CHAPTER XXIV

THE WHITE PET

“WE’RE not through yet,― There’s the white pet. Let’s not forget―”

“Oh, I know what the white pet is, Sewing Bird,” interrupted Emery Bag. “It’s a white mouse! One of my uncles had a whole side eaten out of him by one of those sweet pets. I won’t forget!”

“Oh, my! oh, me! Let that be wrote, A _mouse_ is not A petticoat!”

sang Sewing Bird.

“Oh, you simple thing!” exclaimed Emery Bag. “Why didn’t you say ‘petticoat,’ then?”

“If I take time To make a rhyme, A rhyme it then must be: If words won’t rhyme At any time― I cut them short, you see,”

sang Sewing Bird.

Then Emery Bag:

“If that is true Then this will do: To Sewing Bird Any old word Will make a rhyme, If shortened hyme.

Isn’t that beautiful?”

“What does ‘hyme’ mean?” cried Sewing Bird.

“I haven’t made up my mind, yet, what it means,” said Emery Bag. “Sewing Bird, you’ve got an awfully swelled head since―”

“Nobody without a heart of steel would dare say such things to Sewing Bird. Isn’t he brave?” whispered Tommy Pin Cushion.

“A Brave’s an Indian. I’m not an Indian!” retorted Emery Bag.

“Ready to fight any one!” said Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Reddy yourself!” exclaimed Emery Bag.

“Here!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “Here is some muslin on the table. I’ll cut out the white pet,―petty,―petticoat! That’s parsed now, I guess!”

“It’s not fit!” replied Emery Bag.

“It’s not fight, you mean,” interrupted Scissors Shears.

“It’s not fitted, you mean,” exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion.

“It’s not fit! I tell you!” again exclaimed Emery Bag.

“Well, Red-in-the-face―, Brave,” interrupted Scissors Shears, “what’s not fit?”

“It’s all in the fit,” sullenly muttered Emery Bag.

“How do you know?” exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion. “Did you ever have a fit?”

“Of course, I have! Whenever I have my cover on!”

“Come what, come will, Then, this is it: It is not fit To fit a fit; If a fit fits you And you fit a fit, Put it on As you would a mit: Some say fight, But I say fit; If you want to make sure, Come try it! And this is double trouble―”

sang Emery Bag, bowing.

Everybody looked puzzled.

“It’s plain he’s in a fit,” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “Rip-him-up-the-back!―If I don’t get to work, there’ll be no petticoat to fit on Mary Marie,” and he dived into the muslin.

“Where’s the pattern?” he asked, looking up. “Oh, where’s the pattern, Sewing Bird?”

Then Sewing Bird began:

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

“Oh, woe, alas! Oh, woe is me! Whenever they quarrel so, Can’t you see― Without this petty history― No pattern is for you or me, Without ‛Magic and Mystery!’ Oh, woe! and more alases!”

“Magic and Mystery!” exclaimed Mary Frances standing in the doorway.

All the other Thimble People pretended to be asleep.

“Thank you, my dear!” exclaimed Sewing Bird Fairy Lady. “When they quarrel so, I cannot change from Sewing Bird into Fairy Lady without help,―but now,”―she added happily, “here is

PATTERN 12.―DOLL’S LAWN PETTICOAT

1. Cut a pattern of ordinary wrapping paper, making it twelve inches long, and five and one-half inches wide.

2. Mark on one end, two rings (oo) and an arrow (➸).

3. To mark tuck―

At one end, measure up two and one-half inches from bottom of pattern. Mark with a dot. Do same at other end.

Join these marks with a straight line.

Write along this line the word―TUCK.

One-quarter inch above this line, draw dotted line.

One-quarter inch below tuck line, draw dotted line.

To cut out―

1. Pin arrow end of pattern on a lengthwise fold of white dimity or lawn. Cut out.

2. Marking tuck.―With a large pin, prick through pattern and lawn, along the tucking lines, making holes about half an inch apart; or, mark lines with a tracing wheel against a ruler.

