d vexed with constant rips.

_Workbaskets._ It is very important to neatness, comfort, and success in
sewing, that a lady's workbasket should be properly fitted up. The
following articles are needful to the mistress of a family: a large
basket, to hold work; having in it, fastened, a smaller basket, or box,
containing a needle-book, in which are needles of every size, both
blunts and sharps, with a larger number of those sizes most used; also,
small and large darning-needles, for woollen, cotton, and silk; two
tape-needles, large and small; nice scissors, for fine work; buttonhole
scissors; an emery-bag; two balls of white and yellow wax; and two
thimbles, in case one should be mislaid. When a person is troubled with
damp fingers, a lump of soft chalk, in a paper, is useful, to rub on the
ends of the fingers.

Besides this box, keep in the basket, common scissors; small shears; a
bag containing tapes, of all colors and sizes, done up in rolls; bags,
one, containing spools of white, and another of colored, cotton thread,
and another for silks, wound on spools or papers; a box or bag for nice
buttons, and another for more common ones; a bag containing silk braid,
welting cords, and galloon binding. Small rolls of pieces of white and
brown linen and cotton, are also often needed. A brick pincushion is a
great convenience, in sewing, and better than screw-cushions. It is made
by covering half a brick with cloth, putting a cushion on the top, and
covering it tastefully. It is very useful to hold pins and needles,
while sewing, and to fasten long seams when basting and sewing.

_To make a Frock._ The best way for a novice, is, to get a dress fitted
(not sewed) at the best mantuamaker's. Then take out a sleeve, rip it
to pieces, and cut out a pattern. Then take out half of the waist, (it
must have a seam in front,) and cut out a pattern of the back and
fore-body, both lining and outer part. In cutting the patterns, iron the
pieces, smooth, let the paper be stiff, and, with a pin, prick holes in
the paper, to show the gore in front, and the depth of the seams. With a
pen and ink, draw lines from each pinhole, to preserve this mark. Then
baste the parts together again, in doing which, the unbasted half will
serve as a pattern. When this is done, a lady of common ingenuity can
cut and fit a dress, by these patterns. If the waist of a dress be too
tight, the seam under the arm must be let out; and in cutting a dress,
an allowanc