3. construction

INFANT WORK

It is a good plan to allow children occasionally to make something entirely on their own initia­tive. The effort is valuable to the pupils, and the result instructive to the teacher, although the articles produced may be valueless from a practical point of view. In work produced by children who have had no instruction what­ever in Needlework, an ambitious effort at construction is noticeable, and such folds and stitches as are used are solely for the purpose of construction, and are not used for any neat­ness or beauty that they may add to the work. At this stage, children will attempt to make all sorts of things, e.g. bags, purses, hats, skirts, pinafores.

A little later, the articles chosen are simpler in construction, and some attempt is made to neaten and decorate them. The pupils usually confine their efforts to things they have seen made in school or at home, e.g. handkerchiefs, lap bags, mats.

All the articles made show a tendency on the part of the worker to lay in no folds, or, at most, a single fold, and the stitches used are either tacking or top-sewing, even though they may not be known by name to the workers. The pupils discover for themselves that a good deal can be achieved by the help of these two stitches.

The samples shown in Plate III, worked by children over eight years of age, show a great advance, both in construction and in stitchery.

The pictures (Plate IV) were also sewn en­tirely without instruction or direction from the teacher. They were made by children of seven years of age, who had already been accustomed to drawing pictures on the blackboard and to making pictures and designs by paper-tearing. The pictures were sewn without preliminary drawing on the material.

Much simpler pictures would form appropriate decoration for articles made by the pupils.

The remainder of the work illustrated was done under supervision.
Sewing rug canvas with raffiaor any other coarse thread available may make a good pre­liminary exercise for infants before actual sewing of cloth is attempted.

Rug canvas is so wide meshed and so neutral in tint that it cannot be objected to on account of eye-strain. (The white canvas sometimes used for later experiments is open to this objection on account of its dazzling appearance.) The pupils become accustomed to the use of needle and thread, and can learn to regulate the length of their stitches—a very important matter later on. The really objectionable features of this work are the length of the needle which must be used for so coarse a thread, and the rather unbending nature of the canvas. The pupils are prevented from learning from the beginning the correct position of the hands in managing the needle and the work. Besides the ubiquitous mat, a very substantial hand-bag may be made in this material, or strips of it may become napkin rings or curtain bands.

The use of canvas should not be long con­tinued.
In making a matin calico the pupils first fold the selvedge-way hems and tack them, then the weft hems. When tacking has been learnt, the teacher shows a few simple patterns made by it, the children draw them, and copy them in sewing. Then they try to invent new patterns of their own, first drawing, then sewing them.

In making a bag, the children proceed exactly as in making a mat. Then the strip of cloth is folded in two, and the sides top-sewn firmly together, except over the end hems.

Draw-strings take the form of cords made of the embroidery cotton used for sewing. Two or more threads are twisted firmly to­gether. The twist is then caught by the middle and the two halves folded together, when the threads, endeavoring to undo the twist, become folded round each other, forming a cord. The free end is then knotted to prevent untwisting.

A cord can be most easily and quickly made by children if two work together. The required number of threads are laid together smoothly, and the ends knotted. Each child slips a pencil or a knitting-needle into the knotted end, and, holding the thread lightly with the left hand, twists the pencil quickly round with the right hand, occasionally stopping to pass the fingers along the twist to smooth it.

A cord of two colours can be prettily made by knotting the threads together, and then sepa­rating the colours to opposite ends of the line before beginning to twist.

If a cord proves too thick to pass through a bodkin, it may be run in by means of a hairpin passed through the twist and then run through the hem points foremost.

Making dolls' clothesis always an attractive

" Little Bo-Peep"  Work done by girl of seven years "Jack and the Bean-Stalk" Work done by boy of seven years

occupation, but as practice in making real clothes on a small scale it is practically value­less, as a cheap doll is by no means a model of the human figure at any stage. Besides, the intricacies of garment-making, reduced to such a small scale, make it difficult for any but the best workers to learn anything important from such work.

Dolls' clothes may be made, however, which require no shaping whatever, and therefore have no intricacy. Every garment is, to begin with, a square or oblong of ; cloth, except the bonnet, which is semicircular. The dress and chemise orprin-cess petticoat consist of double squares of material (fig. i) with hems all round, seamed together from the bottom up, and leaving a large opening for the arm to come through. The shoulder lines are also seamed, a wide gap being left to represent the neck-hole.

The drawers (fig. 2) also consist of two squares joined together to form legs. The straight edge of the semicircle forms the front edge of the bonnet (fig. 3), which is drawn in round the neck by a thin cord. The whole of the garments can be constructed entirely by tacking, or by tacking and top-sewing. If the semicircle of the bonnet is too difficult
a line on which to lay a hem, it may be pinked instead. There are no
openings in the gar­ments, as they are made wide, and all the
fastenings may be cords.

Dressing a doll offers plenty of short bits of practice, and gives occasion for a good deal of measuring. Each piece of cloth, before being made into a garment, must be tested to make sure it is wide enough and long enough, and the pupil gains some very elementary ideas about mak­ing clothes.

A doll's bedis even simpler to make than dolls' clothes, and involves the same practice in measuring and testing the size of pieces of material. In both cases, children would measure with a piece of tape, fixing in a pin to mark the requisite length or width. Allowance would then have to be made for hems. A paper pattern, simple though the article is, might first be made. It affords practice in cutting, and it would be easier to test the correctness of the measures by the paper pattern than by the length of the string.

The doll's bed consists merely of a cardboard box, with the lid forming the bed's head. (A real doll's bed, made by the boys in the wood­work class, would, of course, be a great improve­ment on this.)

The furnishing may be made of any scraps of soft cotton, unbleached or white, with a pretty coloured piece for a bed-cover, and, if possible, flannel to represent blankets. The mattress and pillow are merely bags, tacked all round except on the fourth side, filled with small cuttings of waste material (so that the pupils may practise using scissors), and top-sewn to close the bag. The blanketmay be blanket-stitched or merely overcast, and the rest of the work requires only tacking.

These last two occupations have introduced ideas of co-operation in work. The whole work of dressing a doll or making the bed-clothes for a bed would be a long piece of work for any one child at such an early age, but if the work is shared, the result is more quickly, and probably better, achieved.

The making of smalltoy animals or dollsgives practice in cutting and shaping, as well as in sewing.

The pattern would be drawn on paper first, and, when it is found satisfactory, would be cut out—thus intro­ducing the idea of a paper pattern. It is obvious that the most success­ful work would be done with a pattern which could represent equally well the two sides of a figure. Even then the figure produced would be of a very elementary nature, as probably the small worker would not make allowance for thickness. Fig. 4 shows a possible shape for a rabbit, and fig. 5 the shape of a duck. Small details like eyes and wings would be repre­sented by sewing. The paper pat­tern being ready, it would be pinned down on a piece of cloth (any scraps will do) and cut round, allowing turnings, or the figure will be much smaller than was intended. This is another step towards cutting garments.

Two pieces having been cut, they would be run together most of the way round, and then turned outside in, stuffed with cuttings, and sewn up by top-sewing.

The beginning of pattern-making,apart from the patterns made by stitchery, may be attempted by outlining leaves in tacking stitch. An actual leaf is laid upon paper, traced round with a pencil and cut out, and the design is trans­ferred to the material. An arrangement of leaf forms or other natural forms could very easily be used in this way as a decoration. Besides natural forms, geometrical forms may be used in designing simple patterns. If a piece of paper is folded, and then torn or cut in any shape, a symmetrical design will be found on opening it up. This may be used as a pattern to be outlined, or may be cut out in colored cloth and sewn on to the original by any stitch the pupil is capable of making.

All these exercises are short, and therefore not tedious; require only small pieces of cloth, and are therefore not expensive; and, as their intrin­sic value is not great, any material which suits the worker best may be used, regardless of its value as a durable or washable material. These qualities must be considered when garments are being made, but just at first the important thing is to use material that will not demand too much muscular effort.

USEFUL THINGS FOR THE NEEDLEWORK CLASS

The following articles can be made very inex­pensively by the pupils in the younger classes. They give occasion for the practice of useful stitches and processes, and, besides being useful in themselves, they encourage the idea that, since needlework is a dainty and practical art, it is worth while having the right implements at hand, and ensuring the possibility of keeping the work clean and fresh.

Most of the articles can be made from un­bleached calico, but any other soft and neutral-tinted material would be suitable.

Needlebook

A needlebook can be made from a scrap of material about 8 in. x 4 in., or even less. Hems are folded all round, and sewn with tacking stitch. A little piece of flannel will be required to hold the needles (and pins). This may be pinked and tacked into the  book. Initials may be sewn on the cover.

Pinking offers very good practice in cutting.

Pincushion

A small pincushion is even more useful than a needlebook. A girl should always have pins close at hand, if she is to set about her work in a business-like manner.

The pincushion need not be more than 3 or 4 in. long when finished, and may be square or oblong. Two small pieces of cotton may be used. Turn in single folds all round, and fix and decorate these with tacking.  The making of two oblongs exactly alike gives good practice in measuring.

The two oblongs are then placed together, and top-sewn round closely until less than one side is left open. The pincushion may be stuffed with bran, saw-dust, emery powder, or ravel-lings of old wool. The two unfinished edges are then pinned together, and the top-sewing finished.

If the top-sewing is scarcely close enough to keep the stuffing from oozing out, a second row of top-sewing, worked in the opposite direction and in another color, will improve the appear­ance of the edge and strengthen it.

