How to amuse yourself and others

CHAPTER XXXIV.
A FEW ITEMS ON OLD-FASHIONED NEEDLE-WORK, WITH SOME NEW AND ORIGINAL PATTERNS.

“COME around early this afternoon and bring your fancy-work; we will have a nice, cosey time; all the girls will be there, and we can read that last new book.” Such is the familiar and welcome invitation given and received, from time to time, by most young girls, and they find quiet but real recreation in these informal meetings, where, while listening to a friend read aloud, they believe it much easier to keep their minds on the subject if their hands are employed with dainty needle-work. Then, too, sewing is a real pleasure when one becomes interested in the work, and anyone who thoroughly understands plain sewing can with ease learn fancy stitches of all kinds, for good old-fashioned

Plain Sewing

is the foundation—the A B C—of all the more elaborate drawn work, embroideries, and some of the laces. As a rule we think

OVERHANDING

comes first on the list of plain stitches; this is exactly the same as sewing over and over. Hold the two edges of the material firmly together between the first finger and thumb of the left hand, while with the right hand you take the stitches very close together and as near the edge as possible, sewing from right to left (Fig. 292). It is well to keep the edge nearest to you a little tighter than the outer edge, to prevent its puckering. Always baste the seam before sewing, and when the seam is finished open it and flatten out the stitches (Fig. 293), so that the edges of the material will not overlap, but just meet together and lie smooth and flat.

OVERCASTING

is the same as overhanding, except the stitches slant, are farther apart, taken down deeper in the material, and the seam is not opened.

HEMMING.

First turn in the raw edge four or five threads, according to the kind of goods to be hemmed, then turn it down again to the desired width; this done, baste the hem down evenly and neatly—it must be of the same width throughout—hold the sewing over the first finger of your left hand, and have the stitches small, even, and very near the edge of the hem (Fig. 294).

RUNNING.

Pass the needle in and out of the material in a straight line (Fig. 295), making all the stitches the same size. We believe the rule is to take up two threads and leave two; but the length of the stitch should be regulated by the kind of material used.

BASTING

is to take long stitches in the same manner as running.

GATHERING

does not differ much from running; the stitches are taken on the needle in the same manner, but in this case two threads are taken up and four left; the line should be kept perfectly straight.

If you wish to gather an apron or a skirt divide it into halves, then into quarters, in order to make the fulness even on each half of the band; mark the four places and gather on the right side; when finished draw the stitches tightly together on the thread and stroke down evenly with a needle. To sew in the gathers, back-stitch each one in separately.

STITCHING.

Take two threads back of the needle and two before, having each stitch meet the last one, as in Fig. 296; keep the stitches even and in a straight line.

BACK-STITCHING.

Proceed as in stitching, only make the stitches longer and do not have them meet.

FELLING.

First baste up the seam, allowing the upper edge to extend five threads beyond the lower edge (Fig. 296); then back-stitch or stitch the two edges together; next turn the upper edge down over the lower one and lay open the seam so that the fell will lie down flat like a hem (Fig. 297); then hem it down neatly.

Button-holes.

Fig. 298 shows how to take the proper stitch. Be careful in cutting button-holes to make the slit even to a thread and cut the outer corner rounded; bar the inner corner by taking two stitches across it, and overcast the button-hole around three or four threads deep from the edge, or if the material is not inclined to ravel run it with thread, either double or single, drawing it a trifle tight; then begin at the left-hand corner to work the button-hole, leaving one thread between each stitch; keep the stitches exactly the same depth and the loop or pearl of the button-hole on the upper edge.

HERRING-BONE OR CAT’S-TOOTH STITCH

is used to keep the seams in flannel spread open and fastened neatly down. Fig. 299 shows how to take the stitch; make the stitches all even and of the same size.

We have now given all the stitches which properly belong to plain sewing, and our next step will be

Darning and Mending.

“A stitch in time saves nine;” this much most of us know from experience, and it is wise to devote a little time on a certain day each week to looking over the wardrobe and making any repairs that may be needed; the little care and time thus bestowed will prove a true economy, and it is a real comfort to have all one’s clothing in perfect order.

TO DARN A JERSEY OR A STOCKING.

With a needle and thread carefully draw out the uneven ravelled edges of the hole, in order to diminish its size as much as possible, and bring the loops and ends back in their proper places; then place under it a wooden egg or anything that will answer the purpose, and using thread of the same texture and shade of color as the garment to be mended, run back and forth across the hole as far as the material is worn thin, leaving a loop at the end of each turn. In crossing the threads, take up every other thread alternately each way (Fig. 300), and make the darn of an irregular shape, as one of an even outline does not wear well; when the weaving or darning is finished the loops can be cut off.

