e lower left-hand corner to the right. Then make a
bar of button-hole stitching across each end, the knotted edge towards
the slit.

[Illustration: FIG. 29. BUTTON-HOLES IN LINEN.]

BUTTON HOLES IN DRESS MATERIALS (fig. 30).--Mark out and cut them as
above described; if however, the material be liable to fray, wet the
slit as soon as you have cut it, with liquid gum, and lay a strand of
strong thread along the edge to make your stitches over; one end of
dress button-holes must be round, the stitches diverging like rays from
the centre, and when you have worked the second side, thread the needle
with the loose strand, and pull it slightly, to straighten the edges;
then fasten off, and close the button-hole with a straight bar of
stitches across the other end, as in fig. 29.

[Illustration: FIG. 30. BUTTON-HOLES IN DRESS-MATERIALS.]

SEWING ON BUTTONS (figs. 31 and 32).--To sew linen, or webbed buttons
on to underclothing, fasten in your thread with a stitch or two, at the
place where the button is to be; bring the needle out through the middle
of the button, and make eight stitches, diverging from the centre like a
star, and if you like, encircle them by a row of stitching, as in fig.
32. This done, bring the needle out between the stuff and the button,
and twist the cotton six or seven times round it, then push the needle
through to the wrong side, and fasten off.

[Illustration: FIG. 31. SEWING ON LINEN BUTTONS.]

[Illustration: FIG. 32. SEWING ON WEBBED BUTTONS.]

BINDING SLITS (figs. 33, 34, 35, 36).--Nothing is more apt to tear
than a slit whether it be hemmed or merely bound. To prevent this, make
a semicircle of button-hole stitches at the bottom of the slit, and
above that, to connect the two sides, a bridge of several threads,
covered with button-hole stitches.

[Illustration: FIG. 33. BINDING SLITS WITH HEM.]

[Illustration: FIG. 34. BINDING SLITS WITH PIECE ON CROSS.]

[Illustration: FIG. 35. BINDING SLITS WITH BROAD BAND.]

[Illustration: FIG. 36. STRENGTHENING SLITS WITH GUSSET.]

In fig. 33, we show a hemmed slit, and in figs. 34 and 35, are two slits
backed the one with a narrow, the other, with a broad piece of the
material, cut on the cross.

In under-linen, it often so happens that two selvedges meet at the slit,
which renders binding unnecessary; in that case take a small square of
stuff, turn in the raw edges, top-sew it into the slit on two sides,
turn in the other two, fold over on th