Work-bag

A work-bag is quite essential, but, as a good-sized bag is wanted, to last for some years, it is rather a large piece of work for mere beginners. It can usually be made, however, during the second year's work.

A piece of cotton 1 yd. long, and half the width of the material, will make quite a large bag. It is important to have the selvedge way in the right direction (the selvedge way is always in the direction in which there is any strain) so that pupils may from the first get correct impres­sions of well-arranged work.

The long edges of the bag are first attended to. Hems are laid and hemmed, since good hem­ming looks equally well on either side of the work.

The top and bottom hems are then made, on opposite sides of the work, since one-third is turned up to form a bag. The waist hem should be wide enough to hold a rather wide tape flatly.

The lowest third is then folded up smoothly, and top-sewn firmly at each side. This part may be divided into two sections to hold work and implements. The implement section may be a narrow one.

The pupil's name or initials should be sewn (twisted running is a good stitch) where they can be easily seen when the bag is folded.

If the pocket of this bag is not divided into sections, a small bag with draw-strings can be made to hold a thimble, pincushion, &c.

Sleeves

A pair of short sleeves, to cover the dress sleeves up to the elbow, is useful in helping to keep the work clean.

They give occasion for the easy introduction of a flat seam, such as run-and-fell. Each seam is short and straight, and the repetition of the seam in the second sleeve makes for improvement.

Each sleeve would be about 10 or 11 in. square to begin with. A shaped sleeve might be more useful, but certainly more diffi­cult. The seam is first made, then hems are turned in and sewn at either end of the sleeve.

If the sleeve is not very wide, it may be drawn on comfortably without any fastening. If it is wide, a cord may be run in to tie it in to the proper size.

The cord may consist of two or more strands of embroidery thread, twisted firmly together, then folded, and the free end knotted; this, if well twisted, makes a quite durable and very effective draw-string.

Strictly speaking, eyelet holes should be made for the draw-string to pass through. This would, of course, be much too difficult a piece of work for a young class. If the cotton is some­what open, a thin cord can be drawn through the meshes, and, if the end is then knotted, it will not slip out again.

Work-apron

As a girl tackles larger and more delicate pieces of work, she needs greater protection for it. An apron and sleeves are as necessary for needlework as for cookery and laundry work.

A simple and pretty apron can be made by pleating a narrow width of material into a yoke band and adding long straps, which pass over the shoulders, cross at the back, and fasten round the waist in front. These bands may be of the same or of contrasting material. If of contrast­ing material, the addition of a contrasting false hem at the bottom of the apron is an improve­ment. Gathering could be used instead of pleating, but is more difficult; besides, this garment lends itself very well to pleating. A good deal depends on the age of the pupils.

If contrasting material is used for the bands and the hem, 3/4 yd. of material would be suffi­cient for the apron itself, i.e. for a girl's apron; a woman's size would require about 1 yd. If the same material were used all through, it would be better to allow an extra 1/4 yd., so that the shoulder straps may be long enough.

This apron does not readily become too small for a growing girl, if the straps are made long at first. The position of the fastenings may be altered as required.

Since the yoke band would measure from 10 to 12 in. across the chest, the apron need not be more than 30 in. wide. Two girls' aprons, with out the bands, could be taken out of a width of 50-in. material.

When contrasting material is used for the bands and the false hem, it can be much more economically cut for several aprons than for one, unless odd pieces are being used up. The length of the bands should be selvedge way, but the length of the false hem must be weft way. Two yards of 3O-in.-wide material cuts well into trim­mings for four full-sized aprons (fig. 1). One half-yard is cut into four across the width of the material to form false hems. The remainder is divided into four lengthwise. Each fourth will provide a yoke band and two shoulder straps. For young girls' aprons, 11/2 yd. would be sufficient for the four, less than 1/2 yd. being allowed for the false hems. If wider material were used, it would be most economical to use a rather longer piece of material and cut it into more pieces.

Unless the apron is made from one complete width of material, rather narrow hems will be required down both its long sides. In any case, the hems have a better appearance than the sel­vedge edges, and offer the pupil practice in the hemming stitch, which is probably quite neces­sary. These hems are made first of all.

The bottom hem or false hem is next arrange 1 and sewn with a decorative stitch.

The top of the apron is then pleated (a few wide pleats are sufficient) into the yoke band, and lastly the shoulder straps are made and attached. The shoulder straps may be single, with a narrow hem at each side, but they are firmer if they are folded like bands.

The most suit­able fastenings are a pair of dome fasteners, or a loop and button.

A smaller apron could be made, hung from the waist instead of from the shoulders. Half a yard of ma­terial would be sufficient for the apron itself, and the waist-band and sashes to tie could be taken out of a half-yard length.

The longer apron, however, affords better pro­tection for the work, since young workers are apt to hold their sewing very close to the chest.

As a girl's experience of needlework grows, she should possess and use a greater variety of materials and implements. A more elaborate needle-case or housewifethat will accommodate several kinds of needles, with a pocket for a thimble, a reel of thread or a skein or two of embroidery threads, becomes useful.

Any material might be used, but this small piece of work may introduce a new material (flannel or other woolen material, which is used in small quantities in school, on account of its high price), and the new stitches that a new material may involve.

A strip of material (colored material is more useful than white), 12 in. X 5 in. or larger, has narrow single folds laid all round and herring-boned down.

A pocket is made by turning up one end and top-sewing it to the remainder. A fold or two of white flannel, pinked, blanket stitched or button-hole stitched, is sewn on to hold needles, and darning is used as a decoration or as a thicken­ing at the parts likely to become rubbed.

The fastening would be either loops and buttons, or a band of ribbon, which would give practice in a method of sewing on tapes.

Another housewife may be made of cotton scraps—two contrasting colors used together would give sufficient thickness. The outer material would be folded over the inner as a hem. No new material or stitch is introduced here, but some practice is given in handling materials. Instead of folding the material up smoothly to form a pocket, little rounds of card­board, rather larger than the end of a reel of cotton, may be cut, covered with material, and top-sewn to one end of the long strip forming the housewife, one at each side. The remainder of the housewife is rolled up round this cylindrical part, and tied with strings sewn on at convenient points.

JUNIOR WORK

The section on useful articles for the needle­work class contains many things which might be made by junior classes. A few other articles are mentioned now., Actual garments are not mentioned in this chapter, as they are dealt with later.

A night-dress bag or brush-and-comb bagmay be made almost in the same way as the  work-bag, the top third being folded down to form a cover. The hemming may be reserved for the bag itself, the cover being symmetrically decorated with tacking stitch. A simple pattern or initials may decorate the cover.

A tea-cozy coverin two colors may be the occasion for practicing a flat seam, like run-and-fell. The seams are straight, short, and selvedge Selvedge-way seams are easiest for a pupil to begin with, but in a cozy cover the selvedge may run either across or up and down. The band of color may be placed horizontally across the lower part of the cozy, where it would be very effective (fig. i).

A bagmay also be made by joining strips of material, either selvedge or weft way (fig. 2).

way. They should form a pair, that is, the hemming of one should be next the hemming of the other, or the running next the running.

After the seams are made, joining the strips of material together, the two sides of the cozy must be properly curved, and then joined by French seam. This is another new seam, but it offers little difficulty to the worker.

The bottom hem is laid up last of all, and sewn with some decorative stitch. A cord may be made and sewn round the curved edge to give it firmness.

In a bag, the selvedge way of the material should run from top to bottom. A band of con­trasting material, about one-third up from the bottom of the bag, with a false" hem or facing of the same color at the top, makes a pretty bag.

These last two articles indicate how use may be made of small pieces of material.

If suitable colors are available, the first practice in run-and-fell seam might consist in joining small strips of material to make flags.

Lastly, the straight edges of the top would be folded down, and would neaten the awkward points at the ends of the curve. The narrower hems might be finished with hemming, the bottom hem with tacking or any other decorative stitch known to the pupil. Narrow tapes must be sewn on at each side of the neck curve.

A knitting-bag1 (fig. 10) is an attractive little article, which may be cut out of scraps left over from a garment. It is meant to hang on the arm and hold the ball of wool while knitting is being done.

If the material is easily cut, one-quarter of the bag may form the paper pattern, but children do not easily cut through four folds of cloth, and the appearance cannot be so readily judged from the quarter pattern.

The portion forming the bag is joined to­gether by a French seam round the curved bottom edge. If a sufficiently long piece of cloth is not available, a seam will be required also at the top of the handle. Narrow hems are then made all round the open edges, and decorated with colored stitchery. The bag may be decorated with a circular or oval pattern, which gives relief from the rigidity of the straight-line designs which have been more appropriate to the earlier work.

A tea-cozy coverin three or four sections has an attractive shape and is sometimes useful. It is a shape (fig. n) for which it is easier to construct a satisfactory pattern for embroidery than for the usual flat shape of cozy. It is, however, rather difficult to make all the seams neat at the point, except by first hemming each piece and then top-sewing them together. It is also rather uncommon in shape to be generally useful, unless the pupil can construct a pad to fit into it.

Circular in cushions, mats, and doyleys give good practice in cutting curves, and also in blanket stitching or other forms of protective  sewing at the raw edges.

Senior work inschools consists chiefly in the manufacture of garments, but time may be found occasionally for the making of articles which will keep alive interest in colour work and in pattern-making.

Such articles may give good practice in new kinds of work and stitches. (Plates VIII and IX.)

