CHAPTER XX A LETTER FROM MOTHERT
“THE poor little dear!” exclaimed Fairly Flew, “a doll she shall have, and I will tell you how to make it myself—a doll that looks ever so much like Mary Frances’ own dolly, our dear Yarn Baby!”
“Poor little dear!”
Then she told the little girl—
Material: White knitting worsted.[G]A strand of coarse red embroidery cotton. Two blue beads for eyes. (See picture,page 122.)Directions:1. Cut about 20 strands of yarn, each 8 inches long. Lay them together side by side.2. Tie them together in the middle with a short piece of yarn. Fold them over in the middle where tied.
Material: White knitting worsted.[G]A strand of coarse red embroidery cotton. Two blue beads for eyes. (See picture,page 122.)
Directions:
1. Cut about 20 strands of yarn, each 8 inches long. Lay them together side by side.
2. Tie them together in the middle with a short piece of yarn. Fold them over in the middle where tied.
Tie in middle.
photographDinah Doll and Infant
Dinah Doll and Infant
3. About ½ inch below the fold, tie in the same way as you did the tassel on doll’s slippers. (See picture No. 3 onPlate 3.) This forms the infant’s head.
3. About ½ inch below the fold, tie in the same way as you did the tassel on doll’s slippers. (See picture No. 3 onPlate 3.) This forms the infant’s head.
To make shoulder.
4. To make the arms, take hold of 4 strands of the yarn and tie a knot close to the neck. This forms the shoulder. About ½ inch below the shoulder knot, trim off the 4 strands. Tie the 4 strands together with a short piece of yarn to form the hand.5. Make the other arm opposite in the same way.6. About ¾ of an inch below the neck, tie the long strands together to form infant’s waist.7. Sew two small blue beads in head for eyes, and take a stitch with red embroidery cotton to form the mouth.
4. To make the arms, take hold of 4 strands of the yarn and tie a knot close to the neck. This forms the shoulder. About ½ inch below the shoulder knot, trim off the 4 strands. Tie the 4 strands together with a short piece of yarn to form the hand.
5. Make the other arm opposite in the same way.
6. About ¾ of an inch below the neck, tie the long strands together to form infant’s waist.
7. Sew two small blue beads in head for eyes, and take a stitch with red embroidery cotton to form the mouth.
“Baby! Baby!” cried Mary Marie as soon as Mary Frances had it finished.
“Baby! Baby!”
“Indeed she ought to.”
“How she loves that doll!” cried Crow Shay. “She ought to have a nurse-maid to help her care for it.”
“Indeed she ought to,” declared the Yarn Baby. “I would like to tell the little Miss how to make a Dinah Doll.”
“Do tell her now,” said Fairly Flew.
“Do tell her now.”
So the Yarn Baby began:
Material: Black knitting worsted.[H]White knitting worsted. A strand of coarse red embroidery cotton. Two white beads for eyes. (Seepage 122.)Directions:Eyelids began to droop.1. Cut about 50 strands of black worsted 12 inches long. Tie them together in the middle and fold.2. Tie them again about 1½ inches below the fold to form Dinah’s head.3. At each side of the body, close to the neck, take 8 strands and tie together in a knot to form shoulders and arms.4. Trim off the strands about 2 inches below the knots, and tie with white yarn near ends—to form hands.5. Cut 30 strands of white yarn about 8 inches long. Lay them together, side by side. Tie them together very loosely inthe middle, fold them in the middle, where tied. Tie the bundle of strands around doll’s neck to form front of dress.6. Follow direction No. 5 and tie in back of doll to form back of dress.7. Cut a piece of black yarn about 8 inches long and tie it in a bow knot around the doll about 1½ inches from the neck, to form the doll’s waist.8. At the bottom, with a short piece of white yarn, tie together about 6 strands of black yarn, to form a foot.9. Make another foot in the same way.10. Trim off the other strands of yarn at the bottom about ½ inch above the feet.11. Sew two white beads in place for eyes, and take two stitches with red embroidery cotton to form the mouth.Sew infant doll in place in Dinah’s arm.To make the hair, cut 25 short strands of black worsted and sew with black thread to top of Dinah’s head.Trim hair with bow made of narrow red ribbon.
