The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-11
MORE INDUSTRIAL WORK AT
UNIVERSITY SUMMER SCHOOL
Training Basky and Sewing Afford Employment the
Fingers Well the Brains and Pupils Enjoy Learning
to Manipulate Wood, arn Raffa and Cloth

rama hats and there are other novelties.
among which is cushion made entirely
from the raf1a. Strands of raffia had
been woven together just as in a single
paper weaving; the two covers were
woven separat ely; then they were sewed
together and stuffed with raffia. One was
made with brown and the natural color
OF rama, with simple little border to
give a. touch of individual ism Good eff
fects can also be obtained by using other
colors, green red or blue Some of the
cushions are made. in stripes; some in
checks, while others have only a border
Miss Maxwell has taught this work in the
summer school for two years and she also
for two summers instructed the 216 teach
ers and supervisors in the Prang school
in Chicago.
Every day sees a growth in the sewing
classes, which are under the supervision
of Mrs. Blair, and it is no wonder thew
are attractive to young women, for in
those classes they able to do their
summer sewing and do it correctly. OF
course the primary work receives atten-
ton. The teachers. just as the children,
begin by making the stitches on canvas,
until one of the practice blocks closely
resembles the sampler that our grand
mothers used to make. After the pupils
have mastered all these elementary
stitches, cloth of firm quality is given
them, and many miniature seams are run
and the little hens are stitched both by
the French method and by that COM
monty used. Patching and darning also
receive careful attention and the young
women learn how to set In gussets neatly,
| where the garment is likely to be torn.
When flannel is used they begin to learn
all the fancy stitches, as feather stitch
ing, herring bone, cross stitch, button
hole edging, catstitch, French knots, and,
as the climax of all their struggles and
| truly of all their triumphs, comes button
holing. They really do learn to make
| nice buttonholes, and they regard 1t as
| the elimination of their success.
When girl has mastered these tech
nicalities, as they might be called, there
| is another class open to her, and here it
is that she can do her sewing. Mrs.
Blair teaches the girls to draught under
garments, to make a pattern, having GER
tain measurements given, to he able to
cut their own garments Independent Of
other designs and patterns. In this ella So
| each girl makes several undergarments
for herself and during the course shirt
waist suit. The shirt waists are cut in
a new way originated by Mrs. Blair, which
has already gained such a reputation that
she has had to turn people away who
/ desired to learn it.
| There are lectures as well as class work
| treating of the cotton in it's raw state and
| tracing it thru the mill, where it is
woven into the various grades Of cloth.
the girls are taught what will wear best,
what is suitable for certain kinds of gar
ments, and what will stand the ravages
Of the washtub with least damages. She
lectures on beauty of dress, harmony Of
color and sewing in it's various relations.
Mrs. Blair has just returned from the
west, where she has been giving lectures
and doing institute work. While there
she had a class of young natrons who
desired to learn how to sew and to sew
correctly, and she thought she might
start a class here if there are enough who
care to undertake the work. No mora
than ten are necessary, but the class can
not be formed after the 10th of this
month What time she has from her
, work is well employed in preparing her
new book for publication in the fall in
time for the opening of the schools This
will be an addition to her work on sew
ms in the graded schools, which has been
of great value to sewing teachers