Handicraft for Girls Part 3

ORDER OF EXERCISES.

Prepare Thread Cards--Cardboard 4" 4", designed and cut for four kinds of thread.

Exercise No. 11--Seam Sampler--Seam A--Combination St.i.tch.

Exercise No. 12--Emery b.a.l.l.s.[9]

Exercise No. 13--Seam Sampler--Seam B--St.i.tching.

Exercise No. 14--Bags--Christmas Piece.[10]

Exercise No. 15--Seam Sampler--Seam C--Half-Back St.i.tching.

Exercise No. 16--Doily--Blanket St.i.tch--Outline St.i.tch.[11]

Exercise No. 17--Seam Sampler--Seam D--French Seam.

Exercise No. 18--A Pair of Dolls' Pillow Cases.[12]

Exercise No. 19--Seam Sampler--Seam E--French Fell.

Exercise No. 20--Textile Fibers and Fabrics--Silk.

FOOTNOTES:

[9] See Electives, page 27.

[10] See Electives, page 27.

[11] See Electives, page 27.

[12] See Electives, page 27.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXERCISES.

_Review:_ One inch, one-half inch, one-fourth inch.

_Teach:_ One-eighth inch, three-eighths inch, seven-eighths inch.

SEAM SAMPLER.

_Materials:_ Plain percale 10" warp, 12" woof; white thread No. 50; needle No. 7.

Five exercises of the Second Year Sewing will consist of seam work on the Seam Sampler. _Each st.i.tch will be first taught on the Practice Piece._ Make pupils perfectly familiar with the names and uses of the different st.i.tches as they are taught. As the year's work progresses compare the different seams and teach when, where and why these various seams are used in garment making. See "Description of Seams," page 85.

That the pupils may not lose interest in their sewing the seam work is alternated with miscellaneous exercises.

Fold the percale with the warp into three equal pieces. Cut off one piece. Have each pupil label her large piece with her name. Collect and put them away until ready for Seam B. Do not leave them in the boxes or they will be lost, or soiled with too much handling.

EXERCISE NO. 11--SEAM A--COMBINATION St.i.tCH.

See description of "Seam Sampler" given above.

_Materials:_ First section of Seam Sampler.

Fold with the warp through the center, and cut on the fold. Baste these two edges together one-fourth of an inch from the edge. Sew with the Combination St.i.tch three-eighths of an inch from the edge.

EXERCISE NO. 12--EMERY b.a.l.l.s.[13]

_Materials:_ Unbleached muslin, 6-1/2" 6-1/2"; red cashmere 6-1/2"

6-1/2" (this amount provides for four); thread, yellow, white and red; emery powder; needles No. 7 and No. 3; green l.u.s.ter cotton.

To cut the pattern of the strawberry emery ball: Draw a circle three inches in radius, and cut on the line.

Cut a circle from the unbleached muslin for the lining and one a quarter of an inch larger from the cashmere for the outside; cut both into quarters.

To make the case: Fold the two edges of the muslin together and sew in a seam with the combination st.i.tch, rounding the point to give the strawberry shape. Turn in a good seam at the top and gather. Fill with the powdered emery and fasten the gathering thread by overhanding over the top.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE COMPLETED SEAM SAMPLER ILl.u.s.tRATING EXERCISES NOS.

11, 13, 15, 17, AND 19.]

Before sewing up the outside put in the st.i.tches, with yellow thread, to represent the seeds of the strawberry as follows: Hold the wrong side of the cloth toward you and put in a row of tiny st.i.tches half an inch apart. One-fourth of an inch above these put in another row with the st.i.tches midway between those of the last row, and so continue. If desired these may be omitted and the seeds represented by French knots when the strawberry is finished.

Seam up the outside, slip it over the case, arranging the seams on opposite sides to avoid the possibility of powder sifting through.

Overhand the top and cover with the green l.u.s.ter cotton to represent the calyx, leaving a loop for the stem.

EXERCISE NO. 13--SEAM B--St.i.tCHING.

_Materials:_ Second section of Seam Sampler.

Fold with the warp through the center and cut on the fold. Baste these two edges together one-fourth of an inch from the edge. St.i.tch three-eighths of an inch from the edge.

EXERCISE NO. 14--BAGS--CHRISTMAS PIECE.[14]

The Christmas Piece will consist of bags of any size, shape or style for which the pupils wish to furnish their own materials. This gives the teacher an opportunity to exercise her own ingenuity and taste and to have some individuality in her work. There is a great variety, from the utility bag made of cheap, pretty material, costing only a few pennies, to the more elaborate ones made of dainty silk or ribbon. A little tact will easily adapt the style of bag to the home into which it is to go, for the purpose for which it is to be used, and the purse of the donor.

Following are the directions for a simple b.u.t.ton-bag:

_Materials:_ A soft washable fabric, 14" warp, 6" woof; thread; needles; narrow tape 26 inches.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BAGS TO ILl.u.s.tRATE EXERCISE NO. 14.]

Crease an inch hem at each end. Fold the cloth with the two hems right sides together and baste from the lower edge of the hems to the bottom of the bag. St.i.tch a quarter-inch seam. Turn in the ends of the hems even with the sides of the bag and overhand from the top five-eighths of an inch, leaving an opening for the tapes three-eighths of an inch wide at the bottom of the hem. Baste and hem the hems, fastening securely at each side of the tape openings, as there is considerable strain when the tapes are drawn. Put in a row of running st.i.tches parallel to and five-eighths of an inch from the top of the bag, for the tape opening.