A linen pincushion or bag requires no new stitches, but may be decorated with appliqué work in the form of a patch. There is no worn place to be cut away, but the patch has to be correctly and smoothly placed, and secured at the corners. This prepares the pupil for patch­ing, which must be attempted later.

The linen bags illustrated in Plate VIIIshow appliqué patches in more natural forms, and also darning, both single and double. The little bars supporting the cords of the bag are

Linen Bag's Work of children of twelve to fourteen years made by darning closely over foundation threads. This leads up to the actual darning of holes.

Kettle-holders give a reason for binding the edge of the material and for sewing on a loop to hang up by—two useful pieces of work for which, however, there is little occasion in or­dinary garment-making.

The kettle-holder must be made of something woolen, because a bad conductor of heat is re­quired, and if two or more thicknesses are used, binding makes a much neater finish than any other method.

If old, perhaps discolored, woolen material is used, it may be enclosed between two folds of linen or cotton, which will give the kettle-holder a prettier appearance, and at the same time enable it to throw off dust longer. The same article may be used for the practice of machine stitching. The rows of stitching form a pattern, and hold the various thicknesses of material together before the binding is put on.

Without the loop to hang up by, this would be a suitable mat for a teapot or hot-water A linen collar shows practice in close button­holing, and a muslin collar may give practice in designing and sewing of a pattern suitable for white work.

SIMPLE GARMENTS FOR LITTLE GIRLS

When the making up of garments comes to be considered, the difficulty is to decide which of many possible methods it is best to employ. For school work, at least, the best rule is: choose the most simple and direct method possible, one which is good in principle and makes for thoroughness, while avoiding all unnecessary intricacy. Occasionally a teacher selects a particular method because it gives opportunity for the teaching of some useful detail—gathering and setting in, for instance. This is quite reasonable, provided there is no practical ob­jection to the method chosen.

There is no reason why each girl in a class should produce a garment exactly like her neighbor’s, so that the school work looks as if turned out of a clothing factory.

Though the general type of work in a class may be the same, differences in detail should be permitted, and anything in the way of original suggestion by the pupil should be encouraged.

In deciding on the method of making a washing garment (and most school-made garments belong to that class), the possible effects of laundry work must always be taken into account. In dealing in this book with the making up of garments, one garment of each class will be described in detail as a typical garment to be made in school, and others of the same class will be referred to more shortly. The statement with regard to the age of pupils who would make the garments is, of course, merely suggestive. Much depends on the style of the garment and the ability of the pupils.

A Straight Pinafore with Bands

Suitable Work for Girls of Nine Years

Material required 1½ yd. of unbleached calico, zephyr, tobralco, or casement cotton, with ⅓ yd. extra for bands if the material is narrow, or if a contrasting color is used for the bands.

1. Seams.—The pinafore consists of two widths of material joined at the sides by top-sewing. If the seams are left open well down, there is no need even to curve out under-arm lines, but the top-sewing must be  strongly finished. If the material is too wide, so that a portion must be torn off each width, it would be simplest to make hems down these raw edges and then top-sew them. If a run-and-fell seam or a French seam is used, the armhole must be curved out.
2. Bottom hem.—The bottom hem would be quite straight, 1½ to 2 in. deep, and decorated with any stitch a girl can make.

3. Bands. —There are four bands—yoke bands for back and front, and shoulder bands. They should be alike in depth, and are usually almost equal in length, if the shoulder bands are brought down upon the yoke bands for strength. If the shoulder bands are made long enough, the pinafore need have no opening. If preferred, the back of the pinafore may be cut down the middle, finished with hems and set into two separate bands. This necessitates fastenings— loops and buttons. The back and front of the pinafore are pleated into the yoke bands, and lastly the shoulder bands are arranged. All the bands may be decorated to match the bottom hem.

A Pinafore with Draw-strings

An even simpler pinafore may be made by laying a fairly deep hem at the top instead of pleating into  bands.

The lower part of the top hem is made into a tape runner by a line of running stitch or stitching. Narrow tapes are then sewed to the pinafore at each armhole, passed through the runner, and brought out at a pair of eyelet holes at the middle of the hem on the wrong side, where they are tied to regulate the width of the garment (fig. 1).

This pinafore also may be open down the back, the tapes forming the fastening, and shoulder straps being attached as before. This pinafore, however, opens out almost flat for ironing.

A petticoat without a bodice might be made of two straight widths of material joined together and gathered or pleated into a band at the waist. An opening, which should extend to about half the length of the petticoat, is the only real difficulty presented by this garment, and is best finished by two straight hems overlapping each other. The fastenings might consist of tape strings or loops and buttons, as the making of buttonholes would be too difficult for the pupils who were just able to make this simple garment.

A pinafore contrived so as to cross over at the back and fasten on the shoulders is a useful article for a little girl. It is difficult to plan out a good shape, but easy enough to understand the shape when it is cut. In this case the teacher would find it necessary to provide the shape. As it does not have to fit very well, two or three shapes of different sizes would serve for a whole class. The shape (fig. 2) may be cut from a square of material, so that for a little girl the garment could be cut out of f yd. of

narrow material, or two could be cut from 3/4 yd. of very wide stuff. Any cotton material or holland may be used.

The cutting out would give abundant practice in the cutting of curves, but the making up involves little besides laying of hems. The advantage of narrow hems for curved edges becomes very apparent, for while the concave curve puckers unless very small hems are laid, the convex curve becomes too full if wide hems

are attempted. The hems may be lightly deco­rated with any stitch known to the pupils. The fastenings on the shoulders require buttons and either buttonholes or loops; the shoulders should therefore be strengthened by the addition of extra pieces of material sewn neatly on to the wrong side.

The front of the pinafore may be decorated with any picture-like design which appeals to the worker, and a pocket similarly decorated makes an appropriate finish.

Another pinafore (fig. 3) is shown, which, how­ever, needs more material for its construction, as the back and front are practically alike. If the whole pinafore is cut in one piece, the shoulder line would be placed to a fold of the cloth; but if for economy the back and front are cut separately, the shoulder is better sloped a little so as to fit more closely. The garment could be cut from 11/2 yd. of narrow material, or 3/4 yd. of wide material, unless a very large size is wanted.

Run-and-fell seams may be required at the shoulders, then narrow hems all the way round the edges. If the neck is cut very low, and back and front are alike, very narrow hems will be sufficient to trim the neck. If, however, the neck is not much cut out and the back is cut higher than the front, as shown by the dotted line in fig. 3, it will be necessary to make an opening down the back, and the round­ness of the neck curve may make it necessary to finish with crossway strips instead of plain hems. This makes the pinafore suitable work for rather advanced pupils. The sides may be laced to­gether with cords passing through eyelet holes; or short bands may be made and attached to each side of the back, then fastened by buttonholes or loops to buttons sewn to each side of the front.

Magyar Pinafore-frock, sewn with blanket stitching Magyar Dress, with square yoke and back opening1

MAGYAR GARMENTS

Magyar Pinafore

Suitable Work for a Girl of Ten Years

Material required: 13/4 to 2 yd. of casement cotton, zephyr, or tobralco, 30 in. wide.

At this stage a girl had better make a paper pattern representing half the garment instead of a quarter (fig. 1), as she would not be able to cut through more than two thicknesses of material.

1. Seams.—French seam would be easy and neat, and could be sewn with  No. 30 cotton of contrasting color. (Advanced workers would, of course, machine stitch the seams in a color to match the garment.) Round the curved portion the seams should be rather narrow, to avoid puckering.
2. Bottom hem — About 11/2 or 2 in. deep. It will have to be eased or pleated in, as it is curved. Before beginning to fold the hem, fold the bottom of the garment with the side seams together, and examine the bottom curve. If it has a bad shape, owing to stretching of the seams, round it off smoothly, having first pinned the two sides together.
3. Sleeves.—Make hems about 1/2 in. deep, and decorate them to match the other hems.
4. Neck.—Lay a hem about 1/4in. deep, or join on a crossway false hem 3/4 to 1 in. deep.

All the hems may be decorated with a pattern in tacking stitch, or with some variety of chain or blanket stitch. To give variety of color, or to add to the length of the garment, all the hems might be finished with crossway false hems in the same or a contrasting color. In that case, all the hems would appear on the right side of the garment.

1. Opening.—If the pinafore is cut rather wide at the neck, it can be made without any opening.

If an opening must be made, it should be cut down almost to the waist.

The simplest method of finishing an opening at this stage is by narrow tapering hems with a shaped strengthening tape and a loop and button fastening. This is most suitable for a back opening. For a front opening, Method B, described on pp. 58 and 59, may be used.

Magyar Dress

The pinafore pattern is suitable also for a dress, if the sleeves are cut as long as possible, and the neck is cut higher.

The construction is prac­tically the same, but the higher neck makes an opening quite necessary. The opening may be at the back or at the front, and may be finished in va­rious ways. The back may have two false hems overlap­ping each other. A front open­ing requires sufficient ma­terial added to prevent the front from be­coming narrower. This difficulty always presents itself in magyar garments. If the method shown on pp. 58 and 59 is used, a flap of material must be added to the wrong side to cover the gap. The fastenings may be dome fasteners. A pretty arrangement for the front can be made with eyelet holes or buttons with cords.

Some slight differences may be made in the method of cutting out the garment.

