A RUINED DRESS
“SO the Old Grunt had to go home,” said Scissors Shears, standing on
one pointed toe.
[Illustration: “I don’t care a tinkle”]
“Why?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion.
“I don’t care a tinkle,” exclaimed Silver Thimble, “why she went―I’m
only glad we’re to have the little Miss to ourselves once more!”
“Humph!” exclaimed Ma Chine, “if Sewing Bird were awake, little you’d
speak in so cutting a way about an old lady, Scissors!”
“Click! Click! Clickety-click! Rip-her-up-the-back!”
snapped Scissors Shears, making across the table.
“You old Thread Chewer, you!” he exclaimed, “everybody knows you have
wheels in your head! You old Thread Chewer! You―! You! I double dare
you to―”
“Zumm! Zumm! Zumm!” Ma Chine began to whirl.
“Oh, what are the comical things going to do,” thought Mary Frances
at the door. “I do hope no harm will be done! I’ll wait a minute and
see.”
[Illustration: If Sewing Bird were awake]
[Illustration: “Oh, my! Oh, me!”]
“Oh, my!” moaned Scissors Shears. “Oh, me! I’m almost undone!”
Suddenly Scissors Shears stumbled and fell flat on the table, his
feet being all entangled in the folds of some pink lawn.
“Zumm! Zumm!” whirled Ma Chine. “Why don’t you come? Come on,
Sweet-tempered!”
“Undone!” exclaimed Sewing Bird. “I think you’re done-up,―
“Oh, how it shames
To call bad names!
And temper lost
Makes heavy cost!”
“Sewing Bird, that’s true!” exclaimed Scissors Shears, getting up,
“Oh, the dear little Miss! Oh, what a lesson! I’m so sorry I lost my
temper!”
“What can he have done?” thought Mary Frances, peeping in the door.
There on the sewing table was Scissors Shears looking woefully upon a
pretty little doll’s dress carefully cut out and pinned together. All
over it were gashes and slashes where his sharp feet had cut into
the material.
[Illustration: All over it were gashes]
[Illustration: “Good afternoon!” she said]
“What shall I do,” began Scissors Shears, “oh, Sewing Bird, what
shall I do?―There’s no other goods! I took such care to make that so
perfect,―ready for the little lady’s lesson to-day!”
“Come!” said Mary Frances to herself. “That’s enough! Poor old
Scissors Shears!―I’ll pretend not to notice it.
“Good-afternoon!” she said going into the sewing room, “I’ve changed
my mind, dear Sewing Bird Lady―I think I’d like to use some other
goods rather than that I left on the table for this lesson. I’ll
just throw this aside in a little bundle,”―pushing the ruined dress
aside,―“and may I use this pretty pink chambray gingham to-day?”
“The very thing!” exclaimed Fairy Lady, “much better than lawn, for a
morning dress; and here is
PATTERN 9.―DOLL’S MORNING DRESS
See Insert II
1. Cut out in same way as pinafore.
2. For neck-band, use a six-inch square of white lawn.
[Illustration: “The very thing!”]
Fold through the center. Fold again through the center.
3. Place neck-band pattern on the lawn, having the edges which
are marked with two rings (oo) each on a fold.
4. Pin in place. Cut out. Open. Make tiny clip in each corner of
the neck opening.
5. Cut sleeve-bands of white lawn, with double rings (oo) on fold
of cloth.
[Illustration: Edges marked oo each on a fold]
To make―
1. Turn over opening of neck of dress one-eighth inch on right
side. Crease, without stretching. Baste.
2. Turn both edges of neck-band down one-eighth inch, on same
side of goods. Crease, without stretching.
3. Spread the dress open on the table.
Lay neck-band with turned-in edge against turned-in edge of dress
neck. Pin in place. Baste.
Stitch; or, overhand and hem, in place.
4. Turn up ends of sleeves, and sew sleeve-bands in place in the
same way.
5. Make placket by directions given on next page.
Make three button-holes on right hand side. Sew three buttons on
left hand side.
6. Join under-arms with French seams.
7. Make a three-quarter inch hem in bottom of dress.
“I’ll cut that out quickly,” said Mary Frances, pinning the pattern
on the goods.
[Illustration: Pin neck-band in place]
[Illustration: “The back is just like the front”]
“Mark the place where the pocket goes,” said Fairy Lady.
“Why,” she exclaimed at length, holding up the little dress, “the
back is just like the front, and the neck is too little for her head
to slip through.”
“Exactly!” smiled Fairy Lady looking pleased. “You are very
observant.”
“That’s a lovely word!” thought Mary Frances. “I’ll remember it.”
“You may now fold the dress lengthwise, and from the neck, cut down
the middle of the back four inches, which will make the opening large
enough for her head―and learn about
34.―MAKING A PLACKET,
which is the finished opening of a dress or skirt.
1. Cut one piece of cloth like the dress―two inches wide, and as
long as the dress opening.
2. Cut another piece one inch wide and as long as the opening.
Fold in half the long way, and crease.
3. On the right hand side of the opening, face the raw edge back
on the wrong side with the narrow piece of cloth.
4. On the left hand side, sew the wider piece of cloth, as if
for facing,―but after turning in the edge, fold on the creased
middle fold, bringing edge exactly over the first sewing.
[Illustration: Extension Placket]
[Illustration: Hemmed Placket]
This is an Extension Placket.
This piece can be used without folding: then the edge must be
hemmed.
There should be two rows of stitching across the bottom of the
placket to strengthen it.
* * * * *
On this page are pictures of two other kinds of placket.
To make a Hemmed Placket, sew a narrow hem on left side, and
broad hem on right hand side. Fold broad hem over narrow, and
stitch in place across lower end.
A Tape Placket is very useful in making petticoats. Face the
opening with flat tape.
* * * * *
Fairy Lady handed Mary Frances a sheet of paper.
“Where did this come from?” asked Mary Frances.
“It’s a fairy paper,” answered Fairy Lady. “That’s all I can tell.”
“It is beautiful!” said Mary Frances, holding the picture of the
plackets in her hand, “Thank you.”
“Can you tell me what to do next?” asked Fairy Lady.
“Yes,” answered Mary Frances, “I must work in this order in making my
dolly’s dresses:
[Illustration:
Tape Placket. Tape folded.]
[Illustration: 18. Afternoon Dress]
[Illustration: 20. Party Dress (see INSERT 10)]
[Illustration: INSERT 6
PATTERN 18·
18. AFTERNOON DRESS]
This pattern plate should remain permanently in book so that tracings
on tissue paper can be made from it as required.
1. Basting of seams.
2. Fitting.
3. Altering, if necessary.
4. Sewing seams.
5. Facing the neck with the fitted facing.―Baste that on wrong
side; then turn to the right side; turn in, and hem down.
6. Facings on the sleeves in same way.
7. Pocket hemmed at top. Turned in, and basted in place; stitched
in place.
8. Buttons and button-holes.
“That’s your week’s work,” said Fairy Lady, “if you finish it for the
next lesson, I’ll be so proud.”
“And so will I!” laughed Mary Frances, resolving to work hard.
“Good-day, dear Thimble People.”
* * * * *
“I’ll help her if I dare,” said Scissors Shears.
“What could you do, now?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion. “You’re in
disgrace!”
“He could only undo,” said Needle Book.
“That will do!” said Sewing Bird.
[Illustration: “What shall I do?” began Scissor Shears]
[Illustration: CHAPTER XXIII]