Clothing and Health

en, President of the

about their costs and uses; for, when we buy our clothing and household articles ready-made, we should know how to tell whether the material is durable and will wear. The women of the home should know how to make a dollar buy the very best things. The mothers and grandmothers of Pleasant Valley are delighted to know that their children are to be taught at school. If we understand about materials, we will be able to h

w for their annual fair. Sometimes they make garments for the little children who come during the summer to the Fresh Air Home near their town. Marjorie buys all

the Pleasant Valley girls. They

e promised to make a towel for themselves for school use, on which to learn. Then they will make others for the sale. Cooking, sewing, and housewifery are a part of the school work. Bes

rk in housewifery, and also some petticoats for the children at the Fres

ss

D OTHER COT

r, and to look for materials for petticoats and aprons. One day at school all the girls wrote for samples.

ink are made from cotton? Then, there is a difference in width: some are only 15 inches wide, and others are 18 inches. Some have a red or blue edge, and others are plain. There is also difference in price. Which costs more, linen or cotton? Are the prices not given on the samples? Marjorie and the girls decided that the towels are to be one yard long. They would like to make four dozen for the sale and plan to tie them up attractively, half a dozen in a package. They had $25 left in the treasury from last year. As they wil

brown paper books for

s are ginghams; the white with the little spots and thin stripes are percales. The plain blues and pinks are chambray; the plain blues and pinks of cheaper grade are ginghams. Those with printed designs on one side are calicos. The dark brown and blue samples are heavier and are called denims. Suppose we make a book of brown paper and mount all the cotton materials we can find. This book can be ke

h sides, can be bought from 10 to 35 cents a yard, and it is 36 inches wide. The flannelette samples are also soft and cost from 8 to 12 cents per yard; but flannelette is only 27 inches in width. It has a slight nap or fuzzy surface, and is sometimes plain in color and sometimes printed on one surface. Compare these three materials. Outing fl

as ever so many more cotton materials. She told the

used for wrapping butter or cheese, for curtains, and for many other purposes. It may be used for bab

texture. It is used by dressmakers for stiffening parts of garmen

s and household furnishings, and comes bleached or unbleached. What is the dif

sometimes on both. They cost from 12 to 75 cents per yard and are used for c

, and for floor covering. It costs from 18 to 30 cents per yard and comes about 1 yard in width. Yo

to 30 inches wide and costs from 10 to 50 cents per yard. Fine ginghams are

, 36 inches wide. It comes plain or printed, and is firm a

ed, is twilled in weave, and wears very well. It costs from 12? cent

The surp

ll study where cotton is grown, and in another learn how it is woven. Another day we will learn the names of other cotton materials and their uses. Then, we can add them to our book of cotton samples. The little white box on Miss James' desk is a

ES AND

n toweling for use at home,

cotton materials a

a sample book. Begin to collect

d the names of six common cotton

ss

OF COTTO

of the cotton of the world? Where is it grown? Have

about where cotton is grown. Cotton is the cheapest and most important textile fiber. What does the word texti

tates and why cotton grows so well there, and not in Northern States? Texas produces more cotton than any other state. In what other countries of the world do you t

ited States Depart

e cotton plant. The size of the f

e near a cotton field, perhaps you can ask some boy or girl in your school to write to the United States Department of Agriculture at Washington. This department will send you some cotton seeds. Perhaps you can plant the seeds in the school garden and see if they will grow. In the South the planter prepares the fields about February and plants in April or May. By the middle of August, the plants are five or six feet high and are covered with fuzzy little white balls, soft and dry. The cotton fields, or plantations as they

ited States Depart

-Pickin

some fibers. You will see that it looks like a ribbon which has been twisted. The natural twist helps very much when cotton is twisted or is manufactured into yarn. Cotton is a wonderful little fiber and varies in length from ? to 2 inches.

ited States Depart

hen burst are about th

tton fiber

countries, cotton was ginned by hand. What a long tedious process, for only one pound could be separated by a person in a day. The picture (Fig. 9) shows a little girl at school trying to gin some cotton with a little ginning machine which she has made at school. While George Washington was President of the United States, a man named Eli Whitney i

ny purposes, such as salad oil, soaps, cooking fats, and used for cattle feed. The seed is covered with a fuzz which is first removed and used for lint. Then the hulls are removed, and the dry cake which is left, afte

Speyer Schoo

to gin some cotton with a little ginni

ton on a steamboat do

olroom a space which will show the size of the bale. When these bales are taken to the steamboat piers, they are again made smaller by a machine, called a cotton compress, which reduces them to 10 inches in thickness. This is so the bales will not take up so much room in being transported. Sometimes, however, this pressing injures the fiber. The United States ships cotton to Liverpool, Bremen, Havre, Genoa, and many other places. Can you find these on the map and see what a long journey the cotton takes? John Alden went to the map and traced the journey. He used the pointer and started from one of the ports of Louisiana. Can

d States Departme

s. The third from the left is the American bale.

