the ladies' work-book containing instructions in knitting, crochet, point-lace, &c. [illustration] london: john cassell, la bell sauvage yard, ludgate hill. list of illustrations. casting on with one needle to cast on with two needles plain knitting the german manner purling to make a stitch to take up stitches to knit two pieces together to form a round to cast off infant's shoe in knitting the tulip-wreath flower-vase mat a woven parasol anti-macassar anti-macassar netted anti-macassar bound couverette for an easy chair or sofa floral anti-macassar ottoman cover music-stool couverette chair cushion toilet-cover in crochet star-pattern d'oyley crochet d'oyley rose d'oyley toilet cover tidy in square crochet arabesque toilet cover in square crochet cover for a hadrot lamp lamp mat candle-lamp mat hand-screen crochet counterpane for a bassinet deep border for bassinet quilt crochet stripe for bed-quilt centre stripe for bed-quilt handkerchief case, for hanging to the head of a bed watchpocket toilet sachet a lady's nightcap a shaving tidy oval tidy for easy chair crochet window-curtain window-curtain window-curtain and stove apron netted window-curtain bread-cloth bread-cloth a spangled wool netted cover for a tea-poy, square work-table, or if drawn together at the top, makes a glittering fire-veil netted anti-macassar short purse, in netting bridal purse, in crochet lady's short purse handsome purse mousquetaire crochet collar raised rose crochet collar point collar point collar, in crochet lounging-cap, in crochet crochet edgings and insertions insertions venetian edging venetian bars edging venetian bars sorrento bars stitches open english lace brabant edging lyons point brussels lace little venetian lace deep point-lace edging collar in spanish rose point handkerchief border, in antique point lace apron in broderie en lacet pincushion cover in point lace pincushion * * * * * the ladies' work book. * * * * * knitting. there is not one art practised by ladies which is more deservedly popular than knitting. it is so easy, requires so little eyesight, and is susceptible of so much ornament, that it merits the attention of every lady; and in giving instructions for acquiring it, we add, also, such admirable diagrams of the various processes, we are sure that no difficulty will be felt in executing any pattern. [illustration: casting on with one needle.] the first process in knitting is known by the term casting on. there are two ways of doing this: with one needle, and with two. our first diagram represents the former process. take the thread between the second and third fingers of the left hand, leaving an end of about a yard for every hundred stitches; pass it round the thumb of that hand, giving it a twist, so as to form a loop. take a knitting-needle in the right hand, insert the point in the loop, and pass the thread from the ball round the needle; then bend the point of the needle through the loop, which tighten, and one stitch will be complete. continue to make loops over the thumb, with the end of thread, and knit them with that from the ball until the proper number is cast on. to cast on with two needles (generally called the spanish method), begin by making a loop on the end of the thread, into which slip the point of one needle, holding it in the left hand. take the other needle in the right hand, and slip its point into the same loop, bring the thread round the point of this needle, and bend the needle towards you, so that the thread forms a loop on it. slip that also on the left needle, without withdrawing it from the right. put the thread round the right again, and repeat the process. [illustration: to cast on with two needles.] plain knitting.--after all the stitches are cast on, hold the needle containing them in the left hand. pass the thread round the little finger of the right hand, _under_ the second and third, and above the point of the first. then take the other needle in the right hand, slip the point in the first stitch, and put the thread round it; bring forward the point of the right-hand needle, so that the thread forms a loop on it. slip the end of the left-hand needle out of the stitch, and a new stitch is knitted. german manner.--the thread, instead of being held by the fingers of the right hand, is passed over and under those of the left. the process otherwise is exactly the same. purling.--begin by bringing the thread in front of the right-hand needle, which slip into a stitch pointing towards you; that is in the reverse of the usual mode (see diagram). put the thread round the point of the needle, still bringing it towards you, bend the needle backwards to form a loop, and withdraw the stitch from the point of the left-hand needle. [illustration: plain knitting.] when knitted and purled stitches occur in the same row, the thread must be brought forward before a purled stitch, and taken back before a knitted one. [illustration: the german manner.] to make a stitch. bring the thread in front, as if for a purled stitch, so that when you knit one the thread will pass over the needle, and will make a hole in the following row. this diagram shows the manner of making three stitches, and any other number could be made, by putting the thread round a proportionate number of times. in the engraving it will be seen that the thread is put twice entirely round the needle; and then brought forward, so that the next knitted stitch will take it over a third time. in doing the next row, knit one, purl one, knit one of these stitches; however many are made, they must be alternately knitted and purled in the next row. when the stitch allowing the made stitches is to be purled, the thread must be entirely passed round the needle, once for every stitch to be made, and brought forward also. [illustration: purling.] [illustration: to make a stitch.] slip stitch.--pass a stitch from the left needle to the right, without knitting it. there are two ways of decreasing: first, by knitting two, three, or more stitches as one, marked in knitting, as k t, k t, etc. secondly, in the following way: slip one stitch, knit-one, pass the slip stitch over: this decreases one stitch. to decrease two; slip one, knit two together, pass the slip stitch over. [illustration: to take up stitches.] a reverse stitch is taken off the left-hand needle, in the reverse way to knitting and purling. in both these, the right-hand needle is inserted in the middle of the stitch, and the point brought out towards you or otherwise. but to make a reverse stitch, you insert the point of the needle in the stitch _at the back of the work_, and bring it forward through the opening in which it generally is inserted. the thread is to be placed round it, as for a purled stitch. [illustration: to knit two pieces together.] to reverse two, three, or more stitches together, insert the needle in them all at once, _from the last to the first_. to take up stitches.--insert the needle in the loop, pass the thread round, and knit it in the usual manner. do not draw out any loop more than can be avoided, while knitting it. to knit two pieces together.--to do this there must be an equal number of stitches on both. [illustration: to form a round.] hold the needles together in the right hand, and knit as usual, inserting the left-hand needle in a loop of each at the same time, and treating the two as one. [illustration: to cast off.] to form a round:--this diagram represents the french manner of performing this process by casting the whole number of stitches on one needle, and then distributing them on three, or perhaps four. but the english mode is to divide the number of stitches, and cast so many on each needle, not withdrawing the last stitch of each needle from the point of the next needle. when all are cast on, the round is made by knitting the _two first_ stitches on to the last needle. four needles are employed for stockings, five for doyleys and other round articles. to cast off:--knit two stitches, insert the point of the left hand needle in the first stitch, and draw it on the other. knit another stitch, and treat these two in the same way. * * * * * infant's shoe, in knitting. materials.-- ounce of white berlin wool. skein of white, and of embroidery wool, knitting needles, no. , and , no. . with the fine needles cast stitches on one, and on each of two others. join into a round, and purl one round. [illustration: infant's shoe, in knitting] st pattern round: x slip , taking them off the needle in the same way as if you were going to purl them, but with the wool at the back; knit . x repeat all round. nd, rd, and th rounds: the same. th and th: purl every stitch. th to th inclusive: x knit , slip as before, x repeat all round, th and th purled. th to th inclusive: x knit , slip as before, knit , x repeat all round. th and th purled. repeat these rounds again. then do the same twice more; but, instead of knitting three stitches, always decrease by knitting two together (once) on the needle that has the thirty stitches in every row which is not plainly purled, until only twelve stitches are left on it. when rounds are done, the boot will be sufficiently long. purl two rounds, divide the whole number of stitches on two needles, taking care that the stitches shall be exactly in the centre of one; then join up the toe by casting off, knitting one stitch from each needle together. now take up the twenty centre stitches of the originally cast on--that is, the twenty middle ones of the thirty that were on one needle, and which were decreased to twelve. knit them backwards and forwards rows. with another needle take up on each edge of this plain knitting more stitches, so that there are altogether. these stitches must be knitted backwards and forwards thus:-- st row: x knit , slip as before, x repeat with the last stitch, take up one of the next to the . nd: slip , but as if you were going to knit plain, purl . repeat; join on to the at the other end. rd: like first. th: like nd. th: purled; join at the end. th: knitted; join at the end. th: x knit , slip , knit , x join at the end. th: x purl , slip , knit , x join as before. th: like th. th: like th. th: purled. th: knitted. th: x knit , slip , knit , x join at the end. th: x purl , slip , knit , x join. th: like th. th: like th. th: purled, with join at the end. th: knitted. the same. repeat these rows. take up the remaining stitches of the , and form the whole into a round for the ankle. purl four rounds. th round: x knit , make , knit together, x all round. purl more rounds, and cast off. for the tassels.--plait some wool into a cord, and fasten at each end a tassel of white and pink wool combed out. for the ruche.--cast on five stitches with the coarser needles, and the white embroidery wool. knit and purl the rows alternately, winding the wool six times round two fingers of the left hand at every stitch, and taking up those threads with the stitches. do about ten rows so; then for ten more wind the wool only for the first and last stitches, and the pink for the others of each row. do enough to go twice round the top of each boot. cut the loops, and comb out the wool. sew it round the top of the boot. * * * * * the tulip wreath flower-vase mat. materials.-- shades of amber, shades of lilac, shades of green. skeins of each colour. steel needles, no. . cardboard foundation, covered with white or amber cambric, inches in diameter. for the mat.--knit rounds of each shade of amber, beginning with the lightest. cast on stitches on each of needles; bring the wool forward, knit half the stitches on the first needle; t. f. and k. [footnote: k. means knit; k. + knit two together; p. purl; t. f. thread forward.] the other half; repeat the same on each of the other needles; k. the next round plain; repeat these two rounds until there are stitches on each needle; then cast off, and sew this on the covered cardboard foundation. for the tulips.-- tulips to be knitted in shades of amber, and in shades of lilac; rounds to be knitted of each shade; needles. cast on stitches on each of needles; t.f. at the commencement of each needle; k. plain round; purl a round, increasing at commencement of each needle. repeat these two rounds till there are stitches on each of the three needles; then first k. , k. +, k. , k. +, k. ; turn the work back, and purl the stitches. [illustration: the tulip wreath flower-vase mat.] rd: k. , k. +, k. , k. +, k. . th: turn back and purl. th: k. , k. +, k. , k. +, k . th: turn back and purl. th: k. , k. +, k. . th: purl. th: k. +. tulips will be required. the leaves ( of which will be necessary).-- shades of green, rows of each; needles. cast on stitches; k. plain, till before the centre stitch; t.f. and k. the centre stitch; t.f., k. the remainder plain; p. the next row; repeat these rows, till there are open stitches up the vein of the leaf; then k. , k. +, k. plain, till from the centre stitch; then k. +, t.f., k. , t.f., k. +, k. plain, till from the end; then k. +, k. ; p. the next row; repeat till there are more open stitches, that is, from the beginning; then k. + at the beginning and end of every other row, till the last ends in a point. now sew the leaves round the mat by the part where the stem should be; then sew the tulips on as in engraving, sewing the leaf about rows from the point on the stem of the tulip. * * * * * [illustration: a woven parasol.] * * * * * crochet. * * * * * the stitches used in crochet are, _chain, slip, single, double, treble, and long treble crochet_. to make a chain, form a loop on the thread, insert the hook in it, and draw the thread in another loop through this. continue this to form a succession of stitches. slip-stitch is made by drawing a thread _at once_ through any given stitch and the loop which is on the needle. single crochet (written s.c.)--having a loop on the needle, insert the hook in a stitch, and draw the thread through in a loop. you then have two on the hook; draw the thread through both at once. double crochet (d.c.)--twist the thread round the hook before inserting it in the stitch, through which you draw the thread in a loop. three loops being then on the needle, draw the thread through two, and then through the one just formed and the remaining one. treble crochet (t.c.) and long treble (long t.c.) are worked in the same manner; in the former the thread is put _twice_, in the latter _three times_, round the hook, before inserting it into the stitch. to join leaves.--when one part of a leaf, flower, etc., is to be joined to another, drop the loop from your hook, which insert in the place to be joined; draw the loop through and continue working. to pass from one round to another without breaking the thread.--in working mats and many similar articles this is very desirable. having finished one round, see whether a s.c., d.c., or t.c. stitch begins the next; for s.c. make one chain, for d.c. three, for t.c. four; slip the needle out, and twist the chain, then continue working. this twisted chain will have all the appearance of a d.c. or t.c. stitch. should the round not begin exactly in the same place, slip-stitch to the part where it commences, as it will seldom be more than a few stitches in advance. square crochet is a term often used, and generally understood, as the engraved patterns are mostly in it. lest, however, any of our readers should not be familiar with the name, we will explain it. the squares are either open or close. an open square consists of one d.c., two ch.--missing two on the line beneath, before making the next stitch. a close square has three successive d.c. thus, any given number of close squares, followed by an open, will have so many times three d.c., and _one over_; and any foundation made for a pattern to be worked in square crochet will have a number of chains divisible by three, leaving one over. to contract an edge.--in forming leaves and many other things, this is very useful. it can be done in d.c., t.c., or long t.c. having twisted the thread round the needle as often as the stitch may require, insert it in the work, and half-do a stitch. instead of completing it, again twist the thread round, until the same number of loops are on, and work a stitch completely. thus, for two stitches taken in the work, there is only one head. this being successively repeated materially contracts an edge. to join on a thread.--avoid joins in open work as much as possible. in close work, whether d.c. or s.c., they will not be perceived. finish the stitch by drawing the new thread through, allowing a couple of inches for both ends, which you hold in. to work with several colours.--hold the threads not in use along the edge of the work, and work them in. when the colour is to be changed, begin the stitch with the old colour, and complete it with the new, which continue to work with, holding the other in. if only one stitch of a colour is to be used, you finish one stitch, and begin the next with it; then change. colours are seldom intermixed, except in solid work, such as the ends of purses, mats worked over cord, and the like. to work over cord.--hold it in the left hand, with the work, and work round it, as you would if it were merely an end of thread. the stitches must, however, be sufficiently close to cover it entirely. to work with beads.--beads must be first threaded on the silk, or other material, and then dropped, according to the pattern, on what is usually thought the wrong side of the work. this side presents a more even appearance than the other. it follows that when bead purses are worked from an engraving, they are worked the reverse of the usual way--namely, from right to left. the marks used in crochet receipts.--these are very simple when understood. they are printers' marks--asterisks, crosses, daggers, and sometimes one or two others. they are used to mark repetitions, and save space. the principal thing to observe is, that in every row or round, if _one_ of any kind is used, a second, _similar_ one, is sure to be found; and that the repetition occurs between the two, however far distant apart. suppose a row of a pattern to be written thus:--x d.c., ch., miss , * d.c., ch., miss , * three times, d.c., x, * twice; it would, at full length, be-- d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c. it will be seen that one repetition often occurs _within another_, as in the stitches between the asterisks. another mode of shortening receipts can be used only where a row has a centre both sides of which correspond; the latter being the same as the former, worked _backwards_. then the letters _b, a_, are used, to mark that in the latter part of the row you reverse the instructions. _b_, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , _a_, d.c. (the centre stitch), would be, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., miss , ch., d.c., miss , ch., d.c. these letters and the printers' marks are equally used in knitting. it is easy to see how much space is gained by the use of these abbreviations, a knowledge of which is easily acquired. probably many of our friends are already familiar with the substance of this preliminary lesson; but as daily experience convinces us that many are still ignorant of the principles of crochet, we trust the good-nature of the adepts will lead them to excuse this occupation of a page, in consideration of the benefit it will be to their less fortunate friends. one word on the implement termed a crochet-hook. it should not be sharp or pointed, either in the point or barb, but smooth, and quite free from any angularity that can catch the silk. cheap and common crochet-hooks are in the end the dearest, as they break cotton, ravel silk, wear out the patience, and prick the finger. they should be of the best steel, highly polished, and firmly fixed in ivory handles. those we use have been made at our recommendation, and have the _size_ engraved on every handle. this saves the tiresome and uncertain reference to a gauge. these hooks are termed "_tapered, indented_" crochet-hooks. * * * * * anti-macassar. materials.--four reels of brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. , ditto, no. , ounces of turquoise blue beads. the anti-macassar of which we give a representation in the engraving is intended to fit the top of a library chair. one half only is seen. a similar piece of crochet is to be made and sewed to it, the two forming a sort of bag, which is slipped over the back of the chair. it is a great improvement on the old-fashioned anti-macassar, as it is not liable to be displaced. a border is added to the front of it, the pattern of which is made in beads (in the style of the bassinet quilt, page ). this, from its weight, serves to keep the anti-macassar from shifting, and is finished with a handsome fringe. spotted muslin, or any similar material, may be used for the back of the anti-macassar, instead of crochet, for those who would prefer saving themselves the trouble of working the second piece. [illustration: anti-macassar.] the upper part may be worked from the engraving, being done in square crochet, for which we have already given full directions. make a chain of stitches. do one row of double crochet; then work from the engraving, beginning with that row which is in open square crochet, except the first and last squares, which are close. when you come to the diminished part, begin the row thus:--miss , slip on the nd, single crochet on the rd, double crochet on the th. reverse the process at the end of the row. this diminishes the row one square at each end. some few rows narrow the squares at each end. in that case miss at the beginning and end, instead of one. work in the ends as you go on. this part of the anti-macassar uses three reels of cotton. thread the blue beads on the th, no. reel, and work the borders. begin by a row of single crochet on the _wrong_ side, on the foundation chain. all the subsequent rows are done on the same side. begin every row with two plain stitches, beside those in the pattern. st pattern row: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x repeat to the end in this and every future row. nd: x plain, bead, plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x. rd: x plain, bead, plain, bead, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, bead, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, bead, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, bead, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, bead, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain, bead, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain, bead, plain, beads x. th: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, bead, plain, bead, plain x. th: x plain, bead, plain, beads, plain, beads, plain, bead, plain x. th: x plain, bead, plain, beads, plain, bead, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, bead, plain, beads, plain, beads, plain, x. th: x plain, bead, plain, bead, plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, x. th: x plain, bead, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x. th: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x. st: x plain, beads, plain, beads, plain x. * * * * * anti-macassar. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. . this anti-macassar must be begun on the line of d.c., forming one end. make a chain of the required number of stitches, including the borders, and work the whole anti-macassar, except the border which is at the one end, below the foundation chain, which must be done last of all. or the centre can be done entirely first, and the border worked all round afterwards, increasing at the corners. we, however, recommend the former method. this pattern is extremely well adapted for darning on square netting. in that case the netting may be done in brooks' knitting cord, no. , and the darning in embroidery cotton, no. . the centre only can be done thus--a netted border must trim it. [illustration: anti-macassar.] * * * * * netted anti-macassar. [illustration: netted anti-macassar.] materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no. , and embroidering goat's-head cotton, no. ; mesh, one-third of an inch wide. this anti-macassar is done in the fashionable style of netting, with a pattern darned on it after it is worked. make a foundation, on which work sixty-seven stitches. repeat these, backwards and forwards, until a square is done, of as many holes up the sides as along the width. remove the foundation, and add either a crochet-bead border all round, or a netted one. the bead border makes the shape more solid; the netted one is certainly lighter, and the following is very pretty:-- with a mesh three times the size of that used for the square do one entire round, with three stitches in one at the corners. nd round: with the small mesh. miss the first stitch, net the second, then the missed one, repeat all round. rd: x net a stitch of each of seven stitches, miss one stitch of the last round, x repeat all round. observe, before doing this round, count the number of stitches; if they cannot be divided by eight, add at the corners as many as may be required. supposing there are so many eights and five over, then three more will be wanted, and one must be added (by doing two in one) in each of the three corners. th: x over seven, miss the long stitch, x repeat. th: x over six, missing as before, x repeat. th: x over five, as before, x repeat. th: x over four, as before, x repeat. th: x over three, as before, x repeat. before darning netting, wash it perfectly clean, stiffen it by dipping it into a little gum-water, and pin it out on a pillow, in the proper form, to dry. then darn it with embroidery cotton, every square of the pattern being closely filled up. * * * * * round couverette for an easy chair or sofa. st round: ch., unite; ch., this forms l. stitch; under this circle work l., that is, including the ch., which reckon as " l.;" in fastening off this round, simply insert the hook through the rd loop of ch., draw the cotton through, cut it off, draw it down at the back, and tie it in a neat and secure knot. nd: be careful not to begin in any row in the same place where the previous row was terminated. l. into every loop of last row; there should be l. rd: l. into every loop, with ch. between each. th and th: l. upon every l., with ch. between each. th: commence upon a l. stitch, * l. into loop, ch., miss loops, repeat from * times more, then ch., miss loops, l., ch., miss loops, repeat. th: * l. into the rd loop of the ch.; ch., repeat from * twice more, then l. on l., repeat. th: d.c. stitches, the st into the nd loop of the ch., after the l. stitches, ch., repeat from * times more, l. the st into next loop, repeat. th: * d.c. the st into the nd loop of the st ch., ch., repeat from * twice more, miss loop, l. the st in nd loop. th: d.c. into the centre loop of the ch., ch., d.c. into centre loop of next , ch., l. the st on next d.c. stitch, ch., repeat. th: d.c. the st into nd loop of ch., ch., l. on every l., with ch. between each, ch., repeat. th: l. on l., ch., repeat over the l. stitches, then ch., d.c. on the d.c., ch., repeat. th: l. on l., ch., repeat this over the l. stitches, ch., repeat. th: the same. th: l., ch. over the l. stitches, then ch., l. into rd loop of the ch., ch., miss loop, l. into next loop, ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of ch., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., ch., l. on d.c. stitch, ch., repeat. [illustration: round couverette for an easy chair or sofa.] th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of st ch., ch., d.c. into centre loop of next ch., repeat. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. into centre loop of centre ch., ch., repeat. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of st ch., ch., d.c. into centre loop of nd ch., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., d.c. into centre loop of nd ch., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of ch., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., l., with ch. between each, under the next ch., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre ch. of , ch., l. the st into rd loop of ch., ch., d.c. into , ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre of , ch., l., the st into rd loop of ch., ch., d.c. into centre of , ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of ch., ch., l., the st into rd loop of ch., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l. sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., l., the st into the rd loop of the ch., ch., miss loop, l., ch., d.c. into centre of ch., ch., repeat. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., l., ch., d.c. into centre loop of ch., ch., l., the st or nd d.c., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., repeat. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., l., the st into rd loop of the ch., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., d.c. into same loop, ch., l., the st on next l., ch., d.c. into centre loop of , ch., repeat. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., l., the st on st l., ch., l., with ch. between each under the ch., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st on next l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. on d.c. stitch, ch., l., with ch. between each under the ch., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., with ch. between each under the ch., ch., d.c. on d.c., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. on l., ch., l., the st on next l., ch., l. on l., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., ch., l. on l., ch., l., the st into the th loop of the ch., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., l. on l., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. on l., ch., l. into same loop, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., d.c. on nd l. stitch, ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., l. on l., ch., l. into same loop, ch., repeat. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., with ch. between each, under the ch., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. on d.c. stitch, ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., l., with ch., between each, under the ch., ch., repeat. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., the st on next l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st into th loop of the ch., ch., l., the st on next l., ch., repeat. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., into rd loop, this forms another sq., and is reckoned as such in the next rows; ch., l. on the l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st. into th loop, ch., l. on the l., ch., l., into rd loop, ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. on the l., ch., l., the st on next l., ch., l., with ch. between each, under the ch., ch., l., the st on rd l., ch., l. on l., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., l., the st on next l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l., the st on rd l., ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., into th loop, ch., l. on nd l., ch., l. into th loop, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into th loop, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into th loop, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into th loop, ch., l. on nd l., ch., l. into th loop, ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. into centre loop of the ch. for times, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into centre loop of twice, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch, l. into centre loop of ch. twice, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into centre of loop of , times, ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. into centre of each , for times, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into centre of , times, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into centre of , times, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into centre of , for times, ch., repeat. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., and l. into centre loop of ch., for times, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., l. into centre loop of the ch., for times, ch., repeat. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., and l. into centre loop of each ch., for times, ch., l., the st on nd l., ch., and l. into centre loop of ch., times, ch., repeat. rd: sq., l., sq., ch., and l. into centre loop of the ch., ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l., the st on next l., * ch., l. on l., ch., l., the st on next l., repeat from * twice more, ch., l., the st on next l., ch., l., the st on next l., ** ch., l. on l., ch., l., the st on next l., repeat from ** twice more, ch., repeat from beginning. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch, l., the st on next l., * ch., d.c. on the l. stitch, ch., l. on the l., repeat from * twice more, then ch., l. on l., ch., l. on l., ** ch., d.c. on l., ch., l. on l., repeat from ** twice more, ch., repeat. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. on l., * ch., d.c. into th loop of ch., ch., d.c. into th loop of ch., ch., l. on l., repeat from * twice more, ch., l. on l., ch., l. on l., repeat from the st *, then ch., repeat from beginning. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., ch., l. on l., * ch., l. into nd loop of ch., ch., more l. into same loop, ch., l. on l., repeat from * twice more, then ch., l. on l., ch., l. on l., repeat from the st * again, ch. then repeat from beginning. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., now work the same as last row, only making ch. instead of . th: sq., l., sq. l., sq., l., sq., now work the same as last row. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., now the same as last row. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., now the same as last row. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq. , l., sq., now the same as last row. rd: sq., l., sq., now the same as last row. th: sq., ch., d.c. over the l., * d.c. under the ch., d.c. under next , d.c. under next , d.c. over the l., repeat from * twice more, d.c. under the ch., d.c. on the l., d.c. under the ch., d.c. over the l., repeat from the st * times, ch., repeat from beginning. th: sq., making in these squares ch. instead of , then d.c. over the d.c. stitches, ch., repeat. th: a row of long stitches all round. fringe.--d.c. into a loop, make * ch., rather loosely, miss loop of last round, d.c. into next loop, repeat from *. * * * * * floral anti-macassar. in square netting and darned. [illustration: floral anti-macassar.] materials.--brooks' goat's-head netting and knitting cotton, no. . brooks' embroidering goat's-head cotton, no. . rather a fine embroidering needle. steel mesh, no. steel netting needle. work the same number of squares, as in the engraving, by commencing on one stitch, and increasing one at the end of every row till you get sufficient length of one side; and then decrease one at the end of every row by taking two loops into one. then darn according to the engraving. make sufficient number of tassels to go round. wind the cotton over a card three inches wide, cut one end, and draw through the loop of netting, and make four more tassels larger; over a card six inches wide for the corners. six squares measure one inch. * * * * * ottoman cover. in square netting; the pattern diamond. [illustration: ottoman cover.] materials:--brooks' goat's-head netting cotton, nos. and ; embroidering, no. ; steel mesh, no. , and steel netting needle. for the upper side of the cushion use no. cotton, and commence with one stitch, and make one at the end of every row until you have loops on your mesh; then decrease one at the end of every row until you have only one left; then fasten off; then darn it with embroidering cotton, no. , according to the engraving, always taking care that there are the same number of threads in every square, and that the threads all run the same way, making as few breaks in the cotton as possible; in fastening off, or beginning again, always let it be on the under-side, that the ends may not be seen. then for the under-side of the cushion, make another piece exactly similar to the other one in size, but with a thicker cotton, no. . the two pieces must then be joined together, and placed upon a cushion stuffed with wool and covered with a dark purple, crimson, or green velvet; the whole afterwards finished with a thick twisted cord in two colours, with massive tassels at the corners to match. * * * * * the pine couvrette, for a music stool, in crochet. materials.--eight reels of brooks' goat's-head crochet cotton, no. ; crochet hook, no. . this couvrette is begun in the centre, and worked round and round, the thread never being broken off but when it is so mentioned in the receipt. make a chain of ; close it into a round, on which do s.c. stitches. nd round: x d.c. under a stitch (taking up both sides of the chain), ch., miss none, x times. close the round with a slip stitch on the first d.c. rd: s.c. on every chain stitch, and s.c. on every d.c. in the round. th: ch., twist them, and continue as a d.c. stitch; x ch., miss , d.c., all on the second of the s.c. worked on one in last row, x times; ch., miss , d.c. on last stitch of last row; slip on the top of the three-twisted chain, which completes the round. th: begin this and all succeeding rounds with a d.c. stitch, made of ch., x ch., miss ch., d.c. on first d.c., on next, on next, x times; ch., miss , d.c. on d.c., d.c. on next; slip on top of the chain that began the round. th: worked exactly like th, with d.c. on the first and last of every , and on each of the intermediate, so that the round consists of sides, of d.c. each, divided by a chain of three. th: the same, with d.c. over the . th: the same, with d.c. over the . th: ch., twist it into a d.c. stitch, x more chain, d.c. in the first of , d.c. in next , ch., miss , d.c. in , d.c. in last of , x times; ch., d.c. in first, d.c. in , ch., miss , d.c. in , d.c. in the same as the twisted chain; finish with a slip stitch. th: begin, as usual, with ch; then on each section of the octagon, x d.c. on first , ch., miss , d.c. on ch., ch., miss , d.c. on , x ch. between. at the last of the finish with d.c., as the last is made at the beginning of the round; slip on the top of it. th: begin and end as usual [_see note_]. on each section do x d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on ch., ch., miss d.c., d.c. on ch., ch., miss , d.c. on last , ch., x. th: begin and end as usual. on each section work x d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on ch., ch., miss , d.c. on , d.c. on the last, ch., x. th: begin and end as usual. on each division do x d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., x. th: all d.c., increasing so as to have on each side of the octagon, with the usual ch. between the divisions. th: begin and end as usual. work on each part x d.c. on , x ch., miss , d.c., x twice; ch. miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., x. th: begin and end as usual. work on each part x d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., x. [illustration: music stool couvrette.] th: begin and end as usual. x d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , ch. on , d.c. on , ch. x. th: begin and end as usual, x d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , d.c. on , ch. x. th: begin and end as usual. x d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c. ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., x. th: begin and end as usual. x d.c. on , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c. on , ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., x. st: begin and end as usual, x d.c. ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., d.c. in , ch., x. nd: begin and end as usual. x d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., d.c. in , ch., x. rd: begin and end as usual. x d.c. in , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch, miss , d.c., d.c. in , ch., *. th: break off the thread in this and the following round, and begin at the beginning of a division of the octagon, instead of at the last stitch as hitherto. x d.c., beginning on the _second_ in the division, ch., miss , d c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., d.c. on the centre of the chain of last round, ch., x. [work in the ends of cotton as you go on, and slip on the first stitch at the end of every round.] th: x miss the first d.c. of the last row, _diminished_ stitch on the two next, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., x ch., miss , d.c., * twice; diminished stitch on the next , ** ch., miss , d.c., ** times, ch., x. th: x diminished d.c. stitch on the two first of , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., diminished d.c., ch, miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., x. th: x diminished d.c. on two first of , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., diminished d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss d.c., ch., miss , x. th: x diminished d.c. (beginning on the same of last round), d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., diminished d.c., ch., d.c. on centre of ch. in last round, ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c. on centre of ch., ch., x. th: x d.c. beginning on the diminished stitch of last round, ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ** ch., miss , d.c., ** twice, ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , x. th: x (begin on the second of d.c.), d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , ** d.c., ch., miss , ** twice, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., *** ch., miss , d.c., *** twice; ch., miss , x. st: x (begin on the second of d.c.), d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , ** d.c., ch., miss , ** three times, d.c., *** ch., miss , d.c., *** times, ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , *. nd: x (begin on the second of ), d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , open squares, close, open, d.c., ch., miss , x. rd: x (begin on second of ), d.c., ** ch., miss , d.c., ** twice; ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , open squares, d.c., ch., miss , x. th: x (begin on the second of ), diminished stitch, d.c., diminished, ch., miss , ** open squares, close, ** times, open squares, d.c., ch., miss , x. th: x (begin on the first of ), diminished, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., diminished, ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , open squares, ** close, open, ** times, d.c., ch., miss , *** d.c., ch., miss , *** twice, x. th: * (begin on the first of ), diminished, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., diminished, ** ch., miss , d.c., ** twice, ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , *** close square, open, *** times, close, open, **** d.c., ch., miss , **** twice, x. th: x (begin on the d.c.), diminished, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., diminished, ** ch., miss , d.c., ** twice, *** ch., miss , d.c., *** times, ch., miss , **** close, open square, **** times, more open, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss x. th: x (begin on d.c.), d.c., diminished over the ch, d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , open squares, ** close, open, * twice, close, open, *** d.c., ch., miss , *** twice x. finish this round, like all the preceding, since the direction, with a slip stitch on the first stitch of the round. then a round of open square crochet, the d.c. stitches coming on those of the last round, and allowing ch. over the one diminished stitch at every point. the th round is entirely in d.c. for the band.--make a chain of stitches, and close in a round, on which work a round of d.c. nd round: open square crochet. rd: x open squares, close, open, x times. th:. x open, close, open, close, open, x times. th: x open, close, open, close, open, close, open, x times. th: x open, close, open close, open, x times. th, th, and th: x open, close, open, close, open, x times. th: x open, close, open, * times. th: open square crochet. th: d.c. edging.--one pattern takes up the space of a pattern of the band, consequently there are in the round. each is finished before proceeding to the next. the band and edging may be done entirely without breaking off the thread, therefore continue for the latter, after closing the former. s.c., ch., close it into a round, under which work s.c.; s.c. on the edge of the band; turn the work on the wrong side,-- ch., miss of the on the round, s.c. under the th, * ch, miss , s.c. under th, * times; ch., s.c. under th of the s.c. (leaving a space of to the loop). turn on the right side and work under each loop of , s.c., d.c. t.c., d.c., s.c., and under the other loops, s.c., d.c., s.c.: s.c. more on the band complete one pattern. fasten to the round with a row of s.c., taking a stitch of each. note.--it is to be remembered that each round begins with a d.c. of ch., and ch., after which the pattern between the * * is done times throughout, and the eighth time the last d.c. and ch. are omitted, being worked at the commencement of the round. to write this at the end of every round would make the directions tediously long, and the worker can find no difficulty if observing this note. * * * * * chair cushion. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no. , or , with a suitable hook. this is a new and extremely pretty kind of cushion, for the back of a chair, which renders an ordinary seat almost as commodious as a professedly _easy_ chair. a small cushion is made, just the length of the back of the chair, and narrow in the proportion seen in the engraving, which is covered either with berlin-wool work, or (as we have designed) with crochet. it is suspended from the top of the chair by ribbons or cords; and the lower edge is finished with either fringe or tassels. we have given two sizes of cotton as suitable for this purpose, as the dimensions must depend on those of the chair. the pattern requires a foundation chain of stitches, and if no. cord is used, and an ordinary hook suitable for it, the length will be as nearly as possible, half a yard. should the chair not be so wide, the same number of stitches, _with a finer cord_, will decrease the cushion cover; if required larger, for any purpose whatever, by using a coarser material the same design will be proportionably increased. and here we may be allowed to suggest a purpose to which this pattern is peculiarly applicable, and which will be found an article extremely beneficial to "the neat-handed phillis." [illustration: chair cushion.] in these days of homoeopathy, when the love of cold water is on the increase (as indeed it is high time it was), and while the means for thorough ablution are not perhaps as yet so extensively patronised as they deserve to be, we all know the destruction occasioned to that part of the paper which is immediately above the washhand-stand. now we would propose a splash cloth, in crochet, of this or any similar design, to be worked in very coarse cotton, such as brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no. , lined with glazed calico to match the hangings, and suspended above the washhand-stand. it will be a pretty decoration, perfectly preventing the injury usually occurring to the walls, readily washed, and always new. as fine cotton decreases the dimensions of a piece of work, so thicker cotton, with a hook proportionately large, _increases_ its size. the number of the cotton chosen should depend on the size of the stand. no. , it will be remembered, will work it about half a yard long. when used to cover a cushion, the cushion itself should be of a colour to match with the hangings, and the crochet work is to be tacked lightly over it at each edge. * * * * * toilet cover in crochet. [illustration: toilet cover in crochet] materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. . no. penelope hook. st row: make a chain of about stitches, turn back, work l. into th loop, this will form sq. in next row; then l., ch., l. into rd loop, repeat. there must be sq., or squares, only. nd: in beginning this row, make l., in the rd ch. of the ch., then ch., l. on l., repeat; make rows of these squares. after the first rows the work must not be turned. th: sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., repeat from * till within sq. of the end, then sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., * l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * times more, then l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., * l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * times more, then l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., * l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * times more, then l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., * l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * times more, then l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., * l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * times more, then l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * times more, then l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * times more, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., * l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * times more, then l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * times more, then sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * times more, sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * times more, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * times more, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. : sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * times more, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., repeat from * times more, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: ^{a} sq., l., sq., l^{a}, sq., ^{b} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{b}. these letters will be referred to hereafter. th: ^{c} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{c}, sq., ^{d} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{d}. th: ^{e} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{e}., sq., ^{f} l., sq., l., sq^{f}. th: ^{g} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{g}., sq., ^{h} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{h}. th: ^{i} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{i}., sq., ^{k} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{k}. th: ^{l} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{l}., sq., ^{m} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{m}. th: ^{n} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{n}., sq., ^{o} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{o}. st: ^{p} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{p}., sq., ^{q} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{q}. nd: ^{r} sq., l., sq., l^{r}., sq., ^{s} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{s}. rd: ^{t} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{t}., sq., ^{u} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{u}. th: ^{v} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{v}., sq., ^{w} l., sq., l., sq^{w}. th: ^{x} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{x}., sq., ^{y} l., sq., l., sq^{y}. th: ^{z} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{z}., sq., l., sq., ^{&} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{&}. th: ^{a} sq., l., sq., l., ^{b}., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ^{c} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{d}. th: ^{e} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., ^{f}., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ^{g} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{h}. th: ^{i} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{k}., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ^{l} l, sq., l., sq., l., sq^{m}. th: ^{n} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{o}., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ^{p} l., sq., l., sq^{q}. st: ^{r} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l^{s}., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ^{t} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{u}. nd: ^{v} sq., l., sq., l^{w}., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ^{x} l., sq., l., sq., l., sq^{y}. rd: repeat from ^{a} to ^{a} in th row, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{b} to ^{b} in th row. th: repeat from ^{c} to ^{c} in th row, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{d} to ^{d} in th row. th: repeat from ^{e} to ^{e} in th row, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., repeat from ^{f} to ^{f}. th: repeat from ^{g} to ^{g}, in th row, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{h} to ^{h}. th: repeat from ^{i} to ^{i} in th row, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{k} to ^{k}. th: repeat from ^{l} to ^{l} in th row, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{m} to ^{m}. th: repeat from ^{n} to ^{n}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{o} to ^{o}. th: repeat from ^{p} to ^{p}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{q} to ^{q}. st: repeat from ^{r} to ^{r}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{s} to ^{s}. nd: repeat from ^{t} to ^{t}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. repeat from ^{u} to ^{u}. rd: repeat from ^{v} to ^{v}, sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{w} to ^{w}. th: repeat from ^{x} to ^{x}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{y} to ^{y}. th: repeat from ^{z} to ^{z}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{&} to ^{&}. th: repeat from ^{a} to ^{b}, in th row, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{c} to ^{d}. th: repeat from ^{e} to ^{f}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{g} to ^{h}. th: repeat from ^{i} to ^{k}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{l} to ^{m}. th: repeat from ^{n} to ^{o}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{p} to ^{q}. th: repeat from ^{r} to ^{s}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{t} to ^{u}. st: repeat from ^{v} to ^{w}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{x} to ^{y}. nd: repeat from ^{a} to ^{a}, in th row, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{b} to ^{b}. rd: repeat from ^{c} to ^{c}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{d} to ^{d}. th: repeat from ^{e} to ^{e}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{f} to ^{f}. th: repeat from ^{g} to ^{g}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{h} to ^{h}. th: repeat from ^{i} to ^{i}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., s., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{k} to ^{k}. th: repeat from ^{l} to ^{l}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{m} to ^{m}. th: repeat from ^{n} to ^{n}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{o} to ^{o}. th: repeat from ^{p} to ^{p}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{q} to ^{q}. th: repeat from ^{r} to ^{r}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{s} to ^{s}. st: repeat from ^{t} to ^{t}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{u} to ^{u}. nd: repeat from ^{v} to ^{v}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{w} to ^{w}. rd: repeat from ^{x} to ^{x}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{y} to ^{y}. th: repeat from ^{z} to ^{z}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{&} to ^{&}. th: repeat from ^{a} to ^{b}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{c} to ^{d}. th: repeat from ^{e} to ^{f}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{g} to ^{h}. th: repeat from ^{i} to ^{k}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{l} to ^{m}. th: repeat from ^{n} to ^{o}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{p} to ^{q}. th: repeat from ^{r} to ^{s}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{t} to ^{u}. th: repeat from ^{v} to ^{w}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{x} to ^{y}. st: repeat from ^{a} to ^{a}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{b} to ^{b}. nd: repeat from ^{c} to ^{c}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{d} to ^{d}. rd: repeat from ^{e} to ^{e} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{f} to ^{f}. th: repeat from ^{g} to ^{g}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{h} to ^{h}. th: repeat from ^{i} to ^{i} sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{k} to ^{k}. th: repeat from ^{l} to ^{l}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{m} to ^{m}. th: repeat from ^{n} to ^{n}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{o} to ^{o}. th: repeat from ^{p} to ^{p}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{q} to ^{q}. th: repeat from ^{r} to ^{r}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from s to ^{s}. th: repeat from ^{t} to ^{t}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{u} to ^{u}. st: repeat from ^{v} to ^{v}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{w} to ^{w}. nd: repeat from ^{x} to ^{x}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{y} to ^{y}. rd: repeat from ^{z} to ^{z}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from & to &. th: repeat from ^{a} to ^{b}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{c} to ^{d}. th: repeat from ^{e} to ^{f}, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from ^{g} to ^{h}. th: repeat from ^{i} to ^{k} sq., repeat from ^{l} to ^{m}. th: repeat from ^{n} to ^{o}, sq., repeat from ^{p} to ^{q}. th: repeat from ^{r} to ^{s}, sq., repeat from ^{t} to ^{u}. th: repeat from ^{v} to ^{w}, sq., repeat from ^{x} to ^{y}. th: repeat from ^{a} to ^{a}, sq., repeat from ^{b} to ^{b}. st: repeat from ^{c} to ^{c}, sq., repeat from ^{d} to ^{d}. nd: repeat from ^{e} to ^{e}, sq., repeat from ^{f} to ^{f}. rd: repeat from ^{g} to ^{g}, sq., repeat from ^{h} to ^{h}. th: repeat from ^{i} to ^{i} sq., repeat from ^{k} to ^{k}. th: repeat from ^{l} to ^{l}, sq., repeat from ^{m} to ^{m}. th: repeat from ^{n} to ^{n}, sq., repeat from ^{o} to ^{o}. th: repeat from ^{p} to ^{p}, sq., repeat from ^{q} to ^{q}. th: repeat from ^{r} to ^{r}, sq., repeat from ^{s} to ^{s}. th: repeat from ^{t} to ^{t}, sq., repeat from ^{u} to ^{u}. th: repeat from ^{v} to ^{v}, sq., repeat from ^{w} to ^{w}. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l, repeat from * till within sq. of the end, then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till within sq., then sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq. th: sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till within sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l, sq., l., repeat from, * till sq., then sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., repeat from * till sq., then sq., l., sq. now rows of squares. d.c. stitches under every chains, and long stitches all round, making d.c., at each corner. border.--begin on the long side, l. into corner loop, ch., d.c., the st into th loop, * ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., d.c., the st into th loop, repeat from * till the end, where make ch., work at corner as before, then ch., d.c., the st into th loop, now work down the short side; but as the will be more loops on this side than can be made available for the pattern, at different intervals, widely apart, take loops together in making the l. stitches; that is, insert the hook through loops of the foundation at the same time instead of one. nd: begin at corner, l. into every loop of the l. stitches at corner in last row, ch., * d.c., the st into th loop, ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., repeat from *. rd: work at corner as before, that is, working l. into every loop, ch., * d.c., the st on nd d.c., ch., l., the st into th loop, ch., repeat from *. begin each row with the long stitch at a corner, but not at same the corner every time; this is to prevent the joinings being seen. th: l. on the first l. at corner, ch., l. on the remaining l., ch., * l. into rd loop, ch., l. into rd loop from the last of the d.c. in last row, ch., l. the st into rd loop, ch., repeat from *. th: l., beginning as before, ch., miss loop, l., * ch., d.c. into centre loop of ch., ch., l. the st into nd loop from l. stitch in last row, repeat from *. th: l., ch., miss loop, l., * ch., d.c. into th loop, ch., l., the st into rd loop from d.c. stitch in last row, repeat from *. th: l., ch., miss loop, l., * ch., l. into centre loop of ch., ch., l. into rd loop of the ch., from d.c. stitch in last row, ch., d.c. on the centre l. of the l., repeat from *. th: l., ch., miss loop, l., * d.c. under the ch., l. into the st loops of the ch., ch., more l. into same loop, more l. into the remaining loops, d.c. under the ch., ch., repeat from *. * * * * * [illustration: star-pattern d'oyley.] materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, nos. , , , , , , , and penelope crochet hook, nos. , - / , . with cotton no. , and hook no. . for centre star or _a_ work chain, make it round, and in the loop you have formed work d.c.; s.c. in st d.c. ** chain, miss , s.c. in rd, repeat from ** times more; in st chain, * long, chain, long in same chain, chain repeat from * in each chain all round, fasten off. fasten cotton no. , and hook no. - / . ** in chain long, chain turn and on the chain, miss , d.c., long; long in same chain; chain, s.c. in centre of chain; chain repeat ** all round. * long, chain, miss , long, chain, miss , long, chain, long in same as last long, long in next chain, chain, miss , long, chain, miss , long, miss . repeat all round, * fasten off. _b_. with cotton no. , and hook - / , chain join round; work in round loop; d.c. rd row: long, chain, long, chain, repeat all round. th: long in the centre of chain; chain, s.c. in the centre of chains; chain; repeat all round, fasten off. with no. cotton, and the same hook. * long in nd long of long in last row; " chain," long in same as last; chain, miss , long, d.c. in last long; miss , d.c., long, chain, repeat * times more only in the last point in " chain." join to _a_ in the following manner: chain draw through the th stitch of chain of _a_, then repeat the same as before, fasten off. nd _b_. make the same as first _b_ till the last row, where join in precisely the same way; the st point to centre _a_ and two more points to st _b_; finish the row same as st _a_, and fasten off. make more _b_, joining in the same manner. you will see what points are joined in the engraving. _c_. with cotton no. , and hook . chain, s c. in st: then in round loop; * d.c. chain repeat * times more. in st chain ** d.c., long, chain, join to a, turn, and on chain d.c., long: in same chain, long, d.c. ** repeat times more, joining each petal as in the engraving, fasten off. make more _c_s, joining between _a_ and _b_s in the same manner. _d_. with cotton no. , and hook - / . chain, make it round, and in loop work d.c.; * d.c. on st d.c., chain, miss , repeat times more, * then in each chain; ** d.c., long, d.c., ** fasten off. with cotton no. , and hook - / . * s.c. in nd d.c., chain turn, miss , d.c.; chain repeat * times more; miss , ** long, chain long in same as last long; long, miss , repeat ** times more, except in the last two points, where in th chain stitch of chain join to point of _b_, fasten off. make more _d_s, joining as in the engraving. _e_. with cotton no. , and hook - / . chain make round; * d.c. in loop; chain repeat * times more. ** long in chain, chain, long repeat ** times more, joining, as seen in the engraving, to _b_ and _d_, fasten off. make more _e_s, joining each between two _d_s. _f_. with cotton no. , and hook . make chain, make into a loop, and in loop * d.c., chain join to b, turn, miss , d.c., long repeat * times more; join in the same manner, and placed as in the engraving, fasten off. make more, joining them as you make them. _g_. with cotton no. , and hook . * d.c. on st d.c. of _e_ chain, miss , * repeat all round. make the tassels with no. cotton, over a card inches wide; wind it round the card times, tie it round about half an inch down, draw the cotton tight and bring the ends to the top again, fasten to the d'oyley, as in the engraving. make a sufficient number to go round. * * * * * crochet d'oyley. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet thread, no. : and penelope crochet hook, no. . make a round loop the size of this o, and then commence. st round: ch. , and work treble for times in the round loop of last round, plain , and fasten off. nd: treble at the top of the one treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. rd: treble at the top of the three treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the five treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. [illustration: crochet d'oyley.] th: treble at the top of the seven treble of last round, ch. , work treble in the centre of the three chain of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the five treble of last round, ch. , work treble at the top of the one treble of last round, ch. , work treble in the same loop as before, chain , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the three treble of last round, ch. , work treble in the two chain of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the two treble of last round, ch. , work treble at the top of the seven treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the one treble of last round, ch. , work treble at the top of the seven treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the three treble of last round, ch. , work treble at the top of the five treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the three treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the two treble of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the one treble of last round, ch. , work treble in the same loop as before, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble in the centre of the two chain of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the nine treble of last round, ch. , work double in the centre of the twelve chain of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the nine treble of last round, ch. , work treble at the top of the one double of last round, ch. , work treble in the same loop as before, ch. , and repeat round; plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of seven treble of last round, ch. , work treble in the centre of the two chain of last round, then ch. , and work one treble three times more in the same loop as before, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the five treble of last round, ch. , work treble in the first three chain of last round, ch. , work treble in the same loop as before, ch. , and work the same in the next two three chains of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the three treble of last round, ch. , then work as follows in each of the three chains of last round, treble, ch. , work treble all in the first three chain of last round, ch. , and work the same in the next two three chains of last round, ch. , and repeat round, plain , and fasten off. th: treble at the top of the two treble of last round, then work as follows in each of the three chains of last round, treble, ch. , work treble in the same loop as before, ch. , and repeat the same in the next two three chains of last round, repeat round, plain , and fasten off, which completes the d'oyley. * * * * * rose d'oyley. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, nos. , , , , . walker's penelope hook, nos. , - / , . _a_. with cotton no. and hook - / , work chains: make it round and in loop d.c., d.c. on d.c., chain, miss , repeat times more; in th chain stitch of chain, s.c., chain, s.c. in th chain from hook; chain, s.c. in same at last s.c.; chain, s.c., in same as last s.c., chain, s.c. in next chain stitch to st of chain; chain, repeat times more, fasten off. _b_. with cotton no. and hook - / , work chain, make it round, and in loop d.c. * in st d.c. work chain, long, chain, d.c., miss , and repeat * times more. those only in the last, long, join to th chain stitch of chain of _a_, long, chain, d.c., fasten off. make more _b_, joining to the chains of _a_. [illustration: rose d'oyley.] _c_. with cotton no. and hook , ** s.c. in the centre of the two chains of _a_, nearest the foundation: chain, s.c. in the centre of chain; chain, s.c. on nd long of st division of _b_; * chain, d.c. on next division, repeat * times more, chain; d.c. in next chain, chain, repeat ** times more, fasten off. d.c. all round the chain and fasten off. _d_. with cotton no. and hook , * chain, s.c. in st chain, and in round loop d.c., long, chain; join to d.c. stitches where the two chains are found together, turn, and on the chain d.c., long; then in round loop, long, d.c.; then join to the d.c. on the opposite side, and fasten off. repeat * times more. _e_. with cotton no. and hook . where you left off in _d_, join on no. cotton; chain, s.c. in th chain; then in round loop ** d.c., chain, join to th d.c. from where you joined no. cotton on; chain, turn, and on chain, d.c., long; d.c. in round loop, chain join to the top d.c., chain. s.c. in the th chain, chain, d.c. in the th chain; * * long, d.c. in same as st d.c., d.c. in round loop, repeat ** from ** without joining the chain twice. the second time only work to * *, work long, join to th d.c. from where you joined no. cotton on; more long on chain, d.c.; then s.c. down the stem. make more joining in the same way: fasten off. _f_. with cotton no. and hook . in th d.c. of _c_ from where you joined no. cotton on, * d.c., chain, join to st chain of _e_ of st section, chain, join to nd chain of _e_ of st section; chain join to st chain of _e_ of nd section, chain, join to nd chain of _e_ of nd section; chain, join to st chain of _e_ of rd section; chain, join to nd chain of _e_ of rd section; chain, repeat all round; d.c. all round. _g_. with cotton no. and hook , chain, make it round and in loop; d.c. join to the same place, where you began the long chain of _f_ d.c., * chain join to th d.c. of _f_ from where you joined the d.c.: chain, turn, d.c., long, d.c., miss , s.c. in next d.c., repeat * times more. join in the same place only to last petal. in the last petal work down the chain as follows: d.c.; long, join to th d.c. from where you joined the st d.c.; long, d.c., fasten off. make more. joining each as you make them. _h_. with cotton no. and hook , chain, s.c. in st stitch: then in loop; d.c., * d.c. on d.c., chain, miss , repeat * times more, then in each chain, d.c., except the last, which work as follows: d.c. join to rd point of _g_, d.c. in same chain. the next _h_, join in the same manner to point of _f_ make sufficient to go round, joining alternately to _g_'s and _f_s. _i_. with cotton no. and hook , ** s.c. on th d.c. of st division of _h_, * chain, s.c. in next division, repeat * times more, chain join to next point of _g_ " chain," s.c. in next point of _g_, chain, repeat ** from all round; d.c. all round, and when you have come to the end of " chain" th d.c. join to the th d.c.; * chain, miss , d.c. in next, * repeat times the and , join to the other side and fasten off. * * * * * toilet cover in square crochet. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. , with a fine hook. the pattern for this toilet cover being so elaborate, it must be worked in cotton not coarser than that we have indicated, if intended for an ordinary toilet cover. worked in a coarser material, no. or , of brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, it would make a beautiful quilt for a small bed; and in some of the coarser sizes of the knitting cord, a large counterpane might be worked, and from the clear appearance this material presents, would look very rich and handsome. like all square crochet, this design must be worked from the engraving. the number of foundation chain for working it is , reckoning the length, or for the width, if that mode of working be preferred as less cumbersome. it will not, however, answer so well for a toilet cover, as the stitches would go the wrong way. for a counterpane, on the contrary, it would be preferable. [illustration: toilet cover.] for the border of a toilet cover, we should recommend one of the patterns in bead work, found in other parts of this volume. for the edge of a counterpane, nothing can be handsomer than the border and fringe of the bassinet quilt. it should be worked with the same cotton as the centre, and the fringe a degree coarser. crochet counterpanes should be laid over one of the american patent quilted coverlets, which have recently been sold in london, and for invalids, especially, are so extremely comfortable. * * * * * tidy in square crochet. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. : walker's penelope crochet-hook, no. / . [illustration: tidy in square crochet. ] make a chain of stitches, which will form ninety-nine squares; with this cotton and hook it will measure twenty-five inches; the pattern must be worked from the engraving, and may be increased in size by using a coarser cotton and thicker hook. * * * * * arabesque toilet-cover in square crochet. [illustration: arabesque toilet-cover in square crochet.] this pattern should be worked in brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, exactly to the size of the top of the table, in rather thick cotton, to make it look massive, and to retain its form; the edging must be worked in blue beads in crochet to the pattern, and a number of beads given exactly to go round the table and to hang down, and finished with a tassel at each corner. * * * * * cover for a hadrot lamp. materials.--half-a-dozen skeins of each of seven shades of green wool, and four of scarlet ditto. a fine netting-needle, four knitting-needles, no. , and the same of no. . with the darkest green wool cast on stitches on each of three of the coarsest knitting-needles (that is, altogether), and close into a round. st round: plain knitting. [illustration: cover for a hadrot lamp.] nd: * knit , make , knit , knit together, knit , make , * times. rd: plain knitting. th: change to the darkest scarlet, and repeat the second round. th: knit , * knit together, knit , * times; knit together, knit . th: * knit , make , knit , knit together, knit , make , * times. th: plain knitting. th: change to the next shade of green, and repeat the th round. th: knit , * knit together, knit , * times; knit together, knit . th: * knit , make , knit , knit together, knit , make , * times. th: plain knitting. th: change to the next shade of scarlet, and repeat the th round. th: knit , * knit together, knit , * times; knit together, knit . th: * knit , make , knit , knit together, knit , make , * times. th: plain knitting. th: change to the next shade of green, and repeat the th round. th: knit , * knit together, knit , * times; knit together, knit . th: * knit , make , knit , knit together, knit , make , * times. th: knit , * knit together, knit , * times; knit together, knit . th and st: plain knitting, using the finer needles, and decreasing until there are only stitches in the round. nd: * knit , make , knit together, make , knit together, knit , make , knit together, knit , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , * times. rd: * knit , make , knit together, twice, knit , * times. th: like nd. th: * slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , * times. th: * slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , make , slip two together, knit , pass the slip over, make , knit , * times. th: like the th. th: * knit , make , knit together, make , knit together, knit , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , make , knit together, knit , * times. th: * knit , make , knit together, make , knit together, knit , * times. th: like th. st: * ** slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , ** twice, knit , * times. nd: * ** slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , ** twice, knit , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , make , knit together, * times. rd: like st. repeat these rows (that is, from the nd to the rd, inclusive of both), six times more, doing two patterns (that is, rounds) of one shade, and then changing to the next lightest. after the th pattern, continue as follows, in order to decrease and form the neck for the lamp. st decreasing round: * knit , make , knit together, make , knit together, make , knit together, knit , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , * times. nd: * knit , make , knit together, make , knit together, knit , * times. rd: * knit , make , knit together, make , knit together, make , knit together, knit , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , * times. th: * ** slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , ** twice, knit , * times. th: * * slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , ** times, knit together, knit , * times. th: * slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , slip , knit , pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , knit together, * times. after this, do two inches of ribbed knitting in the same shade. it is done by alternately knitting and purling two stitches. cast off. the edges of the vandykes are trimmed with tatting, of which five graduated ones surround each. fill the netting-needle with the darkest shade of wool, and make for every point at the base of the corner the following seven loops:-- st: double stitches; draw it up to a half-circle. nd: double; the same. rd: double; the same. th: double; draw it up tightly. th: like rd. th: like nd. th: like st. this cover is intended to protect the lamp from the dust, which greatly injures the bronzing of the hadrot lamp. * * * * * lamp mat, in crochet. materials.