[Illustration: “I’m Tomato Pin Cushion”]

Then Needle Book,

[Illustration: “I’m Needle Book”]

   “I’m Needle Book,
    Please take a look,
      And do not look awry;
    I hold within
    Without a pin,
      The Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try.”

Then Pen Cil,

   “I always do right.”

“That’s no rhyme!” exclaimed Scissors Shears.

“Well, it sounds better than

   “I’m Pen Cil,
    I present my bill.”

“Now,” said Sewing Bird,

    “The little Tom Thumb Folks
     Will all together bow―”

[Illustration: “Now,” said Sewing Bird]

“Bow, wow, wow!” finished Tommy Pin Cushion, and all the Thimble
People laughed. Their laughing sounded as if the button box had been
upset.

Then the needles and pins and buttons began to bow and dance, making
such a funny sight that Mary Frances nearly laughed aloud.

“Won’t our mistress be pleased with all of us!” exclaimed Tommy Pin
Cushion. “Come, pets!” and the needles and pins flew to him.

“Come, pets!” mimicked Emery Bag, and a few needles left Tommy Pin
Cushion to go to him.

“Piggy!” exclaimed Emery Bag, looking crossly at Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Oh, no,” said Tommy. “I’m just softer-hearted than you,―so they
cling to me.”

“Tee-hee,” laughed Silver Thimble; “but―our little Miss will be
pleased with this party, for―

   “We’re all here,
      We’re all here;
    Ready to see
      Our Mistress dear.”

[Illustration: “Come, pets!”]

Then came a whirring sound,

   “Zee-zee-zee-zee
      Zumm, zumm, zumm,
    Zumm, zumm, zumm,
      Zee-zumm, zee-zumm,
    Zee-zumm, zee-zumm-m-m”

and Mary Frances noticed the Sewing Machine wheels going around.

[Illustration: “Oh, my! Oh my!”]

“Oh, my! Oh, my!” exclaimed Sewing Bird, fluttering her wings and
tugging to get away from the table,

   “What an awful mistake,
    No song I can make―
      We forgot Ma!”

“Forgot whom?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Forgot me,” zummed Sewing Machine. “All theze dayz, my little onez,
I’ve been hearing theze lovely lezzons―but not one of you, no, not
one, remembered your Ma Chine! Zum! Zum!”

[Illustration: “Zee-zumm, zee-zumm-m-m”]

“What shall we do?” whispered the Thimble People.

   “Listen to what
      I zay, I zay!
    I will take part
      To-day, to-day!”

   “I cannot bear
      A thing like thiz,
    I wished to help
      Our little Mizz,
    Zumm! Zumm!”

[Illustration: Magic and Mystery]

Then all the Thimble People cried together,

   “Oh, Miss Ma Chine,
      Oh, our Ma Chine,
    Forgive us all―
      Don’t make a scene!”

“Zum! Zeee-zeum,” began Ma Chine, when Mary Frances stepped in the
door.

[Illustration: “Listen to what I zay, I zay!”]

“Magic and Mystery,” she said, smiling. “I heard it all―all the
lovely Presentation Party I couldn’t bear to interrupt it―and I do
thank you every one, my dear little friends―and my new friend, Ma
Chine.”

“Zum-zum,” hummed Sewing Machine softly.

[Illustration: “Oh goody! goody!”]

“Some day,” added Mary Frances, “when we have time, we will have the
Grand Presentation Party all over again.”

“Oh, goody! goody! won’t it be grand!” cried the Thimble People.

“To-day’s lesson,” began Fairy Lady, “is to make a kimono for Mary
Marie.”

Mary Frances gravely sat Mary Marie in a chair and opened her trunk.

“That Japanese crepe is just right for the purpose,” said Fairy Lady,
“with this plain lavender three-quarter inch ribbon for trimming.”

“Now comes

PATTERN 6.―DOLL’S KIMONO

See Insert I

  1. Cut out by pattern of bath robe.

  2. Clip several little gashes in the edge of the neck, and turn
  fronts and neck back on right side of goods one-quarter of an
  inch. Crease flat.

[Illustration: Clip several gashes in neck]

  Do the same to the ends of the sleeves.

  3. Lay three-quarter inch ribbon flat on top of the turned edges
  of the kimono. Baste.

  To fit ribbon around curves, gather it along the fuller edge.

[Illustration: Pin band to bottom of sleeve]

  4. Overhand, run, or stitch down the edges along the front
  opening of kimono and sleeves.

  5. Hem, run, or stitch down the opposite edge of the ribbon.

  6. Baste seams of kimono together on right side.

  Try on. Make French seams.

  7. Finish the bottom of kimono with a three-quarter inch hem.

  NOTE.―Instead of ribbon, trimming bands of plain lawn may be
  used. If these are used, proceed in the following manner:

  For neck and fronts, cut band exactly the same shape as the
  opening of kimono, making the band one and a half inches wide.

  Cut two sleeve bands each seven inches long and two inches wide.

  After turning in the edges of kimono opening, turn in the edges
  of the trimming band one-quarter inch.

  Lay it against kimono opening, fitting the neck carefully.

  Fold sleeve bands in half, lengthwise. Crease well.

  Open. Pin band flat against end of sleeve. Stitch one-quarter
  inch from edge. Turn over and crease. Turn down the other side of
  band one-quarter inch. Fold band along the center crease. Bring
  turned-in edge of band over the edge stitched to sleeve.

  Baste. Hem or stitch down.

[Illustration: Fit ribbon around curves]

[Illustration: Fairy Lady smiled]

Fairy Lady gave these directions very slowly, and Mary Frances
followed them carefully. When she came to stitching the band, Sewing
Ma Chine said, “Little Lady Seamstress, please just put that under my
foot, and it will be done in nearly no time.”

“Thank you, Ma Chine, but Mother wouldn’t let me,” said Mary Frances.

“Oh, I’ll be responsible!” said Ma Chine, and as Mary Frances set
the little sleeve under the foot, she began to whirl her wheels so
rapidly, Mary Frances couldn’t see them.

“Oh, thank you,” said the little girl. “Will you do the front
trimming band?”

“Yez, indeed,” said Ma Chine, singing “Zum-zum-zum!”

“Isn’t this delightful, Mary Marie!” exclaimed the little girl. “What
a lot of dear friends we have!”

Then Fairy Lady smiled. “The next is

PATTERN 7.―DRESSING SACK

See Insert I

  1. Cut out by pattern of bath robe, making it only as long as the
  row of pinholes marked Dressing Sack.

[Illustration: “I’ll be responsible”]

  2. Finish the fronts and neck, and sleeves by “pinking,” or
  notching closely with the scissors; or,

  3. Transfer the pattern for scallops given below.

  To do this―With a soft lead pencil, trace scallops through the
  tissue paper.

  Turn the tissue over, and lay the picture of scallops against the
  sleeves (and fronts), and trace over on the wrong side.

[Illustration: Feather Stitching]

  This will leave a penciled outline on the goods.

  Instead of this method, the outline of the scallops may be traced
  through tissue and “carbon” paper.

  With embroidery cotton, work the scallops in blanket stitch.

  THE DRESSING SACK MAY BE FINISHED WITH RIBBON OR BANDS, in just
  the same way as the kimono. Embroider the ribbon or bands with

31.―FEATHER STITCHING

  To learn to make the stitch, use linen canvas 3 in. by 7 in., and
  blunt needle and heavy red working cotton.

  1. Work toward you. Hold canvas over the left forefinger.

  2. Five threads in and down at left hand corner, draw needle
  through from underneath. Let thread hang.

  3. Count one thread to right, point needle downward slanting to
  hole directly beneath the hole needle first came through. Pull
  through.

  4. Repeat, inserting needle one hole to the left instead of
  right. Always let thread fall under point of needle on right side
  of canvas, before pulling it through.

[Illustration: Transfer pattern for scallops]

“Now try it on the bands of the dressing sack.”

“Good!” as Mary Frances held up the samplers. “Here is a puzzle,
riddle, or conundrum:

   “Mary Marie is feather-stitched―
    Yet not a feather is on her.”

Mary Frances laughed. “I wonder how she’d look in feathers,” she
said―

Then Sewing Bird sang:

   “She’d make a fine bird,
    Upon my word,
    She’d sing a sweet song,
    And the only thing wrong―
    Her feathers and song
    Would be tightly glued on!”

“Oh, Sewing Bird!” laughed Mary Frances, shaking her finger, “how did
you know the voice of a ‘talking doll’ was ‘glued on’?”

[Illustration: How did you know the voice of a ‘talking doll’ was
‘glued on’?]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXI]

CHAPTER XXI

AUNT MARIA MAKES A VISIT

   “NOW, one thing more,―
      A pinafore,
    We’ll make for a doll
      We almost adore.”

[Illustration: “A pinafore”]

“A pinafore!―Sewing Bird Lady,” exclaimed Mary Frances. “An apron
for Mary Marie?”

“Yes,” smiled Fairy Lady, “a big apron which she can use as a
dress until you make her some dresses―then she can use it as a
‘cover-me-up’ apron.”

“Oh, good!” said Mary Frances, “and, dear Fairy Lady, I want to tell
you―I’ve a lovely surprise! My Aunt Maria is coming to see us.”

“Aunt Maria―oh, does she love sewing?”

“Indeed she does! She made a bed quilt when she was―let me
see,―maybe―I think―it was when she was two years old.”

“Tee-hee!” giggled Tommy Pin Cushion.

[Illustration: “Tee-hee!”]

“Oh, I beg your pardon,” he said, pretending he had stepped on
Scissors Shears’ toes.

“A-chooo!” said Needle Book, pretending to sneeze.

[Illustration: “A-chooo!”]

“She must have been a wonderful child,” said Fairy Lady.

“She was,” said Mary Frances, “and the loveliest cook ever! She told
me all about it! She almost knew the Kitchen People.”

“Well, I’m glad such a delightful person is coming, I’m sure,” said
Fairy Lady, “but let us have as much done as possible before she gets
here. To do to-day’s lesson, we have to learn the best way for

32.―SEWING ON BUTTONS

  1. Make a pinhole where the button is to be sewed. Thread a No. 7
  needle with No. 36 cotton―the cotton double,―and make a knot.

  2. From the right side put needle down through the cloth in the
  pinhole mark, bringing the knot on the right side. The knot is
  then hidden under the button.

  3. Bring the needle partly through near the knot on the right
  side.

  4. Put the button on needle. Draw needle through.

  5. Take a stitch down through the opposite hole, and put a pin
  through this stitch.

[Illustration: Sewing on buttons]

  6. Sew through the holes, making a cross over the button and pin.

  7. Take out the pin. This will loosen the stitches.

  8. Bring out the needle from under side of cloth, between the
  button and cloth.

  9. Wind the thread around the stitches under the button three or
  four times. This allows for the thickness of the button hole.

[Illustration: “A lady to see you Miss”]

  10. Fasten on the wrong side.

  In sewing a button with a shank or loop, take several over and
  over stitches with double thread.

  If putting on a number of buttons, the button-holes should be
  made first, and the place for buttons be marked through them.

“When does Aunt Maria arrive?” asked Fairy Lady.

“I don’t exactly know,” said Mary Frances.

“Oh, I hope―” began Scissors Shears;―then the bell rang.

“A lady to see you, Miss,” said Katie, coming up-stairs.

“It’s Aunt Maria! It’s Aunt Maria!” exclaimed Mary Frances, jumping
down the stairs, two steps at a time.

[Illustration: Wind thread around stitches]

“Oh, dear Aunt Maria, how perfectly grand!” kissing the old lady
again and again. “Have you had lunch? Grandma always takes an outing
on Wednesday afternoons, and she’ll be so sorry not to be home to
welcome you!”

“But I feel very welcome,” laughed Aunt Maria, “and I have had lunch,
thank you, my dear.”

“Then you can come right up-stairs,” said Mary Frances, leading the
way to the guest-room.

[Illustration: “Come right up-stairs”]

After taking off her hat and smoothing her hair, Aunt Maria began:

“What are you doing, child, all alone this afternoon―are you often
alone? You have no chance to cook here, I imagine.”

“No, Aunt Maria,” said Mary Frances. “I’m very busy, never-the-less.”

“Busy!” exclaimed Aunt Maria; “and what do you do, pray?”

“S’sh! Aunt Maria―it’s another secret!”

“How lovely!” smiled the old lady.

“I’m―” standing on tip-toe to whisper into her aunt’s ear―“I’m
learning to sew.”

“No?” exclaimed Aunt Maria. “Why, my dear child, how―how can you
learn to sew? I know your grandma cannot see to teach you―her eyes
are too weak.”

[Illustration: “I feel very welcome”]

“Aunt Maria,” whispered Mary Frances, “I’ve some little friends who
know all about sewing, who teach me how―but it’s a ‘dead secret,’
and you must never, never, never tell―hope you’ll die if you
do―will you promise―skull and cross-bones?”

[Illustration: “May I see some of your work?”]

“Mercy! Child!” exclaimed the old lady, “what an awful vow! But I’ll
not tell, and if I give my word―”

“Oh, I am sure you won’t, Aunt Maria,―and―some day I’ll be able to
tell you _all_ about it.”

“Is it a book―like the cooking lessons,―that delightful secret? I
won’t tell.”

“My!” thought Mary Frances. “Wouldn’t Sauce Pan laugh!”

“Not exactly like that,” said Mary Frances aloud, “and I know you’ll
never-never tell, Aunt Maria,―but it’s a very-very serious secret,
for nobody knows―not even Mother.”

“May I see some of your work, my dear?”

“I’ll bring some to show you,” she said. “Excuse me, please.”

She stood on the threshold of the sewing room a moment before
entering. All the Thimble People were jumping around in excitement.

[Illustration: “My! wouldn’t Sauce Pan laugh!”]

“I tell you,” tinkled Silver Thimble, “it’s the Aunt!”

“It’s not!” piped the thinnest little voice Mary Frances had ever
heard.

[Illustration: “It’s not!”]

“Hello!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “That’s little Common Ordinary
Pin! You don’t know! You haven’t much of a head.”

“Maybe not,” answered the thin voice, “but we have some fine points.”

“Ha! ha!” laughed Tommy Pin Cushion.

“And we’re not stuck on ourselves!”

“Ha! ha!” laughed Tommy Pin Cushion again.

“No,” exclaimed Scissors Shears, “you’re stuck on Tommy Pin
Cushion―such taste!”

Mary Frances went into the room.

“Oh,” said Fairy Lady, “I was afraid you might not be alone.”

“Mary Frances!” came Aunt Maria’s voice from nearby.

Every Thimble person fell down where he was, and in a twinkle Fair
Lady became Sewing Bird.

“I thought I wouldn’t trouble you to bring your work to me, so I’ve
followed you to the sewing room,” said the old lady, “I thought I
heard―I’m quite certain I heard some one talking.”

[Illustration: “I was afraid you might not be alone”]

  17. Fur Lined Cape
  27. Rain Coat]

[Illustration: INSERT 5

PATTERNS 17·27·

  17. FUR LINED CAPE
  27. RAIN COAT]

This pattern plate should remain permanently in book so that tracings
on tissue paper can be made from it as required.

