316 INDUSTRY IS FORTUNE'S RIGHT HAND; FRUGALITY HER LEFT. This occurs to young girls, who, between the pain and pressure of keeping their stockings up and the vexation of letting them down, have, some of them, a fine time of it, in illustration of the ancient tradition out of which the most noble Order of the Garter arose. 1766. Drawers and Socks.-Be that pain and inconvenience great or small with young girls, they most of them grow out of it by womanhood, for the reason that the deformity of the knee arising from the constant pressure with a series of buttons on which the under-garments may be fastened. This may be made the basis of other reforms that will readily sugest themselves to the intelligent. 1765. Banishment of Garters.There is no limit to what habit will induce some people to adopt and submit to without a murmur, and without a suspicion that there is anything wrong. This applies in a considerable degree to the use of garters, long since discarded by men, but still very commonly worn by women, often to their considerable detriment and inconvenience. It is tolerably notorious that, to be worn effectively, a garter must be tight-so tight as to impede the circulation, and make much mischief from that cause. SHOULDER BRACE, SKIRT, AND STOCKING of the garter eventually becomes so pronounced as to be a permanent indention into which the garter becomes secure and immovable at the expense of the malformed leg. There seems to be no valid reason why the adoption of drawers and socks by girls and women PREFER THE USEFUL TO THE PLEASANT WHERE ONE MUST BE CHOSEN, THINGS DONE OUT OF TEMPER ARE SELDOM RIGHT. should not effectually supersede stock- | ings and garters, but, inasmuch as fashion and prejudice are both very stubborn, and will perhaps in most cases insist upon the retention of long stockings, an alternative is suggested in the next paragraph. 1767. Women's Braces. To facilitate speed in dressing, and to accommodate the otherwise comfortable wear of female clothing, it has been suggested, and the suggestion has been adopted extensively, that women should wear braces. The use of such appliances effectually relieves the hips from the pressure they too often have to bear, or, at any rate, they cannot fail to divide such pressure with the shoulders, and so to qualify the burden that many women have to carry. The ultimate purpose of such braces is to act as stocking suspenders, and their great superiority over deforming garters cannot be questioned. 317 placed at equal distances. According 1771. Slip or Running Stitch.-This is done by constantly running the needle into the material in front of the stitch just formed. Several stitches may be taken on the needle at the same time before drawing the cotton through. the needle is passed in an upward direc1772. English Stitch.-For this tion on the cross, for which reason it is much stronger than any other. 1773. Back Stitch.-This is done in two ways-first going from right to left, the needle stitched into the work behind where it has been drawn out, in order to take a stitch of the same size in front. Passing from left to right, the 1768. Hints on Needlework.-needle is inserted in front of the stitch last formed. Every lady who is expert with her needle thereby becomes emancipated from many of the endurances which the less expert have to suffer through necessary submission to every detail of dress imposed upon them by others. 1769. Alterations.-It often happens that a dress or garment of any kind is defective in some small matter of detail that can be readily put right where there is a skilful hand to do it, but which may be a continuous eyesore or inconvenience to the individual who has neither the skill nor the confi dence to set about the alteration. It is from this point of view that skill with the needle in private life is the most valuable, because the practical effect upon the community of the introduction of sewing machines has been to render ready-made articles so cheap as to tend, in the long run, to diminish the quantity of domestic needlework, rather than to increase it by the adoption of machines in the family. Proceeding thus causes the stitch to appear on the reverse side. For this reason it is frequently used for turned-down seams. 1774.Stitching. This is composed of a row of back stitches without any interval between them, the needle being at once inserted backwards into the stitch just made to be drawn out at an equal distance in front of the stitch which has to be formed. Extreme regularity has to be observed in this class of work. 1777. Sewing Stitch. — This is employed to join two edges of material. The needle, directed over the edges, stitches through the outer fold and IF YOU WILL NOT HEAR REASON, SHE WILL RAP YOUR KNUCKLES. 318 A BURDEN VOLUNTARILY UNDERTAKEN IS ALL THE LIGHTER. comes under that which is held nearest I the worker. A depth of some threads must be observed. This stitch is always required to join the two selvages of calico or other cloth. 