-- skeins of white netting silk, and skeins each of four shades of cerise ditto, the darkest being almost brown, and the lightest a rich and brilliant cerise. a hank of rather large steel beads, a string of short square steel bugles, and oz. of fluted ditto, / inch long. a skein of rather fine white cotton cord, and rings. tapered, indented crochet-hook, no. . begin with the darkest cerise, and do not change until the directions require it. st round: with this silk work s.c. on the end of the cord, and form into a round, after which s.c. to secure it. nd (cerise and white): x cerise in the same stitch as the last, white, cerise in , x times. rd: x cerise worked in the same stitch as the last two, white, cerise in one, x times. th: like rd, with white instead of . th: x cerise in the same stitch as the last two, white, cerise in , x times. th: x cerise in the same as the last four, white (the last being over cerise), cerise in one, x times. th: x cerise on the next stitch, white, cerise on , on the centre one of , x times. th: like th, with white. change to the next shade of cerise. th: x cerise on next, white, cerise, white, cerise, cerise on centre of , x times. th: x cerise on next, white, cerise (the second over cerise), white, cerise, in , x times. th: x cerise on next, white, cerise, white, cerise, white, cerise, white, cerise, in , x times. th: x cerise in next, white, cerise, white, cerise. in , x times. next shade of cerise. th: x cerise in next, white, cerise, white, cerise, white, cerise, white, cerise, in , x times. th: x cerise in next, white, cerise, * white, cerise, * twice, white, cerise, white, cerise, in , x times. th: x cerise in next, white, cerise, white, cerise, white, cerise, in , x times. th (lightest cerise): x cerise in the same stitch as the last , white, cerise, white, cerise, white, cerise, white, cerise in , x times. th: x cerise in the next, white, cerise (over w., c., w.), white, cerise, in , x times. [illustration: lamp mat.] th: x cerise on next, white, cerise, white, cerise, cerise in , x times. th: x cerise in next, white, cerise, cerise in , x times. th: x cerise in , white, * cerise, white, * times, cerise, white, cerise, cerise in , x times. st: x cerise in next, * white, cerise, * times (the white over white, the cerise over cerise), white, cerise, cerise in , x times. nd: x cerise in next, white, * cerise, white over cerise, cerise, white, * times, more white, cerise, cerise in , x times. rd: x cerise in next, white, * cerise, white, * times, cerise, white, cerise, cerise in , x times. th: entirely cerise, working in at all the points. th: white and cerise alternately, a single stitch of each, with in at the points. th: all cerise, increasing, as before, at the corners. this completes the centre of the mat. now cover six of the rings with the darkest cerise, with the lightest, with the second lightest, and with white. they are to be done in s.c. the darkest are sewed in the centre of each side of hexagon, with a white at each side, and two more (joined together) above it. the lightest cerise are placed at the points the two being joined together, and one to the mat. these form the extreme points, and the other twelve are placed to connect the lightest rings with the white. the short square bugles are threaded, with some of the beads, to form a cross in the centre of each of the white rings; the other rings have a cross of beads only. all the rings are sewed together, and to the mat. the elegant fringe round the edge is formed of the long steel bugles, connected with each other at the outer edge by a chain of steel beads. the needle is slipped down them to connect them with the rings, and a single bead is threaded at the base of each. the side rings have bugles each, placed at equal distances; the corners have ; and is placed where every two rings are joined. this mat would be very beautiful if worked in white and shades of green, with gold beads and bugles. * * * * * candle lamp mat. materials.--half-ounce each of stone-colour and shaded violet, -thread; half-ounce of shaded amber, -thread berlin wool; yards of ordinary sized blind or skirt cord; small curtain rings, the size measuring across five-eighths of an inch; nos. and penelope hook: bunches no. steel beads. with no. hook, and drab wool, work stitches d.c., over the end of the cord; double in as small a circle as possible, unite, and work stitches into every loop for three more rounds. th: stitch into every loop. th: increase stitch in every nd loop. there must be stitches in this round. th: place a pin in every th loop, and in this same th loop work with -thread violet, stitch; then stitches drab in the next loops, that is, increasing stitch in about the th loop; repeat this all round. th: work stitches violet into the violet stitch; then stitches drab, working only stitches in the last compartment, to commence next row. th: in the last drab stitch that was not worked into, work violet stitch; then more violet; then drab, increasing in th stitch; in the last compartment make only drab after the increased stitch, in order to make violet in next round. th: violet, the st to come before the th violet of last row, and the last to come after the th violet, but increasing violet on the th stitch; then drab, increasing in the th drab stitch. th: all violet, increasing in every th stitch. th. all violet, but without increasing, unless required. the diameter of the mat should now measure inches across, but should it be required larger, another row of cord, or even two, will give the increased size. now d.c. under all the rings, about to stitches for each ring is necessary; unite and tie the knot very neatly, and sew six of these rings round a th, sewing them with cotton the colour, and sewing them at the parts where each ring is joined, about stitches in length; be careful that no stitches are seen on the right side; then sew steel beads round the centre ring, taking up to beads at a time on the needle; then place the needle between the joinings of the rings, take upon it about beads, and draw the cotton across to the opposite point; repeat this twice more, the beads will then form as given in engraving; sew the circles of rings on to the mat by two of the rings, and sew the circles together by one ring. any other colour beside amber will do for the rings. if the table cover is scarlet, green wool should be used; if blue, amber; or if green, scarlet or pink. [illustration: candle-lamp mat.] * * * * * hand screen, in crochet. materials.-- skeins of rich dark blue purse silk, skeins of fine and pure gold thread; penelope hook, no. ; yards of dark blue silk fringe, inches deep; yards of fine wire, and / yard of white gros-de-naples. a pair of screen handles. of course silk of any other colour may be used, if blue will not correspond with the furniture. green looks very handsome with gold, and scarlet with silver. the metal thread used must be of the very best description only. begin by making six gold flowers, thus:-- ch., close in th for a round, x ch., s.c. under loop, x twice, ch., slip on the closing of the round--thus there are three loops in the centre one; work under the chain of the first, s.c., d.c., t.c., d.c., s.c. under the centre one s.c., d.c., t.c., d.c., s.c.; and the third loop like the first. slip on the base of the flower, and work down the ch. in s.c. [illustration: hand screen.] six of these flowers are to be made, and afterwards sewed on the silk, radiating from the centre, and each occupying the middle of one side of the hexagon. for the screen (beginning in the centre).--with the blue silk, make a chain of six, and close into a round. st: x d.c., ch., miss none, x times. nd: x t.c. on ch., ch., miss d.c., x times. rd: x t.c. (beginning on the last of ch.), ch., x times. continue in this manner, increasing the t.c. stitches by at each section of the hexagon, in every round, until there are t.c. in each division, always making chain between. then s.c. all round, adding the silk flowers where they occur--that is, over the th, th, and th of the t.c. in each section. the flowers are made in the following mariner:-- ch., close into a loop at the th, ch., s.c. under loop. ch., s.c. under loop, ch., slip at the stem, x ch., s.c. under first loop of , x times, * ch., s.c. under the loop of , * times, ** ch., s.c. under loop of , ** times; s.c. down the chain, and continue the round. the gold flowers are to be worked in the same way, and attached over the centre of each chain which form the corners of the hexagon. work a chain all round, catching up the points of the flowers at regular intervals, and then work two rounds of s.c., with three stitches in one at the points. do all the crochet work of these screens rather tightly. sew on the large gold flowers, passing the ends through the centre loop of the screens, and form a little rosette of x chains, s.c. in the round, x repeated to close the middle. to make up the screens.--cut out a hexagon, the exact size of the crochet, in paper, and bend the wire into the same form. be very particular that the wire frame shall be true and even. cover it on both sides with white silk, over one side of which sew the crochet. it will only require to be fastened round the edges. the fringe must then be laid on, the handles attached, and the screen is completed. if preferred, the back of the screen may be covered with silk of the colour of the crochet, as more durable than white. * * * * * crochet counterpane for a bassinet. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cords, nos. and ; oz. of blue beads, large enough to thread on the finest cotton, they should be turquoise blue; crochet hooks, nos. and . the centre of the counterpane is made in diamonds, with small pieces at the edges, merely to fill in the parts where the diamonds leave spaces, and form the whole into a solid square. it is done in ribbed crochet. ribbed crochet is so called from the work having the appearance of ridges. it is worked backwards and forwards thus: the top of a row of crochet, whether s.c., d.c., or t.c., presents an appearance of chain stitch; in working ribbed crochet, take up always that side of the chain which is furthest from you. the middle of the counterpane is done in knitting cord, no. ; crochet hook, no . for the diamonds.--(a) make ch., miss , s.c. in the next ch. nd: turn the work; ch., s.c. in one, s.c. in next, s.c. in third. rd: turn, ch., s.c. in second, s.c. in next, s.c. in two last. thus you proceed, turning the work at the end of every row, working s.c. in every one but the middle stitch, in which you work , until you have made ribs, and the row has stitches, a chain stitch being made at the beginning of every row. now make ch., on turning, and work d.c. in the first stitch, x miss , d.c. in third, x times, miss , d.c. in second, ch., miss (which should be at the point), d.c. in second, miss , d.c. in second, * miss , d.c. in third, * times. this completes the row, the last d.c. coming on the last stitch. [illustration: crochet counterpane for a bassinet.] turn, x ch., d.c. between the sets of d.c. of the last row, x to the end; s.c. only at the last. turn, x ch, s.c. under loop, x to the end but with ch. at the point; another s.c. in the last loop. turn, ch., d.c. in every stitch of last row. turn, ch., s.c. in every stitch of last row; fasten off. this completes one diamond, which for a bassinet quilt will be large enough. for a large counterpane they may be considerably increased. a glance at the engraving will show how they are joined together. for the half diamonds at the side _(b)_ make ch.; work s.c. in the first of these, turn, ch., s.c. in the first of the two of last row, s.c. in the second; turn, ch., s.c. in the first, and in each of the other s.c. of last row. continue working thus, making two in one at the end of one row and the beginning of the next, until there are stitches and ribs. then, for the open part, ch., turn, work d.c. in the first stitch, x miss , d.c. in next, x times. nd row of open work: turn, x ch., d.c. under the chain between the first and second set of d.c. x repeat to the end of the row; ch., s.c. at the end. rd: turn, x ch., s.c. under loop, x repeat to the end. th: ch., turn d.c. in every stitch to the end. th: ch., turn, s.c. to the end. for the side pieces _(c)_ work in exactly the same manner, only beginning by working thus: ch., turn, s.c. in the first of these, ch., turn, _ s.c. in the first of the two and in the second_. this is just the reverse of the other, the increase continuing to be made at that edge where the first increases. of course the last row will end at the point of one piece, and the short side of the other. _(d)_ ch., work s.c. in the first of these, ch., turn, s.c. in the first, in the next, in the last. turn, ch.; work this and all the following rows until you have stitches in this manner. s.c. in the first and last stitches, in one in the centre, and in one in every other (increasing stitches in every row). the five open work rows to be done as in _a_. _(e)_ work these pieces like _a_, until ribs are done; then turn and s.c. up to the three centre stitches, _slip_ on the first of the three, x turn, miss the slip stitch, slip on the next, and s.c. to the end; turn, ch., s.c. on all the s.c. but the last, which slip; x repeat between the marks until one stitch only remains, through which the thread is drawn. the other side of the point must then be worked to correspond with the first, the centre stitch not being worked at all. _(f)_ these two morsels are begun like _b_ and _c_, and finished in the same way that _e_ is. they will then exactly fit those corners. the other corners _(g)_ are worked by beginning, as usual, with ch., in the first of which work s.c. x ch., turn, s c. in first and last stitches, and one in each intermediate; x repeating backwards and forwards until stitches are in the row, when complete by open work as in _b_ and _c_. the numbers required of each piece are--_a_, ; _b_ and _c_, five of each; _d, e, f_, and _g_, two each. (a glance at the engraving will show the manner in which these are joined into an oblong square.) eyelet-hole border.--when all are sewed together, a line of d.c. must be worked all round, with stitches in one at the corners, and two in one on each side of the three. this will make the corners perfectly square. nd round: x d.c., ch., miss x; repeat all round, but not missing any at the corners. rd: (eyelet-holes). these are to be worked quite separately from the last, at first. x ch., close for a round in the second, and work s.c. under the half, x repeat until a length is done sufficient to surround the square, every little round being half-covered by the s.c. in covering the other half of each circle, you will attach it to the work thus:-- more s.c. make a ch., slip the needle off the loop, insert it at the corner of second round, and draw the loop through, then s.c. under the remainder of the circle, s.c. on ch. between; x s.c. under next eyelet-hole, miss on the second round, insert the hook in the third, draw the loop through, and work more under the ch.; x repeat, allowing between, except at the corners. th: s.c. (putting the hook under both sides of the chain) at the top of an eyelet-hole, x ch., s.c. in the same way under the centre of the next, x all round, with ch. at the corners. th: x d.c., ch., miss , x all round, not missing any at the corners. th: s.c. all round, with two stitches in one at the corners. motto borders.--for these use brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head cotton, no. , on which the beads must be strung before beginning to work. the borders are done entirely in s.c., the beads being dropped on, according to the pattern, _on the wrong side_, this _wrong_ side being the _right_ when beads are used in crochet. the ends have chain each: the sides, . the pattern occupies rows, and the squares at the corners have chain, and the same number of rows. the motto borders and corners are all worked separately, and afterwards sewed together. when completed, the eyelet-hole border is again added all round, and the counterpane then only requires a deep open border. this quilt would be very handsome, if worked in coarser cotton, for a full-sized bed. the small diamonds in the centre would thus be increased in size, and a sufficient number should be done to form a middle just three times the dimensions of that now given. the borders should be worked in open square crochet instead of s.c.; the pattern and letters in close squares on an open ground. it would for this purpose, be requisite to make the chains of three times the number of stitches, and one over: for the ends, , for the sides, and for the corners. in other respects the counterpane might be worked exactly from the instructions. the family coat-of-arms and crest, correctly drawn, would make a very handsome centre for a counterpane in crochet. where a quilt is done in square crochet, it should be laid over one of the new patent wadded counterpanes of a colour appropriate to the furniture of the room, as this displays the work to great advantage. * * * * * deep border for bassinet quilt. materials.--brooks' knitting cord, nos. and ; crochet-hook, no. . this lace is to be worked round the last eyelet-hole border with no. brooks' cotton. st round: s.c. round the edge of the last border, with two stitches in every one for two inches on each side of the corners. nd: x d.c., ch., miss , x all round, but not missing any at the corners. rd: like first, but with in for inches round the corners, at the extreme points of which there will be in three times. th: begin at a corner. x d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , d.c., ch., miss , x times. then continue along the side, missing instead of , until you come to within stitches of the next corner, when you will miss only again, and at the point of the corner miss none. all the sides are to be worked alike. th: (begin over the nd of the first d.c.) x d.c., ch. (which comes over the d.c.), d.c., ch., d.c. on th of ch., ch., x all round. th: x d.c. (the second coming over the ch.), ch., d.c. (the second coming over d.c.), ch., x all round. th: x d.c. (on the second of the d.c. you began with in last round), ch., miss ch., d.c., ch., miss d.c., d.c., ch., x all round. th: (begin on the last chain before the d.c.) x d.c., ch., miss , d.c. over ch., ch., miss , d.c., ch., x all round. repeat from the th to the th round, inclusive of both, thrice; then the th and th again. this will make rounds. th: x s.c. on centre of the three d.c. you began the last round with, ch., d.c., ch. (over the middle of d.c.), d.c., ch., x all round. th: x s.c. over s.c. ch., d.c., ch., d.c. (over ch. of last round), ch., d.c., ch., x all round. st: x slip on s.c., s.c. on first of ch., ch., d.c. (the first over second d.c. of last round), ch. over d.c., d.c., ch., s.c. on last of ch., x all round. nd: x s.c. on s.c., ch., d.c. on fourth of ch., ch., d.c. (the second over ch. of last round), ch., d.c. on fourth of ch., ch., s.c. on s.c., x all around. rd: x s.c. on s.c., ch., d.c. (the first over d.c. of last round), ch., d.c. over centre of d.c., ch., d.c. (the second over d.c.), ch., s.c. on s.c., x all round. th: x s.c. on s.c., ch., d.c. over d.c., ch., miss , t.c. on ch., ch., miss (that is, d.c., and ch. on each side of it), t.c. on ch., ch., miss , d.c. on d.c., ch., s.c. on s.c., and x all round. th: s.c. on ch., * ch., miss none, d.c., * times, ch, miss none, s.c. on chains, x all round. [illustration: deep border for bassinet quilt.] this is the last round. the fringe is then put on thus: wind your cotton (no. ) twelve times round a card about - / inches wide; slip it off, catch up the threads with a crochet-hook, and draw through one of the loops of chain in the last round. when half-way through, pass the other ends through the loop; draw it up tightly, and cut the ends. repeat this for every loop of ch., and the fringe is complete. * * * * * crochet stripe for a bed quilt. [illustration: crochet stripe for a bed quilt] materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. penelope hook. make stripes of this pattern. all the stripes are worked the short way, and forwards and back. this stripe is about - / inches in width; it may be worked to any length, but great care must be taken that it is worked as evenly and tightly as the cotton and hook will permit, each l. stitch must measure in length over two-eighths of an inch, and nearly three-eighths. observe that the cotton must never be cut off, but that every row is worked forwards and back. st row: make a chain of about stitches in length, turn back, and work squares. nd: turn on reverse side, and observe this at the commencement of every row, work l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. st: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. nd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., 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sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. st: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. nd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. st: l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. nd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. now repeat from nd row until of sufficient length. * * * * * centre stripe for a bed quilt, rose garland pattern. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. penelope hook. make a chain of about stitches, turn back and work squares. st row: ** l., sq., l., sq., l.,* sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. now repeat from * to ** beginning at l., and working these figures backwards, but always ending every row with l. instead of l., this is to make the border both sides alike. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l.,* sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, * sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from n * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. [illustration: center stripe for bed quilt.] th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., .., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to ** . nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to ** . th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., ., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to *** th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: t l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq. l, * sq., l., sq., ., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l, sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l, sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l, sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l, sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq. l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from* to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. st: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. nd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. rd: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. th: ** l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., * sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., repeat from * to **. now repeat from first row. * * * * * handkerchief case for hanging to the head of a bed. materials.--use brook's great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. no. penelope hook; long strip of whalebone; yard of satin ribbon inch in width. yards ditto, or inches wide. st row: make a chain of stitches, turn back, and work squares. nd: turn back, and work another row of squares. rd: turn back sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. the cotton must now be cut off at every row. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. [illustration: handkerchief case, for hanging to the head of a bed.] th: sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l.; sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. rd: row of squares. th: turn back, double l., made by first twisting the cotton twice over the hook, then double long to come in the st loops, which will exactly fill up the loops over st sq., then ch., miss squares, more double long in the th loop of next sq., repeat, the row will end with long stitch, turn back. th: d.c. under the ch., ch., repeat. this forms the front of the case. for the back: commence on the wrong side of the foundation chain, and work rows of squares, then work as at nd row, and continue working till the end of nd row. now rows of squares. now a row of double long stitches the same as the row on the other end. turn back. double l. on l., * ch., double l. on the l., repeat from *. now a row of long stitches, not double long. now work d.c. into every space up both sides, then crochet both sides together on the right side, by working d.c. stitch into every loop of both sides, first doubling it at the foundation chain, consequently the back will be a trifle higher than the front. now, up the side and along the top of the back, work thus: l. in st loop, * ch., l. into th loop, repeat from * and at each corner make l. into loop, with ch. between each l. next row, d c. under every ch. cover strips of narrow whalebone the exact length of the back of the case, with coloured ribbon, and run it into the open rows; for the front, cut a length of whalebone two inches longer than the pieces for the back, and run in the front row, then add ribbon and bow as in engraving. * * * * * watch pocket. materials.-- shades of scarlet, the lightest to be a very bright military scarlet, skein of the darkest, of each of the lighter shades; skeins of bright maize colour; skein of shaded violet; skein of shaded scarlet; shades of green; skein of each shade, the darkest to be very dark, and the lightest to be very light; shades of sky-blue, skein of each; skein of white; all thread berlin wool; curtain rings, the size of a fourpenny-piece, or a trifle larger; yards of blind cord; - / yards of scarlet satin ribbon, half an inch in width, or covered curtain rings will answer the same purpose. no. penelope hook. with darkest scarlet work, d.c. stitches over the cord, then turn the cord round in as small a circle as possible, unite and work rows with this shade, increasing in the two rows after the st, stitch in every loop; then th, th, and th rows, of next shade, increasing as may be required; th, th, and th rows of next shade, increasing the same. th row.-- stitches maize, stitches violet. [illustration: watch pocket.] th row.--all violet; there should be stitches in this row. cut off the cord, and fasten it nearly, also the wool. the mat should now measure - / inches across. count stitches from where the cord was cut of, counting towards the right hand, work on the cord, with shaded scarlet, beginning at the nd stitch, d.c. stitches; then turn on reverse side, and turn back every row, working ridged crochet, and, at the end of each row, instead of working an extra stitch, as is usually done in a straight piece of ridged crochet, to prevent its decreasing, omit the stitch, and by so doing, each row will be decreased stitch till it comes to a point; work more of these points, then, with the same wool, sew these up from the bottom to the point, sewing them flat on the finger, not seaming them, and sewing all the points strongly together at the top that they may not give way; this forms the pocket. now take some elastic, such as is worn for sandals for shoes, it would be better to procure it rows of india rubber wide instead of ; with the point of the scissors, push the end through to the wrong side, between the last rows of cord, and close to the broad end of the point, sew this end firmly on to the cord on the wrong side with black cotton, but very neatly; now draw the long end straight across the front to the opposite side, not drawing it too tight, or allowing it to be too loose push the end through on this side the same as the other, and sew it at the back in the same manner. now, with black thread sew the pocket to the elastic, so that neither this nor the stitches are seen. rings with maize wool.--d.c. under the rings all round, stitches will be about sufficient to cover the ring well, unite, and tie the ends in a knot neatly, then, with maize colour cotton, sew the rings round, attaching them by the part where the wool was joined; now sew the rings together, be careful that not a stitch is seen through on the right side. for the flowers.--with white wool make ch. tightly, unite, and under this circle work l. with ch. between each, cut off the white. tie on with a weaver's knot the lightest blue, work l. under each ch., with ch. between each, only let there be l. instead of . next shade blue. work this row rather loosely, d.c. under every ch., then ch., repeat; at the end draw down the end of blue wool, and tie it to the end of white; make flowers this size, which should not be larger than the size of a sixpence. now make of larger size, working them exactly the same, only making l. stitches of the white, and l. stitches of the blue; now, with white wool sew on the two largest flowers on the centre seam of the pocket, then the smaller ones on each side. for the leaves.--with darkest green make ch., turn back, work d.c. down, join on the next green; work d.c. up, l., and l., into the top loop, ch., more l. into same loop, l. down, d.c., join on the lightest shade: work d.c. all round, and d.c. into the ch, but enclosing a wire pulled from white ribbon wire, taking care to bend the end of the wire back after the st and last stitch to prevent its slipping; make of these leaves, arrange them as in engraving, and with dark green wool sew them on. to prevent the pocket from curving, cover a narrow piece of whalebone the length with scarlet ribbon, and sew it across the centre on the wrong side. * * * * * toilet sachet. materials.--three-quarters of a pound of brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord no. ; and tapered indented crochet hook, no. . a yard of pink or blue ingrain gingham. this article, made in the form of an envelope, is intended to hold the night-dress and cap, and lies on the pillow during the day, forming an elegant appendage to the drapery. the lining should, of course, be of a tint to suit the rest of the furniture, and may be of silk, if preferred; but, as gingham will wash with the cotton, it is less troublesome. the sachet is worked in crochet, the edging in knitting, for which the receipt will afterwards be given. make a chain of stitches, with three more, which you will twist; miss these three, and work in d.c. along the row. break off at the end. nd row: d.c., working on the third of the three chain at the beginning of the row, as if it were a d.c. stitch. observe, that as there are bits of thread left at the ends of each row, they should be worked in at the next, which may easily be done, as there are two close squares at the beginning and end of every row. rd: close squares; then open squares till you come to within d.c. of the end. finish with close squares. th _(b)_ close, open, close, open, _(a)_ close. th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, _(a)_ close. th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, _(a)_ close. [illustration: toilet sachet.] th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, close, _(a)_ open. th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, close, _(a)_ open. th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, _(a)_ close. th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, _(a)_ close. th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, _(a)_ open. th: _(b)_ close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, _(a)_ open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open. close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open. close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, x open, close, x twice, open, * close, open, * twice, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. st: ( ) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open, close, open. nd: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open, close, open, close, open. rd: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, (a) x close, open, x times, close. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, (a) close, open, close. st: (b) close, x open, close, x twice, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, (a) close. nd: (b) close, x open, close, x twice, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, (a) close. rd: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, (a) close. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open, close, open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, x close, open, x twice, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open, close, open. th: (b) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (a) open, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, x open, close, x twice, open, close, open, close, open, (_a_) close, open, close. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, x open, close, x twice, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open. st: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open., close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open. nd: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open. rd (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, (_a_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, x close, open, x twice, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, x open, close, x times, open, close, open. th: (_b_) x close, open, x twice, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, * open, close, * twice, open, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, x open, close, x twice, open, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, x close, open, x twice, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open. th: (_b_) close, open, x close, open, x twice, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open. th: close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open. st: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open, close, open. nd: (_b_) close, open, x close, open, x twice, close, open, close, (_a_) open, close, open, close, open. rd: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open. th: (_b_) close, open, close, (_a_) open. th: (_b_) close, open, close (_a_) open. th: close, open, close, open, close, open, close. th to th row inclusive: close squares at each end, and the intermediate all open squares. finish with two rows double crochet. two of these pieces are required. for the pointed piece.--as the narrow edging with which this is trimmed is added at the sides, the piece itself is not so wide as that already given. make a chain of stitches, and work on one row in d.c. the second is also worked in d.c., but diminished two squares at each end, thus: begin on the second d.c. stitch, slip , s.c. , d.c. till you come to within five of the end, then s.c. , slip . decrease the next and all succeeding rows one square at each end, by working on the first four d.c. stitches of the row slip, s.c., d.c., after which three more d.c., the other end being made to correspond. the row succeeding the two of d.c. is entirely in open square crochet, except these stitches at the ends. th row: (_b_) slip, s.c., d.c., open squares, close, open, (_a_) close. (observe that in this and all the following rows, the first open square comes over the second of the preceding line. the first and last stitches are not mentioned, as they occur in every row). th: (_b_) open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open. th: (_b_) open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open. th: (_b_) open, close, open, close, open, (_a_) close. th: open, close, open, close, open. th: here the initial begins. i have chosen an m as being a common letter; any other may be substituted; care being taken to place it in the exact centre of the space indicated between the brackets. open, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close, open,] close, open. th: open, close, open, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open,] close, open, close, open. th: open, close, open, close, open, close, [ open, close, x open, close, x twice, open,] close, open, close, open, close, open. th: open, x close, open, x twice, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open,] close, * open, close, * twice, open. th: open, close, open, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close, open,] close, open, close, open. th: open, close, [ open, x close, open, x twice, close, open,] close, open. th: open, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open,] close, open. th: open, close, open, close, [ open, x close, open, x twice, close, open,] close, open, close, open. th: open, x close, open, x twice, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close, open,] * close, open, * twice, close, open. th: x open, close, x twice, open, close, [ open, close, x open, close, x twice, open, close, open, close, open,] close, open, x close, open, x twice. th: open, close, open, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close open, close, open,] close, open, close, open. th: open, close, [ open, close, open, close, open, close, open, close, open,] close, open. this is the last row of the letter. st: open, close, open, close, open. nd: (_b_) open, close, open, close, open (_a_) close. rd: (_b_) open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open. th: (_b_) open, close, open, close, open, close, (_a_) open. th: (_b_) open, close, open, (_a_) close. th: open square crochet, except the ends. th: all d.c. it will be remembered that when the letters _b a_ occur, the stitches between are to be repeated backwards, those following the _a_ being the centre of the line, whether few or many. the knitted edgings for trimming this sachet are given separately; the narrow one trims the point, which is then sewed to the top of one of the squares; the two squares are then sewed together at the bottom and sides, and the broad lace goes all round. the whole is lined with silk or gingham. * * * * * a lady's nightcap in crochet. materials.