[Illustration: “Goodness!”]

“Oh, my!” thought Mary Frances.

“Goodness!” exclaimed Aunt Maria as they went into the room.
“Although I oughtn’t to say it―what an untidy room! My dear child,
my dear child, everything ought to be put in place just as soon as
you’ve used it. It never pays to lay anything down out of place. Here
are needles and pins, scissors and needle-book, emery bag, and what
not―tumbled over the table, and the work basket on its side! You’ll
learn better, though, child.”

There was a strange expression on the little girl’s face.

“It’s rude, Mary Frances, to smile when you’re in fault,” continued
the old lady.

“Excuse me, Aunt Maria,” said Mary Frances. “I couldn’t help it.”

“Well, I expect it’s because you’re so glad to see me,” said Aunt
Maria, leaning back in her chair and rocking.

[Illustration: Work basket on its side]

[Illustration: “Oh Aunt Maria!”]

“Never mind, we’ll look at your work. Very creditable, very
creditable indeed, child! Such excellent stitches,” examining the
little samplers, and finally the bath robe and kimono. “You certainly
do take after me. To think that so spoiled a child should develop
into such an excellent character! ‘Blood will tell!’ I’ve often said
it―‘Blood will tell!’ What pretty material! By the way, child, where
do you get the goods―if this is a secret?”

“Oh, Aunt Maria, Mother sent me this little trunk full of these
pretty things; and this lovely, lovely doll, Mary Marie, to amuse
myself with. She said she was so sorry not to be able to show me how
to sew, and hopes to, when she comes home. Dear Mother! Won’t she be
surprised?”

“Indeed she will,” said the old lady, examining the contents
of the trunk. “But,” she sniffed, “I am compelled to say less
beautiful goods would have answered the purpose. When I was a little
girl―well, never mind! Have you learned to make button-holes?”

“I can make the stitch, I think,” answered Mary Frances, meekly.

[Illustration: “Indeed she will,”]

“Well, I’ll teach you, child,” said Aunt Maria, getting a piece of
muslin ready. “Now, let us begin to learn how to make

33.―BUTTON-HOLES

[Illustration: Use Button-hole Scissors]

  All button-holes should be worked in a double fold of cloth. Use
  for practice, a piece of muslin six inches long and four inches
  wide. Fold through the center. Turn in and baste along edges.

(A) _To Cut_

  With button-hole scissors, cut into the goods one quarter of an
  inch from folded edge. Cut along a thread of the goods to make it
  straight. Make opening a little longer than the button is broad.
  For button-hole, use No. 40 cotton, No. 8 needle. Barring and
  overcasting are often done with a finer thread than that used for
  the button-holing.

(B) _To Bar_

  1. Make a small knot in thread.

  2. Put the goods over first finger, left hand―folded edge toward
  you.

  3. At the end of button-hole farthest from folded edge of cloth,
  insert needle between the double cloth, bringing it out at A.
  (See picture.)

  4. Point needle down at B; bring it out at A.

  5. Point needle down at C; bring it out at D. Do this twice.

  6. Point needle down at B; bring it out at A.

(C) _Overcasting_

  Overcast the edge on each side and end of the button-hole,
  catching the long “barring” threads.

[Illustration: To Bar      Overcasting]

(D) _Button-hole Stitch_

[Illustration: Button-hole stitch]

  1. With goods over forefinger of left hand, at end of button-hole
  farthest from the folded edge of the cloth, insert needle between
  the muslin; pull through, leaving a small end of thread between
  muslin.

  2. At same corner of button-hole, bring needle half way through.
  Taking both threads hanging from eye of needle between thumb and
  finger of right hand, pass the thread _under_ the point of the
  needle, from right to left. Pull needle through, drawing the
  thread firmly near the button-hole. This forms the purl, which is
  well adapted to the constant wear upon the button-hole.

  3. Repeat until needle is at first stitch taken.

(E) _Finishing_

[Illustration: Finished button-hole]

  1. Make barring stitches over the first barring stitches taken.

  2. Put needle through these barring stitches, forming the blanket
  or loop stitch,―make several loop stitches and bring needle to
  wrong side.

  3. Fasten thread by several small stitches.

  NOTE.―If thread is too short to finish button-holing, fasten it
  on wrong side of material. Enter the new thread on wrong side and
  bring thread through last button-hole purl, or twisted edge.

Aunt Maria gave Mary Frances these directions very slowly, making the
little girl do each step as she explained.

[Illustration: “My, that’s the hardest thing yet”]

“No, not that way, child,” she would say. “Sit up straight; place
both feet firmly on the floor; hold your sewing high; do not
stoop over. That is the correct position while sewing. Throw the
thread more carefully. No, not so long a thread―it will tangle.
Patience―child!”

“My,” exclaimed Mary Frances, “that’s the hardest thing I’ve done
yet. Am I very trying to teach?”

“Well,” said the old lady, “you might be more so―but that’s a real
respectable button-hole. But really, child, I must again repeat my
lesson to you about neatness. Never leave your sewing room as I found
it to-day.”

“There’s Grandma!” exclaimed Mary Frances, looking out the window.
“Come, Aunt Maria, let’s go down.”

“Is my necktie straight?” asked the old lady of Mary Frances, taking
her hand.

[Illustration: “Is my necktie straight?”]

[Illustration: “She is an old Grunt!”]

“My,” said Mary Frances, returning to the sewing room, “aren’t they
the dear old dears, talking together! A cup of tea and those two
old ladies―there’s nothing under the sun they can’t think of―from
Noah-and-the-ark to Forever-more! I wonder if I can finish Mary
Marie’s pinafore. I’m going to make Angie a lot of clothes like Mary
Marie’s.”

“Will the Old Grunt be back?” Scissors Shears was looking up at Mary
Frances.

“Who?” asked Mary Frances.

“The Old Grunt,” said Scissors Shears, “fussin’ and gruntin’ over
everything. We looked all right. She scared us―if we hadn’t dropped
where we were she might have found out about us―and if she’d found
out about us―we’d been Never-Nevers.”

“You must not call names,” said Mary Frances, gravely.

“She is an Old Grunt! So there! It was my work to teach you to make
button-holes, and I so wanted to do it!” burst out Button-hole
Scissors, excitedly.

He spread his funny little legs apart and looked up at Mary Frances
most forlornly.

“Rip-her-up-the-back! Butty,” growled Scissors Shears.

[Illustration: “It was my work to teach you!”]

“Be quiet!” exclaimed Mary Frances, “I’m ashamed of you both! I know
it’s an awful disappointment to you, Button-hole Scissors, but, never
mind, you shall help me sometime.”

“Magic and Mystery, we must―”

“Yes,” said Fairy Lady, smiling, “we must finish the pinafore. Here is

PATTERN 8.―DOLL’S PINAFORE

See Insert II

  To cut out―

[Illustration: The pinafore is not joined under arms]

  1. Fold goods lengthwise. Place edge of pattern having two rings
  (oo) on this fold. Pin in place. Cut out.

  2. Indicate place for straps and pocket by pricking with a pin,
  through pattern and material. Remove pattern.

  Run a red basting thread through the pinholes.

  3. Cut four straps, and the pocket.

  To make―

  NOTE.―The pinafore is not joined under the arms; therefore,

  1. Make a narrow hem along the sides of the front and back.

  2. Make a three-quarter inch hem along the bottom of pinafore.

  3. Make a tiny clip in the corners of the neck opening.

  Turn down one-quarter inch along neck on right side.

  4. Baste flat against this, one-half inch wide white linen tape.
  In turning corners, turn the tape completely over.

  5. Ends of sleeves, sides of sleeves, and sides and bottom of
  pinafore finished in same way.

[Illustration: Turn tape completely over]

_Pocket_

[Illustration: Pin in place]

  1. Make a quarter-inch hem at top of pocket.

  2. Turn in edges one-eighth inch. Baste.

  3. Pin in place shown on pattern. Hem, or stitch.

_Straps_

  1. Turn in edges of straps one-eighth inch all around.

  2. Baste two straps together, wrong sides facing each other.

  3. Overhand, or stitch together.

  4. Pin in place as shown by red basting thread, and sew in place
  through a button.

  Or, a button may be sewed to the pinafore, and a button-hole
  worked in each end of the straps.

  (If this is done, hem a small piece of goods on the wrong side of
  pinafore under the places for the buttons, so that the pulling of
  the button will not tear the goods.)

[Illustration: Sew strap in place through a button]

“And we’ll all help,―if you please.”

“Thank you, dear Thimble People,” said Mary Frances, spreading the
pretty gingham on the sewing table. “Work very quickly―I haven’t
many minutes. I’m so tired, anyhow,” and she leaned back in her
rocking chair.

[Illustration: “I think you may”]

“Mary Frances, Mary Frances, Mary Frances, dear!” called Grandma’s
voice.

“Oh,” thought Mary Frances, “I’ve been asleep. It’s twilight, nearly.”

“Yes, Grandma,” she called. “I’ll come right down.” And she looked on
the table expecting to see the gingham spread out, but it was nowhere
to be seen.

“Look at Mary Marie,” whispered Sewing Bird.

There sat the proud dolly with the gingham pinafore all made and
buttoned in place.

“How,―how?” stammered Mary Frances.

   “We took her over
      To Thimble Land;
    Over to our
      Fairyland,”

explained Sewing Bird.

“Can I go there some day?” asked Mary Frances.

   “I think you may,
      But not to-day;
    Perhaps you’ll go
      Another day!”

sang Sewing Bird.

[Illustration: There sat the proud dolly]

“Oh, thank you, you dear!” said Mary Frances.

“Come, Mary Frances,” again called Grandma. “Why, dear child,” she
said, kissing the little girl, “it’s nearly six o’clock, and we old
ladies have been so busy living in the past that we almost forgot the
present―that’s you.”

[Illustration: I’m learning to sew,” whispered Mary Frances]

CHAPTER XXII

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:

  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]

CHAPTER XXIII

THE FLANNEL PET

“DON’T you want to go with Grandma to-day?” asked her grandmother of
Mary Frances.

“Where, Nanny?” inquired the little girl.

[Illustration: “I dearly love monkeys”]

“Well,” said Grandma, “I’m going to take a trolley ride through the
park.”

“Where the monkeys are?” inquired Mary Frances.

“Yes,” said Grandma. “I thought you’d like to share my ‛afternoon
out.’”

“I dearly love monkeys,” said Mary Frances. “They crinkle up their
faces so!”

“Come, then,” said Grandma, “get your hat!”

Mary Frances ran up-stairs. This is what she heard:

“I do hope the little lady will have it finished!”

“What does she make to-day?”

“The flannel pet―”

“Oh, good!”

[Illustration: “Where the monkeys are?”]

“That’s Silver Thimble,” thought Mary Frances.

“Why do you say ‘Oh, good’?” asked Scissors Shears.

[Illustration: “Oh, good!”]

“Because,” answered Silver Thimble, “I know what fun she’ll have. I
feel closer to my little Miss than any of you others can.”

“Ha!” laughed Tommy Pin Cushion, “but not love her better.”

“The dear things!” thought Mary Frances, “and I was going to run
away! What can a flannel pet be? Is it a flannel cat, or rabbit, or
dog?”

“Mary Frances!” called Grandma.

“Listen, Nanny,” said the little girl leaning over the banister,
“will you feel much disappointed, dear Nanny, if I don’t go? I―I―”

“Why, no, my child!” said Grandma. Mrs. Bennett is going with me,
so I’ll have company, but I thought you’d be lonely. Good-bye,
dear,―take a nap if you feel like it.”

“Good-bye, Nanny dear,” smiled Mary Frances, throwing the old lady a
kiss. “She really does spoil me, I fear,” she thought. “I never had
my own way so exactly before.”

[Illustration: “Good-bye, Nannie dear”]

[Illustration: She dressed Mary Marie]

She dressed Mary Marie in the new morning dress.

“I certainly wish she had some petticoats,” thought the little girl,
taking her into the sewing room.

   “Oh, what fun!
    I see it’s done!
    Quite in distress,
    Without this dress,
    Would be, you see,
    Our Sweet Marie,”

sang Sewing Bird, admiring the morning dress.

“But the button-holes,” said Mary Frances, “are pretty poor, I must
say!”

“That’s because the Old Grunt taught you―” began Scissors Shears.

“Oh, my!” exclaimed Mary Frances.

“I forgot! I forgot!” said Scissors Shears. “I did, really and truly!
your Seamstress-ship. Will you please forgive me?”

   “Scissors and Shears
    Now, change your ears,”

laughed Mary Frances, and the funny little long-eared fellow was on
the table.

[Illustration: “I wish she had some petticoats”]

[Illustration: “I like my ears”]

“I’m sure I’ll not be able to use you to-day,” said Mary Frances,
“with those ears.”

“You tell me what to do,” said Scissors Shears, wagging his ears back
and forward. “I like my ears. They do not help me work―but I can
hear almost anything with them. I can hear what Tommy Pin Cushion is
thinking.”

“Goodness!” exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion. “You must be most unhappy!”

Mary Frances laughed.

“What is to-day’s lesson?” she asked.

Sewing Bird began to sing:

   “I see you haven’t guessed it yet―
    It’s just a little flannel pet.
    A period after pet. you’ll note;
    It’s short for flannel petticoat.
            Oh, de de dum dum!
            De-dee-dee!
            No one could guess it―
            That I see.”

[Illustration: “Goodness! You must be most unhappy”]

[Illustration: “Oh, thank you!”]

“Oh, Magic and Mystery,” laughed Mary Frances, “Mary Marie will be
delighted! She seems so chilly these days. I think she will soon be
able to say a few words. I tried to think she said ‘Ma-ma’ to me
to-day.”

“It is lovely to help make things for so sweet a child,” smiled Fairy
Lady.

“That is a great compliment,” said Mary Frances, “to her mother.”

“It isn’t only her lovely face,” said Fairy Lady; “it’s her charming
manners.”

“Oh, thank you!” said Mary Frances, “to a mother who tries to teach
the best to her child, that is most pleasing to hear.”

“There is even more in seeing her mother’s manner than in teaching
her, I think,” said Fairy Lady.

Mary Frances blushed with pleasure.

“And now,” said Fairy Lady, “ready for

PATTERN 10.―DOLL’S FLANNEL PETTICOAT

  Suggestions for material,―white woolen flannel.

  1. Make a pattern of ordinary wrapping paper.

  Use a ruler, making the pattern nine and one-half inches long,
  and five inches wide.

[Illustration: Use a ruler]

[Illustration: Felling on Flannel]

  2. Mark with two rings (oo) and an arrow (➸) as in picture.

  To cut out―

  1. Place end of pattern having two rings, on a lengthwise fold of
  material. Pin in place. Cut out.

  To make―

  (A) Leave one and one-half inches of the seam unsewed, for making
  of placket.

  Below this, join seam by

35.―FELLING ON FLANNEL

  A fell is a seam hemmed down to prevent edges from raveling.

