusset Heel Method. — 1 . Discontinue the seam stitch. Slip the first- stitch at every turn. Let the class work with you. 2. Turning the Heel . — Compare these two specimens of heels, and point out that the Dutch is hood-like and rounded in shape, while the gusset is triangular, being pointed at the beginning and increasing in width, till all the decreasings are ended, and till the same number is on the pin, as those first purled. (In this size heel the number will be fourteen.) (a) Purl fourteen, purl two together, purl one, turn ; ( b ) illustrate and examine girls’ work ; (c) knit five, slip one, knit one, pull the slipped stitch over the knitted, knit one, turn ; ( d ) illustrate, ex- amine, and explain that one row is knitted between each decreasing, and that each decreasing falls away from the seam, and is made to the left of it, as in the Dutch heel, but that one stitch is always added after every decreasing, before turning ; ( e ) purl six, purl two together, purl one, turn ; (f ) illustrate, examine, and question ; (g) knit seven, slip one, knit one, pull the slipped stitch over knitted one, knit one, turn ; ( h ) illustrate, examine, and question after every successive decreasing ; ( i ) purl eight, purl two together, purl one, turn ; (j) knit nine, slip one, knit one, 140 NEEDLE WORK PART pull the slipped stitch over, knit one, turn ; ( k ) purl ten, purl two together, purl one, turn ; (/) knit eleven, slip one, knit one, pull slipped stitch over, knit one, turn ; (m) purl twelve, purl two together, purl one, turn ; (n) knit thirteen, slip one, knit one, and pull the slipped stitch over, knit one, turn ; (0) purl fourteen, purl two together, turn, and cast off very loosely ; (p) illustrate the heel when completed. N.B . — The above lesson would be given, after the proper length of the heel has been knitted. The number of stitches cast on would be the same as for the Dutch heel. CHAPTER XIII PATCHING CALICO AND LINEN — DARNING A HOLE IN STOCKING-WEB MATERIAL Patching Calico and Linen A Class. — Standard V., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Two pieces of very coarse calico or holland, the larger piece having a hole to represent the torn garment, the smaller piece being the patch, needle, coloured tacking and sewing cotton, pins, slate and chalks, Demonstration Frame with fell attached, a torn garment and a patched one. For the Class . — Two pieces of coarse calico or holland, needle, coloured tacking and sewing cotton, pins, small squares of lined paper on which to learn how to mitre corners of the patch. Method. — 1 . (a) Illustrate on the slate the two pieces of material, the larger diagram with hole in the centre to represent the garment, and the smaller the patch ; (b) I PATCHING CALICO AND LINEN 141 show the class the torn and worn garment and the patched one, and then elicit and explain that patching is a means of saving, because the repaired garment will last longer, and will thus prevent an outlay of money for a new one ; that a patched garment is more comfortable to wear than one in holes ; that patching is an art, and the power to do it well is invaluable in a home ; that the patch ought to be of the same texture and age as the garment to be patched, if possible (if new material must be used, it must be washed first to soften it, and to prevent it from making a rent in the old) ; that it is only pretentious people who scorn patched garments, for ladies of highest rank and station employ needlewomen to repair their fine linen underclothing ; (c) explain that the shape of the patch must depend upon the kind of hole, and the position of the worn or torn part. N.B . — In the first lesson a square patch is the easiest to deal with in fixing and placing. 2. Cutting the Hole. — (a) Show the class how to cut a hole in the larger piece of material, to represent the actual hole in a garment, by folding the larger square diagonally from corner to corner twice, then folding the triangle in half and cutting a hole in the centre ; (b) demonstrate again, the class working with you ; ( c ) let the class open the square and hold up, that you may see a hole in the centre, and the diagonal creases ; (d) illustrate the creases by dotted lines on the larger diagram with two different coloured chalks (Fig. 65). 3. Finding the Selvedge. — (a) Recapitulate the method of finding the selvedge by pulling, etc. ; ( b ) examine to see if the class is holding the material with selvedge going up and down ; ( c ) tell the class to fix a narrow hem down one 142 NEEDLEWORK PART side, so as to distinguish the right from the wrong side of the garment, and then quickly tack it ; ( d ) illustrate the tacked hem ; ( e ) tell class to place the garment on the desk with right side uppermost, and the selvedge going up and down. 4. Fixing the Patch. — (a) Prove that the patch is much larger than the hole, and elicit why this must always be the case, by referring to lesson on flannel patching, where the reason was given ; (b) (tell class to fix the paper square first), find the selvedge of the patch, and show class how to turn down the two selvedge sides quite half an inch in depth, then the two width sides the same depth, the class working with you ; (c) then fold the square diagonally from corner to corner twice, to obtain diagonal creases and to test the fixing ; (cl) show them how to lift up the two folds at each corner of the patch, and press the two thumbs close to the corner to raise a figure like a bishop’s mitre, let the class try to do the same, while you go in and out among them to examine (children mitre the corners of squares and oblongs in kindergarten classes) ; (e) explain why the corners are mitred, viz. to prevent the folds being caught in when sewing the patch to the garment ; if) tell the class to fix the calico patch in the same way as the paper one, and examine most carefully to see that the folds are turned down quite evenly, and that the corners are well flattened and mitred; (g) illustrate the diagonal creases in two different coloured chalks to match creases on garment, and the folds. 5. Placing the Patch on the Plight Side of the Garment. — (a) Show class how to place the patch with the wrong side downwards, the selvedge of patch and selvedge of garment and the diagonal creases matching each other, and putting in pins on each diagonal to keep the patch in its place ; (b) I PATCHING CALICO AND LINEN M3 tell the class to place their patches in proper position, and pin in the same way as you have shown them, then hold garment up to the light to see if hole is somewhere about the middle of the patch ; (c) illustrate the patch covering the hole (Fig. 65) ; (d) show class how to tack the patch to the garment, being careful to keep it even to the L/ / // // // // // o bC 0) > o (/) \Y \ N \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ / / // A V \\ ^//////////// / /\ Flo. (i5. threads of the garment ; (e) illustrate tacking stitches (Fig. 65) ; (f) tell class to take out the pins, as they tack the patch down. 6. Seaming Stitches. — (a) Recapitulate the seaming stitch by demonstrating on the folded frame, and telling girls to work as regularly and as near the two top edges as 144 NEEDLEWORK PART possible, beginning in the middle of a selvedge side, and being most particular only to sew the double material at the corners, and not to draw in any portion of the mitres ; (b) illustrate the sewing stitches on the diagram (Fig. 65). N.B . — In this method the patch is seamed to the garment, and is held towards the worker. It is impossible to finish the fixing, till the patch is seamed on the garment. When the seaming is finished, tell class to take out the tacking threads and flatten the seams. 7. Fixing the Wrong Side. — (a) Turn garment to the wrong side, and show class how to cut up to each corner along the diagonals to within a quarter of an inch, put a x on each diagonal of illustration, and draw straight lines to form a square, and to indicate how much of the torn and worn part of the garment must be cut away ; ( b ) tell class to do the same, by cutting up to corners, and then cutting off each triangle, leaving a turning of about a quarter of an inch on all sides, to lie under the fell of the patch ; (r) show class how to draw out the turnings of the patch, and lay them over the raw edges of the garment to form fells ; ( d ) tell the class to do the same, while you examine, and help individually ; ( e ) show class how to fix the fells by turning down one fold a quarter of an inch deep, beginning with the selvedge sides, so as to keep the corners flat and in place, then the width sides, then mitre the corners, and tack the fells to the garment ; (/) tell the class to do the same, while you examine ; (g) illustrate the tacked fells, and seaming stitches on wrong side ; (h) point out that the seaming is on the inner square, and that the stronger material of the patch bears the strain of these stitches, while the outer square on the wrong side is felled to the garment, and the fells still further protect it, because they form a lining to the older material (Fig. 66). I PATCHING CALICO AND LINEN 145 8. Felling Stitch. — (a) Recapitulate by means of fell on the frame, the felling or hemming stitch, telling the class to keep the stitches regular, and to make them distinct on the right side of the work (the wide topped hemming stitch is the best for this purpose), and to be careful to fasten the corners securely as well as to keep them quite even and flat ; ( b ) illustrate the felling stitches on wrong and right sides (Figs. 65 and 66) ; (c) tell class to take out tacking threads, and to press the fell with right thumb or top of thimble. N.B. — 1. The class will see that this"patcli is set in with sew-and- fell seam. 2. The advantage of this method will be found in patching such materials as coloured Oxford shirting, which sometimes has a right and a wrong side, and a pattern that should be matched in patching, in. the same way as print is matched. B. Method. — The same as in lesson A, as far as fixing and placing the patch. 1 . Fixing and Placing the Patch on the Wrong Side of Garment. — ( a ) Show class how to find the selvedge of the material, then how to fix a fold a quarter of an inch deep on all four sides (beginning with the selvedges first, for the sake of the corners), mitre the corners ; (b) tell the class to fix their patches in the same way ; (c) show how to fold the patch diagonally twice, the class doing the same on their patches ; ( d ) illustrate creases and fixing ; (e) tell class to put the garment with hole in it, creased diagonally, and with fixed hem on one selvedge side, with the mvng side uppermost, and show them how to place the patch, so as to match the selvedges of the garment, the diagonal creases, and to get the hole, in the middle of the patch ; L 146 NEEDLEWORK TART (/) tell the class to do the same, and put pins on each diagonal to keep the patch in its place ; (g) recapitulate tacking the patch to the garment close to the outer edges, and illustrate the patch placed over the hole. 2. Fixing the Plight Side. — (a) Tell the class to turn the garment over to the right side, and show them how to cut away the torn and worn part, to within half an inch of each corner, by placing scissors in the hole and cutting Fig. 66. along the diagonal creases as far as they think will be half an inch ; (h) put crosses on diagonal lines in diagram to indicate how far ; (c) tell the class to cut up each diagonal, and cut away all the worn and torn parts, even to a thread, leaving an inner square ; (d) illustrate the enlarged hole ; (e) point out that the hole has been made much larger, and that it is the same shape as the patch, which extends half an inch beyond it, on the wrong side ; (/) show class again how to cut up towards each corner on I PATCHING CALICO AND LINEN 147 the diagonal creases a quarter of an inch, so as to turn the raw edges under and form a fold on the garment ; ( g ) tell the class to do the same. N.B . — This is the most testing part of the fixing, as girls find it difficult to keep these four sides equal in depth. The difficulty can be somewhat overcome, if they are allowed to use inch card measures, and to ravel out threads from the raw edges, till the sides are quite equal. ( li ) Show them how to fix these folds by turning the selvedge sides under first, then tack them quite even and flat to the patch ; ( i ) illustrate the inner square fixed and tacked. N.B. — 1. By this method all the fixing can be done before the stitches are worked. The stitches are the same as in lesson A, that is, seaming and felling. If the patch is completely fixed, it is best to seam the inner square on the right side, first, holding the patch towards the worker, and being careful to secure the corners with an extra stitch or two, or they will be ragged. When the seaming has been flattened, turn to the wrong side, and fell the patch to the garment. If, on examining the work of the class, there is any indication of puckering, the tacking threads on the wrong side can be removed, and the fells smoothed down and re-tacked. The felling must be regular and distinct ; the corners must be well secured ; and the fells well pressed and flattened. 2. The result of this method is the same as in lesson A , that is, the patch is set in by sew-and-fell seam, and the strain of the seaming stitches is borne by the patch, which not only replaces the original material, but also forms by its fells a lining to the garment. 3. The teacher should recapitulate the seaming and felling stitches by the frame, as in lesson A , and illustrate step by step. Figs. 65 and 66 represent the right and wrong sides of the completed patch for both methods. 4 8 NEEDLEWORK PART Darning a Hole in Stocking-Wep, Material A. Coarse Stocking- Web Class. — Standard V., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — The knitting frame, as described in lesson on darning a thin place, a piece of very coarse knitted or woven web, suitable darning-needle and coloured knitting, or (D.M.C.) embroidery cotton, or wool, a very coarse knitted vest, jersey, petticoat, men’s and boys’ stockings or socks, with holes, slate and coloured chalks. For the Class. — A piece of coarse woven stocking-web, or a strip of very coarse knitting, suitable darning-needles, and darning cotton or wool, sewing needle and coloured cotton. Method. — 1 . (a) Explain that the coarse stocking-web given to the class is to represent the coarsest of knitted garments, e.g. cyclists’, cricketers’, fishermen’s, and sailors’ hand or machine knitted jerseys, vests, stockings, etc., and that holes in these garments must be treated differently from holes in finer knitted or woven garments ; (b) show a hole made in one of the above garments by fair wear, and point out that some of the loops have been broken, while others have slipped down, thus forming ladders , and in- creasing the size of the hole ; ( c ) show the class that where the strands of wool are sound and unbroken, the ladders can be taken up with a crochet hook, or head of a pin, but where they are very thin, by being strained, it is best to cut them and the broken loops quite away, thus making the hole larger still, more regular in shape, and more easy to darn ; (d) as the knitting in the frame and the stocking- web the class is going to learn upon are both new, show i DARNING A HOLE IN COARSE STOCKING-WEB 149 how to cut a hole on the knitting and the woven web thus : — Turn the knitting with the wrong side towards the class, and cut across the material, between two ridges for five or six loops, then count up or down five or six ridges, and cut across same width as the first ; tell the class to do the same, somewhere about the middle of their piece of web, while you examine and help individually ; then show how to cut this piece quite away from the left and right sides, the class doing the same ; (e) turn your apparatus with right side towards the class, and show how to free the loops of broken strands and loose ends, carrying the longer ends to the left and right sides of the hole, so that they may be securely worked in, when actually darning ; (/) tell class to free their loops in the same way, while you examine and help. N.B . — Every loop must be sound and unbroken, but care must be exercised in freeing the loops of broken strands and ends, that sound strands the entire width of the hole are not drawn out ; if by accident this is done, then recapitulate the method of taking up ladders with the head of a pin or crochet hook. 2. (a) Illustrate the right and wrong sides of the web, to show the principle of its manufacture, and draw a diagram of the wrong side with a hole and the loops free of ends ; (b) point out by your own apparatus and the slate illustration that the down loops must be fitted or dove- tailed into the spaces between the up loops and vice versa ; that to prevent the loops from slipping, it is advisable in very coarse woollen knitting to dovetail by means of a sewing needle and cotton, before commencing to darn ; (c) turn the wrong side of your apparatus to the class, and show how to weave the sewing needle under and over the loops, having the broken ends, at the left-hand side of the hole, beginning either at the top or the bottom (if at the 150 NEEDLEWORK PART top the down loop, if at the bottom, the up loop in the succeeding row must be taken) ; ( d ) tell class to weave their sewing needles under and over the loops at left-hand side of hole, in this way, while you go in and out examining and helping ; ( e ) show how to put the sewing needle quite through an up loop, and then carry the needle across the hole, and pass it quite under the up loop, in the space between two down loops, drawing the needle and cotton through very carefully, neither too tight nor too slack ; (/) illustrate these dovetailed loops by drawing a vertical line in coloured chalk ; (g) tell class to fit or dovetail two up loops in the same way ; examine individually ; ( li ) show again how to put the needle quite through, without splitting the down loop in the next row, and dovetailing it into the space below, between two up loops, by putting needle quite under the down loop, draw the needle and cotton out as before ; ( i ) illustrate ; (j) tell class to dovetail the down loops in this way ; examine and help individually. N.B . — Go on demonstrating, illustrating, and examining, till tlie right-hand side of hole is reached, then show class again how to weave the needle under and over the loops at the side, so that the broken ends of wool are secured, then cut the sewing cotton. 3. The Darn. — (a) Recapitulate by eliciting and ques- tioning the method of darning a thin place, as given in Standard IV., explaining that all parts of the material close to the hole are sure to be strained very much, and must therefore be strengthened in the same way as a thin place (this part of the darn must correspond in size with the size of the hole, being neither more nor less) ; and that the shape of the darn must depend upon the shape and position of the hole. (The shape is generally a diamond, oblong, or square.) When you have demon- I DARNING A HOLE IN COARSE STOCKING-WEB 151 strated, illustrated, and examined the work of the class, as far as the left-hand side of the hole, where the sewing cotton is woven in, all must be ready to work together ; (/>) show the class how to weave the needle and darning cotton or wool under and over the side loops with the broken ends, so as to secure these firmly, without making a cobble ; prove to the class that you have fastened the ends of your apparatus strongly, by stretching the knitting, then cut the ends rather close to the material to make the darn tidy on the wrong side ; (c) tell the class to do the same, while you examine and help the dull ones ; (d) show how to darn the next row, being careful to explain that it is often necessary to put the needle under the loop above or below, as well as through the one with the sewing cotton in it, in order to keep the rule of under one , over one , turn your apparatus with right side to the class, to prove that your needle is going quite through the up loop, which is detached from the rest of the material, without twisting or splitting it, then carry your needle across the hole in a line with the sewing cotton, and put it under the up loop, in the space between two down loops, and continue the darn as for a thin place, in the shape you have chosen ; (e) illustrate by a vertical line in another coloured chalk from sewing cotton ; (/) tell class to dovetail two up loops in this way, and continue the row as high as it is neces- sary ; examine each girl’s work most carefully ; (g) demonstrate each succeeding row on frame, and illustrate on the slate, till all the loops are dovetailed, then recapitu- late the fastenings-in of broken ends at the right side of hole, and let the class go on darning the thin place, as far as you have indicated to them, by your own apparatus, and the slate diagram ; then demonstrate collectively how to cut the sewing cotton, and draw it out. 152 NEEDLEWORK PART N.B. — If the detached up-and-down loops have not been properly stranded with the darning material, they will be loose, and will slip down into ladders, when the sewing cotton is removed. This must be condemned, though you can show how to remedy it, in crossing the darn, yet with inexperienced darners, the loops are likely then to get twisted, and so spoil the evenness of the darn. 4. Crossing the Darn. — (a) Show by your own apparatus how to turn the work round, and darn across the material between the ridges, and under and over the darning cotton or wool only, except where it is necessary to secure detached loops, or broken ends at the vertical sides, and when the material is very much worn, then the crossing stitches may be taken through the material ; ( b ) when girls are ready, show them where to begin to cross the thin place (generally only a few rows above and below the hole should be double darned, but if the material is very thin it should be completely crossed) ; (c) illustrate on the slate with a different coloured chalk the first row of the crossing ; ( d ) let class darn a row, while you again examine and help, individually ; ( e ) explain that loops must be left, and must be the same length as in the first part of the darn ; (/) show how to darn the next row by putting needle over the darning wool, which it went under in the preceding row, and vice versd, so that the formula is under, over; over, under, alternately; ( g ) illustrate (Fig. 67); (h) tell class to go on working with you, till the hole is reached, then demonstrate and illustrate, clearly and patiently, how to cross the strands without twisting the loops at the edges, and how to go under and over these strands alternately, so as to cross the hole closely, without puckering or bungling ; the class working with you ; ( i ) illustrate the completed darn on the wrong and right sides, in two different coloured chalks to show the crossing i DARNING A HOLE IN COARSE STOCKING-WEB 153 distinctly, and examine the girls’ work, very frequently, supplementing the collective teaching by individual attention. Notes. — 1. This darn should be divided into two separate Wrong Side Fio. 67. lessons. The first lesson might be the preparation of the hole, the darning of the thin place, and filling in half the hole, with illustrations : the second lesson might be completing the darning of hole and thin place, crossing the darn, and illustra- tions of wrong and right sides, when finished (Figs. 67 and 68). The girls cannot be expected to be perfect in darning, by doing 154 NEEDLEWORK PART only one or two specimens. Darning, to be perfect, requires practice. 2. Though the knitting apparatus is very coarse, and the slate illustrations are big, yet it is not easy to make a large class see all the difficulties of the darn ; for this reason it is better to divide the class into two or more parts, so that each may get a closer view, while you are demonstrating, and that you may be able to give more individual attention. Right Side 3. The girls should be encouraged to bring, in a clean condition, their fathers’ or brothers’ coarse knitted garments, and should be allowed to practise the darn on these, as well as on small specimens. B. Darning a Hole in Fine Stocking-Web Class. — The same as in previous lesson. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — The knitting - frame, slate and chalks, a piece of finer stocking-web than in I DARNING HOLE Ii\ FINE STOCKING-IVEB 55 previous lesson, darning needle and suitable darning cotton, a woman’s and child’s hand - knitted, or woven stocking and sock, with holes in them. . For the Class . — A piece of finer stocking-web to repre- sent the stockings, which are generally worn by women and children, darning needle and suitable wool or cotton. (The darning cotton and wool should always be a little finer in texture, than the stockings and socks to be darned.) Method. — 1 . (a) Show the class the holes in the stock- ing and sock made by actual wear, and point out that in some, cases the loop is only partially broken, while in others the material is very much damaged ; (b) explain that in ordinary home darning of fine stocking - web, a sewing needle and cotton would not be used to draw the loops together. 2. (a) Cut one or two loops of the knitting in the frame, and stretch the material in every direction, to let the class see what a large hole is made, if stockings and socks are worn, after one or two loops have been injured ; (b) tell the class to cut a loop or two, and stretch the material in the same way ; (c) show class again how to draw the unbroken strands through the unbroken loops on the right side with head of a pin, so as to fill in the hole as much as possible with the original material : (cl) let class do the same while you examine, telling the girls to free the loop or loops of broken ends ; ( e ) illustrate on slate, the material on wrong side, with one or two loops disconnected ; (/) show, by turning your apparatus with wrong side to the class, how to deal with a small hole like this : put the darning needle through a down loop, and closely dovetail it into the space below, drawing the needle and cotton through rather tightly, without puckering the NEEDLEWORK PART 156 web ; ( g ) tell girls to turn work with wrong side towards them, and do the same while you examine ; ( h ) show how to dovetail the next detached loop in the same way, the class working with you, then cut off the darning cotton or wool ; ( i ) illustrate the loops closely drawn together ; ( j ) recapitulate the darn for a thin place (see lesson to Standard IV.), darning a small space on all sides of the detached loops, and dovetailing them a second time, the class work- ing with you. N.B. — 1. If the hole has been neatly darned, and closely filled in with the darning material, there is seldom any need to cross this darn. 2. The same care must be exercised in dovetailing a few de- tached loops with the darning material without twisting or splitting them, as in a big hole, where the loops are drawn together with sewing cotton, and the girls must be trained to see that the hole is not properly darned, unless the loops are thoroughly secured. 