Clothing and Health

stmas. Making gifts is not difficult, if one gives thought and time, and need not be a great expense, if one is careful to use scraps of cloth. Look in the attic or in the piece bag to

puts into it. A surprise birthday pudding or cake, a surprise apron or work bag, are all things into which we can put loving thought. Who said the "gift without the giver is

silk from a wholesale house, which were given to her. She says the girls may have them. Some of the pieces are very large and can be

ss

F HOW SILK

ckties, gloves, stockings, and many other useful things? Do you know how the wo

ed corn which you feed your chickens. Your mother hen sets on the eggs until the warmth makes the chicks grow, but the sunshine starts the tiny moth eggs. Soon a little baby worm comes out and is as small as a tiny thread. It grows and grows and eats and eats, until it is about three inches long and nearly as thick around as one of your fingers, as

Silk Co. Copyright, 1

ticelli silk

st silk? You have learned that in your geography. Yes, Japan and China and Italy. Yes, and France and Asia Minor, too. Do you think the

d States Departme

cocoons built by the

The silk fiber produced by these tiny worms is often four thousand feet in length. Let us

d boys, too. The worm begins by making a house for himself called a cocoon (Fig. 64). Have you ever seen the cocoons of any moth? If you will look, you will find them on the trees. Miss James has some cocoons of

ass of parchment paper. These houses are about 1? inches in length, and are white or yellow in color. In China and Japan these cocoons are grown and tended very carefully. The outside of the cocoon is covered with the loose fluffy silk which the worm uses to attach his home to a leaf or twig. It takes the worm three weeks to make this long, continuous thread called a cocoon. During that time a wonderful thing happens.

e so they die inside. The cocoons are then ready to be reeled or wound off. They are placed in basins of hot water because the gummy secretion of t

Silk Co. Copyright, 189

cocoons from which t

Christ. Every year, in April, the Chinese people have a celebration in her honor, because of her valuable discovery. Think of all the riches she added to her country because of this secret. It is said that for many years this secret was kept; but later some monks traveling east to India and Constantinople told others how to reel the silk

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The cocoons are in the

the worsted which you buy at the store. It is sold in hanks by the pound and costs from $7.00 to $10.00 a pound. It takes three thousand silkworms to s

well as about a plant which gives us clothing. Silk, however, is more expensive than cotton. Cotton is sometimes made to look like silk. The cotton fiber is mercerized, which means soaked

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is grown? Write a story of

e silk grown in t

e world the principal cou

of silk which you use eve

the other uses whi

ss

S EASILY MADE

ns. The little pin-case or the sewing-case are both useful (Figs. 68 and 69). You know the overhanding stitch; so you can make t

n-case and the sewing-case. They are not diffi

le thread, make a row of gathering stitches; slip cardboard within and draw up the silk around the card. Now crisscross with your thread through the edges of material until all is held firmly (Fig. 67). Cover both cards. Then hold the two together, and very neatly overhand with silk thread of a c

cover the circle, and draw

es. They are made exactly like the pin-case b

n-case; B, oval pin-case; C, spool-c

meter. The circles can be tied together with ribbon and the doilies

e made of three ellipti

s across. All the girls know how to draw an ellipse. Cut the six pieces of silk ? inch larger all around than the ellipses, and cover in same way as you did the round disks. If there are not enough scraps of one color, use a contrasting color for the lining. After the six pieces have been c

you like to make the chain stitch and the featherstitch? They are both useful for decoration on bags, aprons, dresses for baby, underwear, and many things. Mollie Stark learned t

out 1?8 inch long. Hold the cloth over the fingers with the thumb on top. The needle should be pointed towards the worker, and the point of the needle should be brought up through the little round O. Care must be taken in

-The cha

r line. The length of the stitches and the slant always affect the appearance. In practicing the featherstitch draw a pencil line on your cloth

featherstitch; B, the

hread again on the pencil mark. Throw thread for next stitch on the left of the line. Take slanting stitch towards center line. Draw needle up through the loop, which should lie flat. The next stitch is taken to the right of the center line directly under the stitch above it, and should be the same length and slant. The beauty of this stitch depends on its evenness. A striped material makes a good practice piece. After the stitch is le

The outli

ight. Care must be taken to have the stitches all the same length and to throw the thread in one direction either away from or towards the worker. The pretty effect will be spoiled if there is a variation. Away from the worker makes a neat effect. Begin with knot. Draw needle

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atherstitch or chain stitch can be used; so

chain stitch, and outline stitch. Can you show how the n

ss

ES OF SEVERAL SI

in Miss James' piece bag; and, also, see how many different

ft and light, and others are heavy and stiff. D

design? Here is a piece with a printed design. It is a foulard silk. How does this design differ from the taffeta with the design? Foulard silk is used for dresses. Taffeta is also; as well as for linings and for petticoats. A cheap quality of taffeta doe

rêpe de chine and are used for dresses, also; and sometimes for underwear. It is soft and lustrous, and comes

of materials, and see how ma

one. Try it on your school loom. This weave brings most of the filling thread on the surface of the cloth. The material is called satin, and the weave is the satin weave. Some cotton

