ut" on a long table in front of the low window.

"Now, young ladies," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "we have ready some blue
gingham aprons. You see how they are cut out; two seams, one at each
side, then they are to be closed down the back. There will be a pair of
strings on each apron, and you may begin by pressing down a narrow hem
on these strings. We will not need to baste them, just press them down
with the finger this way."

Mrs. Bobbsey then took up a pair of the sashes and turned in the edges.
Immediately the girls followed her instructions, and very soon all of
the strings were ready for the machine.

Nan handed them to her mother, and then Aunt Sarah gave out the work.

"Now these are the sleeves," said Aunt Sarah, "and they must each have
little gathers brought in at the elbow here between these notches. Next
you place the sleeve together notch to notch, and they can be stitched
without basting."

"Isn't it lively to work this way?" said Mildred. "It isn't a bit of
trouble, and see how quickly we get done."

"Many hands make light work," replied Mrs. Bobbsey. "I guess we will
get all the aprons finished this afternoon."

Piece by piece the various parts of the garments were given out, until
there remained nothing more to do than to put on buttons and work
buttonholes, and overhand the arm holes.

"I'll cut the buttonholes," said Mrs. Bobbsey, "then Nan and Mildred
may work the buttonholes by sticking a pin through each hole. The other
girls may then sew the buttons on."

It was wonderful how quickly those little pearl buttons went down the
backs of the aprons.

"I believe I could make an apron all alone now," said Nan, "if it was
cut out."

"So could I," declared Mildred. "It isn't hard at all."

"Well, here's my patterns," spoke up Freddie, who with Flossie had been
busy over in the corner cutting "ladies" out of a fashion paper.

"No, they're paper dolls," said Flossie, who was standing them all up
in a row, "and we are going to give them to the fresh-air children to
play with on rainy days."

It was only half-past four when Nan rang the bell to dismiss the sewing
school.

"We have had such a lovely time," said Mabel, "we would like to have
sewing to do every week."

"Well, you are welcome to come," said Aunt Sarah. "We will make night
dresses for the poor little ones next week, then after that you might
all bring your own work, mending, fancywork or tidies, whatever you
have to do."

"And we m