[Illustration: “Of course, you have a pretty voice.”]
“My, no,” said Sewing Bird. “That is all wrong. Hold the work here near my beak. There, let the thread hang this way:
“Now, pull it through. In taking the next stitch, let the thread hang this way:
“Oh, I see, now,” said Mary Frances. “Isn’t that a beautiful stitch!”
“Beware! Beware! Beware! Beware! I hear your Grandma On the stair― Good-bye!”
[Illustration: “Of course, you have a pretty voice.”]
MARY FRANCES stopped on the stairs to listen.
“Surely,” she thought, “Sewing Bird is talking with some one. I wonder if it’s one of the Thimble People. Oh, I do hope so!” and, as she tripped into the sewing-room, she asked,
“Oh, Sewing Bird, what’s that I heard as I came up the stair? It really doesn’t matter much―for Grandma wouldn’t care.”
“I cannot tell you what you heard, My dearest little Miss; But listen to a wisdom-word, For I can tell you this: If many times you make up rhymes, You may become a little bird,”
[Illustration: “I cannot tell you what you heard.”]
“Oh,” laughed Mary Frances. “Caught myself making a rhyme;―but I don’t want to become a little birdie, even though they are so dear,―besides, I don’t have wings.”
“No,” said Sewing Bird. “I don’t suppose you do want to be a birdie―for many reasons;―but the most important must be that little birds do not have hands!”
[Illustration: “Hands are so wonderful!”]
“Hands are so wonderful!” said Mary Frances, “they can do so many things. They are pincers, hammers, wedges, and yet they can do the most dainty, delicate work.”
“Yes,” said Sewing Bird, “they come in handy!”
“Oh, Dick! oh, Dick! What lots of fun! Do you pretend To see a pun?”
1. Count six holes down and four from right hand end. Put needle in from under side: pull through.
2. Count one hole to the left. Find the hole above it. Point needle downward through the upper hole―bring it up to right side through the under hole.
3. Finish row and fasten thread on wrong side, by running thread through the last few stitches.
1. Count one hole from top of canvas and two in from end.
3. Bring needle out two holes to the left of first stitch.
Overcasting stitch is used to finish raw edges of material to keep from fraying.
“The next stitch is the first stitch your grandmother learned to make,” said Sewing Bird. “Her little fingers got so tired and sore trying to make tiny little bits of stitches on muslin, that you may be glad you are to learn on canvas.”