If it is possible to keep on hand a permanent equipment for sewing, the following should be provided for a class of 12: The teacher who is to give lessons in sewing should secure a helpful elementary textbook on sewing or some bulletin that deals with the teaching of sewing. Such bulletins are issued in some States by the extension departments of the State university, college, or normal schools. A leaflet that will prove of value, entitled "Sewing for Rural Schools" (Vol. VII, No. 7), is published by the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, Hampton, Va. It will be sent free to southern teachers upon request. A suggestive list of textbooks on sewing, for use in elementary rural schools. Burton, Ida R. and Myron G.-"School Sewing, Based on Home Problems." Price, $1. Vocational Supply Co., Indianapolis. Flagg, Etta P.-"Handbook of Elementary Sewing." Price, 50 cents. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. Fuller, M. E.-"Constructive Sewing Book I" (paper). Price, 60 cents. Industrial Hapgood, Olive C.-"School Needlework." Price, 50 cents. Ginn & Co., Boston. McGlauflin, Idabelle.-"Handicraft for Girls." Price, $1. The Manual Arts Press, Peoria, Ill. Patton, Frances.-"Home and School Sewing." Price, 60 cents. Newson & Co New York City. Woolman, Mary S.-"A Sewing Course." Price, $1.50. Frederick A. Fernald, Washington. 95619°-Bull. 23-17-6 DETAILED LESSON PLANS FOR THE COURSE IN SEWING. LESSON I. PREPARATION FOR SEWING. Preparation and use of working equipment: Needles, pins, thread, tape measure, thimble, scissors, box for work. Talk on cleanliness and neatness (care of hands, etc.). Discussion of hemming. Hems folded on sheets of paper. SUBJECT MATTER. A hem is a fold used to finish a cut surface, made by twice turning over the edge of a piece of cloth toward the worker, and then sewing it down. In turning a narrow hem the first fold must be less deep than the second, in order that the hem may lie smoothly. If the hem is a wide one, the first fold can be much less deep than the second. PRELIMINARY PLAN. The teacher should have interested the children in the sewing lessons before the first meeting of the class, and each girl should be asked to come to class with the box in which to keep her materials and such other equipment as is required. If the school is to furnish the equipment, the teacher should be sure that there is an adequate amount on hand. It will probably be necessary to have towels hemmed to be used in the cooking classes at school, and the girls should be interested in doing the hemming. If some of the girls want to hem towels for use in their own homes, it will be desirable to allow them to do So. Flour or meal sacks will answer. It may be well to have the girls each hem a towel for home use as well as for school use, in order to impress them with the desirability of having hemmed dish towels for daily use. The towels can be planned during this lesson and the girls can arrange to bring the material from home, if they are to provide them. It will be well for the teacher to have material for one or two towels already on hand. Plain paper will answer for the practice folding of the hem in the first lesson. METHOD OF WORK. The teacher should devote a few minutes to a talk on cleanliness, emphasizing the importance of cleanliness, and the necessity for care in handling the sewing materials. This should be followed by a discussion of the care of the hands and the condition in which the hands should be for the sewing lesson. Each girl should inspect her own hands and show them to the teacher. When sure that all the girls have their hands in proper condition for sewing, the teacher should look over their supplies with them, give them suggestions as to how they are to keep the supplies, and have them arrange their boxes. Next she should tell them what their first work is to be, show them the material for the towels, and discuss with them the best method of finishing the ends of the towels. (See Lesson II.) Before turning the hem the girls should make a cardboard ruler from heavy paper and notched to indicate the depth of the hem. A few minutes should be devoted to practice in measuring and turning a hem the desired depth on a sheet of paper. This should give experience with the double turning necessary-first, the narrow turn to dispose of the cut surface; second, the fold to finish the edge. 1 inch 4 inch (-------) 1⁄2 inch FIG. 2.-Gauge. Careful measuring should help to give the girls practice, so that they will be able to measure with the eye a designated distance in inches or fraction of an inch. When the lesson hour has come to an end the boxes should be put away in systematic order. All scraps should be always carefully picked up from the desks and floor. LESSON II. HEMMING TOWELS. Turning and basting hems. Hemming towels of crash, flour or meal sacks, or other material, for use in washing and drying dishes at home or in school. SUBJECT MATTER. Basting is used to hold two pieces of material together until a strong stitch can be put in. It is done by taking long stitches (onefourth inch) from right to left and parallel to the edges that are to to be basted together. In starting the thread is fastened with a knot; when completed it is fastened by taking two or three stitches one over the other. PRELIMINARY PLAN. The teacher should have the necessary materials for sewing on hand, or should have them supplied by the children. The materials needed will include material for towels, white thread for basting and hemming, and cardboard pieces for measuring. The teacher should also have a large square of unbleached muslin or canvas, 18 by 18 inches, and a large darning needle and colored worsted thread to use for demonstration purposes. The canvas should be pinned to the blackboard, where the class can see it easily. FIG. 3.-Even basting. METHOD OF WORK. As soon as class is called, supplies are at hand, and hands are in proper condition, the teacher should demonstrate the basting stitch with a large needle and thread on the square of canvas that has been fastened on the wall. Materials should be passed for work. Each girl should straighten the ends of her towel by drawing a thread. Then she should turn and baste a hem three-eighths of an inch in depth at each end. At the close of the lesson the girls should fold up their work carefully and put it neatly in their boxes. LESSON III. HEMMING TOWELS (Continued). The Overhanding Stitch and the Hemming Stitch. SUBJECT MATTER. Overhanding (also called overseaming or whipping).-The edges to be overhanded are held between the first finger and thumb of the left hand with the edge parallel to the first finger. The needle is inserted just below and perpendicular to the edge. The needle is pointed straight toward the worker The stitches proceed from right to left, each stitch being taken a little to the left of the preceding stitch. FIG. 4.-Overhanding. The stitches should all be straight on the right side, but they will slant a little on the wrong side. The stitches should not be deep. It may be desirable to use this overhanding stitch at the ends of hems to hold the edges of the material together. The overhanding stitch is also used for seams, for patching, and for sewing on lace. The overhanding of narrow hems is not always necessary, but the ends may be made stronger thereby, and the stitch is a valuable one for the girls to know. Hemming. The hemming stitch is placed on the inside of the hem. The end of the basted hem is laid over the first and under the second finger of the left hand with the folded edge outside and the material |