3. In home darning, as distinguished from school specimen darn- ing, no notable housewife would think of cutting away all the broken original material of moderately fine knitted, or manu- factured woven stockings and socks, but would endeavour to weave in the injured material, as well as dovetailing the de- tached loops, in the way described in the previous lesson. To darn fine stockings, etc., according to the method given in lesson A for very coarse web, would be most tedious, would waste time, and would be practically useless, because the girls would never carry the method into effect in their homes. Girls should, however, be taught both methods while at school, that they may know how to plain darn, both the coarsest and the finest stocking-web material. I MARKING 157 CHAPTER XIV MARKING — TUCKS Marking (Cross Stitch) A. The Stitch in a Simple Pattern Class. — Standard V. Apparatus. — Foi' the Teacher . — Demonstration Frame, chequered board and coloured chalks, a square of Java or ordinary single-thread canvas, sewing needle and coloured embroidery (D.M.C.) or knitting cotton, a garment, e.g. chemise, pocket-handkerchief, or some household linen, marked. Fw the Class . — A square of Java or ordinary canvas, • needle and coloured cotton. Method. — 1. (a) Show a garment with letters and figures marked on it, and explain that it is necessary to mark our garments, in order to recognise them, and to distinguish them from those of others in the same house- hold ; ( b ) write the word marking on the board, and elicit that it means a sign ; (c) allude to the use of marking ink, and explain that though writing the initials or name in full in ink is a quick method, yet it is expensive, and that some marking inks run into blots, and also fret the materials into holes ; ( d ) show the girls the proper kind of red and blue ingrain sewing cotton, that is generally used to mark underclothing and household linen, and tell them if the dye is ingrain , tjie cotton will not lose its colour when washed ; (e) show by the garments that the stitch is worked on the right side, and on single material. i 5 8 NEEDLEWORK PART 2. The Stitch. Fastening on . — Demonstrate on the frame how to fasten on : (a) bring the needle from the wrong side to the right between two selvedge threads on the left- hand side, and leave about an inch of cotton, which will be secured by working the cross stitches over it ; (b) put a chalk dot between two selvedge lines of the board, and call it No. 1 (Fig. 69) ; (c) recapitulate on the frame, the class working with you ; examine work ; (d) show how to put the end of cotton on the wrong side in a slanting direction under the forefinger, so that it may be worked over, then tell the class to count with you two threads to the right, and down two threads, and put the needle under two threads horizontally from right to left. Let the class do the same on their canvas, then draw the needle through, while you do the same on the frame ; ( e ) point out that a slanting stitch has been made covering two threads, and explain that in marking two threads are generally taken each way, and that the stitch is made of two slanting stitches crossing each other ; examine work ; (f) recapitu- late by chequered board, telling class to put samplers down, and work with you, count down two lines from No. 1, and two to the right, and put a chalk dot in the space, and mark it No. 2, then count two lines to the left of No. 2, and put a chalk dot, and mark it No. 3, draw a slanting line from Nos. 1 to 2, and dot a straight line from Nos. 2 to 3 : I MARKING 159 (g) tell class to take up samplers, and, at first, to watch what you do on the frame, then to work with you. Count up from where the cotton is coming out two threads, and two threads to the right, then put the needle in perpendicularly, so that the point comes out at No. 2, let the class do the same, and then draw needle out ; examine girls’ work ; ( h ) recapitulate by the chequered board ; count up from No. 3 two lines, and to the right two, and put a chalk mark — No. 4, then count down two, and put a mark — No. 5 • draw a slanting line from Nos. 3 and 4, and dot a straight line from Nos. 4 to 5 (Fig. 69). N.B . — The fii'ht half of every stitch should be illustrated on the board in one coloured chalk, and the second half in another, so that the rule of crossing every stitch in the same direction as the first stitch, may be clearly shown. Rule for Crossing 3. If in the first stitch, the second and upper half crosses the first and under half from left to right, all the succeeding stitches must be crossed in the same direction, and vice versa. The Pattern 4. (a) Count down from where the cotton is coming out two threads, and two to the right, and put the needle under two threads horizontally, and draw it out, the class working with you ; examine girls’ work ; ( b ) recapitulate by the chequered board, drawing a slanting line from Nos. 5 to 6, and a dotted straight one from Nos. 6 to 7 (Fig. 69) ; (c) demonstrate by frame, the class working with you, count up from where cotton is coming out two threads, and two to the right, and show how to put the i6o NEEDLEWORK PART needle under two threads vertically, so that the point of the needle comes out upwards, draw needle out, and elicit that the cotton is coming out two threads away from the first stitch, and in the proper position to make the under half of third stitch in the same direction as in the first and second stitches ; (d) recapitulate by illustrating in two coloured chalks as before, and examine work ; ( e ) the third stitch is worked in the same way as the first, and the fourth as the second, all along the sides of the sampler ; (the girls should tell you how to work the third stitch) ; (/) illustrate the third stitch, which completes the pattern (Fig. 69). Fastening off 5. Bring the needle to wrong side and darn it under and over the stitches, and cut the cotton quite short. Notes. — 1. Any other simple pattern may be taught in the first lesson, or the single stitch may be worked in a straight line. If the stitch in a straight line is taught, then the first half must go from left to right, and the dotted line will be perpendicular, the second half will cross from right to left, and will be slanting on both the right and wrong sides (Fig. 70). 2. The requirement of the Code for girls in Standard Y. is marking simple on canvas, and the capital letters E, H, I, L, O, T. I THE CAPITAL LETTERS 61 B. The Capital Letters (In order of difficulty — I, H, L, E, T, 0) Class. — Standards V. VI. VII., Pupil and Student Teachers. Method. — 1. (a) As soon as the girls can work the stitch accurately, either in straight lines or in simple patterns on their samplers, write on the board the capital letters, with which they must be thoroughly familiar, before the Annual Examination (E, H, I, L, 0, T) ; ( b ) sketch the letter I in the shape known as the diamond, on the chequered board, in two coloured chalks, so as to show clearly that the crossing is all in the same direction ; ( c ) elicit that the pattern taught in the first lesson forms por- tions of the diamond-shaped I, and explain that by analys- ing the letters, you have found out that this letter is the simplest capital in the alphabet ; ( d ) let the girls analyse the remaining five letters with you, before they proceed to mark the letter I ; and elicit that H is a compound of I, and is a little more difficult to mark ; that L is I with additional stitches at the bottom towards the right; that E is I with additional stitches at top and bottom, and in the middle towards the right ; that T is I with additional stitches at the top to the left hand and the right hand ; that. 0 is not at all like I ; ( e ) explain that O is the simplest of the circular letters, and the type of C, G, and Q ; (J ) recapitulate the stitch on the frame, working with the class, till the whole of the letter is finished, and illus- trating step by step on the chequered board, with the different coloured chalks ; (g) point out that all capital letters are seven cross stitches high, that every letter must be neatly fastened off on the wrong side, before the next M 162 NEEDLEWORK PART I letter is begun ; ( h ) sketch the letter H on the chequered board, four lines away from the letter I, and point out that some threads of the material must be left between each letter, and that the number of threads varies, being two, or four, or eight, according to the quality of the material to be marked (on fine linen eight threads must be left), and that when the capital letters are initials (write this word on the board and explain its meaning), a cross stitch must be placed between each to indicate a full stop, as in writing or printing ; ( i ) recapitulate the stitch on the frame, working with class till the first I is completed, then let girls fasten off, and begin the second I two threads away from the first, and when this part is finished show how to connect them by two extra stitches in the centre ; (j) illustrate step by step on the board, and examine girls’ work frequently (Fig. 71). N.B. — 1. Sketch every succeeding letter on the chequered board, before the girls begin to work them. They will soon be skilful enough to copy the letters so sketched for them. The letter 0 should, however, be taught separately by frame and slate, be- cause it is the most difficult, and unlike any of the preceding five, besides being a type of C, G, and Q. 2. The girls should draw the letters in their sectional exer- cise books, and the most expert should be encouraged to work the whole of the alphabet on their samplers, and should sketch, as a supplementary home lesson, the letters which are made up of I and 0, and should arrange the other letters in groups, according to likeness or unlikeness to each other, and the letters I and 0. 3. The first alphabet given in Fig. 73 is the one in common use ; the second contains the small letters ; the third contains the numerals, which are seven cross stitches high. 4. John Taylor, the water-poet, mentions Chain-stitch, Queen- stitch, Spanish - stitch, and Bra ue- Bred -stitch in his poem on “The Praise of the Needle.” These were stitches often used in marking clothing. Brauc-Bred-stiteli is the same on the right and wrong sides. The method of working it is as follows 164 NEEDLEWORK PART I bring the cotton from wrong side to right between two selvedge threads, then put the needle in higher up to the right, in a slanting direction, and bring it out at the left-hand bottom corner, where the cotton was first brought through, then illus- trate on the board two slanting lines, one dotted to represent the slanting stitch on the wrong side ; put the needle back into the middle of the square, under the slanting stitches, and bring it out at the right-hand bottom corner, two threads from the commencement of the stitch, thus forming a half slanting stitch ; illustrate on the board ; cross the stitch by counting up two threads, and two to the left, and put the needle in, in a slanting direction at left top corner, and bring it out at the ri«ht-hand bottom corner. This cross stitch covers two threads o each way, with an additional half stitch in the centre ; illustrate on the board (Fig. 72). Braue - Bred - stitch should only be taught to advanced pupils in the upper standards, because some practice is needed in order to bring the needle out in the right place, for each succeeding stitch of the letter, so as to keep the rule for crossing. 5. The Code requirement for girls in Stand- ard YI. is to mark oil linen any two letters of the alphabet, chosen by the inspector, so that they must know the whole of the letters, large and small. G. In gentlemen’s families the house linen is either marked with the gentleman’s full initials, or with the lady’s Christian name after the gentleman’s. In noblemen’s families themark-* ing is surmounted by coronets. 7. Stockings should be marked with a contrasting colour in cotton, wool, or silk, according to their texture. Some expert knitters form the initial letters, while knitting, by a fancy knitting stitch just below the welt. 8. The girls should be allowed to practise the marking of letters and figures on pocket-handkerchiefs, table-cloths, sheets, towels, etc., and on underclothing, so that they may learn where to place the letters and figures accurately. The initials, or full name, should be marked on household linen, and on pocket-handkerchiefs, at the left-hand top corner, below the hem. Chemises, shirts, and night-gowns should be marked NEEDLEWORK PART 1 66 below the folds or false hems ; drawers, just below the band, on single material. Making and Running Tucks Class. — Standard V. Apparatus. — Foi' the Teacher. — A large square of coarse calico or holland, the Paragon, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, pencil, tape measure, or a printed card measure, or a strip of folded paper notched the depth of the tuck, and also the space between the tucks, slate and chalks, finished garments to explain the use and purpose of tucks. For the Class. — A square of calico or holland, 5x5 inches, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, printed card measures, pencils. Method. — 1. (a) Show some finished garments, e.g. night-gown, chemise, pinafore, frock, petticoat, blouse, woman’s bodice, drawers, etc., and point out the use of tucks in the garments : ( 1 ) on fronts of night - gowns, chemises, blouses, pinafores, bodices, they are used to narrow the garment, instead of gathers ; (2) on petticoats, frock skirts, drawers, bottoms of muslin pinafores, they are used to shorten at first and then to lengthen the garment by letting down the tuck, as, for instance, in the case of grow- ing children, and in all shrinkable materials ; (3) tucks are also useful to hide joins in garments that have been mended, e.g. a new piece of material at the bottom of a petticoat, or frock skirt, or in widening a frock body ; (4) the purpose of tucks is to make garments pretty, thick and therefore warm, (a tucked flannel petticoat or frock skirt is heavier than one not tucked, and is decidedly warmer) ; ( b ) show that the tucks which narrow the garments, are made up and down with the selvedge, while those that shorten go round with the width of the material ; (c) write the word tucks on the I MAKING AND RUNNING TUCKS 167 board, and quickly show by the garments that they are all made of double material, which is folded over on to the single material ; elicit that the word tuck means to fold under ; ( d ) point out that tucks are made on the right side of the garment. 2. The Hem. — (a) Explain that, as tucks must always be made in depth, in proportion to the hem below them, it is better to fix a hem first, and as the girls have not fixed tucks before, they will find it easier to fold them the selvedge way of the material, thus representing the front of a chemise ; (b) recapitulate the finding of the selvedge, and tell girls to hold it from left to right, then show them how to measure from the top edge downwards a quarter of an inch, with the inch measure, and turn this fold down towards them quite eveidy ; when you have demonstrated for about an inch let the girls work on without help, then examine ; (c) holding the wrong side •towards you, show how to measure down at right-hand side, from the top edge three-quarters of an inch, and turn this depth towards you ; let class do the same, measuring at intervals, to keep the hem quite even in depth, and pressing and flattening the folded top edge, before tacking it ; ( d ) recapitulate tacking a hem, and examine girls’ work, when done ; (e) illustrate the piece of material with hem tacked on the right side (Figs. 74 and 76) ; (/) explain that with a hem of this depth tucks should not be wider than one -sixth or one -quarter of an inch, and elicit how much the material has been narrowed by the hem, viz. one inch, and that the material is now 5x4 inches, instead of 5 x 5 ; ( g ) mark the right-hand side of the illustration at the tacking thread of hem X (Fig. 74). 3. Making \-inch Deep Tucks. — (a) Show by the slate illustration, and then by your own specimen, how to NEEDLEWORK PART 1 68 measure for the tucks, thus : — measure upwards from X three - quarters of an inch in quarter - inches, and put a mark on the illustration B three quarter-inches (Fig. 74), and dot a line across from B to C, and dot another line a quarter of an inch below BG to show the depth of the tuck DE ; explain that the quarter of an inch of material above the tacking of the hem, is for the space between the tuck and the hem, and that the space between all the tucks Folded edge Crease D^in- X in. Space L x Hem y in. fin. Fig. 74. must be the same ; that the quarter of an inch above the space is the place where the tuck will lie, when it is folded over towards the hem ; now tell girls to work with you, and to hold the right side of the work towards them, and elicit why — because tucks must be folded on the right side of the garment — then measure up from X three- quarters of an inch, and fold the material away from you, and flatten and crease it, placing the measure at intervals to get the right depth, between the top folded edge and the I MAKING AND RUNNING TUCKS 169 tacking thread on the hem ; next tell girls to measure one- quarter of an inch down from the creased edge, and turn down a fold towards the hem, just as if fixing a hem, measuring repeatedly to get the tuck the exact depth all across the material, tell them to lift up the tuck, and see if there is a crease in the material, one quarter of an inch from the top edge. Examine girls’ work, and point out that this crease is represented in the illustration by DE (Fig. 74). Before tacking the tuck, make girls see that it has two parts, an under and an upper, and that being double it contains half an inch of the material. Start the girls with the tacking, telling them to be most careful to keep the stitches straight, and to take them quite through the double material, then illustrate the tacking stitches and the tuck folded over (Fig. 75). Elicit how much the material has been narrowed by the tuck, viz. half an inch, then by hem and tuck, and ask girls to tell you how long their material is, and how wide, viz. 5 x inches. N.B . — 111 explaining about the space between the liem and first tuck, and between tucks, tell girls that the space, like the tucks, varies. If the tucks are moderately narrow, the space should be the same as the depth of the tuck ; if the tucks are wide, the space should be one-tliird or one-half the depth. If tucks are very narrow and made in sets, no space is left between them separately, but only between the sets. In this case the edge of each tuck just touches the running stitches of the preceding one. The stitches must be distinctly seen ; the edges of the tucks must not cover them. 4. The Second \-inch Tuck. — ( a ) Show girls how to press the first tuck down quite flat and even, then measure on the slate a space upwards from D to represent three- quarters of an inch, and mark it FG, then a space down from FG one-quarter of an inch, and mark it HI ; (b) tell girls to work with you on their material, and show them i7o NEEDLEWORK PART how to hold right side towards them, and measure up from D three-quarters of an inch in quarter - inches, eliciting what these are for : (1) the space between, (2) the space for tuck to lie on, (3) the depth of tuck ; proceed to fold the material back from you, measuring continually and creasing the top edge deftly, as in the first tuck ; examine work and illustrate (Fig. 75). Show again how to fold the double material towards the hem at the depth of a quarter of an inch, pressing it firmly to get a crease on the under side ; elicit (1) that this second tuck contains half an inch of the material, (2) that it has an under and an upper side, (3) that it narrows the material half an inch, (4) that it is one-quarter of an inch when doubled, (5) that the material is now 5x3 inches ; so that with two quarter-inch tucks, one inch of material must be allowed. Start the girls with the tacking, again cautioning them to be careful not to spoil the fixing. Illustrate the tuck tacked (Fig. 75). Examine girls’ work while they are tacking the second tuck. 5. The Running Stitch. — (a) Show by the garments that the running stitch is worked on the under half of the tuck ; ( b ) show by the frame how to work the stitch, the I MAKING AND RUNNING TUCKS 171 girls using their canvas samplers : — Fasten on at the right- hand side by taking up a small portion of the double material between two threads, and working over this two or three times as in back - stitching, then pass over two threads and take up two, the girls doing the same on their canvas ; (c) explain that the rule is to take up as much as is passed over, but that in actual practice the rule cannot be carried out successfully, for it is found that if two threads of double material are taken up, a smaller stitch is made on the upper part of the tuck than the spaces left be- tween the stitches, so, for this reason, ^ it is best to take up a little more than is passed over, three threads if two are passed over, four, if three are passed over ; ( d ) illustrate the stitch on the chequered board (Fig. 76) and on the first or second tuck (Fig. 77); (e) let girls fasten on and work the stitches on the first tuck ; (/) examine to see that the fastening on is strong and secure, and that the stitches are taken ////////// / ////// Fig. 77 . 172 NEEDLEWORK TART quite through the double material, so as to be distinct and even, on the upper part of the tuck. 6. Fastening off. — (a) When the end of the tuck is reached, show how to fasten off by working back over the last stitch two or three times, and passing the needle through the last back stitch to form a knot, and break the cotton ; ( b ) if the cotton should break before the tuck is finished, show by frame how to fasten off* the old and fasten on the new needleful, thus : — put the needle back to touch the last stitch on the wrong side, and pass the needle up between the double material to the top edge, as in one method of fastening-off stitching, then cut the cotton ; fasten on the new cotton on the top of several of the running stitches, some distance backwards, at first by a back stitch or two, and then by working over the first running stitches, so as to produce double stitches, on both sides of the tuck. Another method is to pass the needle up between the double material on the wrong side, close to the last running stitch, and work a back stitch or two over it. The disadvantage of this way is, that ends of cotton make the wrong side of the garment untidy. Notes. — 1. The gills should be allowed to fix and run tucks on a garment, and should be encouraged to design the arrange- ment of them into sets, and to make them of a different deptli from the specimen first worked, or the dull ones will think that all tucks must be a cpiarter of an inch deep. 2. Machine stitching is placed on the upper part of the tucks. Some people hem tucks on the wrong side of the garment. I HEEL AND GUSSET OF STOCKING OR SOCK 173 CHAPTER XV THICKENED HEEL OF STOCKING OR SOCK ; CROSS CUT, AND HEDGE TEAR DARNS Heel and Gusset of Stocking or Sock Class. — Standards VI. and VII., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — A piece of coarse knit- ting (already prepared), slate and chalks, a finished stocking or sock. 1 For the Class. — A piece of prepared knitting of coarse cotton, or wool, and four knitting needles. Method. — 1. (a) Ask girls to tell you the number of stitches they have previously cast on each needle, 12 + 12 + 13 = 37 ; (h) show them a stocking or sock, and tell them they are going to learn how to divide for a heel, and then learn how to pick up the gusset, so as to go on knitting the foot. (N.B. — The heel may be the Dutch or Gusset, and may be thickened or single.) ( c ) Let girls knit a round with you, and when they reach the needle with seam stitch, elicit that this is called the heel needle, tell them to knit this with you, and then divide thirty - seven into two parts, viz. eighteen and nine- teen ; (d) explain that nineteen stitches must be placed on the heel needle, so that three stitches must be added, at either end of this needle, from the other two ; ( e ) with the fourth needle knit off three loops from No. 2 needle, considering the heel needle No. 1, and show girls how 74 NEEDLEWORK PART to slip these three loops on to the heel needle ; (/) tell girls to turn work and purl nine stitches to the seam, knit seam, and then purl six ; ( g ) show girls how to purl three loops off from No. 3 needle ; ( h ) let them count to see that there are nineteen stitches on the heel needle, and nine stitches on each of the other two needles, which must now be called the instep needles ; examine their work. 2. The Thickened Heel. First Method. — (a) Tell girls to knit one row of heel plain, slipping first stitch ; ( b ) then work with them thus : — Slip the first stitch in the purl row, purl one, slip one, alternately up to seam, knit the seam, slip one, purl one to the end of row, being careful that the last stitch is always purled and not slipped ; '(c) knit the second row plain ; ( d ) in the third row slip one, purl two, then slip one, purl one, up to seam, knit the seam, slip one, purl one to the end, the last two stitches in this row will . be purled ; (e) knit the fourth row plain and repeat h, and d, alternately, with a plain row between, till the heel is long enough, say 2 or 2| inches, or ten slip stitches up the sides, then recapitulate the lesson given in Standard V. for turning the heel, discontinuing the thickening, where the decreasings occur. X. B . — Explain that thickening in this way has the effect of con- tracting knitting, so that it must be done as loosely as possible. Some people use coarse needles for the heel to prevent con- traction. 3. Another Method of Thickening. — Put an even number on the heel needle, hold plain side of knitting towards you, and tell girls to work with you thus : — (a) Slip the first stitch plain, knit the second plain, putting the cotton twice round the needle, instead of once, before bringing it through the loop; (h) bring the cotton in front of the needles I HEEL AND GUSSET OF STOCKING OR SOCK 175 as for purling, and slip the next stitch plainwise, and pass the cotton back again, knit the next stitch plain, putting the cotton twice round the needle as before, and so on to the end of the needle, always purling the last stitch for the sake of having slip stitches up the sides ; ( c ) turn the work round, slip the first stitch always, in beginning every row, till heel is the right length, and knit those stitches that were slipped, always putting cotton twice round the needle, and slip those stitches that are double on the needle, always bringing the cotton in front of the right-hand needle first, and passing it behind the slipped stitch. N.B. — 1. This kind of thickening is really double knitting, and both sides of the heel are alike. 2 . There is no seam stitch kept, and the thickening is best taught as a separate lesson, on a piece of straight coarse woollen knitting. 3. This double knitting stitch is most useful for comforters, cover- lets, shawls, and muffatees, as well as for the heels and toes of stockings. 4. The thickening must be discontinued, when the heel is being turned, and the two centre stitches can be made into one for the seam. The double stitches of this method prevent the con- traction of the knitting. 4. Picking up the Gasset. — (a) Recapitulate the method given in Standard V. of knitting up the slip stitches down one side of the heel, and call this needle No. 1, then show girls how to put the eighteen stitches for the instep on one needle, and knit these off on to another needle, and call it No. 2 ; (b) show again how to take up the slip stitches of the second side of heel, and take off fiye stitches from No. 1 needle on to No. 3, one of these being the original seam stitch. Keep this stitch to mark the centre of sole of foot, and end of round ; (c) let girls count stitches with you, and elicit how many extra stitches there are in addition to those first cast on (in the above case there will 176 NEEDLEWORK PART be ten extra) ; ( d ) tell girls to knit with you one round, ending at the original seam stitch ; ( e ) then to knit off the stitches on No. 1 needle, except the last three ; then tell them to knit two to- gether, knit one ; (/) knit the instep needle plain ; (g) then knit one off No. 3 needle, and slip one, knit one, and pull the slipped stitch over the knitted one, knit to end of needle ; ( h ) then knit two complete rounds, and decrease on No. 1 and No. 3 needles as above. N.B. — 1. The decreasings for the foot must be on the heel sides, with two rows between. 2. Decrease till there are thirty-seven stitches on the three needles, eighteen on the instep, nine on No. 1 needle, and ten on No. 3. This forms the gusset of the instep, and this gusset should never be too short, or the foot will be a poor shape, and will not fit comfortably. 3. For this size, five decreasings on each heel needle will be required. 4. The girls should be allowed to cast off, when the decreasings are finished, or the number of stitches is thirty-seven alto- gether, to prepare them for the Examination specimen. 5. The thickened heel is not required on the Examina- tion specimen, but must be used for the stocking or sock, required of girls in Standards VI. and VIT., as a knitted garment (Fig. 78). I CROSS CUT OR DIAGONAL DARN ON LINEN 177 CROSS CUT OR DIAGONAL DARN ON LINEN Lesson A — Drawing Class. — Standards VI. and VII., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — Chequered board, chalks, an article with a cross cut, e.g. a tablecloth, child’s pina- fore ; a square of linen yarn, or very coarse Saxony cloth, flourishing thread and darning needle, pencil, scissors or penknife. For the Girls . — A square of linen material, or very coarse Saxony cloth, flourishing thread of two colours, needle, sewing cotton, pencils, scissors or penknives, inch measures. Method. — 1. (a) Show girls the tablecloth or garment cut obliquely, and point out by roughly drawing a diagonal line on the chequered board, that in a cut like this, both the warp and woof threads are destroyed at the same time, and that such a slit is caused by a sharp instrument being pressed against the material, as in carelessly cutting bread on the tablecloth, or by the knife slipping against the pinafore, while sharpening a pencil ; ( b ) explain that this kind of cut must be darned in a particular way to prevent the slit from gaping ; (c) show girls how to find the selvedge and let it go up and down, and how to crease the squares diagonally, and then with a sharp penknife or scissors cut a slit half an inch long, in the middle of the square, and either from the right-hand top corner towards the left bottom corner, or from left top corner to right bottom one. (N.B . — In the first lesson all must cut in the same direction.) (cl) Illustrate this cut on the chequered board, marking the corners Nos. 1 and 2 (Fig. 79). N 178 NEEDLEWORK PART 2. Drawing the First llhomboid. — (a) Show girls how to measure a quarter of an inch above and below the slit, and explain that it is a good rule when the cut is a true diagonal, to leave a space half the length of the slit on either side of it, so as to form a square ; (b) mark these points Nos. 3 and 4 on the board ; (c) tell girls to do the same on their linen, and examine to see if they have done this correctly ; ( d ) show where to place the figures 5 and 6 to form the square, and explain that the sides must be the same length as the cut, plus the spaces on either side of it, this will be an inch if the cut is half an inch ; ( e ) let girls do the same on their work, and then examine ; (/) explain that it would not be a strong method to darn this style of cut in the form of a square, because the sides of the slit would not be sufficiently protected, and would gape very much, when the material was pulled diagonally, so it has been found expedient to enclose the slit by two rhomboids, crossing each other, thus giving the appearance of two triangles, when the darn is completed ; (g) write the word rhomboid on the slate, and say a good definition of this word is an oblong pulled out of shape , i.e. it is an oblong with two slanting lines at top and bottom ; (h) show that the square must be extended at its opposite corners 3 and 4, upwards and downwards, the same length as its sides, if the slanting lines of the oblong are to go in the same direction as the slit. {N.B . — If slit were going in .the opposite direction, the corners 5 and 6 must be extended upwards and downwards.) (i) Mark the board one inch above 3, No. 7, and one inch below 4, No. 8, the girls doing the same on their squares ; (j) examine ; (k) then show how to connect 7 to 6 through 3, and 5 to 8 through 4, by straight lines, then elicit how to connect 5 to 7 and 8 to 6, viz. by slanting 1 CROSS CUT OR DIAGONAL DARN ON LINEN 179 lines ; (/) when girls have done this, point out that the first rhomboid is completed, and that it goes up and down with the selvedges. 