COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.
FOURTH YEAR--SIXTH GRADE.
EQUIPMENT.
Sewing box.
Pin cushion--30 pins.
Thimble.
Needles.
Scissors.
Thread cards.
Practice Piece--unbleached muslin 9" x 12".
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
Prepare Thread Cards--Cardboard 4" x 4"--designed and cut for four kinds
of thread.
Exercise No. 31--Stocking Darning.
Exercise No. 32--Placket Sampler--A Placket.
Exercise No. 33--An Apron--Christmas Piece.[25]
Exercise No. 34--Placket Sampler--The Gusset.[26]
Exercise No. 35--Buttonholes.
Exercise No. 36--Placket Sampler--The Nightgown Opening.
Exercise No. 37--Hemstitched Collar or Handkerchief.[27]
Exercise No. 38--Placket Sampler--Bands.
Exercise No. 39--An Underskirt.
Exercise No. 40--Textile Fibers and Fabrics--Flax.
FOOTNOTES:
[25] See Electives, page 48.
[26] See Electives, page 48.
[27] See Electives, page 48.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXERCISES.
Teach the yard measure and its divisions.
See note under Exercise No. 35--Buttonholes.
[Illustration: STOCKINET DARNING.]
EXERCISE NO. 31--STOCKING DARNING.
_Materials:_ Stockinet 4" x 4"; cardboard 3" x 3"; darning cotton;
darning needle; a pair of worn stockings.
See description of Stocking Darning, page 67.
Pupils will furnish their own cardboard and have it cut and ready for
the lesson, also a pair of worn stockings.
The cardboard is a substitute for the darning ball. Do not stretch the
cloth too tightly over the card, nor put in a needless number of
stitches at the back to hold it on, five or six being sufficient to hold
it temporarily in place. The darning cotton winds from the spool in
several strands loosely twisted together. Separate and use two, three or
more strands, depending upon the texture of the cloth to be darned. Take
care not to split the threads when weaving across them, and also avoid
putting the threads so far apart that holes are left between them. In
fact, try to have pupils understand that they are supplying a piece of
cloth that has been worn away, and that when finished should match as
nearly as possible in color and texture the cloth that is being
repaired. Stockinet, like stockings, is a knitted, not a woven fabric,
and as every stitch is drawn through the one below it, it is very
necessary that the loops be caught before they ravel back. Prepare the
hole for darning by whipping the edge with fine thread, catching up all
the severed loops. Either a round or an oblong hole may be cut in the
stockinet, the round hole being three-fourths of an inch across, and the
oblong three-fourths of an inch by one inch.
Follow the exercise in stockinet darning, in which the principles of
darning have been taught, with the darning of a pair of worn stockings
that the pupils have brought from home. Every child in the class must be
given this practical and useful experience. If there is difficulty in
securing these stockings, members of the class or the teacher can
readily supply the deficiency.
EXERCISE NO. 32--PLACKET SAMPLER--A PLACKET.
_Materials:_ Calico 12" woof, 14" warp; facings and bands 58" x 2";
white thread No. 60; needle No. 8.
See description of Plackets, page 81.
Upon this sampler is taught the placket, the gusset, the nightgown
opening and two different methods of putting on bands, and in addition a
review of the French seam and the French fell. It is made in sections
which are combined later. These lessons are interspersed with other
exercises that the pupils may not become tired of this piece. Teach the
placket and the nightgown opening first on paper. It will save time and
trouble in the end. Fold the large piece of calico across the warp
through the center and cut on the fold. Fold one of these pieces with
the warp, through the center and cut. The first exercise of the "Placket
Sampler" is done on one of these quarters. As these sections are to be
sewed together later each girl must have her own pieces. To avoid the
possibility of their being lost or soiled, those not in use should be
wrapped in paper, labeled and collected by the teacher and kept until
ready for Exercise No. 34.
[Illustration: PLACKET SAMPLER (FRONT VIEW).]
First section of the Placket Sampler: Fold the piece of calico with the
warp, through the center and cut an opening on this fold five inches in
length. Then follow the directions for making Placket B. Facing eleven
inches by two inches.
EXERCISE NO. 33--AN APRON--THE CHRISTMAS PIECE.[28][31]
_Materials:_ Pupils will select and furnish their own materials for an
apron. This may be of any style or kind, and will afford an excellent
opportunity for carrying out their individual tastes. This may
necessitate the teaching of the principles of bands which can be done
with the practice piece. See description of Bands, page 79.
[Illustration: PLACKET SAMPLER (BACK VIEW).]
[Illustration: APRONS--EXERCISE NO. 33.]
EXERCISE NO. 34--PLACKET SAMPLER--THE GUSSET.[29]
Second section of the Placket Sampler.
_Materials:_ The second quarter of the large piece of calico; a two-inch
square of calico for the gusset.
Fold with the warp through the center, and cut an opening on this fold
five inches in length. Then follow the directions for making the gusset.
Sew the two sections together with the French fell. Hem the sides with a
quarter-inch hem.
EXERCISE NO. 35--BUTTONHOLES.
_Materials:_ Blue Percale 9" woof by 4" warp; scraps of calico for
practice pieces; white thread No. 40 and No. 80; needles No. 7 and No.
8.
Remember the old adage _Practice Makes Perfect_.
See description of the Buttonhole, page 63.