  NOTE.―To learn to make a fell, use two pieces of flannel, each
  six inches long, and three inches wide. Practise with these,
  before attempting the fell on the petticoat.

  1. Place the pieces of flannel together, one edge extending
  one-eighth of an inch beyond the other.

  2. Baste a narrow seam. Stitch.

  3. Remove the bastings.

  4. Turn to other side of goods. With a warm iron, press the seam
  with wider side covering the narrower. Do not open it.

  In felling flannel, do not turn the wider part of the seam in,
  but leave it open, and baste down flat after pressing.

  Catch-stitch it down instead of hemming.

  (B) Make a Hemmed Placket.

  Do not turn flannel twice; but, after pressing, catch-stitch down
  over the raw edges.

[Illustration: To cut flannel petticoat pattern]

  (C) To Hem Petticoat.

  1. Turn up one-quarter inch on wrong side, at bottom of skirt.

  Baste, and press.

  Remove bastings.

  2. Turn up again on wrong side, three-quarters of an inch,
  measuring and basting carefully. Press.

  3. Feather-stitch in place along top of hem.

  Remove bastings.

[Illustration: Feather stitch hem]

  (D) Gather the top of petticoat.

  1. Cut a notch in the middle of the front of petticoat.

  2. Thread needle with No. 40 cotton. Use cotton double.

  Gather petticoat at top, commencing at notch, gather first in one
  direction, then in the other.

  3. Leave knots in each end of the threads.

  Make thread a little shorter than the length of the flannel.

  NOTE.―This petticoat is not to be sewed to a band; but is
  attached later, to Doll’s Underwaist.

Mary Frances had the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try in her hand, and
soon finished the petticoat.

“Good!” exclaimed Fairy Lady. “Now comes

PATTERN 11.―DOLL’S UNDERWAIST

See Insert III

  To cut out―

  1. Pin pattern with arrow edge on a lengthwise fold of lawn.

[Illustration: Pin on lengthwise fold of lawn]

  2. Cut two underwaists just alike.

  3. Clip a small notch (V) in the exact center of the bottom of
  each waist.

  To make―

  1. Baste the shoulder seams of one waist together. (_a_ to _a_;
  and _b_ to _b_.)

  Try on doll.

  Alter if necessary.

[Illustration: Try on doll]

  2. Stitch one-quarter inch from the edge.

  Open and flatten the seams.

  3. Turn in edges along the back one-quarter inch. Baste.

  Turn up bottom of waist one-quarter inch. Baste.

  4. Clip several small gashes along the neck.

  Turn in the edge of neck one-eighth of an inch. Baste.

  Do the same to the armholes.

  5. Do the same to the other waist.

  6. Pin and baste the two waists together, wrong sides facing
  each other. Overhand (or stitch) all edges together, _except the
  bottom_, which is left open for the flannel petticoat.

  7. To join flannel petticoat to underwaist―Insert gathers of
  petticoat between the two waists. Pin notches together, and baste
  in place. Hem down.

  8. Sew three buttons on left side of back of waist: one at the
  neck, one in the center, one at the bottom. Make the button-holes
  on the other side of back of waist.

  9. Sew one button at center front of waist, to fasten the lawn
  petticoat.

[Illustration: Overhand all edges together]

“Scissors Shears, do your best,” whispered Mary Frances, cutting into
the muslin for the dolly’s underwaist.

She felt Scissors Shears spring in her fingers.

“And now, not a word until it is finished!”

“What darlings!” she exclaimed, finally, holding up the little
underwaist and flannel petticoat.

“Are they finished?” asked Fairy Lady, leaning forward in her rocking
chair.

“Yes, all finished! If it hadn’t been for the
Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try, I’d have been a week doing them, I’m
sure,” said Mary Frances.

“I’ll put them right on Mary Marie,” she added, “she seems so cold.”

   “How must it be,
      How must it be,
    To be beloved
      As well as she?”

sang Sewing Bird.

“You are, dear Sewing Bird,” said Mary Frances. “Oh, dear little
Sewing Bird, indeed, you are!”

[Illustration: “Good!” exclaimed Fairy Lady]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXIV]

CHAPTER XXIV

THE WHITE PET

   “WE’RE not through yet,―
      There’s the white pet.
      Let’s not forget―”

[Illustration: Sang Sewing Bird]

“Oh, I know what the white pet is, Sewing Bird,” interrupted Emery
Bag. “It’s a white mouse! One of my uncles had a whole side eaten out
of him by one of those sweet pets. I won’t forget!”

   “Oh, my! oh, me!
      Let that be wrote,
    A _mouse_ is not
      A petticoat!”

sang Sewing Bird.

“Oh, you simple thing!” exclaimed Emery Bag. “Why didn’t you say
‘petticoat,’ then?”

[Illustration: “One of my uncles had a side eaten out”]

[Illustration: “If that is true Then this will do”]

   “If I take time
    To make a rhyme,
      A rhyme it then must be:
    If words won’t rhyme
    At any time―
      I cut them short, you see,”

sang Sewing Bird.

Then Emery Bag:

   “If that is true
    Then this will do:
    To Sewing Bird
    Any old word
    Will make a rhyme,
    If shortened hyme.

Isn’t that beautiful?”

“What does ‘hyme’ mean?” cried Sewing Bird.

“I haven’t made up my mind, yet, what it means,” said Emery Bag.
“Sewing Bird, you’ve got an awfully swelled head since―”

[Illustration: “What does ‘hyme’ mean?”]

“Nobody without a heart of steel would dare say such things to
Sewing Bird. Isn’t he brave?” whispered Tommy Pin Cushion.

[Illustration: “Reddy yourself!”]

“A Brave’s an Indian. I’m not an Indian!” retorted Emery Bag.

“Ready to fight any one!” said Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Reddy yourself!” exclaimed Emery Bag.

“Here!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “Here is some muslin on the table.
I’ll cut out the white pet,―petty,―petticoat! That’s parsed now, I
guess!”

“It’s not fit!” replied Emery Bag.

“It’s not fight, you mean,” interrupted Scissors Shears.

“It’s not fitted, you mean,” exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion.

“It’s not fit! I tell you!” again exclaimed Emery Bag.

“Well, Red-in-the-face―, Brave,” interrupted Scissors Shears,
“what’s not fit?”

“It’s all in the fit,” sullenly muttered Emery Bag.

“How do you know?” exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion. “Did you ever have a
fit?”

“Of course, I have! Whenever I have my cover on!”

[Illustration: “Ready to fight anyone!”]

[Illustration: Sang Emery Bag bowing]

   “Come what, come will,
      Then, this is it:
    It is not fit
      To fit a fit;
    If a fit fits you
      And you fit a fit,
    Put it on
      As you would a mit:
    Some say fight,
      But I say fit;
    If you want to make sure,
      Come try it!
    And this is double trouble―”

sang Emery Bag, bowing.

Everybody looked puzzled.

“It’s plain he’s in a fit,” exclaimed Scissors Shears.
“Rip-him-up-the-back!―If I don’t get to work, there’ll be no
petticoat to fit on Mary Marie,” and he dived into the muslin.

“Where’s the pattern?” he asked, looking up. “Oh, where’s the
pattern, Sewing Bird?”

Then Sewing Bird began:

[Illustration: “Oh, woe, alas! Oh, woe is me!”]

  21. Coat (FRONT)
  21. Coat (BACK)]

[Illustration: INSERT 7

PATTERN 21

21. COAT]

This pattern plate should remain permanently in book so that tracings
on tissue paper can be made from it as required.

[Illustration: “Magic and Mystery!”]

   “Oh, woe, alas!
      Oh, woe is me!
    Whenever they quarrel so,
      Can’t you see―
    Without this petty history―
      No pattern is for you or me,
    Without ‛Magic and Mystery!’
      Oh, woe! and more alases!”

“Magic and Mystery!” exclaimed Mary Frances standing in the doorway.

All the other Thimble People pretended to be asleep.

“Thank you, my dear!” exclaimed Sewing Bird Fairy Lady. “When they
quarrel so, I cannot change from Sewing Bird into Fairy Lady without
help,―but now,”―she added happily, “here is

PATTERN 12.―DOLL’S LAWN PETTICOAT

  1. Cut a pattern of ordinary wrapping paper, making it twelve
  inches long, and five and one-half inches wide.

  2. Mark on one end, two rings (oo) and an arrow (➸).

  3. To mark tuck―

[Illustration: “Thank you, my dear!”]

  At one end, measure up two and one-half inches from bottom of
  pattern. Mark with a dot. Do same at other end.

  Join these marks with a straight line.

  Write along this line the word―TUCK.

  One-quarter inch above this line, draw dotted line.

  One-quarter inch below tuck line, draw dotted line.

[Illustration: Tracing wheel]

  To cut out―

  1. Pin arrow end of pattern on a lengthwise fold of white dimity
  or lawn. Cut out.

  2. Marking tuck.―With a large pin, prick through pattern and
  lawn, along the tucking lines, making holes about half an inch
  apart; or, mark lines with a tracing wheel against a ruler.

  3. Cut Band for Petticoat by Pattern 11.

  See Insert III.

  To make―

  1. Join ends of petticoat with felled seam, making seam but three
  inches long, leaving it open above that, in order to make a
  placket.

  2. In making a placket, use one-quarter of an inch hem on left
  hand side, and one-half an inch hem on right hand side. Fold
  broad hem over narrow; secure at lower end with two rows of
  stitching.

  3. Make the tuck.

36.―MAKING TUCKS

  (_a_) Crease material back along the middle row of pinholes.

[Illustration: To mark tuck]

  (_b_) Stitch tuck on upper side, sewing through the other rows of
pinholes.

[Illustration: Overhand lace to hem]

  NOTE.―In making several tucks, mark in the same way, and
  proceed in a like manner; but remember to cut the material
  sufficiently long to allow for the making.

  4. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom of petticoat.

  5. Gather top in same way as flannel petticoat.

  6. Set the gathers into petticoat band, as in making the
  little “tie around” apron.

  (See 21.―Setting Gathers in Band.)

  7. Make button-holes in band: one in center front, cutting it
  _across_ the band; and one in each end of band, cutting it
  _in the direction of the length of the band_.

  8. Overhand half-inch lace edging to the hem. A half yard of
  edging will be needed.

“And I’m going to shut my eyes and go to sleep while you do it,” said
Fairy Lady, leaning back in the rocking chair.

She looked so beautiful, Mary Frances would have liked to kiss
her―then just to sit still, and look at her; but she thought,

“When she is so dear and kind, and when all the Thimble People want
to help me so much, I ought not to loiter.”

[Illustration: Make button-holes in band]

[Illustration: “I’m here!” said a little tiny voice]

“I’m here!” said a little tiny voice, and, to be sure, it was Silver
Thimble.

“And I!”―it was Needle Book.

“And I!”―Scissors Shears.

“And will you all help?” asked Mary Frances. “I’m so glad!―and then
I’ll have to do only the new lesson?”

“Only the new,―and here’s the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try,” said
Needle Book.

“Why, everything’s nearly done!” exclaimed the little girl in a few
minutes. “What wonderful people the Thimble People are!”

“And now,” smiled Fairy Lady, “ready for

PATTERN 13.―DOLL’S DRAWERS

See Insert IV

  To cut out―

  1. Pin arrow edge of pattern to lengthwise fold of goods,
  clipping notches carefully.

  2. Remove pattern, and cut another leg just like this one.

  3. Cut band by pattern of petticoat band.

  To make―

  1. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom of each piece.

[Illustration: “Here’s the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try”]

  2. Make French seams, or a fell, from bottom of each piece to
  notch.

  3. Make one-eighth inch hem from notch on each side, to top.

  4. Gather each piece at top.

  5. Pin the end of one narrow hem to double notch (VV) in top of
  other piece.

  6. Pin the center of the then-double material to the center of
  the band, spreading the fullness of the gathers to the hips and
  back only―_no fullness in front_.

  7. Make button-hole in right hand end of band.

  Sew button on other end.

  NOTE.―If trimming is desired,―cut two ruffles, each five inches
  long, and one and one-half inches wide; and learn to make

37.―WHIPPED RUFFLE

[Illustration: Whipped ruffle]

  1. Hem the lower edge of ruffles, and overhand lace on the hem.

  2. Roll the upper edge of the muslin to the right side of goods,
  as you have rolled paper edges. Do not fold it. Practice rolling
  paper if the muslin seems difficult to manage.

  3. With a No. 6 needle, and No. 40 cotton, overcast the rolled
  edge, taking the stitches no deeper than the roll.

  4. Draw ruffle up to size needed.

  5. Fell the two ends of each ruffle together; and overhand the
  ruffles to the legs of the drawers, sewing into each “whipping”
  or overcasting stitch as nearly as possible.

  NOTE.―Fine goods whip more easily than coarse.

[Illustration: Put into band]

Mary Frances looked at Fairy Lady.

“She’s sound asleep,” she thought. “Won’t I surprise her!”

“What, all finished?” laughed Fairy Lady.

“Where were you, dear Fairy Lady?” asked Mary Frances.

“I was here―and tapes and tapes away;―away―away―away in Fairy
Thimble Land.”

[Illustration: “She’s sound asleep,―won’t I surprise her!”]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXV]

CHAPTER XXV

CAN THE DOLLY TALK

“SAY, are you a really-person? Say, I say, are you real? You look so
swell and so beautiful,―can you talk?―say, can you? I wonder if I
can touch you, you pretty Mary Marie.”

[Illustration: “Can you talk?”]

Scissors Shears took a step nearer the doll.

“My, I wish you could talk! I’d like you to hold this muslin for me
while I cut out your rompers. What! You won’t talk? You just sit
looking at me―Stupid! You must think I want something to do! Humph!
I wouldn’t be a doll, no!

   “I wouldn’t be a dolly, a dolly, a dolly!
    I’d rather be a polly, a polly, a polly!
    For a dolly can’t talk,
    And a polly can talk;
    And a dolly can’t walk,
    And a polly can walk;
    I wouldn’t be a dolly, a dolly, a dolly!
    I’d rather be a polly, a polly, a polly.

[Illustration: “You just sit looking at me―Stupid!”]

“‛Pretty Poll!’ she can say―‛Pretty Doll!’―try it! Say,
please try it, Mary Marie! Try it! I say! Doll, try it! If
you don’t, you’ll be sorry! Say ‛Pretty Doll!’ say it! I say;
or,―I’ll-cut-your-acquaintance;―then what’ll you do?

[Illustration: “Pretty Doll!”]

“You won’t get your rompers―maybe;

“You won’t get your bloomers―maybe;

“You won’t get your pajompers―maybe.

“Oh, you make me tired, you pretty, proud, sweet, lovely-looking
thing! Speak, I say, speak! Say ‛Bow-wow-wow!’ if you can’t talk, or
even say ‛Meow!’

“I’ll give it up, I guess. My, I should think she’d be ashamed not to
thank us at all for her fine clothes.”

[Illustration: “Please try it, Mary Marie”]

[Illustration: “Look out there, don’t fall”]

“Oh, she’s only a baby!” said Tommy Pin Cushion. “Babies can’t talk!”