3. The Second Rhomboid. — (a) Show girls how to draw the second rhomboid across the first, without turning the work, by extending on the board the corners 3 and 4 outwards ; No. 3 to the right and No. 4 to the left, and marking them 9 and 10 ; ( b ) let girls mark their squares in the same way ; (c) elicit how 9 is to be connected with 5, viz. by a straight line passing through 3 ; then how 6 is to be united to 10, viz. through 4; (d) let girls draw faint pencil lines, after you have drawn them on the i8o NEEDLEWORK PART board, then call one or more of them out to finish the figure on the board, the others extending the slanting lines 7 and 5 to 10, and 8 and 6 to 9 ; ( e ) call upon girls to name the numbers of the first rhomboid, then of the second, and also the numbers of the two triangles (Fig. 79), and to point out that the cut agrees with the bases of the triangles, by the way in which it runs. Lesson B — The Darning Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Demonstration Frame, and Paragon. 1. Fishbone Stitch. — (a) Explain that if the edges of the cut are very much frayed, they must be drawn together by a stitch called the fishbone ; (b) show how this stitch is worked by using a needle and coloured sewing cotton, and passing it under and over the edges, so that the stitches are interlaced, and prevent the edges from ravel- ling out, when the darning is being done ; (c) let the girls draw their edges together in the same way, and examine their work ; ( d ) illustrate the fishbone stitch on the diagram (Fig 80). 2. Darning. — (ci) Recapitulate the lesson as given in Standard III. by the frame, and tell girls if the linen is fine, they can take up two or three threads on the needle, and pass over the same number; ( b ) when you have darned a few rows on the frame, to recall the chief points, e.g. leaving threads between each row, and loops at top and bottom, then let girls begin at left-hand side of first rhomboid, either at the top or bottom, while you again demonstrate on the Paragon, or a large square of linen ; (c) illustrate this row on the board in white chalk ; ( d ) when the girls are ready to work the second row, demon- I CROSS CUT OR DIAGONAL DARN ON LINEN 181 strate again, and leave either one or two threads between the rows, according to the number taken up on the needle, and point out that it is necessary to ignore this rule at the top and bottom slanting lines, sometimes, so as to keep the bases of the triangles even on the right side ; ( e ) i illustrate this row on the wrong side of diagram (Fig. 80), and question girls about the uses of the loops which are left (to allow of working up into the original material, when the article is in use again, or for shrinkage in the wash) ; (/) when girls have finished this row, examine their work ; (g) and, when the corner of the slit is reached, 1 82 NEEDLEWORK PART show by your own linen square, how to pass the needle under the raw edges, so as to keep them to the wrong side and yet to darn them in securely ; point out again that the rule of under two and over two must be ignored here, if it interferes with strengthening the slit (the pattern can be easily kept above and below the hole) ; ( h ) illustrate on board, and examine girls’ work ; ( i ) go on demonstrat- ing, illustrating, and examining, till girls have darned the first rhomboid ; (j) show them how to turn their work round, and darn the second rhomboid in the same way as the first, with another colour, being careful to take the needle quite through the stuff, when crossing the stitches of the square, so as to firmly fix the slit, and to darn in all the jagged edges of the cut. ( N.B . — The square is double darned, both on wrong and right sides, the angles are only darned once.) (Ic) Illustrate the darning on the second rhomboid with a coloured chalk ; (/) explain that the pattern of the double darn may differ in the girls’ work, and may be wavy, or a series of crosses, or like the letter T ; (m) show girls by the frame that these patterns differ according to the way in which the needle is placed in regard to the stitches of the first darn, but all are correct ; (n) when the second rhomboid is finished, show girls how to cut and draw away the sewing cotton used for the fishbone stitch, without puckering or injuring the darn. Notes. — 1. If the cut gapes a great deal, before the edges are drawn together by the fishbone stitch, the hole, when darned, will look like the common darn on stocking-web, in that the crossing threads of the darning material will give a cross bar appearance on the right side. This is far preferable to drawing the edges closely together and making a cobble. I THREE-CORNERED TEAR OR HEDGE TEAR 183 2. This darn is often voted an unnecessary needlework exercise in Elementary Schools, because the girls are not likely to carry it into practice in their own homes. There is some truth in the objection, but thoughtful teachers will consider the possible future of their pupils, and will agree, that if any of them are ever entrusted with the care and oversight of their employers’ household linen, the lessons on darning, given while at school, will be valued by them, when earning their own liveli- hood. 3. The girls should be allowed to cut diagonal and other kinds of slanting lines in different directions, and should darn them either in school, or as a supplementary home lesson. 4. In Voluntary Schools, there would be no difficulty in getting some of the table linen from the homes of the managers, and the older girls should be trusted to darn these, if the time given to needlework will allow of it. 5. Some object to the rhomboids being drawn on the linen with pencils, and prefer creasing the lines. The pencil marks would be only faintly drawn, and would soon wash out, while the creases often get obliterated, while the darn is in progress. A Three-Cornered Tear or Hedge Tear A. Drawing Lesson — B. Stitches (See Lesson on Cross-Cut Darn) Class. — Standards VI. and VII., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher ami Class . — The same as for a cross-cut darn. Method. — 1 . (a) Show a dress or apron, which has been accidentally torn, by being caught on a pointed edge, e.g. a desk, or on a thorny bush ; (b) explain that country people call this kind of hole, a hedge tear ; and (c) point 184 NEEDLEWORK PART out that the selvedge threads are broken from C towards B, and the woof threads from B towards A, but that at corner B, both kinds of threads are severed from the rest of the material ; ( d ) show girls how to cut a three-cornered hole on their squares of Saxony cloth, or coarse linen yarn, by cutting with a penknife half an inch across the width, and a little more than half an inch with the selvedge. 2. Drawing the First Oblong Selvedge Way. — {a) Tell girls to find the selvedge of the material, and put in a pin, then show them some finished specimens of hedger-tear darning, and point out that the three corners have been enclosed either by an oblong within an oblong, or by oblongs crossing each other as in (Fig. 81), or by a square within a square, if the sides of the tear are equal ; (b) illustrate the tear on the slate, and mark the corners A, B, and C ; ( c ) show girls how to measure away from corner B, three-eighths of an inch (or half an inch), and then the same distance to the right from corner C, and also downwards three -eighths of an inch, and up- wards two-eighths of an inch ; (d) when girls have marked these distances by dots on their material, and you have marked the diagram on slate 1, 2, 3, 4, show them how to draw light pencilled lines from 1 to 3, 2 to 4, 1 to 2, and 3 to 4, thus forming the first oblong, which goes up and down with the selvedge (Fig. 81). Examine girls’ work. 3. Drawing the Second Oblong. — (a) Tell girls to turn work round, so that the woof threads go up and down, then show them how to extend the line 1, 2, to the left five-eighths of an inch, and mark the diagram 6, upwards five-eighths of an inch, and draw lines from 6 to 5, and from 5 across the first oblong touching line 2, 4, and mark this I THREE-CORNERED TEAR OR HEDGE TEAR 185 point 7 (Fig. 81); (b) when girls have done the same, examine their work ; (c) show that corner B, where the threads are entirely severed from the garment and form a point, will be doubly protected, when the oblongs are darned. 4. Darning . — See lesson B on the cross cut, because the method of darning the hedge tear is precisely the same (Fig. 80). Show the completed darn. Notes.— 1. If this tear is on a cashmere, merino, woollen or silk gown, it is often very diffi- cult to match the darning material in colour and texture. Cashmeres and Merinoes are best darned with silk, and afterwards pressed by an iron. Woollen materials may be •gl darned with fine wools, e.g. . Shetland and Angola. If the W| tear is found on underclothing, 2 7 4 holland pinafores, bed or table Flf " 81 ' linen, then fine sewing cotton or flourishing thread must be used, according to the texture of the damaged article. 2. Loops should be left on all darning materials, whether cotton, silk, flax or wool, to allow for working up into the garment, as well as for shrinking in the wash. 3. In lined materials, the darn must be worked on the right side, if the tear is in a position which will not allow of unpicking the lining. l h u — !L NEEDLEWORK PART 1 86 CHAPTER XVI PRINT PATCHING, AND GUSSET Print Patching Class. — Standards VI. and VII., Pnpil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — The Paragon Apparatus or two larger pieces of print than those given to the class, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, pins, slate, chalks, a patched gown, child’s frock, apron, or pinafore. Method. — 1 . (a) Show a garment that has been so successfully mended, that the patch is almost invisible ; (b) elicit the methods of patching flannel and calico, and explain that the chief feature of mending print is match- ing the pattern, and the chief difficulty is to get a piece of material of the same pattern, large enough to repair the damaged part, and yet to match the pattern in every particular ; (c) tell girls that when print garments are made, some of the material should be kept in reserve for the purpose of mending ; ( d ) that as the garment has been worn and washed often, the mending piece must be well washed before it is used, or the colours will be more vivid than those of the article to be repaired ; (e) draw an illustration of the two pieces of material on the slate ; (/) recapitulate method of finding the selvedge of both the garment and patch, and point out that if the pattern is a stripe, it usually goes up and down with the selvedge, and as this is a first lesson on print patching, the print chosen has a striped foundation. I PRINT PATCHING 187 2. Fixing. — (a) Tell girls they must cut a hole in the larger piece of stuff, to represent a torn garment, and when they have done this, tell them to place the garment piece with the right side uppermost, and the selvedge running up and down ; ( b ) show them how to place the selvedge of patch to selvedge of garment, and lay it well over the hole, and then put stripe to stripe and endeavour to match all other parts of the pattern, as perfectly as possible ; ( c ) then show them how to fix the patch, turn- ing in the selvedge sides first, and then the woof ; placing the patch on the garment continually to see that the 1 88 NEEDLEWORK PART fixing does not interfere with the matching of the pattern, and cutting away the turnings, if more than three-eighths of an inch deep ; ( d ) tell girls they ought to know how to tack the patch on, by beginning on a selvedge side, and keeping the material quite flat, so as to see the pattern of both garment and patch ; ( e ) illustrate the patch placed over the hole, and tacked ; (/) recapitulate the method of seaming, beginning on a selvedge side, and pressing the edges of patch and garment together most carefully, demonstrated, tell girls to begin seaming, and to put a few extra stitches at the corners for strength ; (b) illustrate the seaming stitches on the diagram (Fig. 82). N.B . — Or fix the patch completely, and work all the stitches afterwards. 4. Fixing , continued . — (a) When the seam's are finished and neatly flattened, tell girls to turn their work to the wrong side, and show by the illustration, and your own work, how to cut up to each corner, as far as the turnings of the patch, and then cut away the lappets quite evenly ; (b) elicit that the hole is made much larger, and that there are double raw edges on all sides ; ( c ) illustrate the wrong side (Fig. 83). E E I ^ TTTmT ri T i i i n i K i Wrong Side Fig. 83. in order to preserve the matching, and holding the patch towards you while working, so as to tighten it, the thumb having a tendency to push the patch upwards to the edges of the creased garment. 3. Seaming. — (a) When this has been clearly I PRINT PATCHING 189 5. Overcasting Stitches. — (a) Demonstrate by the fold at the top of the frame, how to pass the needle up under the double edge of a selvedge side, about four threads, draw the needle out and make a half knot at the bottom, as in one method of fasten- ing on buttonhole stitch, then hold the cotton coming from this stitch under the left thumb, and put the needle in four threads from the raw edges vertically (being careful not to catch in the patch), and a little distance from the preceding stitch, draw the needle out under the raw edges, rather loosely, thus making a knot at the bottom, and a connecting curved loop of cotton, between the stitches ; ( b ) illustrate on the slate, and tell girls this is called blanket stitch (and embroidery button- hole stitch , when used to protect scalloped edges of a garment, or of embroidery) ; (c) tell girls to hold the work with raw edges towards them, and to fasten on at one selvedge side, as you did on the frame, and then work with them for a few more stitches, and they will soon be able to overcast the edges loosely and evenly ; ( 1 d ) illustrate on the wrong side, and examine girls’ work at intervals (Fig. 85). N.B . — If the cotton is drawn up to the raw edges too tightly, they get rolled into lumps, and if the raw edges are held upwards, like a buttonhole, the girls are certain to draw the stitches too 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 At 1 >1 i.i.u.J- 190 NEEDLEWORK PART much. Blanket stitch is useful for overcasting serge material, as well as print. 6. Another method of overcasting is to seam the two raw edges together, beginning the stitches at the left-hand side, and leaving a big piece between each. This is a dressmaker’s method of overcasting seams of print and other materials (Fig. 84). N.B. — The above is the simplest and strongest method of patching print, and other dress materials.. Notes. — 1. Another method of fixing the wrong side is to cut the garment up to each corner, then cut off the torn material to corners, by cutting the stuff so close to the seaming stitches, and the extra overcasting. The advantage is its flatness and smoothness, when the article is ironed. 2. The French and Belgian method is to cut away all the worn and torn part of the garment, then to make a turning on the garment, mitring the corners, and fitting the patch into this hole, matching the pattern exactly, and turning back a fold on the patch, which is tacked to the edges of the garment, as for an ordinary seam, and then seamed on the wrong side, the raw edges being separately overcast. The seaming when Wrong Side Fig. SG. within a quarter-inch of the edge, and fold it back on to the garment, thus revealing the turn- ings of the patch inside, and making an octagonal figure outside the square or oblong formed by the patch. The raw edges being flattened and over- cast, separately (Fig. 86). The objections to this method are the weakened I THE GUSSET 191 pressed scarcely sliows at all 011 the right side ; and when the matching is perfect, the patching is really invisible. The Gusset Class. — Standards VI. and VII., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher . — The Paragon Frame, or three pieces of material much larger than the girls’, sewing needle, tacking and sewing cotton, scissors, a garment, such as a shirt, a shirt blouse, a sleeve (a chemise sleeve, or infant’s shirt, to show other kinds of gussets), slate and chalks. For the Class . — Two strips of calico to represent the garment, when they are joined together, and a triangular piece of material for the gusset, sewing needle, tacking and sewing cotton, scissors. Method. — 1 . (a) Show the use of the gusset by a finished garment, pointing out that it is put at the end of sew-and-fell, and run-and-fell seams (sometimes at the end of a folded crease, such as at the bottom of an infant’s closed shirt, where one side is not joined, but simply folded, or hip openings of children’s knickerbocker drawers), to prevent them from breaking away, and to finish them off’ neatly and strongly ; (b) show a single triangular gusset, put into an infant’s shirt armhole, and explain that it is used here to form the sleeve, as well as to strengthen the end of the armhole ; or a square gusset set into a chemise sleeve, or a night-shirt sleeve, to add to the width, as well as to strengthen. N.B . — The square gusset forms a triangle when folded. 2 . Fixing the Seam and Hems. — (a) Tell girls to find the selvedge of the two strips, and recapitulate the fixing of a 192 NEEDLEWORK PARI' sew-and-fell , or a run-and-fell seam for an inch and a half at one end ; when the girls have finished the stitches on this, illustrate the join on the board (Figs. 90 and 91), examine their work, and demonstrate the fixing of the opening, which might be considered the opening of the body of the shirt, or the wrist -opening of a sleeve ; ( b ) show how to fix the side with the single fold by turning down a narrow hem and bringing it to a point at the top of the seam, and neatly tack it (c) (the opposite side of the opening is more difficult to manage, because of the double fold which forms the fell) ; show girls how to cut Fig. 87 . from the raw edge towards the fold, so as to be able to turn this fold back to the wrong side, and fix this side for a hem to match the other side, and neatly tack ; ( d ) examine girls’ work ; ( e ) illustrate the tacked hems (Fig. 91). 3. Fixing the Gusset. — (a) Draw illustration of triangle on slate ; ( b ) tell girls to find the selvedge side of the triangle, and turn down a narrow fold once, then turn down a fold on the other short side, then a fold on the longest side, which is on the cross, being careful not to stretch it ; (c) illustrate the appearance of the gusset, and examine girls’ work ; (d) show them how to fold the I THE GUSSET 193 gusset in half from the apex downwards, to see if the fixing has been even, and to get the apex in the middle ; ( e ) illustrate this crease by a dotted line (Fig. 87), and examine work. (N.B . — If the fixing has been uneven, give a fresh gusset.) ( f ) Show how to fold the point No. 1 down to the raw . 6 5 Fig. 88. edge of turning, and mark this spot No. 4 diagram ; (g) tell 6 girls to do the same, while you illustrate the appearance (Fig. 88) ; ( h ) elicit that this forms a three- sided figure, a tri- angle, only smaller than the first triangle, and that now it has a lining at the back ; ( i ) explain that the lining must be made into a geometric figure, called a hexagon ; ( j ) show girls how to turn up corner No. 2 to point No. 5, on the wrong side , examine their work, and tell them to show you how to turn up No. 3 to No. 6 ; (k) show the girls how to cut away 194 NEEDLEWORK PART corners Nos. 2 and 3, leaving folds to match the depth of I THE GUSSET 95 and No. 8 ; ( l ) illustrate on the slate the right and wrong sides of the triangle and hexagon combined (Figs. 89 A and 89b). The gusset is now ready to be fixed to the garment. 4. Fixing Gusset into Garment. — (a) Show girls by slate and Paragon, or your own specimen of garment, how to place No. 1 of the triangle to the end of the garment seam, and close to the seaming stitches, point No. 9, and then how r to tack the gusset to the edges of the opening very carefully, from No. 9 to No. 6, and then from No. 9 to No. 5, so as to keep the apex of triangle in its place ; ( b ) show girls how to begin the seaming at No. 5 and seam to No. 6, being careful to put a few extra stitches at No. 9 ; ( c ) illustrate the seaming stitches on the right side (Fig. 90), and while girls are working the seam, draw an illustration of the wrong side (Fig. 91); ( d ) examine girls’ work, and when they have all reached point No. 6, tell them to flatten the seaming stitches, and show them how to fix the lining, or hexagon, on the wrong side, using another needle and tacking cotton, and fastening needle with sewing cotton to the work ; (e) tell girls to turn work to wrong side, and place the crease in the middle of the hexagon to the middle of the seam, and tack it, being careful to keep the sides quite even, and pulling the line Nos. 2 and 3 of hexagon, to make it lie quite flat over the full and bulky part of seam ; (/) illus- trate the lining (Fig. 91); (g) show girls how to bring the 196 NEEDLEWORK PART needle and sewing cotton to the wrong side at No. 6, and fell the lining from this point to point No. 5 ; ( h ) while girls are felling illustrate the stitches on lining : ( i ) when point No. 5 is reached show girls how to bring needle through to the right side at No. 5, and stitch the top of gusset along the crosswise edge, as far as No. 6, telling them to be careful to stitch near the edge, and not to stretch this part of the gusset too much ; (j) show them how to fasten off neatly, and press the lining firmly with either thimble or thumb ; ( Jc ) illustrate the felling and stitching, on wrong and right sides (Figs. 90 and 91), and a gusset set into a sleeve or body of shirt (Fig. 92). Note. — The gusset should be divided into at least two separate lessons. CHAPTER XVII RU N - AN D - FELL HE A M — BU TTON HOLES — MARKING Run -and- Fell Seam Class. — Standards VI. and VII., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — Fen' the Teacher . — Two pieces of calico or muslin, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, slate, chalks, Frame, finished garments. For the Class . — Two pieces of calico or muslin, needle, tacking and sewing cotton. Method. — 1. (a) Show by a finished garment, such as a child’s musliit pinafore, that a run-awl-jell is used instead of a sew-aml-fell ; (b) explain that if this kind of seam is very well done, it saves time in fixing and in working, and I RUN- AND- FELL SEAM 197 is quite as strong and neat as sew-and-fell ; ( c ) tell girls that this method of joining material with raw edges is most suitable for such materials as muslin, Nainsook, fine calico, and that a run-and-fell, like a sew-and-fell, is placed at the side seams of garments, and also across the woof, as when repairing a garment by putting a new top or bottom to it ; ( d ) write the title of the lesson on the slate. 2. The Fixing. — ( a ) Recapitulate the way of finding the selvedge of both pieces of material, and tell girls to put a mark, or a pin to indicate it ; ( b ) show girls how to turn down a fold about a quarter of an inch deep, telling them to work with you and to crease the folded edge firmly and evenly, and to turn this fold upwards, so as to show the crease; (c) illustrate on slate (Fig. 93), and examine girls’ work ; ( d ) show how to place the second piece of material upon the first, with the selvedge edge a little distance below the crease and running parallel to it, then how to turn the fold of the first piece down over the second, without rolling its raw edge ; ( e ) illustrate on slate 98 NEEDLEWORK PART (Fig. 94), and examine ; (f) show girls where to begin to tack the three thicknesses by a mark on the illustration, and by your own work. N.B . — The tacking should be neat and secure, and should lie just above the raw edge of the fold (Fig. 94) ; examine girls’ work, when tacked. 3. The Stitches . — (a) Recapitulate the running stitch, which was taught in Standard V., on the Frame, the girls working with you ; ( b ) show how to fasten on just below the raw edge, as for gathering , and then proceed with the running stitch, being careful to tell the girls that these stitches must be taken quite through the double material, and that at certain regular intervals a back stitch is advisable to make the seam firm and secure. (N.B . — The objection to run-and-fell is always on account of the running, which, if carelessly done, leaves gaps in the seam. ) (c) Illustrate the stitch (Fig. 94), and examine girls’ work ; (cl) when the running stitch is finished, then show girls how to press the fell down smoothly and evenly to hide the raw edge, and recapitulate felling on the Frame, eliciting how it should be fastened on and worked ; (e) illustrate I RUN-AND-FELL SEAM 199 the felling stitches (Fig. 95), and examine work, both on wrong and right sides, and pull the seam to see if the material is firmly joined, and condemn slip-shod work. N.B . — The seam on the right side must he one straight crease. Notes. — 1. By the above method of fixing, the running Fold of Material ////////////////////// Right Side Fid. 05. stitches can be kept more regular, and no raw edges can possibly be seen on the right side. 2. Another method is to turn down a fold on one piece and lay the second piece on it, with the raw edge just below the folded edge of the first, and then tack the double material along by the raw edge of the fold, which cannot be seen, but only guessed at, because it is covered over. By this method the running stitches are often irregular, and the raw edge is frequently seen on the right side, beside the possibility of slip stitch running. 200 NEEDLEWORK PART Buttonholes — and Marking The Buttonhole with both Ends braced Class. — Standards VI. and VII. Apparatus. — Far the Teacher and the Class . — The same as in previous lessons on the buttonhole, and marking a letter. Method.— 1 . ( a ) Recapitulate by means of the Frame the buttonhole stitch, and let the girls work it on the canvas samplers, and then the method of working the round corner, and the braced end, illustrating on the Fig. 96. chequered board and slate, as described in lesson to Standard IV. ; (b) when the girls have renewed their knowledge of working the buttonhole, in this way, show them how to work the two sides of the slit, before finish- ing the corners, beginning at the left end of the band, and when this end is reached again, recapitulate by Frame and illustration the method of bi'acing it ; (c) when this corner is braced, show girls how to pass the needle between the canvas and its lining, and bring it out, at the right-hand end of the slit, at the side of the corner, which will enable them to work from left to right ; (d) illustrate the com- I MARKING 201 pleted buttonhole, and show girls that this kind of button- hole is used for the fronts of day shirts, and on women’s dress bodies, and is really the strongest method of working an ordinary-shaped slit ; ( e ) when girls have worked the slit on the canvas, recapitulate the process of making a band, cutting a slit on it to fit a button, and the whole of the method of working a buttonhole with both ends braced (Fig. 96). N.B. — 1. It takes some girls a much longer time to master the buttonhole stitch, and the method of making the corners, so a good plan is to give older girls a six -inch square of double material, on which they can practise stitching, feather-stitch, chain - stitch, knotting ; by marking oft* the surface into squares, within which buttonholes can be cut, the warp and woof way, and sometimes on the cross. 