four to five o'clock
The girls were really supposed to get up the whole of the little entertainment by themselves , but Mademoiselle was kind in this instance , and helped to coach them . The scene was to be a Fête Champêtre , and the costumes were to be copied from some of Watteau 's pictures . There were tremendous consultations over them . A dressmaking Bee was held every afternoon from four to five o'clock in the small lecture-room , Miss Bishop generously lending her sewing machine for the purpose . Here a band of willing workers sat and stitched and chattered and laughed and ate chocolates , while pretty garments grew rapidly under their fingers . The dresses were only made of cheap materials , and were hastily put together , but they had a very good effect , for the colors were gay , and the style , with its panniers and lace frills was charming . The girls would hardly have managed the cutting out quite unaided , had not Miss Lever offered her assistance .