631. _Stitching._--The work must be as even as possible. Turn down a piece to stitch to; draw a thread to stitch upon, twelve or fourteen threads from the edge. Being thus prepared, you take _two threads back_, and so bring the needle out from _under two before_. Proceed in this manner to the end of the row; and, in joining a fresh piece of thread, take care to pass the needle between the edges, and so bring it out where the last stitch is finished. 632. _Gathering._--You begin by taking the article to be gathered, and dividing it into halves, and then into quarters, putting on pins to make the divisions. The piece to which you are intending to gather it, must be gathered about twelve threads from the top, taking three threads on the needle, and leaving four; and so proceeding alternately until one quarter is gathered. Fasten the thread by twisting it round a pin; stroke the gathers, so that they lie evenly and neatly, with a strong needle or pin. You then proceed as before, until all the gathers are gathered. Then take out the pins, and regulate the gathers of each quarter so as to correspond with those of the piece to which it is to be sewed. The gathers are then to be fastened on, one at a time; and the stitches must be in a slanting direction. The part to be gathered must be cut quite even before commencing, or else it will be impossible to make the gathering look well. 633. _Double Gathering, or Puffing._--This is sometimes employed in setting on frills, and, when executed properly, has a pretty effect. You first gather the top in the usual way; then, having stroked down the gathers, you gather again under the first gathering, and of such a depth as you wish the puffing to be. You then sew on the first gathering to the gown, frock, &c., you design to trim, at a distance corresponding with the width of the puffing, and the second gathering sewed to the edge, so as to form a full hem. You may make a double hem, if you please, by gathering three times instead of only twice; and one of the hems may be straight, while the other is drawn to one side a little. This requires much exactness in the execution, but, if properly done, it gives a pleasing variety to the work. 634. _German Hemming._--Turn down both the raw edges once, taking care so to do it as that both turns may be toward your person; you then lay one below the other, so as that the smooth edge of the nearest does not touch the other, but lies just beneath it. The lower one is then to be hemmed or felled to the piece against which you have laid it, still holding it before you. You are next to open your sleeve, or whatever else you have been employed upon, and, laying the upper fold over the lower, fell it down, and the work is done.