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114 cord. After the buttonholes are worked, their edges should be closely basted together by an over-and-over stitch made by pushing the needle up and down over the edges just back of the stitches. Then they should be pressed under a dampened cloth. In fact, all buttonholes should be pressed if the goods will permit. Before they are dry, a stiletto should be pushed up vigorously through each eyelet until the opening becomes perfectly round and the stitches around its edges are regular and distinct. When the bastings are removed, the buttonholes will be symmetrical in appearance.

THE BOUND BUTTONHOLE is shown in Illustration 231. The length and position of the buttonhole should be marked on the garment with basting-cotton. A bias strip of self or contrasting material about seven-eighths of an inch wide is used for binding it. Sew the binding to the right side of the garment with running stitches an eighth of an inch from the buttonhole mark (Ill. 232). Turn in the other three edges an eighth of an inch and press them flat (Ill. 232).

The binding should be fully the length of the slash.

When it is sewed on and the edges pressed, cut the buttonhole in the garment. Be sure to cut a clean, straight hole.

Push the binding through to the wrong side of the garment and slip-stitch it to position in the sewing line of the right side. Slip-stitch the corners of the binding so that they will not fray. Illustration 231 shows the finished bound buttonhole.

The bound buttonhole can be used on wool, silk, linen or cotton garments. It gives a finished look to a coat or dress and is particularly effective when the binding itself is in a contrasting color, though the binding is frequently of the same material as the garment.

A SIMULATED BUTTONHOLE (Ill. 233) is made of a finished bias piping (Chap. 26, page 131), folded in half crossways. The folded end is tacked to the material and the raw edges of the other end are pushed through on the wrong side of the material with a stiletto and tacked.

A LOOP BUTTONHOLE (Ills. 234 and 235) is made with a strip of finished bias piping with or without a cord inserted in it. (Chap. 26, page 131.) The loop buttonhole can also be made of braid. The strip should be long enough to