Part 8

The best time for collecting the mosses is in the early morning, when, on your return, there is leisure for immediately laying them out. If you leave them until the next day, the chances are that one half of them will be spoiled. Do not collect many mosses at one time; for these flowers of the sea fade, and even decompose very fast, when roughly handled or carelessly gathered. If you cannot arrange them at once, put them either in an oil-skin bag, or a tin can, with sea-water. When you are ready to arrange them, take your drawing paper and cut it into large and small squares, or any size you desire. Get some soup plates, or any shallow dish; fill with fresh water; place a small piece of alum in each dish. Now have your camel’s-hair pencils and darning-needles, or needles mounted on matches, by your side. Then float a piece of sea-moss in fresh water. If very dirty or sandy, wash it first in clear water. Float it on a piece of paper, which must be placed under it with the left hand, while with your right hand you arrange the plant in a natural manner, using your camel’s-hair pencils and needles. Superabundant branches can be thinned out with small, sharp-pointed scissors. When the specimen is placed as you like it, cautiously raise the paper, that the position of the plant be not altered, and let it rest somewhere with sloping inclination, that the moisture may run off, while other specimens are treated in the same way. Do not leave them long thus, for they must be pressed before the paper is dry. In drying them, you must lay either old soft linen, or cotton over them, to prevent its sticking to the upper paper when pressing; as, in order to press it, you must first lay them in blotting paper, and then in brown, and place them, thus prepared, between your boards, and strap the two boards tightly together. The blotting paper and old cloth must be changed at least twice in drying large sea-weed. The second day place a heavy pressure on the boards used in pressing.

Sea-mosses are glutinous, and must be dried, and not pressed; and, when finished and dry, then moisten the under side of the paper, and press it gently. Others will not adhere to paper, and therefore, when dry, should be brushed over with a little isinglass, dissolved in gin, laid on warm; and they will then be fixed closely to the drawing paper.

Another preparation is one ounce of oil of turpentine, in which some gum mastic, the size of a nutmeg, has been dissolved. This gives a gloss to the specimen, and helps to preserve the color.

The finest and rarest specimens are found in the lowest tide pool, or cast up after a storm.

We have seen these sea-mosses, or sea-weeds, exquisitely arranged, representing flower painting.

Take the pink and green sea-weed, and with practice, moss-rose buds can be perfectly represented, also other flowers. Be careful and select fine-grained, at the same time _strong_ paper.

Every lover of nature should always possess a microscope. Examine with it many tiny specimens, condemned as too small to arrange in your album; it will reveal to you such form and color, provision and harmony, as the Almighty Creator conceals from the unseeing eye, and reveals to patient and intelligent search.

=HOUSE AND HOME ARTS.=

1.--KNITTING.

Plain knitting is but little noticed since knitting machines were invented. At present crochet work has taken its place, and fancy tatting. It will not be necessary for us to give any especial directions for these kinds of work, as nearly all our magazines give new directions in every number. But both crochet and tatting require eyesight. If a child is taught in early youth to knit well, all common knitting can be done without eyesight. We can _think_ better if our hands are employed on plain knitting. If our eyes have been overtasked, and cannot bear the light, we can knit in the dark. We always keep some common knitting, such as strips for a blanket, or stockings for the poor, on hand; and it is astonishing the amount of work accomplished in this way, as we can knit, if a neighbor calls, for it does not prevent our conversing freely, also we can knit and read.

We earnestly advise our young readers to learn to knit. Many persons in the present era are afflicted with weak eyes, and dislike to be idle; the knowledge of knitting would be a pleasure, also of netting, as that requires less eyesight than other branches of work. We will give the directions for knitting a few fancy articles, also the directions for knitting a common stocking, so that our young girls can knit substantial stockings for the poor. During the last war, when our young ladies were called upon to knit stockings, how few knew how! So many, who earnestly desiring to do their part, were obliged to learn the rudiments of knitting!