2. A buttonhole on the cross is not required by the Code, in any of the Standards. 3. Buttonholes for children’s and women’s frock and dress bodies should be cut away at the corners nearest the edge of the hem, and then worked round, to allow of a button with a shank fitting the hole easily. Tailor-made dresses and jackets have buttonholes of this description. Marking Class. — Standard VI. Method. — Analyse the most difficult of the letters and figures, and sketch them on the chequered board, as in Fig. 71. Give the girls time to practise these on canvas, and on a linen square, so as to prepare them for the exercise of marking on the day of examination. N.B . — If girls are in Ex-Standard VII., they may be taught the Eyelet-hole, and Queen-stitch marking. Eyelet-hole is done by making a stitch across two threads from the centre as a fixed point, above, below, on each side, and at each of the four angles. 202 NEEDLEWORK PART Queen-stitcli is done by making a stitch like back-stitch, above, below, and on each side of four threads, which appear in the centre. CHAPTER XVIII WHIP-STITCH, AND SETTING ON A FRILL Class. — Standard VII. and Ex- Standard VII., Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — The Paragon Frame, (when making the stitch or setting on the frill), Mull muslin, or Nainsook, one inch deep and six inches long, and a piece of calico three inches square, chequered board, slate, chalks, needle, tacking and sewing cotton, pins, scissors, Demonstration Frame, with a roll placed on the folded edge, to represent the fold on the material, and some garments trimmed with hand-made frills. For the Class . — A three-inch square of calico, and a strip of Nainsook 1x6 inches, needles, tacking and sewing cotton, and pins. Method. — 1. (a) Tell girls that hand-made frilling is a very economical way of making trimming for a night- gown, chemise, drawers, children’s pinafores, pillow-slips, and that a quarter of a yard of Nainsook, which costs 3d., will fully trim a night-gown ; ( b ) recapitulate the method of making, tacking, and dividing a band ; (c) illustrate it on the board (Fig. 97); ( d ) show girls how to fix the muslin which is to form the frill thus : — First tell them to find the selvedges, and show them how to fix a very narrow flat hem on the two selvedge sides, which are the I WHIP-STITCH , AND SETTING ON A FRILL 203 short ones, and tack them ; then tell them to fix one long side, being very careful with the corners, and to hem these three sides very neatly ; when the hems are com- pleted, show girls how to divide the frill into halves and quarters for the sake of regulating the fulness, and then show them how to put a few stitches at these divisions, and then how to hold the wrong side of strip towards them, and fix a narrow hem at the right - hand end, and then fasten up this corner by seaming, and work a few hemming stitches. (This has been found a very advantageous method for setting the frill on the band neatly, and for preventing the raw edges, when rolled, coming out at this end into a sharp point.) Fig. 97. Fig. 98. Next show girls {how | to form the roll, by placing the material between the left thumb and forefinger, in a slanting position, and rubbing it downwards and upwards with the left thumb, till the raw edge is completely hidden, and a good firm roll is obtained. (The roll should not be too deep, nor too narrow ; it is absurd to state the number of threads.) 204 NEEDLE WORK PART N.B. — The girls should be allowed to practise this rolling of raw edges on short waste pieces of material, before they make the roll on the specimen frill. When the girls have rolled about one and a half inches, illustrate (Fig. 98), and then demonstrate the way to make the stitch on the frame. 2. The Whip-Stitch. — ( a ) Explain that the stitch makes the roll on the material look like a wliip-cord , and that this is probably the origin of the name of whip-stitch ; (b) fasten the cord to the right-hand side of Frame, so that it comes out to the front towards you, then tell girls to count with you eight strands to the left on the Frame, and show most clearly that you put the needle to the back of the roll, and quite under it, in a slanting direction to the left, so that the cotton can be drawn up easily ; (c) elicit that you have made a very long slanting stitch on the top of the roll, and a short stitch under it ; (d) illustrate on the chequered board the shape of the stitch thus : — Put a dot in the space on the right-hand side and mark it No. 1, then tell girls to count up two lines with you to represent the roll, then count eight lines to the left, and put a dot in the space and mark it No. 2, then count two more lines to the left and two down and mark it No. 3 ; tell girls to watch, while you. draw a slanting line from No. 2 to No. 1, and a short dotted slanting line from No. 2 to No. 3 (Fig. 99). (N.B. — The short dotted line may be straight, if it is preferred to put the needle in straight. It is, however, found much easier, while holding the frill in a slanting position, on the left fore- finger, to put the needle in slanting.) (e) Tell girls to take up frill and work the stitches, while you demonstrate on the Frame and the slate (Figs. 98 and 99), being careful to examine their work, and to question them as to the reason of putting the needle quite umler the WHIP-STITCH \ AND SETTING ON A FRILL 205 roll, and not through it ; (f) when the first one and a half inches are whipped, again demonstrate the method of rolling to the next quarter of the frill, and recapitulate the working of the stitch ; (g) tell girls to roll to the next half of frill, and work the stitches as far as the hem, while Fio. 99. you show on the slate what the material will be like when fully drawn up (Fig. 100) ; ( h ) show girls how to draw the muslin up to form the frill, the same length as the band, and put in a pin at the left end, and wind the cotton round it, as for gathers. Examine the girls’ work, and explain that this word frill is connected with/#//. 3. Fixing the Frill on the Band. — (a) Show girls that the right side of band must be placed uppermost on the desk, with folded edge towards the top ; ( b ) tell them to place theirs in this way, then show them how to place the 206 NEEDLEWORK PART whipped edge of frill, with the right side downwards, and thus facing the right side of the band, quite close to its folded edge ; (c) examine girls’ work, then show them how to pin the right and left hand ends of frill to the band, Fio. 101. then how to regulate the fulness by matching the divisions on frill with the divisions on band, and putting in pins in these places (or fasten one-half of frill to band, and illus- trate thus far, letting girls finish the other half in the Fin. 102 . same way, without any help, Fig. 101), then let them tack frill to the band, and remove the pins (Fig. 102). 4. Setting-on Stitch. — (a) Show girls how to hold frills towards them, and then how to fasten the right-hand end by seaming the hemmed portion of frill to the band ; (b) when girls are quite ready, show by the Paragon, or by your i WHIP-STITCH , AND SETTING ON A FRILL 207 own whipped frill, how to put the needle in quite straight under the middle of each roll, so that the stitch is the same as seaming, and the slanting portion of it rests between the rolls, while the straight stitch lies under the roll, and is seen on the right side ; ( c ) illustrate the appearance of stitches on the slate, and the position of needle for making the stitch (Fig. 102), then recapitulate, the girls working with you ; (d) examine their work frequently. N.R. — 1. Some people think it neater to put the needle through the middle of the roll, and not under it. 2. Whichever method is used, the frill, when sewn to the band, should be flattened like a seam. 3. Some people also recommend stroking a frill, but the author objects to this process, because girls are likely, however carefully they have been taught, to mark the muslin with the pin. 5. Fastening off. — {a) When girls are getting near the last pin, demonstrate to them collectively, how to unwind the whipping cotton, and to finish off the frill by a narrow hem, like at the commencement, and seaming the end, break off the whipping cotton, and continue the setting-on stitch, seaming this hemmed portion very firmly and neatly to the edge of the band ; ( b ) take out tacking threads, and flatten the frill at its edge, and pinch it 208 NEEDLEWORK PART between finger and thumb to keep the fulness in place ; (c) tell girls to take out marks of division on the frill and on the band ; ( d ) illustrate the appearance of the right side on the slate (Fig. 103). Notes. — 1. Whipping cotton must be very good and strong, and yet fine to suit the muslin. 2. The girls’ hands must be particularly clean, before beginning to roll the material. 3. Muslin, Swiss, Madeira, and Irish embroidery can be whipped at the edge, and set on bands, and front folds, as by above methods. 4. Some people like to hold the band towards them, while seaming the frill to the band. It is not such a good method in practically trimming a garment, as the frill cannot be so easily regulated to the divisions on the band, for it is not always possible to tack the frill to the band, completely. CHAPTER XIX FLANNEL BINDING, AND SEAMS IN FLANNEL Flannel Binding Class. — An Upper Standard, Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — Fw the Teacher and Class. — A square of flannel, white or coloured, binding to match the colour of flannel, needle, tacking and sewing cotton. N.B . — Slate and chalks for teacher, and a flannel garment, e.g. infant’s barrowcoat, or head flannel. Method. — -1. Show girls by the garments that the raw I FLANNEL BLNDING 209 edges of flannel are generally bound with sarcenet ribbon, galloon, or a kind of thin tape called flannel binding, and that the binding is neater and more ornamental than a herring-boned hem. 2. The Fixing . — (a) Show girls that the binding material is nearly always put on, merely to show a little way over the edge on the right side, and in order to fix it properly it is necessary to divide the binding into thirds ; ( b ) show the girls how to divide the binding by creasing one-third of it quite evenly, and when they have done the same, demon- strate clearly how to lay the wrong side of the binding on to the right side of the flannel over the raw edge (be- ginning with the selvedge side first), without rolling the edge of the flannel ; (c) let the girls find the right side of their flannel, and the selvedge of it, and tack the binding neatly along one selvedge side ; ( d ) illustrate the appear- p 210 NEEDLEWORK PART ance (Fig. 104), and examine their work; (e) show the girls how to turn the corner of the flannel, so as not to pucker the binding, by making a pleat in the binding from left to right, and put in a small pin till the binding is tacked to the flannel ; (/) tell girls to hold the binding rather tightly in the left hand while fixing, and the flannel loosely, so as to prevent puckering, and to allow the bind- ing to lie quite flat and smooth without wrinkles ; (g) illus- trate the corner (Fig. 105), and examine girls’ work ; ( h ) let them tack the bind- ing on the woof side, while you examine frequently, and then show them once more how to turn the corner by pleating the binding as above ; (i) let the girls fix the other sides without any help, while you examine and illustrate the appearance of the specimen on the right side (Fig. 105). 3. The Stitches. — (a) Show girls how to begin in the middle of a selvedge side, and hem neatly as far as the corner, show them how to slip the needle up to the top of the pleat, and hem it down ; the needle and cotton will then be in a position to hem the next side. {N.B . — If fixed for machine sewing, the binding must be stitched close to the edge.) (b) When all the sides and corners are neatly hemmed, Pig. 105. I FLANNEL BINDING 21 I show girls how to turn the work to the wrong side and tack, and then neatly run the binding just above its edge, being careful to fasten the corner pleats in the same way as on the right side, and not to draw the flannel binding too vigorously over to the wrong side, so as to roll the edges. (. N.B . — Some allowance must be made for the thick edges of the flannel, so that there will be less than two-tliirds of the binding on the wrong side. The binding is often ornamented with feather-stitch above the hemming on the right side. The join in the binding should, if possible, be made by a pleat at a corner. ) Fig. 10G. (c) Illustrate the wrong side of the binding, and examine girls’ work often. Notes. — 1. The chief fault is putting the binding on too loosely, thus giving it a very wrinkled appearance, and also too deep on the right side. Half the width of the binding is some- times preferred, but it is less neat in appearance than a third of the w r idth. Other faults are : — (l) Leaving the pleats at the corners unfastened ; (2) not placing the binding far enough down from the raw edge of the garment, thus causing it to break away when the flannel is washed. 2. Binding enters into the tailor’s, dressmaker’s, milliner’s, and upholsterer’s arts, and should be taught to older girls, not only on flannel, but on dress materials, chair and box covers, 212 NEEDLEWORK l’ART valances, and cloth petticoats. The latter are usually bound with braid in the following manner : — Place the braid about one-sixtli or a quarter of an inch from the edge of the garment, with the light side facing the right side of the petticoat, then run and back-stitch the braid to the garment, a little distance from its own edge, and afterwards turn the braid to the wrong side, being careful not to draw it over the edge of the garment too tightly, and fell, or run it neatly (Fig. 106). Seams in Flannel and Flannelette Garments Method. — 1. (a) Find the selvedges, right sides, and the way of the nap of both breadths ; (b) then put in pins with points down- breadth being a quarter of an inch lower than the edge of the under breadth (Fig. 107); (d) tack both together firmly and neatly a quarter of an inch below the raw edge of the upper breadth ; ( e ) fasten the breadths together by run and back-stitch, being careful only to make two, or at most three run stitches, and then a back-stitch, which must not, however, be taken two or more threads forwards, as in ordinary stitching, or gaps will be left in the seam, and will produce bad results on the right side. N.B . — This part of the work must he done most carefully and strongly, for nothing is condemned more than great gaps in A. Flannel Petticoat wards, in the same direction as the nap ; (c) face the breadths by placing the two right sides together, the edge of the upper Fig. 107 . I BARROWCOAT \ OR BODICES , OR VESTS 213 flannel seams, produced by careless run and back-stitclies on the wrong side (Fig. 107). 2. (a) When the join is completed by the run and back - stitch, flatten the seam by pressing under from the right side, and turn down the deeper raw edge of the underlying breadth over the stitches to form a fell ; (b) tack along the edge without puckering the fell ; (c) herring-bone the raw edge neatly and securely, taking all the stitches quite through to the right side (Fig. 108) ; ( d ) take out tacking threads and press well. N.B . — This is considered the strongest way of joining flannel breadths. B. Barrowcoat, or Bodices, or Vests Method. — (a) Find the selvedges, right sides, and way Fir;. 10S. of the nap, and face the breadths, as described above ; ( b ) place the selvedges quite close together, and tack three- 214 NEEDLEWORK PART eighths of an inch from the edges, neatly and firmly ; (c) run and back-stitch as described in A along by tacking thread ; (cl) when the join is completed, flatten it, and place the Fio. 110. single edges to the right and to the left, on the garment ; (e) tack them firmly without puckering, or drawing the Fio. 111. centre join too tightly ; (/) herring-bone each side (Figs. 109 and 110). N.B . — This makes a nice flat seam, but there is double work in herring-boning, and the centre join often gives way, after the article is washed, unless it is back-stitched frequently. I BODICE SEAMS 215 C. Seam in Flannelette Method. — The same as in lesson B as far as (/), when, instead of herring-boning each raw edge, the herring-bone stitch is worked over the centre join. N.B . — This protects the centre join, but leaves the raw edges un- protected. The author does not recommend it, except in flannelette, when the selvedges may be retained, as they are much narrower than the selvedges of flannel (Figs. 109 and 111), CHAPTER XX VARIOUS METHODS OF MAKING SEAMS ON CALICO, LINEN, MUSLIN Mantua-maker’s Hemming (Fig. 112) Method. — (a) Turn the garment to the wrong side and place one raw edge a little below the other ; ( b ) turn the upper edge over the lower twice, as in fixing a hem, and hem through all the thicknesses. N.B . — The stitches are only seen on the wrong side. Use. — It is a quick and useful method of joining sides of muslin and print pinafores, skirts of white calico and cloth petticoats, bags, and sleeves that have no linings. Bodice Seams (Fig. 113) Method. — (a) Place the two raw edges quite even on the right side, and tack about a quarter of an inch deep ; Fia. 112. 216 NEEDLEWORK PART (b) run and back-stitch neatly and firmly just above the tacking thread ; (c) take out tacking cotton, and turn the garment to the wrong side ; ( d ) press up the edge that has been fastened by run and back-stitch, and tack just below the raw edges, which are on the wrong side, i.e. about one- quarter of an inch deep ; ( e ) run and back-stitch or machine stitch, along by the tacking threads. N.B . — The stitches are not seen on the right side. Use. — (a) To join the various parts of a calico bodice ; ( b ) sides of muslin and print pinafores, frock bodies, skirts of petticoats and frocks ; ( c ) for materials that fray very much, e.g. serge, and which are not strongly enough protected by over-casting. German Hemming Method. — (a) Turn down the raw edges of both sides of the material once, on the wrong side, rather I GERMAN SEAMING 217 narrow, and quite even ; ( b ) place the right side of one piece on to the wrong side of the first, so that the folded edge of the second lies just below the raw edge of the first, or under piece ; (c) then hem the folded edge of the second piece to the single material lying under, from right to left, so that it is like hemming upside down ; ( d ) when this edge is hemmed, put your hand up the garment, and flatten the seam, from the right side, and then turn down the first fold over the second, and fell it neatly. N.B. — This is a very neat substitute for sew-and-fell, when a very flat seam is desirable. It is somewhat like counter-hem. Use. — For seams of chemises, night-gowns, shirts, and petticoats. It is quite as strong as the older method of sew-and-fell seam, and looks better, when well done, because all the stitches are worked on the wrong side. German Seaming Method. — (a) Place the two selvedges together, edge to edge, on the right side, and lay them quite flat on the left forefinger, and begin to work from top to bottom ; ( b ) fasten on the cotton by bringing the needle through one edge from the under or wrong side to the right, and leave an end of cotton hanging towards the worker ; ( c ) then place the needle in a slanting direction under the opposite edge, and the fastening-on end, about two or three threads from the last stitch ; ( d ) now place the needle under the opposite edge and above the fastening-on end of cotton ; (e) proceed in this way till the seam is finished. It must lie perfectly flat. Use. — This seam is used for the selvedges of sheets, pillow-slips, narrow selvedges of trimmings, e.g. embroidery, mull muslin frilling, everlasting edging, and lace. N.B. — The cotton crosses itself, between the two selvedges. 2 1 8 NEEDLEWORK PART Counter -hemming or Felling Method. — (a) Place the two wrong sides of the material together, edge to edge ; (b) turn down, towards you, an eighth, or a sixth, or a quarter of an inch, according to the depth required, on the right side ; (c) move the piece lying uppermost away, and you will find the turning on this is on the right side, and the turning on the other edge is on the wrong side ; (d) place the edge which has the turning on its right side under the other edge, so that raw edges are completely hidden, and yet not rolled ; ( e ) tack along the centre ; (f) hem the fold on the right side ; (g) and then the fold on the wrong side. This also makes a very flat seam, but the fold of one hem, as well as the stitches, is visible on the right side. N.B . — The same fixing, however, can be used, and the edges can be stitched on the right side. Use. — This seam is very useful for children’s shifts, made up in Standard I., for muslin pinafores, and at the shoulder seams of infants’ first shirts, and the Cottage Pinafore. CHAPTER XXI STRENGTHENING TAPES — PIPING Strengthening Tapes Use. — 1. A strengthening tape is a substitute for a gusset, at the ends of seams and slits, especially in flannel garments, where gussets would be too bulky. 2. They are also used at the corners of the flaps in i STRENGTHENING TAPES 219 infants’ shirts, boys’ sailor collars, at the bottom of the armholes of the Cottage and other pinafores, and they are shaped when placed in these positions. 3. When placed at the bottom of the placket hole of petticoats, dress skirts, and front folds of shirts, night- gowns, and chemises, they are put on quite straight. Method. — 1 . Shaped Strengthening Tapes. — (a) The opening, at say the side of the flannel shirt, has been already fixed for a hem and herring- boned (Fig. 115); ( b ) turn down a narrow fold once at each end of the tape, but on opposite sides, so that one fold is on wrong side, and one on the right ; (c) then turn the X . Fio. 114. tape so that it crosses some- where about half its length, and forms the base of an angle ; (d) fold the tape again to see that the long sides are equal in length ; ( e ) put a small pin or a few tacking stitches, to keep the crossed tape in position (Fig. 114). N.B. — If you are using the tape from a long piece, and not a short end cut off, the fixing would be done while sewing it to the edge of the slit. 2. Fixing Tape to the Garment. — (a) Turn the wrong side of the garment towards you, and place the wrong side of the tape at C (Fig. 115) to the end of the slit or seam, and put in a pin ; ( b ) then place A to the garment and put in a pin, and then B, and put in a pin ; (c) measure the sides once more, to see that the tape is placed equally on both sides of the slit ; (d) tack the tape in position, and take out the pins ; ( e ) seam the garment to the tape, i.e. hold the garment towards you and seam neatly from B to A (Fig. 115); (/) slip the needle under the tape at A, 220 NEEDLEWORK PART and bring it out in position for felling, and fell the tape to the garment as far as D, then fell the crossing piece of tape to that which lies under, and not through the material, as far as E, then slip the needle back to D and fell on, till B is reached, where the cotton must be fastened off neatly and strongly ; (g) flatten the tape by pressing it well be- tween the palms of the hand ; ( h ) illustrate on both right and wrong sides ; the stitches must show quite distinctly on the right side. N.B.- 1. If the shaped tape is put on to a calico or holland garment, the only difference in the illustration will be hemming stitches on the hems of the opening of the garment, instead of herring- bone stitches. 2. In placing the tape to a flannel garment, be careful to hold it I PIPING 22 tightly, while tacking, and the flannel loosely, as the latter will be tightened by shrinking in washing ; in a calico garment the tape should not be held too tightly, or it will be puckered. 3. Unshaped Strengthening Tapes. — (a) Turn down a narrow fold at each end of the tape on its wrong side ; (b) crease the tape in half across its width ; (c) place the selvedge edge on the wrong side of the garment, over the end of the slit, the crease matching the middle of it, and then fell the tape neatly and firmly to the garment, being careful with the corners. Piping (Fig. 116) Method. — 1. (a) Cut strips of calico, or dress material, Fig. 116 . on the cross, sufficiently wide to admit the cord, and to form a false hem ; ( b ) join these together as de- scribed in lesson on false hems on the cross, so that they are the proper length for the piping which is required ; (c) place the piping cord on the crosswise strip, fully three- eighths of an inch from the edge, then turn this fold over the cord, and tack through the two thicknesses, pressing the cord up to the folded edge, tightly ; {d) turn the corded edge towards you, and lay the wrong side of the piping to the right side of the garment, about a quarter of an inch from the top edge, and leaving half an irfch beyond the side edge of the garment ; (e) tack firmly ; (/) then run and back - stitch the three thicknesses firmly 222 NEEDLEWORK PART together, the stitches being made just above the cord ; (g) when it is run and back-stitched, fold the cording back to the wrong side, and press the garment evenly against it, at the top, to make cord set well at the edge ; ( h ) the false hem is then folded under evenly once, and at the corners, and hemmed to the lining of the garment, or if there is no lining, quite through the garment itself. N.B. — 1. If a string is used, as at waist and neck of infant’s frock, or at neck of night-gown, the ends of the piping must he turned under to its own wrong side, and neatly stitched on the right side, to prevent them from being bulky or ravelling out, when the string is drawn through. 2. If the garment is to be fastened by button and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, then the ends of the piping can be felled neatly to the garment. 3. Piping is sometimes used without the false hem, then it is placed between crosswise strips of material equally, the raw edges being quite even, and tacked just below the cord. The piping is then placed on the right side of the garment, with the raw edges of piping close to raw edges of garment, and the lining of the garment is placed on the top of the cord, the raw edge close to the others, then tacked through all the thicknesses close to the cord, and afterwards stitched. The lining is folded back and well creased, so that all the raw edges are inside, and the cord is at the edge, between the right side of material and its lining. This method is used in piping yokes, and arm- holes. I CORAL AND FEATHER STITCH 223 CHAPTER XXII ORNAMENTAL STITCHES USED IN PLAIN NEEDLEWORK : — CORAL AND FEATHER STITCH — CHAIN-STITCH — FANCY HERRING - BONING — BIASSING — KNOTTING — SCALLOP- ING — SINGLE HEM STITCH — EYELET-HOLES Coral and Feather Stitch Class. — Upper Standards, Pupil and Student Teachers. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Demonstration Frame, slate, chalks, calico bands, flannel garments, crochet or embroidery cotton, or flourishing thread, flax, silk, wool, and suitable needles. For the Class . — First lesson : lined or unlined canvas, afterwards bands of garments, flannel petticoat or head flannel, suitable needles, cotton, etc. Method. — 1. (a) Show how to hold the work over left forefinger, as for setting-in gathers, or over the same finger as for stitching (in the following lesson the work is held in the first way) ; ( b ) show by specimens on garments, that coral and feather stitch are worked both on double and single material — on double material such as edges of bands, hems, and tucks, and on single material between tucks ; that when these stitches are worked on bands, they keep the edges firm and flat, and ornament them still more effectively than stitching would do ; and when they are worked on single material, they are used for ornamenta- tion only. 2. Fastening on. — (a) Show how to bring needle from wrong to right side, between two selvedge threads, and 22 4 NEEDLEWORK PART leave an end, which can be worked over, as in marking , or, if double material, slip the needle between the folds of band and secure by a back - stitch on the right side ; (b) let class do the same ; (c) examine. 