2. Practice gathering on a practice piece of cloth. See how quickly you can do it, putting in two even rows. LESSON 8 MAKING AND ATTACHING THE APRON YOKES The yokes are to be seamed at the shoulders. There are two yokes; one is for the lining. Let us sew them together and attach them to the skirt of the apron. =To make the yoke.= Pin the two back portions of yoke to the one front portion. Baste at shoulder seams one-fourth of an inch. Sew with running and back stitch, which you used for the apron skirt. Make the lining yoke in same way. Sew two back portions to one front. When both yoke and lining are ready, pin together so that the two right sides are together and seams match at shoulders. Baste carefully together all around with one-fourth inch seams only, except across the bottom at width of chest line. Be careful not to take deeper seams, for then the yoke will be too small. The chest line width of the yoke is left open so the skirt can be placed between. The back portions of the yoke are also left open at the bottom. After basting, sew below the basting with running and back stitch. Remove the bastings and turn the yoke inside out. Crease edges carefully. Your yoke will lap one-half inch in back when finished. Now you are ready to attach the skirt to the yoke. =To attach the yoke.= You will attach the front of the yoke to the front gathered width. Find the center of front yoke. Mark with pin. Find the center of gathered width. Place the right side of the yoke to the right side of the skirt width, center to center; and pin. Do not pin the lining yoke, for it is to be sewed down later to cover the seam you will now make. Pin the ends of the width to the ends of the front yoke. Pull your gathering thread until the fullness fits the yoke; then move the gathers along until they fall evenly. Can you not distribute the gathers carefully, as you pin them to the yoke? Hold the gathers towards you, and baste with a one-fourth inch seam, not any more. Now sew securely with the strong stitching stitch, which you used on the bean bags. =To place the yoke lining.= You are ready now to cover these rough edges of the seam with the lining. Turn in one-fourth of an inch to match the width of the seam taken from the yoke. Baste flat to the seam so that the edge of the turned lining just covers the sewing of the yoke seam. Finish with a neat hemming stitch. Do you not think you can join the two back portions of the yoke to the skirt portions of the apron without any further help? EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS 1. Find three places where you think running and back stitch can be used. 2. Notice other places where gathers are drawn in to fit a space. Mollie Stark discovered several places on the garments worn by the children at school. LESSON 9 HOW TO MAKE A BUTTONHOLE