Crompton a

th punched holes above it. They affect the patt

filling thread, which gives the smooth finish is silk; and it is that which shows in the finished cloth. This piece of silk, which looks figured like table linen, only it is made of silk, is called a brocaded satin. This satin is used for dresses and trimmings, and often for furniture cover

ain weave, and many of such silks are still woven by hand in China. It is very durable and is used fo

year. It is ecru in color and is soft. The real Chinese pongee is hand-woven and is made from the sil

ers which are stamped with a pattern to give that effect. It is called moiré silk, and is used for trimming

hiffon. Who has ever seen it used? Yes, for veils. It is used for dresses, too, and for hats and trimmings. Isn't it light and t

ught for $4 or $5 a yard. It is woven from 18 to 42 inches wide. Isn't it thick? Do you notice the tiny ends standing up? It is woven just like some carpet, and the thickness is called the pile. In weaving, little loops of the filling thread are made, and after weaving, these are cut to form

lk. Isn't it interesting to feel acquainted with this new family of materials? Notice before

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different kinds of silks which you c

ive its approximate cost. Name an inexpensive silk su

used for? What is

book of s

ss

GIFTS AND HO

ag of silk, and a sewing apron

d like to copy it. It is made of a piece of yellow flowered ribbon which was 8 inches wide; ? a yard is enough. If you have scraps of silk, use

y useful bag. B,

silk for covering four inches in diameter. Cover in the same w

first 1?8 inch, second ? inch. Baste and hold with featherstitch (see page 120), or cross-stitch (see page 145) At seam of bag open seam carefully ? inch on the right side for casing hole for

elf. Baste carefully. This fold is to form pockets on the inside of the bag. Every two inches along length of strip, mark with a p

vered disks. Divide gathers in half. Pin to disk. Ove

ribbon for drawing top is in two pieces, ? yard in each. Start one piece from one side and run around casing until it comes out at the same place it

n be made of silk or of dimity at 12? cents a yard, and need not then cost mor

gthwise of the piece. This is for the band and is cu

ide of apron at the lengthwise

es wide to right side. Baste and hem with

Four usef

featherstitching will be on the upper or right si

hems, catching the p

ree by making two rows of fe

f gathers. A space of 12 inches in center of band is enough to contain the gathers. Put on

o finish, or ribbon may be sewed to ends

titch can be used. A, needle case and ba

tches (Fig. 75)

ed at one corner for a bib. A hem is turned at the edge and featherst

f lawn, as shown in the diagra

or silk with a hem at the b

g trimmed with finishing b

seful cases with decor

ES AND

ther at her birthday anniversa

an an original gift.

for gifts you can find in c

ss

LS HOW SILK IS

, New Jersey, where there are many silk mills. She told the girls of the S

ennsylvania. People have tried to raise silkworms here. In 1624 some Frenchmen living in Virginia tried, but were not very successful. Such experiments have usually failed because it costs so much for labor. In 1747 the governor of Connecticut wore a coat and stockings made of silk produced on his place. We use about 85 per cent of the silk manufactured he

ilk fibers

soaking the skeins to remove more of the gum, and winding the silk from the skein to a spool. This is done by soaking in warm water, drying, and then placing the silk on swifts, or reels. Have you ever seen a reel for winding? (See Fig. 78.) It holds the skein of silk. The ends are taken, and the machine unwinds from the skein and winds the silk on spools. In one skein there ar

.-Silk

the warp. The filling thread has a queer name, too. It is called the "tram," and need not be of so good a quality of silk as the str

of Chen

.-Silk

s made up of the gummy substance? The dyer boils out some of the gum; and, if he wishes to produce cheap silks and make much money, he makes up for the weight of gum boiled out, by using tin. The silk is dipped in bichloride of tin or other substances; and it takes up, or absorbs, until sometimes it weighs twice or even four times as much as the boiled-off silks. This tin is bought for silk. Women who do not know think they are buying heavy silk and are getting a good quality because it is so heav

of Chen

or preparing si

sin says it is done by machinery. See how many skeins are on the big wheel,

of Chen

eaving on a han

is woven. Do you remember how we found the cloth and the warp rollers when we were studying about how cotton cloth is made? For plain silks a loom is used very much like the looms for weaving cotton cloth (see page 69); but, for fancy silks and beautiful patterns and designs, the Jacquard loom like the picture (see page 124) is necessary. This wonderful machine was invented by

n saw. The book pictures will give you a good idea of how a mill or factory looks inside. It is a very busy place. Perhaps your teacher may be able to get some stereopticon or motio