1. If the material is very wide, and the gar­ment small, the back and front may be taken out side by side, thus using only about half as much material. This makes a seam on the shoulder, which may, however, be made quite decorative (fig. 2). The garment may be fastened on the shoulders, so avoiding any other opening.

2. If a longer sleeve is wanted than the ma­terial permits, sleeves may be cut from another piece of material, as shown on p. 76, and may be joined to the garment before the side seams are sewn up.

Chemise with machine stitched seams and hems, gathering", feather stitchingand crochet lace Work of a girl of twelve years Princess Petticoat, shaped a little at waist, with run-and-fell seams, back opening, crossway false hems, buttons and buttonholes Work of agirl of eleven years
3. A deep-yoked dress is simply made by cutting the upper portion of the pattern sepa-ately, the skirt consisting of two straight widths of material, joined, provided with a short open­ing, and gathered into the bottom of the yoke, which must then be neatened with a binding or by a turning of the material on the wrong

side (fig. 3). The yoke is open down all its length, and finished down the back with narrow hems or with false hems.

4. In thin material, such as voile or crepe, a pretty dress can be made by allowing some fullness to be fitted into a little square yoke as shown on p. 77. The pattern is cut so as to separate the yoke from the remainder of the gar­ment, on the width of which some extra inches are allowed.

In cutting out, good turnings should be left on both yoke and dress, so that there will be no difficulty in fitting one into the other.

The yoke is best cut double, so that it may be used to neaten all the raw edges of the skirt.

The pinafore pattern, cut out in unbleached or white cotton, or light-colored or striped zephyr, will make a suitable petticoat for a little girl.

The construction is practically the same as for the pinafore. Run-and-fell seams are best for underclothing, but French seams might be allowed if the garment is being made by little girls, who might find the run-and-fell seam rather difficult at the under-arm curve.

The pinafore pattern may also be used as the pattern of a chemise, which, however, has as a rule a much shorter sleeve. The armhole line shown on p. 76, where a sleeve is to be added, would be correct for a chemise. If a chemise with gathers is required, extra material must be allowed as in the dress (p. 77), but the neck would be round instead of square. The gathering is done only where the back and front neck lines are horizontal, the shoulder portions being left quite plain. The whole neck is then set into a narrow double band, decorated with feather stitch, or any other decorative stitch.

A night-dress, either for a girl or for a woman, may be cut like the dress. Plenty of length and width should be allowed, and the garment may be cut with a yoke and straight skirt, or all in one piece.

As a night-dress opens down the front, care must be taken to arrange the opening so as to avoid narrowing the front, which should really be slightly wider than the back. A few small tucks would use up any extra material in the back, if it seems too wide after the front opening is made.

Garments like dressing-gowns or jackets present the same difficulty, but, as they are open all the way down the front, an extra fold of the same or contrasting material can be added to fill out and decorate the front edges.

Girls enjoy making things for baby. The garments are small, but they may be very simple, and give scope for very dainty work in respect both of color and of stitchery.

A baby's jacket (p. 78, fig. 8) can be made from f yd. of narrow material, either woolen or cotton. If made of woolen material, it gives practice in seams and hems finished by herring-boning.

After the seams have been made, hems are laid down the front edges, then at the neck, wrists, and bottom edge. These hems are finished with any suitable decorative stitch known to the pupils.

The fastening may consist of ribbon strings sewn on at the neck, or of loops and buttons.

The jacket could be elaborated by the addition of a small collar and cuffs, and a deep false hem round the bottom.

If there should be material left over, it could be made into a bonnet to match the jacket. The pattern would be the same as for the knitted bonnet shown on p. 240.

 PRINCESS PETTICOATS

Girl's Petticoat

Suitable Work for Girls of Eleven Years

Material required: Cotton or zephyr would be suitable, and about 2 yd. would be required unless the material is quite wide, when ¼ to ½ yd. may be saved by cutting the back in two por­tions, as shown in fig. 1. Lace edging, if desired, 2½ yd. for neck and armholes.

1. Seams. — Run-and-fell seams are most suitable for this garment. The side seams

should be paired, i.e. arranged to face in a corresponding direction at both sides of the gar­ment, and the shoulder seams should match the side seams.

2. Opening.—A back opening may have two plain hems, if enough  material has been allowed in cutting out, or two false hems. If there is
a seam down the back it will be a little more difficult to arrange the opening neatly, but this difficulty may be avoided by making a front opening, which is, after all, more convenient to fasten. A front opening should have false hems to avoid unnecessary bulk at the bottom of the opening.
3. Hems.—The bottom hem may be from 1 to 2 in. deep. The neck and armholes will be best finished with crossway false hems. All the hems may be sewn with some form of chain stitch in embroidery cotton. They may also be edged with lace, very slightly gathered and top-sewn.
4. Fastenings. — Buttons and buttonholes make the best fastening for underclothes. The best position for the buttonholes is hori­zontal, but if the hems are very narrow, and the garment easy fitting, they may be placed
vertically.

The garment may be made to fasten on the shoulders, in which case an opening is avoided. The shoulder line is narrowed and an extra length is added both to back and front, so that they may overlap freely (fig. 2). Narrow hems may be carried all round the neck and armholes; but an extra fold of cloth is required where the buttons and buttonholes will be placed (fig. 3). If the overlapping is sufficient, the garment may be lengthened from the shoulder by shifting the button.

The difficulty of this arrangement for chil­dren's work lies in the awkward position of the buttonholes.

5. Tucks.—On any garment for a growing girl it is wise to arrange two or three small tucks, or one large one. When the side seams are sloped, narrow tucks will be easier to fold than wide ones. The tucks should be run, not stitched, since they are intended to allow altera­tions to be made.

A petticoat with skirt and bodicemight be made by girls about this stage, so as to give practice in gathering and setting in. The gathering, however, is all at one part of the garment, and forms a very long line. The bodice may reach just to the waist, or it may be a long bodice with a short skirt set into it.

The making of the bodice is just like the making of the princess petticoat, except that the back hems are easier to manage than the opening of the princess petticoat.

The skirt consists of straight pieces of material joined by run-and-fell seams. If the bodice reaches only to the waist, the skirt must have an opening, consisting of two overlapping hems

Woman'sPrincess Petticoat withfront opening" and embroidery Magyar Night-dress with front opening, false hems and crochet lace. Embroidered at neck and wrists. Note tucks which reduce width of back to correct proportion with regard to front

(fig. 4). If the bodice is very long, it would be sufficient to overlap its hems before setting in the skirt. The fullness of the skirt would be rather greater in the back half of the garment. A binding - piece would have to be sewn on the wrong side of the bodice to neaten the gathers. The upper edge of the binding would be hemmed down, or sewn with a fancy stitch.

The advantage of this kind of garment over the princess style is that it may, if necessary, be taken out of various small pieces of material.

The making of a woman's princess petticoatis essentially the same as already described. An advanced worker would machine stitch the seams, and might use a more difficult method of finish­ing the opening, e-.g. Method F, shown on pp. 61 and 62, in order to avoid bulk at the bottom of the opening. The decoration might also be more elaborate—embroidery, with a scalloped edge at neck and armholes, and an embroidered flounce at the bottom of the skirt. The flounce would be gathered and regulated by stroking, if possible, then tacked and stitched evenly to the bottom of the skirt, and the raw edge neat-ened with a beading of material or embroidered insertion.

If sleeves are set in, they should be scarcely wider than the armhole. They can then be attached to the garment by run-and-fell seam, the fell being sewn down on the garment. The sleeve seam should come a little way, about 1 to 2 in., in front of the body seam, and the lower edge of the sleeve should be trimmed to match the neck.

DRAWERS OR KNICKERBOCKERS

Girls' Drawers

Suitable Work for a Girl of Eleven Years or Younger (A younger girl could make the garment, but could not make the pattern so intelligently. If the garment were made in the simplest possible fashion by girls of twelve, it could be almost entirely sewn by machine.)

Materials required: 1⅜ to 1½ yd. of cotton or gingham. Lace edging, if desired, 1¼yd.

1. Seams.—The leg seams would first be made, being paired as usual.  Any slight discrepancy in the length of the lines should come at the body end of the seam, not at the knee. Run and-fell seam is most suitable. Before joining the two legs together, the seam lines should, if necessary, be improved by re-cutting. The two legs should then be joined by run-and-fell seam, the preparation of the seam being com­menced where the two leg seams cross. Allthe seams should, if possible, be machine stitched.
2. Waist and Knee,—The simplest method is to make hems at both waist and knee, and run in elastic to gather.
Short buttonholes on the wrong side of the hem through one thickness only are required for the elastic to pass through.

Elastic does not wash very well, so it is best to arrange it so that it can easily be removed before washing the garment.

This may be done by having a button at one end of it and a button­hole at the other, not sewn directly on the elastic, but on a piece of tape folded and joined firmly to the end of the elastic.

Coloured Knickers, withmachine stitched seams, elastic at waist and knees Waist hem turned back to show arrangement of elastic Work of a girl of twelve years White Cotton Knickers, with elastic at waist and gathered into bands at knee, machine stitched seams, feather stitching and lace edging Work of a girl of twelve years Woman's Closed Knickers, with darts at front, back openings, back gathered into narrow band buttoned to deep band

At the waist, the buttonholes for the elastic to come through may be placed rather widely apart at the front of the garment; buttonholes may be made at each end of the elastic band, and the buttons sewn on the garment (fig. 1). This keeps the garment smooth at the middle front. Elastic at waist and knee is more commonly used with colored than with white knickers.
3. Bands.—In order to avoid making open­ings, girls may be allowed to make hems for elastic at the waist of white drawers, but the gar­ment will look daintier if the knees are gathered and set into bands, which may be decorated with feather stitch or some variety of chain stitch.
Lace may be top-sewn to the edge of the band.