2.--HOW TO KNIT A STOCKING.

First select four smooth steel needles of a size suitable for the woollen or cotton yarn you intend to use. If you cannot tell yourself, the person of whom you purchase your yarn can select suitable needles. Your stitches should be cast on with double yarn. Knitting them on is preferable; first form a loop on one needle, then by knitting that loop with another needle, the required stitches can be formed. Some persons prefer a little elastic roll at the top; this is formed by knitting eight or ten rows round plain, then turn directly back and knit on the wrong side a few times.

But the most common mode is purl every two stitches. This is done by knitting two stitches and purling two. It is well to continue this for a gentleman’s stocking or a boy’s all the way to the heel, as they cling better to the leg, or purl two and knit two for a half a finger, then knit a finger and a half plain, and end the leg part by purling two and two again at the ankle for an inch. If the stocking is for a lady, after knitting four or five inches from the top (the first inch being purled every two stitches), the narrowing should be commenced. In plain knitting, one needle is called the seam needle, for the centre stitch should be purled, and one must be taken to purl that same stitch the whole length of the leg. The narrowing of the leg should be done on each side of the seam stitch. Then knit five or six rows before narrowing again. The leg should be narrowed thus seven or eight times to form a good shaped leg.

No rules for length, or the number of stitches to be cast on a needle, can be given, as nearly every person differs in size. The only sure way is to measure by some old stocking. The heel must contain just half the stitches in the whole stocking. Take off the stitches, for the heel, on to one needle. A long heel makes a better shaped stocking than a short one. When nearly done, narrow five or six times on each side of the purl; for, in taking off the stitches for the heel, the purl stitch must be in the centre of the heel needle. The heel is knit backwards and forwards like a garter, only it is purled all across on the wrong side. The narrowing must all be done on the plain knitting side. Some persons knit the heel with double yarn; others, on the purling side, slip a stitch and knit a stitch all across, and the next time the purling side is knit, slip the stitch you _knit_ before. This makes a strong heel, almost equal to running a heel after it is knit. To bind off the heel, you must place half the stitches on one needle and half on another, then place them side by side, and knit two stitches together with a third needle, slip the first stitch knit with the third needle over the second stitch all across, never leaving but one stitch on the needle. Some finish the heel differently; they take just half the stitches of the heel in the middle of the needle, leaving a quarter on one side and a quarter on the other, and only knit the middle, but each time take up one stitch from the side, and narrow it with one on the middle, until all the stitches on the side are gone.

The foot is formed by taking up the loops on each side of the heel (these loops are formed in knitting the heel, by always slipping the first stitch, as in a garter). In knitting round the first time, it is necessary to widen on the heel every third stitch, by taking up an additional loop. It should then be narrowed on the corner of the side needles, by narrowing two together of the four last stitches on the first needle, then on the other side needle knit two plain, slip a stitch and knit a stitch, and put the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch, until the foot is small enough. After the first few times around, it shapes the instep better to narrow, then knit around without slipping and binding. The next time knit past the narrowing side plain, and slip and bind, therefore the size is only lessened one stitch every row, forming a long gore. The toe is formed by narrowing at the beginning and end of each needle; first knit two plain and narrow, then leave four at the end of the needle, narrow the first two, and knit the other two plain; before narrowing, see that the stitches on each needle number the same. Knit around three times plain, then narrow as directed. Knit three plain rounds between the narrowing three times. Then knit twice around plain, three times between the narrowing; then once, then narrow every time till there are only four stitches; break off your yarn, leaving sufficient to draw through the four stitches, and with a darning needle fasten it strong.

Another way to narrow a toe off, is to narrow every seven stitches when you begin the toe; knit seven times around, and narrow every six stitches; knit six rows and narrow every five stitches; knit five rows and narrow every four stitches, so on to the end.

3.--BABY’S KNITTED JACKET.