ES AND

States? Find the states on the map. T

th the microscope. How does

Eli Whitney's inventio

ss

MMING

wels. What must we think about i

poses. Let us learn on something simple-a dish towel or dish cloth for mother. Then you can perhaps hem something for

stitch which remains. If the edges were not hemmed, the material would ravel away or look very untidy. The warp threads run lengthwise of the cloth. The firm selvedge is

This is how Miss James taught th

There are two turns because one would ravel. Turn towards the worker. First, turn one-eighth in

er of the right hand. Little Alice Allen says she never will learn to use a thimble, but she will if she keeps on trying. The picture (Fig. 12) shows the even basting stitch with needle

The basti

. Look at the pictures (Figs. 13-16) an

to hold the clo

.-This

t the h

The hemmi

slant of

itch. Point the needle which is in your right hand towards the left shoulder. The point of the needle is passed first through the cloth under the edge of the hem, with a tiny stitch which shows on the right side. The needle, at the same time, catches the edge of the basted hem. This makes a tiny slanting stitch on the

these two

breaks, ravel out a few stitches and let the old end of thread lie under the hem. The new thread can then be started as at the beginning by putting needle in the hole of last stitch. There will b

ing stitch. Start

ed, it will be possible for the Girl

ES AND

n a scrap of cloth before startin

ully so as to have the stit

ap of cloth for a few stitch

ss

ITCHIN

a potholder and lea

hand ready for use. They can be made many sizes. For the cooking class at school, it is convenient for each girl to have a holder on a tape attached to the band of her apron (Fig. 17). It i

7.-The

on? For appearance we can cover the holder with some pretty piece of chintz or cretonne; perhaps you have in the piece bag some pieces which are large enough. Denim is strong for a covering. A piece of asbestos might be placed inside. Why? Pin all these thicknesses together, with a cover top and bottom. Now baste from corner to corner and from side to side. This is good pr

e. Cut through the fold. A true bias edge is made by cutting a square from corner to corner. Does it cut the warp or the filling threads? To make one-inch strips for binding the holder, measure at right angles to the fold you have just cut. Make a dot, and rule a light line which will be one inch from the cut edge. These are true bias strips. Baste the strip

Cutting a

itching might be used, and resembles it in appearance on the right side. Ask your Grandmother if she remembers when there were no sew

fingers and the thumb on top. Now you are ready to make the new stitch. The stitch is started at the right-hand end of the cloth. Make a stitch back over the two starting stitches and carry the needle forward twice the length of this starting stitch. You will have a tiny space on the right side between the place where the needle comes up and the end of the starting stitch.

he stitchi

as strip, the edge must be turned under one-fourth of an inch or more before basting. This edge is to be held with the hemming stitch. I am sure that you can all make the hemming stitch by now. If you wish a loop or long tape for holding the holder, hem it neatly at one side, tur

es of cloth sewed together may form a seam. Look for seams in your skirt, in your sleeve, in your waist. Can you find any? Some one tell the difference between a he

ES AND

strips. Be sure they are tru

on teacher's demonstration cloth, wi

ss

RHANDIN

s make the bags with the new stitc

our League Fair. Have you ever played bean bag game? The Pleasant Valley school chil

he overhan

The bean

that side? The two edges of the bag are turned in, and the overhanding stitch is made on the very edge. It is a very simple stitch, and is used for sewing seams or edges together firmly. The edges are held in the left hand between the thumb and first finger. The needle in the right hand is pointed straight through towards the worker as in the picture (Fig. 20), and the needle is passed through the two edges. The end of the thread is drawn care

ewhere which can be braced with sticks and made to stand slanting. The bottom of the box will have to be cut in holes (see Fig. 21). Each hole can be a different shape and numbered 5, 10, 25, or 50. The ob

