Handicraft for Girls Part 11

1. Bands.

2. Blanket St.i.tch.

3. Chain St.i.tch.

4. Couching.

5. Feather St.i.tch.

6. French Knots.

7. Hemst.i.tching.

8. Herringbone St.i.tch.

9. Kensington Outline.

10. Lazy Daisy or Star St.i.tch.

MISCELLANEOUS.

1. Bias.

2. Cloth.

3. Eyelets and Loops.

4. Joining and Fastening Threads.

5. Mitered Corner.

6. Patterns.

7. Plackets.

8. Putting in Sleeves.

9. Seams.

A. Bound Seam.

B. Flannel Seam.

C. French Fell.

D. French Seam.

E. Hemmed Seam.

10. Sewing on b.u.t.tons.

11. Sewing on Hooks and Eyes.

12. Sewing on Lace.

13. Tucking.

St.i.tCHES USED IN PLAIN SEWING.

=Basting.=--Basting is temporary sewing used to hold the cloth in place while putting in permanent st.i.tches. As the basting threads are to be removed, place the knot on the right side. Fasten the threads securely by taking two or three backst.i.tches. In removing basting threads clip the threads at short intervals that they may be taken out easily. Much of the success of the work depends upon careful basting. The extra time required will be repaid ten-fold. One st.i.tch at a time for beginners, later two or three st.i.tches may be taken. In basting hems, baste not on the edge, but very near it. Do not baste on the line where you expect to st.i.tch, but as near it as possible.

A. An even basting is used on hems, seams of garments, or wherever two pieces of cloth are to be held firmly together. Take up one-fourth of an inch and skip one-fourth.

B. Uneven basting is used where very careful basting is unnecessary, as in the seams of skirts, or in working on a material that clings together, as a guide for st.i.tching. Take up an eighth of an inch and skip three-eighths. When only loose basting is required, as when holding the lining and outside together, a long st.i.tch and two short ones may be used.

=Blind St.i.tch.=--The blind st.i.tch and slip st.i.tch are used to fasten a hem lightly where it is desired to conceal the st.i.tches. To blind st.i.tch a hem, turn back the edge of the hem to the basting and, holding the cloth along the edge of the finger, catch first cloth and then hem with a single st.i.tch that does not show on either side. A slip st.i.tch is a long st.i.tch on the wrong side and a blind st.i.tch on the hem. It is used on the milliner's fold.

=b.u.t.tonholes.=--A b.u.t.tonhole is a slit cut and worked to admit a b.u.t.ton for fastening purposes. It is much easier for beginners to commence on the blind b.u.t.tonhole. This is made by working around a line instead of cutting the hole. The st.i.tch, the fan, and the finis.h.i.+ng can thus be learned without the care of the raw edge. The directions for making the b.u.t.tonhole are as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration: St.i.tCHES USED ON PLAIN SEWING.

1--Three styles of basting.

2--The running st.i.tch.

3--The gathering.

4--The backst.i.tch.

5--The half-back st.i.tch.

6--The combination st.i.tch.

7--The overcasting.]

A. PREPARATION OF THE HOLE.

a. _Cutting_--With the b.u.t.tonhole scissors cut the hole one-fourth of an inch from the folded edge and straight with the threads of the cloth.

b. _Stranding_--The strand consists of carrying the thread along the edge of the b.u.t.tonhole near enough to be easily covered by the b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tch, for the purpose of adding strength to the b.u.t.tonhole. Thread two needles, one with fine thread or sewing silk and the other with coa.r.s.er thread or twist, depending upon the kind of b.u.t.tonhole to be made. Place a knot in the coa.r.s.e thread or twist, and with the folded edge of the cloth toward the left hand, bring the needle out just below the lower right hand end of the b.u.t.tonhole, which is the end farthest from the folded edge. At the other end put the needle into the cloth just below the end of the cut and bring it out just above, which will carry the thread along the edge of the b.u.t.tonhole. Repeat the same on the other side bringing the thread out at the point of starting. Do not cut this thread, as this is ready to begin the b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tch after the overcasting.

c. _Overcasting_--With the fine thread or sewing silk begin at the lower right-hand end. The object of the overcasting is to prevent raveling while working the b.u.t.tonhole and the fewer st.i.tches which will accomplish this purpose the better. As the overcasting must be covered by the b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tch do not take over two or three threads deep and just as few st.i.tches on each side as is absolutely necessary to prevent the loosening of the threads. Some materials do not require overcasting.