3. Coral-stitch . — (a) Show how to count two threads to the right of where the cotton is coming out, and put the needle under two or more threads vertically, drawing the cotton down straight and putting it under the point of the needle ; recapitulate, the class working with you ; ( b ) show how to draw the needle and cotton out loosely, and explain that the cotton, flax, silk, and especially wool, must never be drawn tightly, or the material will be puckered, and, after washing, the stitches will be spoilt ; (c) class draw out needles ; (d) recapitulate by a diagram on sectional board, put a dot between two selvedge lines and call it No. 1, count two lines to the right and mark in the space No. 2, count down two lines and mark No. 3 in space, draw a slanting line from Nos. 1 to 3, and a straight line from Nos. 2 to 3, giving the appearance of a half-knot at No. 3 (Figs. 117 and 118); ( e ) tell the class to take up samplers, and work next stitch with you : count on the frame two threads to the left of where the cotton is coming out, draw cotton coming from last stitch down in a straight line, and put left thumb on it, then throw cotton to the left over the thumb, and place the needle under two threads vertically, and draw it out above the cotton, thus making a half knot, and a straight stitch ; examine girls’ work, and show by the frame that only the straight stitches can be seen on the wrong side ; I CORAL AND FEATHER STITCII 225 the slanting piece of cotton, which connects the straight stitches is only seen on the right side ; (/) recapitulate by diagram on the board : — Count to the left of No. 3 two lines and mark No. 4 in the space, and down two lines and mark No. 5, draw a slanting line from Nos. 3 to 5, and a straight line from Nos. 4 to 5, £ ig again the appearance of a half knot at No. 5 (Figs. 117 and 118); (g) work another stitch with the class, and in recapitulating on the board, elicit how the stitch is worked, and let one girl come out and draw it, and another come out and put the needle in position (Figs. 117 and 118); (h) impress upon class that coral and feather stitch are substitutes for stitching on bands, and, to be useful as well as orna- mental, they must be taken quite through to the wrong side, where all the straight stitches must be seen distinctly. 4. Feather-stitch . — The method is the same as for coral- stitch, except that the needle is put under two or more threads diagonally each time (Fig. 119). Fig. 118. Notes. — 1. The patterns of both coral and feather stitch may be very simple (e.g. a single stitch, which, with knotting, is exceedingly pretty for baby linen) or elaborate, as in Fig. 119. 2. The numbers of threads between the stitches, and for size of stitches, must vary with the quality of the material upon which the stitches are worked. Though in learning the stitch on canvas, the workers count the threads, yet in working on calico, or flannel, this becomes tedious, and sometimes impossible. The best method is to measure the space with the eye. The patterns must be kept regular and even, and 226 NEEDLEWORK PART must match. If worked on the two edges of a collar-hand or front fold, or from top of nightgown downwards, the pattern for each must he begun in the same direction ; for instance, if the pattern of the outer edge of a front fold is fastened on at the top, and worked towards the point, then the pattern of the inner edge must he worked downwards as well. 3. In fastening on a new needleful of cotton (a) pass the used-up cotton to the wrong side, and weave the needle under and over the straight stitches, as in hack - stitching ; fasten off hy a hack - stitch and cut the cotton ; (b) j)ass the needle through the folds of double material, and secure it on the wrong side hy a back-stitch, and then bring it to the right side, through the half knot of the last stitch. Chain-Stitch- Class and Apparatus. — The same as above. Method. — 1. Show the class by garments that this stitch is used to ornament the gathers on children’s pinafores and frock bodies, collars of boys’ sailor blouses, and the hem and tucks of flannel garments. I CHAIN-STITCH 227 2. The Chain - stitch. — (a) Show how to hold the work us for darning, and explain that the stitch is worked downwards from top to bottom ; ( h ) show by frame how to bring the needle through from wrong to right side, and leave a long end, which must be woven under the stitches on the wrong side, afterwards ; (c) let class do this ; (d) show them how to hold the cotton loosely on the right side, and then how to put the needle into the same place, where the cotton is coming out, and bring the needle out two threads below, above the cotton which forms a loop under the needle, draw needle out carefully, and let the cotton lie loosely in the form of a loop ; ( e ) re- capitulate, the class working with you ; (/) illustrate on chequered board, thus : — mark the space where cotton came out No. 1, and where needle was put in on the right side No. 2, then count down two lines in a straight line, and mark the centre of space No. 3, draw a loop from No. 1 through No. 3 to No. 2 ; (g) let class work with you ; show how to put the left thumb on the cotton, coming from last stitch, then how to put the needle back a little to the right of this place, and bring it out two or more threads below, above the cotton , which again forms a loop — draw needle out and let cotton lie loosely on the material. {N.B. — Chain-stitch must he clone very loosely. Each new loop begins within the lower part of the preceding one, and produces the effect of the links of a chain.) (h) When girls have worked this stitch, recapitulate by drawing it on the sectional board ; (i) question the girls on the use of the stitch and the method of making it, O ' 228 NEEDLEWORK PART and let one come out and work it on the frame, a second draw it on the board, and a third put the needle in position (Fig. 120). Fancy Herring-bone Stitch Method. — herring - bone, This stitch resembles that of the ordinary except that it is worked perpendicularly instead of from left to right, and the cotton is brought round behind the needle and under its point as repre- sented in Fig. 121, which gives a greater finish to the stitch. As great care is requisite to keep the pattern even, it is a good plan to run a tacking thread, as a guide, down the middle of it. The stitches are four threads wide, and eight threads apart. Use of the Stitch. — This stitch can be employed like coral, or feather stitch, to ornament edges of bands, hems, and tucks, especially for children’s flannel garments, e.g. head flannels, barrowcoats, frocks, and petticoats. Biassing Apparatus. — Calico, flannel, or holland, sewing needles, piping cord, crochet cotton, flourishing thread and silk. Method. —The first part of this stitch is gathering, the second seaming. After the gathers are stroked and set into the band, the rows of gathering which have been worked at equal distances below the band are biassed as I KNOTTING 229 follows : — lay upon the right side of the gathers very fine piping cord, or very coarse crochet cotton, and with a needle and very coarse flourishing thread, or silk, sew over the cord or cotton, taking hold at the same time of the gathering cotton, and pointing the needle straight towards the chest, as in seaming. The needle must he put between every gather. The bobbin, or coarse crochet cotton, worked upon thus, has a very neat effect, and the gathers are made stronger. Biassing is very effective, if two or three rows of gathers, at short distances from each other, are worked over (Fig. 122). Use of Biassing*. — Biassing is used to strengthen gathers, and to ornament them, on such garments as infants’ robes, and bonnets, and short frocks, children’s blouses, pinafores, and frock bodies. Knotting Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — A band made of Java 230 NEEDLEWORK PART canvas, coarse needle and embroidery cotton, slate and chalks, a baby’s robe, or frock body, ornamented with coral or feather stitch, and knotting at intervals between these stitches. For the Class . — A sampler of lined canvas, or a band of calico or muslin, with a row of coral-stitches ’on it, needle or crochet cotton, flourishing thread, silk or wool. Method. — 1. (a) Show girls how to hold the work as for feather-stitch ; (b) bring the needle through from wrong to right side, leaving an end of cotton which must be securely fastened on afterwards ; (e) let girls do the same ; ( c > E > paper. 3. Dimensions. — ( a ) Explain that all parts of the draw- ing are done according to certain measures ; the oblong is 8 inches long and 4 inches broad, and we express this measurement as 8x4; write 8 x 4 in the middle of the oblong, the class doing the same (Fig. 133), examine; C to E is 2b inches, write 2J close to letter E, the class doing the same, and examine ; D to F is 5 inches, write 5 close to letter F, the class doing the same, and then examine ; A to G measures 2b inches, write 2b close T 274 NEEDLEWORK TAUT to letter G, the class doing the same, and examine ; (b) explain that by writing down the measurements there will be no necessity to count the squares, when actually cutting out the pattern, as the dimensions will be seen at a glance. 4. Folded and Open Farts. — (a) Write the word folded above the lines AB and BD, and explain that the actual dimensions of the oblong are 16 inches long and 8 inches wide, because the drawing represents the yoke and its lining, folded into halves from B to D and from A to B, and then represents fourfold material ; the open edges are A to C and C to D; (b) draw dots over the lines from G to B, B to D, and from D to E, to show what will be waste material, when the diagram is cut out, to form a pattern of a yoke (Fig. 133). 5. Elicit that A to C is the straight part across the back of the garment, that EF is the shoulder slope, that G, X, F is the curve of the neck (Fig. 133). 6. Let the class practise drawing the diagram in their Exercise books, till they can reproduce the lines from memory. 7. Examine each girl’s book, and give marks of approval, or of encouragement, for accuracy and neatness. CHAPTER IV THIRD LESSON IN CUTTING-OUT (To Cut Out in Paper — Newspaper or Lined Paper) Class. — The same as in first and second lessons. Apparatus. — For the Teacher. — Chequered board with II THIRD LESSON IN CUTTING- OUT 275 a diagram (e.g. Fig. 133) drawn on it, slate, chalk, lined paper, scissors, inch measure, and pencil. For the Class. — Chequered Exercise books with a diagram drawn (e.g. Fig. 133), lined paper, scissors, inch measures, pencils. Method. — 1. (a) Tell the class that the lines going up and down on the paper are j inch apart, and represent the selvedge ; (b) write the word selvedge on the slate, and elicit or explain the meaning, “ self-edge ” i.e. the tightly- woven manufactured edge, which borders the width of all materials, and runs up and down with the length ; (r) explain that the selvedge threads are stronger, and will bear greater strain than the woof threads, and are not so easily pulled out of shape, for this reason the selvedge of materials goes down in most garments from neck and waist to the hems, and from shoulders towards the wrists in sleeves, but round the neck and waist in collars, neck-bands, and waist-bands, and across the back in yokes ; (d) tell the class that it is wiser and more economical to cut out a pattern in paper first, before cutting out in the right material, because the same diagram can be used, even if a yoke of greater or less dimensions is needed, provided that the parts are cut in proportion to each other ; (e) write the word proportion on the slate, and elicit or explain its meaning — proportion is size always in comparison ; (/) tell the class, that when garments are cut out in good proportions, they always fit well, and are always more comfortable, durable, and tasteful, than ill-proportioned articles ; (g) illustrate the term proportion by the diagram of the yoke thus : — The length is twice the width ; the shoulder slope is nearly twice the curve of the half-neck, and the middle of the back is the same as the width across the shoulder-tip. 276 NEEDLEWORK TART 2. Cutting-out. — (a) Explain that as the lining of the yoke is the same in dimensions as the yoke, only an oblong 16 inches long and 4 inches broad is needed for a pattern ; (/>) show class how to place the paper on the desk, with the right side uppermost, and the lines going up and down towards them, and (with the inch tape) measure from the left-hand top corner towards the right 4 inches, and put a pencil mark, then measure down from both top corners 1 6 inches and put marks ; (c) show the class how to hold the scissors with the sharper point upwards, the thumb being placed in the upper ring, and the third finger in the lower one, and then how to cut off in a smooth straight line the oblong 16x4; ( d ) tell class to hold the paper up that you may see that it is cut correctly ; ( e ) show how to fold the oblong across in half its width, so that it is 8 inches long, and then put it on the slate drawing to let class see that it is like the diagram in length and width ; (J) let class fold theirs in half in the same way, and hold it up that you may examine collectively ; (g) tell class to place the folded edge towards the top of the desk, and, while obeying your directions, to refer to their books as well as to the board ; ( h ) tell them to measure in towards B from left-hand top corner, i.e. A, 2J inches and put a pencil mark, then elicit what other part of the diagram is of the same measurement, viz. from left-hand bottom corner, i.e. C, towards D, and put another pencil mark, then measure up from right-hand bottom corner 5 inches ; ( i ) show the class how to crease the slanting line by fold- ing the paper from E to E ; (j) show how to cut off this piece of paper in a straight smooth line ; ( k ) then measure down 2 inches from right-hand top corner and 1 inch in and put an X, then show them first how to cut the curve, beginning in a straight line from G and curving the II THIRD LESSON IN CUTTING- OUT 2 77 scissors round through X out to F, being careful not to curve inwards too much ; (/) tell the class to cut the curve •and then hold up pattern for you to examine ; put your own pattern on the drawn diagram to let them see it is full size, and that the lines and curve correspond to those on the slate ; call out two or more girls, and let them compare their patterns with the diagram on slate ; (m) elicit that the oblong for a yoke in calico, or shirting, must be 1G x 8 inches. N.B . — Explain to the class that curves, especially at the neck and armholes of garments, should never be cut deep at first ; that, for this reason, it is always best to draw them a less size than they are needed when cut, because curves can always be cut deeper to suit the size of neck or armhole, if small at first, but if they are large at first, they may spoil the shape, and nothing can be done to remedy the evil. Dressmakers and Shirtmakers always take this precaution, in cutting curves at necks and armholes. 3. Let the class open their paper patterns, and com- pare the proportion of one part with another, and call upon them to name the various parts as you point them out, e.g. neck , shoulder-slope , shoulder-tip , back, aivl middle of back. 4. Give the girls another piece of lined paper, and tell them to cut out a second pattern from the same diagram, either in school, or as a supplementary home-lesson. Examine this second effort, giving marks of approval and encouragement, and placing the patterns on the slate diagram, to prove their accuracy. Jagged and saw-like cutting, as well as inaccuracy, must be condemned, while clean-cut, well -shaped slopes and curves must be praised. N.B. — 1. In later cutting-out lessons, the first and second drawing lessons would become one. The diagrams chosen for girls in 278 NEEDLEWORK PART Standards IV. and V. should be of simple garments, which can be easily made up by children in Standard III. , and likely to be saleable in the neighbourhood of the school. The Code specifies a pinafore, shift, or apron ; and Exercise D. on day of examination is to cut out in paper a child's pinafore full size , from memory. 2. When the girls can cut out a child’s pinafore, a girl’s shift, or apron in paper accurately, they should be taught how to manage the proper material, — e.g. holland or print for the pinafore, unbleached or white calico for the shift, and holland or yarn for the apron, — by pinning the flat paper pattern on the material quite smooth and straight, and then cutting most carefully and economically. 3. Other garments suitable for cutting-out exercises in Standards IV. and V. are infants’ first shirts (open and closed), children’s drawers, and children’s flannel petticoats. 4. Children in Kindergarten Classes are taught to draw straight, oblique, and curved lines ; and they are trained to use the scissors, in cutting out designs in paper. If this Kindergarten teaching is continued throughout the lower Standards, the girls, who have passed out of these Standards to the upper ones, ought to be more ready and skilful, both in drawing diagrams, and in cutting out garments. CHAPTER V PINAFORES Cottage Pinafore (Fig. 134) Suitable Materials. — Holland from 32 to 36 inches wide. Good brown holland can be purchased from 6|d. to lOjd. per yard. Prints are usually 34 inches wide and vary in price from 4-fd. to 6fd. per yard. Diaper is 36 inches wide, and from 6|d. to Is. 6fd. per yard. Yosomite is from 28 to 32 inches wide, and from 4jd. to 6Jd. per yard. II COTTAGE PINAFORE 279 Quantity. — lj yards of either of the above materials will be sufficient to cut two pinafores, allowing for a deep hem at the bottom and a few tucks, in Print and Yosomite. The waist-band can be obtained from the extra material off the width, as 32 inches are only needed in the garment. This size pinafore fits a child of two or three years of age. Cost of Two Holland Pinafores : — 1J yards of holland at 8jd. . . . Is. ljd. Sewing cotton and tape about . . 0 1J Is. 2fd. Cost of one about 7 id. 28 o NEEDLEWORK PART Cost of Two Print Pinafores : — 1J yards of print at 5fd. Sewing cotton and tape, about 10Jd. Cost of one about 5jd. Construction. — 1 . Seams. — The shoulders must be joined either by Sew-and-fell, Counter -hem, or German hemming. N.B. If sew-and-fell is used, the fell must fall to the back of the 2. Hems . — The armholes must be finished by narrow hems. The neck must have a hem about h or f inch deep, care being taken not to pucker the hems at the shoulder seams. N.B . — With the greatest skill in cutting the curves at the neck, it is impossible to prevent the hems from being a little narrower at the shoulder seams. The right back end of neck hem must not be seamed up, but the left back end may be, if an eyelet-hole is worked on the right side of the hem to bring the tape through. This eyelet - hole should be 1 or 1 \ inches from the end of the hem, to allow of lapping the right back over the left. The bottom hem should not be less than 1 inch deep in Holland and Diaper, and may be 1 \ to 2 inches deep in softer materials, e.g. Print, Yosomite, and Zephyr. A few tucks above the deep hem are a great improvement. The deep hem and tucks can be obtained, if f of a yard are put into each pinafore. The bottom hems must be seamed at each corner. If 32-inch material is used there will be no raw edges down the backs, and no need of hems ; but if a strip is taken off a wider material for garment. II COTTAGE PINAFORE 281 waist-strings, a raw edge will be left on one selvedge side, which should be put to the right back. A hem of J or 1 inch wide will be suitable, in all the above materials. 3. Trimming . — The armholes are greatly improved by a frill of the same material, the fulness being half as much again as the length of the armhole, and about 2 or 3 inches deep at the shoulder part, and narrower towards the end of the armholes. The material for these frills can be taken off the whole width of the stuff*, before the pinafores are cut out. For instance, the pinafore is 21 inches long, if to this length 3 inches is added for hem and tucks, there will be 6 inches left from the 1 ?> yards length of stuff. 4. Strengthening Tape. — Place shaped strengthening tapes at the ends of the armhole slits, (see lesson on Strengthening Tapes). 5. Tape Strings . — Pun a piece of moderately wide tape through the hem at the neck, bringing it out at the eyelet - hole on the left back, and letting a half of the length of tape be in the middle of the front part of neck. Stitch the garment here on the right side quite through the tape, in two parallel rows, selvedge way, -J of an inch apart. Turn down narrow hems at each end of tape, to make them very neat, or buttonhole the ends to prevent ravelling. N.B . — If waist-strings are not used, tapes must be sewn 011 to each side of backs, about one-third of the whole length of pinafore, from the neck towards the waist. The tape on the right back must be put on the wrong side of garment and hemmed and seamed, or stitched at the edge ; the tape on the left back must be placed the same distance from the selvedge as the eyelet-hole on the neck hem, and must be stitched on all sides to the right side of the garment. 6. JFaist -strings should not be less than 1 i yards long 282 NEEDLEWORK PART altogether, nor less than three inches wide. They must be neatly hemmed, and may be rounded at the ends. Divide the string in half and fix it to the centre of the front, 9 inches from the neck. Pleat it twice, and stitch it in the centre, selvedge way, and then on either side of the centre in parallel rows, about ^ an inch apart. Materials, Quantity, Cost, and Construction of Pinafore (Fig. 135) Suitable Materials. — Varieties of muslin, e.g. Mull, Nainsook, Figured and Cross-bar, Indian, Madras, and De’ Laine. N.B . — The other materials suitable for the same pattern are Sateen, Yosomite, ami Print. Muslins vary in width, Mull muslin and Nainsook are sometimes 40 inches w ide, the other varieties are usually one yard wide. The prices vary from 6^d. to Is. 4d. per yard. Quantity must depend on the size and width of the material. For one garment the same size as Fig. 135, 1| yards of Nainsook of from 36 to 40 inches wide will be ample. In making three such pinafores 3§ yards would be sufficient. Cost of one Garment — 1 4 yards of Nainsook at 6 Jd. per yard . Os. 8 |d. 2 J „ embroidery trimming at 4jd. per yard 10 Cotton, sewing and crochet, and pearl button .... about 0 1 h Is. lOd . N.B . — If trimmed with patent lace or everlasting edging, the cost of one garment would be about Is. 3d., or Is. 6d. ii MATERIALS , QUANTITY, ETC., OF PINAFORE 283 Construction. — 1. Seams . — The sides of the garment can be joined by (a) run-and-fell seam ; ( b ) counter-felling ; (c) Mantua-maker’s hem ; (cl) bodice seams. 2. Hems . — Side hems should be fixed and hemmed first, and the hems should not be less than 1 inch wide, J>k II u"- -^>K- - 33 /'- S3- - - 9Vz" Waistband, 16" X 4" Strings, from 27" to 36" long. nor more than 1-J inches. The bottom hem can be very deep if liked, from 2 to 3 inches, or only 1 inch. The hems at armhole, if taken from the sleeve itself, must of necessity be narrow. They should be strengthened at the top of the seam by a strengthening tape, or by buttonhole stitches. A false hem on the cross is sometimes preferred 284 NEEDLEWORK PART for the sake of strength ; it should not be more than h an inch wide. N.B. — Muslin liems must have the first turning as deep as the second, so that the ravelled edge shall not show through the material. The strings should have hems of 4 inch. Some- times they are made narrower still. 3. Neckbands. — The fulness of the front of pinafore at the neck may be simply gathered into the band, leaving about 1J inches plain from each armhole, or it may be pleated or tucked, the tucks being graduated in length towards the armholes. N.B. — The gathers may, in addition, be biassed, or gaged, or smocked. The fulness of the backs should be gathered or pleated into their respective bands, leaving about li inches plain, near each armhole. 4. JVaistband. — Determine the length of the waist, — from 7 to 9 inches is a good length, — and then draw the fulness of front down, and gather it into the top and bottom of the band. The waistband must be made of double material and seamed at the edge, before the gathers are set in. If the fulness at the waist is gaged, then the waistband must be put on the wrong side of the front over the gaging to still further strengthen this part, which is often strained, when tying the strings. 5. Shoulder straps. — These must be made of double material, and can be fixed and seamed on the right side, and the seam flattened, so that it lies in the middle of the strap, and be considered the under or wrong side of it. The straps can be seamed to the edge of the neckbands, or the neckbands can be laid over them, and stitched on the right side, and felled on the wrong. G. Strings. — These should be wide, and a good length to allow of tying in a bow. They can be pleated on the top ii MATERIALS, QUANTITY, ETC., OF PINAFORE 2S5 of the waistband, or placed under the waistband, or p\it in with the seams. When they are put under the waistband, the latter is finished off at the ends with points, and felled or stitched through all the thicknesses. 7. Trimming . — If lace edging is used, it must be drawn up to the fulness required, and sewn to the edges of the neckbands, shoulder straps, and armholes, on the wrong 286 NEEDLEWORK TART side and well flattened. If everlasting edging is used, it must be felled to the wrong side of bands, and the edges of bands stitched or feather-stitched to it. If em- broidery is used, it can be whipped and sewn on the wrong side like a frill ; or it can be placed between the bands and straps, which are divided into two parts, as described in trimming chemise sleeves and neckbands, etc. The embroidery is put on with less fulness than lace. The bands may be still further ornamented by feather- stitch, or may be made of embroidery insertion. The strings should be trimmed round the ends, and a piece of embroidery can be placed on the waistband, over the gathers, and then should be fastened down with the waistband by felling, stitching, or feather-stitching. 8. Button and Buttonhole . — The buttonhole must be cut with the selvedge on the right arm back band, and be large enough to fit a pearl button of moderate size. The button must be sewn on the left arm back band, a little distance from the end. If the bands are made of insertion, a buttonholed loop must be worked at the end of right back band for the button. N.B . — Another muslin pinafore for an older girl is Fig. 136. CHAPTER VI WOMEN’S AND girls’ APRONS — PILLOW-SLIPS Aprons ( Cooking and Busting) Suitable Materials. — (a) Linen yarn, French linen, Holland, Galatea, good stout Zephyr. Quantity. — This must depend upon the width of the II APRONS 287 material used, the length of the garment, and the style in which it is made up. The simplest style is a skirt pleated into a narrow waistband, and the quantity needed for this is 1 yard of Holland or Yarn, 36 inches wide. An apron with a bib and a pocket will require l£ yards of 36 inch material, while an apron made with a front breadth, two side gores, pocket, bib, waistband, and shoulder straps will take 3 yards of 30 inch material. If Holland is less than 36 inches wide, a breadth and a half, 1 yard long, will be needed for the skirt, so that it will be more economical to cut two at one time, and three yards will give the two skirts and waistbands, but no bibs or pockets. Method of Cutting-out. — The Skirt. — (a) Cut off 1 yard of yarn ; ( b ) take from this breadth a strip 3 inches wide and 36 inches long for the waistband. The Bib. — (a) Cut off from the \ yard of stuff a piece 9 inches long, and 1 2 inches wide ; (b) fold this piece into four parts down the length, creasing it well ; (c) open it so that it is twofold, i.e. 6 inches wide ; (d) crease from the top open edges down to the bottom in a slanting line to the quarter crease, and cut this piece of material off. N.B. — The bib will be 12 inches wide at the top, and 6 inches at the waist. The Pocket. — (a) Take a piece of material 9 inches deep, and 12 inches wide, and fold it half down its length, then into quarters, and then into eighths ; ( b ) crease from the top open edges to the bottom in a slanting direction to the eighth crease, and cut this off. The pocket is 12 inches wide at the top, and 9 inches wide at the bottom. Construction. — (a) Put a hem down the selvedge side with the raw edge and hem it ; (b) fix a broad hem at the 2SS KEEDL K WORK FART bottom and hem it ; (r) hem the pocket on all four sides by narrow hems ; (d) fix it to the apron to the right of the centre crease of the skirt, with its wrong side to the right side of the garment, and J of the length of the skirt from the waist, and fell it neatly on three sides to the skirt; (?) make the waistband and seam the ends; (f) pleat the garment, so that \ of a yard of the waistband extends beyond the apron (these bottom open edges of the band must be seamed) ; (g) fell the band to the skirt of the apron, on the right, and then on the wrong side (see lesson on pleating) ; ( [h ) hem the bib on all four sides by narrow hems ; (i) place the centre crease of the bib to the centre crease of the waistband, right side to right side, and seam it strongly and securely to the band on the wrong side, flatten the seam ; (j) fasten tape strings to each corner of the bib, to form shoulder straps, and to cross over at the back, and tie in front. X.B. — The band is about 35 inches long, so that for a woman’s waist of 27 or 28 inches there will be ample for fastening by buttons and buttonholes. If the baud is shorter, tape and strings must be sewn on, on the wrong side of the band. This garment can be made up by children in Standard III., if fastened by tape strings. Cost of the above — 1] yards of Yarn or Holland at 8jd. per yard Os. lid. Sewing cotton, tape, and button . .01 Is. Od . Another Method. — (Material 30 inches wide, e.g. French linen, or gray Zephyr.) (a) Cut off a breadth 33 inches long and 30 inches wide, and slope this from the bottom to the waist 2 inches on either side of the selvedge, so that it will be 30 inches wide at the hem, and 28 inches I APRONS 289 at the waist; (b) take tw T o more breadths 33 inches long, and 2 1 inches wide ; (c) take each breadth and slope it, till it is 17 inches at the waist, and in such a ^vay that the slanting sides shall faee the slanting sides of the front breadth, and the straight sides will come to the back of the body ; (d) join the side gores to the front by counter- hem, and hem or machine-stitch ; ( e ) the outer straight edges, if selvedges, need not be hemmed, but if raw edges, fix rather wide hems, and the same at the bottom ; (f ) the bib and pocket may be shaped as described in the first method, or the bib and pocket may be made deeper and broader, and may be pleated or gathered at the bottom ; the bib can be lined at the edges, by a broad false hem, which forms a part of the long shoulder straps, which cross and are joined to the bands on the back of the body by buttons and buttonholes. N.B . — A very good fashion is to put on two pockets, one on the right side of the garment, and to the right hand, and one on the wrong side of the garment, to the left hand. (g) The waistband should be 28 inches long and 1 inch deep, when doubled and fixed, and should be fastened by a button and buttonhole ; (h) the two shoulder straps should each be 34 inches long and 2 inches wide, v r hen doubled, and a buttonhole must be worked at each end. N.B. — This includes the part of the straps, which line the vertical edges of the bib. ( i ) The button on the band for the shoulder straps should be sewn 3 \ inches from the ends of the waistband ; (j) the pockets should be placed over the side gores, be- ginning at the side seams. N.B. — This is a very useful apron, but it takes more material than the first given, though the bands and straps can be got from the pieces off the width of the side gores. \ yard of material U 290 NEEDLEWORK PART is needed for the bib and pockets, and 2| yards for the skirt, bands, and straps. Cost. — 3 yards of Zephyr at lOd. per yard . 