Welcome to my blog about Home Arts Needlecraft Magazine! I "discovered" this publication about 2 years ago and fell in love with it to the extent that I had to start collecting issues as I ran across them. The magazine began publication with its September, 1909 premier issue, and continued through March, 1941. It has been interesting to follow the changes through the 30 plus years the magazine was published. It is a great source for needlework, fashion, recipes and short stories. Through my journey of sharing my issues online, I hope to discover a pattern of what was popular in different forms of needlecraft over the 3 decades. I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I am (so far!) enjoying posting articles and projects from the issues. Thanks for visiting!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

For Grown-up Girls and Little Ones


November, 1912,page 9
By Mrs. S. J. Baldwine
Every little maid’s outfit should include at least two of the washable hats of white pique, with button-on crown which can be quickly and easily removed when laundering is needed.  If nicely made, even with simplest embroidery, these hats are quite pretty enough to be worn on special occasions, and are certainly just the thing for every day, because the small wearer does not need the caution, so often repeated” “Be careful of your hat, dear!”  She knows and mamma knows that however mussed or soiled it may become, a tubbing will make everything right again, and every bit as good as new.
The hat may be entirely of white, with white lining, or it may have a lining of light pink, blue, or any delicate color – which must be, of course of washable material – with embroidery of the same tint.  The lining is put in after the embroidery is done, and may be omitted, if preferred, since its real use is to conceal the under side of the brim.  By taking a little care the embroidery may be made to look almost as well on the wrong side as on the right, and while there is a decided difference in the two sides of the fabric, the smooth or plain side is not objectionable.
Solid embroidery is preferred to eyelet, especially if the hat is not to be lined; the designs illustrated are adapted to either style of work, however.  If carried out in satin-stitch, as is the model, the padding should be heavy; and if eyelet-embroidery is used care should be taken to keep the lines perfectly true and even, and the eyelets, which are intended to be of the same size, quite uniform.  Any deviation from this rule will be unpleasantly apparent.
Work the buttonholes as indicated, after completing the embroidery and buttonholing of edges on both brim and crown, and sew twelve pearl buttons of suitable size at corresponding intervals on the brim.  The hat may be readily adapted to a larger or smaller head-size when cutting the opening of the brim, which should be neatly hemmed or bound with bias tape.
These dainty bits of headgear are always fashionable, the style changing little or not at all from season to season; and the wise mother of small children who contemplates spending a few weeks or months of the winter in Florida, or other “summer-the-year-around” resort, is sure to have a supply of “button-on” hats ready for the little folks to wear.
While exquisite neatness of work is always a prime essential in needlecraft, it seems particularly so in the fashioning of garments for little folks.  Because the embroidery is simple, it should be all the more nicely executed, the lace edgings should be fine and dainty, and the material light and sheer.  French nainsook is frequently chosen, as is lawn of fine quality, while mercerized batiste finds especial favor for “baby’s best dress,” or even for the little gowns intended for more common wear, being very soft and lustrous.
A pretty panel in eyelet-embroidery forms the decoration of the wee dress pictured; if desired, the work may be continued to the hem, but is very dainty and sufficiently elaborate as it is.  The little sleeves are edged at the wrist with Valenciennes, as is the neck, and every bit of the sewing is done by hand, with fine thread and finest of stitches.  Take care always that there are no seams which will chafe a baby’s tender skin; very often the sleeves are buttonholed in place, thus avoiding any seam whatever around the little arms, save the very narrow and soft one produced by the buttonholing.
The kimono or “slip-on” nightdress, cut in one piece and with side seams only, is still the popular style.  If a higher neck is wanted it may be filled in with fine insertion and lace, and drawn up with narrow ribbons, the sleeves being edged to correspond.
A very attractive though simple design for embroidering such a garment is shown.  The lines are worked in stem-stitch; first padded by running with short stitches, which are then whipped with padding-cotton; then with the embroidery-cotton work over and over the padded line, taking up very little of the material beneath so that when the work is completed the effect is that of a small, smooth cord laid upon the goods and following the outline.  The remainder of the work is also in padded satin-stitch, save two of the little, four-petaled figures in each cluster; these are outlined with the stem-stitch described and filled in with seed-stitch, so much used in the real French embroidery.  This stitch is taken after the manner of the common back-stitch – a short stitch backward on the surface and a longer stitch forward underneath; if a heavier “seed” is desired, take two stitches side by side, the needle emerging and entering almost at the same place in both stitches.  All the four-petal forms may be worked in this way, if liked, the result being much more delicate in appearance.
The same design may be sued for a blouse – omitting the initial – or a corset-cover; hence the transfer- or perforated pattern will be found of advantage.
The girl or woman who feels the need of “just one more” new and attractive waist to tide over the days of late summer and early fall, its addition freshening an outfit which has begun to show a little wear and tear, will appreciated the simple but very pleasing design in solid, eyelet- and punched embroidery.  Explicit instructions for doing the latter have appeared; it consists merely in separating or drawing apart the threads of the material, using a very large needle, and binding them securely; in other words, a tiny square of the material, say four or six threads, is surrounded by stitches, two in a place, forming an opening on each side.  The work is easily done, even though not stamped expressly for the purpose; if, however, the dots are stamped, it is a great help.
The embroidered band at the top of each sleeve matches that of the waist, and may be applied to a collar, if desired.  On the model a Cluny insertion, matching the lace which edges the sleeves, is used for collarband, with pretty effect.
From present indications the present style of blouses, so becoming and comfortable, will see no radical change, and on this fact womankind is to be congratulated.  There are ultra styles which do not appeal to the woman of good sense, and she does not adopt them; but when a garment has proven itself to be just what she wants and needs, she is in no haste to let it go by.
No. 159 C.  Perforated stamping-pattern, 25 cents.  Transfer-pattern, 10 cents.  Stamped on pique, 25 cents.
No. 160 D.  Perforated stamping-pattern, 25 cents.  Transfer-pattern, 10 cents.  Stamped on nainsook, 60 cents.
No. 161 D.  Perforated stamping-pattern, 25 cents.  Transfer-pattern, 10 cents.  Stamped on English longcloth, $1.00.
No. 162 D.  Perforated stamping-pattern, 25 cents.  Transfer-pattern, 10 cents.  Stamped on punch-linen, $1.00.

 

 

 

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