1. Openings for Knickers. — If openings are to be made, they should be cut right at the side of the garment, and straight down along the selvedge nearly half the length of the gar­ment. The openings may be finished by narrow hems with strengthening tapes, or by plain hems or false hems.

The back folds over the front. The back and front of the garment are then gathered into separate bands, buttonholes being made at either end of the back band and buttons sewn at either end of the front one.

Women's Knickers
Women's knickers are often made exactly like girls', with elastic bands at
waist and knee. They are less bulky, however, if made with open­ings and shaped bands (fig. 2).

The openings, being cut slightly on the cross, are best finished at once, before any seams have been made at all. Method F, shown on pp. 61 and 62, is best.

The knees may be left wide, embroidered or finished with hem, tucks, and trimming, or they may be set into bands. At the waist, a shaped band may be put on the whole way round, but a neater effect is got by cutting the garment as shown on p. 93, the shaped band at the back being either cut separate from the garment (in which case four pieces are required, two bands and two linings), or cut in one with the garment and lined. The lining must exactly match the band with regard to the direction of the selvedge way, else the band will pucker.

The front waist is darted in to make it fit, and neatened with a crossway false hem.

The most difficult part to arrange neatly is the junction of the back waist-bands and the garment.

When the band forms part of the garment, and has merely to be lined, place the lining upon the right side of the band, matching the sel­vedge, and turning in a small fold at the end nearest the front of the garment, exactly in a line with the inner edge of the double fold which neatens the opening. Then place the crossway false hem to neaten the front waist, letting it overlap a little the lining of the band (fig. 3).

Now stitch \ in. from the edge all round the waist, also the back and lower edges of the band, except where the double fold of the opening will have to be enclosed. Turn over to the right side and smooth out. Stitch down the false hem first, then stitch down the front edge of

the band lining, securing between the folds of band and lining the double fold of the opening.

If the band is cut separate from the garment, join on and finish the false hem for the front waist first of all. Then join the band and its lining along the waist line, down the back and along the lower edge, leaving room for the double fold at the opening. Turn the band over to the right side, pressing out the seams. Join the front edge of the band to the right side of the garment by stitching, smooth the seam, and fold down the wrong side of the band to is better cut so as to fit smoothly upon the deeper bands (fig. 5). When the garment is folded over as when fastened, a, b, c, d, shows the shape of the small band required for the back portion of the knickers. A circular band cut as shown on p. 96 may

cover the raw edges. Enclose the double fold of the opening between the lower edges of the band. Make all secure by hemming or stitch­ing (fig. 4).
The back portion of the garment is gathered into a narrow band, which may be straight, but

be used instead of darts to neaten the waist, but these bands show a tendency to stretch and get out of shape after being worn a little while. The front waist line of the knickers would be lowered to the depth of the band, and gathered into the band. The band would be attached to the front waist, but its back portion would be neatened by stitching the lower edges of the band together. The back portion of the leg would be set into a separate narrow band, as before.

Four buttons are required for fastening, but five buttonholes, the lower button of the deep band supporting also the middle of the narrow band.

A baby's first drawers(fig. 6) would be a com­paratively simple garment to cut out and make. It would give the senior girls useful practice on a small scale in gathering and setting in, open­ings, and the sewing on of trimming. The garment is all in one piece, cut from ¾ yd. of material, or rather two garments can be cut from that amount, since the regulation pattern mea­sures 24 in. x 15 in. Bands are required at the waist.

The seams, which are about half the length of the garment, are run-and-fell seams, and the openings may be finished with strengthening tapes or false hems. The knee edges require only narrow hems edged with lace. As each waist-band would be about 12 in. wide before folding, there would be only alittle gathering at the waist. Buttonholes are made at each end of each band, and are fastened on a button on the child's clothes. Some decorative work on and above the knee hems would be suitable.

This pattern, cut in large sizes, is sometimes used for older children. It is also combined with a bodice and sleeves to form a child's romping suit.

CAMISOLES

Girl's Camisole

Suitable Work for a Girl of Thirteen Years

The camisole (fig. 1) is rather a simpler type of garment than the princess petticoat, but it

requires daintiness of work not to be attained earlier, and it is an  unsuitable garment for a younger girl to wear.

Materials required: ¾ yd. of 36 or 40 in. wide material, fine calico or madapolam, would be sufficient if a girl was not particularly stout, but \ yd. more would be required if sleeves were to be added.

About 3 yd. of lace or 2 yd. of embroidery edging would be sufficient to trim the neck and sleeves.

1. Seams.—Narrow run-and-fell seams would be made at the shoulders and sides. Seams must be arranged in pairs.
2. Hems.—The front hems would be from f to 1 in. wide. The bottom hem would be quite narrow, about ¼in. Narrow hems (¼in. wide)
   might be made at neck and armholes, or crossway false hems about ½ to ¾ in. wide put on. These would be decorated with stitchery.
3. Sleeves.—If sleeves are added, there would, of course, be no hem at the armhole. The sleeve seam would match the other seams, and the
   lower edge of the sleeve would be treated in the same way as the neck.

The sleeve would be attached to the camisole by a run-and-fell seam, the fell being taken off the sleeve, and the seam of the sleeve would be from 1 to 2 in. in front of the side seam of the camisole.
4. Tape Runner.—A growing girl's camisole is best made with the basque all in one with the garment. A tape runner placed at the waist can be taken off and sewn a little farther down as the girl grows.

A crossway band, about \ in. wide when finished, may be placed along the waist line all the way round the camisole on the wrong side, and hemmed or machine stitched. A tape is then run through one end, brought out at the right-hand end of the runner, and the other through an eyelet hole near the left-hand end (to permit of overlapping the hems), and fixed with stitching at the middle of the back. Another method is to fix the tape runner on the outside of the garment, across the back waist line only. Two tapes are run through it, one from each end, and these are fixed at opposite ends of the runner. When they are drawn up, the back of the camisole is gathered and the tapes, being brought round and tied in front, keep the front basque of the camisole in place.

5. Decoration.—Lace may be top-sewn to the edge of neck and sleeves, or embroidery edging arranged to form a small false hem, or the edges may be scalloped. The plain portions just below the neck line of front and back may be decorated with some simple pattern in embroidery. A camisole should not be heavily decorated. A simple pattern repeated at in  tervals to fill a definitely marked space is very  suitable.

Fig. 2 shows how to cut the original neck line of the bodice low for a camisole, whether for a round neck or for a square one.

The shape desired is best marked off while the front and back bodice portions are lying  together at the shoulder. It is then easy to see whether the lines run together properly at the shoulder, and whether the curve is con­tinuous.

The curve may be deepened more at the front than at the back. Because of the shoulder slope, the square neck lines at front and back must be joined by a slightly curved

Camisole with embroidery and circular basqueCamisole with circular basque, tucks and feather stitching1, cross way false hems and lace edging
one over the shoulder, which meetsthe front and back lines at right angles.

6. Fastenings.—Small buttons and button­holes—placed horizontally unless the garment is very full—are the best fastenings, along with the tape at the waist.

If the neck is wide and requires to be re­gulated by a ribbon, the ribbon may be run into a cross-way false hem if there is one. If not, a row of small slots may be made part of the neck decoration just below the hem.
Cash's washing ribbon is very useful here, as it remains white even when washed along with the garment.

Silk ribbon should never be used unless  stitched down the two fronts and along the bottom, should just fit the waist without over­lapping, but the band should be 1 in. longer for the overlapping of the hems.

The depth of the band may be only ½in. when finished, but it may be as much as 1½ in. if the camisole waist is cut accordingly. The basque being made, it should be placed it is withdrawn before every wash.

A woman's camisole(fig. 3) may be made  exactly like a girl's, but it is usually made neater by being drawn into a band at the waist, with a shaped basque below to give flatness. The basque, after being joined (if necessary) and having very narrow hems laid and hemmed or  between the two folds of the double waist-band, the middle of the basque to the middle of the band, and all the raw edges coinciding. All the folds should be stitched together, and the stitch­ing continued so as to close the ends of the band (fig. 5)- The band is then turned over to the right side, smoothed out and tacked, when it is ready to set the camisole into.

The waist of the camisole is gathered at the back (unless it has been narrowed to avoid gathers (fig. 4)), and at the two fronts. To find how much must be gathered, measure each por­tion of the camisole waist, and find the difference between it and the section of band required for it. At least twice the difference must be gathered. When finished, the back section should measure rather less than the two front sections together when they overlap each other.

The gathers, having been stroked, are set into the right side of the band, and the wrong side is neatened down upon them. A buttonhole and button close the band (fig. 6).

Short tucks, tapering to a point, may be used instead of gathers to regulate the fullness at the waist; but if tucks are wanted at the neck of the camisole, they must first be allowed for in cutting out, as the original pattern is calculated to fit smoothly. See p. 81.

NIGHT-DRESSES

Night-dress with Set-in Sleeve

Suitable Work for a Girl of Fourteen Years

Material required: 3¾ yd. of 36-in.-wide cotton, 1½ yd. of narrow embroidery edging, or 2¼yd. of lace if trimming is required.

