Handicraft for Girls / A Tentative Course in Needlework, Basketry, Designing, Paper and Cardboard Construction, Textile Fibers and Fabrics and Home Decoration and Care

by Idabelle McGlauflin

b. The Hem—Turn the first fold of the hem and baste to the exact line of the opening. Careful basting is indispensable to good hemstitching, and especially so at a corner where two hems cross. Miter all corners of hems that are more than one-fourth of an inch in width.

c. The Stitch—Hold the cloth over the left forefinger as in ordinary hemming. Bury the knot by inserting the needle under the edge of the hem and drawing it through. The stitch consists of two distinct parts, (1) forming the loop around the cross threads, and (2) catching down to the edge of the hem:

(1) Pointing the needle toward you and holding the thread under the left thumb, take up on the needle three or four of the cross threads. Draw the needle out over the thread, thus forming the loop, and tight enough to separate the cross threads.

(2) Insert the needle under the edge of the hem only and take an ordinary hemming stitch. Repeat 1 and 2 for the next stitch.

Herringbone Stitch.—The herringbone or catch stitch is a cross stitch used to finish the raw edges of flannel or heavy material. It serves both the purpose of overcasting over a raw edge and that of hemming. It is used on raw edged hems to avoid the ridge formed by the first fold of a hem, on the flannel patch and for finishing the flannel seam, which may be pressed open and both single edges herringbone stitched, or both folded to one side and finished over the double edge. In most cases the open seam looks better.

The stitch consists of single, alternating running stitches made first to the right and then to the left, working from you instead of toward you as in ordinary running. The thread being carried across from one stitch to another, gives the appearance of a cross stitch. The stitches on each side must be in straight rows, with the outer row just over the edge of the flannel. The stitch should be no deeper than necessary to prevent pulling out. A good rule for beginners is to make the top of each stitch even with the bottom of the last stitch. Point the needle toward you in making the stitch, but work away from you. The edge of the flannel must be kept smooth. This being a cross stitch the thread of one part of the stitch is on top and the other underneath. Be sure that this is regular, those slanting in the same direction should be always either to the top or to the bottom.

Kensington Outline Stitch.—This stitch is used to follow the line of a design for ornamentation. To avoid the knot, when starting begin half an inch from the end of the line to be followed, and put in three or four running stitches, bringing the thread out at the proper place for starting. Turn the cloth around, holding it over the left forefinger, and work from you. Pointing the needle toward you, take a short running stitch directly on the line keeping the thread always on the right side of the needle, except on a line curving sharply to the left when the thread will fall more naturally to the left side. The thread being carried from one stitch to another gives the effect of a long diagonal stitch on the right side and running stitches on the wrong. The length of the stitch will be determined by the size of the thread, and the character of the line to be covered, a curved line requiring a shorter stitch than a straight one.

Lazy Daisy or Star Stitch.—This is a variation of the blanket stitch. Insert the needle at the point desired for the center of the flower and draw the thread through. Insert again at the same place and take up the desired length of stitch on the needle, drawing the needle out over the thread. Pass the needle down through the cloth at the point where it came out, but on the other side of the loop, thus forming a second loop at the end of the petal to hold it in place, and return the needle again to the center of the flower. Make as many petals as desired and finish with the French knot in the center of the flower. This stitch also makes a pretty star, using six points and finishing without the French knot.

Miscellaneous.

Bands.—A band is a straight piece of cloth used to finish garments at the neck, wrist or waist. It may be sewed to a straight, gathered or pleated edge. A band cut with the warp is stronger than one cut with the woof.