“Humph, I s’pose you know, ’cause you’re a cry-baby!” exclaimed
Scissors Shears.

“I’m not a cry-baby!” exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Yo’ are! Yo’ are!” cried Scissors Shears. “I can prove it!”

“I’m not! Am I, Sewing Bird,―am I?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion, the
tears rolling down his fat red cheeks.

“If you could see yourself, you’d know you are!” snapped Scissors
Shears.

“Look out there, don’t fall!” cried Yard Stick, seeing Scissors
Shears toppling dangerously on the table edge.

“Oh, look out yourself,” snapped Scissors Shears, “you’re just as
likely to―”

“I always stand firmly on my three feet,” retorted Yard Stick.

“It takes a whole yard to hold them―ha-ha!” laughed Scissors Shears.

Then interrupted Sewing Bird, singing:

[Illustration: “I’m not a cry-baby!”]

          “Come, come!
           You’re all in fun―
           So why get mad,
           And make all sad?
    The little Miss may hear―
    So, Tommy, dry up every tear,
    And, Thimble, sheath your little spear,
    And, Scissors, don’t you act so queer,
    Or else your Mistress may appear.”

[Illustration: “Come, come! You’re all in fun―”]

Just at that moment in stepped Mary Frances, who had heard every
word. The Thimble People looked silly; but she pretended not to
notice.

“Oh, my dear Magic and Mystery,” she said, “to-day I had another
letter from my mother, and she says:

“‘Perhaps you can try to learn a few stitches from the patterns I
send you by mail, and you can send me the samplers you make. They
will be Sewing Lessons by Mail, and we’ll pretend you are taking a
Correspondence Course.’

“Oh, Sewing Bird Fairy Lady,―if it doesn’t seem a trifle
dis-re-spect-a-ble,―I mean dis-re-spect-ful, ―my mother’s stitches
aren’t as nice as mine! Look!”

[Illustration: “Sewing Lessons by Mail”]

[Illustration: Fairy Lady smiled thoughtfully]

Mary Frances held up the sampler.

“I want to know what is the right thing to do, Fairy Lady, I would
love to surprise my dear mother when I get home; and yet I don’t want
to deceive her by not telling her that I know something about sewing.
What shall I do?”

Fairy Lady smiled thoughtfully. “You might tell her you have a little
friend who―”

“Excuse me―friends!” corrected Silver Thimble.

“‛Friends,’” repeated Fairy Lady, “who taught you a little about
sewing. It would make your mother happy, I should think.”

“Yes!” nodded Mary Frances. “Of course, that’s right! And I will feel
much nearer to my mother then, and can tell her some day. Do you
know, Sewing Bird Fairy Lady―I would,―even as much as I love my
dear Grandma,―I would be ex-ceed-ing-ly lonely without my Thimble
People.”

“Lottie, who lives across the street,” she went on, “is lots of fun.
I want to teach her to sew some day―may I, Fairy Lady?”

[Illustration: “Lottie is lots of fun”]

“Oh, to be sure,” said Fairy Lady, “after you have finished with us.”

“But I don’t want you to be Never-Nevers!” said Mary Frances.

“Perhaps there’ll be a way,” suggested Fairy Lady.

[Illustration: “For Billy”]

“How delightful!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “Oh, I want to show you the
pillow cover I bought to-day for Billy.”

“How lovely!” exclaimed Scissors Shears, Silver Thimble, Needle Book,
Tommy Pin Cushion, and Emery Bag, all at once.

“Yes, isn’t it? Let me read you his letter:”

  _Woodcraft Camp._

  _Dear Mary Frances:_

  _Glad to hear Grandmother is well. Say, I wish you knew how to
  sew! Some of the fellows have the swellest sofa pillows on their
  cots. Maybe you’ll learn some day. Mother wrote me about the
  lessons she wants to give you by mail. It’s a rattling good idea.
  (I crossed out “rattling” because we’re not encouraged to use
  slang.)_

  _See you in September. So long!_

  _Good-bye,      Billy._

[Illustration: “How delightful!”]

“So you see, Fairy Lady, it is almost absolutely necessary for me to
learn to sew.”

[Illustration: “How―?” began Needle Book]

“On buttons,” said Needle Book.

Mary Frances laughed. “Yes, that was a necessity, and I suppose the
pillow is a luxury, but I am so pleased that I can make it. See, it
has a flag to be worked in red, white, and blue.”

“How―?” began Needle Book.

“Why, same as I did the kittens on the doll’s apron,” said Mary
Frances.

“Of course!” smiled the Fairy Lady.

“And you don’t need help with it! Isn’t that fine! The sooner we
finish the lesson,―” began Scissors Shears.

“Hush!” said Fairy Lady, holding up her bodkin wand.

Scissors Shears fell down. “Excuse _me_!” he exclaimed.

“Oh, yes,” said Mary Frances. “What is to-day’s lesson, please? I’m
wasting time!”

[Illustration: “Excuse _me!_”]

“Well,” smiled Fairy Lady, “it doesn’t matter so much now,―for
the King of Thimble Land sent you this package, saying to read the
instructions and to ask me any questions you wish at next lesson, if
you do not understand―and he will give you the greatest honor ever
bestowed upon a little girl―he will―”

[Illustration: The metal Sewing Bird]

“Lend you―even when not in lessons―the
Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try,” finished Needle Book, bowing before
Mary Frances.

“Oh, please bear to His Majesty my gratefulest gratitude!” said Mary
Frances, wondering if that were the right way to send a message to a
King.

“Oh, my goodness!” screamed Fairy Lady, turning almost white.
“There’s a cat!” And she immediately changed into the metal sewing
bird on the edge of the table.

“It’s only Jubey!” laughed Mary Frances, “Aunt Maria sent her to me
for fear I’d be lonely. I’ll never let you come here again, Jubey,”
she said, picking up the kitten.

Then she opened the package from the King of Thimble Land, and this
is what she found:

PATTERN 14.―DOLL’S ROMPERS

See Insert IV

  To cut out―

  1. Fold goods crosswise. Lay pattern with edge having two rings
  (oo) on the fold.

[Illustration: “It’s only Jubey!”]

  2. Pin in place. Cut out.

[Illustration: Fold _lengthwise_ and _crosswise_]

  3. With a large pin, prick through the rows of pinholes marked
  FRONT. Or use a tracing wheel.

  4. Remove pattern.―Spread the rompers open on a table. Cut _one
  end_ of rompers off, along the rows of pinholes.

  To cut Neck Band―

  Cut a piece of white lawn ten inches long and five inches wide.

  5. Fold lawn crosswise.

  6. Fold lawn lengthwise. Pin.

  7. Place pattern with both the edges having double rings (oo) on
  _folded_ edges of lawn.

  Pin in place. Cut out.

  To cut Belt―

  Cut a piece of lawn fourteen inches long, and four inches wide.
  Fold _lengthwise_, and _crosswise_.

  8. Pin pattern with both edges having double rings (oo) on a fold
  of lawn. Cut out.

  9. Cut sleeve-band with double rings on crosswise fold of lawn.

  To make―

  1. Turn in both edges of the neck-band one-eighth inch. Baste.

  2. Lay rompers flat upon table, and pin and sew neck-band in
  place in the same way as in Morning Dress.

  3. Fold rompers _lengthwise_. From the neck, cut a placket down
  the fold five inches. _Be certain to cut placket in the back_ of
  the rompers. The back is longer from the neck line than the front.

[Illustration: Run elastic in the hem]

  4. Make placket as in Morning Dress. Fasten with buttons and
  button-holes.

  5. Join rompers under arms with French seam.

  6. Join curved edges with French seam.

  7. Make a half-inch hem at end of each leg. _Leave the hem open_
  one-half inch at the top. Through this opening run a narrow elastic.
  After joining ends of elastic, finish the hemming.

[Illustration: To make Belt]

  8. If desired, cut a pocket by the pattern of the pinafore-pocket.
  (See Insert II.)

  Sew in place on left side of rompers in position shown by dotted
  lines on pattern.

  9. TO MAKE BELT.―Clip a tiny gash between the two points at each
  end of belt. Turn in outer edges of belt one-quarter inch.

  Fold belt in half _lengthwise_. Stitch or overhand the edges.
  Make button-hole in one end. Sew button on the other end.

  _Sew belt in place_ in middle of back of rompers―as shown on
  pattern. Sew to the button-hole side of rompers.

PATTERN 15.―DOLL’S BLOOMERS

See Insert III

  1. Cut by pattern of rompers,―_making only as long as the line
  marked_ BLOOMERS.

  2. Make in same way as rompers.

  3. Make a half-inch hem in the top. Run elastic in the hem and
  fasten off in same way as ends of legs of rompers.

[Illustration: Tack strap under]

  22. Automobile Bonnet
  24. Muff
  24. Tippet
  28. Polo Cap]

[Illustration: INSERT 8

PATTERNS 22·24·28·

  22. AUTOMOBILE BONNET
  24. MUFF & TIPPET
  28. POLO CAP]

This pattern plate should remain permanently in book so that tracings
on tissue paper can be made from it as required.

PATTERN 16.―DOLL’S LEGGINGS

See Insert IX

  NOTE.―Make leggings of old kid gloves.

  1. Cut two of each piece of pattern No. 16.

  Pin three pieces _not alike_ together.

  2. Baste the three pieces not alike, together, matching two
  single notches, and two double notches, _making top and bottom of
  legging even_.

  3. Stitch in a plain seam.

  Sew little “shank” buttons on one side, and cut button-holes in
  the other side, as indicated on pattern.

  Do not attempt to work button-holes in kid.

  4. Turn strap under and “tack” (sew with several stitches over
  and over each other) in place on wrong side of opposite piece, as
  indicated in pattern.

  NOTE.―Always _baste with right sides facing each other_, in
  making the leggings.

  _Yours for happy stitches,
  His Nibs,
  King of Fairy Thimble Land._

The little girl made everything the King sent.

[Illustration: The little girl made everything the King sent]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXVI]

CHAPTER XXVI

A FUR-LINED CAPE FOR PARTIES

[Illustration: “Our livings of course”]

“I CAN’T wait! I simply cawn’t!” Mary Frances paused at the door. It
was Scissors Shears again.

“Pray, why ‛cawn’t’ you?” mimicked Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Ah, don’t you know? To-day’s lesson is so ‛el-e-gan-tis-si-mus!’”

“What do we make―I mean what do we help make?” asked Tommy Pin
Cushion.

“Our livings, of course,” clicked Scissors Shears.

“Oh, you simple, silly old sharp-tongued―!”

“There, there, that will do!” said Scissors Shears; “ask Sewing Bird.”

“What do we make, Sewing Bird, please?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion. “I
didn’t hear.”

[Illustration: “What do we make”]

   “A pretty thing
      Of funny shape―
   A dainty, party
     Fur-lined cape,”

sang Sewing Bird.

[Illustration: “Use Jubey!”]

“Oh, ho! Hee-hee!” laughed Scissors Shears. “I bet we’ll have to use
Jubey.”

“What for?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion.

“For the fur,” said Scissors Shears.

“I guess not, I guess not,” said Mary Frances stepping into the room.
“Use Jubey! I’d rather Mary Marie would never have a fur-lined cape,
Magic and Mystery!”

“Of course,” said Fairy Lady. “Oh, of course! By the way,―where is
that cat?”

“She’s down-stairs,” said Mary Frances, “hunting mice in the cellar.
Grandma asked me to let her be there.”

“That’s all right,” said Fairy Lady, “I feel a little more
comfortable to know she is more interested in mice than in birds, at
present. You see, she seems to birds very much as lions do to people.”

[Illustration: “Hunting mice in the cellar”]

[Illustration: To make ‛near-ermine’]

“I’ll take good care that she doesn’t come ups-tairs again, dear
Fairy Lady,” said Mary Frances. “But do I really need fur for
to-day’s lesson?”

“Have you any fur in Mary Marie’s trunk?” asked Fairy Lady.

“No,” said Mary Frances. “That is one thing that isn’t here.”

“What is that?” asked Fairy Lady, peering into the trunk. “Is it very
thick white outing flannel?”

“Yes,” said Mary Frances, holding up the soft, fleecy material.

“Good!” laughed Fairy Lady. “Good! Now, fetch a bottle of ink and a
big toothpick.”

[Illustration: Bottle of ink and big toothpick]

“What in the world?” thought the little girl.

“I will show you how to make ‛near-ermine’ fur,” said Fairy Lady,
dipping the broad end of the large toothpick into the ink, and making
black tail-like marks on the flannelette.

“Oh, how sweet!” exclaimed Mary Frances.

“Isn’t it pretty?” said Fairy Lady. “This is for the lining. What
will the outside of the cape be?”

“Here is some heavy blue silk,” said Mary Frances.

“Lovely!” exclaimed Fairy Lady. “You can cut out the cape, then pin
it to the flannelette, and cut out the lining. Then unpin it, and
mark the lining like this, to imitate ermine;―and here is another
parcel from the Thimble King.”

Mary Frances opened the package and read aloud:

PATTERN 17.―DOLL’S FUR-LINED CAPE

See Insert V

  To cut out―

  1. Pin pattern with the Straight Edge of FRONT on a lengthwise
  edge of material. Cut out, carefully making all notches.

  2. Cut another piece exactly like this.

  3. Cut lining in exactly the same way.

  4. Cut collar with the two ring (oo) edge of pattern on a
  lengthwise fold of material.

  5. Cut collar lining in same way.

[Illustration: Baste along edges]

  To make―

  NOTE.―Make the outside of the cape first. The lining is made in
  exactly the same way.

  1. TO MAKE CAPE.―Pin the two pieces together with the right
  sides facing each other.

  2. Baste the long seam (having three single notches).

  Open the cape.

  3. Baste the shoulder seams, matching the notches carefully.

  4. Try on doll. Alter cape, if necessary. Stitch seams.

  5. Make the lining in the same way.

[Illustration: Mary Frances opened the package]

  Press open all seams.

  6. Turn in outside edges of cape and lining one-quarter inch,
  except at the neck. Baste. Press.

  7. Pin lining in cape, wrong sides facing, carefully fitting seam
  to seam. Overhand or stitch outside turned-in edges.

  8. Baste collar and collar-lining together. Stitch an
  eighth-of-an-inch seam along all edges except the neck-edge.

  Turn inside-out. Baste along edges. Press.

  9. Sew the collar to the cape, in same way as an apron band,
  first pinning the double notches in the outside of the collar to
  the double notches in the outside of the cape.

  10. Fasten cape with a hook and eye.

“My, I do hope such finery won’t make Mary Marie vain!” said Fairy
Lady.

“No,” said Mary Frances, “I think it won’t. I’ve explained to her
that she must divide with all her sisters-in-law, and step-sisters,
her whole outfit. It seems almost like a trousseau.”

“That’s true and sew!” exclaimed Scissors Shears.

[Illustration: My, I do hope such finery won’t make Mary Marie vain”]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXVII ]

CHAPTER XXVII

A “DRESS-UP” DRESS

“GOOD-AFTERNOON, your Seamstress-ship,” welcomed Sewing Bird.

