Excerpts From The Mary Frances sewing book; or, Adventures among the thimble people Fryer, Jane Eayre, 1876 Don’t you want to go with Grandma to-day?" asked her grandmother of Mary Frances. "Where, Nanny?" inquired the little girl. ''Well," said Grandma, "I'm going to take a trolley ride through the park." "Where the monkeys are?" inquired … Continue reading XXIII:Mary’s Flannel Petticoat
Let us all bow our heads, Craftsmas had come to a close. No longer are my days for all the crafts. I am back to my jobs. Now is the time for manageable smaller projects. The last days of Craftsmas were spent finishing off another scrap quilt, it had remained 2/3’s finished after last Craftsmas. … Continue reading Chapter XXII: A Ruined Dress.
"Oh, good!" said Mary Frances, "and, dear Fairy Lady, I want to tell you—I've a lovely surprise! My Aunt Maria is coming to see us." "Aunt Maria—oh, does she love sewing?" "Indeed she does! She made a bed quilt when she was—let me see,—maybe—I think—it was when she was two years old." That’s Aunt Maria! … Continue reading XXII: Aunt Maria makes a visit.
Spinster Alert! Aunt Maria is a recurring family member. In the cookbook she terrifies the pots and pans and is generally judgemental...but occasionally complements and helps Mary. I may joke that Grandma is off joining the suffragettes but it's Maria who I suspect of political ideas. Grandma probably just drinks and gossips with women of … Continue reading Preamble to chapter XXII: Aunt Maria makes a visit.
My continued adventures bloging through the 1915 children's sewing book "The Mary Frances sewing book; or, Adventures among the thimble people." The next pattern to tackle was the dressing sack (lounging jacket being a much nicerterm). This was the final, 4th, outfit to be made with this single pattern. Because all four of the garments … Continue reading Chapter XX: Part two
This chapter begins with Presentation Party. As far as I can tell, a presentation party involves each Thimble Person we’ve met this far performing a formal self-introduction. It’s like your first day in a new language class.... but with forced rhymes. As.Fun.As.It.Sounds. “We're going to give a party; And we will evermore be true, And … Continue reading Chapter XX, Ma Chine (Part one: Kimono)
Mistakes were made…by me. Then I made some new ones. Any Sewist knows that sometimes you just have go deeper into some mistakes to salvage the whole. “IF only in her nightie clad, She took a cold, 'twould be too bad — And so the dear child may not freeze, And so the dear child … Continue reading Chapter XIX: Her Bath Robe
Sewing Bird, today we'll work on a variation of the Mary Frances nightgown. My issue with the nightgown is that I'd like to be able to make outfits for the dolls of friends' children. Ribbons seem hard to tie and easy to lose so I set forth to make an elastic-version of this nightgown. The … Continue reading Nightgown REMAKE
"A charming thing to make Marie, will be a dainty White nightie,"- sang Sewing Bird. "Oh, good!" exclaimed Mary Frances. ''That is just what she needs. I had to loan her Angle's best one; and Angle's terribly cross. You see, I fear she is a little jealous of my new dolly. I'll not neglect Angle, … Continue reading Chapter XVIII: A Nighty For Her Little Nap
The doorbell rings and Katie, Grandma’s servant girl, answers it and reports to the others… ''A telegram for Miss Mary Frances," said Katie coming into the dining-room. ''A telegram! And for you, Mary Frances. What can it be!" exclaimed Grandma. ‘'Shall I sign for it, ma'am?" asked Katie. ''No," said Grandma. ''Mary Frances better learn … Continue reading Chapter XVI: A Surprise from Mother