Cast on two hundred stitches on good sized steel needles, knit quarter stitch eleven purls, that is twenty-two times across; then, with colored split worsted, knit three purls, then narrow every time, putting the worsted twice over the needle each time to make holes; knit three purls, then commence with the white worsted; knit fourteen purls; divide the stitches into three parts, fifty on each side, one hundred in the middle. Commence with the middle, knit twenty-two purls, then narrow each side of the needle every other time, making twenty-two purls, bind off. Knit the fronts the same way, narrowing only on one side.

SLEEVES.

Cast on sixty-five stitches, knit thirty-six purls, narrowing each side of the needle every eighth purl; knit three purls with color, make holes, then three more purls, bind off fifty-four stitches, then sew up the shoulders, take up the stitches round the neck, knit the same with the colored worsted, as the border on the sleeves, take up stitches down each side of the front, knit the same border, only have one purl before making the holes, then knit two purls.

BORDER.

Cast on eighteen stitches, and knit the same as border for blanket, making seven holes instead of four. _Split worsted is preferable._

4.--BABY’S BLANKET.

Commence with thirty stitches on a needle, and knit Brioche stitch. Knit till you can count twenty-four loops, then change the color (the stitch to be knit, is slip a stitch, put thread in front and narrow, all across, on both sides the same). You must always join the color on the same side, and have a colored square in each corner of your blanket. Knit seven squares in each strip, and seven strips form the inside of the blanket.

5.--BORDER TO BLANKET.

Cast on ten stitches, knit two plain, put your worsted in front and narrow all the rest, but knit the last stitch plain; that is, put your thread in front and narrow two together, till there are two left; then put your thread in front and knit one stitch; then the last one plain; knit back plain; then knit three stitches, and the same as before, only add a stitch every other time across, till you have nineteen stitches; then knit twice plain, and knit eight, and narrow; then put your thread in front and narrow four times; knit last stitch plain always, knit back always plain; decrease one every other time till you have ten, then knit a plain row to join your other color. All the scallops are knit the same, and it needs thirty-two blocks of edging to go round the blanket. The colored point of each corner must be gathered up to the point close, thus making the white come on each side of the colored square.

It takes eight ounces of common zephyr worsted, four ounces of each color.

This enlarged, makes very handsome carriage blankets, with a palm leaf worked in each square; but instead of a knitted border, it is better to tie in a heavy fringe of worsted.

6.--KNITTED BED-QUILTS.

This requires a whole box of the red and white Saxony yarn.

This should be knit with the finest ivory needles. Cast on forty stitches. Knit the stripes garter stitch; that is, knit backwards and forwards plain knitting, slipping always the first stitch on the needle. Knitting it thus, it makes every other time across look like purling. The stripes must be four hundred purls in length; it needs eleven stripes, red and white alternately. These stripes must be sewed together, and the ends finished off with a fringe, or knit a border. The directions given for the border to the first baby’s blanket, knit it broader by knitting six or seven stitches plain before you widen or narrow to make holes.

A “couvre-pied” can be knit in the same manner, only knit the stripes three hundred and ten purls in length.

7.--BABY’S BLANKET.

A beautiful blanket can be knit with stripes, alternating pink and white. Knit plain garter stitch, each stripe a yard long; the white stripes should be the narrowest, eighteen stitches for the white and twenty-two for the pink. When finished, then work in the white stripes, a pink rose-bud and a green leaf, as small as possible, then sew all together, making the blanket a square yard.

BORDER.

Cast on sixteen stitches.

_First row._ Knit three, turn over twice, purl two together, knit two, turn over twice, knit two together, turn over twice, knit two together, knit five.

_Second row._ Knit seven, purl one, knit two, purl one, knit two, turn over twice, purl two together, knit three.

_Third row._ Knit three, turn over twice, purl two together, knit thirteen.

_Fourth row._ Knit thirteen, turn over twice, purl two together, knit three.

