DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXERCISES.
Teach: One inch, one-half inch, one-fourth inch.
Practice: "Drills for Beginners," [page 10].
Exercise No. 1—Basting.
Materials: Unbleached muslin 5" × 8" stamped with the three basting stitches, No. 1, [page 64]; colored thread No. 50; needle No. 7.
Make pupils perfectly familiar with the name and use of this stitch. See "Description of Stitches Used in Plain Sewing," [page 63].
Beginning at the right hand follow the lines of the design with the thread, placing the knots over the dots on the right hand side and fastening over the dots at the left. Under each stamped row of stitches put in one, two, three or more rows, depending upon the rapidity with which each individual works. This will help to keep the class uniform.
Exercise No. 2—Running.
Materials: Stamped running design No. 1, [page 12]. Unbleached muslin 6" × 8"; colored thread No. 50; needle No. 7.
Make pupils perfectly familiar with the name and use of this stitch. See "Description of Stitches Used in Plain Sewing," [page 63].
The object of this model is to give the pupils practice in the running stitch. These designs are more interesting than practicing on plain cloth, so if the work is not satisfactory, cut the knot, pull out the thread, and try again. Give special attention to the knots and the fastening of the threads and the general neatness of the work. Place the knot on the wrong side and follow the lines of the design with the running stitch.
Exercise No. 3—Overhanding.
Materials: Practice piece; colored thread No. 50; needle No. 7. Teach the Overhanding Stitch on the Practice Piece. See "Description of Stitches Used in Plain Sewing," [page 63]. Change the color of the thread once or twice and teach the joining of the thread. Baste two folded edges together and insist upon neat, careful work.
Exercise No. 4—Pot Holder—Weaving—Christmas Piece.[8]
Materials: Weaving frame; netting needles; candle wicking in two colors; brass rings.
THE WOVEN POT HOLDER MADE OF CANDLE WICKING.
Teach the principles of cloth weaving and the terms warp, woof and selvedge.
The weaving frames are made from one-inch board, 8" × 8". Three-fourths of an inch from and parallel to the top and bottom drive a row of nails, having very small heads, one-half inch apart, leaving an inch margin at both sides.
Tie a slip knot in the end of the wicking and slip it over one of the corner nails. Pass the wicking back and forth around the nails first on one side and then the other. This forms the warp. Draw the threads fairly tight and tie around the last nail. Thread the other color of wicking into the netting needles, weave across the warp threads alternately taking up and passing over them. In alternate rows take up the threads passed over in the preceding row. Do not draw the woof threads tight enough to draw the holder in at the sides. Slip from the frame and fasten the loose ends by weaving them back into the holder. Work a brass ring with the blanket stitch, using a strand of the wicking and sew it to one of the corners.
Exercise No. 5—Running.
Materials: Running design No. 2, [page 12], 6" × 8"; colored thread No. 50; needle No. 7.
Follow the lines of the design with the running stitch.
Exercise No. 6—Overhanding.
Materials: White thread No. 50; needle No. 7. Running designs 1 and 2 are to be overhanded together. Turn a quarter-inch fold on the long side of both pieces. Baste the folded edges together and overhand.
Exercise No. 7—Running.[5]
Materials: Running design No. 3, [page 12], 6" × 8"; colored thread No. 50; needle No. 7.
Follow the lines of the design with the running stitch.
Exercise No. 8—Hemming—Paper Folding for a Hem.[7]
Materials: Paper 4½" × 7".
Fold the long way of the paper. First fold of the hem, one-fourth of an inch. Turn half an inch hem on one side and an inch hem on the other. Have each child cut from a card a gauge for measuring the hems and insist that the hems be turned evenly.
Teach the hemming stitch on the Practice Piece with colored thread. Trim the edge neatly, fold the hem accurately and baste in place. Bad habits, that are hard to correct later, can so easily be formed in making this stitch that I wish to caution teachers in regard to the position of the needle in relation to the hem, the amount of cloth taken on the needle and the tendency toward making the blind stitch or the damask hem instead of the plain hemming stitch.
Hemming a Towel.
Materials: Crash, 9" woof, 6" warp; white thread No. 50; needle No. 7; tape 4½ inches.
Turn one-fourth inch fold on each side and across the bottom and baste. Turn the second fold one-fourth of an inch on the sides and baste. Hem the sides. Turn an inch hem at the bottom, baste and hem, giving special attention to the corners where the bottom hem is turned over the side hems. Hem the top with a quarter-inch hem if there is no selvedge. Sew a loop in the middle of the top on the selvedge edge as follows: Turn in one-fourth of an inch at both ends of the tape. Place the ends of the tape side by side and down one-fourth of an inch from the edge of the towel. Hem around the ends of the tape and back-stitch across the tape just at the edge of the towel.
Exercise No. 9—Running.[5]
Materials: Running design No. 4, [page 12], 6" × 8"; colored thread No. 50; needle No. 7.
Follow the lines of the design with the running stitch.
Exercise No. 10—Overhanding.[5][6]
Materials: White thread No. 50; needle No. 7.
Running designs 3 and 4 are to be overhanded together. Turn a quarter-inch fold on the long sides of both pieces. Baste the folded edges together and overhand. Running designs 1 and 2 are to be overhanded to 3 and 4. Turn a quarter-inch fold at the top of one piece and the bottom of the other, baste the folded edges together and overhand.
DOLL'S QUILT—ELECTIVE.