Then the ruffle will set well,
And never look drawn.”
“Draw up the gathering-thread to fit and wind it around a pin at the end in a figure eight. You are now ready for tiny Stitcher to overcast the lace on for you,” said the King.
Tiny Stitcher fastened the thread at the right end of the collar frill top. Then over the edge he stepped and came back through dress and lace towards Margaret. She pulled the thread through and he stepped over the edge away from her and through again, always going from her right towards her left. Margaret guided him with her right hand and held the dress in her left. When the frill was sewed on all around the collar, the thread was fastened securely at the end and snipped off. The gathering-thread was also fastened and snipped.
“Now take a gathering-thread the proper length for each sleeve frill and fasten it at the seam. Then gather each lace frill in turn and pin the half and quarters of each to those of each sleeve edge and overcast just as you did before,” said Sir Bodkin.
Margaret worked very carefully and soon snipped the threads, and put the little Stitchers in the pincushion to rest.
She made some pretty blue satin ribbon bows to add to the little dress as a finishing touch, and sewed them on.
“’Tis done at last,” she said, with a sigh of joy, slipping the lovely party-dress on over her doll’s curly hair. “You’ll be the sweetest doll at the tea-party, I know,” she said happily.