_Fifth row._ Knit three, turn over twice, purl two together, knit two, turn over twice, knit two together, turn over twice, knit two together, turn over twice, knit two together, knit five.

_Sixth row._ Knit seven, purl one, knit two, purl one, knit three, purl one, knit two, turn over twice, purl two together, knit three.

_Seventh row._ Knit three, turn over twice, purl two together, knit six, turn.

_Eighth row._ Cast off five, knit ten, turn over twice, purl two together, knit three.

8.--SOFA CUSHION.

Cast by knitting sixteen stitches, knit plain four rows like a garter, knit eight stitches, turn and purl four, knitting heel stitch (that is, plain in front, and purl on the back side), ten times on the four stitches. Then slip the four stitches from the needle while you take up the next four, then return them again and knit the remaining four, turn and knit twelve stitches, then take up the last loop on the roll, and narrow it off with the first stitch of the last four, then knit the last three plain. Then knit four rows plain (which makes three rows of purling on the right side between each roll). Now commence another roll, same as before. It takes seven ounces of tapestry worsted, or double zephyr, one ounce to a stripe. Be careful and select colors that will harmonize together.

9.--TABLE MATS.

Table mats, made of coarse white tidy yarn--with the plain crochet stitch and a scallop border--are easily worked, and do not strain the eyes.

10.--CARRIAGE OR BED-ROOM MAT.

A very pretty carriage or bed-room mat may be made in knitting. Collect as much flannel list, or flannel and woollen cloth as you can; cut it into short lengths, and knit a few rows, for a foundation, in twine. Then take a piece of list, put it across the string, and knit it in tightly; knit the pieces of list in this way all across; then knit a row plain; then knit in a row with the list. If you knit an edge of scarlet flannel, say six rows first, and six stitches at the beginning and end of each row, of pieces of the scarlet, and six rows of scarlet at the ending, your mat will be improved, particularly if the centre is knit entirely of gray list, as the gray and scarlet are very effective. When completed, line it with a nice coarse brown cloth. Pretty mats can be knit entirely of old pieces of cloth of any kind, by cutting it in narrow strips and sewing each strip together; knit it with large needles either in strips or squares, and sew them firmly together; take your pieces at odd times and strip them up, and as you sew them together, roll them into balls ready for knitting, then arrange your colors to harmonize together.

11.--KNITTED MOSS.

Cast on about fifty stitches of light green Berlin wool; slip a stitch on your needle without knitting, and knit the next row. Continue the same until you have finished two skeins of wool, taking care never to knit the first stitch of each line. Then knit on it, in the same manner, two skeins of the next shade darker of color, and continue in the same manner until you have knitted up five shades of green; join on a rich brown, and a faded moss-colored wool, and then cast off. Wet your knitting through with clear water, then dry it over a furnace register, or cover it with a paper or cloth, and press it with a hot iron. Let it remain for a few hours untouched, then unfasten the last stitch, and pull it out. It will unravel easily, from the first stitch of each row not having been knitted, and you will have a good curling imitation of moss to sew on to baskets or for borders of mats.

12.--PLAIN NEEDLE-WORK, AND USEFUL HINTS FOR YOUNG LADIES.

Our young ladies formerly were educated thoroughly in needle-work. Plain sewing was taught in the primary schools; but, alas! these times seem past; it is rare to find a little girl of even ten years old who can hem a pocket-handkerchief well. The children of our mechanics grow up with but little knowledge of useful work. Their mothers, with mistaken love, mend, dress, and make their wearing apparel. Often they marry wholly ignorant of the accomplishments _necessary_ for a true wife and helpmeet--that is, the knowledge of housekeeping, plain sewing, and cutting out the simplest garment.

Who is to blame for this? The excuse of many a hard-working mother is, “I have not had time to teach my daughters;” and of our ladies of wealth, “I did not suppose my daughters would ever be poor, or require such knowledge!”