2s. 6d. Cotton and buttons . . . .01 2s. 7d. Fancy Aprons Suitable Materials. — Mull muslin or Nainsook, Yoso- mite, Hair Cord, Book muslin, Indian and Madras, Muslin de’ Laine, and silk, e.g. Pongee, Chinese, and Tussore. Quantity. — This kind of apron does not require as much material as a working apron, f of a yard of wide muslin will give one, including bands, bib, and pocket. If the silk is 24 inches wide, and it is not considered wide enough for the skirt, a breadth and a half will be needed, besides extra for bib and pocket ; the bands can be obtained from the half-breadth. It will be more econo- mical to cut out two at a time. 2J yards of Tussore silk will cut two aprons. Cost of one made of Muslin — f yard of Mull muslin at Is. per yard . . Os. 9d. Sewing cotton and flourishing thread and button . . . . . .02 Trimming, 2| yards of lace at 2|d. per yard 0 6^ Is. 5jd. Cost of two made of Tussore Silk — 2J yards of Tussore at 2s. per yard. Sewing silk, and filoselle, and pearl or silk 5s. Od. buttons .... . about 0 4 5s. 4d. or 2s. 8d. each. II PILLOW-SLIPS 291 N.B . — Silk aprons are really prettier without trimming, unless real Maltese, Yak, or Valenciennes lace can be afforded. Construction. — (a) The skirt must be hemmed at the sides and the bottom ; ( b ) the skirt must be gathered and set into the waistband, and then gaged below the waistband by gathering two rows about J of an inch apart three times, the space between the two gathering rows should be 1 inch ; (c) the bib must be hemmed on all its sides, and gathered across at the top and bottom to match the skirt. It should be fixed to the wrong side of the band, and stitched on the right side of the band in two parallel rows. The bib can be ornamented by lace trimming, and can be shaped with long side slopes and points towards the shoulder. The pocket and strings must be edged with the lace. N.B . — Smocking is a pretty adornment for silk and muslin aprons. The edges of the bands and shoulder straps are made firmer by stitching. Pillow-slips Suitable Materials. — White and unbleached calico, white and unbleached linen, and Mull muslin. Quantity. — The quantity must depend upon the size of the pillow, from J to ^ of a yard in each, and the whole width of the stuff. Never less than two can be made at first. The greater number that are cut out at a time, the greater the saving of material must be. Construction. — Fix a narrow hem along one side of the width and neatly hem it ; (b) put the wrong sides of the hem together, and then the selvedges, tack and neatly seam ; (c) fix a hem from 1 J to 2 inches deep at the top and neatly hem, being careful to match the seams. N.B . — The bottom of the pillow-slip can be fixed for sew-and-fell, 292 NEEDLEWORK PART run -and -fell, German hemming, or counter -hem. If young children are entrusted with the fixing, a card measure should be given them, to enable them to fix the broad hem as even as possible. Tapes. — (a) Sew two sets of tape to the broad hem, one-fourth the width of the pillow-slip apart ; (b) place these tapes just above the edge of the wide hem, and hem three sides, and stitch the tape across its width to the hem on the right side (Fig. 137a). II PETTICOATS 293 N.B . — The tapes must fall outwards from the slip (Fig. 137a). Or Buttons and Buttonholes. — (a) Work two button- holes on the right side of the broad hem, just above the edge, and cut the holes with the woof of the stuff ; (b) sew on two buttons exactly opposite the holes, on the broad hem and just above the edge. Trimming. — ( a ) Trim one side of the broad hem, the two selvedge sides, and the bottom edge with whipped Mull muslin or Nainsook frills. N.B . — The frills should be from 2 to 3 inches deep, and should only be used for linen or Mull muslin pillow-slips. CHAPTER VII PETTICOATS, PLACKET HOLE, AND DRAW STRINGS Petticoats (Fig. 138) Suitable Materials. — (a) Flannel (Welsh or Saxony) from 8£d. to Is. 8d. per yard ; (b) Sanitary wool from Is. to Is. 7d. per yard; ( c ) Serge from 8fd. to lOfd. per yard ; (d) Flannelette from 5|d. to 8£d. per yard ; ( e ) Bath Coating, which is from \\ to 1-J yards wide, and from 5s. to 9s. per yard ; N.B. — Cheap flannels are narrow, and are often mixtures of cotton and wool. Serge is very durable and useful for working women’s petticoats. Bath Coating is expensive, but it is most durable and warm. The above materials are used for the gar- ment, which is generally called a flannel petticoat. (J) long cloth from 6£d. to 9d. per yard, 36 inches wide ; (g) Zephyr at 8 Jd. per yard ; (h) striped Oxford shirting or 294 NEEDLEWORK PARI' Galatea at 7fd. per yard ; ( i ) Hair Cord at 6|d. per yard ; (j) Mull muslin at 8fd. per yard. N.B . — These materials are used for women’s and children’s outer summer petticoats. (k) Cloth, Woollen Mixtures, Felt or Batswing, Homespun, and Serge are used for women's and children's outer winter petticoats. Cloth is often sold in petticoat-lengths of 2j yards for a woman, and varies in price according to the quality and width. Suitable materials for bands, whether straight or circular, are Calico, Turkish twill, Drill, Silesia, stout linen, or Jean. Quantity. — The quantity depends upon (1) the height of the wearer ; (2) the width of the material ; (3) the number of breadths put into the garment. From 2 to 3 yards for women’s different sizes, and from J of a yard to 2 yards for children’s various sizes. Circular bands require much more material than straight ones ; 1 yard of good stout calico would give eight straight bands for women’s petticoats, whereas J of a yard of material are necessary for two circular bands. 4£ yards of flannel, 30 inches wide, will give two gored petticoats 27 inches long. A deep circular band must be added fpr a woman of a medium height, to make the garment long enough. 2| yards will be needed for one, and then the nap in one of the gores will not be falling downwards. Some persons prefer three breadths in a woman’s garment, simply narrowing each side of the front breadth towards the waist. In this style the placket hole comes in the back seam. Children’s flannel petticoats require from 2 to 2^ or 2 J breadths, and they vary in length from 9 to 24 inches. If two gored petticoats are cut II PETTICOATS 295 at a time, the gores can be paired, so that the nap shall fall in the right direction. Cost of two Petticoats for a woman — yards of Welsh flannel 30 inches wide, at Is. 4d. per yard . . . . .6s. Od. f yard of twilled calico at 8|d. . 0 6f Sewing cotton, and linen buttons . . 0 1| 6s. 8d. Cost of one, 3s. 4d. N.B. — If the liem is scalloped and embroidered with wool or flourishing thread, from 6d. to Is. more must be added to the cost. Cost of two Serge Petticoats for a woman— 4^ yards of serge at lOfd. per yard . . 4s. 0|d. f „ „ unbleached calico at 4|d. per yard 0 3f Sewing cotton, and bone buttons . .01 4s. 5£d. Cost of one, 2s. 2fd. Cost of two Summer Petticoats for a woman — 6} yards of long cloth at 7^d. per yard . 4s. 2|d. Sewing cotton, and linen buttons, or tape strings, about . . . . . 0 1| 4s. 4jd. Cost of one, 2s. 2|d. N.B . — 6| yards allow of material for the circular bands, and for liem and tucks. 296 NEEDLEWORK PART II Cost of a child’s Flannel Petticoat — 1 yard of soft cream Saxony flannel at Is. 6d. per yard . Sewing cotton, buttons, and calico for the band (the latter a strip left off* some other garment) ...... Cost of one Serge Petticoat (larger size) — If yard of serge at lOfd. per yard Sewing cotton, buttons, and waistband Is. 6d. 0 H Is. 7 id. Is. HA. 0 H Is. 4|d. Cutting out two Flannel or Serge Petticoats. — (a) Divide the 4 b yards into six equal lengths; ( b ) find the right side and the way of the nap in each breadth, and mark by a pin ; (c) set aside four breadths ; (cl) divide the other two breadths into thirds down the length, and mark by pins ; ( e ) take one-third at the top, and fold it crosswise to two-thirds at the bottom ; (/) lay the material on the table, and cut along the diagonal or crosswise fold, keeping the left hand on the material to prevent stretching it, while cutting : (g) when both breadths are gored, pair them, i.e. by matching the direction of the nap; (h) take two of the four breadths, and fold each separately into half, and then decide how much to slope off at the top for the waist, generally from 2 to 4 inches will be sufficient. N.B. — The back breadths must be kept straight, and; as a rule, the whole width of tlie material should be used to make a warm, full garment. (i) Cut the placket holes in the middle of the back breadths one-third of the whole length of the petticoat, if Ok- rA£ .. 298 NEEDLEWORK PART circular bands are used, but more if straight bands ; ( j ) cut out a paper pattern of the circular band (from diagram Fig. 138), measuring the size of the waist at the top of the band, and the size round the hips for the lower portion of the band (which must be made of double material) ; ( k ) straight bands must be made the size of the waist + 2 1 inches for fastening by buttons and buttonholes. Bands must be deeper for a slim waist, than for a stout one, and must always be made of double material. Construction. — (a) Face the breadths of the flannel by placing right side to right side, with the nap falling downwards ; (b) place the slanting side of the gores to the straight sides of the back breadth, beginning at the bottom, so as to keep the straight edges for the hem, and fix the seam, as described in joins in flannel , being careful to hold the sloped side towards you, and not to stretch it any more than can be helped ; ( c ) place the straight sides of the gores to the sloped sides of the front, holding the slanting sides towards you, and matching the nap and right sides as before ; ( d ) turn up, on the wrong side, a rather deep hem — not less than 1 inch — and be careful to match the seams on the wrong side ; ( e ) herring-bone the raw edges ; (J) fix the placket hole (see Lesson on this) and herring- bone the hems ; (g) fold the garment in half, matching the seams at the top and bottom, and fasten by pins, so as to make the garment equal in length, then shape the front and side gores, to match the shape of the band. N.B. — A stout figure always requires a deep slope in petticoats and skirts in the front breadth. (it) Join the side and top edges of the band by run and back-stitch, \ of an inch or more from the raw edges, then turn it out to the right side, and fold under the raw II PLACKET HOLE IN PETTICOATS 299 edges. ( i ) Pleat the garment so that the greatest fulness shall be in the back breadth (see Lesson on Pleating). N.B . — Some people put the front and side gores into the band perfectly plain, but this causes the garment to cling too closely to the figure, and prevents free movement of the limbs. Pleats should be put into the front breadth and side gores, but the most fulness should be carried’ to the back. (j) Fell the band to the garment, placing it quite or f of an inch from the top edge, and after it is felled stitch it to the garment a little above the felling ; ( k ) work not less than two buttonholes, on the right arm side of the band. N.B. — These, if placed on a circular band, must be cut and worked on the crosswise material, and are more difficult to do, than any other kind of buttonhole. The raw edges of crosswise or diagonal holes should be braced by running stitches, on the right side, or the edges should be overcast from left to right, and the buttonliole-stitch worked over them. ( l ) Sew on two linen or bone buttons, on the left arm side. N.B . — Another method of fastening bands is by button and buttonhole just above the placket, and by draw strings at the waist. Note. — Calico skirts are sometimes made up without a placket hole, if the waist is made long enough to go over the head and shoulders, and is drawn up by strings. Placket Hole in Petticoats Method. — 1 . Slit the petticoat in the back breadth of the garment, as long as will be useful and comfortable, and will be in keeping with the depth of the waistband. N.B . — If the waistband is a deep circular one, the placket will not be as long as for a narrow waistband. 2. Fixing the Heins. — {a) Place the wrong side of the 300 NEEDLEWORK PART garment uppermost ; ( b ) turn down a deep hem on the left-hand side, from 1J to 2 inches wide, keeping the same width from the top to the bottom of the placket ; (c) tack the hem neatly ; ( d ) turn down a narrower hem, on the opposite side of the slit, taking this hem off to a point at the bottom of the slit ; (e) tack neatly ; (f ) if the garment is made of flannel, only one fold must be turned down, and the hems must be herring-boned ; if a Calico, Print, Galatea, Drill, Zephyr, or Cloth garment, the hems must be neatly hemmed, or machine stitched. N.B . — Petticoats are fastened right over left, so that the wider hem will he on the right hand, when the garment is turned with the right side out. 3. Finishing off the Placket. — (a) Buttonhole the end of the slit, on the wrong side of the garment ; (b) turn the garment with right side out, and lap the right-hand side II WOMAN'S CHEMISE 301 over the left, and stitch it across, in two parallel rows, \ of an inch apart ; or, if a flannel petticoat, feather-stitch two rows, with flourishing thread (Fig. 139). Draw Strings Method. — (a) Pass a length of tape through a bodkin, and then push the bodkin through an eyelet-hole, made in the band, from right to left, all round the band, and bring it out of the same hole ; ( b ) thread the bodkin with the other end of the tape, and pass it through the eyelet-hole, which is made on the band further to the right ; (c) fasten the tape by stitching it to the front of the band, and hem the ends of the strings. N.B . — By this method, the strings draw from the right and the left. Sometimes draw strings are only put in at the side gores of petticoats and skirts, to give the fulness to the back of the garment. They are then stitched at the sides, and the one from the right gore is brought through an eyelet-hole on the left, and the one on the left gore is brought out of the eyelet- hole on the right. Draw strings are useful for bags, as well as garments. CHAPTER VIII WOMEN’S AND CHILDREN’S CHEMISES — FALSE HEMS ON THE CROSS — FRONT FOLD — PILLOW-CASE CHEMISE — COMBINATIONS — SCALES FOR CHEMISES Woman’s Chemise (Fig. 140) 1. Suitable Materials . — White and unbleached Calico; Nainsook or Mull muslin for summer wear, or for the Colonies, (linen is still worn) ; Sanitary Wool, Unshrinkable 302 NEEDLEWORK TART II Flannel, and Cellular Cloth (the latter is at present expen- sive). 2. Quantity . — The quantity required depends upon the height of the wearer, on the style of garment, and whether sleeves and gores are added, or not. A simple and economical way of obtaining gores is by cutting the chemise pillow-case fashion ; if gores are put to chemises in any other way, more material is required. According to the given diagram, 2J yards will be ample. 2J yards of calico or Mull Muslin at 6fd. per yard Is. 3i< yards of Swiss embroidery at • 4fd. per yard Cotton for sewing and feather- 0 lOf stitching, and buttons, if needed for front opening, about 0 1* Cost of one . . 2s. 3jd. If whipped frills are used for trimming, yard of Nainsook at 6|d. must be bought; or Cash’s frilling at Is. 6d. per dozen yards; or everlasting edging, 24 yards, at l£d. or 2d. per yard, may be substituted. 4. Construction. — (a) Before the seams are fastened up, some persons put shoulder straps from the neck across the shoulder to the armholes, when the sleeves are part of the garment. These shoulder straps may be felled on the wrong side of the garment, or stitched on the right side, and must be shaped to match the neck and armhole slopes. (b) Seams . — If the garment is made of calico, Nain- sook, or linen, fix for sew -and -fell seams, or run-and- fell, or for counter-hem, to be hemmed or stitched. If flannel, fix by one of the methods for flannel seams. Fig. 140.— False hems on the cross for the sleeves can be taken from the neck slopes. Front fold from sleeve slopings, or neck slope. Shoulder straps, if used, from side slopes. 304 NEEDLEWORK PART (c) Hem must be from J to f inch deep, to be hemmed on the wrong side. ( d ) Sleeves. — The armholes are finished off by a false hem on the cross. If embroidery is used for the trimming, it may be put on so as to form a hem ; or the embroidery may be placed between the false hem and the garment. Another method is to make a narrow hem from the sleeve itself. N.B. — If the false hem is put on the wrong side, it is hemmed ; if on the right side, it is stitched. (e) Neckband. — An entire neckband may be put on, having no slit in front. The fulness in the front of the garment must be taken up by pleats, gathers, or tucks, (the latter being graduated in length towards the sleeve), and neither must be carried far into the slope of the neck. The back must be pleated the same as the front, in a calico garment to be made up in Standard III., but in any other case must be gathered. Whether the garment is open in the front or not, a front fold should be put on in the centre, both for strength and ornament, and the tucks should fall towards the centre. A good rule for the length of the neckband is once, or once and an eighteenth, or once and a ninth, of the whole width of calico in the garment. For a medium height and figure the band is 36 inches long. It may be shorter or longer for a woman, according to the slope for a high or low necked garment. The depth of the band, when finished, should be from | to f inch. More of the band is put to the front of the garment, than to the back. If the band is 36 inches long, the front should be, on its whole length, one inch longer than the back. (J) Trimming. — If the neckband is trimmed with II FALSE HEM ON THE CROSS 305 embroidery, the best plan is to make the band in two parts, and put the embroidery between these. Everlasting edging is felled to the wrong side of the band, and the edge of band is stitched or feather-stitched to it, on the right side. If hand-made frills, or Cash’s frilling, is used, it must be seamed 011 the wrong side. N.B . — The tucks should be run. If gores are added to the chemise, they would be seamed along the selvedges first. (g) Buttonholes . — One is placed on the right-hand side of the band, and one on the front fold. The buttons are placed on the left-hand side of the band and on the hem. If neckband is made of insertion, a buttonholed loop must be placed at the edge of the band. False Hem on the Cross Method. — 1 . Cutting the Material on the Cross. — (a) Take as large a square of calico as you can get from the neck sloping of the chemise, and fold it diagonally from corner A to corner B ; ( b ) cut along this diagonal crease ; (c) draw a square on the slate, and cross it from corners A to B by diagonal lines, at even distances apart (Fig. 141). 2. Depth of Crosswise Hems. — (a) When Velvet, or Crape, Satin, or Plush, is bought already cut on the cross, it is measured along the selvedges ; but in taking what is wanted from the crosswise stuff for trimmings, it must always be remembered that the depth of the material is less from its slanting edge inwards, than it is along its sel- vedges ; ( b ) the hem of a woman’s chemise should be f of an inch deep, when finished, and \ an inch more must be allowed for turning to the hem, and for joining it to the garment, so that the depth of crosswise hem must be x 3o6 NEEDLEWORK TART 1 ] inches; (c) measure along the selvedges 2 inches, or from crosswise edge of material inwards 1-J inches, crease Fig. 141. this evenly and carefully, and, as more than one piece will be needed, fold the required depths, one above the other, to prevent waste of time, in re-measuring ; (d) lay left hand on the material, and cut along the creased edges very carefully. II FALSE HEM ON THE CROSS 307 Open Seam 3. Joining the Crosswise Material. — (a) Compare the crosswise lengths of material, and find out if the threads are all going in the same direction, either all to the right or all to the left ; (h) make ends match, by cutting away any por- tions of material, which prevent matching ; (c) face the two strips of material, and put the long points to the short ones, so as to keep the depth of both pieces the same, when joined (Fig. 142); (d) run and back-stitch the FlO. 143. strips together, -J of an inch below the edges ; ( e ) turn back the upper strip, and press the seam (Fig. 143). N.B . — 111 calico the seam should not be opened, but in Velvet, Crape, Cloth, the join should be flattened, damped, and then pressed with a hot iron. 3°8 NEEDLEWORK PART 4. Fixing False Hem and Embroidery Trimming to the Chemise Sleeve. — (a) Join the embroidery, by counter-hem and hem or stitch ; ( b ) gather it to the required fulness ; (c) place the join in the trimming to the sew-and-fell seam of the garment ; ( d ) lay the right side of the embroidery on the right side of the garment, regulating the fulness, and fitting it exactly into the curved portions of the arm- hole ; (e) put in a few pins to keep it in place ; (/’) lay the right side of the false hem on the wrong side of the embroidery, stretching the material to make it fit into the curves, and putting tiny pleats, if stretching is not suffi- cient to allow of its fitting the garment evenly and smoothly. The last join in the false hem must match all the other joins in it, and no join in the hem should come II FALSE HEM ON THE CROSS 309 on the sew-and-fell seam, or it will be made too thick and bulky (Fig. 144). N.B . — The garment must not be fulled in the least, nor must the false hem be pleated too much, or it will not lie flat and smooth, on the wrong side. (g) Tack all three thicknesses together, taking out the pins, and then run and back-stitch firmly and securely ; (h) when this is finished, take out the tacking cotton, and turn the false hem on to the wrong side of the garment, drawing a little of the garment over with it, so as to keep the join on the wrong side ; ( i ) press the edge well to flatten it, and then turn under one fold, being careful to keep the hem even in depth, tack and hem neatly; (j) the edge of the armhole can be ornamented with feather- stitch, on the right side of the garment (Figs. 145 and 146). 3 io NEEDLEWORK PART N.B. — If the false liem is to lie on the right side of the garment, the fixing must be as follows : — (a) turn the garment with wrong side uppermost ; ( b ) place the embroidery with the wrong side on the garment ; (c) put the right side of the false hem on the embroidery ; {cl) tack all three thicknesses together, and then run and back-stitch ; ( e ) fold the false hem over to the right side, allowing a portion of it to form the outer edge, to hide the join ; (/) turn one fold under, quite evenly, tack the hem to the garment, and then stitch it ; (g) stitch the outer edge as well. Note. — Material on the cross is needed for trimmings, as well as linings, in the Dressmaker’s, Milliner’s, Upholsterer’s, and Tailor’s trades ; and girls in advanced classes should be taught how to manage other material, besides calico, on the cross. Front Fold Method. — 1. (a) Tear the garment down the front, as far as will be comfortable and necessary, allowing \ of an inch or more to the left side of the garment, accord- ing to the depth of the hem on that side of the slit, so as to keep both sides equal for tucks ; ( b ) fix the hem on the left side, and on the wrong side of the garment, making it narrower towards the end of the slit ; ( c ) tack, and then hem. 2. Fixing the Front Fold. — (a) Place the front fold on the wrong side of the garment, selvedge to selvedge at the right-hand side of the slit, and tack it as far as the end of the slit, \ of an inch from the edge ; ( b ) run and back-stitch as far as it is tacked ; ( c ) take out tacking cotton, and turn the fold over to the right side of the garment, leaving a small portion of it to form the edge, and thus hide the join ; (d) turn down the raw edge of the opposite selvedge -J of an inch, and then the bottom ; (e) crease the fold down its length, and then turn the II FRONT FOLD 3” open edges of the bottom corners over to the middle crease, thus forming two triangles ; (J) open the fold and turn in towards the _ _ ^ Ak- 9vF- centre crease the two triangles, a por- tion of which must be cut away, to pre- vent clumsiness at the bottom of the fold ; (g) illustrate the pointed end of fold ; ( h ) tack the fold to the garment evenly and smooth- ly, pushing the ful- ness of the garment, caused by lapping the fold over the hem on left side as far as centre crease of the fold, in the form of a pleat ; ( i ) stitch the fold to the garment, or feather- stitch it, after it has been felled on the garment. Fig. 147 .— Girl’s Chemise. N.B. — 1. The front fold of a night-gown is fixed in exactly the same way. 2. The front fold of a night-shirt is generally left unshaped at the bottom. 3. Some like a buttonhole in the middle of the front fold. 4. A front fold, made of insertion, must be fixed, shaped at the end, and trimmed with edging, before it is fastened to 312 NEEDLEWORK PART the garment. When front folds are fixed, shaped, and trimmed apart from the garment, they are usually laid on the centre of front of garment, and stitched or feather-stitclied on one] side only. The garment is finished off at the centre-slit by a rather wide hem, on the right arm side, and the buttonhole, if needed, is worked on this hem. 5. It is considered more correct to button chemises, night- gowns, and bodices right over left. 6. The illustrations for hems in chemises at centre of neck are the same as for a placket hole in a petticoat, only the sides are reversed. Cutting -out a Gored Chemise, or Nightgown, BY FOLDING IT PlLLOW-CASE FASHION Method. — 1. (a) Cut the requisite length and breadth of the material, and fold it across the width in half, firmly creasing the folded edge ; ( b ) open the material again, and fold the two raw edges in towards the crease, thus divid- ing the length into three parts : the underlying portion being half the length, and each of the two upper portions being one fourth the length ; ( c ) tack the selvedges together and neatly seam, without puckering, and flatten the seams, when finished. N.B. — In small -size cliemises one selvedge side may have raw edges, which must be joined by sew-and-fell seam, or counter- hem. 2. (a) Turn the garment with the raw edges to the desk or table, and with the crease across its width going from right to left, and with the selvedges up and down ; (b) measure from the selvedge edges inwards, as many inches as you would like the gore in width, usually from 3 to 4 inches for a chemise, and more for a night- gown ; mark the measurement by pins, and crease upwards from them in a slanting direction to the sel- II CUTTING-OUT A GORED CHEMISE 313 vedges, and to a point, thus forming four creased lines, two on each quarter of the garment ; (c) cut along the four creases to the selvedges, being most careful to cut only the upper portion of the material ; ( d ) the creased line across the centre of the material forms the top edge of the garment, which is narrowed, on either side, by the width of the gore ; (e) the four short gores fall to the bottom of the garment, and widen it there ; (/) the sides of the garment must be fixed for sew-and-fell seam from the bottom upwards to within 9 or 10 inches of the top, if a woman’s chemise ; or 6, 7, or 8 inches if a girl’s. 3. The Sleeves. — ( a ) These may be variously shaped, and may be cut out with or without gussets. The following is a good and economical method : ( b ) cut a piece of the material the length and depth of the sleeve required, with an addition to the length of the depth ; for instance, if the depth is 5 inches, and the armhole of the sleeve is 14 inches round, the whole width of the stuff must be 19 inches, selvedge way. N.B. — The depth of a sleeve is usually about a quarter of its length. (c) Fold the material for the necessary size of the armhole, and then cut down f or 1 inch, according to the depth of the hem needed, on the square that extends beyond the double material ; ( d ) cut off this inch from the square at the top, and fold the woof edge over to the selvedge, to form a diagonal gusset. N.B. — Another inch of material must be cut off, at the bottom of the square. ( e ) Fix for sew-and-fell seam or counter-hem : if a sew-and- fell seam, the double fold must be fixed on the straight selvedge side, and the single, on the side that has one inch of selvedge added to the woof edge of the square gusset. 