B. WORKING THE b.u.t.tONHOLE.

a. _The St.i.tch_--Determine how deep a st.i.tch is necessary so that the threads will not pull out, always keeping in mind that _the shorter the st.i.tch the better the b.u.t.tonhole will look_. This depends upon the kind of material in use. The first st.i.tch begins one thread beyond the end of the slit. Holding the b.u.t.tonhole along the cus.h.i.+on of the left forefinger with the folded edge of the cloth toward the left, place the needle into the slit under the lower edge of the b.u.t.tonhole and draw the needle half way through. With the needle still pointing toward the chest take up the double thread at the eye of the needle and place it under the point, pa.s.sing _from right to left_.

Draw the needle and thread out, and from you, so that the purl or twist comes to the edge of the slit. (This makes a firmer edge than when the thread is carried around the needle from left to right.) Each st.i.tch is a repet.i.tion of the above.

Place the st.i.tches about the width of a thread apart, as this will avoid a crowded appearance and makes a firm, hard edge. Do not jerk the thread, but draw steadily and tight; otherwise the edge will be rough. Avoid stretching the b.u.t.tonhole; the edges should touch when finished.

b. _The Fan_--At the end near the folded edge--the round end--spread the st.i.tches like the sticks of a fan, drawing them closer at the top and spreading at the bottom. Five st.i.tches will work nicely around the end, the third st.i.tch being straight with the b.u.t.tonhole.

C. METHOD OF FINIs.h.i.+NG THE b.u.t.tONHOLE.

a. The simplest manner of finis.h.i.+ng is as follows: The b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tches at this end are at right angles to the slit, and not rounding as at the other end. After finis.h.i.+ng the last b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tch, pa.s.s the needle down between the first and second st.i.tch, and bring it out between the last and next to the last st.i.tch. Draw the thread tight so as to bring the edges of the b.u.t.tonhole together. Put in several st.i.tches in the same place. Pa.s.s the needle to the under side and fasten the thread.

[Ill.u.s.tration: METHOD OF b.u.t.tONHOLING.]

b. _The Bar_--The thread being at the top of the last st.i.tch, pa.s.s the needle down between the first and second st.i.tch and out at the bottom of the last st.i.tch. Put in three threads across the width of the b.u.t.tonhole, bringing the thread out at the bottom of the last b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tch. Turn the cloth so that the thumb covers the thread and the b.u.t.tonhole, and work the bar by bringing the needle out each time over the thread, as in the blanket st.i.tch. Draw the purl edge toward the b.u.t.tonhole. Do not put in too many st.i.tches, as it makes the loop stand away from the b.u.t.tonhole.

Near the middle of the bar take one st.i.tch through the cloth to hold it down.

c. _Caution_--Be sure that the thread is long enough to work the b.u.t.tonhole, but not over-long, as the thread wears and is more liable to break.

Use care and not break the thread, but in case this happens, take out the last few st.i.tches, thread the needle on this short end, pa.s.s through the last purl, and fasten the thread on the under side. With the new thread fasten without a knot on the wrong side, bring through the last purl at the edge of the b.u.t.tonhole and continue.

On cloth that ravels badly put in two parallel rows of running st.i.tches and then cut the b.u.t.tonhole between the rows.

=Combination St.i.tch.=--The Combination st.i.tch consists of three little running st.i.tches and a backst.i.tch over the last running st.i.tch. Take three running st.i.tches on the needle and pull it through. Take up the last running st.i.tch for the first of the next group of three. It is a little stronger than the running st.i.tch.

=Darning.=--The object in darning is to repair a rent, if possible so that it cannot be perceived. The warp and woof threads that have been worn away are to be rewoven into the cloth. No knots are needed. Leave a short end of thread to be clipped when the darn is finished.

A. STOCKING DARNING.

Stockings should be darned on the wrong side. A square hole makes a more symmetrical darn than a round one, and should be used wherever there is no widening or narrowing in the knitting, as on the leg of a stocking. A round hole is better for the heel and toe. Cut away the part that is badly worn. First put in the warp threads, taking care to take up on the needle all the little loops around the hole and making the darn symmetrical in shape. Then put in the woof threads, weaving carefully across the warp over the hole, pa.s.sing over the threads that were taken up on the preceding row. _Give special attention to the edge of the hole, pa.s.sing first over and then under the edge, that there may be no ridge._ If the hole is large or stretched out of shape, draw up the edges by whipping with fine thread. The darning st.i.tches should extend only as far as the worn part. If the warp threads have strengthened the worn part sufficiently the woof threads may be extended only far enough over the edge to fasten securely. In darning a large hole it is sometimes wise to begin putting in the warp threads at the center first to prevent stretching. Do not draw the threads too tight, as they will shrink when washed.

B. CLOTH DARNING.