[Illustration: “Good-afternoon”]

“Good-afternoon, dear Thimble People,” said Mary Frances. “I was so
sorry that I had to miss last week’s lesson! Grandma didn’t take her
afternoon out, and little Lottie was over here to play.”

“I know,” said Scissors Shears. “I heard you; I had on my long ears.”

“You did!” laughed Mary Frances. “Well, did you hear me promise to
give her some little helps in dressing her doll? I would dearly love
to make something for her doll―a dress, I think. She is just the
size of Mary Marie.”

“What’s her name?” asked Scissors Shears.

“The doll’s name, do you mean? Katy-did.”

[Illustration: “Good-afternoon, your Seamstress-ship”]

   “Oh, bless my bill!
      Oh, what a name!
   If Katy-did―
     It is a shame,”

sang Sewing Bird.

[Illustration: “Katie-did what?”]

“Katy did what?” asked Scissors Shears, staring at Mary Frances.

“Katy-did Nice,” answered Mary Frances.

“You mean nicely, I think,” said Scissors Shears.

“No,” said Mary Frances. “Nice is Lottie’s last name. The whole name
of Lottie’s doll is―Katy-did Nice. Can’t I make her a dress?”

“Well,” answered Sewing Bird, slowly, “if you do, you may be asked
about us; and if you answer the question truly, we’ll never, never be
able to do anything more.”

“Never! Never!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “I’d rather never make the
dress for Katy-did Nice.”

   “If you wait
      And do not fret,
    You’ll get your wishes
      Even yet,”

sang Sewing Bird.

[Illustration: “Katie-did Nice”]

“Oh, thank you, dear Magic and Mystery,” said the little girl. “I
will be patient,―indeed I will!”

“Well, then,” said Fairy Lady, “here is to-day’s message, and gift
from the King of Thimble Land.”

Mary Frances took the package. It was tied with golden thread and
fastened with a sunbeam.

“Press the sunbeam,” smiled Fairy Lady, “and the package will open.”

Out fell

PATTERN 18.―DOLL’S AFTERNOON DRESS

See Insert VI

[Illustration: First tuck]

  To Tuck Dress―

  1. Cut the material twenty-four inches long, and eighteen inches
  wide.

  2. Find center by folding the goods crosswise. Crease.

  3. Spread material open. Measure five and one-half inches down on
  both sides of the crease.

  Mark across the goods with pins―then with red bastings.

  4. Fold material lengthwise. Crease well, between red bastings.

  Spread the material open. Run a blue basting thread down this
  center crease.

  5. Measure three-quarter inch from the blue basting to the right,
  _along the red bastings_. Mark with pins.

[Illustration: Mark tucks each side center basting]

  6. Fold and crease from pin to pin, being careful to keep a straight
  line.

  7. Baste three-eighth of an inch from edge of fold, through the
  double cloth.

  8. Do same to left of center crease.

  9. To make another tuck―Lay tuck already made, backward toward
  center.

  Then measure from edge of fold of tuck one and one-half inches, along
  each red basting line. Mark with pins.

[Illustration: Cut four collar pieces]

  10. Make new tuck in same way as first tuck.

  There should be two tucks each side of center crease.

  11. Stitch tucks along the basting lines.

  NOTE.―When tucking is finished, compare it with the pinholes on
  pattern.

  ALL THESE TUCKS are laid and creased to the bottom of goods
  before cutting out dress.

  To Cut Out Dress―

  1. Fold goods crosswise. Pin pattern in place, with edge having
  double rings on the fold. Cut out.

  2. With a pin, prick through the dotted belt lines.

  3. Cut four collar pieces. Pin arrow (➸) edge of collar pattern
  on a lengthwise edge of goods.

  4. Cut two belts, with double rings on a lengthwise fold of
  material.

  5. Cut two sleeve-bands by sleeve-band pattern of Morning Dress
  (Pattern 9).

[Illustration: Two tucks each side center]

  6. To Cut Skirt Trimming Band.―Remove pattern from dress.
  Spread open the skirt part. Lay it upon the plain trimming
  material. Pin in place.

  7. Cut off at edge of skirt. Make this band one and one-half inches
  wide. Cut two such bands.

  To Make Dress―

  1. Join seams of skirt trimming-band.

  2. Stitch sleeve-bands in place, as for Morning Dress.

  3. Make placket and make button-holes, and sew on buttons.

  4. Join underarm with French seams.

  5. Face (right side of) bottom of dress with skirt trimming-band in
  the following way:

  “Facing” is making a false hem.

  On the wrong side of the skirt, lay the skirt trimming-band with the
  lower edge even with the bottom of the skirt.

  Baste. Stitch one-quarter inch from edge.

[Illustration: Sew belt fast through a button]

  6. Remove bastings. Turn band over to right side.

  Crease along the seam. Baste along the seam.

  Turn in edge of trimming-band (or facing) one-quarter inch.

  Baste band flat against dress. Stitch (or hem) in place.

  7. Make each belt in same way as belt for rompers.

  8. Make two collars in same way as collar for fur-lined cape.
  Pattern 17.

  9. Sew collars fast to dress, first pinning notch to the
  fold-crease of the shoulder at the neck.

  Attach collars to dress in same way as underwaist to flannel
  petticoat.

[Illustration: Lay edge of skirt on trimming band]

  10. Pin belts in place shown on pattern. Fasten each belt
  in two places only. On the point, which lies over a plait, sew
  belt fast, through a button.

  These belts hold the fullness of the dress, under arms, in place.

  _Best wishes to the little girl who “tries.”_

  _King Thimble._

[Illustration: “Can you get along without our help?”]

“How beautiful!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “Please thank His Majesty,
dear Thimble People.”

“Can you get along without our help, please?” asked Scissors Shears.

“Well,” said Mary Frances, “the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try, you
know,―”

“But,” said Scissors Shears, hopping up and down, “what I want to
know is,―can you cut all that without help? May I ask what goods you
will use for the afternoon dress?”

“This pretty red-dotted lawn,” said Mary Frances, “and this fine
white lawn for the guimpe!”

“Will you, may I ask, please,―will you leave the lawn and pattern on
the sewing table?”

“Oh, I know!” cried Mary Frances. “You want to help by cutting them
out, Scissors Shears―but I will do my own _making_,―thank you.”

[Illustration: “How beautiful!”]

When the afternoon dress was finished, Mary Frances slipped it on
Mary Marie, sat her in her rocking chair, then stepped outside, and
peeped in to see what the Thimble People would do. In a minute, they
gathered in a circle around the pretty doll, and began singing:

   “Proudie! Proudie!
    Aren’t you a little Proudie!
    Proudie! Proudie!
    Aren’t you a little Proudie!”

Mary Marie looked pleased, but couldn’t say a word.

[Illustration: Proudie! Proudie!
        Aren’t you a little Proudie!”]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXVIII]

CHAPTER XXVIII

MARY MARIE HAS A PARTY DRESS

“DEARIE me! Thimble People,” exclaimed Mary Frances. “I’m so excited!
I’m so excited! Mary Marie has been invited to a party.”

[Illustration: “Dearie me! Thimble People!”]

“To a party!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “To a party,―excuse me, but
don’t you mean, ‛by a party?’”

“How could you buy a party?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion.

“It’s been known to be done,” answered Scissors Shears.

“Will her mother let her go?” asked Silver Thimble anxiously.

“Yes, indeed,” laughed Mary Frances. “If she has a party dress―”

   “What a guess!
      Why, what a guess!
    Next lesson is
      A party dress!”

[Illustration: “Will her Mother let her go?”]

sang Sewing Bird, hopping on one leg on the table, and fluttering her
wings,

   “Mary Marie,
    How sweet she’ll be
    In finery:
    Not spoiled she’ll be
    By vanity,
    Or finery.”

[Illustration: Fluttering her wings]

“Just be her own sweet self, won’t you, dear?” said Mary Frances,
hugging the dolly close.

   “If you were
      As pretty as she,
    You might be
      Spoiled by finery,”

sang Tommy Pin Cushion, pointing to Scissors Shears. “By the way,
how’s business?”

“Dull! Fatty,” began Scissors Shears, “You―” then, seeing Mary
Frances’ look, he added lamely, “Pretty is as pretty does, and beauty
is only skin-deep. If you lost your skin, Tommy, we’d knock all the
stuffin’s out o’ you!”

[Illustration: “Just be her own sweet self”]

[Illustration: “Hush!” whispered Sewing Bird]

“Hush!” whispered Sewing Bird,

   “Now, let’s to work,
    Now, let’s not shirk,
      But sew with purpose hearty!
    With love and fun,
    Work is begun
      On the dress for dolly’s party!”

“Oh, thank you,” exclaimed Mary Frances, opening Mary Marie’s trunk.
“What shall we use, Magic and Mystery?”

“Let me see?” said Fairy Lady, flying down beside the trunk.

Mary Frances was too surprised to say anything when she saw the
lovely gauzy wings spread out, and Fairy Lady sailing down from the
table.

“Oh,” said the little fairy in her bird-like voice, “little Lady
Seamstress, this is only a small surprise compared to the lovely ones
in store for you.”

“More yet, dear Fairy Lady?” asked Mary Frances, her eyes opening in
wonder. “Why, it seems to me―”

[Illustration: Fairy Lady sailing down from the table]

[Illustration: Let me see. said Fairy Lady]

“I must not tell you another word,” said the little lady; “I
shouldn’t have said even that!”

[Illustration: “What is it?”]

“Oh, I wouldn’t have dared whisper that,” said Tommy Pin Cushion to
Emery Bag. “Why, the King would have shaken the stuffing out of me!”

“This,” exclaimed Fairy Lady, “is just the thing to make a party
dress for Mary Marie,” and she held up a piece of most beautiful
fabric.

“What is it?” asked Mary Frances. “I didn’t see that in the trunk!”

“Didn’t you?” asked Fairy Lady.

Mary Frances held up the sparkling goods. It was very, very fine, and
thin, yet not veil-like. It shone like spun glass, and was made of
the colors of the rainbow.

“How exquisite!” breathed the little girl. “Isn’t it beautiful!
Please, dear Fairy Lady, where did it come from?”

“It came,” said Fairy Lady, “from your friend, the King of Fairy
Thimble Land.”

“Oh,” said Mary Frances. “Did you, dear Fairy Lady, did you bring it?”

[Illustration: “I wouldn’t have dared whisper that!”]

[Illustration: She held up a little satchel]

“In this,” nodded Fairy Lady, and she held up a little satchel that
looked like Mary Frances’ mother’s pearl earring.

“Will it go in such a tiny satchel?” asked the little girl, in an
awed voice.

“Yes,” smiled Fairy Lady, “but the pattern takes up more room.”

“Did you carry that, too?” asked Mary Frances.

“Yes, in a little suit case,” said Fairy Lady.

“May I see the pattern?” asked Mary Frances.

She wondered how Fairy Lady would get back on the table, but the
little lady spread her wings again―this time showing the lovely
coloring and golden tips.

Flying high above the table, she came down and settled herself in the
doll’s rocking chair.

Then she spread open

PATTERN 19.―DOLL’S GUIMPE (FOR PARTY DRESS)

See Insert III

  Suggestions for material.―Dimity or lace.

  To cut out―

  1. Pin pattern with edge having two rings (oo) on a _crosswise_
  fold of goods. Cut out.

[Illustration: “Yes, in a little suit case”]

  2. Cut guimpe sleeve-band, with arrow lengthwise of material.

  To make―

  1. Gather end of each sleeve.

  2. Fold sleeve-band through center, lengthwise. (See dotted line on
  pattern.)

[Illustration: Sew sleeve-band in place]

  3. Sew sleeve-bands in place at ends of sleeves, in same way as
  band of little “tie around apron.”

  4. Join guimpe under arms with French seams.

  5. Make a half-inch hem down each side of back.

  6. Make a half-inch hem in bottom of guimpe. Through this hem run
  a narrow tape, threaded into a bodkin.

  7. Turn the _narrowest hem possible_ in the neck. Do not attempt
  to hem this with hemming stitches, but overhand it closely.

  8. Overhand narrow lace edging in the neck and sleeves.

  9. Make three button-holes, and sew on buttons.

PATTERN 20.―DOLL’S PARTY DRESS

See Insert X

  Suggestions for material.―Flowered dimity or lawn.

  To cut out―

  1. The skirt should be cut: five and one-half inches long―with
  the _lengthwise_ of the material.

  Thirty-two inches wide―_across_ the material.

  2. To Cut Out the Waist―

  Fold material crosswise. Pin pattern with edge having two rings
  (oo) on the fold. Cut out. Remove pattern.

[Illustration: Through hem run a narrow tape]

  3. To Cut Neck.―Cut pattern along the row of pinholes, marked FRONT.

[Illustration: Gather across the shoulder]

  Fold back along other row of pinholes.

  Spread waist _open_ on table.

  Pin pattern in place on one end of waist. Cut neck by the turned-in
  V-shaped outline.

  To make―

  1. Join skirt and make placket as in white lawn petticoat.

  2. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom.

  Gather top, using two gathering threads. Begin each thread in center
  top of skirt.

  3. Fold waist _lengthwise_. Cut open the back _from center of square_
  of neck. Make half-inch hems down the backs.

  4. Make a _narrow_ hem around the neck-opening.

  5. Spread waist open on table. Cut a piece of baby ribbon two and
  one-quarter inches long. Cut another piece one and one-half inches
  long.

  6. Fasten, by sewing through a bead, one end of each piece of
  ribbon to one side of the V-shaped neck opening, in the place
  shown by the pinholes in the pattern.

  7. Fasten other end in same way, making the front neck opening
  one and one-quarter inches wide at the top, and three-quarters of
  an inch wide at the pointed end.

  8. Join with French seam _from notches_ to _bottom_ of waist.

  9. Hem armholes above the seams.

  Gather across the shoulder fold, making the gathered goods
  measure _one inch across_. Fasten thread.

[Illustration: Fasten ribbon by sewing through a bead]

  10. Cut a belt of half-inch-wide white tape, making it eleven inches
  long.

  Gather bottom of waist. Turn in ends of tape belt one-quarter inch.

  11. Baste gathers of waist flat to tape belt, having tape on wrong
  side. Baste gathers of skirt flat to other edge of tape belt.

  Stitch in place. Sew lace insertion, or ribbon beading over the
  gathers on the right side.

  12. Make button-holes, and sew on buttons.

  13. Trim the hems around the neck-opening and armholes with

  38.―FRENCH KNOTS

[Illustration: French Knots]

  1. Thread embroidery needle with embroidery cotton. Make knot.
  Draw needle through from wrong side.

  2. With left hand, wrap cotton, _where it comes through the
  material_, three times around the needle, holding needle with
  right hand.

  3. Holding the coiled thread firmly in place with left thumb,
  insert needle-point downward, at place where it first came
  through. Pull through to wrong side.

  4. Push needle upward where next stitch is to be made. Pull
  through to right side. Proceed as above.

“Won’t it be charming?” said Mary Frances. “Oh, won’t Mary Marie be
the happiest doll!”