Mrs. E. J.

s little brother try

t. Do you think you can make both the bags and the game board? The p

ES AND

bag board. Perhaps you c

overhanding stitch is used a

ss

TO MAKE

preparation of the school lunch. The aprons will keep their dresses clean, so the girls will loo

how much they cost. Most of the girls have decided to make pink and white, or blue and white, checked aprons of gingham. It costs 12? cents a yard; and the girls require from two and one-half to three

lan for the yo

ength. No pattern is necessary for this skirt part. On each length allow four inches extra for hem. Tear one length, lengthwise; be careful no

sure across the bottom of your paper. Measure up six inches, and draw a line at right angles to each end of the chest line. This is to find the shoulder. Draw a dotted line three inches at right angles to this, as shown in the diagram. Then draw a line three inches to form a third side of the square. Do this for the other shoulder and connect the two lines with a line parallel

asant Valley girls weari

oth and cut two at once? The yoke is made double of two thicknesses; that is why we must cut two pieces for the back and two for the front. Cut the two back portions thr

f width for each side. Pin together and baste one-fourth inch seams, to within 8 or 9 inches of each length; this will be left open under each arm. Baste also one-fourth inch hems at the outside edges of the side lengths which are raveling. Turn the hems to t

ES AND

n the dictionary: selved

s, besides gingham, su

ss

NG AND BACK STI

Fig. 25). It is a quick stitch, and it is strong. Let us learn to make

ome day we shall learn to make a seam which will be sewed twice, and then we shall remove the sel

ch called the runni

to be backwards-a backstitch to cover half the space. On the side towards you, your row of stitches should look like running stitches; on the wrong side, it will be different because of the backstitch. You should have the stitches in a straight row under the line of basting. The backstitch, which covers half the space left by the running, is twice the length of the running stitch on the wrong side. This will bring the needle up ahead of the stitch and ready for the next group of

gauge for t

on which you have basted, maki

inch allowed is for gathering at top of apron. Pin carefully and measure, with a tapeline or a gauge. Can you make a gauge? A piece of cardboard with a notch for one or three inches according to measure desi

is done by making two rows of running stitches (small basting stitches), one under the other. This is done on each width with the rows of running stitches one-fourth of an inch

of the apron away neatly, and

ES AND

inch gauge, using a piece o

piece of cloth. See how quickly you

ss

TTACHING THE

re two yokes; one is for the lining. Let us sew them

ront portion. Baste at shoulder seams one-fourth of an inch. Sew

same way. Sew two back

ne. Be careful not to take deeper seams, for then the yoke will be too small. The chest line width of the yoke is left open so the skirt can be placed between. The back portions of the yoke are also left open at the bottom. After basti

nd pin. Do not pin the lining yoke, for it is to be sewed down later to cover the seam you will now make. Pin the ends of the width to the ends of the front yoke. Pull your gathering thread until the fullness fits the yoke; then move the gathers along until

n one-fourth of an inch to match the width of the seam taken from the yoke. Baste flat to the seam so that

k portions of the yoke to the skirt porti

ES AND

re you think running and

to fit a space. Mollie Stark discovered several pl

ss

AKE A BU

o make a buttonhole, and how to sew on buttons? The Pleasant Valley girls h

randmother Allen learned at that age. Surely by the time a girl is twelve years old she should begin to learn how to make buttonhole

it to be in a vertical or horizontal posi

Cut

ep and how far apart to take the sti

onhole stitch

ning c

buttonholing

hing sec

utting the

orset cover, the buttonholes can be made to run up and down. One should decide how far from the edge and exactly where the buttonhole is needed. Mark the place with

he pin pricks which marked its location, so that the pin passes through both ends of the located buttonhole. Cut from the folded edge to the pin, by placing

e top of the first finger. Begin without knot, and at the end farthest away from a finished edge; as at the end of skirt band or edge of waist. Work over end of thread. Point needle toward left shoulder to make a slanting stitch. Make about

rcasting stitch

st, it is necessary to turn the buttonhole a

casting the c

op of the first finger. Do not spread it open. Throw the double thread from the eye of the needle, around the point, in the same direction as the buttonhole is being worked, from right to left. Draw needle through, pulling the thread at right angles to and toward the cut edge of the buttonhole. A little finishing

he buttonh

buttonhole is to be used, and then make the proper combination of ends. The picture (Fig. 31) shows both the fan and the bar. The fan is made with the same buttonhole stitch. Five stitches make a good fan. The third one is taken on a line with the cut and is the deepe

nd and the bar end

ttonhole, and along the second side make the buttonhole sti

bar the end, these to extend across width of buttonhole stitches. Over these the blanket stitch is to be placed. This is very easy. Look at the picture (Fig. 82) of it on page 138. These stitche

rom being sewed too near the cloth and

s crossed back and forth through the holes of the button. The stitches should be taken so that the pull of the button will come on the warp threads of the garment. On the wrong side, the stitches should appear in parallel bars lying on the

