Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools Part 23

LESSON I: PREPARATION FOR SEWING

_Preparation and use of working equipment: Needles, pins, thread, tape-measure, thimble, scissors, box for work. Talk on cleanliness and neatness (care of hands, etc.). Discussion of hemming. Hems folded on sheets of paper._

SUBJECT-MATTER

A hem is made by twice turning over the edge of a piece of cloth toward the worker, and then sewing it down. It is used to finish a narrow edge.

In turning a narrow hem the first fold must not be so deep as the second, in order that the hem may lie smoothly. If the hem is a wide one, the first fold can be much narrower than the second.

PRELIMINARY PLAN

The teacher should have interested the pupils in the sewing lessons before the first meeting of the cla.s.s, and each pupil should be asked to bring with her the box in which to keep her materials and such other equipment as is required. If the school is to furnish the equipment, the teacher should be sure that there is an adequate supply on hand.

It will probably be necessary to have the towels to be used in the cooking cla.s.ses hemmed, and the pupils should be interested in doing this work. If some of them wish to hem towels for use in their own homes, it may be desirable to allow them to do so. Flour or meal sacks will answer. It may be well to have each pupil hem a towel for home use, as well as for school use, in order to impress upon her the desirability of having hemmed dish-towels for daily use. The towels may be planned during this lesson, and the pupils may arrange to bring the material from home, if they are to provide it; but it will be well for the teacher to have on hand material for one or two towels. Plain paper will answer for the practice folding of the hem in the first lesson.

METHOD OF WORK

The teacher should devote a few minutes to a talk on cleanliness, emphasizing its importance, and the necessity for exercising care in handling the sewing materials. This should be followed by a discussion regarding the care of the hands and the condition in which they should be for the sewing lesson. Each pupil should inspect her own hands and show them to the teacher.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig._ 2.--Gauge]

When all the pupils have their hands in a proper condition for sewing, the teacher should look over their supplies with them, give them suggestions as to how they are to keep these, and let them arrange their boxes.

Next, she should tell them what their first work is to be, show them the material for the towels, and discuss with them the best method of finishing the ends. (See Lesson II.)

Before turning the hem, the pupils should make a gauge from heavy paper, notched to indicate the depth of the hem. A few minutes should be devoted to practice in measuring and turning a hem of the desired depth on a sheet of paper. This should give practice in the double turning necessary--first, the narrow turn to dispose of the cut edge; second, the fold to finish the edge.

When the lesson is finished, the boxes should be put away in systematic order, and all sc.r.a.ps should be carefully picked up from the desks and the floor.

LESSON II: HEMMING TOWELS

_Turning and basting hems. Hemming towels of crash, sacking, or other material, for use in washing and drying dishes at home or in school._

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig._ 3.--Even basting]

SUBJECT-MATTER

Basting is used to hold two pieces of material together until a permanent st.i.tch can be put in. It is done by taking long st.i.tches (one-fourth inch) from right to left and parallel to the edges that are to be basted together. In starting, the thread is fastened with a knot; when completed, it is fastened by taking two or three st.i.tches one over the other.

PRELIMINARY PLAN

The teacher should have the necessary materials on hand or should see that they are supplied by the pupils. The articles needed will include material for the towels, white thread for basting and hemming, and gauges for measuring.

The teacher should also have a large square of unbleached cotton or canvas, 18 by 18 inches, and a large darning-needle and coloured worsted thread, to use for demonstration purposes. The canvas should be fastened to the black-board, where the cla.s.s can see it easily.

METHOD OF WORK

As soon as the cla.s.s is called, the supplies are at hand, and the hands are in a proper condition, the teacher should demonstrate the basting-st.i.tch, with a large needle and thread, on the square of canvas that has been fastened on the wall. Materials for work should be pa.s.sed.

Each pupil should straighten the ends of her towel by drawing a thread.

Then she should turn and baste a hem three eighths of an inch in depth.

At the close of the lesson, the pupils should fold their work carefully and put it neatly in their boxes.

LESSON III: HEMMING TOWELS--Continued

_The overhanding st.i.tch and the hemming st.i.tch._

SUBJECT-MATTER

_Overhanding_ (also called overseaming or top sewing).--The edges to be overhanded are held between the first finger and the thumb of the left hand, with the edge parallel to the first finger. The needle is inserted just below and perpendicular to the edge. The needle is pointed straight toward the worker. The st.i.tches proceed from right to left, each st.i.tch being taken a little to the left of the preceding st.i.tch. The st.i.tches should all be straight on the right side, but they will slant a little on the wrong side. They should not be deep. It may be desirable to use this overhanding st.i.tch at the ends of hems, to hold the edges of the material together. The overhanding st.i.tch is also used for seams, for patching, and for sewing on lace.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig._ 4.--Overhanding]

The overhanding of narrow hems is not always necessary, but the ends may be made stronger thereby, and the st.i.tch is a valuable one for the pupils to know.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig._ 5.--Hemming]

_Hemming._--The hemming-st.i.tch is placed on the inside of the hem. The end of the basted hem is laid over the first and under the second finger of the left hand, with the folded edge outside and the material toward the worker. It is held in place with the thumb. The st.i.tch is begun at the end of the hem. The fastening of the thread is concealed by slipping it underneath the hem in the inside fold of the material. The needle is pointed over the left shoulder, a small st.i.tch is taken by inserting the needle through the material just below the hem, then through the folded edge. This is repeated, making the next st.i.tch nearer the worker and moving the goods away from the worker as necessary. Uniformity of slant, size, and s.p.a.cing of the st.i.tches is important.

PRELIMINARY PLAN

Before this lesson is given, all the pupils should report to the teacher, having both ends of their towels basted, so that they will all be ready to proceed at once with the new st.i.tches.

METHOD OF WORK

The teacher should begin by demonstrating on the large square of canvas with the large needle and heavy thread the st.i.tches to be used. After overhanding the end of the hem, the hemming-st.i.tch should follow with the same thread. The pupils will probably not be able to finish the hemming in this first lesson, so provision should be made for additional time. This can be required as an outside a.s.signment, if the pupils have mastered the method during the cla.s.s period. The teacher may also be able to give them some supervision while she is looking after other cla.s.ses.

LESSON IV: BAGS

_A school bag. Bag (made of material obtainable) to hold sewing materials. Measuring and straightening the material for the bag. Basting the seams._