The teacher should devote a few minutes to a talk on cleanliness, emphasizing its importance, and the necessity for exercising care in handling the sewing materials. This should be followed by a discussion regarding the care of the hands and the condition in which they should be for the sewing lesson. Each pupil should inspect her own hands and show them to the teacher.
Fig. 2.—Gauge
When all the pupils have their hands in a proper condition for sewing, the teacher should look over their supplies with them, give them suggestions as to how they are to keep these, and let them arrange their boxes.
Next, she should tell them what their first work is to be, show them the material for the towels, and discuss with them the best method of finishing the ends. [(See Lesson II.)]
Before turning the hem, the pupils should make a gauge from heavy paper, notched to indicate the depth of the hem. A few minutes should be devoted to practice in measuring and turning a hem of the desired depth on a sheet of paper. This should give practice in the double turning necessary—first, the narrow turn to dispose of the cut edge; second, the fold to finish the edge.
When the lesson is finished, the boxes should be put away in systematic order, and all scraps should be carefully picked up from the desks and the floor.
LESSON II: HEMMING TOWELS
Turning and basting hems. Hemming towels of crash, sacking, or other material, for use in washing and drying dishes at home or in school.
