Handicraft for Girls Part 4

With a tape needle draw in the two tapes, sew the ends of each together and draw out of opposite openings so that the place of joining will not show. Overcast the seams.

EXERCISE NO. 15--HALF-BACK St.i.tCHING.

_Materials:_ First and second sections of the Seam Sampler.

Baste the two sections together one-fourth of an inch from the edge. Sew with the half-back st.i.tch three-eighths of an inch from the edge.

EXERCISE NO. 16--A DOILY--BLANKET St.i.tCH AND THE KENSINGTON OUTLINE St.i.tCH.[15]

_Materials:_ Imitation Butchers' Linen 9" 9"; white l.u.s.ter cotton; needle No. 5.

An exercise in paper cutting for the doily design. Have pupils provide themselves with ten or twelve pieces of paper eight inches square for practice cutting. Fold the first paper three times and cut a convex, concave or compound curve from corner to corner. Open and study these curved lines and select the most graceful. Cut again making corrections.

Cut a design in straight lines. Cut one composed of both straight and curved lines. Do not work haphazard, but criticise, compare and reject.

The surface requires little decoration if the doily is pleasing in outline. That which is placed upon it should have some relation to the outline. Study the s.p.a.ce to be decorated and how it can be divided or ornamented by lines, curved or straight, that may serve as a real decoration, but avoid too elaborate designs. Before beginning the doily have a finished pattern. The pattern may be transferred to the cloth by tracing the pattern with a hard pencil, using carbon paper between pattern and cloth, or the pattern may be pinned on and the outline drawn and the design put on freehand.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ORIGINAL DESIGNS FOR THE DOILY BY FOURTH GRADE GIRLS.]

To work the Doily. Finish the edge with the blanket st.i.tch. See "Blanket St.i.tch," page 73. Work the lines of the design with the Kensington Outline St.i.tch.

EXERCISE NO. 17--FRENCH SEAM.

_Materials:_ Third section of the Seam Sampler.

Fold with the warp through the center and cut on the fold. Follow the directions for the French Seam.

EXERCISE NO. 18--A PAIR OF MINIATURE PILLOW CASES.[16]

_Materials:_ Two pieces bleached muslin 7-1/2" warp, 8-1/2" woof; white thread No. 50; needle No. 7.

In a pillow case the warp threads should run lengthwise of the pillow.

Crease a quarter-inch fold across one end and on both sides. Fold with the warp through the center so that the seam just turned comes on the inside, baste the folded edges together on the right side. Overhand on the right side, using no knot, but sewing over the end of the thread.

Turn a three-quarter inch hem, baste and hem. Trim the seam and overcast.

EXERCISE NO. 19--FRENCH FELL.

_Materials:_ Seam Sampler.

Sew Section Three of the Seam Sampler to the others with the French Fell. Follow directions for the French Fell.

EXERCISE NO. 20--TEXTILE FIBERS AND FABRICS--SILK.

Under the heading "Textile Fibers and Fabrics," page 90, will be found subject matter which can be used in correlation with the geography, language and history work. The fourth grade subject is silk. Secure if possible the silk coc.o.o.n and make a collection of silk fabrics. Language papers on the subject can be ill.u.s.trated with pictures cut from papers and magazines.

ELECTIVES.

[13] A choice may be had between the strawberry and the tomato emery ball.

TOMATO EMERY BALL--_Materials:_ Unbleached muslin 6" 3"; red cashmere 6" 3"; emery powder; red thread No. 50; green l.u.s.ter cotton.

To cut the pattern: Draw a circle one and one-fourth inches in radius and cut on the line.

Cut the two pieces for the lining and the two for the outside of the same size. Place the right sides of the two pieces of cashmere together between the two pieces of lining. Baste all together. Sew with the back st.i.tch one-fourth of an inch from the edge, leaving an opening for turning and filling. Turn in a seam at the opening, fill with powder and close by overhanding the edges together. Flatten as much as possible and make the creases seen in the tomato by tightly drawing the thread of l.u.s.ter cotton from the center around the outside and back to the center, repeating several times. Make a little tuft of the l.u.s.ter cotton in the middle at the top.

[14] The order of the doily and the bag may be reversed, using the doily for the Christmas piece instead of the bag, or the paper box may be subst.i.tuted. See "Cloth and Cardboard Construction," page 102.

[15] Simple toilet articles in white, such as a handkerchief case, may be subst.i.tuted for the doily, teachers planning their own designs.

[16] One pillow-case may be omitted and a pillow for the other case made instead. This may be stuffed with crumpled bits of paper. Use unbleached muslin for the pillow.

CHAPTER IV.

COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.

THIRD YEAR--FIFTH GRADE.

EQUIPMENT.

Sewing box.

Pin cushion--30 pins.

Thimble.

Needles.

Scissors.

Thread cards.

Practice Piece--Unbleached muslin 9" 12".

ORDER OF EXERCISES.

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

Exercise No. 21--Patching Sampler--Hemmed Patch.

Exercise No. 22--Mitered Corner.

Exercise No. 23--Patching Sampler--Overhand Patch.

Exercise No. 24--Basketry--Christmas Piece.[17][18]