Handicraft for Girls Part 12

This may be done with thread, ravelings or hair. In darning with thread darn on the wrong side, with ravelings or hair on the right. Darn at right angles to the tear or cut. Continue the darning st.i.tches on each side of the tear only far enough to strengthen the worn part, usually a quarter, sometimes an eighth of an inch, is sufficient. Continue the darn an eighth of an inch beyond the end of the tear. The repairing shows less if the rows of darning st.i.tches are of unequal length. In darning take up the threads of cloth pa.s.sed over in the preceding row, slipping the needle over one edge of the tear and under the other going one way and reversing this order going the other way. This makes the edge smooth and does not throw it up in a ridge. If the material to be darned is thin or stretches easily, place the rent over a piece of glazed paper and baste around it before darning. If the cloth is worn and thin, place a piece of cloth under and darn through the two thicknesses. Take great care not to stretch the hole or to draw the threads tight enough to pucker.

=Gathering.=--Gathering is an uneven st.i.tch made by pa.s.sing over twice as much as is taken on the needle. When the thread is drawn up this gives the appearance of fine gathering on the right side and admits of considerable cloth being gathered into a small s.p.a.ce.

Gathering is used in joining a full part to a straight piece, as the skirt to the band, etc. Gather with a strong single thread a little longer than than the s.p.a.ce to be gathered. _Never use a double thread._ If the thread becomes knotted a new thread must be put in from the beginning. Hold the cloth, as in the running st.i.tch, with the right side toward you, using the wrist motion. Make a large knot in the thread so that it cannot slip through the cloth, and place the knot on the _wrong_ side. At the end of the gathering slip the needle off and make a knot in the thread, that it may not pull out.

A. STROKING GATHERS.

For stroking or placing gathers use a coa.r.s.e needle or a pin. Draw up the gathering thread just tightly enough so that the pin can be easily inserted between the gathers and fasten by winding over a pin placed at right angles to the last st.i.tch. Begin at the left hand, placing the pin in the fold of the first st.i.tch and stroke gently downward, holding the pin obliquely. After each successive stroke press the pleat under the thumb of the left hand. Continue the same with every st.i.tch.

B. SEWING THE GATHERED PART TO THE STRAIGHT PIECE.

Divide both into halves, quarters or eighths, depending upon the length, and pin the points of division together. Draw up the gathering thread to the proper length and fasten by winding over a pin. Arrange the gathers even before basting. Baste just above the gathers, holding the gathered piece next to you. _St.i.tch just below the gathering thread._

C. GAUGING.

Gauging or double gathering is done by having a second row of gathering st.i.tches of equal length and directly below those of the first (so that when both threads are drawn up the cloth lies in pleats). In heavy material three or four threads may be put in. Gauging is usually used on heavy material or on a folded edge that is to be overhanded to a band.

D. GATHERING BY WHIPPING A ROLLED EDGE.

Ruffles of lawn, linen or embroidery are sometimes put upon the edge instead of into a facing or seam, and when so placed it is desirable to avoid the raw edge on the under side. Hold the work over the left forefinger and roll the edge toward you between the thumb and forefinger. Place the needle under the roll on the right side, pa.s.sing out at the top of the roll. Whip about one inch and draw up the thread.

It is necessary to use a strong thread for whipping and gathering the edge of a ruffle.

=Half-Back St.i.tch.=--Half-back st.i.tching is similar to the st.i.tching.

The long forward st.i.tch on the under side is three times the length of the backst.i.tch on the upper side, and a s.p.a.ce the length of the backst.i.tch is left between the st.i.tches. See St.i.tching, page 63.

=Hemming.=--A hem is a fold made by twice turning over the edge of a piece of cloth, and then sewing it down. The first fold is most important; if that is turned even there will be little trouble with the second. _Trim the edge of the cloth before turning the hem._ It is well to make and use a gauge of the required width. If a wide hem is turned, baste along the second fold or bottom of the hem first, and then at the top. On woolen goods or material that does not crease easily it is necessary to baste the first fold. Either bury the knot between the folds of the hem or leave one-half inch of thread and hem over it.

A. HEMMING St.i.tCH.

Hold the hem across the cus.h.i.+on of the left forefinger and point the needle a little to the left across the middle of the thumb. Take up a few threads of the cloth and a few threads of the fold and draw the needle through. Take care that the st.i.tches are regular, of equal length and of equal distance apart. _Do not confuse the hemming st.i.tch with the blind st.i.tch, or the damask hem._ Join the threads by leaving a half-inch of the old thread and a half-inch of the new to be tucked under the edge of the hem and be hemmed over.

Teachers will find the following suggestions helpful in teaching the hemming st.i.tch:

Put the needle in _almost_ straight with the hem, not at right angles to it. Take up as little cloth on the needle as possible; bring the needle directly through the hem, making one st.i.tch of it instead of dividing the st.i.tch as in the blind st.i.tch. Crowd the point of the needle under the edge of the hem. Do not insert the needle a distance from the hem, trusting to puckering it up.

B. DAMASK HEM.

Damask is a heavy fabric woven of heavy threads of one color in which the pattern is brought out by a change in the direction of the threads, and when new is stiff with much dressing. From the very nature of the cloth it is impossible to hem well with the flat hem. The two folds of the hem are turned the desired width and the hem is then turned back flat to the cloth and creased. The edge of the hem and the crease thus formed are overhanded together with fine even st.i.tches. When laundered this irons perfectly smooth and the st.i.tches do not show on the right side. Do not confuse this method of hemming with the flat hem, as each has its own use.