314 NEEDLEWORK PART II N.B. — 1. There is a saving of labour in this sleeve, because it dis- penses with one seam. 2. If a gusset is added to the sleeve, it must be a square, one inch less than the depth of the sleeve. Girls’ and Women’s Combinations (Figs. 148 and 149) Suitable Materials. — The same as for chemises and drawers. Quantity. — This must depend upon the height of the wearer and the width of the stuff. Girls do not, as a rule, begin to wear combination chemise and drawers, till they are over ten years of age. For women’s combina- tions, 2 to 3 yards are necessary. Cost of One, Medium Size — 2b yards of calico at 7Jd. per yard . . Is. 6fd. Sewing and crochet cotton . . .01 2 f yards of trimming for neck -band, leg- bands, and sleeves, at 4|d. per yard .1 1J Tape and buttons, about . . . .Oli Cost of One in Unbleached Calico — 2 b yards of calico at 4fd. per yard . Sewing cotton, tape, and buttons, about 2 1 yards of trimming at Id. 2s. lOj-d. Is. Od. 0 1 Is. 3fd. Construction. — ( a ) Join the seams of the legs of the drawers by Sew-and-Fell, or Kun-and-Fell, or Counter-Hem, or German Hem ; ( b ) gather the legs into bands from 1 4 to 16 inches long, and f of an inch deep, when doubled and all turnings are taken (as described in making up children’s , 148. — Woman’s Combination. (1) The Neckband must be cut according to the scale given for Women’s Chemises. (2) The Half Back is placed on the leg pattern for convenience of arrangement. (3) Legband is 16" x 2". 3i6 At^ i-r NEEDLEWORK PART drawers), leave a plain space on either side of the leg-seams, to pre- vent the garment from dragging at the knees ; (c) gather the em- broidery, and place it between the divided leg-bands, or whip the trimming and set it on. with a little ful- ness ; ( d ) fix hems on the back part of the legs, and neatly hem, and put on a false hem, one inch wide, on the front part of the legs and the chemise portion (see false hems on the cross), and neatly hem on the wrong side, or stitch on the right side ; ( e ) join the backs of the garment to- gether by counter-hem fixing, and stitch both edges on the right side. Fio. 140.— Girl’s Combination (10 to 12 years N.B. Sew - and - fell of age ^' or any of the other methods of joining can be used, but counter-hem sets nice and flat. II GIRLS’ AND WOMEN’S COMBINATIONS 3*7 (/) Join the sides of the back of the garment to the side slopes of the front, to match the fixing of the centre of the back ; ( g ) gather the back portions of the top of the legs, just £ of an inch below the top edge, and the second row of gathers 1 inch below the first row of gathers, and lap one leg over the other, for about 1 \ or 2 inches at the centre seam of the back of the chemise, when fixing the leg to the waist ; ( h ) lay the lower part of the back of the chemise on the drawers, for about 1 inch in depth, so that it forms a kind of band ; (i) turn to the wrong side, and turn under the top of the drawers for J of an inch, and set these gathers in to the back of the chemise ; (j) join the sleeves to match the joins in the body ; (k) fix the sleeve on the chemise by counter-hem, and stitch both edges on the right side, or hem them. N.B . — The liem of the sleeves can be formed by the plain material of the embroidery, or by a false hem on the cross, with the em- broidery between it and the garment. The neckband can also be formed by the embroidery, which must be put on quite plain and by counter-hem fixing, and stitched at the top and bottom edges, leaving the ends unfastened to allow of a tape string to draw up to the proper size. The embroidery or the band, which may be put on as for an ordinary shaped chemise, must be for a woman from 34 to 36 inches long for a medium- size bust measure. The neckband, if put on without trim- ming, should not exceed £ inch in depth, and should be stitched along the centre to form a string - casing. The tape- string must be secured by two parallel rows of stitching on the back part of the neckband. (/) Sew on six or more buttons on the left arm broad hem of the chemise, and work six or more buttonholes, cutting them the woof way, i.e. across the hem ; buttons and buttonholes should be about 2 inches apart. N.B . — If the combination is a pattern with breast-pleats, these must be joined by counter-liem fixing, and stitched on the right NEEDLEWORK PART 318 side. There are other ways of constructing combinations, but the above is the simplest, and is very suitable for flannel and flannelette materials. Calico garments are often elaborately made up in the front portion of the chemise. The diagram given will allow of tucking, if insertion is let in, and if two or more inches of the material are added to each side of the front, from the neck as far as the waist of the garment. Scale for Chemises Length. — § or J of the wearer’s height. Breadth. — J of the length, but wider if gores are added. Neckband. — (a) Length, as a rule = the breadth of the garment, or the band may be in proportion to the neck curve £ or of its whole length. (i b ) Depth from £ to 1 inch when finished. Neck Slope.— (a) Depth in the front - of the length of the garment. (b) Depth in the back, of the length. Sleeves. — (a) Length : (1) 'Women’s and girls’, £ of the length of the garment ; (2) children’s, £ of the length. (b) Depth, when cut out apart from the garment, £ of its own length. Slope of the Sleeve. — (a) At the top, when it forms a part of the garment = T V of the breadth. (b) Slope under the arm = £ of the top slope. Shoulders, including the sleeves, £ of the breadth of the garment, but when the sleeves are set in = £ or £ of the breadth. Side Slopes of the Body in the widest part = £ of the breadth. 11 CHILDREN'S CALICO DRAWERS 3i9 N.B. — Children’s garments are usually as wide as they are long, and sizes between children’s and women’s vary in breadth in pro- portion to length from 1, 2, 3, and 4 inches more. CHAPTER IX CHILDREN’S AND women’s KNICKERBOCKER DRAWERS — FALSE HEMS ON TIIE STRAIGHT — SCALES FOR DRAWERS. A. Children’s Calico Drawers (Fig. 150) 1. — Suitable Materials for Under Garment — (a) Calico, unbleached and white, from 4§d. to 7fd. per yard; Oxford shirting, from 5|d. to 7|d. per yard; Turkey twill, from 8|d. to lOfd. per yard; (b) Flannel, white or coloured, from 10|d. to Is. 2d. per yard; Flannelette , from 4fd. to 6|d. per yard. 2. Suitable Materials for Outer Garment — Cricketing flannel, from Is. 6d. per yard ; good serge, single width from Is., double width from Is. 9d. per yard; holland, from lOfd. per yard; French linen, from Is. per yard ; duck, a very strong material used in sailor suits, from 9|d. per yard. . 3. (a) Quantity of Material required for one pair — This must depend upon the size of the garment and the width of the material used. In making up a pair of calico drawers for a child of five years, | of a yard of material must be bought, and, if it is 36 inches wide, some material will be left off the width, after the bands have been cut. (b) Quantity for half a dozen pairs — Five yards of 36 -inch calico will give six pairs of D Fig. 150.— Child’s Knickerbocker Drawers (5 to (3 years of age). B II CHILDREN'S CALICO DRAWERS 321 drawers for a child of five years, making the garment 15 inches long and 23 inches wide, and all the bands and false hems without joins, and sufficient material will be left oft* the width to make a pair for a child between two and three years of age. 4. Cost of half a dozen pairs — 5 yards of 36-inch calico at 4fd. per yard . ls.llfd. 5J „ embroidery for leg-bands at 3d. per yard . . . . . . 1 4| Sewing and crochet cotton . . about 0 4 3s. 8^d. Cost of six pairs, with sufficient material over to make a smaller pair, 3s. 8|d. Cost of one garment about 7 Jd. 5. Construction of Calico Garment — Seams. — (a) Sew-and-fell ; (b) run-and-fell, if rather fine calico ; (c) Counter-hem, or German hemming. The seams may be made in the following order : the backs should be joined first, then the fronts, then the legs ; the back and front seams being matched, when the legs are joined. N.B . — Some prefer to join the leg seams first, but this is not such a good method with what are called dosed drawers. Hip-openings. — (a) These may be finished off by narrow hems from the garment itself, and strengthened at the ends of the slits by gussets, or strengthening tapes, the latter being still further strengthened by buttonhole-stitch at the corner of the slits ; (b) the strongest method is, however, by putting on false hems on the straight, and these should be H inches longer than the slit itself, for Y 3 22 NEEDLEWORK PART the purpose of strengthening the part below, and should be buttonholed at the corner of the slits. Leg-bands. — ( a ) The leg portion of the garment may be pleated, or gathered into the bands ; ( b ) measure from the leg seams inwards 1 inch (or \\ inches); (c) mark these distances by pins, then fold the remainder into half and crease ; ( d ) and explain and show that the whole has really been divided into quarters ; ( e ) put in stitches at these quarters. N.B . — The inch (or the inch and a half) is left ungathered to pre- vent the garment twisting, when it is worn. (/) Pin the middle of band to the seam, and to the inch on either side of seam, then divide it into halves and quarters, and mark the divisions, so that when the gathers are set in, the fulness can be properly regulated ; (g) tack the band on, and fell it to the two inches of plain material ; ( h ) the edge of the band can be simply stitched or feather-stitched, and left untrimmed, if preferred. N.B. — The joins in the leg-bands must be placed at the seams of the leg. Trimming. — (a) If trimmed with whipped muslin or embroidery frills, the frilling must be sewn to the edge of the band, on the wrong side, the joins matching the joins in bands and seams ; ( b ) if trimmed with everlasting edg- ing, this kind of trimming must be felled on to the wrong side of band, slightly full, and the edge of the band stitched or feather-stitched to the webbing, near the pattern ; (c) if embroidery is not whipped, it must be placed between the bands, which are then divided into two parts (see lesson on trimming sleeve of chemise), and the embroidery pleated and tacked to one part, while the other part of band is placed on the top, and all three thicknesses run and back-stitched together. II CHILDREN'S FLANNEL DRAWERS 323 Waistbands. — (a) Leave about one or two inches plain on either side of the hip-liems ; (b) divide the remainder and mark the divisions ; (c) place the bands over the hip-hems and plain portion, then divide the bands into halves and quarters, and fix the gathers into them, regulating the ful- ness by the divisions. N.B . — Many people prefer the greater amount of fulness at the back of the garment to fall equally on either side of the centre seam, while others spread the fulness out to the hems. The garment fits more comfortably if the greater portion of the ful- ness is placed about the middle of the back-band, while the fulness of the front of the legs is better, if placed half-way between the centre seam, and the plain portion near the hems. (d) The bands must be felled over the hip-opening hems and the plain portion, and then the gathers properly set in. N.B . — Some stitch the top edges of the bands to make them firm. Buttonholes . — There are five needed, one at each end of each band, cut with the selvedge of the stuff, and large enough to go over a moderate - sized bone, or linen, or pearl button, which will be sewn on to the child’s stay- bands, and one in the middle of the front band, cut with the woof of the stuff, the round corner, if used, being near the top edge of the band. B. Children’s Flannel or Flannelette Drawers (Fig. 150) 1. Seams . — As for flannel petticoat, or fixed for counter- hem, and stitched at each edge, on the right side of the garment. 2. Hip-openings. — (a) These may be finished off by hems taken from the garment itself, herring-boned and 324 NEEDLEWORK PART strengthened at the end of the slit by a tape or gusset ; (b) or by false hems of flannel, or Sateen, or Turkey twill, like the waistbands, which all match the flannel or flannel- ette in colour. 3. Waistbands. — (a) These can be made of the Flannel or Flannelette, but are better if made of good Sateen, Turkey twill, or unbleached calico ; (b) the material of garment must be managed as described above, only instead of gathering, the fulness must be pleated into the bands, and the bands properly matched in the divisions, and stitched at the edge over the pleats on the right side, and felled on the wrong side. N.B . — Or felled on both sides, care being taken to prevent pucker- ing the bands. 4. Leg-bands. — (a) The edge of the legs may be scalloped (see Lesson on Scalloping), and worked with embroidery stitch at the edge, and by raised dots in the centre of the scallops ; (b) from 1 to 2 inches from the edge of the scallops, pleat the fulness to the length of the leg-band which is required, leaving, as in the calico garment, a piece plain on either side of the seam ; (c) tack the pleats, then lay over them on the right side the leg-band, which must be made of single material, the raw edges being turned in once ; (d) tack the band as evenly as possible, and stitch, or fell it, on either side to the leg ; ( e ) ornament the leg-bands by a row of feather-stitch along the middle of them. N.B. — 1. If the embroidery forms a part of the leg, then the legs must be cut a little longer at first. 2. If, however, the fulness is pleated into a band, the trimming may be flannel embroidery, placed between the edges of band. This is a longer method, and more bulky than that given above, and the legs must be cut shorter at first. II CUTTING-OUT CHILD'S DRAWERS 325 5. Buttonholes . — These would be the same in number, and would be placed in the same position, as in a calico garment. 6. Cost of one Garment for a Child of Five Years— 1 yard of flannelette ..... 4fd. Sewing-cotton .... about OJ 1 oz. wool, for embroidery and feather-stitch . 2f Bands made of the same Cost of one . . 7fd. N.B . — If Sateen or Turkey twill be bought for waistbands, the addition to cost would be about 2d. more. 2. A flannel garment would cost about Is. 3d. CUTTING-OUT AND MAKING-UP A PAIR OF CHILD’S First-sized Drawers (Fig. 151) Method of Cutting-out. — (a) Take a square of paper 34 inches wide, and fold it half-handkerchief wise, from corner to corner; ( b ) lay the selvedge side BC (Fig. 151) to your right hand, and divide this into thirds across the woof, i.e. each division is 8 inches ; (c) fold BC down its length towards the diagonal, to divide this portion into halves ; (cl) cut from E, that is a little below the first third, and curve inwards to the vertical crease, and out- wards a little below the second third, i.e. to F ; ( e ) divide the top third into halves across the woof, and slope off a little in a slanting direction to G ; (f) then cut in a slant- ing direction to the vertical crease, i.e. from G to H; (g) fold the garment in a slanting direction from H to I, and cut this piece of material off, and the pair of drawers are cut out. Method of cutting out the Material. — (a) Fold in at one 326 NEEDLEWORK PART selvedge side of the material, the diagonal of 24 inches, and lay on it the paper pattern, the diagonal line of the paper being placed on the diagonal crease of the stuff ; ( b ) pin the pattern, and cut the curve and slopes truly and Fio. 151. evenly; (c) cut the band all in one piece, if possible 24 inches long, and 3 inches deep. N.B . — Four bands can be got from the length and breadth of the piece of material left, after the garment is cut, if the calico is 36 inches wide. If the material is flannel, 28 inches wide, there will be only enongh for one band. Quantity of Material needed . — Three pairs of first size II CUTTING-OUT CHILD’S DRAWERS 327 children’s drawers can be obtained from 2 yards of calico 36 inches wide, and one pair could be made by joining the two pieces left off the width, after the first pair and the bands have been cut out, with ample for false hems, if they are needed. Three pairs can also be obtained from 2 yards of flannel or flannelette, but there will not be sufficient material over to make an extra pair, because flannel is narrower than calico. Construction. — (a) D to H is the waist portion of the garment, and must be gathered or pleated from D to I, which gives the fulness to the back of the garment ; ( b ) line all the edges of the garment, except D to H, with narrow false hems, cut on the cross § of an inch wide, when all turnings are taken, and neatly hem. N.B . — If embroidery is used to trim the legs, place it between the false hems and the garment, rather full, from E to F. If whipped frills are used as trimming, sew these to the edges of the curves E to F. (c) Sew a tape string 2\ inches long at point C, and stitch it to the garment, on the right side, 2£ inches inwards ; (cl) work two buttonholes, one at each corner E, placing a piece of broad tape on the single calico, so that the hole may be worked on double material, and two buttons at each corner F ; ( e ) sew two tape strings 9 inches long at each corner G ; (/} make the band in the usual way, and stitch it at the top edge, and stitch two parallel rows across it in the middle to form a string casing, leaving this portion of the ends of the band unfastened, to allow of draw strings. N.B . — This garment can be easily put on and taken off. The strings at corner G are passed through the loop of tape at corner C. 328 NEEDLEWORK part Cost of Three Pairs — 2 yards of calico at 4§d. per yard . . 9|d. 3 yards of embroidery, or crochet edging, (or everlasting edging) at 3fd. per yard 1 1 \ Sewing cotton, tapes, and buttons . . 3 Is. 1 1 jd. Cost of one about 8d. False Hem on the Straight Use. — To form a lining as well as a hem, where a narrow hem would not be a sufficient protection to the edges. Method. — 1. (a) Compare the length of the false hems with the length of the slit on the garment, adding to this length 1 J to 2 inches for (1) lining the garment below the slit, for (2) a turning to the hem, and for (3) shaping at the waist (drawers) or neck (chemise, nightgown, shirt) ; (b) illustrate on the slate the garment with a slit. 2. Joining Two Strips to form the Hems. — (a) The false hems should be cut into two separate strips, and should not be less than f of an inch wide, when fully completed. To allow of turnings for hem and join at the slit, each strip must be from lj inches wide for hip-opening of drawers, and wider if liked for chemises, nightgowns, and shirts ; ( b ) place the two selvedge edges together quite evenly, and tack lj inches at one end, about J or £ inch from the edge; (c) run and stitch this 1| inches, or, as it is better to open this seam, stitch entirely for the sake of strength ; (cl) open the seam and flatten it well ; (e) illustrate the joined strips. 3. Fixing the Herns to the Slit of Garment. — (a) Place the II PROPORTIONS FOR CHILDRENS DRAWERS 329 right side of garment uppermost ; (b) lay the right side of false hem on the garment, placing the joined portion well below the slit, the edges being quite even ; ( c ) tack the same distance from the edge to match the join in the false hems ; ( d ) run and back - stitch both sides firmly, without puckering, as far as end of slit ; ( e ) illustrate on slate ; (/) cut the false hems at top to match the curves, or slopes in the garment. 4. Fixing Hems on the Wrong Side of the Garment. — (a) Turn the false hems from the right to the wrong side of the garment, pressing the joined edges of the slit, and drawing over to the wrong side a small portion of the garment, so as to hide the join ; (b) tack the edges of the slit ; (c) turn down a fold on the selvedge sides first, then a fold at the bottom, and pull the false hems into a straight position, being careful to see that both are the same in width ; (d) tack the hems quite straight and even ; (e) illustrate hems fixed and tacked on the wrong side ; (/) neatly hem ; (g) finish off* the end of the slit by a few neat buttonhole stitches, drawing any fulness on the garment towards the corner of slit ; ( h ) illustrate the hem, when finished on the wrong and right sides ; ( i ) take out tacking cotton, and press firmly to make hems lie flat and smooth. Scale of Proportions for Children’s Drawers (a) Length — or J of the height of the wearer. (b) Breadth. — This varies from 1| to 1§ of the length for children under seven years of age, and from If to 1J of the whole length for children over seven years. (c) Length of the leg. — In the smallest size the leg = ^ of the whole length, and in medium sizes f of the whole length. 330 NEEDLEWORK PART Examples — Length of the garment 14 inches ; length of leg 4£ inches. 5 ) 5 ) 15 ?j JJ 5 J J JJ JJ JJ JJ JJ JJ JJ JJ JJ JJ 18 20 24 28 30 jj jj jj jj jj jj jj jj 6 jj i 11 12 jj (cl) Length of body = § or f of the whole length. (e) Slope for the bottom of the leg. — (1) Knickerbockers \ of the whole breadth of stuff in the garment. (2) Hem and tucks = nearly J the breadth, when the leg is doubled, the slope of it would measure inwards 5J inches. (/) Slope at the top of the back = of the whole breadth of the stuff. (g) Slope at the top of the front = ^ of the breadth. (h) Depth of slope at the top of hip = ^- of the whole length of leg. (f) Depth of slope at top of the front of leg = of the whole breadth. (j) Length of the hip-opening in children’s knickerbockers = about ^ of the length. (k) Length of the band = size of the waist, and when made in two parts for closed drawers, 2 inches must be added for lapping, i.e. 1 inch on each part ; otherwise the band = size of waist -\- 2 inches for buttoning. (l) Depth of bands from 1 -J to 2\ inches wide. Scale of Proportions for AVomen’s Drawers (a) The whole length of the garment = -J or l of the wearer’s height. (b) Breadth = the length. (c) Length of the body portion = \ the whole length. II PROPORTIONS FOR WOMEN'S DRAWERS 331 (1 d ) Length of the leg portion = ^ the whole length for hem and tucks. 332 NEEDLEWORK PART (e) Slope for the bottom of the leg. — (1) Knickerbockers = ^ of the breadth, i.e. ^ of the garment, when the leg is double. Legband is in length a little more than § of the width of calico, before it is gathered. N.B. — This gives plenty of fulness to the knee. (2) Hem and tucks = J the breadth. (J) Slope at the top of the back-opening of the body = J the breadth of the back part of the leg, i.e. if 18 inches broad, £ of 18 = inches. (g) Slope of the front opening of the body = J of the breadth. (h) Depth of the slope at the top of the front of leg = J of the length of the body, i.e. 3 inches. (i) Length of the band = size of the waist -j- 2 inches for lapping, if the garment is fastened by button and button- holes. (j) Depth of the band . — 2 inches deep when doubled, and turnings are taken, for a stout figure, and 3 inches deep for a slim figure. N.B. — The above proportions are for a garment with unshaped waistbands. If circular bands are used, the body of the gar- ment must be less than £ the whole length, in proportion to the depth of the band. CHAPTER X NIGHTGOWNS, AND SCALES FOR THE SAME Women’s and Girls’ Nightgowns (Figs. 153 and 154) 1. Suitable Materials. — (a) Unbleached and white calico from 4fd. to lOfd. per yard, and from 34 to 36 inches wide ; (b) Nainsook or Mull muslin from 36 to 40 II WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' NIGHTGOWNS 333 inches wide (these materials are useful for summer wear and for Colonial outfits) ; (c) Unshrinkable Flannel from Is. Id. per yard, and Sanitary wool from Is. 2d. per yard, both 27 inches wide; Flannelette from 4fd. to 6|d. per yard, 28 inches wide. 2. Quantity depends upon the height and figure of the wearer, the kind of material used, and the style in which the garment is made up. If gores are added to the whole width of the stuff, more material is needed than if one 334 NEEDLEWORK PART side is gored to make the garment wider at the bottom. Gores of J, J, or J of a breadth are sometimes added to calico, as well as to flannel and flannelette, to widen the body of the garment. These gores may be joined to the whole length of the nightgown, or may be added at the sides underneath the armholes. It is more 1 1 1 1 T i H •-« On x = rO o _1 rVS“ rr - l V £ ’ i economical to cut out sets of two, three, four, or six night- gowns at a time, because there must be some saving of the material whatever style of construction is adopted. It is also advisable to use a good material for a nightgown, because it is a garment that requires more material than the most of women’s and girls’ underclothing, and takes more time in cutting-out and making-up. II WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' NIGHTGOWNS 335 The quantity for one nightgown varies from 3 to yards of Calico, Nainsook, or Flannel. 