A LETTER FROM MOTHER
“THE poor little dear!” exclaimed Fairly Flew, “a doll she shall have,
and I will tell you how to make it myself—a doll that looks ever so
much like Mary Frances’ own dolly, our dear Yarn Baby!”
[Illustration: “Poor little dear!”]
Then she told the little girl—
HOW TO MAKE AN INFANT YARN DOLL
Material: White knitting worsted.[G] A strand of coarse
red embroidery cotton. Two blue beads for eyes. (See
picture, page 122.)
Directions:
1. Cut about 20 strands of yarn, each 8 inches long.
Lay them together side by side.
2. Tie them together in the middle with a short piece
of yarn. Fold them over in the middle where tied.
[Illustration: Tie in middle.]
3. About ½ inch below the fold, tie in the same way as
you did the tassel on doll’s slippers. (See picture No.
3 on Plate 3.) This forms the infant’s head.
[Illustration: To make shoulder.]
4. To make the arms, take hold of 4 strands of the
yarn and tie a knot close to the neck. This forms the
shoulder. About ½ inch below the shoulder knot, trim
off the 4 strands. Tie the 4 strands together with a
short piece of yarn to form the hand.
5. Make the other arm opposite in the same way.
6. About ¾ of an inch below the neck, tie the long
strands together to form infant’s waist.
7. Sew two small blue beads in head for eyes, and take
a stitch with red embroidery cotton to form the mouth.
[Illustration: DINAH DOLL AND INFANT]
“Baby! Baby!” cried Mary Marie as soon as Mary Frances had it finished.
[Illustration: “Baby! Baby!”]
“How she loves that doll!” cried Crow Shay. “She ought to have a
nurse-maid to help her care for it.”
“Indeed she ought to,” declared the Yarn Baby. “I would like to tell
the little Miss how to make a Dinah Doll.”
[Illustration: “Indeed she ought to.”]
“Do tell her now,” said Fairly Flew.
[Illustration: “Do tell her now.”]
So the Yarn Baby began:
HOW TO MAKE A COLORED YARN DOLL
Material: Black knitting worsted.[H] White knitting
worsted. A strand of coarse red embroidery cotton. Two
white beads for eyes. (See page 122.)
Directions:
1. Cut about 50 strands of black worsted 12 inches
long. Tie them together in the middle and fold.
2. Tie them again about 1½ inches below the fold to
form Dinah’s head.
3. At each side of the body, close to the neck, take 8
strands and tie together in a knot to form shoulders
and arms.
4. Trim off the strands about 2 inches below the knots,
and tie with white yarn near ends—to form hands.
5. Cut 30 strands of white yarn about 8 inches long.
Lay them together, side by side. Tie them together very
loosely in the middle, fold them in the middle, where
tied. Tie the bundle of strands around doll’s neck to
form front of dress.
6. Follow direction No. 5 and tie in back of doll to
form back of dress.
7. Cut a piece of black yarn about 8 inches long and
tie it in a bow knot around the doll about 1½ inches
from the neck, to form the doll’s waist.
8. At the bottom, with a short piece of white yarn, tie
together about 6 strands of black yarn, to form a foot.
9. Make another foot in the same way.
10. Trim off the other strands of yarn at the bottom
about ½ inch above the feet.
11. Sew two white beads in place for eyes, and take two
stitches with red embroidery cotton to form the mouth.
Sew infant doll in place in Dinah’s arm.
To make the hair, cut 25 short strands of black worsted
and sew with black thread to top of Dinah’s head.
Trim hair with bow made of narrow red ribbon.
When Mary Frances finished the funny colored doll, she sewed the white
infant baby in the arm, to the delight of Mary Marie and the Knitting
People.
[Illustration: Eyelids began to droop.]
Soon Mary Marie’s eyelids began to droop; then Mary Frances carried her
off to bed, and she went to sleep with the dolls in her arms.
[Illustration: To the delight of the Crochet People]
“Oh, how I wish that I could tell mother about my lovely times,”
thought Mary Frances. “Maybe when all my lessons are finished I shall
be able to tell her. She would not worry about my being lonely if she
knew how busy I am, and how happy now since I know that dear father is
getting well.”
Just then Billy called her and she hurried downstairs.
[Illustration: Billy called her.]
“Here is a letter from mother for you,” said Billy, meeting her at the
foot of the stairs. “Hurry and read it. I want to hear about father.”
So Mary Frances opened it and read:
[Illustration: “Dear Mary Frances.”]
_Dear Mary Frances_:
_You will be glad to hear that father is safe in the
hospital and improving very rapidly. His leg was broken
just above the ankle, and he is suffering from the
shock of the accident. The doctors say that it will be
a week or ten days, perhaps longer, before we can bring
him home._
_I am sending a newspaper which tells about the train
wreck and explains how it happened._
_You and Billy are in my thoughts every hour of the
day and many times at night, too; but I am not worried
because I know that Katie will take good care of you
both._
_Father says that he is racing with time to get well
enough to return home to you dear children, and that he
will tell you the whole story when he arrives._
_Aunt Maria sends love and says that she will teach you
to crochet when she comes—and that you may practice the
stitches which she has already taught you._
_I shut my eyes and see you in my mind’s eye, but I
want to be able soon to see you really and truly._
_Hugs and kisses from_
_Mother._
“Good news!” exclaimed Billy as Mary Frances finished reading; “but
it’s no fun to have a broken leg.”
[Illustration: “Good news!”]
“Oh, Billy, think how much worse it might have been,” cried Mary
Frances. “Won’t we be glad to see father and mother back—and Aunt
Maria?” and she caught him by the arm and waltzed him around the big
hall.
[Illustration: “Oh, Billy.”]