-- reels no. brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. no. penelope hook. make chain, turn back, work l., ch., l. into rd loop, make squares. nd row: insertion.-- sq., * l., sq., repeat from *, end with sq. [illustration: a lady's nightcap. ] rd: decrease a sq. by d.c. on st l. stitch, ch., l. on nd l., then sq., * l., sq., repeat from *, end with sq., decrease a sq. th: decrease a sq., then sq., * l., sq., repeat from *, end with sq., decrease a sq. th: decrease a sq., then sq., * l., sq., these sq., should come over the l. of last row, repeat from *, end with sq., decrease a sq. th: sq., * l., sq., repeat from *, end with sq. th: * l., sq., repeat from *, end with sq. th and th: rows of squares. th: decrease a sq., then sq., ch., l. under every ch. till within squares of the end, then sq., decrease a sq. th: decrease a sq., then sq., ch., l. under every ch., then sq., decrease a sq. th: sq., ch., l. under every ch., sq. th: decrease a sq., then sq., ch., l. under every , sq., decrease a sq. th: sq., work as before, end with sq. th: decrease a sq., sq., work as before, then sq., decrease a sq. th: sq., l. under every ch., with ch. between each sq. th and th: rows of squares. th: begin with sq., then work the same as at st row of insertion, and end with sq. th: begin with sq., work as nd row of insertion, end with sq. st: begin with sq., work as rd row of insertion, end with sq. nd: begin with sq., work as th row of insertion, end with sq. rd: begin with sq., work as th row of insertion, end with sq. th: begin with sq., work as th row of insertion, end with sq. th, , and th: rows of squares. to slope the back of the cap.--begin on the right side of the work, under the st ch., work l. with ch. between each, then ch., l. on next l., this must be carefully attended to, otherwise stitch will be lost; after this, work sq., then ch., d.c. on next l., turn on reverse side, ch., d.c. on st l., then ch., l. on next l., then sq., ch., l. under the last ch., ch., more l. under same, turn on reverse side, ch., l., under the st ch., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., d.c. on next l., turn on reverse side, ch., d.c. on st l., ch., d.c. on next l., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., l. into the ch. at the end, turn on reverse side, ch., l. under st ch. ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., d.c. on next l., turn on reverse side, ch., d.c. on st l., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., l. under the ch., turn on reverse side, ch., l., under ch., ch., l. on st l.; after this, work sq., ch., d.c. on next l., turn on reverse side, ch., d.c. on st l., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., l. under ch., turn on reverse side, ch., l. under ch., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., d.c. on next l., turn on reverse side, ch., d.c. on st l., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., l. under the ch., turn on reverse side, ch., l. under the ch., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., d.c. on next l., turn on reverse side, ch., d.c. on st l., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., l. under ch., turn on reverse side, ch., l. under ch., ch., l. on next l.; after this, work sq., ch., d.c. on next l. this finishes the slope on one side; now slope the other side the same, only beginning on the wrong side of the work instead of the right. now crochet the two sides together, and under every space, and under the chain stitches which form the slope, all round and where the crown is to be sewed in, work d.c. stitches; and round the front and back, where the border will be worked, crotchet d.c. stitches into every space, making d.c. at the corners. for the crown of the cap.--make ch., unite, ch., d.c. into every loop, thus making chains of seven. the cotton must be cut off at every row. nd: d.c. into centre loop of , ch., repeat. rd: d.c. into centre loop of , ch., d.c. on d.c. stitch, ch., repeat. th: same as nd. th: same as rd. th: same as nd. th: same as rd. now repeat again nd, rd and nd rows. th: d.c. into centre loop of , ch., repeat. th: l., ch., l. into rd loop all round, including the d.c. stitches. in this row there are not sufficient stitches for the next row by , therefore for times miss loop instead of , at different intervals. there must be squares in this row, therefore it is not very material whether loop or be missed occasionally, so that squares are made. th: l., sq., * l., sq., repeat from * all round th: l. the st on th l. of the l, * sq., l., repeat from *. th: same as last. th: l. the st on the last of the l., * sq., l., repeat from *. th: l. the st on the last l. of the nd sq., * sq., l., repeat from *. th: the same as last row. this pattern is simply the same as the insertion in the front. th: l., ch., miss loop, repeat. st: ch., d c. on every l. nd: ch., d.c. into centre loop of ch., repeat. rd, th, th, th, and th: the same as nd. th: l. into the centre loop of the ch., ch., repeat. th: begin on a l. stitch, l. in the next loops, including the st stitch, sq., l., in the next loops, sq., l., in the next loops, * sq., l. in the next loops, repeat from *; the reason for commencing the row in this manner is, that there were not squares enough in the last row for the pattern. this row is the same as the th row. now work as at th, th, th, th, and th rows. now l., ch., l. into rd loop. now l. on l., ch., repeat. d.c. under ever ch., worked tightly. now sew the crown into the front, gathering it in as it may be required. border.-- st row: work all round l. into every loop, with ch. between each. nd: ch., l. under every ch., all round. rd and th: l. under the ch., ch., repeat. th: work an extra row the same as the last, along the front, beginning and ending at the ears, just where the chains of , in the centre of the rows of insertion, begin. th: work all round, * l., with ch. between each, under the ch., ch., d.c. under next , ch, d.c. under next , ch., d.c. under next , ch., repeat from * under next . th: ch., d.c. under every ch., all round. narrow ribbon, or wide white cotton-braid, may be drawn in round the crown and along the front, but it is not actually necessary excepting for ornament. * * * * * shaving tidy. materials.--no. brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. no. penelope hook. st row: make chain, turn back, l. into th loop, in the next row this forms sq., by working the st l. into the th loop of the ch., new ch., l. into rd loop till there are sq. nd: row all squares. rd: sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. th and th: sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq.; l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l.; sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. [illustration: a shaving tidy.] th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq. rd and th: sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. st: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. nd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq. rd: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., ., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., l., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. th: sq., l., sq., l., sq. st and nd: two rows of squares. now work d.c. into ever space on three sides, but not on the side above the top of the letters, making d.c. at each corner. border.-- st row: begin at the side where the letter s is, l. the first into st loop, ch., l. the st into th loop, repeat this till within loops of the corner, then in the corner loop make l., ch., more l. into same loop, now ch., miss loops, then l. the st into th loop, now repeat till the corner loop of next corner, then ch., then l. into the same loop in which the last of the l. was worked, now ch., l. the st into th loop, and repeat. nd: when at the end, turn back, work l. on l., ch., repeat; at the corner, after the last l. and ch., make l. under the ch. at corner, ch., more l. under same, ch. l. on l., repeat. rd: turn back and work the same. th: turn back, d.c. on the st of the l. stitches, * ch., d.c. under the ch, repeat from *. th: turn back, ch., d.c. on the d.c., repeat. th: turn back, ch, d.c. on d.c., repeat. now, along the top work a row of extra long stitches, made by twisting the cotton twice over the hook instead of once, beginning on the d.c. stitches of the border, and working l. stitches across the width of the border at regular spaces, then l., ch., l. on every l. across the squares, terminating with l. in the width of the border. now d.c. into every space between the l. stitches, then crochet the two pieces together on the right side of the work, or sewing will do as well. if the tidy should require washing, let it now be done, and pressed between a double linen cloth, under a heavy weight; when dry, line it with coloured cambric, omitting the border; double it in half, and run a small tuck at the bottom of the extra l. stitches; in this tuck insert a narrow piece of whalebone, not quite so long as the work, and secure it at both ends; get a yard of satin ribbon, place a pin in the centre, and on one side of this pin sew on to the ribbon some pieces of old linen fringed about inches in width, and inches long, if this is doubled over the ribbon it will make each piece inches long; sew then on the other side of the pin some soft chamois leather the same width and length, now place it in the centre of the tidy, draw the ribbon over, and tie it in a bow at the back. this should be laid on the toilet table, and not hung up; it will have the appearance of a book. * * * * * exhibition oval tidy for easy chair. materials.-- reels no. or brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. no. penelope hook. make chain stitches; this chain must be worked very evenly and well, as it is the centre of the pattern, and will have to be worked into on the other side after the rd row; turn back l., into th loop from hook, more long into successive loops, now square, formed by working ch., l. into rd loop, l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. the cotton must be cut off every row. nd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l.; the cotton at the end of every row must now be left sufficiently long to run in with a needle, not as before the end woven in with the last stitch. th: l. the st on the th l. of last row, this is to form the oval, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq. l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. [illustration: oval tidy for easy chair.] th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. st: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. nd: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l., beginning on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., beginning on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l. st: l. the st on th l., sq., l. nd: l. the st on th l., sq., l. rd: l., the st on th l. th: now work the other half, keeping on the right side of the work, and working on the other side of the foundation chain, l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. st: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. nd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l, sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. st: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. nd: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. rd: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. st: l. the st on th l., sq., l., sq., l., sq., l. nd: l. the st on th l., sq., l. rd: l. the st on th l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l., sq., l. th: l. the st on th l. now run in all the ends neatly and very secure; this may be done by darning the end backwards and forwards on the thick part. d.c. on the st of the l. stitches at the side, ch., d.c. into th loop, then ch., d.c. into every th loop, ch., d.c. on last l., ch., d.c. into the th loop of the next l. stitches, ch., d.c. into th loop, ch., d.c. on last l., ch., d.c. into th loop of the next l. stitches, ch., d.c. on last l., * ch., d.c. on the last l. of next l. stitches, times more, * now there are even rows of l. stitches, ** ch., d.c. into the loop between the two rows. ch., d.c. on last l. of the next l. stitches, repeat from ** twice more, now there are three even rows; now work the same, now there are even rows, make ch., d.c. between every alternate row for times, then ch., d.c. on next row; now work all round the same. there must be chains of on each of the four sloping sides of the oval, chains of on the long stitches on each side, and chains of on the top and bottom. border.--under each of the chains work l. with ch. between each, ch., repeat. nd: under each ch. work l. with ch. between each, ch., repeat. rd: under the ch. work l. with ch. between each, ch., repeat. th: d.c. under the ch., repeat. * * * * * honiton sprigs in crochet. the beautiful and expensive lace for which honiton is famous may be closely imitated in crochet, with the occasional aid of some point-lace stitches. honiton sprigs and edgings are done in detached pieces, which are afterwards laid on brussels net, and run on in any form that fancy may dictate. sometimes they are connected together into a solid mass by means of twisted bars, in a manner termed _guipuring_. being thus separate, the directions for each sprig or edging are comparatively short. each sprig is usually begun at the end of the stem, which is formed by a chain, any leaves or flowers that come on the right side of it being then made as you come to them; generally a flower forms the point of the spray, and this being made, the stem is finished by working the chain stitches in s.c., adding the leaves or flowers on the left side whenever they occur, and working down to the commencement of the chain. leave about three inches of thread on beginning and ending; thread these with a fine needle and run a few stitches up and down the stem, on the _wrong_ side, to secure them. they may then be cut off closely, and the sprig is complete. as these general observations refer to all imitations of honiton lace in crochet, we shall beg our readers to refer to them, when directions for other specimens are given. * * * * * crochet window curtain. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. penelope hook. may be worked from the engraving in any thickness of cotton, amounting to the size of curtain required; the larger the curtain the thicker the cotton should be. it likewise, in thick cotton, looks remarkably well for bed curtains. [illustration: crochet window curtain] * * * * * window curtain. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no. . penelope hook. the extreme elaboration of this pattern demands that the material in which it is worked should be lighter than it need be when the design is simpler and less rich. the use of finer materials also diminishes the size of the pattern; we, therefore, recommend no. : but, of course, it is optional to use coarser. in no. cotton, about patterns, besides the border, will make a curtain two yards wide; but in no. , not more than five patterns would be required. the border should be worked at each edge, which may very easily be done by working backwards from the centre of the last pattern, to the edge. it is not necessary to work a border at the top of the curtains. each pattern contains squares or stitches; the border squares or stitches; reckoning from the extreme edge to the straight line squares, which occurs in every scroll between the patterns. for patterns and borders, therefore, , stitches would be required for a foundation, with the one over, always needed in square crochet. in working the border along the bottom, care must be taken completely to reverse it at the centre, that is, after patterns, otherwise the corner would not be found to go right. * * * * * knitted lace for curtains, &c. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no, . penelope hook. cast on twelve stitches. st row: slip , knit , make , slip , knit together, pass the slip stitch over, make , knit , make , knit . nd: knit , purl , knit . rd: slip , knit , make , knit together, knit , make , knit , knit together, make , knit . th: knit , purl , knit . th: slip , knit , knit together, make , knit , make , knit together, make , knit together, make , knit together. th: knit , purl , knit , purl , knit , purl , knit . th: slip , knit together, make l, knit , knit together, make , knit , make , knit . th: cast off seven, knit , purl , knit . repeat for the length required. [illustration: window curtain.] * * * * * [illustration: window curtain and stove apron.] window curtain and stove apron. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no. , with a suitable crochet hook. the number of stitches in this curtain must depend, of course, on the width of the window for which it is intended. each pattern requires a foundation of chain stitches; and the borders at the sides chain each. as there will be about stitches in a yard, or very nearly five patterns and one border, it will be easy to reckon the number required for any given width. a curtain two yards wide will require , stitches, which will allow ten patterns of the convulvulus, and the two borders; to this, every stitches added will make one wreath more, nearly equalling in width the sixth of a yard. the whole of this curtain is done in square crochet, the design in close squares, and the ground in open. square crochet (the majority of our readers are aware) consists of d.c. chain stitches exclusively. a close, or solid square is formed of three successive d.c. stitches: an open square of d.c., ch., miss of the preceding row. almost all square crochet patterns are intended to be worked from the engraving, which is laid open before the worker and copied. to assist in guiding the eye it is advisable to cover each row of the engraving after it is copied. we will only observe, with regard to this pattern, that the first two rows are done in ch., and that two stitches at each end are also close, which affords an opportunity for working in the ends of the previous rows. this design is also extremely suitable for a curtain for a grate. for this purpose, brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no. , will be preferable to the coarser numbers. it would be greatly improved by the addition of a bead border, similar to that of the anti-macassar, given in a former part of this work. the effect of the bead border being to add weight to the end of the stove apron, it would keep it in its place better than anything else, besides being very ornamental. a handsome fringe may be knotted on the end, and it may be lined with calico to correspond with the furniture of the room. * * * * * netted window curtain. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head netting cotton, no. : embroidering goat's-head cotton, no. ; a middle-sized netting needle; steel mesh, no. ; and a long embroidering needle. if worked with the above cotton and mesh four squares will measure one inch, which will be a guide for the number of foundation stitches to make in the beginning for the curtain. the pattern must afterwards be darned in embroidering cotton, no. , according to the engraving, by passing the needle under and over the threads of the meshes very regularly and even, always keeping the same number of threads in every square, and all must run the same way and be drawn to one degree of tightness, for all the beauty of the work depends upon its evenness and regularity. this pattern may be extended to any size, and would look very well if the flowers were sewn in pale pink ingrain cotton, and the fretwork in white cotton. [illustration: netted window curtain.] * * * * * a flower vase screen, for concealing a flower-pot or basin with flowers. materials.-- shades of green wool, the lightest almost a pale lemon, skein only of this, and each of the darkest; shades of pink, skeins of each, all -thread berlin wool; yards of ordinary sized skirt cord, the size of blind cord. d.c. stitches over the end of the cord with the darkest green, unite; now work d.c. into every loop; the next row the same; from this row increase as may be required, working rows of darkest green, rows of next shade, rows of next shade, in all rows; there must by stitches in the outside row. fasten off the cord neatly, and with darkest shade of green, work d.c. stitches; now turn on reverse side, and work rows of ridged crochet, which is done by working into the lower loop instead of the upper one, and omitting at the end of every row the ch. which in ordinary ridged crochet prevents it decreasing, but by omitting this ch. these d.c. stitches will be decreased to a point; work rows of the darkest shades, and of the lightest of the shades: make of these points, but be careful, in joining on every shade, that the knots are concealed, and run in the last end very neatly. with the lightest green of the shades, commence on the wrong side of the mat, begin on the first dark ridge of the point, make ch., d.c. on every ridge, but d.c. into the point, make ch., d.c. into same loop, then ch., d.c. on every ridge till the last, then crochet into the st ridge of next point, without making any chain between. _palest green_.--d.c. into centre of nd ch. from the bottom of the point, ch., d.c. into centre of every ch. till the point, then d.c. in centre of top, ch., ch., d.c. into same, then work down till within the last ch. of , omit this, and d.c. in nd ch. of from the bottom of next point. st row.--_darkest pink_: make ch., turn back, l. into th loop from hook, * ch., l. into th loop, repeat from * times more, in all spaces. nd: turn on reverse side, l. under the ch., ch., repeat at the point, work l., ch., more l. under same space, then ch., l. under the ch., repeat; at the end cut off the wool. rd: with next shade commence on same side as st row, l. between each long, but after every rd l., make ch. at the point, and between each of the l., make l., ch., then under the ch., make l., ch., more l. under same, then work the same as the half just completed. th.--_next shade_: with same colour, inclose some white wire drawn from ribbon wire, thus--between each l. stitch, and under each ch., work d.c. stitch with the wire between, first bending the end of the wire to prevent it slipping, but over the point work d.c. under each ch., and under the ch., work d.c.; now work the remaining half, and d.c. along the bottom, still enclosing the wire to the side where this row was commenced, twist the ends of the wire together, after pulling it into shape. th: great care must be taken in working this row not to bend the work; next shade, l. on st d.c. stitch at the side, ch., * l. into successive loops for times, ch., repeat from *, be careful that a ch. comes at the point; this row will end as it was begun; then crochet along the bottom. th.--_next shade_: l. under the st ch., ch., more l. under same; repeat this times more, then repeat the same over the point, but for times make ch. instead of . now sew these pink points up at the side, joining them for times by the chain of , slipping the wool on from chain to chain; now pin each green point on to the part of the pink which is sewed together, stretching each green point as high as possible; then sew these green points at about the second shade of green, on to the pink, as in engraving. [illustration: bread cloth.] materials.--three reels of brooks' no. , and two of no. , great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton. a hook suitable for the fine number. the octagon shape is one extremely well adapted for bread baskets, as well as for papier-maché trays of the usual forms; but it requires a little nicety to produce even edges at the sloping sides. the way it is done is this. the whole pattern, it will be perceived, is done in square crochet, and in the increasing sides a close square is added at each end. this is done by making one chain extra at the beginning and end of the first row of d.c. nd row: ch., d.c. on the chain, and on the first d.c. at the commencement, thus increasing three stitches, besides the one chain which is merely a foundation for the next increase; then at the other extremity of the row, d.c. on the last stitch, d.c. on the chain, and make one chain. do this for every row which is increased, working in all the ends. for the decreasing rows begin with slip, s.c., short double crochet, d.c.--this last coming on the first stitch in the second square of last row, keeps the squares evenly over each other. at the other end of the row reverse the process, by doing d.c., short d.c., s.c., slip, which completes it. the short double-crochet stitch, being new to our readers, may be briefly described. it is, as its name implies, a medium stitch between a s.c. and a d.c. stitch. begin as for a d.c. stitch, with the thread round the hook, but after the latter is inserted in the stitch, and the thread drawn through, so that there are three loops on the needle, the thread must be drawn through all three at once. short treble crochet (contracted to s.t.c.), is done in a similar manner. the thread being passed twice round the needle, there are four loops on the latter, after the one is drawn through the stitch of the preceding row. the thread is now drawn through three loops together, and afterwards through two. when the bread cloth is worked, do open square crochet all round it, taking the d.c. stitches sufficiently close at the corners to lie smoothly. knot a fringe - / inches deep in every square. it is to be made of the coarse cotton. to increase the size of this d'oyley, for a tray, or other article, use coarser cotton and hook. * * * * * bread cloth. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, nos. , , , . walker's penelope hook, no. . _a_. with cotton no. make chain, s.c., in st chain; then in round loop d.c., ** chain, miss , s.c. in th; then in round loop. * s.c. chain, * repeat twice more; chain to cross and in st chain,** [· ·] d.c., long, d.c., repeat in the other two chains; s.c. in the chain that crosses the stem: [· ·] chain; d.c. in the centre round loop. repeat from ** to ** d.c., long, join to th long in rd section, long, d.c. in same chain; in the next two chains: d.c., long, d.c., s.c. in the chain that crosses the stem [· ·] repeat from [· ·] to [· ·] chain, d.c. in the centre round loop. repeat again from ** to ** d.c., long, join, long, d.c., in next chain, d.c., long, d.c., in next chain, d.c., s.c. on the chain that crosses, chain, s.c. on st d.c. in centre, fasten off. make more _a_'s like the st, only joining, as in the engraving:--"thus, d.c., long, join, long, d.c." _b_. with cotton no. . chain, s.c., in st stitch and in round loop. * d.c., chain, join where the two _a_'s join, turn, s.c. down the chain; d.c., chain, join where the two long of _a_ are joined together; s.c. down the chain; repeat from * times more; * s.c., chain, miss , * repeat all round; fasten off. make more, placing them as in the engraving. _c_. with cotton no. . chain, s.c. in st, make it round. * d.c., chain, long, chain, * repeat times more in round loop. ** d.c. on d.c., chain, d.c. on long, chain repeat all round. ** d.c. in each chain; fasten off. s.c. in th d.c., chain repeat all round. in st chain d.c., join to th long of _a_ d.c. in same chain: * in next chain d.c., repeat all round; fasten off. make another _c_, joining to _a_ and first _c_. make more; join as in the engraving. [illustration: bread cloth.] _d_. with cotton no. . chain make it round; d.c. in round loop, join to th d.c. of d.c. of _e_, * chain, miss , s.c., repeat * twice more; join to the other _c_ to the th d.c. of d.c., fasten off. s.c. in th chain of st chain. ** chain s.c. in same as last s.c., then in chain, d.c. long, chain, join to _a_, turn, chain, long on chain, long, d.c. in same chain. s.c. in next chain; chain join to next division of _d_ chain; s.c. in th chain stitch of chain, repeat from ** to ** chain, join, chain, repeat from ** to ** again, fasten off. make more _d_'s, joining in the same manner, and as placed in the engraving. _e_. with cotton no. . chain, make it round and work in loop d.c.; d.c. on st d.c., chain, miss , s.c. in next chain join to _c_'s chain, miss , s.c. in rd, chain, miss , s.c. in next, chain join to _a_ chain, miss , s.c. in next, chain, miss , s.c., chain, join to _c_ chain, miss , s.c., chain, miss , s.c., chain s.c. fasten off. make more, placing them as in the engraving. _f_. with cotton no. . long between two _c_'s; _c_ before the corner. commence: chain, · d.c. in th d.c. of d.c. of _c_ chain, repeat · times more; chain, s.c. in th chain of chain of _e_ chain, ·· d.c. in the centre of d.c., chain, repeat ·· times more. repeat all round the d'oyley, making the corners alike. nd: · long, chain, miss , · this is the · pattern all round, except at the corners. you miss and make no chain, this is to be done by _e_, and by the long between the two _c_'s. you work as follows: make no chain, and miss , each side of one long. rd: chain, miss , s.c. repeat all round. * * * * * honiton sprig. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. . penelope hook, no. . ch. for the end of the stem. leaf: ch., miss , d.c. on the next , s.c., slip, ch., miss , d.c. in next, d.c. in next, d.c. in the next , s.c. in the next , slip in the next, which leaves for the stem. slip stitch on the s.c., and of the d.c., taking great care not to contract the leaf, ch., miss d.c. in the fifth, x ch., miss , t.c. in rd, x twice, ch., miss , d.c. in rd, ch., miss , s.c. on rd, ch., miss , slip at the base of the flower. do slip stitches up the last row, the open hem of which forms the centre of the flower; then ch., miss , contracted d.c. stitches on the next , d.c. down all but the last , s.c., slip. the flower thus formed consists of an open hem for the centre petal, and a closer petal on each side. work entirely round the flowers in s.c. s.c. on the seven chains of the stem, before you get to the leaf, opposite which make another, exactly like it. s.c. to the end of the stem, and fasten off. * * * * * a spangled wool netted cover for a tea-poy. materials.--if a fire-veil is required, use a flat thin bone or boxwood mesh, nearly half an inch in width; but if for a table-cover, etc., use a flat mesh scarcely three-eighths of an inch wide. reels of brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. , of a good drab, or dark claret colour, the latter is preferable; ounce of maize colour spangled wool; ounce of green ditto, and ounce of violet ditto. no. netting needles. [footnote: this spangled wool is a new article, extremely brilliant, and may be obtained, by inquiry, at any berlin shop, at s. d. or s. per ounce, and weighing much the same as any other berlin wool.] begin on a foundation of diamonds, and net with the cotton until the piece is diamonds long; if for a fire-veil, darn, as in ordinary darned netting, the centre with maize wool, and the border with green, darn the outer row of diamonds with violet, and also the pattern inside the border; but if for any other purpose, use any colour of the spangled wool that may harmonise or contrast well with the draperies of the room; but, as a general rule, the netted ground should be dark. for the fringe, cut some shaded -thread berlin wool of the same colour as the spangled--in the pattern given it is violet--into lengths of inches, tie this in tufts of threads into every other diamond; or, if preferred, lengths in every diamond. draw the wool through the loop, placing the wool exactly in the centre, double the two ends evenly, and tie in a tight knot; then, with a rug needle, draw in two or three lengths of spangled wool, so as to lie on the surface of every tuft; but, if preferred, all spangled wool may be used, but then the work would be rendered very costly, whereas, with the present directions, the work is sufficiently elegant, brilliant, and exceedingly new. darn the centre first and the border last. count clear diamonds from the left-hand side of the work, and th diamond from the bottom. in the th diamond from the left-hand side and th from the bottom, darn the first diamonds for the stem of a flower, then work from engraving. [illustration: a spangled wool netted cover for a tea-poy, square work-table, or, if drawn together at the top, makes a glittering fire-veil.] * * * * * netted anti-macassar [illustration] materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head knitting cord, no. , and embroidery cotton, no ; mesh, one-third of an inch wide. this anti-macassar is done in the fashionable style of netting, with a pattern darned on it after it is worked. make a foundation, on which work stitches. repeat these, backwards and forwards, until a square is done, of as many holes up the sides as along the width. remove the foundation, and add either a crochet-bead border all round, or a netted one. the bead border makes the shape more solid; the netted one is certainly lighter, and the following is very pretty:-- with a mesh three times the size of that used for the square, do one entire round, with three stitches in one at the corners. nd round: with the small mesh. miss the first stitch, net the second, then the missed one, repeat all round. rd: x net a stitch in each of seven stitches, miss one stitch of last round, x repeat all round. observe, before doing this round, count the number of stitches; if they cannot be divided by eight, add at the corners as many as may be required. supposing there are so many eights and five over, then three more will be wanted, and one must be added (by doing two in one) in each of the three corners. th: x over seven, miss the long stitch, x repeat. th: x over six, missing as before, x repeat. th: x over five, as before, x repeat. th: x over four, as before, x repeat. th: x over three, as before, x repeat. before darning netting, wash it perfectly clean, stiffen it by dipping it into a little gum-water, and pin it out on a pillow, in the proper form, to dry. then darn it with embroidery cotton, every square of the pattern being closely filled up. * * * * * short purse, in netting. as the following specimen is done only in the ordinary netting stitch, we do not think any particular explanation of the art of netting can be needed by our readers, it being so universally known. indeed, it would be extremely difficult to teach the stitch by writing. whenever any stitch, except that used in common netting, may occur in any of the following designs, we will endeavour to explain it as clearly as possible. materials.--very fine crimson netting silk, and gold thread. two steel meshes are required, one about no. , and one no. . eagle card-board gauge. make a piece of foundation of stitches, and join your silk in the first. st round (small mesh). stitch in every stitch of the foundation. nd: the same. rd: stitches in every one of the previous round. th: a stitch in every one of the last round. th: x stitches in the first, and one in the second, x times. th: a stitch in every stitch. th: increase eight stitches in the round, by doing two in one eight times, taking care that the stitch increased is the one which precedes the increased stitch of the last augmented round. th: like th. th: like th. th, th, th, th, th, th, nd: like th. the intermediate rounds like the th. there ought now to be stitches in the round. do more rounds, without any increase. then take the large mesh, and do another round. take the small mesh, x miss one stitch, take a stitch in the second, then one in the stitch that was missed. x repeat this all round. [illustration: short purse, in netting.] do four rounds of plain netting with the small mesh, then begin to make the points. st point: stitches; draw out the mesh, x turn the work, and make a stitch on every one but the last; x repeat till you come to a point. nd and following points, like the first, so that there are in the round. the pattern is then to be darned with the gold thread, according to the design we have given. * * * * * [illustration: bridal purse, in crochet.] bridal purse, in crochet. materials.