A plain night-dress cut by extending the bodice pattern, with sleeves cut separately, but without yoke, would be a simple, useful, and economical garment for a girl to make at school.

A magyar night-dress would no doubt be even simpler and require less material if short sleeves are not objectionable; but if long sleeves are

required, they must be added just below the shoulder, so that the amount of material and work required is scarcely less than for the night­dress mentioned above. It is important, also, that a ,girl should learn how to deal with ordinary sleeves (very often found difficult), and, as a girl's camisole is most frequently made without sleeves, this may be the only opportunity to practice this piece of work in school.

1. Seams.—The side, shoulder, and sleeve seams should be of the run-and-fell type (machine stitched). As before, they should form pairs.

If a few tucks into the shoulder were allowed for in cutting, and made be­fore sewing the shoulder seams, the side seams would not have to be so much sloped, and the garment would be fuller round the bust

Bottom Hem.—The hem should be 1 to 1¼in. deep, and should be  machine stitched.

1. Opening.—The opening should reach to the waist, and should be finished by two false hems, well strengthened at the bottom.
2. Sleeves.—In order to distinguish right and left sleeves, hold the pair up with their seams

towards each other, and the under curve of the armhole next the worker. The right sleeve is then in the right hand, and the left sleeve in the left hand (fig. 2).

To find how many inches to leave between the seam of the sleeve and the seam of the garment, and also where to gather if the sleeve is full, fold the sleeve so that the lowest part of the under curve is in one hand and the highest part of the upper curve in the other hand. The arm-hole edges are now practically coinciding (fig. 3).

The lowest point of the sleeve is to be set to the lowest point of the garment armhole. Except in children's clothes, this lowest point probably does not coincide with the side seam, which is usually moved £ to 1 in. towards the back. This distance must therefore be added to the amount already found between the seam and the lowest point of the sleeve.

Any gathering which is necessary should be done equally on either side of the highest point of the sleeve as now discovered. Even if there is not much fullness, it is usually advisable to gather a sleeve well round, to prevent its appearing tight at any point. The sleeve should always be at least a little wider than the corresponding armhole.

If there are no gathers, the night-dress sleeve may be joined in by a neat French seam, or a run-and-fell seam.

If there are gathers, they should be neatly stroked and set into the top of the shoulder. The remainder of the sleeve may be hemmed in, or it may be stitched to the garment on the wrong side.

The whole of the armhole will then be neatened by a crossway binding, hemmed or stitched down upon the garment (fig. 4). This is much neater for a night-dress than the method used for a blouse—where the binding encloses the raw edges only.

At the wrist, the sleeves may be finished various ways. (1) They may be gathered, in stroked, and set into bands about 1½ in. deep when finished. (2) If the sleeves have been cut long enough to include a frill, the wrist edges may be finished with hems or embroidery to match the neck. Two rows of gathering may

then be worked about 1½ and 2 in. up from the edge, and the sleeves stroked and set into single bands about 1/2 in. deep. (3) If the sleeves have been cut narrow, they need not be gathered in at all, but merely finished to match the neck.
5. Trimming.—The neck may be finished with a crossway false hem, decorated with stitchery,

Night-dress withmagyar yoke and sleeve, showing gathering', front opening and embroideryNight-dress with empire joke and set-in sleeve

and edged with lace, or a narrow embroidery edging may be attached, forming in itself a false hem. The neck may also be embroidered with scallops. If there are no tucks, the plain portions of the garment may be lightly em­broidered.

6. Fastenings.—Three or four small buttons and buttonholes will be required for fastenings. At least the topmost buttonhole should be placed horizontally; the others may be in either direction.

Night-dress with Yoke

A night-dress yoke is usually of double material. If made of single material (for in­stance, all-over embroidery), the edges must be neatened with a beading of some kind, into which the gathered skirt and the sleeves may be set.

When the seams and opening have been finished, the back and fronts of the garment are gathered, leaving 11/2 in. plain at the ends next the armholes.

The yokes may be stitched together round the neck and down the fronts on the wrong side, and turned over. The gathers are then set in, first to the right side and then to the wrong side; but on the wrong side the plain portions at the armholes are not sewn down (fig. 6).

As the front edges of a saddle yoke are cut on the cross, and thus are liable to stretch, the finishing of the opening may be de­layed until the yoke (with the front edges left raw) is attached to the garment, when the false hems or decorative pleat may be carried right up to the neck.

The sleeves are set into the right side of the yoke only, a crossway binding is arranged to neaten the under armhole and slipped a little way under the yoke, and, lastly, the inner yoke is folded down over the remaining raw edges (fig. 6).

An empire yoke reaches to below the armpits, so that the sleeves are set in between the folds of the yoke, if it is lined. The upper edge of the skirt is gathered all the way round, and set into the bottom of the yoke.

An empire yoke has seams at the shoulders

and under thearms. If the yoke is lined, the seams of both yoke and lining should be single seams, opened out flat, and carefully measured so that the yoke and lining will not pucker after being joined.

If the yoke is unlined, the gathers may be set in and neatened as described on p. 133.

A night-dress may be made with a back yoke only, the front being tucked or gathered into the shoulder line. This sort of night-dress is not so easily ironed as either of the previously-men­tioned styles, but tucks are preferable to gathers.

A night-dress with raglan sleeves (see p. 84) is a simple and easy-fitting garment.

BLOUSES

Shirt Blouse

Suitable Work for a Girl of Fifteen Years

Material required: 2 yd. of wide material, or 2½ to 3 yd. of narrow material would be sufficient.

Blouse-making involves rather more study of prevailing modes than the making of under­clothing, though that also is continually modi­fied according to dress styles. For school work, however, where the object of needlework teaching is to give a girl some knowledge of prin­ciples on which to base her future work, it is best to choose a standard pattern which, with slight modifications, remains always fashionable because useful and moderate in style. A simple shirt blouse, with some fullness in front, and a turned-back collar and plain wrist-bands, is becoming to all girls, and makes a satisfactory beginning in simple dressmaking.

A good pattern of blouse is shown on p. 83, fig. 6, where the front is lowered at the shoulder

the depth of a small yoke, the portion taken from the front being added to the back, so that an actual yoke is not necessary. This is a much better position for the fullness of the front than if it were set into the shoulder line. When the gathers are set into the shoulder, it is very difficult to keep the front armhole in good form.

The material se­lected may be very varied, but neither too expensive nor too difficult for a beginner to handle. A good firm make of cotton material, e.g. zephyr or tobralco, is very suit­able; crepes, voiles, and silks should be avoided.

1. Preparation.—The blouse should be cut out with good turnings, especially at the shoulders and side seams, to allow of alterations. When the material is cut, before lifting away the paper pattern, the shape should be clearly marked out on the cloth by tacking or thread-marking close round the edges of the paper pattern (fig. 2).

Thread-marking is produced by making back stitches through the two folds of cloth, but leaving a long loop between the stitches. When all the pattern has been marked out, the two folds of cloth are separated and the threads cut between the folds, leaving a line of short stitches on each piece. These are very easily removed when the fitting is completed. This line of marking permits the precise lines of the original pattern to be joined correctly together. If the garment does not fit correctly, then the portion of the paper pattern which is faulty is easily dis­covered, and should be corrected before being further used.

2. Seams.—The blouse is usually joined by French seams unless the material is too heavy, when a single seam is used, and the raw edges overcast.

Baste by the thread-marking, and try on before sewing. Then make the first row of stitching, not along the basting line, but about ¼in. (or less) nearer to the outer edge. Cut off the re­maining material ⅛ in. beyond the stitching, and turn over the seam, stitching it the second time by the fitting line.

When setting in the sleeves or making hems, see that the French seams at the sides are folded towards the front. The shoulder seams are also folded towards the front in a plain blouse, but not when the seam is lowered so as to give a yoke effect. The sleeve seams are folded upwards.

If the front is gathered, the gathers should be kept well away from the neck and armhole lines. A plain space is always necessary there to give room for arranging the collar and the sleeve, and for any necessary re-fitting. Two rows of gathering should be worked about ⅛in. apart.

This should always be done when the gathers cannot be stroked. The making of this seam proceeds exactly like the side seam, until the work is basted for the second line of stitching. Instead of working the stitching on the wrong side, the blouse may at that point be turned to the right side, the fold of the seam turned towards the back of the blouse, and the yoke stitched down upon the gathered front on the right side (fig. 3).

3. Hems.—The front hems should be at least 1 in. wide, and if there is a selvedge edge they may be single folds. They may be stitched 1 in. from the edge, or, if preferred, they may be stitched quite near the edge of the blouse, pro­vided no raw edges are left on the wrong side. The bottom hem should be quite narrow, about ¼in. wide.

1. Sleeves. — The sleeves, being sewn together with French seam, should be gathered twice at the wrist, preparatory to being set into bands. If the bands are to be closed by buttons, Fig. 4 an opening must be made in the sleeve.

The best position for the opening is just opposite to the seam of the sleeve, and any of the methods described on pp. 60-63 may be used, the opening being arranged so that the upper edge overlaps the under. Another method is to set the band on the gathers, leaving a little space free. This little space should be just equal to the overlap­ping of the band, and it is turned in and hemmed or blanket stitched neatly (fig. 4).

The wrist-bands are prepared by stitching up the ends and turning them over to the right side. The raw edge of the band is then placed along with the raw edge of the sleeve on the right side, and the two stitched together. This seam being well smoothed out, the wrong side of the wrist­band is turned down over the gathers and hemmed.

