Eyelets and Loops.—An eyelet is a small hole made and worked in a garment to receive a cord, stud or loop of a button. Punch the hole with a stiletto, pushing the threads apart rather than breaking them. Overhand closely from right to left with short even stitches. A large eyelet may be cut out and worked around with the buttonhole stitch. A blind loop is made in place of the eye to receive a hook. Put three or four long stitches in the same place beginning at the left, so that the thread will be at the proper place for working the loop with the blanket stitch.
Joining and Fastening Thread.—When sewing, care should be taken in joining threads. The manner in which it is done depends upon the stitch in use. In hemming, leave a half-inch of the old and a half-inch of the new thread, tuck both under the hem and continue hemming over the threads. The same plan is followed in overhanding. In the blanket stitch, feather stitch, herringbone, chain and buttonhole stitch the new thread must come out through the last stitch. Thoughtful attention should be given to the fastening of threads, as careful, painstaking work may soon be rendered useless by the loosening of the thread from the end. After fastening securely clip off all threads that the work may be not only strong, but neat. The usual fastening consists of several backstitches taken in the same place.
Mitered Corner.—Two hems crossing at right angles may be finished either with the square or the mitered corner. To miter a corner, turn and crease a quarter-inch fold on both sides. Turn the second fold of the hem the desired width on both sides and crease. Open out the corner and place a dot where the inner creases cross. Place a second dot a quarter of an inch from the first toward the corner. Through this second point draw a line passing from side to side, across the corner, being careful that the line is an equal distance from the corner on both sides. Cut off the corner on this line. Fold both hems again on the creases before made and pin the hem on one side in place. Make a pin hole as near the exact point where the hems cross as possible, passing through both hems. Fold in the bias edge on the hem that is not pinned down, exactly from the pin hole to the corner, causing the edges of the two hems to meet at an angle of forty-five degrees.
Patterns.—With the varied, complex and ever-changing styles of fashion, individual pattern drafting (except for a very simple article) is impracticable, usually resulting in commonplace garments and involving useless time and labor. For the trifling sum of ten or fifteen cents reliable, up-to-date patterns can be secured which are cut to established measurements by a fashion expert. A good needlewoman supplies herself with a good pattern and then cuts accurately, bastes carefully, and finishes neatly, and in nearly all cases, results will be satisfactory.
Plackets.—A placket is an opening made in a garment. There are several ways of finishing an opening, but in all cases, except when the gusset is used, the underside should extend some distance under the top to prevent gaping.
A. A Placket with a Continuous Binding.
This is the placket used on children's drawers, night shirts, under garments, etc.
Cut the opening the desired length. Cut the facing with the warp a little more than twice the length of the opening and twice the desired width when finished, plus one-fourth inch, or more, allowed for seams. The following are the successive steps for making the placket:
a. Fold the cloth, right sides together, in a line with the opening.
b. Double the facing across the warp, through the center, wrong sides together.