--six skeins of white crochet silk, two skeins of _ombré_ scarlet ditto, in long shades, three skeins of slate-colour, and one of bright scarlet. two ounces of transparent white beads, rather larger than seed beads, four strings of gold, the same size, and a hank of steel to match. for the garnitures (which must be entirely of bright steel), two rings, a handsome tassel for one end, and a deep fringe for the other. boulton's tapered indented crochet hook, no. . begin by threading all the white beads on the white silk; half the gold on the _ombré_ cerise, and the steel on the slate-coloured. what scarlet silk is used in the square end is without beads; the few rows at the other end, of that colour, are threaded with gold, which may be put on afterwards. the design of the square end consists of a spray of roses and leaves, the former in scarlet _ombré_ with gold beads intermixed, the latter with slate-silk and steel. the ground is composed wholly of white beads, one being dropped on every stitch; where, therefore, the scarlet and slate silks are worked without beads, they appear to be _in intaglio_. a scroll of steel beads below the group is intermixed with the white, and the top and bottom of the square end are finished off with vandykes of plain scarlet without beads. at the bottom is an open pattern in scarlet, to which is attached the fringe. begin with the plain scarlet silk, with which make a chain of stitches, and close it into a round. work one round in scarlet, using in the end of white silk. nd round: in which you begin to drop on the white beads. x white, scarlet, x times. rd: x white, scarlet, white, x times. th: all white; work in the scarlet silk all round, and then fasten it off, as no more is required until the whole square end is worked. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, * white, steel, * twice; white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, * white, steel, * times; white, steel, white, steel, ** white, steel, ** twice, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, * white, steel, * times; white, steel, white, steel, ** white steel, ** twice, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, * white, steel, * twice, white, steel, ** white, steel, ** twice, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: all white. th: x white, slate silk, white, x twice. th: x white, slate, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, slate, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. st: x white, slate, steel, slate, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. nd: begin the _ombré_ scarlet, x white, slate, steel, white, gold, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. rd: x white, steel, white, gold, scarlet silk, gold, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, white, steel, white, steel, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, steel, slate silk, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, slate silk, white, steel, slate, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, slate, white, steel, slate, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, slate, white, steel, slate, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, slate, white, steel, slate, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. st: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, slate, white, steel, slate, white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. nd: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, slate, white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. rd: x white, gold, white, steel, white, slate, steel, white, steel, slate, white, steel, white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, x twice. th: x white, slate, white, steel, white, steel, slate, white, steel, white, gold, white, x twice. th: x white, slate, white, steel, slate, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, slate, white, slate, steel, white, steel, slate, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, slate, steel, white, steel, white, slate, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, slate, steel, white, steel, slate, steel, white, slate, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, slate, steel, white, steel, white, slate, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, slate, steel, white, slate, steel, white, steel, x twice. st: x steel, white, steel, white, steel, slate, steel, white, slate, steel, white, steel, slate, x twice. nd: x steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, gold, white, steel, slate, steel, white, slate, white, steel. white, steel, white, x twice. rd: white, steel, white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, slate, steel, white, slate, white, steel, white, steel, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, slate, steel, white, slate, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, slate, steel, white, slate, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, slate, steel, white, slate, white, slate, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, slate, steel, slate, white, slate, * slate, white, * twice, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, steel, white, slate, steel, slate, white, slate, white, slate, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, slate, steel, slate, white, slate, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, scarlet, gold, white, slate, white, steel, slate, white, slate, white, steel, white, x twice. st: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, slate, steel, * white, steel, * twice, slate, white, steel, white, x twice. nd: x white, gold, scarlet, gold, white, slate, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, slate, steel, white, x twice. rd: x white, gold, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, * steel, white, * twice, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x white, steel, white, steel, white, x twice. th: x all white, work round to the centre of one side; also th: (begin again with the plain scarlet), x scarlet, white, x times. th: x scarlet, white, scarlet, x times. st: all scarlet; fasten off scarlet. nd: with the white silk, chain, dropping a bead on every chain, miss , s.c. on both sides of the fourth; repeat all round. now, instead of working round, work backward and forward, dropping a bead on every chain stitch, so that they may all come on the right side of the purse. st row: ch., turn, s.c. in same stitch, x ch., miss , s.c. on s.c., x all along the row. nd: ch., turn, s.c. on centre of ch., x ch., s.c. on centre of next loop of , x to the end. repeat this row backwards and forwards until are done; then work the same pattern all round for rounds. thread the rest of the gold beads on the scarlet silk, and do rounds in the same way with it; then rounds of white; then more scarlet, white, then scarlet. to diminish at the end, do rounds of white, like the previous; then with only chain; then with chain; and finally, a round with chain between the s.c. draw it up with a needle and white silk; sew on the tassel, and slip on the rings. at the other end, do a row to close the round, with the plain scarlet in s.c.; on which work x ch., miss , s.c. under th, x times. turn, and in each loop work s.c., d.c., s.c. fasten off, and sew on the deep fringe garniture. * * * * * lady's short purse. materials.--purse silk, of any two colours that contrast well, gold beads, and glass ones of one of the colours. of the silk that matches the beads, two skeins will be required, and of the other, four. for the garniture, a clasp and handsome fringe. begin by threading a hank of gold beads on two of the four skeins, leaving two without any. with regard to the colours to be selected for this purse, we may be allowed to suggest a few good contrasts, leaving the choice to the taste of the worker. a brilliant scarlet looks well with white; brown with blue; lilac with green, or _vice versa_; and pink with some of the warmer tints of stone or fawn colour. in all these, the first-named colour is to be the predominant one, except in the case of green and lilac, in which either colour may be the principal one. the immense variety of tints in german beads (nearly three hundred), gives such a power of choice, that the most artistic taste may be gratified. for the sake of accuracy in the description, we will select scarlet and white for this purse. the white beads are to be threaded on the white silk, and dropped on every stitch where white is named. with a fine crochet-hook make a chain of stitches with the scarlet silk, close it into a round, and do one round of single crochet. nd row: x gold bead, silk, gold, silk, gold, x times. rd: x silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, x times. th: x silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, x times. th: x silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, x. this, and every future pattern must, like the preceding ones, be repeated three times. now join on the white silk, and whenever white occurs, drop on a white bead. th: x gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, white, x repeat. th: x gold, silk, gold, silk, * gold, silk, * times, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, white, x repeat. th: x gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, silk, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, silk, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, silk, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. [illustration: lady's short purse.] th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. th: x white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. st: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. nd: x white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. rd: x white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. th: x white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. th: x white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk; gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, x repeat. th: x gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, x repeat. st: x silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, x repeat. nd: x silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, x repeat. rd: x gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, x repeat. th: x gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, silk, x repeat. th: x silk, gold, silk, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, white, gold, silk, gold, silk, x repeat. * * * * * handsome purse. materials.-- reel of _ombré_ crimson silk, in short shades; of grey ditto; skeins of rich brown purse twist, skein of white ditto, hanks of steel beads, no. ; rows of transparent white seed beads, handsome steel slides, and a few steel bugles. the silk must all be of the finest size, and the work is to be done very tightly. begin the purse by threading the steel beads on the brown silk, and the white on the _ombré_ crimson. this crimson is used for the rose, and for the three small flowers; the coloured silk seen through the transparent bead has an extremely pretty effect; the leaves are entirely in steel beads, as is also the scroll which ornaments the lower part of the purse. the large flower close to the rose is done in the grey silk. [illustration: handsome purse.] with the white silk, make a chain of stitches, and do one round in s.c. join on the brown silk. st pattern round: x white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, x times. nd: x steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, x times. rd: x steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x brown, steel, brown, steel, x white, steel, x times, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, x white, steel, x times, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, x steel, white, x times, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, white, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, x times. th: x steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x times. fasten off the white silk, and do three plain rounds with the brown. then join on the crimson silk, at a light part of the shade, if possible. in the future part of the pattern crimson means the shaded silk, white one of the white beads threaded on it. rd: x brown, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown. x twice. th: x brown, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, white, crimson, steel, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, white, crimson, steel, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. join on the gray. th: x brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, white, brown, white, crimson, white, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, white, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, white, crimson, white, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, white, brown, white, brown, x twice. st: x brown, white, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, white, brown, x twice. nd: x brown, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, x twice. rd: x brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, x twice. th: x brown, x white, crimson, x twice; white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, steel, gray, brown, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, white, steel, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, gray, steel, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x white, crimson, steel, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, gray, steel, gray, steel, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, x twice. th: x crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, white, brown, gray, steel, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, white, x twice. th: x crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, white, crimson, white, brown, gray, steel, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, white, x twice. th: x white, brown, white, crimson, white, brown, white, crimson, white, brown, gray, steel, gray, brown, white, x crimson, white, x times, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, x twice. th: x brown, white, brown, white, crimson, white, steel, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, steel, gray, brown, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, x twice. st: x brown, white, crimson, steel, white, brown, steel, brown, gray, steel, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, x twice. nd: x brown, white, x crimson, white, x twice, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, white, brown, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, crimson, white, brown, x twice. rd: x brown, white, brown, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, brown, white, crimson, white, brown, x twice. th: x brown, white, crimson, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, white, brown, x twice. th: x brown, steel, white, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, white, brown, x twice. th: x brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, gray, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. th: x brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, steel, brown, x twice. do two plain rounds with the brown; then make the other end, and with the crimson silk do about rows of open square crochet; join it to the second end, with the opening at the centre of one side, having, previously slipped on the rings. to close up the ends of the purse.--s.c. the two edges together with white silk, on which do x d.c., ch., miss x, end with d.c. nd row: d.c. under every chain, and one s.c. between the second and third d.c. of last row. turn with a fringe made of steel beads and bugles. * * * * * mousquetaire crochet collar. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. . penelope hook, no. . make a round loop, work double in the loop. nd round: work double at the top of each of the one double of last round, repeat round. rd: the same as last, and after you have worked round, plain one to form the round. (you should have loops in the round). th: ch. , miss , work treble; ch. , work treble in the same loop as before; ch. miss , work double in the next loop, repeat round, fasten off. th: work treble in the centre of five ch. of last round; ch. , work treble in the same loop as before; ch. , and repeat round, plain and fasten off with it, complete the round. work rounds more, the same for each scollop, or for the collar, then work of the following pattern for the leaf:-- make a chain of loops, turn back and work them in double crochet, turn back. nd round: work plain and double for the stalk part of the leaf; then ch. , miss , and work treble, until you come to the end; then ch. and work one treble at the end; work the other side the same, in order to make both sides to correspond; ch. , turn back. rd: work plain in the ch. of last round, then ch. , miss the ch. of last round, and work treble at the top of the treble of last round; repeat round, and work plain at the end, ch. , turn back. th: work plain in the two ch. of last round, ch. , miss , work treble, then ch. and work treble at the top of the treble of last round, repeat round with the ch. , and work treble at the top of the treble of last round, making both sides to correspond, fasten off. th: ch. for the stalk of the leaf, plain in the first four chains of last round, then ch. and plain in the centre of each of the chains all round the leaf; then work the last chains double for the stalk, which completes the leaf; make the number of leaves required, then join the flowers and leaves together, as shown in the illustration, with a needle and crochet thread. [illustration: mousquetaire crochet collar.] then work the following band along the neck part of the collar--pass the hook through the two ends of the stalk part of the leaf, and plain , chain , and repeat to the end, turn back. nd row: ch. , miss , and plain ; repeat to the end, turn back. rd: ch. , plain , in the centre of the chains of last row, repeat to the end, turn back. th: work treble in the centre of chains of last row; ch. , and repeat to the end, turn back. th: ch. , plain , in the centre of the first chain of last row; repeat to the end, turn back. th: ch. , plain in the centre of the chain, of last row; repeat to the end, fasten off, which completes the collar. * * * * * raised rose crochet collar. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet thread, no. , and penelope crochet hook, no. . this collar is made in portions, and joined together with needle and thread, or worked together with one plain at the option of the worker. to form the rose.--make a chain of loops, plain , to form a round, fasten off. [illustration: raised rose crochet collar.] nd: work treble, ch. , repeat round, plain , and fasten off; you should have seven treble in the round. rd: plain at the top of the treble of last round, work treble in the ch. of last round, plain at the top of the next treble of last round, repeat in the same treble all round, fasten off. th: work treble at the top of the plain of last round, chain , repeat round, plain at the top of the treble to form the round, fasten off. th: plain at the top of the treble of last round, work treble in the ch. of last round, plain at the top of the next treble of last round, repeat in the same loop as before, repeat round, fasten off. th: work treble at the top of the plain of last round, ch. , repeat round, plain , fasten off. th: plain at the top of the treble of last round, work treble in the ch. of last round, plain at the top of the next treble of last round, repeat in the same loop as before all round. th: work treble at the top of the plain of last round, ch. , repeat round, plain , fasten off. th: plain at the top of the treble of last round, work treble in the ch. of last round, plain in the treble of last round, repeat round. th: ch. , miss , plain , repeat round each fold of the rose. th: ch. , plain in the centre of the ch. of last round, repeat round; fasten off, which completes the rose; you require of these flowers to form the collar, and of the following:-- large rounds.--make a round loop, the size of this o, and work treble in the round loop. nd round: ch. , miss , plain , repeat round. rd: work double crochet in each loop all round. th: ch. , miss , plain , repeat round. th: ch. , plain in the centre of the ch. of last round, repeat round. th: ch. , plain in the centre of the ch. of last round, repeat round. th: ch. , plain in the centre of the ch. of last round, repeat round, fasten off, which completes the round; you then work of the following:-- small rounds.--make a round loop, the size of this o, and work double in the round loop. nd round: ch., , miss , plain ; repeat round; you should have lots of the chain in the round. rd: d.c. in each loop all round, which completes the round; you now require of the following:-- pattern for leaf.--make a ch. of loops, turn back, and work the loops d.c. nd round: ch. , miss , work two treble in loop, repeat to the end, and in the end loop ch. , work treble, work the other side the same, with the treble opposite, the treble and ch. at the end, plain in the end loop, fasten off. rd: plain in the centre of the first ch. of last round, ch. , work treble at the top of the first treble of last round, ch. , work treble at the top of the next treble of last round; you repeat all round the leaf with ch., opposite the ch. of last round, and treble at the top of the treble of last round, with ch. between them, working both sides to correspond, turn back. th: ch. and plain in each lot of the chain of last round, fasten off, which completes the leaf; you then work a stalk to each leaf as follows: ch. , work treble in the centre of the chain round between the edge and the centre, work treble on the other side, the same turn back, and work the chains plain, fasten off, which completes the stalk; after working the number of each portion required and joining them together, as shown in the illustration, you work a band for the neck-part of the collar as follows:-- work a few plain at the end, then ch. , and work treble where it requires a treble, and a double where it requires a double, and a plain in the centre of the stalks and rounds as you see the stitches in the engraving, so as to make it lie to the shape of the neck. nd row: ch. , miss , work treble, repeat to the end, turn back. rd: ch. , work treble at the top of the treble of last row, repeat to the end, turn back. th: d.c., fasten off, which completes the collar. [illustration: point collar.] * * * * * point collar. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. . this collar is begun by making the open hem work thus: ch., miss , s.d.c., ch., miss s.d.c., x ch., miss , d.c., x times, then ch., miss , s.t.c., then use the t.c., and finally the long t.c. for the widest parts, and gradually decreasing to s.c. at the end. on the inner side of this, do as many half-circles as the engraving indicates: thus, s.c. s.d.c. d.c., t.c., d.c., s.d.c., s.c.; the roses near the neck may then be worked and joined to these circles in their places. the oblong flowers are then done, beginning in the centre, with a chain, worked in s.c., a round of d.c. on this, and a succession of loops all round. join these flowers in their places; then make the roses, working from the engraving which is the best guide, joining these to each other, and to the oblong flowers, and finally working the neck with the dotted bars as seen in the engraving. * * * * * point collar in crochet. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton, no. . penelope hook. each of the rows in this collar, large and small, are done separately, beginning with the circle in the centre, and making the six leaves round it. each rose is to be joined to the others, where it is indicated in the engraving, and at the point of two of the petals of the largest are three small loops, which serve to connect it with the edge. all the sets of roses required for the length of the collar being done, the barred edge follows, the trefoils being worked on it, where they occur, and the roses being joined to it in their proper places. on this line, another of alternate close and open squares is done, and then a point edging, similar to one already given in this volume. the ground, of chains, worked back in slip-stitch with occasional picots, is to be done when forming the band for the neck. the collars should be worked a little larger than the engraving. * * * * * lounging cap. materials.--six skeins of bright scarlet berlin wool; shades of green ditto, skeins each; skeins of black, and of gray; skeins of white, and of gray floss silk, or filoselle. a handsome shaded tassel, and a ball of crochet cord. the whole of this cap is worked in s.c., over the cord. begin with the band round the head, by working stitches with black wool, on the cord, and closing into a round. nd round: (black and gray wool) x black and gray alternately, x all round. rd: (black wool, white silk) x b., w., x all round. th: black all round. th: scarlet all round. th: (scarlet and darkest green) x s., g., s., x times. [illustration: point collar, in crochet.] th: (scarlet, same green, and white) x s., g., s., w., s., g., s., w., s., x times. th: (scarlet, second darkest green, black, and white) x s., g., b., g., s., w., s., g., s., g., s., g., s., w., s., w., s., w., s., x times. th: (same colours) x s., g., b., g., s., w., s., w., s., g., s., g., s., w., s., w., s., x times. th: (scarlet, black, white, and gray silk; third shade of green) x s., g., b., g., s., w., s., gray, s., w., s., g., s., g., b., g., s., w., s., g., s., w., x times. th: (same colours) x w., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., g., b., g., s., w., s., g., s., w., x times. th: (same colours except green, which change to the next lightest) x w., s., g., s., g., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., g., b., g., s., w., s., g., s., g., w., x times. th: (same colours, with the lightest green) x w. (over the two first of last round), s., g.. w., s., g., s., w., s., g., b., g., b., g., s., w., s., g., s., w., x times. [illustration: lounging cap, in crochet.] th: (same colours, with the lightest green but one) x w., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., w., s., g., b., g., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., g., s., w., x times. th: (same colours, with next darkest green) s., g., b., g., s., w., s., w., s., w., s., w., s., g., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., w., s., x times. th: (scarlet, black, white, and next darkest green) x g., b., g., s., w., s. w., s., g., s., g., b., g., s., w., s., w., s., g., x times. th: (same colours) x s., g., s., g., b., g., s., w., s., g., s., g., b., g., s., w., s., x times. th: (scarlet, white, and darkest green) x g., s., g., s., w., s., w., s., g., s., g., s., w., s., x times. th: (scarlet and darkest green) x s., g. over centre three of g., s., g., s., g., s., x times. four rounds of scarlet complete the band round the head. the top of the cap.--this is a worked from the centre, and gradually increased until of the same dimensions as the band, that is, containing stitches. begin by working stitches with black wool on the cord, and forming it into a round. round: increase to stitches. rd: increase to . th: (black and gray) x g., b., x times. th: (black and white) x w. over g., b. over b., x times. th: (black and scarlet) x s. over w., b. over b., x times. th to th: (all scarlet) increasing sufficiently to keep the work flat, and having stitches in the last round, or times . th: (white, scarlet, and lightest green) x s., g., s., w., s., w., s., g., x times. observe that care must be taken to increase so that the pattern begins always at the same point. th: (white, scarlet, and third green) x g., s., g. over second and third of g. in last round, s., w., s., w., s., g., x times. th: (same colours) x s. over g., more s., g., s., g., s. over , g., s., w., s., w., s., g., x times. th: (darkest green but one, white, and scarlet) x s., w., s., w., s., g., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., x times. th: (same colours) x s., w., s., g., s., w., s., g., s., x times. th: (darkest green, white, and scarlet) x s., w. (over second and third of white in last round), s., g., the last over the first of green, scarlet, x times. there will now be stitches, work on two rounds of scarlet, increasing to , and then join on the band. this is done by holding the top of the band and the edge of the round together, and working one round, taking up the chain of both. work on the cord with black wool and white silk, two stitches of each alternately; draw in the end of twine. take care in placing the two parts of the cap together, to make that part which begins every round at the same place in both, as a small defect in the pattern is inevitable, and must be covered by the tassel. draw the string of the tassel through the centre of the crown, and fasten it in its place. the cap may be lined with scarlet sarsenet. * * * * * crochet edgings and insertions. the whole of these edgings and insertions are intended to be worked either with or without beads. if to be worked with beads, chain stitch must be reckoned in the foundation, for every square, and the ground must be perfectly solid, with the pattern in beads. if to be worked in square crochet, chains must be allowed for every square. in the scallops the ends of the thread must be neatly run in after they are done. reckoning from that part where the actual scallop begins, each must be done distinctly from the others. [illustration: crochet edgings and insertions.] [illustration: crochet edgings and insertions.] insertions. to be worked in square crochet. the materials, any number of brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head crochet cotton that will be suitable for the purpose. all these square crochet patterns may be done in beads, if desirable. [illustration: insertions] * * * * * point lace instructions. the outlines of any design in point lace are made in braid of various sorts, in thread, or sometimes in linen. the braid used is either french linen or cotton braid, or that now known as italian braid. french braid is a simple plait, more or less wide; italian braid is, in fact, a pillow lace insertion, somewhat resembling a tape, but with edges like those seen in all other pillow lace. it enters very much into the composition of venetian and other valuable italian lace, whence the name italian braid has been given to it. point lace used formerly to be worked on parchment, this, however, being very hard and stiff, is not so pleasant a material to work on as coloured paper, which may be lined with calico or alpaca, according to the work intended to be done. french braid, whether made of linen or of cotton, is laid on the pattern with stitches taken across it, from one edge to the other. this mode of putting on braid prevents it from stretching, as, from the nature of the plait, it would otherwise do. in forming angles, each edge should be sewn down to the paper, and then the braid turned over. circles are made by laying the braid on the design, and forming it into the proper shape with the fingers, before tacking it down. we give a diagram showing the manner in which lines of braid cross and intersect each other, to form the pattern; and we would observe, _en passant_, that each line is done with a separate piece of braid, that from a to b being one piece, and from c to d another. italian braid, being so much wider, requires to be tacked down at both edges; and in forming circles and scrolls, one edge has, not unfrequently, to be gathered in slightly. when thread is used as an outline, a second, and much finer thread is used to tack it down. the coarse thread is laid on the outlines, and the needle is brought up on one side of it, and down, in the same hole, on the other. the stitches are taken at the rate of five or six to an inch, one being always placed at the point of each angle, so as to keep the outlines as accurate as possible. to fasten on a thread, run the needle along the braid a little way, taking a button-hole stitch to secure it. fasten off in the same manner. if the outlines are in thread, you can twist the needle round it two or three times, and then take a tight button-hole stitch. the chief stitch in all point lace is that known as the common button-hole or overcast stitch. this stitch, worked as closely as possible, or at regular intervals, drawn tightly, or the reverse, forms almost all the stitches, or more properly _laces_, used. we will begin by describing the simplest of all, which is known as [illustration: brussels edge.] brussels edge (no. ). this is a continuous line of button-hole stitches, not drawn tightly, and taken at equal distances of about the fourteenth part of an inch. when worked on braid, care should be taken that the needle is inserted at a little distance from the edge of the braid, which would otherwise be apt to fray. little venetian edging (no. ). in working this stitch, do one brussels, and in the loop of that work a _tight_ stitch. venetian edging (no. ). do four stitches instead of one in the loop of the brussels stitch. sorrento edging (no. ). do a stitch exactly like little venetian, the eighth of an inch long, and then one-half that length in the same manner. continue to work these alternately. venetian bars (no. ). take the needle across the space to be barred, once, twice, or oftener, according to the thickness of the bar, and then cover these threads quite closely with button-hole stitch. the veinings of leaves are often worked in venetian bars, over a ground of brussels lace. as this is to be done without breaking off a thread, it requires some little management. begin by making the foundation thread of the vein running from the base of the leaf to the point, taking one, two, or three threads, but always beginning _at the point_ to cover it with button-hole stitch. do enough to come to the first veinings branching from it; slip the needle across to the braid, in the proper direction, taking a close button-hole stitch to fasten it: cover it with button-hole up to the centre vein; then do the companion one in the same manner, and continue to work each pair as you come to it on the principal veining. edged venetian bars (no. ). this is a venetian bar, like the last, edged with brussels or venetian edging. this, with various other bars, frequently forms the groundwork of the guipured lace. english bars (no. ). these are frequently worked between two lines of brussels or venetian edging to connect them. they are made by passing the needle backwards and forwards through two opposite stitches, always tacking the under side of each, so that the threads be across the space smoothly and evenly. about four times each way will be sufficient. they are usually done across between two stitches, and then one at each edge is missed before the next bar is made. sometimes these bars are radiated, a single stitch of the edge being missed on one side, and two at the other. sorrento bars (no. ). these are bars which occur most frequently in italian lace. they are simply twisted threads, so closely entwined that they only appear as one. they also are frequently radiated, and crossed; the effect produced will be seen in the accompanying diagram. dotted venetian bars (no. ). a bar of threads is made, as for a common venetian bar. do on it six stitches, and instead of drawing the seventh tight, hold the top by sticking a needle through it and the paper, about the tenth of an inch, and work on the threads of the loop three button-hole stitches. do six more on the bar, and repeat. [illustration: venetian edging.] [illustration: venetian bars.] [illustration: edged venetian bars.] [illustration: sorrento bars.] raleigh bars (no. ). make a bar of threads, as for venetian bars, and work on it about eight stitches. at the ninth, instead of bringing up the needle through the loop to form another button-hole, slip it under the bar, and bring it up on the right-hand side, leaving a loop of thread about two inches long, which you will hold down with your thumb, to keep it in its place. now twist your needle six times under the right hand thread of this loop; draw it up, when it will make a knot, and slip the needle through it, above the bar, to continue the process. it may be observed that when this bar forms a part of the foundation of a piece of point, only two of these dots are generally seen on it, and they are placed near each other, almost in the centre of the bar. point d'alenÃ�on (no. ). this is only common herring-bone stitch, with the needle twisted once or oftener under the thread of each stitch, according as the space to be filled is narrow or wide. spanish point (no. ). this is the raised stitch which gives the peculiarly rich appearance to all the spanish lace. a certain thickness of soft cotton is tacked down on the lace, in the form desired, and this is covered closely with button-hole stitch, edged with raleigh dots, or with small loops. it is to be noticed that this is not attached to the lace by the button-hole stitches, but only by the thread which tacks down the soft cotton, so that it can be picked off without injury. the button-hole stitches must be worked very smoothly, and quite close together. rosette (no. ). this is exactly like a spider's web, worked on three, four, or more threads, according to the shape of the space intended to be filled. begin by making a sorrento bar across the space, from one point to the opposite; then a second one, slipping the needle under the first in going, and over it in twisting back; then do a third, or fourth, if necessary; but when you have twisted back to the centre of the last, make the rosette, leaving the half bar single. the rosette is done by passing the needle under two threads, then continuing to slip it under two, the first of which is always the last of the previous two, until you have made the spot a sufficient size, when you finish the last bar, by twisting down to the braid, and fastening off. the size of the space must be the guide for that of the rosette; but from six to ten times round a centre is an average. [illustration: stitches.] brussels lace (no. ). consecutive rows of brussels edging, worked alternately from left to right, and from right to left. venetian lace (no. ). rows of venetian edging. as this stitch can only be worked from left to right, a line of brussels is usually placed between every two rows, and being worked from right to