CHAPTER XXX

MARY MARIE GOES IN BATHING

MARY FRANCES tip-toed into the sewing room.

“S’sh! s’sh!” she said. “Oh, Thimble People, I’ve,―oh, dear me! Oh, Magic and Mystery,―I’ve got the bath-tub half full of water. It’s the ocean, I have my sail-boat on it, and Mary Marie is going in bathing―when I’ve finished my lesson. I just dipped her feet in to see how she’d like it―I can’t exactly say Grandma would approve―but Mother would let me, I think.”

“Isn’t it strange? My grandmother―my mother’s mother―doesn’t think exactly as _her_ little girl, my mother, does. Now, I generally always think almost exactly what my mother thinks is right.”

“‛Generally always almost exactly,’” whispered Scissors Shears to Tommy Pin Cushion. “That’s the way I agree with Sewing Bird.”

“And you, Tommy Pin Cushion?” asked Emery Bag.

“And I―” began Tommy Pin Cushion.

“Hush up!” said Scissors Shears. “You’re always stuck in! You keep quiet, nobody gets a chance to talk for you!”

Tommy Pin Cushion got very red in the face.

“It―seems―to―me,―” he stammered.

“Yes, there you go again!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “Just as I said! Always forever trying to stick your bill in―though I must say―you haven’t much of a bill―I must say that!”

“Stop quarreling!” exclaimed Mary Frances.

“If Mary Marie goes in bathing,” said Fairy Lady, “here is just the thing she’ll need:”

PATTERN 23.―DOLL’S BATHING SUIT

1. The Bathing Suit is made by the pattern of Rompers (see Insert IV) and of

2. Doll’s Lawn Petticoat. (See Pattern 12.)

Cut skirt only five inches long, and do not make a tuck.

Suggestions for Material―

Red or blue flannel, trimmed with white braid.

NOTE.―The skirt may be gathered or plaited.

Make the opening of the rompers in front. Face the front openings with a strip of lining material one-half inch wide.

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

Make eyelets in the facings, and lace Bathing Suit together through the eyelets.

“This is splendid!” exclaimed Mary Frances, as she began to cut out the suit. “Grandma is to be away several hours to-day. I would miss her terribly if it were not for you, dear friends. We have such fun―she and I―almost as much as Father and I, or Mother and I, or Bill and I―or, just as much as Lottie and I! But I want to get these lovely things made for my dear Mary Marie before Grandma comes back.”

“Then,” smiled Fairy Lady, “you must learn to make:”

39.―EYELETS

For practice, use a folded and basted piece of muslin, as for button-holes.

1. Pierce the cloth with a “stiletto,” or very large needle-punch, breaking as few threads as possible.

2. Work the edges of the hole with over-and-over overhanding stitches, close together as possible. Hold work over forefinger of left hand.

NOTE.―In making a large eye-hole, mark a circle with running stitch, cut out close inside the thread. Turn back the edges and work closely with button-hole stitch.

“Oh,” exclaimed Mary Frances. “Now, when I finish this, my Mary Marie can splash and splash―but I’ll not get them done to-day,―even with the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try!”

“But you will finish them quite soon,” said Fairy Lady, “I feel certain.”

“You do believe in me, dear little Lady,” said Mary Frances.

“Faith in us Makes us do, and be, Far better than We think or see,”

sang Sewing Bird.

“If she doesn’t get them done soon, Mary Marie will lose her bath,” whispered Tommy Pin Cushion, giggling, and he began to recite,―

“Oh, Missy, may I go in to swim? Oh, yes, my darling rub-dub; Hang your clothes on a towel-rack limb, But don’t go near the bath-tub.”

“Tommy Pin Cushion!” exclaimed Mary Frances, picking him up and putting him on the window sill.

“Excuse me!” spoke up the little fellow, looking out of the window, “but here comes your grandmother.”

“I better run and let the water out of the bath-tub,” said Mary Frances.

* * * * *

“Mary Marie didn’t get her bath!” exclaimed Scissors Shears. “She didn’t get her bath!”

“Well, she went in bathing, anyhow,” said Tommy Pin Cushion. “Didn’t you see? Both her feet were wet!”

“That’s how wet you’d get if you went swimming,” said Scissors Shears. “She’ll go in bathing when the little Miss finishes her suit―maybe.”