CHAPTER XVIII

A NIGHTIE FOR HER LITTLE NAP

“A CHARMING thing To make Marie, Will be a dainty White nightie,”

sang Sewing Bird.

“Oh, good!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “That is just what she needs. I had to loan her Angie’s best one; and Angie’s terribly cross. You see, I fear she is a little jealous of my new dolly. I’ll not neglect Angie, but you understand, dear Sewing Bird Lady, that it is my duty to clothe this child―” anxiously―“Isn’t that perfectly right?”

“What would she wear? What would she wear Without a loving mother’s care? She’d freeze with every winter’s breeze, She’d die of shame if any tease;― For every thinking body knows No doll is glad without fine clothes.”

“Thank you, Magic and Mystery,” said Mary Frances.

“And,” smiled Fairy Lady, “the Thimble People have been quite busy since last lesson―see?” She pulled from under the cushion of the doll’s chair a paper pattern.

“Oh, how lovely!” exclaimed Mary Frances, clapping her hands. “A real pattern just such as Mother uses when she makes my dresses? What is this pattern to be used for?”

“For a dolly’s nightgown,” replied Fairy Lady, smiling happily. “Now, the materials required are:

Three-quarters of a yard of lawn, or muslin. Long-cloth is a very nice kind of muslin to use.

Three-quarters of a yard of lace ribbon beading.

One yard baby ribbon.

“Here they are!” said Mary Frances, hunting among the treasures in Mary Marie’s trunk.

“They are perfectly all right,” smiled Fairy Lady.

“Even to a fairy?” laughed Mary Frances.

“Even to a fairy,” nodded Fairy Lady.

“Now, see if you can cut out

PATTERN 4.―DOLL’S NIGHTGOWN

See Insert I

Follow the directions on the folded sheet.

To cut out―

1. Fold the lawn crosswise.

2. Lay edge of the pattern having the two rings (oo) on the folded edge of the lawn.

3. Cut out, being careful to clip the little V-shaped notches before removing the pattern.

NOTE.―_Always clip a small gash_ in the corner under arm of these kimono-style dresses.

It took Mary Frances some time to fold the goods and pin the pattern on most carefully. So anxious was she to begin cutting out that she didn’t notice Scissors Shears looking at her most beseechingly.

“If only―” he whispered―“if only―” but Sewing Bird Fairy Lady gave him an indignant push with her bodkin wand.

“The little lady must learn how,” she said.

“Of course, of course,” said Scissors Shears in a whisper, clicking off the words sharply, “but I want to help―”

“You’ll help if you lend yourself―”

“Lend myself,” said Scissors Shears. “Now I might lend some one else. I could lend Bod Kin, for instance.”

“Bod Kin!” exclaimed Mary Frances, catching the last words. “Is he a Thimble person?”

“He was!” sighed Scissors Shears, letting several tears fall.

“But,” explained Fairy Lady, “one day he refused to do as the King commanded, and would not go through the muslin―so the King changed him into a blunt-nosed needle; and he has been compelled to be good ever since, even without his own consent.”

“Poor Bod Kin!” said Scissors Shears, turning over so sharply that everybody jumped,

“Poor Bod Kin, He didn’t win; It is a sin, Thin as a pin, Can’t make a din― Poor old Bod Kin! If I were he And he were I, He wouldn’t be he And I wouldn’t be I.”

“Hee-hee,” tinkled the silvery voice of Silver Thimble. “If you get too bright, you’ll try to cut things out with one leg, Mr. Scissors.”

“Come,” said Fairy Lady, “Miss Mary Frances, your Seamstress-ship, will you please begin to cut the goods?”

“Lend yourself!” whispered Tomato Pin Cushion to Scissors Shears.

“Tommy Pin Cushion, you’re stuck up!” clicked Scissors Shears, walking across the sewing table.

“I’ll cut by the pattern most carefully, dear Sewing Bird Lady,” said Mary Frances.

“Come,” taking Scissors Shears up quite carelessly. “Just like a grown up lady,” she thought as she cut out the little nightgown, and proudly held it up to the view of the Thimble People.

“Beautiful!” they cried.