1778. Overcasting or Oversewing. Oversewing is sewing with very wide stitches to prevent the edges of stuff ravelling out. 1779. Herring-bone or CrossStitch. This is used to join two edges of material, which, instead of being folded together, are laid one over the other, and worked from left to right, making alternately a stitch below and one above. The crossstitch is made by the thread being drawn out each time above the stitch which has just been done. This stitch is used particularly for flannel. 1780. Buttonhole Stitch.- A straight slit having been cut for the buttonhole-and it is of advantage, in order to strengthen the work, to run two threads, one below and one above the hole-when this is done the stitches are taken from left to right in the slit of the buttonhole, to be drawn out behind the tracing at the upper end, and making the thread form a species of knot. This is done either by holding it with the thumb below the needle or in casting it upwards; the thread is drawn out gently towards the slit upon the edges of which the knots ought to be formed. 1781. Loops.-A loop is made of three or four stitches of the same length done over each other. All these threads are taken at once and worked together with the buttonhole stitch. These loops are used to hold hooks or small buttons. 1782. Chain-Stitch.-This is done in a similar manner, but the stitches are like rings chained together. The needle is held straight, and always placed in the last ring or stitch, to be drawn out an equal distance to the length of the following ring; the cotton is to be held below the needle. Hemmed Seam is employed to join pieces of material of moderate thickness, folding them down together, and at once hemming the seam, dispensing with any other stitch. 1786. Rolled Hem.-This is made in fine linen, light stuffs, etc. This hem is prepared as required-that is to say, by rolling the edge of the material between the fingers while sewing. 1787. Whipped Scroll.-This is prepared like the foregoing hem; the difference exists in working the needle over the edge, so as to take several stitches at the same time. This "whipping" is generally used to make tiny frills for shirts, etc., as the thread, if taken loosely, can be drawn up to form a gathering. Gathering is formed by a running stitch. 1788. Double Gathering. This consists of two or more rows of gatherings more or less apart, the stitches of which are exactly over each puffing. This is made like double gathering, but leaving a greater interval between the rows of gathering, the stitches of which go the reverse way-i.e., one line is run in one direction, and the lower commencing at the reverse end. 1789. Sewing on of Strings, Buttons, Hooks, etc.-To sew on these different fastenings we will give, as a general rule, that it is as well to use very strong cotton, in order to avoid making an infinite number of stitches. Strings are turned in at the end, which has to be fastened down and stitched simply round the edge of the fold, and which should form a little square. 1790. Buttons, being so various, require different ways of fastening. WHOEVER CONQUERS INDOLENCE CAN CONQUER MOST THINGS. POVERTY ENFORCES DEPENDENCE AND PROMOTES CORRUPTION. For those having holes-pearl shirt buttons, etc., and also linen buttonsit is sufficient to pass the thread several times through the holes of the material, winding it several times round the buttons, and fastening it off at the back of the garment. Some buttons are made with "tails," either of the same stuff or in metal. If the material is not strong it is requisite that a round piece of lining, corresponding to each button, be fixed on the reverse side of the material. This must be fastened to the stuff by a series of back stitches. To this the button must be attached by stitching taken to the outer part of each little round piece. When the button is firmly sewn the thread is fastened off at the back. 1791. Darning.-The first class of repairs is darning, of which there are many sorts, which can be classed thus: 1. A plain darn. 2. Crossed darn. 3. An opened or figured darn. 4. The invisible or joined darn. All these are made at the back of the article in need of repairing. 1792. Warp and Woof.-For all darns a warp and a woof have to be formed; a flat thread, whether cotton, flax, or silk, and always finer than the material itself, is used. 1793. Plain Darn.-This is used to repair a rent, fixing a woof and a warp, and by describing how to make these it will be seen how a plain darn is achieved. 1794. Cutting Even. - Before commencing, the edges of the worn or torn part ought to be equalised and cut even; often it is as well to form the part to be repaired into a square. 1795. Arrangement of Threads. —The threads for the warp are arranged in the length of the articles to be mended. The woof is made in the opposite direction to the warp. The needle carries the thread through the former, raising and lowering alternately each thread. This is again reversed at each turn, the needle always taking up the 319 thread which has been previously left below. 