8. _To make placket._ Use straight strip 2 inches wide. Start at waist line, right of strip to right of skirt. Sew all around placket opening. Stitch. Turn to wrong side. Hem down by hand. Lap at bottom of opening so it lies flat. Backstitch across the bottom with a slanting line of stitches. This makes a flat back with no fullness and is called a bound placket. 9. _To finish top of skirt._ Cut bias strip of cloth about one inch wide; sew to right side. Turn over to wrong side even with top; turn so as to be ½-inch wide finished; stitch on edge, flat. Lap skirt in back with three buttonholes, one at waist and two below in placket lap. EXERCISES AND PROBLEMS 1. Calculate how much ruffling of Hamburg edging will be needed for a skirt 2½-yards around. 2. Get samples of embroidery and pin to the Bulletin Board, where all the girls may see them. 3. Practice making a receiving tuck. 4. See if you can plan a section of a dust ruffle for a petticoat. Make the skirt part of brown paper with tissue for the ruffle. LESSON 14 HOW TO MAKE A CORSET COVER The new problem of corset cover is not difficult, if one has learned all the preceding lessons. Let us study how to trim this garment or the waist of a slip. Some of the girls of Pleasant Valley will make combinations of corset cover and skirt, and others the corset cover (Fig. 62). They decide to use nainsook and to trim them with German valenciennes lace. About 1½-yards of cloth are necessary. They have sent for a simple pattern and will make them partly by hand. Miss James gave them the following directions: [Illustration: FIG. 62.--A simple corset cover.] 1. _To cut._ Place pattern economically. Pin and cut. 2. _Baste._ Pin and baste underarm seams and shoulders. Sew French seams by machine. 3. _Make front laps._ On left side make hem ¾-inch wide turned to wrong side. On right front make hem turned to right side ¾-inch wide. Stitch this ⅛-inch from each edge to form front lap. It could be run by hand if all handmade or featherstitched with tiny stitches. This lap is for the buttonholes, which are made vertically, three or four in the lap. If it is desired to conceal the buttons, make an extra strip for buttonholes and stitch under the right front lap with the stitching of hem. 4. _Finish bottom._ Even the bottom, and make as a finish a narrow hem ¼-inch wide. 5. _Gather at waist line._ In center fronts and in middle of center back, gather at the waist line to fit figure. Baste on inside of waist over these adjusted gathers a straight band ¼-inch wide, with edges turned. Baste and stitch this top and bottom to hold gathers. Waist line can, also, be finished, if desired, on right side with beading or with a band.