TO DARN A TEAR.

Carefully bring the ragged edges together and baste the tear as nearly as possible in its original position; then, if it is delicate muslin or dress material to be mended, use ravellings of the same instead of thread to darn with, and weave it in and out across the edges of the rent, as in Fig. 301; if the darn needs strengthening, baste a piece of the same material under the rent before darning, and catch down the edges of the piece on the under side of the goods. In mending broadcloth or like material, darn it on the wrong side, and when the darn is finished, ruff up the nap with the point of the needle at the edges of the tear on the right side to cover the stitches; then dampen the darn, and after laying a thin clean cloth over it, press with a moderately hot flat-iron; this should make the darn almost, if not quite, imperceptible.

How to Patch.

If possible cut the piece intended as a patch of the same goods as the garment to be mended, and if there is a pattern be careful to so cut and place the patch that it will match exactly; baste and hem down the patch on the right side of the worn part of the garment; then cut out the old material on the wrong side, leaving enough edge to form a firm hem; sew this to the patch, taking care that the stitches do not show on the right side.

How to Sew on a Button.

Should much strain come on the button, as in little children’s clothes, first hem down a small double piece of muslin, on the wrong side of the garment, at the exact spot where the button is to be placed, and with strong thread take a stitch on the right side; then sew the button through about four times, being careful not to let the stitches spread on the wrong side; wind the thread three times around the shank of the button formed by the stitches, drawing the thread a little tight, pass the needle through and fasten the thread neatly on the wrong side; the extra piece of muslin can be omitted when not needed.

To Mend a Kid Glove.

If the glove is merely ripped, and there is no strain on the portion to be mended, sew the two edges together over and over on the right side with fine thread or sewing-silk matching in color the glove to be mended; if, however, there is liability of its tearing out again, strengthen the edges by first working a button-hole stitch on each; then sew them together over and over, passing the needle in and out of the loops of the button-hole stitch, so forming a narrow net-work of thread between the two pieces of kid. Should the glove need a patch, carefully cut a piece of kid out of the best part of an old kid glove corresponding in color to the one needing repairs; make the patch exactly the shape and size of the hole, and button-hole stitch all around the edge of the hole and the edge of the patch; then sew in the patch over and over, catching together the loops of the button-hole stitches; this makes the mending firm, neat, and strong.

Fancy Stitches.

These are in many varieties of style; one of the most useful is known as the

FEATHER STITCH.

Fig. 302 gives the position of the needle and the manner of taking the stitch. Remember to make all the stitches of an exact length and the same distance apart, first one on this side and then one on that, keeping them in a straight, even line.

CHAIN STITCH

sometimes takes the place of braiding; it is the same stitch as that used in the old-fashioned tambouring (Fig. 303); many Persian embroideries are made in silk with the chain-stitch.

A NEW IDEA IN OUTLINE STITCH.

The stitch (Fig. 304) is used for outline embroidery, and when made with fine black sewing-silk resembles pen-and-ink work. We have seen figures outlined on linen with the drapery worked in colors, while the face, hands, and feet were simply in black and white; being finely outlined, the effect was novel and artistic, for in this way the features were made as true as if drawn on paper with a pencil.

For filling in the solid colors take the common running stitch, but make the stitches long on the right side of the embroidery and very short on the wrong side, so as to give the appearance of the colored fabric copied.

Use filo-silk; and English or French embroidery cottons, when colors are needed in the work. Always soak the silks and cottons in strong salt and water before using; this sets the color and keeps it from running when washed.

HEM-STITCHING.

Decide upon the width of the hem and the width of the space for drawn threads; carefully draw out the thread at one edge of the space, then the thread at the other edge; next all the intervening threads; this finished, fold and baste down the hem, allowing it to meet the edge of the drawn work, and taking five threads running lengthwise in the space, bind them together at the edge of the hem; at the same time stitch them to the hem, as in Fig. 305.

Drawn Work

always looks well and is very serviceable when made of linen. Scarfs for buffets, bureaus, or tables, and tea-cloths, tidies, or chair-backs, can be made of crash, butchers’ linen, and linen sheeting; it is better to have doylies of very fine linen.