Material: Black knitting worsted.[H]White knitting worsted. A strand of coarse red embroidery cotton. Two white beads for eyes. (Seepage 122.)
Directions:
Eyelids began to droop.
1. Cut about 50 strands of black worsted 12 inches long. Tie them together in the middle and fold.
2. Tie them again about 1½ inches below the fold to form Dinah’s head.
3. At each side of the body, close to the neck, take 8 strands and tie together in a knot to form shoulders and arms.
4. Trim off the strands about 2 inches below the knots, and tie with white yarn near ends—to form hands.
5. Cut 30 strands of white yarn about 8 inches long. Lay them together, side by side. Tie them together very loosely inthe middle, fold them in the middle, where tied. Tie the bundle of strands around doll’s neck to form front of dress.
6. Follow direction No. 5 and tie in back of doll to form back of dress.
7. Cut a piece of black yarn about 8 inches long and tie it in a bow knot around the doll about 1½ inches from the neck, to form the doll’s waist.
8. At the bottom, with a short piece of white yarn, tie together about 6 strands of black yarn, to form a foot.
9. Make another foot in the same way.
10. Trim off the other strands of yarn at the bottom about ½ inch above the feet.
11. Sew two white beads in place for eyes, and take two stitches with red embroidery cotton to form the mouth.
Sew infant doll in place in Dinah’s arm.
To make the hair, cut 25 short strands of black worsted and sew with black thread to top of Dinah’s head.
Trim hair with bow made of narrow red ribbon.
When Mary Frances finished the funny colored doll, she sewed the white infant baby in the arm, to the delight of Mary Marie and the Knitting People.
Soon Mary Marie’s eyelids began to droop; then Mary Frances carried her off to bed, and she went to sleep with the dolls in her arms.
To the delight of the Crochet People
“Oh, how I wish that I could tell mother aboutmy lovely times,” thought Mary Frances. “Maybe when all my lessons are finished I shall be able to tell her. She would not worry about my being lonely if she knew how busy I am, and how happy now since I know that dear father is getting well.”
Billy called her.
Just then Billy called her and she hurried downstairs.
“Here is a letter from mother for you,” said Billy, meeting her at the foot of the stairs. “Hurry and read it. I want to hear about father.”
So Mary Frances opened it and read:
Dear Mary Frances:You will be glad to hear that father is safe in the hospital and improving very rapidly. His leg was broken just above the ankle, and he is suffering from the shock of the accident. The doctors say that it will be a week or ten days, perhaps longer, before we can bring him home.I am sending a newspaper which tells about the train wreck and explains how it happened.You and Billy are in my thoughts every hour of the day and many times at night, too; but I am not worried because I know that Katie will take good care of you both.“Dear Mary Frances.”“Oh, Billy.”Father says that he is racing with time to get well enough to return home to you dear children, and that he will tell you the whole story when he arrives.Aunt Maria sends love and says that she will teach you to crochet when she comes—and that you may practice the stitches which she has already taught you.I shut my eyes and see you in my mind’s eye, but I want to be able soon to see you really and truly.Hugs and kisses fromMother.
You will be glad to hear that father is safe in the hospital and improving very rapidly. His leg was broken just above the ankle, and he is suffering from the shock of the accident. The doctors say that it will be a week or ten days, perhaps longer, before we can bring him home.
I am sending a newspaper which tells about the train wreck and explains how it happened.
You and Billy are in my thoughts every hour of the day and many times at night, too; but I am not worried because I know that Katie will take good care of you both.
“Dear Mary Frances.”
“Oh, Billy.”
Father says that he is racing with time to get well enough to return home to you dear children, and that he will tell you the whole story when he arrives.
Aunt Maria sends love and says that she will teach you to crochet when she comes—and that you may practice the stitches which she has already taught you.
I shut my eyes and see you in my mind’s eye, but I want to be able soon to see you really and truly.
Hugs and kisses from
Mother.
“Good news!” exclaimed Billy as Mary Frances finished reading; “but it’s no fun to have a broken leg.”
“Oh, Billy, think how much worse it might have been,” cried Mary Frances. “Won’t we be glad to see father and mother back—and Aunt Maria?” and she caught him by the arm and waltzed him around the big hall.
“Good news!”