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portant city in the United Stat

ry about the s

n your neighborhood, plan to

, the inventor of the loom devic

ss

ITCH CAN BE US

is very useful for decoration. We can make some attractive g

The blank

and a little time to it. You can plant some pretty vines as the girls did at the Ellen H. Richards house. The cucumber grows wild and can be transplanted. Perhaps in the attic you can

ash, perhaps you have some grain or feed bags which will do. You can dip them in coffee to stain them light brown, as Marjorie Allen did when she made a cover for the porch table. A piece 1? yards long and from 16 to 2

ft to right. The edge of the cloth is held towards the worker. Start with a few running stitches and bring the needle up near the edge. Have the thread under the thumb. Insert the needle any depth desired and point needle at right angles to the edge of the cloth, towards the worker. The needle should come up under the edge and through the loop made by the thread. The thread will be carried along the edge as the stitches are made. In finishing a thread, take small tiny stitches on the wrong side. In starting a new thread, bring it up through the last loop at the edge. On some materi

g the blanket stitch in block patt

ind of envelope and it can be filled later with a cushion of bran or excelsior or feathers. Fold so that the overlapping of hems comes about 4 inches from one end of the cushion. After folding and pinning, baste carefully through the two thicknesses of material. Work the blanket stitch all around four sides with the heavy br

tes and the edge marked in scallops by using a spool. The stitch is exactly the same, but the stitches are taken very close together and cover the two lines of the marked scallop which indicate the depth. Doilies are very useful instead of a tableclo

ch made close togethe

covers, tray covers, centerpieces, c

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n the blackboard of

the blanket stitch is used in some way. H

ss

MAKE THE C

sew when she was a girl? Have you seen her sewing samp

etropolitan M

o samplers

make a sampler. The picture shows two samplers (Fig. 85). Barbara Oakes has two samplers which she values very much because her great-grandmother and grandmother made them. Perhaps you may have one which your grandmother made. The stitch used for the samplers was usually the cross-stitch (Fig. 87). Would you like to learn to make it, too? It is a decorative stitch and is often used for marking linen. Grandmother a

de on squared paper. A, initials for towel; B,

oss-stitch. The canvas is basted in place and the stitches made over the squares of the canvas, following the design of the pattern. There are some coarse materials whic

-The cro

ther. Do you know the difference? The canvas is so woven that one makes the cross over two threads high and two wide. Bring needle up to right side at lower left corner of the square that the stitch would form if inclosed (Fig. 87). Pass thread slanting across warp threads, and take stitch on line with warp, pointing needle towards the worker. When thread is drawn

h design with baby's initial. Bureau covers, table scarfs, pincushions can be made. Here is a picture (Fig. 88) of a simple hand towel with cross-stitch initials. The towel is made of huckaback, all linen. You remember it can be bought in all cotton, too, or a combina

towel marked wi

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er, try to get it for a loan exhibit, while

h work suitable for an end of a

ss

AKE THE

ch, the hemming stitch? Barbara Oakes used to, but understands now.

.-The h

t the selvedge, and remove it there as it turns. Then baste the hem very carefully, turning to wrong side. Baste close to first drawn thread. Hold work over fingers of left hand in vertical position. Place needle in edge of hem, and draw thread without a knot under the edge of hem just exactly as plain hemming is started (Fig. 89). Throw thread away from the worker; take up a bundle of the threads by passing the needle under them and pointing it towards the worker along the edge of the hem. Again pass the needle under the same bundle of threads, but this time pass the needle through the under cloth and also through the edge of the turned hem, just beyond the bundle. This stitch should come between tw

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can use it in many places. Can you tel

on which this stitch can be mad

ll

a

kerc

u

ve

il

ss

UL GIFT AND

ave a place for the clothespins, on wash day? W

ouse without hers. Did you learn about ticking when you studied cotton materials? Pillow covers and mattresses are made of it, as it is heavy and strong and wears ver

can be used. A square piece

The cloth

rely with heavy linen thread to the four corners of the hammock hook (Fig. 90). The hook is hung on the clothesline, and it

e's flannel skirts. After the plain seam is made, it is opened flat and the edges are caught with the loose catch stitch. It is really a flannel stitch, because, as the flannel may shrink a little, the stitch allow

shall use it for that purpose on the clothesp

-The cat

the spaces above (Fig. 91). This causes the thread to slant and makes the cross, as it is worked from left to right. To start, draw needle to right side about 1?8 inch below the line of machine stitch. The first back stitch is taken 1?8 inch above the machine stitching. This will make the slanting line, as the stitch is ? inch beyond the

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stitch can be used in many

of this stitch o

ighbor how to m

son

RNING

sed for decoration instead of just on th

g stitches make the

e outlined. The darning stitch will be used as a background to make the initials stand out. It is a fine running stitch. Any design can be made to stand out by arranging the darning back of the outlined design. The notebooks will be covered so that the covers may slip off. This is done by overhanding the edges and slipping the cover of the book into the pocket formed

itch makes the design o

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ign for your

ial needed, if both covers are 9 X

nd of darning stitches. Perhaps you can

W PRO

Christmas on which the dar

ory to be read in school. Perhaps it may be as good as the one Barb