If you wish to gather an apron or a skirt divide it into halves, then into quarters, in order to make the fulness even on each half of the band; mark the four places and gather on the right side; when finished draw the stitches tightly together on the thread and stroke down evenly with a needle. To sew in the gathers, back-stitch each one in separately. STITCHING. Take two threads back of the needle and two before, having each stitch meet the last one, as in Fig. 296; keep the stitches even and in a straight line. [Illustration: Fig. 296.—Stitching.] BACK-STITCHING. Proceed as in stitching, only make the stitches longer and do not have them meet. FELLING. First baste up the seam, allowing the upper edge to extend five threads beyond the lower edge (Fig. 296); then back-stitch or stitch the two edges together; next turn the upper edge down over the lower one and lay open the seam so that the fell will lie down flat like a hem (Fig. 297); then hem it down neatly. [Illustration: Fig. 297.—Felling.] =Button-holes.= Fig. 298 shows how to take the proper stitch. Be careful in cutting button-holes to make the slit even to a thread and cut the outer corner rounded; bar the inner corner by taking two stitches across it, and overcast the button-hole around three or four threads deep from the edge, or if the material is not inclined to ravel run it with thread, either double or single, drawing it a trifle tight; then begin at the left-hand corner to work the button-hole, leaving one thread between each stitch; keep the stitches exactly the same depth and the loop or pearl of the button-hole on the upper edge. [Illustration: Fig. 298.—Button-hole Stitch.] HERRING-BONE OR CAT’S-TOOTH STITCH is used to keep the seams in flannel spread open and fastened neatly down. Fig. 299 shows how to take the stitch; make the stitches all even and of the same size. [Illustration: Fig. 299.—Herring-bone Stitch.] We have now given all the stitches which properly belong to plain sewing, and our next step will be =Darning and Mending.= “A stitch in time saves nine;” this much most of us know from experience, and it is wise to devote a little time on a certain day each week to looking over the wardrobe and making any repairs that may be needed; the little care and time thus bestowed will prove a true economy, and it is a real comfort to have all one’s clothing in perfect order. TO DARN A JERSEY OR A STOCKING.