feather-stitching.

The band consists of a piece of alpaca, one yard long and about an inch wide. This band is stitched all around by machine.

A Pleated Work Apron.

A PLEATED APRON.

Last of all comes the little odd apron, but I should not be at all surprised if many of you did not prefer it to either of the others.

For this, one yard of zephyr is needed in a pretty check or plaid design, and a quarter of a yard of plain zephyr to match or tone in colour. One of the many that I have made was of white zephyr, with a plaid design of pale blue and brown. To go with this I chose a plain chocolate brown, and it really looked exceedingly pretty when finished.

From the yard of check material cut a strip three inches wide along the selvedge. Then from the remaining piece, cut a strip six inches wide on the width of the material. This will leave a piece 27 inches wide and 30 long. Most zephyrs run 30 inches wide in the single width.

Lay the material flat on the table and turn down a narrow hem, where the selvedge has been cut off, also making a hem the selvedge side as well. Then take two corners of the square and join them together to form a mitre, being very careful to match the design of the material. This forms a pocket, which is useful for holding anything. Next cut the plain material into three strips of 3 inches each, and join into one long piece. Then the 6 inch piece of checked zephyr should be cut into two pieces, each measuring 3 inches wide, and also joined into one long strip.

This leaves you with one long strip of plain, one middle-sized piece of check, and one shorter strip of check.

Take the short piece of check, which measures just a yard long, and cut off a piece of plain one inch shorter. Lay the plain material on top of the check, and tack them together with a line of thread down the centre. Fold the check material over the plain to form a narrow border either side, and stitch with machine. Leave one end of this band rough, and the other end round off, continuing the little border the same as the sides.

From the 60-inch strip of check, cut off a yard length, and the same from the plain, proceeding exactly as before, only finishing off one end quite straight. This makes the shoulder straps and band of the apron, and should leave two strips of material, one check measuring 24 inches and one plain measuring 18 inches. This latter cut into two strips one-and-a-half inches wide, and join into one strip again. Turn down either side of this strip to make a band, and sew along the top edge of the pocket, slanting each end to make a pretty finish.

When this is done, take a stitch with a needle through the centre of the pocket and the apron, and this prevents it from gaping.

Take the top of the apron next and lay in twelve half inch tucks, six going one way and six the reverse, but both facing in towards the centre of the apron. Before doing this, turn down the rough edge to make a neat heading. Sew on the two straps at either end of the top. From the remaining piece of zephyr, cut a strip one-and-a-half inches wide and the length of the top of the apron bib. Turn in each side and both ends, and stitch across the bib top to cover the straps.

To finish the apron, work a buttonhole in the rounded end of one of the strings, and sew a button on the other strap. Then take an iron and pleat the whole apron from top to bottom in half-inch pleats, using the stitched pleats of the bib as a guide.

When wearing the apron the straps should go over the shoulders and cross at the back, and come round the waist and button in the centre front.

The description of this apron may sound a little difficult, but it is really simplicity itself, and very quickly made, besides being very inexpensive.

Utilizing Partly-Worn Garments.

Garments are often discarded as being of no use, just because they are worn in certain parts, whereas a little thought and careful cutting will often transform them into something quite useful. It is often possible, for instance, to make garments for the little ones by using the least worn portions of larger sized clothes. Partly worn woollen vests can be admirably re-made into babies’ pants.

To make these take the old vest and cut along the line A B, shown on the little diagram. This cuts away the most worn part of the garment. Curve out at the bottom, along the lines C D and E F.

The stitches required in the little garments are very simple. Join by seaming together the edges from D to E. Turn down a fold of about ½-inch round the curved portions, and herringbone or machine-stitch. At the top, turn down a hem of 1 inch, and stitch in the same way. Make two eyelet holes in the back of this, and insert a draw-string. A cosy little garment for baby is the result.

The original garment and what it eventually becomes. The lines and lettering show where the cutting is done.

A Use for Old Stockings.

A delightfully warm pair of bloomers for a little girl of 5 or 6 can be made from the legs of winter stockings, the feet of which are too worn for further mending. Two pairs are needed. First cut off the legs just above the darns on the heel, then cut up the back seam and lay them open. Now lay your pattern on, and you will probably find that you can just cut the four pieces, bearing in mind that the stocking will stretch, so can be cut considerably narrower than ordinary material. When the seams are machined up (once stitching is quite sufficient), and a hem, wide enough for elastic to be run in, made at the waist and bottom of the legs, you have as comfortable and cosy a garment as you could wish for. If the legs of the stockings are hardly wide enough for your pattern, corners can easily be cut from the ankle or front of the foot, and joined on to each piece. This sounds very lumpy, but the seams can be machined quite narrow (you find they don’t fray out at all), and being of wool are perfectly soft, and will not be noticed in the wearing.

Collars for Cold Days.

A COLLAR WITH LITTLE SHAPING.

Furs are a very expensive item at the best of times, and increasingly so just now. Yet