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THE OVERHANDING STITCH

A new game and a new stitch. Let us make the bags with the new stitch before we learn to play the game.

Perhaps, instead of a potholder, you had rather make iron holders or bean bags for your League Fair. Have you ever played bean bag game? The Pleasant Valley school children often play this game at recess. You can easily make the bags and also the board.

Fig. 20.—The overhanding stitch.

Fig. 21.—The bean bag board.

Making the bean bag. Bean bags can also be sewed with the stitching stitch, as it is strong. Cut the bags of denim 14 × 7 inches, or so as to make a bag 7 inches square. Fold, baste the edges on three sides, sew them with stitching stitch, and turn inside out. Fill with beans. Two inches at the middle of one side should not be sewed until after the beans have been put in. Would you like to learn the overhanding stitch for closing the edges of that side? The two edges of the bag are turned in, and the overhanding stitch is made on the very edge. It is a very simple stitch, and is used for sewing seams or edges together firmly. The edges are held in the left hand between the thumb and first finger. The needle in the right hand is pointed straight through towards the worker as in the picture (Fig. 20), and the needle is passed through the two edges. The end of the thread is drawn carefully, and one-half of an inch allowed to lie on the edge. This is worked over. The needle is pointed with each stitch towards the worker, and the stitches are placed about one-eighth of an inch apart. Be very careful to catch both edges, but do not make your stitches too deep. The overhanding stitch is a strong stitch and is easy to make. It is finished by working backwards from left to right on the edge with three or four of the same stitches.

Playing the bean bag game. The boys will surely wish to help prepare the board for the bean bag game. Frank Allen and John Alden made the one used at Pleasant Valley school. Perhaps there is an old box somewhere which can be braced with sticks and made to stand slanting. The bottom of the box will have to be cut in holes (see Fig. 21). Each hole can be a different shape and numbered 5, 10, 25, or 50. The object of the game is to see how high a score can be obtained by throwing the bags through the holes. One should stand six feet or more from the board. Each should have ten turns. Some one must keep the score.

Courtesy of Mrs. E. J. Esselstyn.

Fig. 22.—John Alden's little brother trying for a high score.

The boys will have to help saw or whittle to get the holes just right. Do you think you can make both the bags and the game board? The picture (Fig. 22) shows John Alden's little brother playing the game.

EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS

1. Try to make the bean bag board. Perhaps you can think of an easier way.

2. Find five places where the overhanding stitch is used and report at the next lesson.