The opposite method may also be used, the band being stitched first to the wrong side, then folded down on the right side and stitched.

The waist-band may then be finished all round with machine or fancy stitching.

The arrangement of the sleeve at the arm-hole is managed in the same way as in the night-dress. The sleeve being basted in, the blouse should be tried on, to make sure the position of the sleeve is good. If the arm-hole is tight, the amount to be cut out should be marked with pins, and the blouse should then be folded together at the armholes, edge to edge and seam to seam, the pins fixed into the double material, and both armholes cut out together (fig- 5).

If there is little fullness in the sleeve, French seams may be used to set it in, being modified as described for the shoulder yoke. French seam, however, occupies a good deal of ma­terial, and the turnings at the armhole do not always allow of its being used. An easier  method is to join sleeve to armhole by a single seam, and then, having pared the two edges even, join a crossway strip by running to one side of the raw edges, and fold it down and hem it on the other. Where the material is so thick that a binding of material would be clumsy, ribbon or Paris binding may be used, or close overcastting with blanket stitch may be resorted to. Run-and-fell seam may also be used, the sleeve edge being felled to the wrong side of the blouse.

5. Collar.—The neck line having been shaped out to the depth preferred, the collar may be attached in the same way as described for the wrist-bands. There is sometimes a little diffi­culty in making the collar neat just where the end of the collar and the edge of the blouse meet. An easier way would be to join the double collar and a crossway band to the raw edge of the neck line, and then turn the crossway band down and hem it to the blouse.
6. Fastenings.—The best fastenings are buttons and buttonholes, and the uttonholes may be either buttonhole stitched or bound. They are placed horizontally unless there is an actual front pleat. Silk twist may be used for buttonholing colored blouses.

The next best fastening is dome fasteners, with fancy buttons as decorations.

An elastic belt may be worn to keep the blouse in place at the waist, or a tape runner with draw strings may be sewn on across the middle portion of the back waist.

A Raglan Blouse

The chief difference between the making of a raglan and the making of a plain blouse is that in the raglan blouse the sleeve is attached to the remainder of the blouse first of all, and then the side seam is made from wrist to basque.

The sleeve may be joined to the blouse by means of a French seam, but in a yoked raglan this is not always possible, owing to the angles of the pattern. In that case a turning is folded up all round the yoke and sleeve, and the blouse slipped under the turning and stitched. On the wrong side the raw edges may be neatened by blanket stitching, or it may be possible to fold down a portion of the turning over the raw edges to neaten.

The pattern for a raglan blouse should be carefully tested, as it is very difficult to make any alteration afterwards. The blouse should be tried on at least once before sewing the side seam, lest the curve should require deepening.

A Blouse with Revers

Instead of making front hems, a facing of material is joined to the front edges of the blouse. This facing must be wide enough to reach back to the yoke, or at least to the last possible point at which the revers might fold back. If possible, cut the facing with a selvedge

edge and let this go to the free edge. This avoids hems, which might show up when the blouse is ironed. If hems cannot be avoided, there is no need to make the facing equally wide all the way down. It may be narrowed towards the waist.

The collar may be joined on right to the end of the revers. In that case the facing is stitched to the front edge of the blouse only (figs. 6 a and 7 a). If, however, the collar is not to be stitched all the way to the revers, the facing should be stitched to the blouse at the neck edge as well as down the front, so that the revers will be com­plete when turned over to the right side (figs. 6 b and 7 b).

A Jumper Blouse

A jumper usually means a blouse slipped on over the head instead of being put on like a coat.

It is cut like a blouse, only longer, and with straight side seams sloping outwards all the way from the armholes to the basque. Owing to the way in which it is put on, it should always be easy fitting. There are no front hems, of course, but an opening is made down the front and finished decoratively. The fastenings may be buttons, or eyelet holes with cords or ribbons.

SKIRTS AND UNDERSKIRTS

A Skirt

Suitable Work for a Girl of Fifteen or Sixteen Years

Material required: The amount of material required depends very largely on the length and width of skirt required by the prevailing fashion, but 2 yd. of 40-in.-wide material is sufficient to make a comfortable skirt for a girl (fig. i).

The material may be serge, tweed, or any other firm material, or it may be a cotton ma­terial to match a blouse, thus completing a simple cotton dress.

The most suitable cottons are probably zephyr, tobralco, poplin, pique; but many other good cotton materials less commonly known appear from time to time.

i. Seams. — Single seams are usually most suitable for skirts. Even for thin cottons, where French seams may be used on the bodice, it is not wise to use French seam for the skirt, unless both edges to be joined are sloped. A straight edge joined by French seam to a sloped one is very apt to pucker. The raw edges of the single seam are usually overcast on the wrong side; if thick, but liable to fray out,

Fig. 1—How to cut a Skirt out of 2 yd. of 36-in. Material

they may be bound; if very thin, they may be folded in a little to the wrong side, and machine stitched.

On thick material the seams look well and are stronger if, after sewing once and folding both raw edges in the same direction, a second

stitching is worked on the right side within J in. of the first (fig. a). Skirt seams should be pressed out with an iron before the next stage is attempted.

2. Opening. — One of the seams, preferably the left-hand side one, must be left open about 10 in. or more from the waist. This opening may be finished as described on p. 63, fig. 13, with a facing on the upper edge and a double fold on the under; or, if in the middle back of a gathered skirt, by a continuous double fold (see p. 63, fig. 14). The opening must be carefully managed so as to show practically no sewing on the outside, and also so as not to change the line of the seam. If possible, pieces with a selvedge edge should be cut as facings, thus avoiding both folding and sewing. In working on thick material the free edges should be overcast rather than folded in.

3. Waist.—For a skirt separate from the bodice, the usual way to finish the waist is to support it by a Petersham band. This is a deep strong webbing, finished with bones as supports. The narrow or waist edge is the lower one, therefore the skirt fixed to a Petersham band is always more or less high-waisted.

The band is made first. The ends are folded in and hemmed or herring-boned, so that the band just meets round the waist, and two hooks and eyes are sewn to the edges with a very strong thread.

The skirt is then folded down at the waist edge, gathered if necessary (there should be at least two lines of gathering), and tacked to the top edge of the band.

If gathers are not wanted, then darts at each side will be necessary. They should be basted up and fitted, then stitched on the wrong side, cut open and pressed out flat, and the raw edges overcast.

In attaching the Petersham band, the edge with the eyes should come right up to the end of the double fold: the end with the hooks will then be kept back from the upper edge of the skirt by the amount of the overlapping of the opening (fig* 3)- When the band is pinned on to the skirt, it should be fastened by the hooks and eyes and tested by folding it at the middle front and middle back to see that the two sides are equal and the seams opposite each other. When all is in order, it may be tacked, tried on, and then stitched carefully round at the top of the band.

The little piece left free on the upper side of the skirt must be neatened with a piece of binding, and fastened to the under portion by a dome fastener.

Petersham band is not very suitable for wash­ing skirts, as it loses its stiffness when washed. A simple double webbing may be used for such. The skirt, when gathered or darted to the proper width, is inserted between the folds of the web­bing, which is tacked and then stitched down.

This band overlaps at the end: the two hooks

and eyes, instead of being placed one above another, are placed in the same horizontal line (fig. 4). A waist-belt or sash is always necessary to cover this band, unless the skirt is worn with a jumper blouse.

When a complete dress is made, the skirt is commonly attached to the bodice. This may be done over a Petersham band, if the dress is not of washing material, the bodice being gathered and basted on the band first, and the skirt gathered and basted on over, or beside, the raw edges of the bodice, and then stitched firmly. Any raw edges remaining after skirt and bodice are correctly placed are neatened with binding (fig. 5)-

In making a washing dress, it is better to conand pinning the skirt at the desired height. A dressmaker's gauge, marked in inches and half inches, is a useful piece of apparatus.

The bottom edge is then evenly folded up and tacked, and the depth of hem measured in from the folded edge (p. 30, fig. 2). In thin material a small fold is laid in at the top

nect the bodice and skirt by a double band of the material, just in the same way as the camisole and basque are joined.
4. Bottom hem.—When the waist is in good order, the bottom hem should be turned up. For a girl's short skirt, it would be sufficient to measure the same distance from the waist to the bottom all the way round, but when a skirt be­gins to approach the ankles, it is safer to measure the distance up from the ground. This may be done by measuring upwards with a marked stick of the hem, and the hem stitched through.

If the material is too thick for an extra fold, binding is used. The hem being laid up and eased, or pleated smoothly (it is best to iron it at this stage), the binding is laid in place and tacked through the hem only (fig. 6). It is then stitched through the hem, and afterwards its top edge is tacked and stitched through the skirt. Or it may be stitched through hem and skirt at its lower edge and the upper edge hemmed lightly so as not to show on the right side.

5. Fastenings.—Besides the hooks and eyes on the Petersham band, dome fasteners are necessary to close the placket. They should be placed very near the edge of the opening, and should be sewn on firmly, but not so as to show on the right side.

6. Waist-belt.—Unless a skirt is fitted to the waist exactly by darts or well-shaped seams, a waist-belt is usually required. A plain band, folded in three, and hemmed or herring-boned down on the wrong side, will usually serve. It may be fastened by button and buttonhole, or by hooks and eyes with buttons as decoration.

An Underskirt

The making of an underskirt is very similar to the making of a skirt, but the finish is rather different, just as a camisole is finished differently from a blouse.