[Illustration: Trim with french knots]

“But how can you keep it a secret, if she goes to a party?” asked
Scissors Shears anxiously. “I don’t want to be a Never-Never.”

“Oh,” said Mary Frances, “the party isn’t to be given until next
summer. She’s only invited―that’s all.”

[Illustration: “Strike me pink!”]

“Strike me pink!” exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion. “I was feeling scared
white.”

“Shows how silly it is to worry,” said Emery Bag.

“I beg all your pardons,” said Mary Frances. “I didn’t mean to be―to
take advantage. I almost forgot how long it is till next summer. I am
very sorry if I did wrong.”

“Gives you longer to finish the dress,” said Fairy Lady. “There’s a
good deal of work on it.”

“I’ll work very hard,” said Mary Frances, “and I’ll be more careful
what I say in the future.”

   “We understand, of course we do,
    That your kind heart is always true;
    You wouldn’t do a thing that you
    Would not have others do to you,”

[Illustration: Sang Sewing Bird]

sang Sewing Bird,―and perhaps, the little bird smiled.

This is how the dress looked when Mary Frances had finished it.

[Illustration: Mary Marie is going to a party”]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXIX]

CHAPTER XXIX

MARY MARIE GOES AUTOMOBILING

“OH, my feathers and oh, my eye!” Sewing Bird was screaming, as Mary
Frances came to the sewing room door for the next lesson.

[Illustration: “Oh, my feathers and oh, my eye!”]

“Why, what’s the matter, Sewing Bird?” asked Mary Frances.

   “Not for myself, but quite contrary―
    ’Twas for the sake of Dick Canary!”

sang Sewing Bird frantically.

“Why, what is the matter, dear little bird?” again asked Mary Frances.

Sewing Bird replied:

   “While I was sitting here in state,
    Just what happened I’ll now relate:

   “A gentle scratching at the door,
    A gentle foot-step on the floor,
    Then Jubey, black as a blackberry,
    Looked up at pretty Dick Canary,
    And what he said, to me seemed clear:―
    ‛Ah, bird, your voice is very dear!
    Your feathers shine like purest gold
    As in the sun they do unfold;
    Oh, sing to me, you lovely thing,
    Oh, sing and sing and sing and sing!’

[Illustration: “Why, what’s the matter?”]

[Illustration: “Dick Canary hurt his throat”]

   “Then Dick Canary hurt his throat,
    He sang so loud on every note.

   “‛Now, people love to eat of chicken―
    If I stole one, I’d get a lickin’,
    And then you’d hear an awful scream―
    “Why don’t you give that cat ice-cream?”
    A chicken and a bird to me
    Seem much alike―do they to thee?
    How classic is your pretty voice,
    I love to hear you make that noise.
    Oh, sing to me, you lovely thing,
    Oh, sing and sing and sing and sing.’

[Illustration: “Ah, bird, your voice is very dear!”]

[Illustration: “He sang so loud on every note”]

   “Then Dick Canary hurt his throat,
    He sang so loud on every note.

   “‘Music has charm to soothe, I believe,
    The wild instincts that in me breathe.
    How horrible your lonely fate,
    To be behind that golden gate.
    If I for you undo the bars,
    Perhaps you’ll soar beyond the stars.
    Where go birds-souls―I really wonder―
    It makes me sit and sit and ponder.
    Oh, sing to me, you lovely thing,
    Oh, sing and sing and sing and sing.’

   “Then Dick Canary hurt his throat,
    He sang so loud on every note.

   “‛If I undo the bars for thee,
    And from the cage thy sweet life free―
    Well, folks love chicken, this I know―
    Are you a chicken? Yes! I trow!’

[Illustration: “I heard you on the stair”]

   “Just then, I heard you on the stair,
    Dear Miss, and cried out, then and there;
   Not for myself―but quite contrary―
   ’Twas for the sake of Dick Canary.”

[Illustration: “Dick Canary seemed to like it”]

“I met Jubey scudding into the kitchen,” laughed Mary Frances,
“frightened to death,―she looked. I can’t understand how she got
up-stairs, Magic and Mystery. I said to her: ‛Jubey, you’ll get no
sympathy from me if you’ve been up-stairs.’”

“The strange part is,” said Fairy Lady, “that Dick Canary seemed to
like it.”

   “‛Flattery sounds
      Sweet to the ear,
    Even from those
      We ought to fear,’

my Grandma says,” replied Mary Frances.

“Oh, yes,” said Fairy Lady. “I do believe that is so; now, for
to-day’s plans.”

“This time,” said Mary Frances, rather shame-facedly, “it is a real
event. Mary Marie has been invited to take an automobile ride with
Lottie’s ten children.”

[Illustration: “This time it is a real event”]

“Oh, how delightful!” exclaimed Fairy Lady, “and so opportune!”

“Opportune,” thought Mary Frances. “Opportune―that must mean ‛just
right.’”

“Yes,” nodded Fairy Lady, as though reading her thoughts, “it is
‛just right’―for I have to-day the

PATTERN 21.―DOLL’S AUTOMOBILE COAT

See Insert VII

[Illustration: “So opportune!”]

  To cut out―

  1. Fold goods crosswise. Pin pattern with edge having two rings
  (oo) on fold. Cut out.

  2. Remove pattern. Spread coat open on a table.

  3. Cut pattern along the _one_ row of pinholes marked FRONT. (See
  Directions on Insert VII.) Fold pattern backward along the other
  row of pinholes.

  4. Pin pattern in place on _one_ end of coat.

  5. Cut neck along the V-shaped lines.

  Remove pattern.

  6. Cut goods open from point of V-shaped neck, to bottom of coat.

  This makes the front-opening.

  7. Cut two collars with edge of pattern having the two rings (oo)
  on lengthwise fold of material.

  8. Cut two cuffs with edge of pattern having two rings (oo) on
  lengthwise fold of material.

[Illustration: “That must mean ‛just right’”]

  To make―

  1. To face the front-openings:―

  Spread coat open upon a piece of the material of which it is made,
  right sides facing.

  2. Baste along front-opening, and _around_ the neck, through the
  material underneath.

  Cut open the underneath-material, along the opening of the coat.

  3. Cut underneath-material off, one and one-half inches from edge of
  front-opening and _around_ the neck.

  4. Stitch facing in place one-quarter inch from edges. Remove
  bastings. Turn facings over to wrong side. Baste edge, along enclosed
  seam.

  5. Closely notch, or “pink” the “raw” edges of facings.

[Illustration: To fasten coat]

  Baste facings down along notched edges. Press.

  Stitch (or “tack”) facings down near the notched edges.

  6. Baste facings on ends of sleeves, on wrong side of coat.

  Stitch one-quarter inch from edge. Remove bastings.

  7. Turn facings over to right side, and baste along the turned
  edges. Turn down one-quarter inch at top, and stitch down.

  8. Join coat under arms with French seams.

  9. Make collar as for Fur-lined Cape.

  10. Matching notches carefully, baste collar on coat, and sew in
  place as in making Fur-lined Cape.

  11. Make a three-quarter inch hem at bottom of coat.

  12. Fasten coat with two large buttons and button-holes.

[Illustration: Closely notch edges of facings]

PATTERN 22.―DOLL’S AUTOMOBILE BONNET

See Insert VIII

  To cut―

  1. Fold goods lengthwise.

  Pin pattern with edge having two rings (oo) on the fold. Clip the
  notch carefully.

  2. In cutting Bonnet Band and lining:―Pin pattern with edge
  having two rings (oo) on a lengthwise fold of material.

[Illustration: Attach ribbon strings]

  To make―

  1. One-quarter inch from edge, gather circular part of bonnet
  from notch in center back to notch in center front. Gather other
  side of circle.

  2. Baste lining to Bonnet Band.

  Stitch one-quarter inch from front edge.

  3. Remove bastings. Open the band. Join ends in a plain seam.
  Fold lining down inside band, and baste along the circular seam.
  Stitch one-quarter inch from edge.

  4. To Join Band to Bonnet:―Proceed just as in attaching collar
  to Fur-lined Cape.

  First pin single center-front notch of bonnet and of band
  together.

  Then the double notches.

  Then single center-back notch of bonnet to _seam_ of band.

  Baste and sew in place, hemming down the lining.

  Attach ribbon-strings at the double notches.

[Illustration: Gather from notch to notch]

[Illustration: “This dear little coat”]

  NOTE.―Trim bonnet with bunch of ribbon-rosette flowers, sewed on
  left side.

  Fold back the bonnet band through the middle. (See dotted line on
  pattern.)

“My dear Thimble People!” exclaimed Mary Frances, after working a
long while with the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try. “Never did a child
have such lovely friends―never! Look at this dear little coat!”

“We love all children who are patient, and try to do their best!”
smiled Fairy Lady. “So many are forgetful, or impolite and impatient.”

“I’m afraid I’m sometimes all of those,” said Mary Frances.

  “But in your very down-deep heart,
    You never think the things that smart;
    Your heart is really always kind―
    Sometimes you’re wrong, and sometimes blind,―
    But those who know you well, know this:
    To make all right, you give a kiss―
    Not just an ordinary kiss―
    It says, ‛Please just forgive me this!’”

[Illustration: Trim bonnet with ribbon-rosette flowers]

“And that is why you are loved so much!” Sewing Bird sang.

Mary Frances took Mary Marie, all dressed in her new automobile
clothes, out to the automobile which had just pulled up in front of
the door. And Scissors Shears, and Tommy Pin Cushion, and Emery Bag,
and Pen Cil, and Needle Book, and all the other Thimble People, waved
their cunning little hands.

[Illustration: Mary Frances took Mary Marie out to the automobile]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXX]

CHAPTER XXX

MARY MARIE GOES IN BATHING

[Illustration: “S’sh! s’sh!”]

MARY FRANCES tip-toed into the sewing room.

“S’sh! s’sh!” she said. “Oh, Thimble People, I’ve,―oh, dear me! Oh,
Magic and Mystery,―I’ve got the bath-tub half full of water. It’s
the ocean, I have my sail-boat on it, and Mary Marie is going in
bathing―when I’ve finished my lesson. I just dipped her feet in to
see how she’d like it―I can’t exactly say Grandma would approve―but
Mother would let me, I think.”

“Isn’t it strange? My grandmother―my mother’s mother―doesn’t think
exactly as _her_ little girl, my mother, does. Now, I generally
always think almost exactly what my mother thinks is right.”

“‛Generally always almost exactly,’” whispered Scissors Shears to
Tommy Pin Cushion. “That’s the way I agree with Sewing Bird.”

“And you, Tommy Pin Cushion?” asked Emery Bag.

[Illustration: “And you, Tommy Pin Cushion?”]

“And I―” began Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Hush up!” said Scissors Shears. “You’re always stuck in! You keep
quiet, nobody gets a chance to talk for you!”

Tommy Pin Cushion got very red in the face.

“It―seems―to―me,―” he stammered.

“Yes, there you go again!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “Just as I
said! Always forever trying to stick your bill in―though I must
say―you haven’t much of a bill―I must say that!”

“Stop quarreling!” exclaimed Mary Frances.

“If Mary Marie goes in bathing,” said Fairy Lady, “here is just the
thing she’ll need:”

PATTERN 23.―DOLL’S BATHING SUIT

[Illustration: Doll’s Bathing Suit]

  1. The Bathing Suit is made by the pattern of Rompers (see Insert
  IV) and of

  2. Doll’s Lawn Petticoat. (See Pattern 12.)

  Cut skirt only five inches long, and do not make a tuck.

  Suggestions for Material―

  Red or blue flannel, trimmed with white braid.

  NOTE.―The skirt may be gathered or plaited.

  Make the opening of the rompers in front. Face the front openings
  with a strip of lining material one-half inch wide.

[Illustration: Tommy Pin Cushion got red in the face]

  16. Leggings
  25. Sun Bonnet]

[Illustration: INSERT 9

PATTERNS 16·25·

  16. LEGGINGS
  25. SUN BONNET]

This pattern plate should remain permanently in book so that tracings
on tissue paper can be made from it as required.

[Illustration: “This is splendid”]

  Make eyelets in the facings, and lace Bathing Suit together
  through the eyelets.

“This is splendid!” exclaimed Mary Frances, as she began to cut out
the suit. “Grandma is to be away several hours to-day. I would miss
her terribly if it were not for you, dear friends. We have such
fun―she and I―almost as much as Father and I, or Mother and I, or
Bill and I―or, just as much as Lottie and I! But I want to get these
lovely things made for my dear Mary Marie before Grandma comes back.”

“Then,” smiled Fairy Lady, “you must learn to make:”

39.―EYELETS

  For practice, use a folded and basted piece of muslin, as for
  button-holes.

  1. Pierce the cloth with a “stiletto,” or very large
  needle-punch, breaking as few threads as possible.

  2. Work the edges of the hole with over-and-over overhanding
  stitches, close together as possible. Hold work over forefinger
  of left hand.

  NOTE.―In making a large eye-hole, mark a circle with running
  stitch, cut out close inside the thread. Turn back the edges and
  work closely with button-hole stitch.

[Illustration: Eyelets]

“Oh,” exclaimed Mary Frances. “Now, when I finish this, my Mary Marie
can splash and splash―but I’ll not get them done to-day,―even with
the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try!”

[Illustration: “Far better than We think or see”]

“But you will finish them quite soon,” said Fairy Lady, “I feel
certain.”

“You do believe in me, dear little Lady,” said Mary Frances.

   “Faith in us
      Makes us do, and be,
    Far better than
      We think or see,”

sang Sewing Bird.

“If she doesn’t get them done soon, Mary Marie will lose her bath,”
whispered Tommy Pin Cushion, giggling, and he began to recite,―

  “Oh, Missy, may I go in to swim?
     Oh, yes, my darling rub-dub;
   Hang your clothes on a towel-rack limb,
     But don’t go near the bath-tub.”

[Illustration: Whispered Tommy Pin Cushion]

“Tommy Pin Cushion!” exclaimed Mary Frances, picking him up and
putting him on the window sill.

“Excuse me!” spoke up the little fellow, looking out of the window,
“but here comes your grandmother.”

“I better run and let the water out of the bath-tub,” said Mary
Frances.

“Mary Marie didn’t get her bath!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “She
didn’t get her bath!”

“Well, she went in bathing, anyhow,” said Tommy Pin Cushion. “Didn’t
you see? Both her feet were wet!”

“That’s how wet you’d get if you went swimming,” said Scissors
Shears. “She’ll go in bathing when the little Miss finishes her
suit―maybe.”

[Illustration: “Mary Marie is going in bathing!”]

CHAPTER XXXI

MUFFS AND CAPS AND PRETTIEST TRAPS

[Illustration: “It means ‛au revoir,’ but not good-bye”]

“THIS letter says,” explained Mary Frances, “this letter says, oh,
Thimble Friends, that my mother and father are coming home in two
weeks,―and Billy, too. I must hurry to finish my lessons. Oh,
dear, dear! Why, what’s the matter, Scissors Shears―and Tommy Pin
Cushion―and Emery Bag?”