3. (a) Cost of a White Calico Nightgown — 4 yards of white calico, 36 inches wide, at 9fd. per yard . . . •. .3s. 3d. Sewing and crochet cotton, and linen buttons 0 3 \ yard of Mull muslin at Is. per yard for handmade frills . . ' . . .03 3s. 9d. N.B . — If trimmed with embroidery, the garment will cost 5s. 2d., viz. for yards of embroidery at 6jd. per yard. (b) Cost of an Unbleached Calico Nightgown — 4 yards of unbleached calico, 35 inches wide, at 4|d. per yard . . . . . Is. 7d. Sewing cotton, and buttons . .02 2J yards of everlasting edging, at Id. per yard 0 U Is. 1 l|d. (c) Cost of a Flannel Nightgown — 5| yards of unshrinkable flannel, 27 inches wide, at Is. Id. per yard . . .5s. 114d. Sewing and crochet cotton, and pearl buttons, about . . . . . .03 6s. 2kl. N.B . — If the flannel garment is trimmed with flannel embroidery at 63 d. per yard, the cost will be more. Cash’s frilling is a good substitute for handmade frills, and everlasting edging for embroidery. Nainsook or Mull muslin should be trimmed with muslin embroidery, or good lace of its kind, e.g. Torchon or Yak. 336 NEEDLEWORK PART 4. Construction. — (a) The plainest style nightgown is made with shoulder straps and neck gussets. Another style is with yoked back and tucked front, and buttoned either in the centre of the front of the garment or on the left shoulder. A third style is made with the saddle yoke, and a fourth with yoked back and yoke fronts ; the latter being separated from the back yoke in cutting-out, and either put on quite plain, or ornamented with tucks and rows of insertion. ( b ) The following descrip- tion applies to the making -up of the sectional diagram (Fig. 153). (c) The Seams . — The sides of the garment are only slightly shaped. The seams can be joined by sew -and - fell, counter-hem, German hem, or run-aiul-fell, if the garment is made of calico or muslin ; if a flannel or flannelette garment, the seams can be fixed as for a flannel petticoat, and then run and back-stitched, and herring- boned on the wrong side. (d) The Hem should be 1 inch wide when completed. Care must be taken to match the seams when fixing the hem ; a calico or muslin garment would be neatly hemmed ; a flannel or flannelette garment could have a hem of one fold and be herring-boned, but it is preferable to turn the raw edge under, and back-stitch on the right side. (e) The Binders . — The front binder is always longer than the back one, when the garment is made up with the tucked front and yoked back. The binders must be shaped to match the curves of the armhole, and must be joined on the wrong side by run and back-stitch, so as to fit the curve of body under the armholes. Turn down a fold of J inch on the inner curves, and lay the wrong side of the binders to the wrong side of the armholes, and fell them neatly, being careful to fit the II WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' NIGHTGOWNS 337 binders evenly at the top of the armhole, and to shape the front one to match the shoulder slope. N.B . — Many people now dispense with binders altogether, and make the sleeves longer, and fix them to the armholes in such a way as to form a narrow border, or lining to the body. Binders are, how- ever, necessary, because they strengthen the garment at the top of the side seams. They should not be very wide for this garment. (J) The Yoke . — Crease the yoke down the middle at the back, and then crease the back body of the night- gown. Turn down a fold of \ inch, or more if neces- sary, along the straight selvedge side of the yoke. Pin the yoke to the body at the top of each armhole, then draw out the creased back body, and fold it towards the right armhole, in order to find out the exact place to begin gathering the fulness at the back of the body. By doing this, the rule of gathering twice as much as the length of the yoke can be carried into effect. When the gathers are quite ready for setting in, fix the yoke most carefully and smoothly on the back -body, being careful only to tack it at the armholes to the body, and not through the binders, and to place the centre crease of the yoke to the centre crease in the back of the garment, and to regulate the fulness properly. The yoke and body must be divided into halves and quarters for the gathers. (g) The Lining of the Yoke must be fixed along the straight selvedge side, like the yoke, and then placed at either end on the binders and tacked to them only ; the rest of the lining must be placed exactly on the gathering- thread, and set in as neatly and with as much finish as the right side. The lining must not be taken above or below the gathering- thread and setting-in stitches of the yoke, or it will be puckered. It must also match the yoke exactly at the slopes of the shoulders and at the z 338 NEEDLEWORK PART armholes. When the gathers are completely set in, fix and tack the shoulder slopes and the armholes, to prevent the edges ravelling. (h) The Front . — Some people tuck the front, before sloping the shoulders or shaping the neck, others shape these parts before the tucking is commenced. In the diagram given, the tucks are fixed from the neck point of the shoulder, and the shaping is done first. The tucks may be made in sets of three or five, with a corresponding width of space between them. When both sides of the front are tucked, and match each other in width, then the centre crease of the front must be managed for the opening or vent. If a front fold is put on, on the right arm side, and a hem is taken from the garment on the left arm side, the garment must not be cut on the centre crease, but as much to the right of it as will allow material for the hem, so that the sides of the neck shall be equal in size, and still allow of the front fold lapping, and the centre of this fold to be the centre of the neck ; or if the garment is cut down the centre crease, a false hem can be put on the left side of the opening to fold back on to the right side of the garment, and should be stitched, instead of felled to the garment. ( i ) The Front Fold must be placed on the wrong side of the right arm opening, and run and back -stitched a quarter of an inch from the edge, then turned over to the right side of the garment, the other long selvedge side being turned down once, and the edge at the bottom treated in the same way as described in front fold of chemise. Tack the fold to the garment, being careful to allow it to form the outer edge of the slit, and fell it, and then stitch or feather-stitch it to the garment. The outer edge must be stitched or feather-stitched as well. II WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' NIGHTGOWNS 339 N.B . — The correct way of fastening a nightgown is light over left. The opening clown the front should equal the length of the collar, but the front fold should extend quite an inch or an inch and a half below it. The fulness below the slit caused by lapping maybe pleated or gathered, and fastened down by the point of the fold. If a front fold of insertion is put on, a wider hem is fixed on the right arm side of the slit, and the garment is cut as far as it is necessary to the left of the centre crease, in order to make both sides of the neck equal in width. The tucks must all fall towards the front fold, and they must be graduated in length towards the armholes. The front of the nightgown must be narrowed by the tucks, till each side is the same length as the shoulder slope of the yoke. The yoke must then be fixed to the front of the garment, on either side of the opening, and the yoke must be neatly felled to the tucked portions, the tucks being kept quite fiat and smooth. The edges of the shoulder slope of the yoke are sometimes stitched or feather-stitched, after they are felled. The lining of the yoke must be carefully fixed over the shoulders of the garment, and must be neatly felled above the wrong side of the tucks and the stitches from the other side, and through the binders only. The lining of the yoke must lie perfectly smooth. (j) The Sleeves. — (a) The sides of the sleeves must lie joined by sew -and -fell seam, or any other method that has been used for the sides of the body ; (b) the fulness at the wrist may be pleated, gathered, or tucked, according to the material of which the garment is made. A portion of the material on either side of the seam must be left plain, and the remainder must be halved and quartered and then gathered , if stout calico ; tucked , if fine calico or Mull muslin ; and pleated , if flannel. The crosswise material is the under half of the sleeve. (k) The Wristband. — (a) The wristbands are usually closed up at the sides, by putting the two raw edges together, and joining them by run and back-stitch, then flattening the seam, and turning it to the inside of the band, which is formed of double material ; (b) the raw 340 NEEDLEWORK PART edges must be folded under firmly and neatly ; ( c ) the band must be divided into halves and quarters after placing the join to the seam of the sleeve and to the plain portions, on either side of the seam. The wristband is then neatly felled to the sleeve, and the gathers properly set in. The wristband is felled over the pleats and tucks, and is usually ornamented with rows of feather-stitching, or, if an unbleached calico garment, it is stitched above the felling and also at the outer edge. N.B . — Some prefer an open wristband with turned down cuff. The band is then fastened by buttons and buttonholes. (/) Fixing the Sleeves to the Armholes of the Body. — (a) The seams of the sleeves must be placed between the body and the binders, and to the side seams, and tacked firmly and closely. If the sleeve is a little broader than the armhole, the fulness at the top must be gathered for a calico garment and pleated for a flannel, and this ful- ness must be placed at the armhole portion of the yoke and carefully set in. The body armhole is thus fixed on the sleeve, and may be felled or stitched or feather- stitched. (b) The binders on the wrong side must be fixed to the stitches on the sleeve, and neatly felled. They must lie perfectly flat and smooth, and the felling must not be taken either above or below the stitches of the right side. (m) The Collar. — ( a ) The neck portion of the garment needs skilful management. The neck slope in the sectional diagram is drawn higher, than it must be when the garment is completed. It is always better to draw, and to cut out the neck slope in paper patterns higher than it must be, when the collar is fixed on, because the slope can always be cut deeper to correspond to the length of the collar, or the curves of the neck of the intended wearer, but if cut II WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' NIGHTGOWNS 34i too dee}) at first, the collar must be made longer to remedy the evil, and the neck is out of proportion to the rest of the garment ; ( b ) the selvedge sides of the collar must be fixed first, then the ends, which must be neatly seamed on the right side ; (c) the collar should then be divided into Fig. 154. — Girl’s Nightgown (Saddle Yoke). (1) Three breadths of cream flannelette are required for the body. (2) The sides of the garment are straight. thirds, and about one-third fixed to the yoke portion of the neck, and a third to each side of the neck of the front ; (d) the collar should be fixed quite straight across the front fold and the left hem, and then carried round towards the shoulders ; ( e ) the collar must be felled to the neck on the right side, and then carefully felled on the 342 NEEDLE WOR K PART wrong side, so that it lies quite flat and straight. The collar is ornamented by rows of stitching, or feather-stitching. (n) The Trimming. — (a) The Mull muslin is cut into strips 1 inch deep, the selvedges joined by ordinary seaming or German seam, one long side very neatly hemmed, and then a length of the muslin is measured off to match the part of the garment to be trimmed, doubled if the frills are intended to be full, and then halved and quartered, rolled and whipped, and sewn on to the edge of the collar, wristbands, and edges of the front fold (see lesson on whipped frills) ; ( b ) if embroidery trimming is used, it may be whipped at the edges like the muslin, only with less fulness, and sewn to the edges ; (c) the embroidery may be placed between the edges of the collar and wristbands, which are then made in two parts, and between the front fold and the garment, the fulness needed being caused by gathering the plain material above the pattern (see trimming a chemise sleeve) ; ( d ) if ever- lasting edging is used, it must be felled to the wrong side of the garment and cased on, the fulness being placed at the corners and points. (o) Feather -stitching and Knotting. — The collar, wrist- bands, front fold, and the spaces between the sets of tucks can be ornamented in a pattern formed of feather-stitch and knotting. (p) Button ami Buttonholes. — One button and buttonhole will be needed for the collar, and two buttons and button- holes for the front. The buttonholes must be worked on the right arm side, and the buttons must be sewn on the left. It is usual to cut the buttonholes the selvedge way of the material on the front fold as well as the collar. If the wristbands are open, two more buttons and button- holes will be needed. If round corners are used, they II SCALE OF PROPORTIONS FOR NIGHTGOWNS 343 must be placed at the end of the bands, and at the top of the holes on the front fold. Scale of Proportions for Nightgowns The scale for nightgowns may be built upon propor- tions agreeing either with the length of the collar, or with the height of the wearer, or upon both. The following scale is built partly upon the length of the collar, and partly upon the height of the wearer. Length of the Nightgown may be either f or f of the wearer’s height. Breadth. — § of the length, and more if gores are added. Yoke. — (a) Length = 1^ or 1^ of the collar length. (b) Depth = \ or ^ of its own length. (c) Length of shoulder slope — nearly | of the collar length ; depth of slope at the arm- hole portion of yoke = J of the collar length. . ( d ) Slope of neck in width = J of the yoke length ; depth of neck slope = 1 inch. Sleeve. — (a) Length = 1^ of collar length. (b) Width of the top is the same as the length. (c) Width at the wrist = 3 of the widest part. Wristband. — (a) Length = J the collar length + 1J inches. (b) Depth = J its own length, before it is doubled. Armholes. — (a) Length = | the widest part of the sleeve. (b) Slope = ^ of the collar length. Binders. — (a) Length = same as the armholes + the width of the binders for lining the body below the armholes. 344 NEEDLEWORK PART Slope of shoulder of body. — (a) Length = J of the collar length. ( b ) Depth of slope of armholes = J of collar length. Neck slope of body. — (a) Width when the garment is folded in half = T * T of the breadth of garment. (b) Depth of slope = a little more than the width. Front Fold. — (a) Length = same as the collar + 1-J inches. (b) Width = J of the collar length + J an inch for turnings. Front Slit is usually the length of the collar. N.B. — In these proportions all turnings are allowed for. CHAPTER XI DAY AND NIGHT SHIRTS — SCALES FOR SHIRTS Plain Day Shirts (Figs. 155 and 156) 1. Suitable Materials. — (ci) Oxford shirting from 5fd. to 7fd. per yard ; (b) Longcloth from 5fd. to 8|d. per yard ; (c) Flannel from lOfd. to Is. 6d. per yard ; (d) Flannelette from 4 jd. to 6|d. per yard ; (e) French Cambric from 9fd. to 2s. 2. Quantity. — This must depend upon the length of the garment, and the way in which it is made up. Shirts with yokes require more material than those made wdth shoulder straps. The quantity of Oxford shirting, Flannel, or Flannelette needed for a man’s shirt varies from II PLAIN DA V SHIRTS 345 3 to 3 J and 4 yards ; and for a boy’s day shirt from 2 to 2J, 2J, and 3 yards, according to height and sizes of collars. Some material can be saved, if a set of shirts are cut out at one time. N.B . — If day shirts are made of longcloth, 36 inches wide, less material will be needed, because the yokes, binders, collars, wristbands, false hems, and gussets can be cut from the pieces off the width of the stuff, after the body and sleeves have been cut out. 3. Cost. — (a) Man’s Day Shirt (15-inch collar) — 3 yards of Oxford shirting at 6fd. per yard ...... Is. 8|d. Sewing cotton and pearl buttons 0 21- Is. lOfd. ( b ) 1 5-inch collar — 2f yards of longcloth at 5jd. per yard Is. 3jd Cotton, and pearl buttons 0 21 Is. 5fd. (c) 16-inch collar — 4 yards of flannel at Is. 7d. per yard 6s. 4d. Sewing cotton, and pearl buttons 0 2*d. 6s. 6M. Construction. — (a) Seams in body and sleeves. — Sew-and- fell, or fixed for a counter-hem and stitched on the right sides, or run-and-fell, if fine longcloth ; run and back-stitched and herring-boned, if Flannel or Flannelette, (h) Hems — At the bottom of the shirt body and side openings must not be more than J inch wide in day shirts, and must be neatly hemmed, (c) The binders should be cut out by placing a piece of the material selvedge way on the front and back 346 NEEDLEWORK PART armholes separately, and shaping this material to corre- spond with the curve of the armhole and the sides of the body below the armhole, then curving the binders out- wards for the proper width to match the curves of the armholes, (cl) The binders must be joined by a run and back-stitched seam on the wrong side, for the portions which lie on the seams of the body. ( e ) Place the wrong side of the binders to the wrong side of the garment, the seams matching, and fell them on the wrong side. N.B . — Some people prefer the binders on the right side of the gar- ment ; they must be stitched at the outer edges if so fixed. The front binder must be cut long enough to match the shoulder slope of the body. (/) The yoke and its lining must be fixed to the back of the garment in the same way as the yoke of a night- gown (see lesson on constructing a woman’s nightgown). (g) The shoulder slope of the yoke must be fixed to the shoulder slope of the front of the body, tacked, and either felled or stitched ; the lining of the yoke at the armholes must be felled to the binders only , and then felled above the stitches from the right side. The back of the yoke may be stitched on the right side \ inch above the gathers, (h) The front opening of the shirt may be finished off by putting on a front fold to the left arm side, in the same way as a front fold is placed to a nightgown, or a chemise, only the end of the fold need not be pointed, but kept straight, and stitched across in two parallel rows ; or, the left front opening may be finished off* by imitating a box-pleat, as described under nightshirts. ( i ) The right arm side may be finished oft* by a false hem, which extends beyond the edge of the body, and is stitched to the body on the right side of the garment, or by a hem taken from the stuff, if the width will allow of it. (j) The neck of II PLAIN DA Y SHIRTS 347 the front of the body must be cut lower than it is drawn in the diagram. As a rule, the necks of men’s and boys’ day shirts are cut from 1 to li and 2 inches lower than NEEDLEWORK PART 348 the bottom edge of the yoke on the back of the garment. (k) The fulness of the neck, if little, must be gathered and set into the collar band ; if fulness is sufficient, a box-pleat should be made on either side of the front opening, and the edges of the pleat should be stitched to the body of the garment. Great care must be taken not to narrow the garment too much across the chest. N.B . — The bottom part of the front opening must be strengthened by a pointed tab of the material on the right side, and by a strengthening tape on the wrong side. (/) The collar-band must be made in two parts, and must be shaped at the bottom from both ends towards the centre, by being curved outwards a little, and rounded at the corners, and sloped inwards from the top. The back II PLAIN DA Y SHIPTS 349 part of the collar-band is deeper than the front portions. A pearl or linen button must be sewn on to the middle of the band at the back, and another button must be sewn on the right arm end of it. The band must be stitched at the top edge below its own turnings if hand-sewn, or close to the edge, if machine-stitched. The two parts of the collar-band must be joined at the top and round the ends by run and back-stitch, and then turned out and stitched on the right side. Shaping the band in the way described makes it sit better on the neck of the shirt, as well as the neck of the wearer. If the collar band is divided into thirds, a little less than one-third should be fixed to the back neck of the yoke, and the rest should be fixed to each side of the neck of the front. Buttonholes . — One buttonhole must be worked at the left arm side of the collar-band, and must be cut with the selvedge, both ends may be braced ; three buttonholes must be cut and worked on the left side of the opening, in the middle of the front fold or box-pleat, and must be cut the selvedge way of the stuff, and both ends braced. N.B . — Buttonholes are placed on the right arm hem of opening, and are cut across the woof, and the ends are sometimes both rounded, when studs are used. The front fold and false hem of a plain day shirt might be made of linen, when linen fronts cannot be afforded, and linen wristbands can be put on the sleeves. Sleeves must be joined by a seam to match the seams in the body of the garment, and must be left open at the wrist for half the length of the wristband, to allow of the sleeve being moved up the arm, as well as for greater convenience in ironing the wristbands. Narrow hems must be put on either side of the wrist- opening, and a gusset must be set into the bottom of the seams (see 350 NEEDLEWORK PART Fig. 92). The sleeves must be set into the body in the same way as sleeves of nightgowns and nightshirts, and the body should be stitched to the sleeves, on the right side. The crosswise material is the under half of the sleeve. Wristbands . — The wristbands may be made straight at the ends in flannel or flannelette materials, or shaped if made of linen, longcloth, or Oxford shirting. Open wrist- bands must be stitched at the top and bottom, about \ of an inch from the edges. They must be divided into thirds, and the fulness of the sleeve must be gathered (or pleated if flannel), and set into the centre third, to give room for the elbow. N.B . — Deep wristbands are worn on men’s and boys’ day shirts, and the ends are often straight, when fastened by studs. Buttons . — The buttons are placed on the wristbands just above the gathers on the upper half of the sleeve, and the buttonholes are placed on the corresponding part of the wristbands, on the under half of the sleeves. Button and buttonholes are sometimes placed at the top part of the wristband when it is a straight shape, and another button and buttonhole are placed on the sleeve itself, close to the bottom part of the wristband. Body-gussets must be set into the side seams, to strengthen them. Notes. — 1. Day shirts for working men and boys are often made open at the back instead of the front. The front of the shirt is then pleated at the neck into the collar-band, and a button is sewn on to the centre of the band in front. The back opening of the body is about J of the collar in length, and is hemmed, while the collar-band and yoke are neatly finished off at the edges by being stitched. The buttonholes are placed on the left side of the shirt, one on the collar-band and one on the yoke. II PLAIN NIGHTSHIRTS 35i 2. Another way of finishing off the wrist- opening on the sleeves is by straight false hems, which are folded over to the right side of the garment and stitched. The left side or under part of the sleeve is then folded over the upper part and stitched across the bottom in two parallel rows. 3. A good way of remembering the position of the buttons and buttonholes on the wristbands of the shirts is to recall the way in which women’s gloves are fastened. Plain Nightshirts (Fig. 157) 1. Suitable Materials. — (a) Good stout unbleached and white twill calico, from 4fd. to 9fd. per yard ; (/>) flannel, from 9fd. to Is. 3d. per yard. 2. Quantity, for a man’s nightshirt made in the simplest style with shoulder straps and neck gussets, will vary, ac- cording to the height of the wearer, from 3 b to 4 b yards of calico, 36 inches wide. 3. Cost of one Nightshirt. — (a) White Calico — 4 yards of Crewdson’s calico, at 8fd. per yard 2s. 1 Id. Sewing cotton and buttons . . about 0 2 3s. Id. (b) Unbleached calico — 4 yards of calico, at 4fd. per yard . . Is. 7d. Cotton and buttons . . about 0 1| Is. 8jd . (c) Flannel — 4|- yards of flannel, at Is. Id. per yard . 4s.lOJd. Sewing cotton and buttons . about 0 2 5s. 0|d. N.B. — Boys’ nightshirts require from 2 to 2^ and 3 yards of calico, and vary in width from 27 to 34 inches. 352 NEEDLEWORK PART 4. Method of Cutting-out . — Body of Man’s Nightshirt. — (a) Cut off the required length for the body to suit the wearer’s height, and fold the material across the woof, allowing 2 inches more to the back than the front ; (h) crease the material into four equal divisions down the Folded II PLAIN NIGHTSHIRTS 353 length (if the calico is 36 inches wide, each division will be 9 inches) ; (c) cut the centre crease of the front down the selvedge, either as long as the collar or 1 inch shorter ; (d) cut along the folded top edge, on either side of the centre slit, to the creases, one fourth of the whole width, and then the body is cut out. Sleeves. — (a) Take a square of calico, 22 inches wide, if a man’s nightshirt, and fold one of the selvedges down to the opposite side in a slanting direction, so that the top measures on the slanting line 11J inches, and the wrist measures § of the width of the sleeve, i.e ., when folded, 7 1 inches ; ( b ) cut off the extra pieces at the top, side, and wrist ; (c) the folded edge of the sleeve should measure down the length 21 inches, and the open edges 1 9 inches ; (d) the selvedge of the material is the upper- half of the sleeve, and the crosswise of the material is the under half. Cutting two Sleeves out of the whole Width of Calico. — (a) Take the length required, and the whole width of the calico, and divide it down the selvedge into thirds, and crease well, or mark the thirds by pins ; ( b ) crease the calico diagonally from § at the top to at the bottom ; (c) fold one selvedge side over to the diagonal crease, then turn the material to the other side, and fold the other selvedge over to the diagonal crease ; ( d ) cut along the diagonal crease to divide the two sleeves, and then cut away the extra material at the top and bottom — the sleeves will be for the right and left arms, with the selvedges for the upper halves. N.B. — This is a very economical method of cutting out shirt and nightgown sleeves; but sleeves so cut are apt to drag at the elbow, and are too narrow towards the wrist, so that, though they take less material in the first cutting -out than the first 354 NEEDLEWORK PART method given, they wear out sooner, and are not so large and comfortable. Flannel and Flannelette are too narrow to allow of two sleeves being cut out of the width of the stuff. If the material has a right and a wrong side, as in French cambric, two pairs of sleeves must be cut out at the same time, to make the sleeves right for both arms. Wristbands. — (a) Closed. — These are preferable for night- shirts, and should be made large enough to allow of the hand going through easily. The size round the closed fist of the wearer with J an inch for turnings is a good rule ; (b) the length must be the selvedge way, and the depth should be, before being doubled, from J to § of the length. The wristbands to suit the sleeve, 21 inches long, should be 12 inches long, and either 3 or 4 inches deep, when doubled. Binders. — (a) These should be cut perfectly straight the length of the armhole (which is usually 10 inches for a man’s nightshirt), and 2 inches should be added for lining the body below the armhole ; (b) they should be in width half their own length. Armholes. — These should be 10 inches long for a man’s nightshirt. Shoulder-straps. — These should be cut the selvedge way, 9 inches long, to cover the shoulder of the body from the armholes to the neck, and should be 2 inches wide. Neck-gussets. — These should be not less than 3 inches square, and may be 4 inches if preferred. Body-gussets. — Diagonals of a 3-inch square. Gussets for Front Opening. — -Diagonals of a 2-inch square, if they are used at all. The Collar should be not less than 16 inches to a 36 inch wide calico in the body, and may be, to the same width calico, 17J inches long, and the depth from 2 to 2| inches when doubled, and all turnings are taken. II PLAIN NIGHTSHIRTS 355 False Hems foi' the Front Slit. — (a) These must be quite 1 inch longer than the slit, and If inches wide when finished ; (b) the bottom of the slit can be strengthened by a small gusset, instead of a strengthening tape. Buttonholes. — Four are needed : one on the left end of the collar, and three on the left side of the false hem. Slope of the Front of Neck. — In the above style of shirt, the neck-slope of the front is always very small, from 1 to 2 inches will be enough. Side Opening of the Body. — This may vary in length ; sometimes it is the same as the armhole, and sometimes the same as the front opening. Length of Body of Shirt. — Nightshirts are always made longer and wider than dayshirts for the same height of the wearer : about -J- of a yard longer than the dayshirt will be a good rule. Construction. — (a) Seam the selvedges ; ( b ) fix hems at the bottom § of an inch wide, and hem ; (c) fell the binders on the wrong side ; (d) put in the square gusset diagonally at the neck, and stitch it on the right side, and fell it on the wrong ; ( e ) divide the shoulder-straps equally down their length, and fix them over the folded top edge of the body and the neck gussets, and stitch them at the edges, being careful not to fasten the armhole portion of the binders by the stitching ; (f) line the front slit by false hems in the same way as the hip-opening of drawers, and fell on the wrong sides ; (g) gather the body at the neck, from the edge of the right false hem to the edge of the left false hem over the shoulder-straps, dividing the material and regulating the fulness, according to rule ; ( h ) set the gathers into the collar, and fell the collar to the false hems on the front ; ( i ) stitch the collar on the right side £ of an inch above the gathers, and if the collar is made deep enough 356 NEEDLEWORK TART to turn over to the right side, stitch it on the wrong side J of an inch from the top edge ; (j ) set in the body and front slit gussets, as in lesson on the gusset to Standard VI. ; (k) join the sleeves by sew-and-fell seam and close the wristbands by run-and-back-stitched seams, on the wrong side ; ( l ) when the wristband is properly fixed, stitch it about l of an inch from the edges, top and bottom, and then divide it into thirds, and place the join in it to the seam in the sleeve, and gather as much of the sleeve on either side of its folded edge as can be set into J of the wristband ; (m) set the gathers in neatly and regularly, and fell the wristband to the plain portions of the sleeve on either side of the seam ; ( n ) put the seam of the sleeve to the seam of the body, and between the body and the binder, and gather any extra fulness at the top of the sleeve, and set it in equally, on either side of the shoulder straps, fell or stitch the body to the sleeves on the right side, and fell the binders to the sleeves on the wrong side ; ( o ) the edges of the front false hems may be stitched if liked ; ( p ) cut the buttonholes the selvedge way of the collar and the front false hem, both ends of the button- holes may be braced, but if the nightshirt is made up in Standard IV., the corners nearest the end of the band, and at the top of the holes, on the false hem, must be worked round. Another Method of Finishing the Front Opening by imitating a Box-pleat. — (a) Crease the garment down the front exactly in half ; (b) measure an inch (or more or less, according to the width of the left side hem) to the right of the centre crease, and cut the opening the length required ; (c) at the bottom of the slit cut along the woof towards the right arm 1] inches (or less or more, accord- ing to the width of the hem required on the right arm II PLAIN NIGHTSHIRTS 357 side of the opening) ; (