3. Cut Band for Petticoat by Pattern 11.

See Insert III.

To make―

1. Join ends of petticoat with felled seam, making seam but three inches long, leaving it open above that, in order to make a placket.

2. In making a placket, use one-quarter of an inch hem on left hand side, and one-half an inch hem on right hand side. Fold broad hem over narrow; secure at lower end with two rows of stitching.

3. Make the tuck.

36.―MAKING TUCKS

(_a_) Crease material back along the middle row of pinholes.

(_b_) Stitch tuck on upper side, sewing through the other rows of pinholes.

NOTE.―In making several tucks, mark in the same way, and proceed in a like manner; but remember to cut the material sufficiently long to allow for the making.

4. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom of petticoat.

5. Gather top in same way as flannel petticoat.

6. Set the gathers into petticoat band, as in making the little “tie around” apron.

(See 21.―Setting Gathers in Band.)

7. Make button-holes in band: one in center front, cutting it _across_ the band; and one in each end of band, cutting it _in the direction of the length of the band_.

8. Overhand half-inch lace edging to the hem. A half yard of edging will be needed.

“And I’m going to shut my eyes and go to sleep while you do it,” said Fairy Lady, leaning back in the rocking chair.

She looked so beautiful, Mary Frances would have liked to kiss her―then just to sit still, and look at her; but she thought,

“When she is so dear and kind, and when all the Thimble People want to help me so much, I ought not to loiter.”

“I’m here!” said a little tiny voice, and, to be sure, it was Silver Thimble.

“And I!”―it was Needle Book.

“And I!”―Scissors Shears.

“And will you all help?” asked Mary Frances. “I’m so glad!―and then I’ll have to do only the new lesson?”

“Only the new,―and here’s the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try,” said Needle Book.

“Why, everything’s nearly done!” exclaimed the little girl in a few minutes. “What wonderful people the Thimble People are!”

“And now,” smiled Fairy Lady, “ready for

PATTERN 13.―DOLL’S DRAWERS

See Insert IV

To cut out―

1. Pin arrow edge of pattern to lengthwise fold of goods, clipping notches carefully.

2. Remove pattern, and cut another leg just like this one.

3. Cut band by pattern of petticoat band.

To make―

1. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom of each piece.

2. Make French seams, or a fell, from bottom of each piece to notch.

3. Make one-eighth inch hem from notch on each side, to top.

4. Gather each piece at top.

5. Pin the end of one narrow hem to double notch (VV) in top of other piece.

6. Pin the center of the then-double material to the center of the band, spreading the fullness of the gathers to the hips and back only―_no fullness in front_.

7. Make button-hole in right hand end of band.

Sew button on other end.

NOTE.―If trimming is desired,―cut two ruffles, each five inches long, and one and one-half inches wide; and learn to make

37.―WHIPPED RUFFLE

1. Hem the lower edge of ruffles, and overhand lace on the hem.

2. Roll the upper edge of the muslin to the right side of goods, as you have rolled paper edges. Do not fold it. Practice rolling paper if the muslin seems difficult to manage.

3. With a No. 6 needle, and No. 40 cotton, overcast the rolled edge, taking the stitches no deeper than the roll.

4. Draw ruffle up to size needed.

5. Fell the two ends of each ruffle together; and overhand the ruffles to the legs of the drawers, sewing into each “whipping” or overcasting stitch as nearly as possible.

NOTE.―Fine goods whip more easily than coarse.

Mary Frances looked at Fairy Lady.

“She’s sound asleep,” she thought. “Won’t I surprise her!”

* * * * *

“What, all finished?” laughed Fairy Lady.

“Where were you, dear Fairy Lady?” asked Mary Frances.

“I was here―and tapes and tapes away;―away―away―away in Fairy Thimble Land.”