“Not so beautiful as it will be,” said Fairy Lady, “when it

Has lace and ribbon, And ribbon and lace, Holding the lovely Things in place.”

“Oh,” said Mary Frances. “I can scarcely wait!”

“Well, then,” said Fairy Lady, “let us begin by learning a neat method of putting two materials together when the edges fray easily. It is called a

27.―FRENCH SEAM

1. Put the wrong sides of two pieces of goods against each other.

2. Baste about one-eighth of an inch from edge.

3. Sew with running stitch near the basting. Remove basting.

4. Turn the goods the other side out, and baste so as to enclose the seam.

5. Stitch with half-backstitching.

“Now, let us see what the nightgown looks like?” Mary Frances held it up.

“Good!” said the Fairy Lady. “Next you’ll learn

TO MAKE DOLL’S NIGHTGOWN.―(PATTERN 4.)

1. Fold the two long halves together, and pin the notches against each other.

2. Baste carefully along this edge, and try on dolly. Alter, if necessary.

3. With running stitch, sew near the basting.

4. Turn to other side and baste seam carefully to enclose the first seam―a French Seam.

5. Sew with half-backstitching. Turn to right side.

“Do you recognize the French Seam?”

“Indeed I do,” smiled Mary Frances.

“You may use the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try for this lesson,” said Fairy Lady, “because you’ve already learned these stitches. Doesn’t it pay to work patiently at first?”

“Oh, I’m the gratefulest child,” said Mary Frances, taking from Needle Book the shining needle, which seemed almost too precious to use, and beginning to sew.

In a twinkle the French seams were neatly made.

“Now,” said Fairy Lady, “fold a three-quarter of an inch hem at the bottom, and baste. Then hem it.”

The hemming the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try quickly did.

“Ready,” continued Fairy Lady, “for

FINISHING THE NECK

Clip a half dozen little slashes in the edge of the neck, and turn back to the right side of the goods one-quarter of an inch. Baste.

Turn back one-quarter of an inch the end of the lace beading for ribbon, and baste it over the turned back goods, beginning in the center of the back.

Cut off the lace beading one-quarter of an inch beyond the place it meets the beginning, and finish by turning it in one-quarter of an inch. Hem beading down on lower edge.

FINISH THE SLEEVES

in the same way, but it is not necessary to slash them. Then sew by overhanding stitch, some Valenciennes lace in neck and sleeves. Join ends of the lace by a fell.

“Is that right?” asked Mary Frances at length.

“Good,” smiled Fairy Lady. “Now thread Bod Kin with the pretty baby ribbon, and run it in and out of the lace beading.”

“Not your fairy wand!” exclaimed Mary Frances, hesitating to take hold of the bodkin wand Fairy Lady was holding out to her.

“For those who try,” smiled Fairy Lady, “no gift of the fairies is too good. Be sure to commence to run the ribbon in at the center of the front,” she added, as Mary Frances took up Bod Kin. “And leave ends long enough to tie pretty big bows.”

“Isn’t it a darling!” exclaimed the little girl, holding up the white nightgown. “Now to try it on Mary Marie.”

This pattern plate should remain permanently in book so that tracings on tissue paper can be made from it as required.

“Draw the ribbon to fit her neck and arms,” said Sewing Bird Fairy Lady, “and tie the bows.”

“Sweet Mary Marie!” sighed Mary Frances, looking at the lovely doll. “You ought to sleep well in such a pretty nightie! Isn’t it beautiful!”

* * * * *

“Oh, dear me!”

Such a sigh!

Mary Frances looked up in surprise. Fairy Lady was gazing at Mary Marie with a sad, wistful look.

“Why, dear Fairy Lady,” exclaimed Mary Frances, “what’s the matter?”

“Nothing, my dear, so very queer,” said the Fairy Lady smiling; “only that nightgown is just my size.”

“Oh,” exclaimed Mary Frances. “So it is! You can have it, dear Fairy Lady. I’ll work and work to make Mary Marie another. Do take it!”

“No, thank you, dear little Miss,” said Sewing Bird Lady,

“I’ve lovely fairy robes galore, A thousand, and perhaps some more,― But when I see your loving care, I’d be your dolly―I declare I really think I would;―but, there! I hear your grandma on the stair― Peep!”