In making drawn work, if the article is to be fringed, first draw out a few threads to measure the depth of the fringe, and at the opening thus made hem-stitch all around the edge of the material, leaving the ravelling out of the fringe until the drawn work is finished; proceed to draw the threads wherever spaces are desired, and before working the pattern always hem-stitch both edges of the spaces. In Fig. 306 the pattern marked B shows the stitch called fagotting, made by crossing every other group of threads back over the one preceding and drawing the linen thread through in such a way as to keep the groups twisted; the two lines marked A, in the Fig. 306, are intended more as a finish to some elaborate design than as a pattern in themselves; these are made by hem-stitching down a number of threads to each group. Fig. 307 gives a favorite pattern; for this count the threads, so that the spaces may be equal and regular; draw the threads in all the spaces running one way first; then draw the threads in the spaces crossing the first one and run linen threads diagonally across from the top of the right-hand corner to the bottom of the left, dividing each linen square into two equal parts; cross these by threads also running diagonally across from the top of the left-hand corner to the bottom of the right, again dividing the linen squares, making four equal parts; then weave threads through all the spaces running both horizontally and perpendicularly, using the fagotting stitch (Fig. 306), and when crossing the threads in the open spaces tie the centres of each in turn, as in Figs. 308, 309; finish the pattern by running a thread in and out several times around the knots in the centres of the wheels and fasten the ends by tying neatly. Another pattern is given in Fig. 310.

Outline work is often combined with drawn work; fast colors, in either cotton, linen or silk, are used for the outline design. When the article worked is intended for daily use and must frequently be laundried, it is better to substitute in place of the fringe a wide hem-stitched hem edged with firm linen lace.

Very dainty fancy aprons are made of common scrim with spaces drawn and narrow ribbons of different colors simply woven in and out of the threads, running crosswise through the spaces.

Applique and Original Designs for Portières.

The pattern in this work is cut from one material and sewed on another.

Almost any kind of fabric can be used as either applique or foundation; velvet and plush are suitable for applique, but make poor groundwork, owing to the long nap; both materials in dark rich colors are handsome when used as a border on portières or table-covers. To applique a pattern of velvet or plush cut the design very exact and cover the wrong side with a slight coating of gum, being careful to have the gum thin on the edges so that it will not spread on the groundwork; then lay the velvet on the place it is to occupy, and after pressing it down very gently and lightly with your hand, allow it to dry; this accomplished, the edges of the pattern may be hemmed down neatly on the foundation. If a further finish is desired, outline the design by sewing all around the edge a small gold or silken cord.

Portières.

We give an original applique design for a portière in Fig. 311, representing Day. The foundation is of soft dark-blue momie-cloth, the sun a round piece of bright yellow or orange satin, and the rays are of gold or heavy yellow silk thread merely run in stitches of various lengths; the cloud is of light blue crape or crazy cloth, and the bird is one of those which come prepared expressly for applique by the Japanese, and can be purchased at almost any Japanese or fancy store; if possible a lark should be selected in preference to other birds. The border is a band of old gold velvet. Our other design (Fig. 312) represents Night; the foundation and band are the same as those for the “Day” portière; the star is of white silk, the moon of very pale Nile green silk, and the cloud of dark pearl gray crape or crazy cloth, much darker than the blue momie-cloth.

The applique work must be done very carefully. First cut out the designs, next turn in the raw edges evenly and smoothly, and with a very fine thread and needle baste the edges down; then baste the designs carefully on the foundations, and, with a fine needle and sewing-silk matching in color the piece to be appliqued, hem each one down neatly, making the stitches almost invisible. The band of velvet can be sewed on the bottom edge of the momie-cloth, then turned up like a hem and hemmed down.

Lace.

Very beautiful lace is made by cutting out the heavy patterns which are still perfect, from old and worn laces and embroideries, and transferring the designs to new fine wash-net. After first basting them on, hem them down to the netting with a fine needle and thread; in this way the embroideries last as long again and look as well as when new.

Ribbon Embroideries.

We can give a clearer idea of this work by means of an example, and we will take the common white daisy as an illustration.

Thread a long-eyed coarse needle with very narrow white ribbon, and beginning at the centre of the flower, pass the needle from the wrong side up through your material, drawing the ribbon out nearly its full length and leaving only a short piece on the wrong side to be fastened down; now take a stitch straight out the length of a daisy petal and pass the needle through to the wrong side; then, taking a very short stitch, draw the needle out through on the right side; next take another long stitch back to the centre of the daisy, thus forming the second petal; continue in the same manner, making the petals radiate out in a circle from the centre of the flower. Work the centres of the daisies with yellow silk and the stems in dark-green silk; the leaves can be either worked or appliqued. For half-blown daisies make only about a quarter of a circle of petals, and in place of the yellow centre, work a green calyx. Ox-eyed daisies can be made in the same way with soft, thin yellow ribbon, a little broader than the ribbon used for white daisies. The work is rapid and pleasing, and almost any flower can be imitated very perfectly with ribbon embroidery.