e bias, and hem them down over the
top-sewing, as shewn in fig. 36. Such little squares of material,
inserted into a slit or seam, to prevent its tearing, are called
gussets.

SEWING ON PIPING (fig. 37). Piping is a border, consisting of a cord or
bobbin, folded into a stripe of material, cut on the cross, and affixed
to the edge of an article to give it more strength and finish. It is a
good substitute for a hem or binding on a bias edge, which by means of
the cord, can be held in, and prevented from stretching. Cut your
stripes diagonally, across the web of the stuff, and very even; run them
together, lay the cord or bobbin along the stripe, on the wrong side, 5
m/m. from the edge, fold the edge over, and tack the cord lightly in.
Then lay it on the raw edge of the article, with the cord towards you,
and with all the raw edges turned away from you. Back-stitch the piping
to the edge, keeping close to the cord. Then turn the article round,
fold in the raw outside edge over the others, and hem it down like an
ordinary hem.

[Illustration: FIG. 37. SEWING ON PIPING.]

FIXING WHALE-BONES (fig. 38).--Before slipping the whale-bone into its
case or fold of stuff, pierce holes in it, top and bottom, with a red
hot stiletto. Through these holes, make your stitches, diverging like
rays or crossing each other as shown in fig. 38.

[Illustration: FIG 38. FIXING WHALE-BONES.]

HERRING-BONING (fig. 39).--This stitch is chiefly used for seams in
flannel, and for overcasting dress-seams, and takes the place of
hemming, for fastening down the raw edges of a seam that has been run or
stitched, without turning them in. Herring-boning is done from left to
right, and forms two rows of stitches. Insert the needle from right to
left, and make a stitch first above, and then below the edge, the
threads crossing each other diagonally, as shewn in fig. 39.

[Illustration: FIG. 39. HERRING-BONING]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Our readers should be provided with a French metre, with the English
yard marked on the back for purposes of comparison.

[A] See at the end of the concluding chapter, the table of numbers and
sizes and the list of colours of the D.M.C threads and cottons.

[Illustration: SPECIMENS OF PATTERN DARNS.]

Mending.

The mending of wearing-apparel and house-linen, though often an
ungrateful task, is yet a very necessary one, to which every female hand
ought to be carefully trained. How best to disguise and rep