“It means good-bye!” sobbed Scissors Shears.

“It means good-bye!” sobbed Tommy Pin Cushion.

“It means good-bye!” whimpered Emery Bag.

“It means ‛au revoir,’ but not good-bye,” sang Sewing Bird.

“Oh, it do, do it?” said Scissors Shears, looking sharply at Sewing
Bird.

“Does it, Magic and Mystery?” asked Mary Frances.

“It doesn’t mean good-bye,” answered Fairy Lady. “But I can’t explain
it until some time later.”

[Illustration: “It means good-bye!”]

“My, I’m relieved!” said Mary Frances. “So―what is to-day’s lesson,
dear Fairy Lady?”

[Illustration: A Muff and Tippet]

   “For Mary Marie more lovely things
    The Fairy Lady to you brings,―
    A little muff, and tippet of fur,
    A sweet little summer cap for her,
    A dainty little cross-stitch bag―
    But I must stop for fear I’ll brag,”

sang Fairy Lady. Then stooping, she drew these patterns from under
the rocking chair cushion:

PATTERN 24.―DOLL’S MUFF AND TIPPET

See Insert VIII

  Directions for making Doll’s Fur Muff and Tippet.

  1. Cut tippet from heavy flannelette―arrow on lengthwise of
  goods.

  2. Mark with ink to imitate Ermine. Turn in edge one-quarter of
  an inch. Baste.

  3. Cut lining of silk.

  4. From sheet-cotton cut a lining one-half of an inch smaller
  than pattern edges.

[Illustration: Mark with ink]

  5. Baste lining to this. Turn edges of lining over this, and
  baste.

  Sew on hook and eye, at the neck.

  6. Baste linings to outside, and “slip stitch” together.

40.―SLIP STITCH

[Illustration: To Bind a Seam]

  Is like hemming stitch, but the needle is slipped along about
  one-half of an inch―for each stitch. The needle is put into the
  material directly below where your thread is last brought out.

  7. Cut and make muff in same way as tippet. Then, join the ends
  of the outside in a plain seam. Open the seam, and hem down the
  lining seam. Turn muff to right side.

  Run through the muff a white cord.

PATTERN 25.―DOLL’S SUN BONNET

See Insert IX

  Cut out and make in same way as Automobile Bonnet.

  Suggestions for material―Figured organdy, with lawn brim; or,
  brim of white pique.

  If pique is used for brim do not make brim double, but
  blanket-stitch the outer edge, and bind the seam where attached
  to bonnet.

  To Bind a Seam.―Cut a narrow bias strip of goods. Baste it even
  with the seam on the wrong side. Stitch in place. Turn it over
  the seam. Turn in the raw edge. Baste. Hem down. This may be done
  with tape, which will not need edges turned in.

[Illustration: Slip stitch]

PATTERN 26.―DOLL’S WORK BAG

[Illustration: “I’ll excuse you for interrupting”]

  Use checked silk-gingham.

  Cut same as Doll’s Laundry Bag. (Pattern I.)

  On the ends of the bag, work in cross-stitch, the “bunny” design
  given on this page.

  Make bag in same way as Doll’s Laundry Bag.

   “In the morning, before ’twas light,
    Two little bunnies began to fight;
    They fit all day and they fit all night:
    That made each such a mad little bun?
    Because both were in cross-stitch done,”

sang Scissors Shears.

“I’ll excuse you for interrupting,” said Fairy Lady, “but when Mary
Marie gets all these things,

   “Oh! won’t she be grand!
    Won’t she be grand!
    There’s not a lady
    In the land
    Who can with her compare.”

[Illustration: Bunny design]

Then Scissors Shears interrupted again,

       “Alas! Alack!
        If on my back
   I wore such lovely, lovely clothes
   I’d never freeze my little toes,
   Nor wiggle up my little nose.”

[Illustration: “Enough of this fun”]

“Oh,” laughed Tommy Pin Cushion,

   “If I could wear such lovely garb,
    I then would feel no deadly barb
    Of arrows aiméd at my heart.
    That’s a grand rhyme! Am I that smart?”

Then Sewing Bird,

   “Enough of this fun
      For to-day.
   Away, you rascals―
      Run away!

[Illustration: “Am I that smart?”]

“but,

   “Mary Frances, if you please,
    Take the patterns, and make these
    Pretty things―a lot of fun!
    Let me see them when they’re done.”

[Illustration: She drew these patterns from under the cushion]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXXII]

CHAPTER XXXII

WHO STOLE MARY MARIE’S CLOTHES

MARY FRANCES stepped into the sewing room. She had Mary Marie’s trunk
under her arm.

[Illustration: “They’re gone! They’re gone!”]

“Oh, did you finish the cute little muff and tippet, and work bag,
your Seamstress-ship?” asked Fairy Lady.

“Yes, indeed,―I’ll show them to you,” said Mary Frances, lifting the
lid of the trunk.

“Oh, mercy!” she cried, “Oh, dear! Oh, my! Oh―oh!”

“Why, what’s the matter?” asked Fairy Lady and Scissors Shears in one
breath.

“Why,―they’re gone! They’re gone! They’re gone―the trunk is empty!
Who could have stolen them? Ou―ou―! Ou! Ou!”

“They’re gone!” sobbed Scissors Shears.

“They’re gone!” cried Emery Bag.

“They’ve went!” said Tommy Pin Cushion.

[Illustration: “They’re gone!” cried Emery Bag]

[Illustration: “What shall we do?”]

“What―shall―I―do? What―shall―I―do? What―shall―I―do?” sobbed
Mary Frances.

“What was in there?” asked Fairy Lady.

“Oh, that sweet little kimono and Mary Marie’s bath robe,
and―her―her―everything―they were all in the trunk. Last night,
when I finished her tippet, I put that in. I’m sure I did! I wanted
to show them all to Mother, and now, I won’t have them. Oh, dear!
Mary Marie has on her nightie―that’s all that’s left of her lovely,
lovely things!”

“Perhaps you didn’t put them in the trunk,” suggested Scissors
Shears; “one can be mistaken about such things.”

“I feel certain―sure,” said Mary Frances, “but I’ll go look in my
room again.”

“I’m so sorry,” said Fairy Lady, “I didn’t think she’d mind so. We
don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“What shall we do?” asked Scissors Shears. “We don’t dare tell her
until the last lesson―the King said―”

As Mary Frances neared the door she heard voices; but when she stepped
in, all was still. She was crying as hard as ever.

[Illustration: “I feel certain―sure”]

[Illustration: “Will I, dear, dear Fairy Lady?”]

“No,” she sobbed, “they’re not there! They are all gone!”

Then suddenly remembering how everyone had stopped talking, she began
to be curious.

“Why!” she said, “can it be possible that you know anything about
them?”

They all looked guilty and waited for Fairy Lady to answer.

“Listen, little Lady Seamstress,” said Fairy Lady, “you will find
them all again!”

Mary Frances began to dry her tears.

“Will I? Will I, dear, dear Fairy Lady? Why,―how? They are not gone
forever?”

“No,” smiled Fairy Lady, “they are not―they are yours; and we will
help you find them. We don’t quite know where they are now; but if―

   “Little Marie has lost her clothes,
      And can’t tell where to find them;
    Let them alone, and they’ll come home,
      With all their buttons behind them.”

[Illustration: “You will find them all again!”]

“Oh, thank you, my dear friends,―when will that be?” cried Mary
Frances, brightening up.

“Not until to-morrow. Come early if you can―we think we will get
word from the Thimble King to-morrow; but we must wait.”

“Is it a secret? Oh, I’m so relieved!” said Mary Frances, “and
Mary Marie will be all right in this warm weather in only her
nightie;―but I can borrow one of Angie’s dresses! I forgot!―I’ll go
put it on her.”

[Illustration: “What―shall―I―do? What―shall―I―do?”]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXXIII]

CHAPTER XXXIII

MARY FRANCES VISITS THIMBLE LAND

“TO-DAY I am to know all about where your dresses went, my dear Mary
Marie, and I’m so excited I can hardly wait,” said Mary Frances,
hugging the dolly close to her as she went into the sewing room.

[Illustration: “I am so excited!”]

Sewing Bird did not look up at her, nor seem to notice what she said.

“I wonder why Sewing Bird doesn’t glance at me,” she thought. “Dear
little bird, she may be tired. I’m tired, too, really! Hu―hm,” she
yawned, and leaned back in her chair, holding her arms closely about
Mary Marie. “I believe I’ll just shut my eyes and wait for Sewing
Bird to ‛come to.’”

Everything was quiet for a while, then suddenly a voice―the voice of
Sewing Bird―

   “She’s just in time!
     A minute more―
   She never could
     Get in the door!”

[Illustration: “She’s just in time!”]

Mary Frances looked at Sewing Bird.

“How do you do, Sewing Bird, dear,” she said.

“Come,” said Sewing Bird, “we must hurry. Come!”

[Illustration: “Don’t you want to go?”]

“We’re here!” laughed Mary Frances. “Why ‘hurry,’ or why ‘come’?”

“Don’t spend time talking,” exclaimed Sewing Bird rather impatiently.

Mary Frances remembered it was the first time she had ever spoken
other than most gently to her.

“If you do, you may think we’re there now.”

“Why, she must be crazy,” thought Mary Frances. “What a way to talk!”

“No,” she said aloud, “I think we’re here now―but when we’re there,
we’re―

“Don’t you want to go?” asked Sewing Bird.

“Of course!” said Mary Frances, although she’d no notion where.

“Well, that’s good,” said the little bird.

[Illustration: “Of course!” said Mary Frances]

“Good!” said Scissors Shears.

[Illustration: “Let’s be off”]

“Let us be off,” said Sewing Bird.

“Off!” said Scissors Shears.

“Sounds as though we were off,” said Mary Frances.

“Not yet,” said Sewing Bird. “Here!” And she jumped up and pecked
Mary Frances between her shoulders.

The little girl had the strangest sensation. She suddenly felt as
light as air,―as though her body weighed nothing. Her nose felt
strange, and she thought she ought to find her handkerchief.

“It was in my pocket, I am sure,” she said, and started to find her
pocket. Imagine her surprise when she couldn’t find her hand.

“Why, where can it be?” she thought. “I’ll see if I can move my arm!”

She raised one arm, and then the other, and away she flew. Out the
window―and across the blue sky―she, nearly as blue as the sky
itself, if she had known it.

[Illustration: Away she flew]

“How lovely!” she tried to say aloud, but what she heard herself
singing was:

   “To float away,
    Far, far away,
    In clouds of blue
    And every hue―
    I flit my wing
    And sing and sing!”

Then came another voice:

   “I’m so glad, dear little friend,
    My trouble now is at an end;
    ’Twas indeed my task of love
    To turn you to a burnished dove.”

She looked around, and there was Sewing Bird flying beside her, and
another tiny little blue bird, keeping close to Sewing Bird.

   “What a dear little
      Bird of blue!
    Is she, dear friend,
      A friend of you?”

she asked.

[Illustration: “What a dear little Bird of blue!”]

   “A friend she is
      Indeed of me―
    But more of you―
      It’s Miss Marie!”

answered Sewing Bird.

[Illustration: “She makes a beauteous bird”]

   “My dear sweet dolly,
      I declare!
    She makes a beauteous bird―
      And rare!”

sang Mary Frances.

   “Now, turn again
      To the right wing―
    To Thimble Land
      We safely bring,”

sang Sewing Bird. And Mary Frances, the Dove; and Mary Marie, the
Blue Bird; and Sewing Bird Fairy Lady stood before a golden gate.

[Illustration: “To Thimble Land We safely bring”]

“You’ll have to become a Thimble Person to enter,” smiled Fairy
Lady, and she touched Mary Frances’ right wing with her bodkin wand;
and Mary Frances felt herself stiffen and stiffen.

[Illustration: “She’s Bees Wax”]

“What am I now, please?” she asked Fairy Lady.

“You’re a Work Basket,” said Fairy Lady.

“How curious it feels,” said Mary Frances. “And Mary Marie―what is
she?” she asked.

“She’s Bees Wax,” whispered Fairy Lady.

“Who’s there?” came a voice at the gate, and before Mary Frances
could look for Mary Marie, “The pass-word?” came the same voice.

“P. P. B. S.,” answered Fairy Lady.

“What’s that mean, please?” asked Mary Frances.

“Patience and Perseverance―Bring―Success,” answered Fairy Lady.

“Enter,” said Big Thimble, opening the gates, and Mary Frances and
Mary Marie, and Fairy Lady walked in.

Everybody was there! Scissors Shears, Silver Thimble, Pen Cil, Needle
Book, and all the others.

My! they were delighted to see them, and gathered about, asking all
kinds of questions.

[Illustration: “You’re a Work Basket”]

“How does it seem to be a basket?” asked Scissors Shears.

[Illustration: “It’s lovely to be able to speak”]

“I feel just a little wooden,” said Mary Frances, “and rather too
large around for my arms,―but very contented.”

“Oh, Bees Wax,” laughed Tommy Pin Cushion, talking to Mary Marie,
“you always had a waxen look to me.”

“It is lovely to be able to speak,” said Bees Wax, otherwise Mary
Marie. “I would like to thank Mamma, and you all―”

“Here comes His Majesty!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. Everybody bowed
toward the ground except Fairy Lady, and Mary Frances Work Basket,
and Mary Marie Bees Wax.

Mary Frances looked up.

Coming between two huckleberry bushes (trees, Mary Frances thought
them) was an airship made of golden basketry. Gracefully down it
floated, with a little zdud! zdud! sound, and in it sat―Mary Frances
knew him in a minute―the King of Fairy Thimble Land!

His coat was of green and gold, but it was so glossy and fine that
Mary Frances thought it was spun of cobwebs. He held a long golden
needle in his hand.

[Illustration: “Oh, Bees Wax,” laughed Tommy Pin Cushion]

[Illustration: Mary Frances was herself again―but a very tiny self]

[Illustration: “Attention!” roared the King]

Mary Frances was herself again―but a very tiny self and fine that
Mary Frances thought it was spun of cobwebs. He held a long golden
needle in his hand.

“Where are they?” he asked.

“Your Majesty,” said Fairy Lady, “here they are!”

“Oh,” said the King of Thimble Land to Mary Frances Work Basket, and
Mary Marie Bees Wax. “Step up and bow!”

Mary Frances tried to kneel, thinking this was proper, but the King
touched her with his wand; then he touched Bees Wax.

Mary Frances was herself again―but a very tiny self―not so large as
Sewing Bird Fairy Lady,―and beside her was a little girl with golden
curls, just half as tall as Fairy Lady.

“Mother!” said the tiny little thing, smiling to Mary Frances.

“Attention!” roared the King of Thimble Land.

“I beg your Majesty’s pardon,” said Mary Frances, “but she’s never
spoken to me before―and”―

“That will do,” said the King. “If a doll is more important than
I,―sew her up!”

“In what, Your Majesty?” asked Bod Kin.

[Illustration: “I beg your Majesty’s pardon”]

[Illustration: “I didn’t mean it that way!”]

