CHAPTER VIII

A DOLL’S NECKLACE

“LET me see what you have in your bag, child,” said Aunt Maria, as soon as they were seated in the big old-fashioned parlor of the old lady’s house.

Mary Frances opened the bag. To her surprise Crow Shay winked an eye at her, but his face melted away before Aunt Maria saw it.

She caught up the crochet hook, however, and examined it.

“A very good crochet hook,” she said. “Just right to learn with. About a number 5, I judge,” looking at it carefully.

She laid it down on the table, and took up Mary Frances’ ball of yarn, and showed her how.

TO MAKE CHAIN STITCH

Material: Germantown wool. Bone crochet needle No. 5.

CUT[C] 1

Hold crochet hook and yarn in positions shown in this picture.

CUT 2

Pointing the hook away from you, turn it completely around, bringing a loop on the needle.

CUT 3

With thumb and second finger of left hand take hold of the crossed threads. Now point the hook under the yarn, and catch it on the hook. This is called “wrapping” the yarn.

CUT 4

Pull a loop through the loop which was on the needle.

CUT 5

Pull the loop closer up on the hook, and

CUT 6

Get ready to take another stitch.

CUT 7

Wrap, and draw another loop through the loop on the needle.

CUT 8

Keep on drawing loops through the stitches in this way until you have made quite a long row of chain stitches.

This time Mary Frances thought Crow Shay grinned at her. Then his face melted away, leaving nothing but the upturned line of his grin.

“My,” thought the little girl, “if he keeps on, I shall be sure to laugh;” but she paid strict attention to what her aunt told her.

“To begin with,” said Aunt Maria, “everybody who learns to crochet must learn how to make chain stitch. In order to learn how to make chain stitch you must do just as I have already shown you.”

Mary Frances tried again and again and was able at length to make chain stitch very well. She knew that Crow Shay helped her.

“Even though I seldom played with dolls when I was young,” said her aunt, “I believe that I can show you how to make some pretty necklaces for dolls by using this stitch. I used to make them and give them to my friends for their dolls.”

“Oh, how, Aunt Maria?” cried Mary Frances, delighted with the thought. “I’d just love to make one for Mary Marie!”

“Perhaps in this way,” said her aunt, giving her directions for making—

DOLL’S CROCHETED NECKLACE

Material: Pink or light blue or yellow Germantown zephyr. Six glass beads with large stringing holes.

Needle: Bone crochet hook No. 5.

Directions: Leaving an end of about 3 inches, make a length of about 60 chain stitches.

When fastening off the work, leave a 3-inch end of yarn.

Thread a long-eyed needle with the end of yarn hanging from one end of necklace, and string three beads upon it. Fasten end of yarn securely into the end chain stitch. Do the same to the other end of the necklace.

Tie the two ends of the necklace together around doll’s neck.

“Oh, won’t that be lovely for Mary Marie!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “I shall make one for her to-morrow. Thank you, Aunt Maria.”

“Probably you will,” said her aunt. “You certainly do learn quickly—just like me. You certainly are very much like me. I always learned such things quickly.”

“Now,” she continued after a little pause, “now, watch me, and learn how—

TO MAKE SINGLE CROCHET

Material: Germantown wool. Bone crochet hook No. 5.

Make a row of 15 chain stitches.

CUT 1—Put the hook through the second chain stitch from the needle. (That is, skip one chain stitch.)

CUT 2—Draw a loop through the chain stitch, and wrap the yarn over the hook, and

CUT 3—Pull a loop through the two loops on the needle.

CUT 4—Keep on working in this way until you have made a row of single crochet stitches.

_To Turn the Work_

In making the second row (on top of the first row) make 1 chain stitch to use in turning; that is, make 1 chain stitch, and holding the needle still in the right hand, turn the work over to the wrong side so that the row just made points in the same direction as the needle. It is always necessary to use chain stitches in turning crochet work—to keep the edges even.

Put the hook through under both threads at the top of the next stitch (See “A” in the picture) and make a single crochet stitch. Continue to make single crochet stitches across the row.

TO MAKE DOUBLE CROCHET

Material: Germantown wool. Bone crochet hook No. 5.

Make a row of 15 chain stitches.

Wrap the yarn over the needle, and put hook through the third chain stitch from the needle. (That is, skip 2 chain stitches.)

Draw a loop through the chain stitch, and wrap yarn over hook.

Pull a loop through 2 of the loops on the needle.

Wrap again and pull a loop through the 2 loops on the needle. Finish the row; turn the work; and make another row of double crochet stitches.

TO MAKE SLIP STITCH

Make 15 chain stitches. Skip one chain. Put the hook through the next chain stitch; wrap yarn over needle, and draw it through both loops on the needle. Continue to make slip stitches to end of chain. Turn the work, and make a second row.

As you may guess, Mary Frances had very little trouble in making these stitches, for Crow Shay was a wonderful help.

“You are certainly quick at learning these stitches, my dear niece,” said her aunt. “I think—I really think that you have learned them even more quickly than I did.”

“I wonder what Aunt Maria would say if she knew about Crow Shay,” thought Mary Frances; but she only smiled, and kept on making single crochet stitches.

“That is all for to-night’s lesson,” said her aunt. “It is nearly your bedtime. I will walk home with you.”