“I’ll have to do that to-morrow, for it’s now time for my errands. Then when the pillow-cover is outlined we can do the blanket-stitching ’round the edge. It’s all very pretty and easy to do. I know my doll will be glad when she sees this present on Christmas morning,” Margaret said as she folded up her work to be placed in her bureau drawer until next day. “I’m afraid if I leave it out on the work-basket she’ll see it,” she explained to Sir Bodkin and the One-Eyed Fairies, “and I want it to be a surprise.” “To your place, sir,” whispered Sir Bodkin to Embroiderer, “and don’t any of you breathe a word of this to the doll.” “Thank you all very much,” said Margaret. “I wish I could do something for your Christmas.” “Christmas is not for us unless we are given away to some one in work-baskets or help people get ready for it. That is pleasure enough for us, My Lady,” Sir Bodkin answered. “You are nice all-the-year-round friends, anyway, and I couldn’t get along without you,” she said. So the sewing was put away for the day and was taken up next day and the day after that until it was finished entirely. CHAPTER XXI SOME MORE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS Margaret came into her room a few days after the doll’s Christmas present was finished. “More presents to be made?” asked Sir Bodkin jumping off the pincushion. [Illustration] “Yes,” answered Margaret, “and these will be the last.” “What are they to be?” asked the King again. “Mother bought me a third of a yard of handkerchief linen to make some handkerchiefs. Can you tell me how?” she asked her friend, holding up some fine white cloth. “I suppose the linen is thirty-six inches, or a yard, wide?” he said. Margaret took her tape measure from the work-basket and measured the goods. “That’s the width,” Margaret told Sir Bodkin. “Then you can cut it into three twelve-inch squares. First cut off the selvedge on each end. That’s the woven edge on the sides of the cloth; and fold the linen in three across the long way of the piece,” directed Sir Bodkin. “Take a One-Eyed Fairy in your hand and with his toe pick up a thread running the same way you wish to cut the squares apart. Pull the thread out and cut where it leaves a little track. This is called cutting by a thread,” said he to Margaret. “Fold each square over diagonally to see if it is the same on all four sides. If it is, then it’s a perfect square and we can go on with the edges,” Sir Bodkin told his mistress. [Illustration: “Fold each square over diagonally”] “Each one is perfectly square now,” said Margaret; “how shall we sew the first one?” “The first one we’ll hemstitch,” said the King. “Measure one-half inch in from the edge and pick up and pull out a thread very carefully across the square. Use the Fairy’s toe as before. Do another thread towards the center. Do five threads on each side,” said Sir Bodkin. [Illustration: First stitch Second stitch Hemstitching]