DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXERCISES.
Teach the yard measure and its divisions.
See note under [Exercise No. 35]—Buttonholes.
STOCKINET DARNING.
Exercise No. 31—Stocking Darning.
Materials: Stockinet 4" × 4"; cardboard 3" × 3"; darning cotton; darning needle; a pair of worn stockings.
See description of Stocking Darning, [page 67].
Pupils will furnish their own cardboard and have it cut and ready for the lesson, also a pair of worn stockings.
The cardboard is a substitute for the darning ball. Do not stretch the cloth too tightly over the card, nor put in a needless number of stitches at the back to hold it on, five or six being sufficient to hold it temporarily in place. The darning cotton winds from the spool in several strands loosely twisted together. Separate and use two, three or more strands, depending upon the texture of the cloth to be darned. Take care not to split the threads when weaving across them, and also avoid putting the threads so far apart that holes are left between them. In fact, try to have pupils understand that they are supplying a piece of cloth that has been worn away, and that when finished should match as nearly as possible in color and texture the cloth that is being repaired. Stockinet, like stockings, is a knitted, not a woven fabric, and as every stitch is drawn through the one below it, it is very necessary that the loops be caught before they ravel back. Prepare the hole for darning by whipping the edge with fine thread, catching up all the severed loops. Either a round or an oblong hole may be cut in the stockinet, the round hole being three-fourths of an inch across, and the oblong three-fourths of an inch by one inch.
Follow the exercise in stockinet darning, in which the principles of darning have been taught, with the darning of a pair of worn stockings that the pupils have brought from home. Every child in the class must be given this practical and useful experience. If there is difficulty in securing these stockings, members of the class or the teacher can readily supply the deficiency.
Exercise No. 32—Placket Sampler—A Placket.
Materials: Calico 12" woof, 14" warp; facings and bands 58" × 2"; white thread No. 60; needle No. 8.
See description of Plackets, [page 81].
Upon this sampler is taught the placket, the gusset, the nightgown opening and two different methods of putting on bands, and in addition a review of the French seam and the French fell. It is made in sections which are combined later. These lessons are interspersed with other exercises that the pupils may not become tired of this piece. Teach the placket and the nightgown opening first on paper. It will save time and trouble in the end. Fold the large piece of calico across the warp through the center and cut on the fold. Fold one of these pieces with the warp, through the center and cut. The first exercise of the "Placket Sampler" is done on one of these quarters. As these sections are to be sewed together later each girl must have her own pieces. To avoid the possibility of their being lost or soiled, those not in use should be wrapped in paper, labeled and collected by the teacher and kept until ready for [Exercise No. 34].
PLACKET SAMPLER (FRONT VIEW).
First section of the Placket Sampler: Fold the piece of calico with the warp, through the center and cut an opening on this fold five inches in length. Then follow the directions for making Placket B. Facing eleven inches by two inches.
Exercise No. 33—An Apron—The Christmas Piece.[28][31]
Materials: Pupils will select and furnish their own materials for an apron. This may be of any style or kind, and will afford an excellent opportunity for carrying out their individual tastes. This may necessitate the teaching of the principles of bands which can be done with the practice piece. See description of Bands, [page 79].
PLACKET SAMPLER (BACK VIEW).
APRONS—[EXERCISE NO. 33].
Exercise No. 34—Placket Sampler—The Gusset.[29]
Second section of the Placket Sampler.
Materials: The second quarter of the large piece of calico; a two-inch square of calico for the gusset.
Fold with the warp through the center, and cut an opening on this fold five inches in length. Then follow the directions for making the gusset. Sew the two sections together with the French fell. Hem the sides with a quarter-inch hem.
Exercise No. 35—Buttonholes.
Materials: Blue Percale 9" woof by 4" warp; scraps of calico for practice pieces; white thread No. 40 and No. 80; needles No. 7 and No. 8.
Remember the old adage Practice Makes Perfect.
See description of the Buttonhole, [page 63].
Note: Scraps and odd pieces of calico can be used for the practice work on buttonholes. As the buttonhole requires a great deal of practice it is well to keep these pieces in the sewing box and work at it at odd times during the progress of the years' work. Encourage the girls, too, to practice on the buttonhole for home work. In this way they will gradually acquire the skill which only comes with practice. Fold the cloth, wrong side out, with the woof and through the center, and baste the edges together. Begin with the blind buttonhole.
The buttonhole model is intended to show how much skill has been acquired. Fold the percale through the center, with the woof, and baste the edges together. Make the buttonholes three-fourths of an inch long and one inch apart.
Exercise No. 36—Placket Sampler—The Shirt Sleeve or Nightgown Opening.
Materials: Half of the large piece of calico; facing 18" × 2".
Fold with the warp through the center and cut an opening on this fold five inches in length. Then follow the directions for the Nightgown Opening. Hem the side of the narrower part with a quarter-inch hem.
Exercise No. 37—A Hemstitched Collar.[29][30]
Materials: Butcher's linen, collar 15½" warp by 3" woof, India linen band 15½" warp by 1½" woof; practice piece 6" warp by 4" woof; white thread No. 80; needle No. 8.
Measure the neck and decide upon the length of collar and width of hem before trimming.
See directions for Hemstitching, [page 76].
Put the collar band on the collar. The collars may be still further ornamented with fine feather stitching, the star stitch or French knots.
Exercise No. 38—Placket Sampler—Bands—Hemmed and Overhanded.
See description of Bands and Gathering, [pages 68] and [79].
To avoid soiling the cloth put the bands on before seaming the halves of the Placket Sampler together. This can be done with the exception of the band on the long side of the nightgown opening, which will have to be done after this side is basted to the other section, cut off and hemmed, and will therefore be the last thing to be done on the Sampler. Put the hemmed bands on the side having the placket and the gusset, and the overhand bands on the side of the nightgown opening.
Length of bands: On the first half, short bands cut two inches, one and one-half inches finished; long band cut four inches, three and one-half inches finished; on the last half, bands cut three and three quarters inches, three and one-quarter inches finished.
Sew the two sections of the Sampler together with the French seam. The section having the two openings is a little narrower than the other. Baste the two sections together, basting the little pleats at the end of the placket and the nightgown opening, and sew them into the seam. Do not cut off the long side until basted nearly across, then cut off and hem the side. Finish with the last band.
Exercise No. 39—An Underskirt.
Materials: Pupils will furnish their own material for an underskirt for themselves. The patterns which their mothers use can be secured from the home, or one pattern used by all the members of the class. These skirts may be made plain or trimmed with tucked ruffles of cloth or with embroidery, depending upon the wishes of the mothers, the skill and taste of the individuals and the material furnished. Should there be difficulty in securing material for the garment, a small model on the half-inch scale or one of the electives can be substituted. Insist that the work be well done, neatly finished and first class throughout. Use sewing machines when available.
Points to emphasize in the making of a skirt:
1. Cut a correct pattern before beginning the skirt. Do not trust to making corrections when cutting out.
2. Baste the straight edge of one gore to the bias edge of another when making a gored skirt. This prevents the sagging which would occur if two bias edges were sewed together.
3. Allow plenty in hem and tucks for letting down when making garments for growing girls.
Exercise No. 40—Textile Fibers and Fabrics—Flax.
Under the heading "Textile Fibers and Fabrics," [page 94], will be found subject matter which can be used in correlation with the geography, language and history work. The sixth grade subject is Flax. Make a collection of the flax products, fabrics, etc. A class set of compositions, each member of the class taking different subdivisions of the subject, would make an interesting collection which could be put together in a simple binding done by members of the class.
See "Paper and Cardboard Construction," [page 101].