1. Six rows from top―four over to left. Needle up from wrong side: pull through.
2. On row of holes below, one hole to left, point needle down, bring it up in first row of holes, two holes to the left of first stitch.
3. Hood canvas over the first finger. Finish row.
“Is that all there is to hemming?” asked Mary Frances happily.
“No, little Miss, that is just a ‘first beginning,’ as my grandmother used to say. Some day I hope you will make hemming stitches so small that they will scarcely show―on a dolly’s apron.”
“Oh, how perfectly lovely!” cried Mary Frances. “I can scarcely wait! Will it be long?”
“Upon me,” said Mary Frances. “I’ll work very in-dus-tri-ous-ly, dear little teacher.”
[Illustration: But the most important must be that little birds do not have hands]
“NOW, Sewing Bird,” began Mary Frances the next lesson afternoon, “let’s not talk any, but―”
“Let us get right to our lesson,” said Sewing Bird, “which is an edge-finishing stitch, named
[Illustration: “Let us get to our lesson”]
1. At left hand end of canvas four holes down and four to right, from under side bring needle to right side.
2. Hold thread under thumb. One hole to the right, point needle down, bringing it up in hole two threads below: pull through. Finish row.
“Good!” she said, as Mary Frances finished following the directions, “Now, for a stitch many grown women do not know how to make―a beautiful stitch:
[Illustration: “Oh look! dear Sewing Bird”]
1. Five holes down―four from left hand end, from wrong side, bring needle to right side.
2. Through hole below this, point needle down, and up through the one from which the thread hangs. Do not pull through.
3. Take hold of the two threads in the eye of the needle, bring them toward you around under the point of the needle. Let them rest there.
5. With left thumb on the stitch, pull the thread with the right hand tightly down to the edge of the canvas.
“Oh, look! dear Sewing Bird,” cried Mary Frances, holding up her work, “I really do believe that is the way Mother makes a button-hole! She said she would show me how to do it very soon. How glad I am I know that stitch!”
“Yes,” said Sewing Bird. “Won’t she be surprised! You know eleven stitches now.”
“Why, so I do!” exclaimed Mary Frances, counting her little samplers of work.