Correct Position. — The child should sit erect and well back in the chair, and hold her work up but not too near the eyes. Threading the Needle. — (1) Measure the length of thread from shoulder to shoulder. (2) Break the thread from the spool. (3) Hold the needle, a little below the eye, between the thumb and first finger of the left hand. (4) Hold the thread in the right hand and • bring the hands together, thumbs touching, at the same time pulling the thread through the eye of the needle. Making a Knot. — Twist the end of the thread once and a half times around the top of the first finger of the left hand, roll the end under with the thumb, and secure the knot by pulling it down with the thumb nail. Taking a Stitch. — Hold the needle up to the thimble, — make a stitch. Draw the thread through with the thread over the little finger. Holding Scissors. — Scissors should be held in the right hand with thumb and middle finger through the handles and pointed blade down. In cutting straight lines, the blades should be opened wide and brought together with one movement until the tips almost meet, and in repeating the movement care should be taken to have the line contin- uous and not jagged. Method. — For these lessons in mending, each child will need a bag in which to keep her utensils and her work. It MENDING 375 is not a bad plan to show them one of a suitable size and, giving them the material, let each make her own before the lessons begin. For, after all, experience is an excellent teacher, and having made an effort, they will be the readier to learn a " better way." In the bag they will need a small needle case, a pin- cushion, scissors, thimble, and thread. All the work outlined in this lesson should be done as a drill, that is to say by count. The teacher, of course, increases the rapidity of the count as they become more expert. Drill for ojjening Bags 1. Open bag. 2. Take out work. 3. Arrange it on the desk. Drill for closing Bags 1. Put away the needle. 2. Fold up the work. 3. Put it away in the bag. 4. Hold up bag. 5. Collect. Drill for tlireading the Needle 1. Measure the thread. 2. Break it from the spool. 3. Hold needle in the left hand. 4. Hold thread in the right hand. 5. Bring the hands together. 6. Pull the thread through and over. 7. Knot. 376 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE Drill for taking a Stitch 1. Hold the needle up to the thimble. 2. Make a stitch. 3. Draw the thread through. Lesson II Basting Materials. — Muslin, 70 cotton, No. 9 needles. Facts. — Uneven basting (111. A) ; even basting (111. B). These two drawings show plainly what is meant by basting, and also the two kinds. In uneven basting the space stitch Illustration ^. — UNEVEN BASTING 1st! stitch back stitch knot space stitch Illustkation i?.— EVEN BASTING 1st stitch back stitch knot stitches are about three-quarters of an inch, and the space one-eighth of an inch. In even basting both the stitch and the space are one-quarter of an inch long. MENDING 377 In teaching this and all succeeding lessons, provide the class with samples. This should be individual, if possible. This means a good deal of labor, but each might be used many times. By all means use the blackboard. A large piece of material and worsted of a contrasting color will demonstrate all the stitches.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Correct Position. — The child should sit erect and well back in the chair, and hold her work up but not too near the eyes. Threading the Needle. — (1) Measure the length of thread from shoulder to shoulder. (2) Break the thread from the spool. (3) Hold the needle, a little below the eye, between the thumb and first finger of the left hand. (4) Hold the thread in the right hand and • bring the hands together, thumbs touching, at the same time pulling the thread through the eye of the needle. Making a Knot. — Twist the end of the thread once and a half times around the top of the first finger of the left hand, roll the end under with the thumb, and secure the knot by pulling it down with the thumb nail. Taking a Stitch. — Hold the needle up to the thimble, — make a stitch. Draw the thread through with the thread over the little finger. Holding Scissors. — Scissors should be held in the right hand with thumb and middle finger through the handles and pointed blade down. In cutting straight lines, the blades should be opened wide and brought together with one movement until the tips almost meet, and in repeating the movement care should be taken to have the line continuous and not jagged. Method. — For these lessons in mending, each child will need a bag in which to keep her utensils and her work. It is not a bad plan to show them one of a suitable size and, giving them the material, let each make her own before the lessons begin. For, after all, experience is an excellent teacher, and having made an effort, they will be the readier to learn a " better way." In the bag they will need a small needle case, a pincushion, scissors, thimble, and thread. All the work outlined in this lesson should be done as a drill, that is to say by count. The teacher, of course, increases the rapidity of the count as they become more expert. Drill for opening Bags 1. Open bag. 2. Take out work. 3. Arrange it on the desk. Drill for closing Bags 1. Put away the needle. 2. Fold up the work. 3. Put it away in the bag. 4. Hold up bag. 5. Collect. Drill for threading the Needle 1. Measure the thread. 2. Break it from the spool. 3. Hold needle in the left hand. 4. Hold thread in the right hand. 5. Bring the hands together. 6. Pull the thread through and over. 7. Knot. Drill for taking a Stitch 1. Hold the needle up to the thimble. 2. Make a stitch. 3. Draw the thread through. Lesson II Basting Materials. — Muslin, 70 cotton, No. 9 needles. Facts. — Uneven basting (111. A) ; even basting (111. B). These two drawings show plainly what is meant by basting, and also the two kinds. In uneven basting the space stitch Illustration ^. — UNEVEN BASTING 1st! stitch back stitch knot space stitch Illustration B.— EVEN BASTING 1st stitch back stitch knot stitches are about three-quarters of an inch, and the space one-eighth of an inch. In even basting both the stitch and the space are one-quarter of an inch long. In teaching this and all succeeding lessons, provide the class with samples. This should be individual, if possible. This means a good deal of labor, but each might be used many times. By all means use the blackboard. A large piece of material and worsted of a contrasting color will demonstrate all the stitches.

Handbook of domestic science and household arts for use in elementary schools