_Note:_ Scraps and odd pieces of calico can be used for the practice
work on buttonholes. As the buttonhole requires a great deal of practice
it is well to keep these pieces in the sewing box and work at it at odd
times during the progress of the years' work. Encourage the girls, too,
to practice on the buttonhole for home work. In this way they will
gradually acquire the skill which only comes with practice. Fold the
cloth, wrong side out, with the woof and through the center, and baste
the edges together. Begin with the blind buttonhole.
The buttonhole model is intended to show how much skill has been
acquired. Fold the percale through the center, with the _woof_, and
baste the edges together. Make the buttonholes three-fourths of an inch
long and one inch apart.
EXERCISE NO. 36--PLACKET SAMPLER--THE SHIRT SLEEVE OR NIGHTGOWN OPENING.
_Materials:_ Half of the large piece of calico; facing 18" x 2".
Fold with the warp through the center and cut an opening on this fold
five inches in length. Then follow the directions for the Nightgown
Opening. Hem the side of the narrower part with a quarter-inch hem.
EXERCISE NO. 37--A HEMSTITCHED COLLAR.[29][30]
_Materials:_ Butcher's linen, collar 15-1/2" warp by 3" woof, India
linen band 15-1/2" warp by 1-1/2" woof; practice piece 6" warp by 4"
woof; white thread No. 80; needle No. 8.
Measure the neck and decide upon the length of collar and width of hem
before trimming.
See directions for Hemstitching, page 76.
Put the collar band on the collar. The collars may be still further
ornamented with fine feather stitching, the star stitch or French knots.
EXERCISE NO. 38--PLACKET SAMPLER--BANDS--HEMMED AND OVERHANDED.
See description of Bands and Gathering, pages 68 and 79.
To avoid soiling the cloth put the bands on before seaming the halves of
the Placket Sampler together. This can be done with the exception of the
band on the long side of the nightgown opening, which will have to be
done after this side is basted to the other section, cut off and hemmed,
and will therefore be the last thing to be done on the Sampler. Put the
hemmed bands on the side having the placket and the gusset, and the
overhand bands on the side of the nightgown opening.
Length of bands: On the first half, short bands cut two inches, one and
one-half inches finished; long band cut four inches, three and one-half
inches finished; on the last half, bands cut three and three quarters
inches, three and one-quarter inches finished.
Sew the two sections of the Sampler together with the French seam. The
section having the two openings is a little narrower than the other.
Baste the two sections together, basting the little pleats at the end of
the placket and the nightgown opening, and sew them into the seam. Do
not cut off the long side until basted nearly across, then cut off and
hem the side. Finish with the last band.
EXERCISE NO. 39--AN UNDERSKIRT.
_Materials:_ Pupils will furnish their own material for an underskirt
for themselves. The patterns which their mothers use can be secured from
the home, or one pattern used by all the members of the class. These
skirts may be made plain or trimmed with tucked ruffles of cloth or with
embroidery, depending upon the wishes of the mothers, the skill and
taste of the individuals and the material furnished. Should there be
difficulty in securing material for the garment, a small model on the
half-inch scale or one of the electives can be substituted. Insist that
the work be well done, neatly finished and first class throughout. Use
sewing machines when available.
Points to emphasize in the making of a skirt:
1. Cut a correct pattern before beginning the
skirt. Do not trust to making corrections when
cutting out.
2. Baste the straight edge of one gore to the bias
edge of another when making a gored skirt. This
prevents the sagging which would occur if two bias
edges were sewed together.
3. Allow plenty in hem and tucks for letting down
when making garments for growing girls.
EXERCISE NO. 40--TEXTILE FIBERS AND FABRICS--FLAX.
Under the heading "Textile Fibers and Fabrics," page 94, will be found
subject matter which can be used in correlation with the geography,
language and history work. The sixth grade subject is Flax. Make a
collection of the flax products, fabrics, etc. A class set of
compositions, each member of the class taking different subdivisions of
the subject, would make an interesting collection which could be put
together in a simple binding done by members of the class.
See "Paper and Cardboard Construction," page 101.
ELECTIVES.
[28] Placket A may be substituted for the gusset, if desired.
[29] A pin cushion cover may be hemstitched in place of the collar. Make
this a square seven inches by seven inches, or an oblong five inches by
nine inches, or any size to fit a particular cushion that can be cut
from these pieces, or any size for which the pupils furnish their own
material.
[Illustration: ROUND BOTTOM BAG WITH RAFFIA COVERING.]
[30] Pupils who desire to furnish their own materials for a linen
handkerchief may substitute this for the hemstitched collar.
[31] Basketry may be substituted for the apron, or a clipping case or a
postal-card album may be made instead.
See "Paper, Cloth and Cardboard Construction," page 107.
THE ROUND BOTTOM BAG WITH A FANCY RAFFIA COVERING.
Make the bag any size desired; a circle of three or four inches in
diameter makes a practical one. Draw the pattern for the raffia covering
on paper, the circle for the bottom being the same size as that of the
bottom of the bag. The design for the sides may be in as many sections
as desired. The tops of these sections may be shaped to suit one's
taste--round, pointed or fancy. When the pattern is completed baste a
strand of raffia on the pattern, following the lines of the design. Then
closely blanket stitch with raffia on both sides of these strands. The
spaces may then be filled with fancy lace stitches.