left, saves the trouble of running the needle along the braid. sorrento lace (no. ). successive rows of the sorrento edging. english lace (no. ). this is to be worked with the finest thread that is made. do a number of sorrento bars (closely twisted threads), at equal distances, in one direction throughout the space: then take one thread under all these, in exactly the opposite direction; take a stitch on the braid to secure it, and twist to the first cross. pass the needle under the single thread and over the twisted one, till it has gone four times round, when the spot will be sufficiently large. twist on the single thread to the next cross, and repeat. do this until the whole space is filled, as seen in the engraving, where the distance between the threads is sufficiently accurately represented. this lace always looks best, however, when the lines are diagonal. english lace is often radiated; that is, the lines are more distant from each other at one edge than at the other, and the spots proportionably larger, presenting the appearance of a fan. [illustration: open english lace.] [illustration: brabant edging.] open english lace (no. ). this is a variety of the previous lace, being worked in the same way, but on four lines of threads, instead of two, namely, one diagonal from left to right, one from right to left, one horizontal, and one perpendicular. the spots are worked on the last line made. the distance of the lines is seen in the engraving. [illustration: lyons point.] [illustration: brussels lace.] the accompanying diagram gives another variety of open english lace. the straight bars are formed of single threads, while the diagonal ones are twisted; and at every cross a tight button-hole stitch is worked, to keep the threads together. observe, that in working bars, a tight stitch should always be taken on the braid, at the beginning and end of every one. mecklin wheels (no. ). work venetian bars on a single thread, in one direction, at equal distances. then take a thread in the opposite direction, and cover it also with button-hole stitch a little beyond the first cross. take another needle and thread and work a few stitches, in the form of a circle, round each cross, so that by slipping the first needle through every stitch, a foundation may be formed for the button-hole work with which the wheel is made, a single raleigh dot being added between every two threads. the stitches taken with the extra needle should form a sort of railroad for holding the thread in its place. this mode of working wheels will be found very superior to the old one of pinning down the circle of thread. when all the wheels are worked, the stitches made with the extra needle should be cut away at the back. henriquez lace (no. ). this stitch, and the one that follows it, are invariably worked with the finest thread manufactured. like english lace, it has a better effect done on diagonal bars, than on those which are taken straight up and down, or across a space. make one twisted bar across the space, then take a single thread nearly close to it. twist it twice round, then darn a spot on the two threads; twist five or six times round, darn another, and repeat to the end. do all the lines in one direction first, making the spots fall one beneath the other. then begin the lines in the opposite direction, taking the thread under in one way, and over in returning, whilst, in order to keep the close bars apart, the thread must be twisted between them. care must be taken that the bars in one direction, fall between the spots in the other. cordovan lace (no. ). worked like the preceding; but with three bars in each line instead of two. valenciennes lace (no. ). this stitch also is done with the finest threads made. it is simple darning, of the closest and finest description, done with so much regularity that it resembles cambric. brabant edging is a name sometimes given to a union of the brussels with the venetian edging. a row of brussels is first worked, and on it a row of venetian. the diagram gives the effect of this arrangement. another variety of edging is produced by two or three rows of brussels being worked on one another. this is frequently seen in old lace; and, with venetian on the outer edge of the braid, is often termed lyons point. when spaces similar to those in the accompanying diagram are to be filled with brussels lace, the best way is to work each side to the centre, and then run the needle up the middle, catching up alternately a stitch on each side. sometimes the centre is not closed up at all. the diagram in page gives a specimen of a modification of the little venetian lace. the first stitch is taken as usual, but is followed by three others, worked as closely as possible. a space equal to that of four stitches is left between every four. in the second row, the four stitches are worked on the loop. the engraving also shows how the stitches are adapted to the different spaces in a pattern. foundation stitch (no. ). this is ordinary button-hole stitch, worked over a thread, and as closely as possible. the thread is taken across the space, from right to left, to form a bar, which is then covered with close brussels, worked from left to right. each stitch of a row is worked between two of the previous rows. escalier stitch (no. ). work nine button hole stitches as close to each other as possible. miss the space of two, and repeat. in the second row, work one after each of the first seven, miss the space of the last two, work two on the loop, and seven more on the next nine, miss the last two of the nine; repeat in every successive row, passing over the last two of nine stitches, and doing two on the vacant space. cadiz lace (no. ). do six close brussels stitches. miss the space of two, do two more, and again miss the space of two, repeat from the six stitches. nd row: do two over the loop of every space, and miss all the stitches, whether six or two. repeat these two rows alternately, to form the lace. barcelona lace (no. ). the first row of this lace is exactly like sorrento edging. nd row: do four close stitches on the long stitch, and miss the short one, taking care not to draw the thread too tightly. rd: a row of sorento edging, the long stitch coming over the four stitches of the last row, and both the button-holes being worked on the loop, so that the short stitches come over the short of the first row. these two rows, worked alternately, make the lace. fan lace (no. ), st row: six close brussels, miss the space of six. repeat. nd: six stitches over every six, miss the same space. rd: six close brussels on every loop, missing the space between. th: six over every six, and six on every loop. th: six close over the six on the long loop, miss the other six. repeat these last three rows as often as may be required to fill up the space. [illustration: little venetian lace.] spotted lace (no. ). this very light and pretty lace is done thus:-- st: x two close button-hole stitches, miss the space of four, x repeat to the end, without drawing the thread too tightly. begin the next row, and all following, at a little distance from the one preceding, and do two close stitches on every loop of thread. venetian spotted lace (no. ). this lace consists of a series diamonds, formed by venetian bars crossing each other diagonally, in each of the sections of which, four spots of english lace are to be worked. the foundation threads of the venetian bars are first laid; then the english lace spots are worked, and the button-hole stitch of the venetian bars is done the last. this lace is well suited to fill up large spaces. open antwerp lace (no. ). for this lace a new stitch is required, called the double brussels. instead of a simple button-hole stitch, the needle is twisted once in the loop, so that when drawn up, it has a _longer_ appearance than the ordinary brussels. the stitches are to be worked quite close to each other. st row: x eight close double stitches, miss the space of six, x repeat, without drawing the thread very tightly across the missing space. nd: x five double over the eight, two double on the loop of thread, x repeat. rd: x two double on the five, five over the two, x when five stitches are worked over two, one goes between the two, and two on each side of it. th: x eight double over five and miss the space over the two, leaving the loop rather loose, x. repeat from the second row throughout the space. open diamond (no. ). st row: five close brussels, miss the space of two, x eight close, miss the space of two, x to the end of the row. nd: two close, x miss two, two on the loop, miss two, work along the line after all the remainder of the eight, do two on the loop, and on six of the next eight (thirteen altogether), repeat to the end. rd: x miss two, two on the loop, miss two, do two on the loop, miss two, do one on every one of the line of stitches but the last two, x repeat. th: two on the loop, miss two, two on the loop, x miss two, two on the loop, one on every stitch, and two on the next loop (thirteen altogether), miss two, two on a loop, x repeat. the next diamond of holes must be so managed as to fall immediately between two of the first row. by repeating the first line, the place will be indicated. in all these stitches, it is assumed that _squares_ are to be filled in. where the shape varies from that, extra stitches must be added, at the beginning, or taken away, as the case may be, the worker referring to the engraving for the appearance intended to be produced. close diamond (no. ). the first row is plain button-hole stitch. nd row: five stitches, x leave the space of two, fourteen stitches, x repeat. rd: two stitches, x miss two, do two on the loop, miss two, work on all the rest of the fourteen, except the last two, x repeat. in the fourth row, the holes fall over those of the first. the fifth row is all in close stitches. in the sixth, begin to make fresh lines of diamonds, coming exactly between the last set. antwerp lace (no. ). st row: x eight close, miss the space of two, x repeat. nd: x five close over eight close, and two close on the loop, x. rd: x two close over five, and five over two, x. th: x five close over two, and two over five, x. th: x eight close over every five, x repeat. the above are the principal stitches found in old point lace. * * * * * deep point lace edging. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head mecklenburgh threads, no. , , , and . draw the pattern from the engraving, a section of it being given the full size. the paper must then be lined with alpaca. should a short piece only be required, the pattern should at once be made of the full length; if not, several may be drawn. from the closeness of the work it is impossible to work twice over the same paper. the border of each pattern is formed of seven small scallops. it is worked in braiding-stitch, that is, four threads are laid on, parellel with each other, and formed into a braid by darning them backwards, and forwards, putting the needle always under two together. as it is not desirable to have any break in the outline, it will be advisable to take, for each of the four outline threads a needleful sufficiently long to answer for the whole piece of lace. [illustration: deep point lace edging.] when the whole length of the paper is done, the ends may be twisted round a card, and wrapped in paper to keep them clean while that section of the work is in progress. each pattern contains one spray of flowers and small leaves, the stem of which is braided like the edge only that it is generally wider at the end. all the outlines are made in no. , and the braiding done in no. . the flowers consist of six petals three of which are worked in foundation stitch, that is close button-hole stitch over a thread, and the others in spots formed by making two close button-hole stitches, and then allowing the space of two before working the next. in the succeeding row, the two close stitches come on the bar of thread formed between one spot and the next. the centre of the flower is an open circle, covered with close button-hole stitch, with raleigh dots. the leaves, which are very small, are entirely in foundation stitch. in each section of the large scallop is a wheel formed by working a circular raleigh bar, on a foundation of three threads. the ground is in raleigh bars worked very irregularly. the straight edge of the lace is a line of button-hole stitch on two thread. three rows of sorrento edge, worked one upon another, complete the lace. this edge and the flowers are done in mecklenburgh . the remaining parts in no. . * * * * * collar in spanish rose point. [illustration: collar in spanish rose point.] materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head valenciennes threads. this is distinguished by close heavy work, and solid spanish stitch edged with loops. the ground of the collar is guipured in the richest style, partly with plain raleigh bars partly with those having semi-circular loops, dotted in the same manner. sometimes two bars have a mecklin wheel at the cross. the section given of the collar is the full size, and has only to be repeated and reversed for the length. * * * * * [illustration: handkerchief border, in antique point lace.] handkerchief border, in antique point lace. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head point lace cottons, and no. valenciennes thread. we give the section of the handkerchief of the full size, that workers may draw their own pattern from it. it may be made of any dimensions required. the perfect pattern occupies the entire side, reckoning from the open flower at the corner. were this entirely repeated for the quarter, it would make the handkerchief rather too large for general taste; about one half the pattern, in addition to the piece given (or the open flower, and the two next to it on the inner side) would be found sufficient for the quarter. one-fourth of the handkerchief being drawn on tracing-paper, all the design can be marked from it, on red, blue, or green; but it is preferable to draw a little more than a quarter only, instead of the whole handkerchief, which is cumbersome to hold. when a quarter is done, it may be removed from the paper, which can be used a second time by a careful worker. no braid whatever is used for this handkerchief, which is similar in the mode of working to some of the most valuable specimens of antique point. the scroll and flowers are close and heavy, the inner ground is guipured, in raleigh bars, and the space between the scroll and the outer edge is filled with fine and close english lace. the stem, and the closest part of the flowers (which may be distinguished in the engraving), are done in foundation stitch, with no. , point-lace cotton. the veinings of the petals, where they occur in this stitch, are made by taking the foundation thread at double the distance from the last one, and working over it a row of brussels stitches at the usual distance from each other, instead of close, as in foundation stitch. the calyx of the flower is done in antwerp lace. the very finest point-lace cotton should be used for all this stitch. all the flowers, done as we have just described, have a centre worked in venetian lace; no. cotton must be used. the open flowers, and the button-hole rounds, are done with valenciennes thread, no. . the english lace, with no. cotton. the raleigh bars, with valenciennes, no. . the edge of the handkerchief border is finished with close button-hole stitch, on which raleigh dots are worked at regular intervals. this edge is worked after all the rest of each quarter is finished. if it be thought troublesome to outline the whole pattern with thread, no. white cotton french braid may be used. the effect is, however, greatly inferior to that of the thread. to make up the handkerchief, cut a square of cambric the exact size to fit the lace, allowing for a very narrow hem. when the hem is made, lay the inner line of the lace over it, tack them together, and work a row of close brussels edge over the two, to connect them. * * * * * apron in broderie en lacet. materials.--three-quarters of a yard of wide black silk of satin, two knots of russia silk braid, of any colour that may be approved, and a dozen skeins of sewing silk to match. the term _broderie en lacet_ is applied to a new and very pretty style of embroidery, in which the outlines are made with silk braid, and filled in with point-lace stitches. the pattern must be enlarged, and one-half drawn on a large sheet of paper: the outlines marked with a needle, and the silk pounced from it, one side of the paper marking one-half, and the reverse side the other. for running on the braid, use the threads of the silk of which it is composed, in preference to the ordinary sewing silk. cut off a piece of the braid three-quarters of a yard long before you begin, and draw the threads out of it for the braiding. when joins occur, the ends are to be drawn through the silk with a long needle, and fastened off on the wrong side. the sections of the flowers are filled with english or venetian lace, and for the leaves, brussels lace, english bars, or point d'alençon may be used. the last named is worked between the two lines of braid, to fill in the stems and scallops. [illustration: apron in broderie en lacet.] the bottom of the apron may either have a hem below the embroidery, or be scalloped in button-hole stitch, and the edges cut out. the colours which look best for this style of work are--cerise, crimson, blue, orange, and for mourning, a soft gray. the fancy stitches are to be done exactly like those for point lace, but they need not be so close and fine, the silk filling in without much work. * * * * * pincushion cover in point lace. materials.--brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head valenciennes cottons, and no. , french braid. also some satin of any bright colour, satin ribbon inches wide to match, and materials for a pincushion. [illustration: pincushion] this pincushion is intended to be made up in the french style--that is, merely laid over the top of a satin cushion, with three handsome bows of ribbon to match, placed at equal distances. the outlines are in french braid. the scallops are filled alternately with english lace, worked with valenciennes, no. , and rows of venetian and brussels alternately, done in no. of the same. the sorrento edge is done with no. . one flower has a double mecklin wheel in the centre, and is merely edged with venetian lace (in no. ), the other has two petals filled with foundation stitch (in no. ), and two with english lace. the ground is brussels net, worked with brooks' great exhibition prize goat's-head valenciennes, no. . [illustration: pincushion.] the venetian and english bars are worked with no. . if the centre is left plain and open, a small glass for flowers is inserted. of course, the pincushion has an open centre to correspond. if filled, the cushion has a flat top, and the lace is merely laid on, and fastened with satin bows. the end. note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) jacobean embroidery its forms and fillings including late tudor by ada wentworth fitzwilliam and a. f. morris hands publishers' note. plates , l a, , (part of), and have already been published in "needlecraft monthly magazine" and are included in this collection by permission of the editor. london kegan paul, trench, trübner and co. ltd. broadway house, carter lane, e.c. contents introductory history by a. f. morris hands. op. i tudor work. op. ii early th century. op. iii details of blue crewel work (the late lady maria ponsonby's). op. iv the uses of stem stitch and other characteristics. op. v bed hangings at hardwicke hall. op. va groups of fillings in which darning plays important part. op. vi bed hanging from powis castle. op. vii characteristic foliations and late th century fillings. op. viii solid crewel work th century including the _terra firma_ and different birds and beasts. list of illustrations plate strip of tudor work. group of leaves on cushions at knole park. a group of light details in early examples. details from old example, carried out in dark blues, belonged to the late lady maria ponsonby. ditto. ditto. ditto. detail of foxglove design. colour plate--detail from old bed hangings, dated . detail from old bed hangings, dated . large heavy leaf in work dated . a leaf showing seven different stitches. bed hanging at hardwicke. set of details (in colour) of hardwicke design. set of details of hardwicke design. group of fillings. design of bed hangings at powis castle. characteristic leaf of best period. ditto. late th century fillings. fillings from georgian copy of old example. stem of leaf in solid work (colour plate). examples of different leaves. ditto. colour plate--_terra firma_. birds and beasts characteristic of jacobean design. ditto. ditto. ditto. introduction to redeem the monotony of plain surfaces has ever been the aim of all the arts, but especially that of the needle, which being the oldest expression of decorative intention, has, from the earliest time, been very dependent on its groundwork for its ultimate results. this is particularly the case in embroideries of the type of what is commonly known as jacobean, where the ground fabric is extensively visible, as it is also in that wondrous achievement, the bayeux tapestry worked in coarse wools upon homespun linen and therefore quite miscalled "tapestry." inaccuracy in nomenclature is one of the stumbling blocks the student encounters, and the tendency of the day to classify "styles" by the restricted formula of monarchical periods is likewise misleading. no style is ever solely distinctive of one reign, or even one century, the law of evolution rules the arts as it does nature, there is always a correlation between styles in art and circumstances of existence that is productive of gradual changes of taste, therefore, pronounced evidences in design are, actually, the culminating point in a course of combined influences which have reached the period of individual expression. crewel work of the type of jacobean, was the outcome of that earlier wool embroidery that even in the zenith of fame of the ecclesiastical broderers still quietly went on its way. in the middle ages, furnishing of rooms was scanty, and embroidered hangings, cushion and stool covers provided the necessary notes of colour and comfort; the wall hangings of the th century were of coarse canvas decorated with a design executed in wools. it is curious how in english embroideries there has always been a predilection on the part of the designers for interlacing stems, and for the inconsequent introduction of birds and beasts. mons de farcy, author of _la broderie du onzième siècle jusqu'à nos jours_, remarks that "it seems that the position of england, surrounded by the sea on all sides, has provoked in its inhabitants the passion of travelling over the sea, and they came to know, before continental nations, of the parrots and other birds of brilliant plumage so often reproduced in their needlework."[ ] mrs. christie, an english authority on embroidery, admirably sums up the evolution of designs when she writes "examination of old embroideries gathered from all parts of the world shows that each individual specimen, every flower and bud, is a development of some existing form, and is not an original creation, invented, as some appear to think all designs are, upon the spur of the moment." in the creation of a design it is a case of assimilation of the fittest and the elimination of the unsuitable from existing examples, thus the interlacing stems of the work of the th century became grafted on to the version of the tree of life idea in the oriental designs that came to england in the th, through the intercourse opened up by the formation of the east india company, at the end of elizabeth's reign. to deem, as do some writers, the bold, rather ponderous crewel work of the th century, sole outcome of the importation of the palampores of musulipatan, is to ignore all the tendencies manifested in the embroideries of previous centuries; in the same way, to repudiate the emblematical significance of special features markedly introduced into old designs, is to betray a complete lack of knowledge of the mind and manners of the people of superstitious days. knowledge was not rapidly acquired, and even as late as the th century was largely disseminated through the country by allegorical narratives, while emblematical lore reflected the history of the immediate moment. there was in the poetry and in the embroidery of elizabeth's day, a sportive quality which was not likely to be checked under the stuarts, _doubles entendres_ were not confined to jests! and the political and religious differences of opinion, rampant throughout the period, found expression in the most fantastic ways. the stump embroidery, in vogue at the same time as the crewel hangings specially treated in this volume, was full of symbolism, and naturally the same inspiration directed the worker in crewels. curiously enough, both these very different types of needlework, crystalised into individuality concurrently, yet one is usually designated jacobean, the other referred to as stuart. in this connection it is well also to remember, that the stuart era extended, historically, from to , _viz._, from the reign of james i (jacobus) to that of queen anne, daughter of james ii. queen anne is so often relegated, in the public mind, to an isolated position, genealogically, and the pronounced developments in the changes of taste that took place at the commencement of the of the th century, left such a very definite impression, that she is rarely remembered as a stuart; it was in her reign, however, that the vogue for the old crewel embroideries revived, and though differences of treatment crept in, the designs, were, in the main, purely jacobean, being copies or adaptations of patterns popular in the middle of the th century. it is these copies that exist mostly to-day, few, indeed, are those hangings which pertain to the earlier date, but a study of those few, taken in conjunction with the still fewer that remain of the th century, prove the _gradual_ growth of the designs that have the tree motif which makes them all kin. lady brougham and vaux had a most wonderful collection, from which interesting comparisons could be made. one pair of bed hangings, of coarse linen of the th century, show the trees with a meandering growth entirely characteristic of those of heavier kind which appear in later embroideries, these trees also are undoubtedly intended to represent the tree of life, for round one is coiled a serpent, while beneath the scanty but large leaved boughs, incidents in the story of the expulsion from paradise are to be descried, as also the procession into the ark. the work is without doubt early, for there is a primitive character in the arrangement of the inconsequent groups of figures, adam and eve stand nude either side the tree, couples in weird though contemporaneous costume to the work are dotted over the surface quite at haphazard. the similarity between the tree on these curtains and on one of the th century once in the same collection is very striking. added grace of design has beautified the later work, but the same forms can be traced and the same parrots and squirrels are introduced, the biblical story at the foot of the th century curtain has been replaced by a portion of the legend of the human soul. another very interesting example i have seen, attributed to the years of james i's reign, seems to suggest that the worker had realised the "waves" in an eastern pattern and made growths of coral at the base of the tree, but had then converted a line or two of waves into _terra firma_, for at one end reposes a lion, towards which a stag is bounding with head turned back as if in fear of pursuers. the birds in this example are very tropical, a miniature peacock on the lower branches spreads its tail stiffly, parrots like the one illustrated in our collection of details, birds of paradise, and squirrels, are all to be noted among foliations that are the most superb, taken individually, it is possible to imagine, most are worked fairly solid, such light fillings as there are, being small sprays of leaves like those in our plate no. . carnations, harebells, canterbury bells, roses, marigolds, grapes, are included in the composition; block shading, chain stitch, stem stitch are all employed in the working, and a very interesting example of the opus plumarian is given in the tail feathers of the tiny peacock. the dissection of detail in early english crewel embroidery is a very fascinating occupation and well repays the expenditure of time. so little has been written about this particular phase of the embroiderer's art, that it is by old records and examples one becomes best informed and in a great measure enabled to trace the growth of the style that culminated in the massive designs that derived their name from the epoch in which they were in favour. tudor crewel work, was chiefly done in broad outline of a more or less fanciful nature as regards the stitching, witness the sections of that tudor piece which is shewn in our first illustration. forms were large but gradually became reduced as they were worked more solidly. the beautiful foxglove pattern in "bess of hardwicke's" curtains at hardwicke, shews a very slight feeling of transition but it may safely be assumed that one of the influences bearing on the execution of the crewel work, was the portentous character of much of the contemporary canvas hand-worked tapestry such as the famous set of panels unearthed in hatton gardens. the architectural basis is a link between the ecclesiastical and secular embroideries of the past centuries, and anyone interested in the evolution of design would be struck with the similitude of the large leaves and flowers in these panels to those of the crewel designs of the same date; it is also noteworthy that the symbolic significance in the details of the panels is ecclesiastic, whereas in the crewel work it is always based on the legend of the tree of life, or secularly emblematic. colourings were often in both styles, blues, greens, bright yellows and browns predominated, carnation reds figuring in some examples, used for the flower of that name and for the pomegranate, which, with its seeds visible, signifies future life and immortality. the carnation and the caterpillar were both stuart emblems, and occur in nearly all kinds of work executed during their reigns; the rose, of course, has its national as well as its religious significance, likewise the oak (after the restoration). the potato flower seen in both jacobean and portuguese embroideries is an example of the habit of recording the latest novelty, the strawberry was also popular on this account, and is frequently introduced in those hillocky foregrounds, which, to me, appear one of the most interesting evidences of combined influences. once again, another oriental idea was evidently assimilated, for in numberless chinese patterns one sees the main motive springing out of a base of waves formed exactly like the hillocks which became such a distinctive feature in these large branching designs. in the earliest examples the hillocks were much broken up, and smaller (more like the mounds in the painted palampores) than in the later work, from which we may presume the spread of the oriental influence had done its work, the "terra firma" being carried out with a similitude to the eastern version of waves that includes the actual stitchery; grafted on to this was the legend of the pursuit of the human soul (typified by a hart) by evil, personified by the huntsman, the hounds and various uncanny beasts, two bearing unflattering resemblance to the heraldic lion and leopard; while rabbits, snails, grubs of all kind hinder the hart's progress, these are relics of the days when the bestiarta (symbolism of beasts) was carefully studied. the riotous re-action from the puritan rule was reflected in the embroideries of the restoration, as in everything else, and patterns became exuberant, colouring more brilliant, the exquisite stitchery gradually gave place to the easier achievement of solid fillings, and the requisite relief was secured by light sprays filling up the ground between the larger leaves, jasmine, cherries, harebells, potato flowers, honeysuckle, shamrock or trefoil and acorns took the lead. it is an almost impossible task to describe the large leaves, since they bear no resemblance to anything natural, they are, however, rarely angular in outline, rejoicing rather in sweeping curves, and drooping points, curled over to display the under side of the leaf, a device that gave opening for much ingenuity in the arrangement of the stitches. the variety in these was so great that on reading the enumeration made by taylor, the water poet, one becomes quite breathless. the predominating ones, however, are--_outline or stem stitch_, used for all but the largest stems, and veining and outlining leaves and flowers. _shading stitch_, sometimes called long and short, used for large branches and leaves, _basket_ and _double back stitch_ are also used for these stems. _satin stitch_, for all kinds of flowers and small foliage, or for the definite flat shading, that is like block shading without the ridge caused by the carrying back of the wool into the past row of stitches. _buttonhole_, also much used for leaves, especially those having light fillings and broad outlines. _rope stitch_, _coral_, _cable_ and _chain_, also for outlines, the last named being also used for fillings. the fancy fillings such as darning, french knots, etc., are demonstrated and described in the following pages, and the colour plates endeavour to give the idea of the correct colourings. in this connection, a few observations, based on the study of genuine originals, may not be amiss. as i have before mentioned, a certain brilliancy characterised the work at one period, but this cannot be regarded as the best type to imitate. the most harmonious were carried out in two schemes. one had all the leaves worked in mandarin blues, shading from darkest indigo to softest blue-grey. these were placed in juxtaposition, with tender mignonette and silvery greens, a strong accent being _occasionally_ introduced by a flower or filling carried out in true rose leaf shade or by veinings of bronze greens and browns. the other scheme, and this is more rarely met with, was in bronze greens throughout, intermixed with yellow and about three shades of the dull blues. black sometimes is to be noticed in both these colour schemes, also bright and buff yellows and chestnut browns, and the colours were mostly confined to the blue scheme first named, but there are examples extant of an entire design carried out in shades of red, as in the tudor and early th century hangings one finds blues responsible for the whole colouring. these vary in tone, and in the late copies of the designs the blue has a very green tinge about it.