1796. Crossed Darn on the Cross. This is done by forming the woof on the cross. The first thread of this is taken through the warp in the centre of the tear, in order thus to divide the hole into two equal parts, felling first one half and then the other. By this method greater regularity is obtained in the stitches. It is as well to fit the worn part over a small piece of oilcloth, or a card-in fact, this ought always to be done. 1798. Hidden or Joined Darn. This is only done where the edges of the tear can be joined naturally; or, again, in a species of patching, which will be treated of presently. 1799. Patching, Piecing.-There are three sorts of patching 1. Patching by overcasting. 2. Ditto with a turned-down seam. 3. Ditto by darning or joining. As a general rule, when a garment requires a patch, the torn part must be taken away, with all the worn part near, until sufficient resistance is found in the material of which the garment is made to support the new piece placed on it. The hole into which the patch has to be placed is to be cut straight and quite square. About a quarter of an inch ought to be allowed all round the new piece in order to make the seam. Except for a darned patch, it is requisite to cut a little notch of some four to six threads in depth in the corners of the square hole out of which the whole piece has been taken. If the material to be patched has a pattern, care must WET FEET MAKE MORE GRAVES THAN WAR, 320 KEEP OUT OF A MAN'S WAY WHEN HE IS IN A HASTY TEMPER. be taken to make that on the new piece exactly correspond to that on the article itself. 1800. Overcasting Patches. In order to make this, a little fold is made at the back to the depth of the notches upon the edge of the rent. A similar fold is made upon the patch itself, and, tacking that upon the part to be repaired, it is to be overcast all round, care being taken to keep the parts clear of each other, and to make the corners well, the seam flattened down by the thimble, the edges are turned under and lightly oversown. 1801. Another Way of piecing by overcasting is intended for worn linen and thick stuff. For this, the worn or torn part which has to be cut away is only done so after having laid the piece upon that part and overcasting or sewing it there. It is better, before doing so, to tack it carefully all round. The torn part, cut away on the wrong side, ought to allow all round its edges sufficient to make a good turned-down seam, which often completes this class of repair. 1805. Making of Sheets depends in some measure on the quality of the material to be used. All sheeting is sold in double and single widths. The former is made expressly for the purpose, and is from two and a half to three yards in width. 1806. Length of Sheets.-The ordinary calculation of the length of sheets is from three to four yards. This length is used in double width, or double the amount in single width. For a small bed, however, two yards and three-quarters to three yards of double width is sufficient for each sheet, or, as before stated, double this quantity in single width. For sheets made in material of double width it is only necessary to hem them at the ends, and it is thus that the end is distinguished from the sides. The hem at the top ought to be twice as deep as that at the lower end. 1807. Bolster and Pillow Cases. -The sizes ought to correspond exactly to that of the pillows or bolsters for which they are intended. rial of which they are made is about The mate 1802. Piecing by a Turned-three-quarters of a yard wide. Double Down Seam.-It is prepared like the foregoing; it is sewn, whether by overcasting or running, so that the right side (or where the stitches are placed) is always found above the turneddown seam. In this patch the corners are very difficult to form, and, done by unpractised hands, are sure to gather up. 1803. Piecing by a Seam.-This is rarely used for linen, except when it is necessary to repair something very fine and tasteful which has been torn by accident and not by wear. It is serviceable in very clear stuffs, such as muslin, etc., when there is only a little tear. It is frequently used in other materials, especially in woollen, and always in cloth stuffs. 1804. Fine Thread.-The thread used for this ought to be finer than that of the cloth material. In cloth, a fine sewing silk is used. for the hems at the edges of the openthe length of the pillow, allowing also of nearly a yard, two yards and a quaring, is required for a case. For a pillow ter of material would be requisite. This is folded in the centre of the length, and sewn like a bag, joining the edges at the selvage. The edges of the opening are then hemmed from one to three inches in depth, according to whether an ordinary or a better pillow-case is required. To keep the pillow-case in its place two or three strings are sewn at the back of each hem. 1808. Laundry Washing. - For those who can afford it, and who like to resort to it, getting washing done at a laundry saves a good deal of time, and may in numerous cases prove eminently satisfactory, if the laundry selected is really a good one, and experience proves its conductors to be honest, punctual, and skilful enough to deliver articles entrusted to them back again in IT IS EASIER TO AVOID A FAULT THAN TO ACQUIRE PERFECTION. |