ES AND

ice over

ce blanke

e making b

Cut

ercas

ttonh

F

ttonh

B

one button at home and

ments which need butto

son

THE COMMERC

orie Allen says she thinks sometimes it is quite like a puzzl

ng to cut a fre

er the chin for the curved neck, and then you cut the other shoulder and armhole in the same way. Under the arm you made a slanting cut towards the feet so the dress or apron would be wider at the bottom. Try this if you have never done it. It

t measure. Patterns sometimes give other measures; a dress skirt may state the waist measure, the length of skirt, and the measure around the hips. For children and for young

e a business of selling nothing but patterns. Some patterns are better than others. The

What are the other two pieces? Yes, one is for the back. Is it large enough? No, only half. Only one piece is left. It must be the front. Is it large enough? Many patterns are made, giving only half a front or half a belt. Such pieces must be cut double when you wish to have the front or belt in one piece. The way to do this is to pin the pattern on a folded edge of the cloth. We will know if we consu

on the cloth. Which do you t

of the pattern is to be pla

d edge, so as to cut the portion in one piec

to cut? You will have to be careful to find the warp and to lay the pattern exactly. The pattern may say the group of three

you see how? The description on the pattern tells the name of each piece. Very often only

l understand the parts, before you begin to cut. Sometimes it is necessary to add to the length or to shorten the pattern. Some pat

e can judge if our pattern is too large or too sm

d over the fullest part of the bust, not too tight; bring it to the center

nd the smallest part of the waist. For g

t, at the sides over the hips, and at the back. For short skirts one must

ES AND

arts. Which are to be cut on a folded edge? How are you t

a skirt measure; th

son

NTS AND CUTTING

front and back, and, if it is necessary to change our pattern, we

your pattern, crease, and pin it. By taking this plait rather than cutting off the amount from the bottom, the good flare of the skirt is saved. Do you know what these pieces of the skirt are called which are wider at the bottom than at the

icoat for the chi

e. Pin or paste a strip of paper the desired extra length between the two pieces. This pre

al. It is like a puzzle to fit the pattern to the cloth, so that the per

, and placing the triple perforations of the pattern of the front gore on this fold, the front can be cut all in one piece. It is rather a circular gore. Not all gores are the same shape. See if you can find other shaped gores in dress skirts. The two back gores of the skirt can be cut from another width. Be sure to obey the directions

end of the piece of cloth. Can the gores be fitted so as to cut more economically? (Fig. 34.) Pin the parts carefully, not using too many pins. Mark all the notches with p

ES AND

different shaped dress gor

eacher has cut, show how to lay them most economica

u were using a pattern whi

son

THE PET

n to sew th

e marked lightly with pencil, an

ons so that they join the f

the top of

er with ?-inch seams, beginning

itching stitch. The back seam is to be left open

es, overcasting the two thic

y, laying little plaits neatly where necessary on account of extra fullness. Always have the seams o

cond ? inch. Turn hem to inside of skirt. Baste and hem. On left side of opening ma

the skirt

or the turnings, one at each end of band. Cut band lengthwise of the muslin, wit

ne below the other. Divide skirt in half; gather from center front

of band to the gathered back portions of skirt, with ends of bands to ends of gathers. Turn gathers towards worker, and distribute in same manner as when attaching yoke of apron to the apron skirt. Baste ? inc

to waist. If the skirt is to be attached in this way, a buttonhole should be ma

nt to the Fresh Air Home. This was in June before school closed. Some of the summer chil

ES AND

f the skirt band differs fro

finish besides the one which you have made

W PRO

ing stitches might be used: basting, running, he

pattern. Try to make this at home for school credit. Miss James of Pleasant Valley has a kind of score

RE

____________

_____________

ral app

neatness of

anline

ateness of

and

rity of s

lity of st

0