Fig. 79
Doll's Hat of Raffia
| Materials Required: | A bunch of raffia, |
| A tapestry needle, No. 19. |
How would you like to make a doll's raffia hat, as a birthday gift for one of your special friends—one that will fit her favourite doll? Of course it is to be a surprise, but you will have plenty of opportunities to measure the dolly's head. The raffia comes in so many colours that you will be able to choose one to match a special gown. When you are ready to begin, make five yards or more of braided raffia as described in the directions for the braided raffia lamp mat, and start the hat in the same way as the mat was begun, except that an oval instead of a round centre is formed. When you have made a large enough top for the crown, bring the coil of braid around, with its upper edge a little above the middle of the row just finished, drawing it quite tight, and in sewing make the stitches run like the twists in the braid—so that they will show as little as possible. The next row is sewed in the same way, and the next, until the crown is the height you wish. In starting the brim flatten the braid and bring it around more loosely. Be sure that each row of braid is sewed half way under the row to which you are stitching it. Make the whole brim in this way, keeping the braid always flat and loose so that it shall not pucker. When it is as large as you wish, you can make the edge roll slightly by drawing the last two rows quite tight as you sew them on. Fasten the end of the braid at the back of the hat by binding it with the raffia in your needle and stitching it firmly on the under side of the brim.
Leather Tag Case
| Materials Required: | A piece of heavy leather 3 ½ inches wide by 6 ½ inches long, |
| A piece of leather 3 ½ inches wide by 4 ½ inches long, | |
| Some strips of leather ¼-inch wide, | |
| Several kindergarten beads of a colour to match | |
| or harmonise with the leather, | |
| A punch to make round holes, | |
| 2 dozen baggage tags, | |
| Scissors, | |
| A bodkin. |