“Oh, no, no!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “I didn’t mean it that way!”

“You better not!” said the King. “But I understand,”―he added,
seeing Mary Frances look sad. “You must know I understand how you
feel,

   “When you see
      All her lost dresses,
    On this tree,”

and he pointed to a little tree nearby. There were all Mary Marie’s
pretty lost clothes!

“You may take them with you,” said the King, smiling.

“Never in all the years of Thimble History,” he went on, “have we
been so interested in any little girl. I borrowed these to show some
other little girls what patience and perseverance will do.

“Now, I am going to bestow on you one of my loveliest gifts; for I saw
all your beautiful work, and the Grand Sampler! A prize indeed, you
shall have! From to-day, the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try is yours―to
keep! We give one something like it to all good girls who try to do
their best, but yours is the Fairy Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try.

[Illustration: “You may take them with you”]

[Illustration: “We’d love to keep you longer”]

“And one more surprise! You may tell your mother about us, and
explain about the dolly’s clothes. Please pack them all, attendants!”

“Here’s the suit case!” said Fairy Lady, handing out Mary Marie’s
little suit case, “and over there is the trunk. Put the caps in the
tray, remember!”

“You have saved us from being Never-Nevers,” continued the King,
“because you kept the secret until you finished the lessons. And now,
that you are going―here is a bag of useful gifts for you to open
when you reach home. Pack the bag in the suit case, attendants.”

“We’d love to keep you longer―you, and sweet Mary Marie―but your
Grandma has called you twice. You may show her all the pretty things
you’ve made, when you get home. Let us know when you want us again,
unless you wish” (and the King laughed) “to say forever―Good-bye.
Who’ll say Good-bye forever?” he asked.

“Oh, Your Majesty, not I!” said Mary Frances.

[Illustration: “Pack the bag in the suit case, attendants”]

“Not I!” answered every one of the Thimble People.

Mary Frances opened her eyes. Did Sewing Bird or Dick Canary sing,

“Not I!”

[Illustration: Out the window―and across the blue sky]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXXIV]

CHAPTER XXXIV

WHAT WAS IN THE FAIRY BAG

THESE are the things Mary Frances found in the bag in Mary Marie’s
suit case when she got home:

PATTERN 27.―DOLL’S RAIN COAT

See Insert V

[Illustration: Rain Coat]

  NOTE.―Make rain coat about an inch longer than cape.

  To cut out―

  1. Cut out by pattern of Fur-lined Cape.

  In the fronts, cut open the Arm Flap Opening.

  _Do not_ cut a collar.

  2. Cut hood, having arrow edge (➸) of pattern on lengthwise fold
  of goods.

  3. Cut four arm flaps.

  To make―

  1. Make in same way as Fur-lined Cape, but without a lining.
  Press seams open.

  2. _Before joining shoulder seams_, face fronts back as in making
  Automobile Coat.

  3. Pin two arm flaps together, right sides facing.

[Illustration: Pin two arm flaps together]

  Stitch one-eighth inch from all edges except the arrow edge (➸).
  Turn inside out.

  Baste along the stitched edges.

  Stitch along the basted edges.

  4. Sew to flap-opening in position shown by dotted lines on
  pattern.

[Illustration: Draw up gathers to fit head]

  As in putting on a band, stitch first through a single thickness
  of open edge of flap. Turn; baste and hem down other edge.

  5. Overhand closely and blanket-stitch the under edge of flap
  opening.

  6. Make a very narrow hem around the circular edge of hood, or
  line with plaid silk.

  7. Three-quarter inch from edge of hood (see dotted line on
  pattern) run a gathering thread of very coarse cotton. Do not
  draw up the gathers.

  8. Make a three-quarter inch hem in bottom of coat.

  9. Matching double notches carefully, pin the hood to the coat,
  with wrong sides facing each other.

  Join hood to coat with French seam.

  10. Try coat on doll. Draw up and fasten the gathers of hood to
  fit head.

PATTERN 28.―DOLL’S POLO CAP

See Insert VIII

  To cut―

  (Material: white corduroy.)

  1. Cut four pieces like pattern of Polo Cap.

[Illustration: To stitch facing]

  2. Cut a bias strip of goods, two and one-half inches wide, twelve
  and one-half inches long.

  To make―

  1. Beginning at the point, baste sections of cap together, right
  sides facing each other.

  Match the notches.

  Stitch each seam.

  2. Join ends of bias strip or band, in a plain seam.

[Illustration: Scalloped edge of lace for sleeves]

  3. Turn in one edge of band one-quarter inch.

  4. Turn cap wrong side out.

  Baste other edge of band to the edge of cap, having the right sides
  of band and cap facing.

  In doing this work, stretch edge of bias band a little.

  5. Stitch one-quarter inch from edge.

  6. Turn band or facing up on wrong side.

  Baste and hem in place.

  (See dotted line on pattern.)

  7. Turn cap right side out.

  Turn up faced edge of cap on outside, nearly the full width.

PATTERN 29.―DOLL’S WEDDING DRESS

  NOTE.―Cut and make a guimpe of lace. (Pattern 19.)

  Do not use bands for sleeves, but cut sleeves narrower than
  pattern, and place the scalloped edge of lace at ends of sleeves.

[Illustration: Turn facing up on wrong side]

To Cut Wedding Dress

See Insert X

  1. Spread goods out on table.

  2. Pin pattern for Front of Wedding Dress with arrow on
  lengthwise of goods.

[Illustration: Bring folded edge over to basting]

  3. Pin pattern for Back of Wedding Dress on goods.

  Place the shoulders of both patterns together. Cut out. (See
  picture.)

  4. Prick, with a pin, through lines showing the plaits, or use
  a tracing wheel. Remove pattern, and run basting thread through
  these pinholes.

  Cut a separate train,―for lining of the train of wedding dress.
  Cut it like the pattern of the train.

  To make―

  1. Baste lining train-section to train of dress, right sides
  facing.

  Stitch one-quarter inch from edge. Turn, and baste along edges.

  2. To Make Plaits―

  Fold goods backward along the lines of basting nearest the
  center-front and center-back. Baste.

  Bring folded edge over to other line of basting.

  3. Lay flat, and baste all the way to bottom of dress and train.
  Press with a warm iron.

  4. Stitch plaits down four inches from the waist line in front,
  and three inches in back.

[Illustration: Pin shoulders together]

  5. Finish neck with a very narrow hem. Work French knots around the
  hem.

  6. Make a narrow hem from waist line in front, across the shoulders,
  to waist line in back.

[Illustration: Spider’s Web]

  7. Join skirt with French seams.

  8. Face the skirt, under arms, with an inch-wide bias facing.

  9. Open plaits at bottom of dress.

  10. Cut a bias facing one and one-quarter inches wide,
  for bottom of dress. Baste facing on right side. Stitch
  one-quarter inch from edge. Turn up on wrong side.

  Baste. Turn in, and hem the facing on wrong side.

11. Turn in and hem the facing of train.

PATTERN 30.―LADIES’ WORK BAG

  Cut bag ten inches wide, and twenty-eight inches long. Make like
  Laundry Bag. Do not overhand seams, but make French seams.

  Or,

  Use a large flowered handkerchief.

  1. Fold handkerchief through the center, wrong side out.

  2. Stitch through the center of the folded handkerchief.

  3. Fold over on the stitching.

  4. Stitch, or overhand the two folded edges which are lying
  together.

  5. On one side of handkerchief turn down one thickness of goods.
  (Like an envelope flap.)

[Illustration: Ladies’ Work Bag]

[Illustration: Ladies belt design]

  Do the same to the other side. “Tack” the center of the upper part
  of the folded edge of the flap to the _single_ thickness lying just
  beneath. Do same to other side

  6. Make a small “box” plait (or double plait) in each single
  thickness of handkerchief at top.

  7. Sew the plaits together, and fasten a loop between the plaits.

  Finish bag with two little cotton balls, sewed to the lowest point.

  This makes a many-pocketed bag, and would be a pleasing Christmas
  gift to your mother.

PATTERN 31.―LADIES’ BELT

  1. Buy belting which is sold by the running yard.

  2. Embroider the design given on this page upon the belt.

  Trace design through carbon paper; or transfer by tracing through
  tissue page, and turning the picture face-down on the material;
  trace picture again on wrong side.

PATTERN 32.―BABIES’ BIB

[Illustration: NECK OF BIB]

  1. Buy smallest size “huck-a-back” towel.

  2. Embroider on it the cross-stitch design given on this page.

  3. Through tracing paper, copy outline of neck given on this
  page. Cut out pattern.

  4. Fold towel through center lengthwise.

  Cut neck by pattern.

[Illustration: Cross stitch pattern]

[Illustration: 29. Wedding Dress]

[Illustration: INSERT 10

PATTERNS 20·29·

  20. PARTY DRESS
  29. WEDDING DRESS]

This pattern plate should remain permanently in book so that tracings
on tissue paper can be made from it as required.

  5. Bind neck with cotton or linen tape, leaving ends long enough
  to tie.

PATTERN 33.―GIRLS’ COLLAR

[Illustration: Girls’ Collar pattern
CUT OUT NECK―THEN JOIN A TO A B TO B]

  1. Trace pattern of collar through tissue or transfer paper. Cut
  out.

  2. Place pattern with double ring (oo) edge on a lengthwise fold
  of linen.

  3. Trace design on collar.

  4. Embroider scallops with close blanket stitches.

  5. Embroider rings with close “over-and-under” stitches―Satin
  Stitch.

41.―FRENCH HEMMING ON DAMASK

  For folding table linen or damask, fold and crease a very narrow
  hem, then fold the hem back on the right side, and overhand the
  edge thus folded. Press open on right side.

  NOTE.―Or, run through the hemmer of the sewing machine, having
  the needle unthreaded, using a very fine stitch: proceed as above.

42.―DARNING STOCKINGS

  1. In learning to darn, it is well to use a piece of flexible
  card board, three and one-half inches long by three inches wide.

  2. With a large needle, puncture it three-quarters of an inch
  from the top, and three-quarters of an inch from the bottom,
  making holes one-eighth of an inch apart.

  3. Use zephyr, in a tapestry needle, and work as in picture on this
  page.

  4. Weave, with a contrasting shade of zephyr, in and out of the long
  stitches already taken.

  Cut a hole in a piece of muslin: draw edge together with the fingers,
  and darn with cotton thread as above. Stockings are darned in the
  same way. In actual darning never use a knot.

43.―DARNING WOOLEN GOODS

[Illustration: Darning Stitch]

  Darning is usually done by use of the running stitch. Use fine
  thread―cotton is preferred, about the size of the weaving
  threads of the goods. Draw the edges of the tear together, and
  weave across the opening with the running stitch. If the tear is
  very large, first baste a piece of goods like the garment under
  the tear, and take the stitches into this. Sometimes a raveling
  thread of the material is used to make an almost invisible darn.

44.―PATCHING ON GINGHAM

  1. Cut the hole to make a small square, clip corners, turn edges
  back and baste.

  2. Cut piece of goods three-quarters of an inch larger, on each
  side, than the hole thus formed, being careful to match figures
  of material. Clip corners off this piece and turn goods back on
  right side one-quarter of an inch, and crease.

  3. Pin and baste this under the hole, matching figures carefully,
  and hem down, on right side and wrong side. Remove bastings.

  GINGHAM      FLANNEL

Patching]

  NOTE.―Or a piece of goods may be cut one-quarter of an inch
  larger than the hole on each side and edges turned back
  one-quarter of an inch. Overhand each edge of the patch to each
  edge of the hole.

45.―PATCHING ON FLANNEL

  This is done in the same way as the hemmed patch on gingham,
  except that the edges are not turned in, but are catch-stitched
  down on both right and wrong side, as shown in picture.

46.―SPIDER’S WEB

  An ornamental lace stitch.

  Use a piece of muslin three inches by six inches for practice.

  1. Fold it and baste edges. Thread a large needle with the red
  cotton, as used in former lessons.

  Draw or trace a figure like drawing shown on page 273.

  2. From underside of muslin, enter needle at _a_; pull through;
  point downward at _b_, upward at _c_, downward at _d_, upward at
  _e_, downward at _f_.

  3. On wrong side, bring needle to the center _g_, at the crossing
  of the long stitches, and pull through to right side.

  4. Holding muslin in left hand, point the threaded eye of the
  needle toward you, under the thread _ge_; pull through; under
  _gd_, and _ga_, under _gf_, and continue until web is formed.
  Fasten in usual manner.

[Illustration: Doll’s Wedding Dress]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXXV]

CHAPTER XXXV

MARY FRANCES AT HOME

MARY FRANCES came into her mother’s room on the evening of the day
they all reached home.

“Oh, Mother, I have the loveliest surprise for you! Please shut your
eyes and don’t peep. It will take me some time to get it ready.”

[Illustration: “Oh, Mother, I have the loveliest surprise for you!”]

“Yes, dear,” smiled her mother, “but I’m very anxious to see!”

Mary Frances unlocked Mary Marie’s trunk, and spread all the contents
out on the bed.

“I’ll be back in one minute. Don’t you peep, Mother, dear!” she
begged as she ran out of the room.

She brought back Mary Marie, dressed in her party dress and summer
hat, and sat her up on the pillow.

“Now,” she cried, kissing her mother, “now, you may look, Mother,
dear!”

“Why, what in the world, my dear little girl? Where did all these
lovely clothes come from?”

[Illustration: “Why, what in the world, my dear little girl?”]

[Illustration: “She spends hours in the sewing room.”]

[Illustration: Showed bundle of patterns]

“I made them, Mother,―I mean―I, and the Thimble People.”

“You made them!” exclaimed her mother; “not that lovely kimono
and bath robe, and those cunning little bonnets, and that lovely
automobile coat!”

“Every one!” cried Mary Frances, dancing up and down.

“Why, dear,” said her mother, “I cannot believe my eyes! I thought
you did very, very well in the few sewing lessons by mail, but I
never dreamed―”

“If the Thimble People hadn’t helped me, Mother, I never could have
made them; and if you hadn’t sent me the beautiful goods, and my
dear, lovely dolly, I couldn’t have done it! It had to be a secret
until I finished the lessons―I couldn’t tell Grandma,―and I was
crazy to tell you!”

“Who are the Thimble People?” asked her mother. Then Mary Frances
told all about her new friends.

When she finished, she showed the bundle of patterns last given her
by the Thimble King.

“We’ll make these together, Mother, dear―if you say so?”

“I certainly do say so, dear,” said her mother.

[Illustration: “Who are the Thimble People?”]

“I would like to take some lessons myself―such delightful lessons;
will you teach me?”

“I’ll do my best,―and―I just believe the Thimble People will help!”
said Mary Frances wisely;―and she thought she surely saw Scissors
Shears wink at her.

[Illustration: “Now, you may look, Mother dear”]

Transcriber’s note:

2. There are many mis-matched double-quotes in the original book.
   These have been corrected in this eBook.

3. Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical
   errors.

4. Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.

5. ‘LIST of PATTERNS’ - Doll’s Nightgown page 130 corrected to
   page 127.