[ ] in the reign of queen anne taste reverted to the older lighter designs, grotesques were eliminated, massiveness gave place to grace, and brightness of colour to a soft modified brilliancy that was very engaging. in the georgian copies heaviness again obtained favour, and gradually the designs deteriorated, and were eventually temporarily lost in "the limbo of the past." the vogue for lace work in the reign of william and mary influenced the stitches in the crewel embroidery, and in queen anne's day the variety of stitches was reminiscent of the earlier period, some of the fillings being beautiful. the material used was through all the phases the same, viz., a twill fabric, of which the warp was of linen, the weft of cotton; the wools varied somewhat in the twist, but were always worsted, the word crewel being a diminutive of clew, "a ball of thread," and probably came into vogue with the importation of wools from germany, the corresponding word in that language being _knäuel_. a. f. morris hands [ ] opus anglicum by m. louis de farcy in "embroidery." [ ] see example in south kensington carried out in very hard twisted blue wools. the curtain belonging to mr. hearn, and now at south kensington, is a beautiful specimen of the full colouring of the late th century. op. i [illustration] plate this plate was sketched from a very old strip of tudor work, measuring about ft. in. in length and ft. in. in width. each leaf was about in. long and in. across. the strip had evidently been part of a bed valance, and, as far as one could tell--for it was much faded--had been worked in two shades of wool only--dark indigo blue and bright green; the latter had faded, almost everywhere, to a soft mignonette colour. op. ii plate a group of blue leaves, etc., taken from some old cushions at knole park, sevenoaks. no. . stem stitch contour: maidenhair in buttonhole stitch. star in buttonhole stitch on background of small crosses. no. . stem stitch. no. . stem stitch contours. centre in loop stitch. no. . stem stitch contours. centre loop stitch and maidenhair in buttonhole stitch. no. . stem stitch. [illustration: plate ] plate a group of the lighter details that break up the heavy masses in the earliest and latest examples. the medlar-like fruit is worked in crewel stitch in bands of brown, stem lighter in shade. the leaves, example i & ii, satin stitch with stem stitch outline both sides, centre veinings in stem stitch, turnover in leaf, ii, in block stitch. iii buttonhole edging with darned centre, centre filled with strands of wool caught down at intervals with double back stitch. iv flowers in soft blues in satin stitch, acorns have their cups worked in french knots. [illustration: plate a] op. iii the following plates were sketched from an old strip of work done in deep indigo worsted wool, with a rather lighter wool, both in colour and make, used in the fine buttonhole work and darning, of which there is much throughout the work. the design was a branching one, the flowers and leaves--most of which appear in the following plates--are hanging from stems about a quarter of an inch thick done in herring-bone stitch, with the exception of the violas (plate ) which have a thicker stem of their own in herring-bone, stem stitch and loops. the thistles (plate , no. ) reproduced the same size as in the work, were scattered about in groups of three, making a very pleasing contrast to the hanging roses (plate ), whilst the irises reared their heads all along the bottom of the strip, but owing to the work having been cut, it was impossible to see how they joined their straight stalks to the branching ones above. plate no. . stem stitch contour: diaper work done in coral stitch, with a french knot filling in each alternate square. four rows of buttonhole stitch at top of flower. no. . stem-stitch, coral stitch and darning. no. . buttonhole stitch, french knot and stem stitch. no. . stem stitch and buttonhole stitch. no. . coral stitch. (these tendrils occurred all over the work and were very effective.) no. . buttonhole stitch: centre and stalk in stem stitch. no. . stem stitch and loops. [illustration: plate ] plate the iris shown here was worked as follows: the contours in stem stitch throughout. the centre and two side petals have stem stitch veins, edged buttonhole stitch and were filled in with big knots. the smaller petals were partially filled in with buttonhole stitch and darning. the dark petal on left was done in cretan[ ] stitch edged stem stitch. [ ] a variation of herring bone stitch. [illustration: plate ] plate no. . contour in stem stitch, filled in lightly with buttonhole stitch, and darning and long-and-short stitch. no. . ditto, with the addition of herring-bone stitch on two upper petals. no. . (stalk) herring-bone stem stitch with loops between. [illustration: plate ] plate no. . stem-stitch, buttonhole stitch and darning. no. . ditto. no. . stem stitch, buttonhole stitch, french knots and darning. no. . stem stitch, buttonhole stitch and darning. all have herring-bone stitch stalks. sketched from a piece of work in blue crewels on white linen, belonged to the late lady maria ponsonby. [illustration: plate ] plate most of the stitchery shown here is similar to that on the preceding plates, but has the addition of the plait stitch[ ] edged with buttonhole stitch in the veins of the big leaf, and the close knots on the sheaf of the foxgloves, while the sheaf of the convolvulus has veins of stem stitch and small french knots. in all this piece of work there is to be noted a great deal of buttonholing and darning. [ ] a variation of herring-bone stitch. [illustration: plate ] op. iv plate shows many uses to which stem stitch can be put, which is the only stitch employed in the work illustrated here, if we except the little arrow-heads used to edge the vine leaf. [illustration: plate ] the following sketches were taken from a most beautiful and elaborate strip of work, forming part of some bed-hangings, dated a.d. , worked in hard twisted crewels in blue, mignonette, and green colourings only. plate treats of button-holeing stitch done in a variety of ways. no. has groups of three button-hole stitches and crosses in centre, and is edged by chain stitch and arrow-heads. no. . button-hole stitch centre and edge. no. . button-hole stitch with stalks in stem stitch. [illustration: plate ] plate in this sketch are three principal stitches, viz.: chain stitch filling in spaces nos. - (on left of sketch) and forming the contour of the whole leaf; button-hole stitch filling spaces nos. - ; and a lace stitch filling spaces nos. - - . the other two spaces are filled by brick stitch, and darning with little veins of coral stitch and herring bone. there are loop stitches in the centre of the veining in spaces - , and these are also worked round the outside of the leaf. [illustration: plate ] plate a this leaf, having a contour of chain stitch, is filled in at the top with a brown and blue branch in stem stitch, edged with short-and-long stitch. the green turnover is in chain stitch with blue chain stitch veins, and the blue turnovers at base of leaf are done in a lace surface stitch, while the rest is filled in with small darning stitches, coral stitches and a little bit of button-hole stitching. the three central leaves crossing stem are in red and green, and blue and green; the brown stalks are worked in stem stitch. loops are worked round the outside of the leaf here as in all the bigger leaves on this work. the spike on the left of the sketch is in herring bone stitch edged with arrow heads. [illustration: plate a] op. v the following three plates are sketches from the bed hangings in the "chapel" room at hardwicke hall, derbyshire--the property of the duke of devonshire. plate shows the full design, which is a repeating one, of the hangings. the details of the stitchery will be found on the following plates. [illustration: plate ] plate no. . one of the many conventional foliations in this design, carried out in stem stitch, buttonhole and darning. no. . close chain stitch for the circles with herring bone for the stalk running through them. no. . the same stem as in foxgloves but with darning introduced up the centre. no. . the sheafs of the foxgloves are worked in crochet stitch edged stem stitch. the contours of flowers in back stitch, filled in short-and-long stitches and darning. [illustration: plate ] plate no. . contour in chain stitch. vein stem stitch edged two rows short-and-long stitches and darning. no. . contour in _double_ chain stitch. veins in knot stitch edged darning. loops in middle of centre vein. no. . contour in stem stitch; vein ditto, edged with two rows of short-and-long stitches and darning. no. . contour in chain stitch, edged darning. centre vein chain stitch. branching veins knot stitch outlined with darning stitches. no. . contour buttonhole stitch and darning. veins knot stitch and darning. [illustration: plate ] op. va plate a group of fillings in which darning plays an important part, the backgrounds of two of the leaves were carried out in indigo, the veinings were worked in solid rows of outline stitch in brown shading to a lighter bronze green, the central vein in the upper leaf was in chain-stitch in dark blue and the outline of leaf was carried out in two rows of chain stitching in darkest indigo. the shamrock leaf has a darned contour of double threads, the filling was in stem stitch, solid, with bars of a darker colour worked across it. the little band at the bottom of the group was a mixture of satin, chain, stem and french knots. [illustration: plate ] op. vi the following sketch was done from bed hangings, the property of the earl of powis, at powis castle. plate the design is a bold one of big leaves worked on the usual thick white hand-made linen. undoubtedly the wools used were green at the time of working, but have now changed to beautiful shades of blue to indigo. each leaf throughout the work has a thick contour in rope stitch of the four shades of the wool used, and the stem is most effective, done in squares of cretan stitch in the same four shades. [illustration: plate ] op. vii plate this bold leaf is mainly carried out in block shading, but the colours are unusual. indigo for the outside edge, soft brown the central block, and light green for the inner; in the second leaf the green is employed only for the line of veining; the two leaves or sections on the right-hand side are treated as follows--the upper one has outlines of brown, between which blocks of "buttonhole" in indigo are worked, the intervening spaces being simply decorated by a loop stitch in green wool. the sprays are in satin stitch, which is one of the best for small sprays to be worked solid. [illustration: plate ] plate a very handsome leaf, in the working of which many stitches are employed. the curved scroll at the top is carried out in block shading in blue to pale green; the curved section on the right is marked out in squares filled alternately with satin stitches, with a simple french knot in each square, and by a square trellis secured in the centre by a cross stitch; the scroll below this is outlined in crewel stitch, and filled with laid work or strands of wool thrown across from edge to edge and couched by back stitches at the points of intersection. the three leaves at the root of the stem are carried out in block shading in shades of grey green, the leaf above is outlined in crewel stitch and filled with fancy devices worked in buttonhole stitch with darning background; the centre motive is a solid mass of french knots, well raised and blue in colour. i have seen this same motive carried out in three shades, the lightest group at the point, the darkest at the back. [illustration: plate ] plate more fillings taken from a piece of work executed in the late th century. i is one of the diverse methods of treating the large tree stems in a design. within the fan-like outlines traced down on the linen is a solid filling of satin stitches, varying row by row from pale fawn at the foot to dark chestnut brown round the top, the direction of the stitches is shewn in the drawing. ii here we have a fancy lattice of three strands of laid wool couched with small french knots at the intersecting points, the outline is in stem stitch and fanciful back stitches are used as fillings. iii has first rows of long single threads thrown across, caught down with stars and groups of satin stitching crossed. iv a light treatment for stems, the filling, shells in buttonhole stitches, with second outline in darning. v one of the examples of the introduction of lace stitches that is to be noted in work of the late th century, the alternate blocks are in basket stitch, the others in double cross stitch in contrasting colours. vi quaint example of couched work. [illustration: plate ] plate a collection of particularly beautiful fillings seen in a georgian copy of a very old example. i has double rows of outline stitch, framing spaces filled with stars in back stitch, the centre being solid in shading stitch. ii outline of rope stitch and cross trellis of the same. stars of back stitch couched down with contrasting wools. iii part of a beautiful stem, outline of chain bars of button stitch in double wool and spots in loop stitch. iv the two small petals filled solid with stem stitch, three rows of which are used for outlining the long petal, the centre being filled with rings in buttonhole stitch and darned background. v is carried out in satin and stem stitch, with back stitch bars couched with contrasting wool. [illustration: plate ] op. viii plate these two sketches were taken from an th century (?) curtain done in solid crewel work, in somewhat bright colouring. the brown veining which occurs in i and in nearly all the leaves was most effective; in this plate is also shown a good example of basket stitch stem work. the acorn cup was worked in close french knots. ii the large leaf is a good example of solid work. the contour was in stem stitch, the serrated edges turned over on to the brown surface were in shading stitch, the red veinings in satin stitch. [illustration: plate ] plate these two leaves are of a bold, simple character that is easy to suggest, and proves a great relief in a design that is somewhat over-detailed. the large one is carried out in browns and greens. the turned over serrated edge is in satin stitch of graduating shade. the heavy veining is somewhat unusual in that it is carried out in laid stitch, dark green in the centre and light green outside. the stars are worked in dark green. the outline to the lower leaf is in two shades of green, the palest continuing to outline the remainder of the large leaf. the small leaf is worked solid in shading stitch in blue with brown satin stitch edge, the veining is brown as is also the contour of the upper point. [illustration: plate ] plate we have here a large leaf very characteristic of the complicated detail introduced by the conventional treatment of foliage in early english work. the curved point of the leaf is outlined in rope stitch in a dark shade of soft bronze green, the heavy double cross lines are in crewel stitch and of a lighter shade of bronze in which the square lattice is also carried out, the french knots in the centres are of a dark olive green. the round medallion is outlined similarly to the above but in darker shade, the centre being worked solid in slanting satin stitches set in rows, each row taken at the opposite angle to its neighbour; the next leaf is outlined inside, in two rows of chain, the turnover of the leaf being solid satin stitch in three shades of green. the stem is double back stitch, and the other leaves are worked solid in shading stitch in graduated shades of green. the two small leaves, i & ii example: st, rope stitch with alternate fillings of darning and outline stitch, and nd, rows of outline stitch for one-half the back leaves and one-half grey knot stitch and blue snail trail in alternative, the end leaf being in rows of outline of brown colour. [illustration: plate ] plate a portion of the terra firma of the curtain. the strawberries and clear parts of the ground are worked in french knots. the plants are very useful in breaking up the solid masses of dark colour, and the stag serves to introduce into the base of the work the colouring of the acorns above (on plates and ). as a rule this base of a design repeats all the colourings used throughout. [illustration: plate ] plate example of a bird introduced into the late th century work. it is executed in simple feather stitch for the tail feathers and satin stitch very evenly shaded. the dark centres of the short feathers are in crimson, the rest in shades of buff, the breast feathers also worked in satin stitch are in putty colour, legs and beak are brown and the crest in crimson. [illustration: plate ] plate quaint early example of a parrot, head in knot stitch, breast feathers block stitch, and wings in shaded single feather stitching. the butterfly and grub are found in all early examples. [illustration: plate ] plate group of animals usually disporting on the terra-firma at base of large designs. worked always in long and short stitch. [illustration: plate ] plate squirrel in rich brown colour, with cream chest worked in shading stitch, tail in overcasting for the centre and furry part in single feather stitch with stem stitch outline. [illustration: plate ] printed by w. w. curtis ltd., cheylesmore press, coventry a companion volume to "jacobean embroidery" english secular embroidery by m. jourdain. with fifty-seven illustrations and a frontispiece in colour. cloth, foolscap to, s. d. net. "a really charming book."--_pall mall gazette._ "a godsend to collectors of antique needlework."--sir james yoxall, m.p., in _london opinion_. "the author treats the subject in a fresh and stimulating manner, making the whole book thoroughly enjoyable and instructive reading, and consequently this book, coming as it does at an opportune moment, when art needlework shows such healthy signs of revival, should prove of great interest to collectors and needleworkers. the book is replete with a splendid selection of plates from original pieces in the possession of many eminent collectors."--_art chronicle._ "a delightful book on a delightful theme, valuable alike to the collector, the artist-craftsman (or woman), and the womanly woman in the new or old-fashioned sense of the term."--_sunday chronicle._ "to the lay reader who has never handled needle or bobbin; to the general reader who reads for enjoyment and has in consequence some nodding acquaintance with queens like elizabeth, mary, known as bloody, and the other mary who is not known at all; to this general reader such a work as miss jourdain's may afford a good deal of the leisurely enjoyment that is sought in books. he will make the acquaintance of queen elizabeth's petticoat, of the bed hangings that concealed or decorated the slumbers of the one mary or the other."--miss violet hunt in the _daily chronicle_. kegan paul, trench, trübner & co., limited none 	transcriber's note: the printed errata have been corrected in the text. a few additional printer's errors have been corrected, details of the corrections can be found at the end of this e-text. * * * * * art in needlework text-books of ornamental design art in needlework a book about embroidery by lewis f. day author of 'windows,' 'alphabets,' 'nature in ornament' and other text-books of ornamental design & mary buckle london: b. t. batsford high holborn bradbury, agnew, & co. ld., printers, london and tonbridge. preface. embroidery may be looked at from more points of view than it would be possible in a book like this to take up seriously. merely to hover round the subject and glance casually at it would serve no useful purpose. it may be as well, therefore, to define our standpoint: we look at the art from its practical side, not, of course, neglecting the artistic, for the practical use of embroidery is to be beautiful. the custom has been, since woman learnt to kill time with the needle, to think of embroidery too much as an idle accomplishment. it is more than that. at the very least it is a handicraft: at the best it is an art. this contention may be to take it rather seriously; but if one esteemed it less it would hardly be worth writing about, and the book, when written, would not be worth the attention of students of embroidery, needleworkers, and designers of needlework to whom it is addressed. it sets forth to show what decorative stitching is, how it is done, and what it can do. it is illustrated by samplers of stitches; by diagrams, to explain the way stitches are done; and by examples of old and modern work, to show the artistic application of the stitches. a feature in the book is the series of samplers designed to show not only what are the available stitches, but the groups into which they naturally gather themselves, as well as the use to which they may be put: and the back of the sampler is given too: the reader has only to turn the page to see the other side of the stitching--which to a needlewoman is often the more helpful. lest that should not be enough, the stitches are described in the text, and a marginal note shows at a glance where the description is given. this should be read needle and thread in hand--or skipped. samplers and other examples of needlework are uniformly on a scale large enough to show the stitch quite plainly. the examples of old work illustrate always, in the first place, some point of workmanship; still they are chosen with some view to their artistic interest. in other respects art is not overlooked; but it is art in harness. design is discussed with reference to stitch and stuff, and stitch and stuff with reference to their use in ornament. it has been endeavoured also to show the effect needlework has had upon pattern, and the ways in which design is affected by the circumstance that it is to be embroidered. the joint authorship of the work needs, perhaps, a word of explanation. this is not just a man's book on a woman's subject. the scheme of it is mine, and i have written it, but with the co-operation throughout of miss mary buckle. our classification of the stitches is the result of many a conference between us. the description of the way the stitches are worked, and so forth, is my rendering of her description, supplemented by practical demonstration with the needle. she has primed me with technical information, and been always at hand to keep me from technical error. with reference to design and art i speak for myself. my thanks are due to the authorities at south kensington for allowing us to handle the treasures of the national collection, and to photograph them for illustration; to mrs. walter crane, miss mabel keighley, and miss c. p. shrewsbury, for permission to reproduce their handiwork; to miss argles, mrs. buxton morrish, colonel green, r.e., and messrs. morris and co., for the loan of work belonging to them; and to miss chart for working the cross-stitch sampler. i must also acknowledge the part my daughter has had in the production of this book: without her constant help it could never have been written. lewis f. day. _january st, ._ contents. chap. page . embroidery and embroidery stitches . canvas stitches . crewel-stitch . chain-stitch . herring-bone-stitch . buttonhole-stitch . feather and oriental stitches . rope and knot stitches . interlacings, surface stitches, and diapers . satin-stitch and its offshoots . darning . laid-work . couching . couched gold . appliquÉ . inlay, mosaic, and cut-work . embroidery in relief . raised gold . quilting . stitch groups . one stitch or many? . outline . shading . figure embroidery . the direction of the stitch . church work . a plea for simplicity . embroidery design . embroidery materials . a word to the worker descriptive list of illustrations. . tapestry--to illustrate work on a warp not on a web. from akhmin in upper egypt. ancient coptic. (in the victoria and albert museum.) . drawn-work on fine linen, embroidered with gold and colour. oriental. (from the collection of mrs. lewis f. day.) . darning and satin-stitch on square mesh--the darning leaf, green, follows the lines of the stuff; outlined with yellow, veined with pink and white; stem, yellow, its foliation pink, outlined with white, and ribbed with blue and white. italian. th century. (v. & a. m.) . cross-stitch upon linen. hungarian. compare illustration . . cross-stitch sampler--a and b, solid; c, line work; d, stroke-stitch--called also holbein-stitch; e, stroke and cross stitches combined. . canvas-stitch in coloured silk upon linen. the band italian, the foliated diaper oriental. (mrs. l. f. d.) . canvas-stitch--design comparatively free, but showing in its outline the influence of the rectangular lines of the weaving. cretan. (mrs. l. f. d.) . canvas-stitch sampler--a, tent-stitch; b, half-cross-stitch; c, cushion-stitch; d, moorish-stitch, so called; e, plait-stitch; f, couching on canvas. . cushion and satin-stitches upon canvas--the satin-stitches follow the lines of the stuff, and form a diaper built upon them. compare illustration . . two varieties of canvas-stitch, the pattern in the bare linen, the background worked--a, plait-stitch, the ornament outlined; b, stitches drawn tightly together so as to pull the threads of the linen apart, giving very much the effect of drawn-work. compare illustration . (mrs. l. f. d.) . crewel-stitch sampler--a and c, crewel-stitch; b and d, outline-stitch; e, back-stitch; f, spots; g and h, stem-stitch; j, crewel and outline-stitches in combination. . back of crewel-stitch sampler. . crewel-work--the stem only worked in crewel-stitch. embroidered in green, blue, and brown wools upon white cotton. old english. (coll. of miss argles.) . crewel-work, in which crewel-stitch hardly occurs. embroidered in coloured wools upon white cotton. old english. (coll. of j. m. knapp, esq.) . crewel-stitch in twisted silk. the scroll in green upon a brownish-purple ground; the smaller leafage upon the scroll in brighter green; the flowers and butterflies in blue and pink. modern. (mrs. l. f. day.) . chain-stitch and knots--part of the same piece of work as illustration . indian. (v. & a. m.) . chain-stitch sampler--a, chain-stitch solid and in line; b, magic stitch; c, church chain; d, cable chain; e, vandyke chain; f, mountmellic chain; g, mountmellic cable--all so called. . back of chain-stitch sampler. . chain and surface stitches--the latter a kind of buttonholing, only occasionally worked _in_to the stuff. part of a lectern cover in white thread upon a thin, greyish white linen stuff. german, th century. (v. & a. m.) . herringbone sampler--a, b, c, varieties of herring-bone; d, a combination of a and c; e, fishbone; f, a close variety of a; g, tapestry stitch, so called. . back of herringbone sampler. . buttonhole sampler--a, b, c, ordinary buttonhole and variations upon it; d, two rows of buttonhole worked slanting one into the other; e, crossed buttonhole; f, tailor's buttonhole; g, ladder (called also cretan) stitch; h, herringbone buttonhole; j, buttonhole diaper. . back of buttonhole sampler. . buttonhole, chain, and knot stitches--chiefly in white floss silk on dark purple satin, with touches of crimson at the points from which the stitches radiate. the rings on the outer ground are not worked, but done in the dyeing of the satin. part of the same piece of work as . modern indian from surat. (v. & a. m.) . feather-stitch sampler--a to g, ordinary feather-stitch and its variations; g g, feather chain. . back of feather-stitch sampler. . oriental-stitch sampler--a to e, oriental-stitch and its varieties; f, oriental-stitch worked into buttonhole; g, not properly a form of oriental-stitch, though bearing some resemblance to it. . back of oriental-stitch sampler. . rope and knot-stitch sampler--a, rope-stitch; b, open rope-stitch; c, what is called german knot-stitch; d, open german knot-stitch; e, old english knot-stitch, so called; f, bullion-stitch; g, french knots. . back of rope and knot-stitch sampler. . a tour-de-force in knots--worked entirely in the one stitch; the drawing lines expressed by voiding. in white and coloured silks upon a very dark blue ground. chinese. (mrs. l. f. d.) . interlacing-stitch sampler--a, interlaced crewel-stitch; b, interlaced back-stitch; c, back-stitch twice interlaced; d, interlaced chain-stitch; e, interlaced darning; f, interlaced herringbone; g, herringbone twice interlaced; h, an interlaced version of c in illustration ; j, interlaced oriental-stitch; k, interlaced feather-stitch. . back of interlacing sampler. . surface-stitch sampler--a, d, g, various surface stitches; b, surface buttonhole; h and c, surface darning; e, japanese darning, as it is called; f, net passing; j, surface buttonhole over bars; k, surface buttonhole over slanting stitches. . lace or surface-stitch and satin-stitch, much of it worn away. in straw-coloured floss upon pale blue silk. part of a dress. french. late th century. (mrs. l. f. d.) . satin-stitch sampler--worked in floss, the stitch in various directions, to give different effects. incidentally it shows various ways of breaking up a surface in satin-stitch. compare with illustration , which shows the effect of the stitch in twisted silk. . back of satin-stitch sampler. . satin-stitch in coarse twisted silk. . satin-stitch in twisted silk--outlines voided. worked in white and occasional red and yellow upon black satin. indian. modern. (v. & a. m.) . satin-stitch and, on the birds' bodies, plumage-stitch--the ends of the stalks worked in french knots; the veins of the leaves in fine white cords laid on to the satin stitch. the outlines voided, and the voiding occasionally worked across with stitches wide enough apart to show the ground between. in white and bright-coloured silk floss upon a black satin ground. chinese. (mrs. l. f. d.) . sampler--showing offshoots from satin and crewel stitches, and incidentally illustrating various ways of shading. a, crewel-stitch; b, plumage-stitch, worked in the hand; c, split-stitch; d, plumage-stitch, worked in the frame. . back of sampler . . darning sampler--except in the background the stitches follow the lines of the drawing, regardless of the weaving of the stuff. the customary outlining of the pattern is here omitted, to show how far it may, or may not, be needful. . darning--designed by william morris. in delicate colours upon a sea-green ground, outlined with black and white. part of the border of a table-cloth, the property of messrs. morris & co. . flat darning--solid and open, following the lines of a square mesh, and stepping in tune with it; the outline voided; all in white thread. old german. (gewerbs museum, munich.) . laid-work sampler, showing various ways (split-stitch and couching) in which the sewing down may be done, and the various directions it may take--vertical, horizontal, following the ornamental forms, or crossing them. . laid-work--the couching crosses the flower forms in straight lines; and in the eye of the flower where the threads cross, the two are sewn down at a single stitch. the spiral stems a sort of laid cord. flower in blue, sewn with blue and outlined with gold; leaves, a bright fresh green stitched with olive. japanese. (v. & a. m.) . laid-work. the sewing down of the leaves crosses them in curved lines which suggest roundness. the stem in gold basket pattern. part of a coverlet. worked upon a cedar-coloured ground chiefly in dark blue and white, the blue couched with white, the white and other colours couched with red. indo-portuguese. th century. (v. & a. m.) . laid-work and some surface-stitch. the stitching which sews down the floss takes the direction of the scroll, &c., and gives drawing. the surface work in the stems is done upon a ladder of stitches across. part of a chalice veil. italian. early th century. (v. & a. m.) . laid-work sampler--the straight lines of laid floss varied in colour to suggest shading. the stalk padded, and the pattern made by the stitching upon it thereby emphasised. . bullion and couched cord--a, the somewhat loose design of the border in bullion shows rather plainly the way it is done. b, the solid discs of spiral cord are unusual, but most characteristic of the method of couching. the stitches sewing down the cord are not apparent. oriental. (mrs. l. f. d.) . sampler of couched silk--the broad central band and the narrow beaded lines are in floss, and show the effect of sewing it more or less tightly down. the two intermediate bands are in cord couched with threads in the direction of its twist, not very easily distinguishable unless by contrast of colour. . couching in looped threads--the effect is not unlike that of chain-stitch or fine knotting. rather over actual size. worked in bright colours upon a pale green crêpe ground. chinese. (mrs. l. f. d.) . reverse couching--showing on the face of it no sign of couching. (after the manner of the syon cope.) . back of reverse couching--showing the parallel lines of couched linen thread which sew down the silk upon the surface (illustration ). the zigzag pattern of the stitching might equally well have taken other lines. . couched gold sampler--a, b, c, d, flat work; e, part flat, part raised; f, g, h, j, basket and other patterns raised over cords. . couching in various diaper patterns, outlined in part with "plate." silver on pale pink silk. (coll. of mrs. t. buxton morrish.) . gold couching in open threads--a, the lines of gold which form a scale pattern on the dragon's body, are wide enough apart to let the red ground grin through. elsewhere the couching, contrary to mediæval practice, follows the shapes, line within line until they are occupied. the floss embroidery, in white and colours, is in surface-satin-stitch. chinese. b, the open lines of gold look somehow richer than if the metal had been worked solid upon the crimson ground. old venetian. (mrs. l. f. d.) . couched outline work; only an occasional detail worked solid; suggests damascening. the border is in gold, the filling in silver, thread on a greyish-green velvet. part of an italian housing or saddlecloth. th century. (v. & a. m.) . appliquÉ--satin upon velvet, outlined with two threads of gold couching. . appliquÉ panel--designed and executed by miss mabel keighley, illustrating a poem by william morris. (the property of the artist.) . a. counter-change pattern, inlay or appliquÉ.--yellow satin and crimson velvet. the outline, which is in gold, falls chiefly upon the yellow, so as not to disturb the exact balance of light and dark, which it is essential to preserve in counter-change. part of a stole. spanish. th century (v. & a. m.) b. appliquÉ, of deep crimson velvet upon white satin, outlined with paler red cord. the outlines, meeting together, form a stem of double cord. italian. th century. (v. & a. m.) . appliquÉ, with couched outline, and stitching upon the appliqué band or ribbon. the dots in the centre of the grapes are french knots. the pattern is in satin of various colours, upon a figured green silk damask, outlined with yellow silk sewn down with yellow. italian. (v. & a. m.) . inlay in coloured cloths, outlined with chain stitch. magic stitch also occurs. a characteristic example of the kind of work done at retsht, in persia. (mrs. l. f. d.) . cut-work in linen--a fret of this kind was often outlined with coloured silk, and the detail within the fretted outline further embroidered in coloured silk. (coll. of mrs. drake.) . sampler of raised work, showing underlays: a, of cloth; b, of twisted cords; c, of parchment; d, of cotton wool; e, first of cotton cord and then of cotton thread; f, of cord; g, of string; h, of sewing. . raised work, showing underlay of linen, and the way it is sewn down--the work is in flax thread, red, yellow, and white, upon a blue linen ground. the stem is dotted with white beads, the ground with gold spangles. part of an altar frontal. german. th century. (v. & a. m.) . raised gold basket patterns, &c., upon white satin. the stalk in flat wire. spanish. th century. (mrs. l. f. d.) . quilt, worked in chain-stitch from the back--which has precisely the effect of back-stitch. yellow silk upon white linen. old english. (v. & a. m.) . raised quilting, in black silk upon pale sea-green satin. part of the border of a prayer cushion. old persian. (mrs. l. f. d.) . diaper of satin-stitch in the making--something between canvas-stitch and satin-stitch. the leafage is in tent-stitch. compare with illustration . (v. & a. m.) . stitches in combination--among them oriental, ladder, buttonhole, chain, crewel, satin, and herringbone stitches, worked in dark blue silk upon unbleached linen. old cretan, so called. (mrs. l. f. d.) . fine needlework upon cambric--the substance of which is apparent upon the upper edge of the work. in the ground-work of the pattern generally the threads are drawn together to form an open net. the stitches occurring in the collar of which this is part are, buttonhole, satin, chain, herringbone, cross, and back stitches. the outline is mostly in fine cross-stitch. nothing could exceed the delicacy of the workmanship, which is in its kind perfect. old english. (coll. of col. green, r.e.) . part of a design by walter crane, cunningly adapted to execution in needlework. shows the direction of the stitch, and the part it can be made to play in expressing form. worked in coloured silks upon linen by mrs. walter crane, whose property the work is. . shading in chain-stitch in silk and chenille upon a satin ground. the shading very deliberately schemed by the designer. in natural colours upon white. french. louis seize. (v. & a. m.) . shading in short stitches; picturesque to the point of a touch of white in the glistening yellow of the dove's eye. chenille, in chain-stitch, is used for the wreath and in the leaves of the flower sprigs. these are in colours, the birds are in silvery greys, all on a white satin ground. french. louis seize. (v. & a. m.) . shading in long-and-short and split stitches, with more regard to expression of form than to neatness of execution. german. th century. (v. & a. m.) . chain-stitch, showing in the figures of the little men what a draughtsman can express in a few stitches. full size. chinese. (mrs. l. f. d.) . figure work--the flesh in straight upright stitches, the drapery laid and couched. english. th century. (v. & a. m.) . consummate figure embroidery--canvas ground entirely covered. flesh in coloured silks, short-stitch; drapery coloured silks over gold, which only gleams through in the lighter parts. architecture closely couched gold. part of an orphrey. florentine. th century. (v. & a. m.) . chinese figures--the flesh in short satin-stitches, the rest in chain-stitch; chiefly in blue and white upon a figured white silk ground. about actual size. (mrs. l. f. d.) . satin-stitch, showing the influence of its direction upon the tone of colour. the pattern is all in one shade of yellow-brown floss upon white linen. the outline steps with the weaving, and so shows connection between satin and canvas stitches. italian, th century. (v. & a. m.) . meaningless direction of stitch--satin and herring-bone stitches. from an altar-cloth. german. th century. (v. & a. m.) . more expressive lines of stitching--to compare with illustration . . satin and plumage stitches chiefly, the bird's crest in french knots, the clouds about him in knotted braid. the direction of the stitch is most artfully chosen, and the precision of the work is faultless. the satin ground is of brilliant orange-red; the crane, white, with black tail feathers, scarlet crest, and yellow beak and legs; the clouds, black and white and blue. japanese. (mrs. l. f. d.) . renaissance church work in gold and silver, partly flat, partly in relief, upon pale blue satin, with touches of pink and crimson silk to give emphasis. spanish. th century. compare the stem with illustration , b. (v. & a. m.) . gothic church work--the flesh, &c., in split-stitch; the vine-leaves green, getting yellower as it nears the crimson silk ground. part of a cope embroidered with a representation of the tree of jesse. english. ca. . (v. & a. m.) . modern church work on linen, in long-and-short stitch. veins padded with embroidery cotton and worked over with two threads of filo-floss, a green and a blue; the rest of the leaves worked in one shade of stout floss. all this applied to velvet with a couching of brown filoselle, and the tendrils added. designed and executed by miss c. p. shrewsbury. (the property of the artist.) . simple stitching on linen, the broader bands in a canvas stitch in yellow, the finer lines in back-stitch in pale grey silk. italian. (mrs. l. f. d.) . simple couched outline work, in purplish silk cord upon linen. part of an altar-cloth. italian. th century. (v. & a. m.) . renaissance ornament--most gracefully designed arabesque. the raised outline (couched) has somewhat the effect of cloisons, the satin-stitch (in colours) of brilliant enamel. it is upon a white satin ground. the foreshortened face in the picture is _painted_ upon satin. italian. ca. . (v. & a. m.) . appliquÉ design, in yellow satin upon crimson velvet--double outline; next the red, white, sewn with pale blue; next the yellow, gold. midrib of the leaf couched silver. spanish, th