It is a very great pity sewing is not taught in our common schools. It is quite as important to our girls as reading, writing, spelling, &c. There is no country in the world where a _practical_ education is so necessary as in ours, the fluctuations of fortune are so great. The rich man of to-day may be the poor man of to-morrow. Therefore every boy and girl in the land should have a useful and practical education. Our girls especially, rich or poor, need a knowledge of practical housekeeping; it is not possible for any lady to be a good housekeeper unless she knows how things should be done herself, as a trained servant in our free country is rarely found.

Plain sewing is also very important to be learned in early youth. In these days of machinery much of the old plain work is done by the swift needle of the sewing machine, rather than by hand; and it is expected, by and by, that hemming, stitching, over-hand work, and gathering will be as much forgotten as the old tambour stitch and embroidery of our ancestors. But we maintain that a person to work well on a machine should first be taught to sew well, and it is quite possible work may be required when no machine is to be hired. If young ladies are always able to hire their sewing, it may be pleasant to work for the poor. We hope our young readers may be induced, of their _own_ desire, to become _good sempstresses_. If any one reading this book is induced to obtain _practical_ knowledge on the subject, we shall feel repaid, and we would gladly hear from them. We will now give a few directions as an assistance, at the same time begging our young readers to remember that one lesson from a good sempstress is worth a dozen pages of print.

A hem should be, generally, narrow and very even; if it is to be wide, cut a measure the desired width, and be careful to have it exact; the stitches should be taken through, but so small as to be nearly invisible. A hem on clear muslin will look neater if it is finely _run_ like the seam of a dress.

In over-hand sewing the stitches should be taken on the edge of the two sides, and should lay quite close to each other, so as to look like purling.

In stitching you should only take up two threads, both behind and before the needle.

Gathering is done on the needle, two threads taken up and four left, and the line should be kept very straight by a thread, if possible. The gathers, when finished, are drawn very tightly together on the thread, and stroked down smoothly with a strong needle or pin.

Darning is done by taking every other thread (in a stocking), and leaving a long loop at the end of each line. The darn is crossed by taking every other thread alternately, each way. It used to be called “weaving.” If muslin is to be darned, it is better to use ravellings of the same instead of thread.

Should you have a rent in a dress to repair, use ravellings of the same material; they are easily to be obtained from the turning in of the top of the skirt, if you have no pieces; but generally some are left by the dressmaker, and should be kept for such accidents. In mending by piecing, be careful that you do it very neatly; match stripes or patterns on the material artfully, and you will have the triumph of preventing the defacement of your dress.

Learn how to make and trim a bonnet, or make a graceful bow of ribbon. Young ladies of small means, who are ingenious and tasteful, often present a better appearance by making things for themselves, than those who, without taste or neatness, spend large sums at the milliners’. We advise you to try and make your own dresses.

In order to do this, rip up an old dress that fits you; lay the several portions of the body on a large sheet of brown paper, with the turnings _turned in_; trace the pattern carefully with a black pencil; then draw a line round the whole, including the turnings-in, and cut it out. Pin this pattern on your material, and cut out the dress, taking care that you do not get two fronts for the same side, if there is a right and wrong surface to it. To prevent the possibility of this mistake, it is well to fold the material and cut both at once. The same may be said with regard to the side bodies. Greater skill is required to put the skirt into a band, than in making a body, in order that it may hang gracefully; but as fashions change continually, we can only advise you to get a good pattern to copy from, and _care_ and _patience_ will insure you success. If your means render it unnecessary or not expedient for you to make your own dresses, you will find it pleasant to be able to make up the cotton dress you destine for some poor neighbor, whose want of time for needle-work will render her as much obliged for the _labor_ bestowed, as for the material itself. Making clothes for poor children is _active charity_.

We know of a young lady so naturally industrious, that at the age of six years, she made entirely every part of a day shirt for her father. It is not as likely, at the present day, that your labors will be required for shirt-making for your male relatives; they generally prefer buying their linen ready made. Every _woman_ ought to know how to put one together.