Evening star., 1925-02-20

~ ,cTocheted loops, ana oHerS an
L T. attractive combination Of but
tonholes and ornamental edg-
ings for underwear, house dresses and
children's clothes. Any kind of but
ton may be used with this form of
buttonhole, but the crocheted variety
suitss best for very sheer materials
and small pearl buttons for materials
that are q little heavier. The edgings
and loops are easily made, and add a
distinctive touch even to the finest
garment.
For this work No. GO mercerized
cotton, which is medium weight, is
tine enough for delicate fabrics, and
No. so coarse enough for heavier ma
terials. To make the plain-loop clos
Ing which forms the buttonhole, fold
over the edge of the material one
eighth of an inch and cover the fold
ed edge closely with single crocheted
stitches. Make the buttonirole loops
at regular intervals as You. go along.
The loops are made exactly like
picots, except that longer chain is
used, 16 or more crochet stitches
being used, according to the size of
the buttons. Be careful to make allow
ance for the fact that the loops will
shrink when they are washed. so make
them large enough. A row of machine
stitching on the folded edge will give
Il frmer foundation for the crocheted
edge and add strength to the closing.
If hemstitched effect Is desired,
draw thTee or four threads at a dis
tance of one-eighth of an inch from
the folded edge before you cover the
told with crochet. The upright
threads in the drawn space will be
divided into groups by the crochet
stitches: A scaIloped design pro-
vides an. especially good closing for
linen or other firTnly-woven fabric.
Fold and stitch a hem of the desired
width. Stamp or mark the scalloDs
on the right side of the hem and
outline them with a row of machine
stitching. Cut away the surplus ma
terial and cover the edge. evenly with
single crochet. Form a loop at the
highest point of each scallop.
HemstftchIng, ChainstttchIng.
Here is a good way to make a
pretty finish for scrim curtains: Draw
the threads If for hand hemstitch-
ing, turn them slightly over the
drawn or loose threads and stitch
down, using an ordinary loose ma
chine stitch. If double hemstitching
is desired, stitch next to the last
thread on the outside To make it
look like real drawnwork, catch 3
or Of the threads in the middle
tain. This method is just as good
for narrow hemstitching, without do
ing any work by hand.
Scanning with a hemstitching effect
may be done on the machine by plac-
ing several thicknesses of blotting
paper, cut in narrow strips, between
the two edges to be so joined. Stitch
an ordinary seam. Tear away the
paper and turn back each edge of the
cloth. Stitch close to the fold on
each side of the hemstitching. Curved
seams may be hemstitched in this
way as easily as straight ones. This
work gives a pretty effect, and is
quickly done.
It Is a good idea to make children's
clothes with the chain stitch, in order
to secure greater elasticity in the
seams. Where there IS a good deal Of
strain, the clothes will be far more
comfortable because the chain stitch
will stretch, whereas the lock stitch
would bind and break. The chain
stitch is much better to use on clothes
made for growing children. 1t is a
slow, tedious task to open seams
made with the lock stitch, but with
the chain stitch the seams can be
opened quickly and easily, the re-
Quired amount let out, and the seams
closed again.
There is no danger of the chain
stitch seams raveling out If the few
last stitches are locked, and that is
easy to do.
When sewing on lace, or material
cut on the bias, the chain stitch is
especially satisfactory to use, as 1t
gives the necessary stretch. By using
different colored threads or silk, a
very effective trimming may be made,
resembling a Roman border. Chain
stitching is excellent for basting, for
putting on ruffles, and for doing
fancy mending.
The chain stitch cannot be done by
hand, of course, but attachments
with which to make chainstitching
can be secured to use with almost
any kind of a machine. When buy
ing a machine, see that it will pro-
duce both the regular lock stitch and
the chain stitch.
Embroidered Edges.
The buttonholed edges Of center
pieces and other linens often become
unsightly because short ravelings are
allowed to show, especially after be-
Ing laundered. To prevent this. 1t is
customary, after the edge has been
embroidered and trimmed, to go along
the edge a second time, taking a
short buttonhole stitch into each OF
the loops already made. This method
usually does away with the short raw
elings and makes a firmer edge, but
it also nearly doubles the work. Then,
again, sometimes the material is
trimmed away to within a quarter OF
an inch, and the edge is then turned
back under the embroidery and hem
med down.
There is an easier and a neater
method than either Of these. 1t is
this: After the embroidery work is
finished, turn the wrong side up, and,
using a pair of small, sharp scissors,
slide the under blade along the cloth
until 1t is stopped by the purl, or the
small loops, on the right side of the
embroidery. In this way you can see
TO cut right up to the embroidery
thread on the wrong side. Do not
leave a thread of the material on the
outside of the work, because 1T is
these threads which will fray out
when the piece is laundered.
Be careful to slide the under blade
OF the scissors up to the purl before
each cut. If you are careful there
will be no danger Of cutting into the
stitches. his method takes but lit
tie longer than the usual method Of
trimming from the right side, and in
the long run 1t is saving of time.
The new handkerchiefs are in many
dainty colors. The woman who de-
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