Run-and-fell seams are used to join the parts of the skirt, and all the seams on the same side of the garment should face in the same direction. The direction will be decided by the opening, if it is made in the left-hand seam. In order to get the opening neatly finished, the fell should be laid on the right side of the left-hand piece of the skirt. All the other seams are made correspond­ingly, and all seams should be pinned together, beginning from the waist, so that any fault may be corrected at the bottom edge.

Several darts may be made at the sides. These should be finished the same width as the side seams. If the garment is still too wide at the waist after making darts, one or two pleats may be lifted at the middle back. A crossway false hem neatens the waist, catching down the pleats smoothly, and draw-strings may be run into this hem. The opening may be made at the middle back, but more often in the left-hand side seam, and it is best finished as on p. 62, fig. 11. When the opening is at the side, the draw-strings must be arranged as follows: When the crossway hem has been attached by stitching to the raw edge,

tapes should be firmly attached to the seams nearest the middle back of the underskirt. Eyelet or buttonholes should now be made at the back and the tapes passed through them, the tapes crossing each other to pass through the farther-off hole (fig. 7). The tapes should be lightly tacked to keep them in place, and the false hem may now be turned down to the wrong side and finished.

The bottom hem of the underskirt may be only 1 in. deep if it is to be covered with a flounce. The flounce should be about 1½times the width of the skirt, and may be attached to its bottom

edge, as in a child's petticoat, but a flounce of delicate material is usually arranged outside the skirt itself. From the bottom of the skirt the depth of the flounce should be measured up­wards, and a line of tacking worked round the skirt, as a guide to the arrangement of the flounce. The raw edges would be neatened with a beading of material, embroidery insertion, or feather-stitched braid (fig. 8). If the beading is to be machine stitched to the skirt, the flounce need not be stitched first, but merely tacked firmly in place.

The join of the flounce should- come opposite one of the seams, but not in front.

COMBINED GARMENTS

Combinations

Suitable Work for an Advanced Class

Materials required: 2½to 3 yd. of 36 or 40 in. wide material. If lace is used as trimming, about 3 yd. for neck and sleeves, with 13/4 to 2 yd. of a wider pattern for the knees would be required. Of embroidered edging, 2 yd. for neck and sleeves, and 11/4 yd. for the knees would be sufficient.1. Seams.—Combinations have -many short seams, all of which should be run-and-fell. The side, shoulder, and leg seams should be paired. At the side seams the fell should be made on the right side of the front portions, in order that the back waist may be easily arranged. These seams should be prepared from the armholes downwards, and when they are finished, the back bodice should appear long enough to overlap easily the leg portion. The middle back seam may be left over until a good deal of work has been done on each half of the garment sepa­rately.
2. Hems.—The front edges are finished with crossway false hems, wide enough to carry small gathered across till within about an inch of the hem.

A fold should be made at the bottom of the back bodice so that the folded edge just rests on the line of the gathering thread. The

Fig. 1—How to cut Combinations out of 21/2yd. of 36-in.-wide Material
buttons and buttonholes. The false hems may be continued all the way round the open edges, but may be a little narrower, if necessary, after the leg seam.

3. Joining of leg to hack bodice.—This is the part of the garment which requires the most careful handling. Each leg portion should be gathers, being stroked, are set into the bottom of the bodice, but at the middle the two leg portions should overlap each other by at least the width of their hems, the right leg being outer­most (fig. 2). This double portion should be firmly stitched together before being set into the bodice. The wrong side must be neatened by a

Open Combinations, withcrossway false hems and embroidery Combinations with back opening'scrossway strip sewn to the back bodice, into which the gathers are set on the wrong side.

1. Trimming.—If lace is to be the trimming, the neck and sleeves may be finished with cross-way false hems or very narrow hems, the knees
   with hems and, if possible, a few small tucks. Embroidery edging may also be used, being arranged so as to form a little false hem of itself; or the edges may be embroidered and a little embroidery used to decorate the plainer parts of the garment.
2. Fastenings.—Four or five small buttons and buttonholes will be required down the front, the buttonholes being arranged horizontally,
   unless the garment has been made very wide and its front hem arranged decoratively. If a draw­ string is required at the neck, a narrow tape may
   be run through a false hem, being brought out through an eyelet hole at the left side, or a ribbon may be passed through slots worked with
   embroidery stitch.

Fullness at the neck may also be reduced by groups of small tucks. Sleeves may be added, if desired, as in making a camisole.

Closed Combinations

Combinations may be made with side open­ings, like those of closed knickers. These open­ings may be finished first of all. The seams would next be made, and the two legs joined together by run-and-fell seam from the backwaist to a little way above the leg seam in front. As the garment is narrow, a very long front opening should be left. The fell of the run-and-fell seam should be laid on the left leg in order that the opening may be easily managed. The opening is most easily finished by two crossway false hems (as for open combinations). These are brought to a neat triangular finish at the bottom, where the right-hand hem is folded gradually over the left one (without pleating) and secured.

The lower edge of the back bodice must be neatened with a false hem which will enclose the double folds attached to the side openings. The back knickers portion will be gathered at the waist into a band, which will button up on the false hem at the bottom of the bodice. At least three buttons and buttonholes will be required to keep this band in place. The buttons may be larger than those in front.

A child's sleeping-suit is made in almost the same way as closed combinations. Occasionally it is buttoned down the back instead of down the front, the front being entirely closed with a seam. The legs are long, and gathered into bands at the ankles. Sleeves are required, gathered into bands at the wrists, and set into the armholes by run-and-fell seam, or by gathering into the arm-holes and neatening with a crossway binding, if there is fullness.

A collar may be added, if desired, attached in the same way as a blouse collar.

A pajama suit consists of two separate gar­ments, the upper one cut like a rather long and very plain blouse, the other a development of the knickers pattern, cut to fit as closely as possible without being actually tight. The whole garment is usually made as plainly as possible.

All the seams are run-and-fell seams, and no opening is required for the trousers. The jacket may have front hems turned to the wrong side, and a plain turn-down collar added to the neck; or a wide crossway false hem may be joined on round the neck and down both fronts, then turned to the right side, and stitched along both its edges for decoration. The sleeves are narrowed towards the wrist by a seam from elbow to wrist, and finished by plain hems. The sleeves should just fit the armholes, and be set in by run-and-fell seam. The front fastening may consist of buttons and buttonholes or of fancy braid fastenings.

The trousers have plain hems at the ankles, and a wide crossway false hem at the waist, where a wide tape or pajama girdle is run in through buttonholes on the right side of the hem.

This garment requires rather more material than a night-dress, but is very simply made.

Other combined garments are those known as cami-knickers and cami-petticoat. These are, as their names suggest, merely camisoles joined by bands to knickers or a petticoat, cut separately.Each garment is made up as usual, except at the waist, where each is gathered and set into the band which joins the two. Gathers may there­fore take the place of the darts which might otherwise be made on knickers and petticoat. These garments should have an opening down the middle front, continuing the line of the front hems of the camisole. The knickers must also have side openings, the back portion between the openings being gathered into a straight band buttoning up on the camisole band.

The making of an overall is a very good pre­liminary to elementary dressmaking, since many of the details of cutting out and construction correspond with those required in the making of skirts, blouses, and sleeves. The possession of a prettily-made overall encourages a girl in tidy habits.

There are two common ways of making an overall, but much variety can be obtained in the decoration and finishing of it.

The first way that may be chosen is to cut bodice and skirt separately and join them by a waist-band. In this case the method of cutting is much the same as for the making of a blouse and skirt or of a camisole and petti­coat, already described; but this style of overall is usually open down the back instead of down the front. The open edges of the skirt, as well as of the bodice, should be placed to a selvedge edge. The neck edges are usually cut quite low, and the fastenings required for an overall

Part of Magyar Night-dress, enlarged to show embroidery

Cami-petticoat, showing front opening- and embroidery Part of Combinations enlarged to show embroidery open at the back consist of a button and button­hole at the neck, and sashes or another button and buttonhole at the waist.

When an overall fastens down the front, it is usually cut with bodice and skirt in one, as a night-dress or dressing-gown is cut. The fastening then consists of buttons and button­holes or dome fasteners at intervals all the way down the bodice and skirt. This overall should always be confined at the waist by a waist-band slipped through latchets at the side seams; other­wise the garment slips to the ground in front whenever the wearer bends.

If full-length sleeves are added to the overall, they should be set into bands buttoning at the wrist, and the sleeve itself should have a wrist-opening long enough to allow the sleeve to be turned up over the elbow.

A dust-cap can be made from any pieces left over after cutting out the overall. The simplest form is circular. If a complete circle cannot be obtained from the material, half or quarter circles may be cut out and joined neatly. A narrow hem or false hem is arranged round the outer edge and a tape runner attached at a little distance from the edge. If a false hem is attached, the inner edge of it may be stitched twice to make a tape runner. Two eyelet holes are made in the tape runner and a narrow tape run in to draw up the cap. The tapes should cross each other between the holes.

Another style of cap may be made from an oblong of cloth long enough to pass over the head and reach below the ears, with a square piece attached to the middle of the oblong to form the back of the cap. When the material has been joined into the shape of a cap similar to the knitted bonnet shown on p. 240, a narrow hem is made round the bottom edge, and a tape runner let into it. A wider hem or false hem will trim the front edge, which may be turned back a little off the face. The cap should always be large enough to cover all the hair.

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