=Overcasting.=--Overcasting is done by taking loose st.i.tches over the raw edge of cloth from right to left to keep it from raveling. The depth of the st.i.tch depends upon the material to be overcast, usually an eighth of an inch is sufficient. The st.i.tches should be twice as far apart as they are deep. The needle is inserted from the under side of the cloth and points a little to the left, making a slanting st.i.tch.

Keep the s.p.a.ces even and the st.i.tches of equal length. _Always trim the edges before overcasting._ Do not overcast a selvedge edge. Take only one st.i.tch at a time and be careful not to draw the edge of the cloth.

=Overhanding.=--Overhanding is done by sewing closely over two edges of cloth from right to left. The cloth may have a folded or selvedge edge.

Careful basting is necessary to good overhanding. The needle is placed at a right angle to the seam and should point to the chest. No knot is used; a short end of the thread is left and overhanded under. Hold the work horizontally along the edge of the cus.h.i.+on of the left forefinger and the thumb. Do not wind the cloth over the end of the finger. The st.i.tches are straight on the under side and slanting on the top. Do not draw the threads tight enough to make a hard seam and also avoid a loose st.i.tch that will not hold the edges together when the seam is opened. A deep st.i.tch is not necessary for strength and will not look well on the right side when opened. To join the threads leave a half-inch of the old and a half-inch of the new, lay them along the edge and overhand over them.

=Running.=--Running is done by taking up and slipping over an equal amount of cloth.

Running is used for seams that do not require great strength, and also for tucking. Care should be taken not to draw the thread tight enough to pucker. Make a small knot in the thread and conceal it on the wrong side or in the folds of the cloth. Hold the work in the left hand between the thumb and cus.h.i.+on of the forefinger; hold the needle in the work between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Use the wrist motion.

Fasten the thread by pa.s.sing the needle through to the wrong side and taking two backst.i.tches.

=Slip St.i.tch.=--See Blind St.i.tch, page 63.

=St.i.tching.=--St.i.tching is so called because it resembles machine st.i.tching. It is also known as backst.i.tching. St.i.tching is done by taking a st.i.tch backward on the upper side of the cloth and a long st.i.tch forward on the underside, making the st.i.tches meet on the top as in machine st.i.tching. Use a small knot in beginning. Hold the work over the cus.h.i.+on of the left forefinger.

Fasten the threads on the wrong side by taking several backst.i.tches, one over the other, through one thickness of the cloth. To join threads in st.i.tching fasten securely on the wrong side and begin with a small knot, bringing the thread through at the proper place for beginning the new st.i.tch. It is used where strength is required, or on garments too small to go into a machine conveniently.

ORNAMENTAL St.i.tCHES.

=Applique.=--This is an ornamentation produced by cutting a design from one kind or color of cloth and placing it upon another. Very beautiful effects can be obtained, with perfect harmony of color and the proper combinations of textiles. The edge can be finished with the blanket, couching, Kensington or chain st.i.tch.

=Blanket St.i.tch.=--The blanket st.i.tch, often erroneously called the b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tch, is used for finis.h.i.+ng raw edges. It is worked from _left to right_, and the b.u.t.tonhole st.i.tch from _right to left_. The depth of the st.i.tch and the s.p.a.ce between st.i.tches may be varied and will depend upon its use. If the thread is not fastened and joined carefully the symmetry of the st.i.tches will be broken. A new thread must come up through the loop of the last st.i.tch.

A. TO FINISH THE EDGE OF FLANNEL OR HEAVY CLOTH:

Insert the needle at a point the desired depth of the blanket st.i.tch and take one or two running st.i.tches to the edge of the cloth, which will bring the thread in position for the first st.i.tch. Make the first blanket st.i.tch over these running st.i.tches. Holding the edge of the cloth toward you insert the needle at the same point as before and bring the needle out over the thread and draw the loop thus made to the edge of the cloth. Repeat for successive st.i.tches. For a simple finish for a flannel edge the st.i.tches should not be placed too close together. As far apart as the depth of the st.i.tch is a good rule, unless greater ornamentation is desired, when three, five or seven st.i.tches may radiate from one point.

B. FOR EMBROIDERING AN EDGE--STRAIGHT, SCALLOPED OR IRREGULAR.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ORNAMENTAL St.i.tCHES.

1--The chain st.i.tch.

2--The Kensington st.i.tch.

3--Two styles of feather st.i.tching.

4--The herringbone st.i.tch.

5--Three styles of blanket st.i.tch.]

The st.i.tches are the same as in "A" but should be placed close enough together so that the threads touch, making a firm edge. The embroidery should be done before the edge is cut. It can then be finished in various ways. The narrow edge can be turned back and whipped down on the wrong side, or blanket st.i.tched just over the edge with fine cotton thread. On lingerie pieces the edge is not cut until after the first laundering. If desired the edge can be padded before working with the blanket st.i.tch. The padding is done with a soft, coa.r.s.e thread by working along the edge with either the Kensington or chain st.i.tch, or it may be heavily "padded" by filling the s.p.a.ce.

C. The blanket st.i.tch is also used for working the loop and the b.u.t.tonhole bar.

D. See Couching, below.

E. See Lazy Daisy or Star St.i.tch, page 78.

=Chain St.i.tch.=--The chain st.i.tch is used for outlining a design, marking garments, etc. Insert the needle on the line and draw the thread through to the knot. Insert again at the same point and take up on the needle cloth for the desired length of st.i.tch and draw the needle out _over_ the thread. In placing the needle for succeeding st.i.tches begin inside the preceding st.i.tch. The Half-Chain St.i.tch is very effective for stems of flowers, or wherever a fine outline st.i.tch can be used. This is made the same as the chain st.i.tch, except that the needle is inserted just outside and to the right of the loop instead of in the end of the loop.