RiRAL School Leaflet 1395 



(8) Buttonholes. Buttonholes are worked on the right side of double 

 material. The work should be done from right to left. The thread must 

 be turned about the needle in the direction in which the work is advancing. 

 For flat buttons the hole should be cut the length of the diameter of the 

 button, for ball buttons somewhat longer, and always even with the thread 

 of the material. Hold the buttonhole slanting across the first finger of the 

 left hand, ^dth the edge of cloth toward the outside of the hand. Begin 

 at the lower right-hand corner. 



First strand the buttonhole by taking one or more long stitches to the 

 extreme end of the slit and back again on the opposite side. The button- 

 hole stitches will cover these, and will be strengthened by them. Then 

 overcast over the stranding using about three stitches on each side of the 

 hole. 



Now bring the needle to the right side close to the edge of the slit at the 

 lower right-hand corner. Take the first buttonhole stitch by putting the 

 needle into the slit close to the end, and bring it out far enovigh from the 

 edge of the slit to avoid danger from raveling. Before pulling the needle 

 entirely through, put the thread from the eye around from right to left 

 under the point of the needle. The needle should be drawn away from 

 the sewer so that the purl comes on the edge of the slit. Make the stitches 

 upright, of the same depth, and with about one thread of material between 

 each stitch. 



At the end that will stand the strain of the button, make a fan. The 

 stitches of the fan are slightly longer, and the purl is pulled a little more on 

 top. There are usually from five to nine stitches in the fan, the center 

 stitch alwaj^s in direct line with the hole itself. When the other end of the 

 hole is reached either a fan or a bar ma}^ be made. To make the bar, 

 bring the needle out beyond the slit on a line with the depth of stitches 

 just completed. Strand several threads across the end, then make blanket 

 stitches over these threads, pulling the purl toward the buttonhole. The 

 two or three stitches opposite the hole should be caught into the material 

 in order to hold the bar from slipping. 



Be sure that the thread is long enough — about three-quarters of a yard 

 will make a mcdiimi-sized hole. Coarse thread may be used for coarse 

 material, but for medium gingham No. 60 or No. 70 is coarse enough. 



(9) Buttons. Always sew on buttons with a single thread and without 

 a knot. Take a backstitch in the top side of the cloth at the point where 

 the button is to be placed. Run the needle through the button and down 

 through the other hole. Place a pin under this stitch on top of the button 

 and continue making all stitches over the pin. Remove the pin, bring 

 the thread to the underside of the button, and twist the thread from the 

 needle around the stitches between the cloth and the button several times, 

 making a shank. Fasten the thread through the shank. 



(10) Press the apron. 



General directions. — Good machine stitching means from sixteen to 

 eighteen stitches per inch. 



French or stitched fell seams are most appropriate for a wash garment. 

 A French seam is a seam within a seam. In order to make it stitch two 

 wrong sides of a gannent together. Then trim the edges to within one- 

 eighth inch of th? ?eam, open the seam and crease it flat, and turn the 