century. (v. & a. m.) . satin-stitch--except that the heart-shaped features at the base and the lily-shaped flowers, of which only the tips are shown, are outlined with fine white cord. part of a fan, worked by miss buckle, from a design by l. f. d. (the property of the worker.) . leather appliquÉ upon velvet--the stitching well within the edge of the leather. errata. page . diagram belongs to g (stem-stitch) described on page , not c (thick crewel-stitch). page , nd line. for "lower" read "upper." art in needlework. embroidery and stitching. embroidery begins with the needle, and the needle (thorn, fish-bone, or whatever it may have been) came into use so soon as ever savages had the wit to sew skins and things together to keep themselves warm--modesty, we may take it, was an afterthought--and if the stitches made any sort of pattern, as coarse stitching naturally would, that was _embroidery_. the term is often vaguely used to denote all kinds of ornamental needlework, and some with which the needle has nothing to do. that is misleading; though it is true that embroidery does touch, on the one side, _tapestry_, which may be described as a kind of embroidery with the shuttle, and, on the other, _lace_, which is needlework pure and simple, construction "in the air" as the italian name has it. the term is used in common parlance to express any kind of superficial or superfluous ornamentation. a poet is said to embroider the truth. but such metaphorical use of the word hints at the real nature of the work--embellishment, enrichment, _added_. if added, there must first of all be something it is added _to_--the material, that is to say, on which the needlework is done. in weaving (even tapestry weaving) the pattern is got by the inter-threading of warp and weft. in lace, too, it is got out of the threads which make the stuff. in embroidery it is got by threads worked _on_ a fabric first of all woven on the loom, or, it might be, netted. there is inevitably a certain amount of overlapping of the crafts. for instance, take a form of embroidery common in all countries, eastern, hungarian, or nearer home, in which certain of the weft threads of the linen are _drawn out_, and the needlework is executed upon the warp threads thus revealed. this is, strictly speaking, a sort of tapestry with the needle, just as, it was explained, tapestry itself may be described as a sort of embroidery with the shuttle. that will be clearly seen by reference to illustration , which shows a fragment of ancient tapestry found in a coptic tomb in upper egypt. in the lower portion of it the pattern appears light on dark. as a matter of fact, it was wrought in white and red upon a linen warp; but, as it happened, only the white threads were of linen, like the warp, the red were woollen, and in the course of fifteen hundred years or so much of this red wool has perished, leaving the white pattern intact on the warp, the threads of which are laid bare in the upper part of the illustration. [illustration: . tapestry, showing warp.] it is on just such upright lines of warp that all tapestry, properly so called, is worked--whether with the shuttle or with the needle makes no matter--and there is good reason, therefore, for the name of "tapestry stitch" to describe needlework upon the warp threads only of a material (usually linen) from which some of the weft threads have been _withdrawn_. the only difference between true tapestry and drawn work, an example of which is here given, is, that the one is done on a warp that has not before been woven upon, and the other on a warp from which the weft threads have been _drawn_. the distinction, therefore, between tapestry and embroidery is, that, worked on a warp, as in illustration , it is tapestry; worked on a mesh, as in illustration , it is embroidery. [illustration: . drawn work.] with regard, again, to lace. that is itself a web, independent of any groundwork or foundation to support it. but it is possible to work it _over_ a silken or other surface; and there is a kind of embroidery which only floats on the surface of the material without penetrating it. a fragment of last century silk given in illustration shows plainly what is meant. [illustration: . stitching on a square mesh.] embroidery is enrichment by means of the needle. to embroider is to work _on_ something: a groundwork is presupposed. and we usually understand by embroidery, needlework in thread (it may be wool, cotton, linen, silk, gold, no matter what) upon a textile material, no matter what. in short, it is the decoration of a material woven in thread by means still of thread. it is thus _the_ consistent way of ornamenting stuff--most consistent of all when one kind of thread is employed throughout, as in the case of linen upon linen, silk upon silk. the enrichment may, however, rightly be, and oftenest is, perhaps, in a material nobler than the stuff enriched, in silk upon linen, in wool upon cotton, in gold upon velvet. the advisability of working upon a precious stuff in thread _less_ precious is open to question. it does not seem to have been satisfactorily done; but if it were only the background that was worked, and the pattern were so schemed as almost to cover it, so that, in fact, very little of the more beautiful texture was sacrificed, and you had still a sumptuous pattern on a less attractive background--why not? but then it would be because you wanted that less precious texture there. the excuse of economy would scarcely hold good. in the case of a material in itself unsightly, the one course is to cover it entirely with stitching, as did the persian and other untireable people of the east. but not they only. the famous syon cope is so covered. much of the work so done, all-over work that is to say, competes in effect with tapestry or other weaving; and its purpose was similar: it is a sort of amateur way of working your own stuff. but in character it is no more nearly related to the work of the loom than other needlework--it is still work _on_ stuff. for all-over embroidery one chooses, naturally, a coarse canvas ground to work on; but it more often happens that one chooses canvas because one means to cover it, than that one works all over a ground because it is unpresentable. embroidery is merely an affair of stitching; and the first thing needful alike to the worker in it and the designer for it is, a thorough acquaintance with the stitches; not, of course, with every modification of a modification of a stitch which individual ingenuity may have devised--it would need the space of an encyclopædia to chronicle them all--but with the broadly marked varieties of stitch which have been employed to best purpose in ornament. they are derived, naturally, from the stitches first used for quite practical and prosaic purposes--buttonhole stitch, for example, to keep the edges of the stuff from fraying; herring-bone, to strengthen and disguise a seam; darning, to make good a worn surface; and so on. the difficulty of discussing them is greatly increased by the haphazard way in which they are commonly named. a stitch is called greek, spanish, mexican, or what not, according to the country whence came the work in which some one first found it. each names it after his or her individual discovery, or calls it, perhaps, vaguely oriental; and so we have any number of names for the same stitch, names which to different people stand often for quite different stitches. when this confusion is complicated by the invention of a new name for every conceivable combination of thread-strokes, or for each slightest variation upon an old stitch, and even for a stitch worked from left to right instead of from right to left, or for a stitch worked rather longer than usual, the task of reducing them to order seems almost hopeless. nor do the quasi-learned descriptions of old stitches help us much. one reads about _opus_ this and _opus_ that, until one begins to wonder where, amidst all this parade of science, art comes in. but you have not far to go in the study of the authorities to discover that, though they may concur in using certain high-sounding latin terms, they are not of the same mind as to their meaning. in one thing they all agree, foreign writers as well as english, and that is, as to the difficulty of identifying the stitch referred to by ancient writers, themselves probably not acquainted with the _technique_ of stitching, and as likely as not to call it by a wrong name. it is easier, for example, to talk of _opus anglicanum_ than to say precisely what it was, further than that it described work done in england; and for that we have the simple word--english. there is nothing to show that mediæval english work contained stitches not used elsewhere. the stitches probably all come from the east. nomenclature, then, is a snare. why not drop titles, and call stitches by the plainest and least mistakable names? it will be seen, if we reduce them to their native simplicity, that they fall into fairly-marked groups, or families, which can be discussed each under its own head. stitches may be grouped in all manner of arbitrary ways--according to their provenance, according to their effect, according to their use, and so on. the most natural way of grouping them is according to their structure; not with regard to whence they came, or what they do, but according to what they are, the way they are worked. this, at all events, is no arbitrary classification, and this is the plan it is proposed here to adopt. the use of such classification hardly needs pointing out. a survey of the stitches is the necessary preliminary, either to the design or to the execution of needlework. how else suit the design to the stitch, the stitch to the design? in order to do the one the artist must be quite at home among the stitches; in order to do the other the embroidress must have sympathy enough with a design to choose the stitch or stitches which will best render it. an artist who thinks the working out of his sketch none of his business is no practical designer; the worker who thinks design a thing apart from her is only a worker. this is not the moment to urge upon the needlewoman the study of design, but to urge upon the designer the study of stitches. nothing is more impractical than to make a design without realising the labour involved in its execution. any one not in sympathy with stitching may possibly design a beautiful piece of needlework, but no one will get all that is to be got out of the needle without knowing all about it. one must understand the ways in which work can be done in order to determine the way it shall in any particular case be done. certain stitches answer certain purposes, and strictly only those. the designer must know which stitch answers which purpose, or he will in the first place waste the labour of the embroidress, and in the second miss his effect, which is to waste his own pains too. the effective worker (designer or embroiderer) is the one who works with judgment--and you cannot judge unless you know. when it is remembered that the character of needlework, and by rights also the character of its design, depends upon the stitch, there will be no occasion to insist further upon the necessity of a comprehensive survey of the stitches. a stitch may be defined as the thread left on the surface of the cloth or what not, after each ply of the needle. and the simple straightforward stitches of this kind are not so many as one might suppose. they may be reduced indeed to a comparatively few types, as will be seen in the following chapters. canvas stitches. the simplest, as it is most likely the earliest used, stitch-group is what might best be called canvas stitch--of which cross-stitch is perhaps the most familiar type, the class of stitches which come of following, as it is only natural to do, the mesh of a coarse canvas, net, or open web upon which the work is done. a stitch bears always, or should bear, some relation to the material on which it is worked; but canvas or very coarse linen almost compels a stitch based upon the cross lines of its woof, and indeed suggests designs of equally rigid construction. that is so in embroidery no matter where. in ancient byzantine or coptic work, in modern cretan work, and in peasant embroidery all the world over, pattern work on coarse linen has run persistently into angular lines--in which, because of that very angularity, the plain outcome of a way of working, we find artistic character. artistic design is always expressive of its mode of workmanship. work of this kind is not too lightly to be dismissed. there is art in the rendering of form by means of angular outlines, art in the choice of forms which can be expressed by such lines. it is not uncharitable to surmise that one reason why such work (once so universal and now quite out of fashion) is not popular with needlewomen may be, the demand it makes upon the designer's draughtmanship: it is much easier, for example, to draw a stag than to render the creature satisfactorily within jagged lines determined by a linen mesh. [illustration: . cross-stitch.] the piquancy about natural or other forms thus reduced to angularity argues, of course, no affectation of quaintness on the part of the worker, but was the unavoidable outcome of her way of work. there is a pronounced and early limit to art of this rather naïve kind, but that there is art in some of the very simplest and most modest peasant work built up on those lines no artist will deny. the art in it is usually in proportion to its modesty. nothing is more futile than to put it to anything like pictorial purpose. the wonderfully wrought pictures in tent-stitch, for example, bequeathed to us by the th century, are painful object lessons in what not to do. the origin of the term cross-stitch is not far to seek: the stitches worked upon the square mesh do cross. but, falling naturally into the lines of the mesh which governs them, they present not so much the appearance of crosses as of squares, reminding one of the tesseræ employed in mosaic. [sidenote: to work cross stitch.] to explain the process of working cross-stitch would be teaching one's grandmother indeed. it is simply, as its name implies, crossing one stitch by another, following always the lines of the canvas. but the important thing about it is that the stitches must cross always in the same way; and, more than that, they must be worked in the same direction, or the mere fact that the stitches at the _back_ of the work do not run in the same way will disturb the evenness of the surface. what looks like a seam on the sampler opposite is the result of filling up a gap in the ground with stitches necessarily worked in vertical, whereas the ground generally is in horizontal, lines. on the face of the work the stitches cross all in the same way. the common use of cross-stitch and the somewhat geometric kind of pattern to which it lends itself are shown in the sampler, illustration . the broad and simple leafage, worked solid (a) or left in the plain canvas upon a groundwork of solid stitching (b), and the fretted diaper on vertical and horizontal lines (c), show the most straightforward ways of using it. [illustration: . cross-stitch sampler.] the criss-cross of alternating cross-stitches and open canvas framed by the key pattern (c) shows a means of getting something like a tint halfway between solid work and plain ground. the mere work line--or "stroke-stitch," not crossed (d), is a perfectly fair way of getting a delicate effect; but the design has a way of working out rather less happily than it promised. the addition of such stroke-stitches to solid cross-stitch (e) is not at best a very happy device. it strikes one always as a confession of dissatisfaction on the part of the worker with the simple means of her choice. as a device for, as it were, correcting the stepped outline it is at its worst. timid workers are always afraid of the stepped outline which a coarse mesh gives. in that they are wrong. one should employ canvas stitch only where there is no objection to a line which keeps step with the canvas; then there is a positive charm (for frank people at least) in the frank confession of the way the work is done. there are many degrees in the frankness with which this convention has been accepted, according perhaps to the coarseness of the canvas ground, perhaps to the personality of the worker. the animal forms at the top of illustration are uncompromisingly square; the floral devices on the same page, though they fall, as it were inevitably, into square lines, are less rigidly formal. the inevitableness of the square line is apparent in the sprig below ( ). it was evidently meant to be freely drawn, but the influence of the mesh betrays itself; and the design, if it loses something in grace, gains also thereby in character. [illustration: . canvas-stitch.] [illustration: . canvas-stitch.] there is literally no end to the variety of stitches, as they are called, belonging to this group, and their names are a babel of confusion. florentine, parisian, hungarian, spanish, moorish, cashmere, milanese, gobelin, are only a few of them; but they stand, as a rule, rather for stitch arrangements than for stitches. a small selection of them is given in illustration . [sidenote: tent-stitch a.] what is known as tent-stitch (a in the sampler opposite) is a sort of half cross-stitch; its peculiarity is that it covers only one thread of the canvas at a stroke, and is therefore on a more minute scale than stitches which are two or three threads wide, as cross-stitch may, and cushion-stitch must, be. it derives its name from the old word tenture, or tenter (_tendere_, to stretch), the frame on which the embroidress distended her canvas. the word has gone out of use, but we still speak of tenter-hooks. the stitch is serviceable enough in its way, but is discredited by the monstrous abuse of it referred to already. a picture in tent-stitch is even more foolish than a picture in mosaic. it cannot come anywhere near to pictorial effect; the tesseræ will pronounce themselves, and spoil it. [illustration: . canvas-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . cushion and satin stitches.] [sidenote: cross-stitch b.] this kind of half cross-stitch worked on the larger scale of ordinary cross-stitch would look meagre. it is filled out, therefore (b), by horizontal lines of the thread laid across the canvas, and over these the stitch is worked. [sidenote: cushion-stitch c.] cushion-stitch consists of diagonal lines of upright stitches, measuring in the sampler (c) six threads of the canvas, so that after each stitch the needle may be brought out just three threads lower than where it was put in. by working in zigzag instead of diagonal lines, a familiar pattern is produced, more often described as "florentine;" but the stitch is in any case the same. [sidenote: canvas-stitch d.] the stitch at d (sometimes called moorish stitch) is begun by working a row of short vertical stitches, slightly apart, and completed by diagonal stitches joining them. unless the silk employed is full and soft, this may not completely cover the canvas, in which case the diagonal stitches must further be crossed as shown on illustration . if the linen is loosely woven and the thread is tightly drawn in the working, the mesh is pulled apart, giving the effect of an open lattice of the kind shown at b, on illustration , in which the threads of the linen are not drawn out but drawn together. [sidenote: canvas-stitch e.] the way of working the stitch at e is described on page , under the name of "fish-bone." worked on canvas it has somewhat the effect of plaiting, and goes by the name of "plait-stitch." it is worked in horizontal rows alternately from left to right and from right to left. [sidenote: canvas-stitch f.] the stitch at f is a sort of couching (see page ). diagonal lines of thread are first laid from edge to edge of the ground space, and these are sewn down by short overcasting stitches in the cross direction. admirable canvas stitch work has been done upon linen in silk of one colour--red, green, or blue--and it was a common practice to work the background leaving the pattern in the bare stuff. it prevailed in countries lying far apart, though probably not without inter-communication. in fact, the influence of oriental work upon european has been so great that even experts hesitate sometimes to say whether a particular piece of work is turkish or italian. in italian work, at least, it was usual to get over the angularity of silhouette inherent in canvas stitches by working an outline separately. when that is thin, the effect is proportionately feeble. the broader outline (shown at a, illustration ) justifies itself, and in the case of a stitch which falls into horizontal lines, it appears to be necessary. this is plait stitch, known also by the name of spanish stitch--not that it is in any way peculiar to spain. it is allied to herring-bone-stitch, to which a special chapter is devoted. [illustration: . plait and open canvas stitches.] darning is also employed as a canvas stitch. there is beautiful th century italian work (in coloured silks on dark net of the very open square mesh of the period), which is most effective, and in which there is no pretence of disguising the stepped outline; and in the very early days of christian art in egypt and byzantium, linen was darned in little square tufts of wool upstanding on its surface, which look so much like the tesseræ of mosaic that it seems as if they must have been worked in deliberate imitation of it. again, in the th century satin-stitch was worked on fine linen with strict regard to the lines of its web; and the persians, ancient and modern, embroider white silk upon linen, also in satin-stitch, preserving piously the rectangular and diagonal lines given by the material. they have their reward in producing most characteristic needlework. the diapered ground in illustration (page ) is satin-stitch upon coarse linen. the filling-in patterns used to such delicate and dainty purpose in the marvellous work on fine cambric (illustration ) which competes in effect with lace, though it is strictly embroidery, all follow in their design the lines of the fabric, and are worked thread by thread according to its woof: they afford again instances of perfect adaptation of stitch to material and of design to stitch. satin and other stitches were worked by the old italians (illustration ) on square-meshed canvas, frankly on the square lines given by it, for the filling in of ornamental details, though the outline might be much less formal. that is to say, the surface of freely-drawn leaves, &c., instead of being worked solid, was diapered over with more or less open pattern work constructed on the lines of the weaving. a cunning use of the square mesh of canvas has sometimes been made to guide the worker upon other fabrics, such as velvet. this was first faced with net: the design was then worked, over that, on to and into the velvet, and the threads of the canvas were then drawn out. that is a device which may serve on occasion. the design may even be traced upon the net. crewel-stitch. for work in the hand, crewel-stitch is perhaps, on the whole, the easiest and most useful of stitches; whence it comes that people sometimes vaguely call all embroidery crewel work; though, as a matter of fact, the stitch properly so called was never very commonly employed, even when the work was done in "crewel," the double thread of twisted wool from which it takes its name. [illustration: the working of a on crewel-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . crewel-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . crewel-stitch sampler (back).] [sidenote: to work a.] crewel-stitch proper is shown at a on the sampler opposite, where it is used for line work. it is worked as follows:--having made a start in the usual way, keep your thread downwards under your left thumb and below your needle--that is, to the right; then take up with the needle, say / th of an inch of the stuff, and bring it out through the hole made in starting the stitch, taking care not to pierce the thread. this gives the first half stitch. if you proceed in the same way your next stitch will be full length. the test of good workmanship is that at the back it should look like back-stitch (illustration ), described on page . [illustration: the working of b on crewel-stitch sampler.] [sidenote: to work b.] outline-stitch (b on sampler) differs from crewel-stitch only in that the thread is always kept upwards above the needle, that is to the left. in so doing the thread is apt to untwist itself, and wants constantly re-twisting. the stitch is useful for single lines and for outlining solid work. the muddled effect of much crewel work is due to the confusion of this stitch with crewel-stitch proper. [sidenote: to work c.] thick crewel-stitch (c on sampler) is only a little wider than ordinary crewel-stitch, but gives a heavier line, in higher relief. in effect it resembles rope-stitch, but it is more simply worked. you begin as in ordinary crewel-stitch, but after the first half-stitch you take up / th of an inch of the material in advance of the last stitch, and bring out your needle at the point where the first half-stitch began. you proceed, always putting your needle in / th of an inch in front of, and bringing it out / th of an inch behind, the last stitch, so as to have always / th of an inch of the stuff on your needle. [illustration: the working of g on crewel-stitch sampler.] [sidenote: to work d.] thick outline-stitch (d on sampler) is like thick crewel-stitch with the exception that, as in ordinary outline-stitch (b), you keep your thread always above the needle to the left. [sidenote: to work e.] in back-stitch (e), instead of first bringing the needle out at the point where the embroidery is to begin, you bring it out / th of an inch in advance of it. then, putting your needle back, you take up this / th together with another / th in advance. for the next stitch you put your needle into the hole made by the last stitch, and so on, taking care not to split the last thread in so doing. [sidenote: to work f.] to work the spots (f) on sampler--having made a back-stitch, bring your needle out through the same hole as before, and make another back-stitch above it, so that you have, in what appears to be one stitch, two thicknesses of thread; then bring your needle out some distance in advance of the last stitch, and proceed as before. the distance between the stitches is determined by the effect you desire to produce. the thread should not be drawn too tight. [illustration: . crewel work and crewel-stitch.] [sidenote: to work g.] you begin stem-stitch (g) with the usual half-stitch. then, holding the thread downwards, instead of proceeding as in crewel-stitch (a) you slant your needle so as to bring it out a thread or two higher up than the half-stitch, but precisely above it. you next put the needle in / th of an inch in advance of the last stitch, and, as before, bring it out again in a slanting direction a thread or two higher. at the back of the work (illustration ) the stitches lie in a slanting direction. [sidenote: to work h.] to work wider stem-stitch (h). after the first two stitches, bring your needle out precisely above and in a line with them, and put it in again / th of an inch in advance of the last stitch, producing a longer stroke, which gives the measure of those following. the slanting stitches at the back (illustration ) are only two-thirds of the length of those on the face. crewel and outline stitches worked (j) side by side give somewhat the effect of a braid. the importance of not confusing them, already referred to, is here apparent. crewel-stitch is worked solid in the heart-shape in the centre of the sampler. on the left side the rows of stitching follow the outline of the heart; on the right they are more upright, merely conforming a little to the shape to be filled. this is the better method. [illustration: . crewel work in various stitches.] [sidenote: to work solid crewel-stitch.] the way to work solid crewel-stitch will be best explained by an instance. suppose a leaf to be worked. you begin by outlining it; if it is a wide leaf, you further work a centre line where the main rib would be, and then work row within row of stitches until the space is filled. if on arriving at the point of your leaf, instead of going round the edge, you work back by the side of the first row of stitching, there results a streakiness of texture, apparent in the stem on illustration . what you get is, in effect, a combination of crewel and outline stitches, as at j, which in the other case only occurs in the centre of the shape where the files of stitches meet. to represent shading in crewel-stitch, to which it is admirably suited (a, illustration ), it is well to work from the darkest shadows to the highest lights. and it is expedient to map out on the stuff the outline of the space to be covered by each shade of thread. there is no difficulty then in working round that shape, as above explained. in solid crewel the stitches should quite cover the ground without pressing too closely one against the other. [illustration: . crewel-stitch in twisted silk.] it does not seem that englishwomen of the th century were ever very faithful to the stitch we know by the name of crewel. old examples of work done entirely in crewel-stitch, as distinguished from what is called crewel work, are seldom if ever to be met with. the stitch occurs in most of the old english embroidery in wool; but it is astonishing, when one comes to examine the quilts and curtains of a couple of hundred years or so ago, how very little of the woolwork on them is in crewel-stitch. the detail on illustration was chosen because it contained more of it than any other equal portion of a handsome and typical english hanging; but it is only in the main stem, and in some of the outlines, that the stitch is used. and that appears to have been the prevailing practice--to use crewel-stitch for stems and outlines, and for little else but the very simplest forms. the filling in of the leafage, the diapering within the leaf shapes, and the smaller and more elaborate details generally were done in long-and-short-stitch, or whatever came handiest. in fact, the thing to be represented, fruit, berry, flower, or what not, seems to have suggested the stitch, which it must be confessed was sometimes only a sort of scramble to get an effect. of course the artist always chooses her stitch, and she is free to alter it as occasion may demand; but a good workwoman (and the embroidress is a needlewoman first and an artist afterwards, perhaps) adopts in every case a method, and departs from it only for very good reason. it looks as if our ancestors had set to work without system or guiding principle at all. no doubt they got a bold and striking effect in their bed-hangings and the like; but there is in their work a lack of that conscious aim which goes to make art. theirs is art of the rather artless sort which is just now so popular. happily it was kept in the way it should go by a strict adherence to traditional pattern, which for the time being seems to have gone completely out of fashion. quite in the traditional manner is illustration . one would fancy at first sight that the work was almost entirely in crewel-stitch. as a matter of fact, there is little which answers to the name, as an examination of the back of the work shows plainly enough. what the stitches are it is not easy to say. the mystery of many a stitch is to be unravelled only by literally picking out the threads, which one is not always at liberty to do, although, in the ardour of research, a keen embroidress will do it--not without remorse in the case of beautiful work, but relentlessly all the same. the only piece of embroidery entirely in crewel-stitch which i could find for illustration ( ) is worked, as it happens, in silk; nor was the worker aware that in so working she was doing anything out of the common. another instance of crewel-stitch is given in the divided skirt, let us call it, of the personage in illustration . beautiful back-stitching occurs in the italian work on illustration , and the stitch is used for sewing down the _appliqué_ in illustration . chain-stitch. [illustration: . chain-stitch and knots.] chain and tambour stitch are in effect practically the same, and present the same rather granular surface. the difference between them is that chain-stitch is done in the hand with an ordinary needle, and tambour-stitch in a frame with a hook sharper at the turning point than an ordinary crochet hook. one takes it rather for granted that work which was presumably done in the hand (a large quilt, for example) is chain-stitch, and that what seems to have been done in a frame is tambour work, though it is possible, but not advisable of course, to work chain-stitch in a frame. chain-stitch is not to be confounded with split-stitch (see page ), which somewhat resembles it. [illustration: . chain-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . chain-stitch sampler (back).] [sidenote: to work a.] to work chain-stitch (a on the sampler, illustration ) bring the needle out, hold the thread down with the left thumb, put the needle in again at the hole through which you brought it out, take up / of an inch of stuff, and draw the thread through: that gives you the first link of the chain. the back of the work ( ) looks like back-stitch. in fact, in the quilted coverlet, illustration (as in much similar work of the period), the outline pattern, which you might take for back-stitching, proves to have been worked from the back in chain-stitch. the same thing occurs in the case of the persian quilt in illustration . [sidenote: to work b.] a playful variation upon chain-stitch (b on the sampler, illustration ) is effected by the use of two threads of different colour. take in your needle a dark and a light thread, say the dark one to the left, and bring them out at the point at which your work begins. hold the dark thread under your thumb, and, keeping the light one to the right, well out of the way, draw both threads through; this makes a dark link; the light thread disappears, and comes out again to the left of the dark one, ready to be held under the thumb while you make a light link. this "magic stitch," as it has been called, is no new invention. it is to be found in persian, indian, and italian renaissance work. an instance of it occurs in illustration . [sidenote: to work c.] a variety of chain-stitch (c on the sampler, illustration ) used often in church work, more solid in appearance, the links not being so open, is rather differently done. begin a little in advance of the starting point of your work, hold the thread under your thumb, put the needle in again at the starting point slightly to the left, bring your needle out about / th of an inch below where it first went in but precisely on the same line, and you have the first link of your chain. [sidenote: to work d.] to work what is known as cable-chain (d on the sampler, illustration ) keep your thread to the right, put in your needle, pointing downwards, a little below the starting point, and bring it out about / th of an inch below where you put it in; then put it through the little stitch just formed, from right to left, hold your thread towards the left under your thumb, put your needle through the stitch now in process of making from right to left, draw up the thread, and the first two links of your chain are made. [sidenote: to work e.] a zigzag chain, of a rather fancy description, goes by the name of vandyke chain (e on the sampler, illustration ). to make it, bring your needle out at a point which is to be the left edge of your work, and make a slanting chain-stitch from left to right; then, putting your needle into that, make another slanting stitch, this time from right to left--and so to and fro to the end. [sidenote: to work f.] the braid-stitch shown at f on the sampler (illustration ) is worked as follows, horizontally from right to left. bring your needle out at a point which is to be the lower edge of your work, throw your thread round to the left, and, keeping it all the time loosely under your thumb, put your needle under the thread and twist it once round to the right. then, at the upper edge of your work, put in the needle and slide the thread towards the right, bring the needle out exactly below where you put it in, carry your thread under the needle towards the left, draw the thread tight, and your first stitch is done. [illustration: the working of f on chain-stitch sampler.] [sidenote: to work g.] a yet more fanciful variety of braid-stitch (g on the sampler, illustration ) is worked vertically, downwards. having, as before, put your needle under the thread and twisted it once round, put it in at a point which is to be the left edge of your work, and, instead of bringing it out immediately below that point, slant it to the right, bringing it out on that edge of the work, and finish your stitch as in the case of f. these braid-stitches look best worked in stout thread of close texture. in covering a surface with chain-stitch (needlework or tambour) the usual plan is to follow the contour of the design, working chain within chain until the leaf or whatever it may be is filled in. this stitch is rarely worked in lines across the forms, but it has been effectively used in that way, following always the lines of the warp and weft of the stuff. even in that case the successive lines of stitching should be all in one direction--not running backwards and forwards--or it will result in a sort of pattern of braided lines. the reason for the more usual practice of following the outline of the design is obvious. the stitch lends itself to sweeping, even to perfectly spiral, lines--such as occur in greek wave patterns: it was, in fact, made use of in that way by the greeks some four or five centuries b.c. [illustration: the working of g on chain-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . chain and surface stitches.] we owe the tambour frame, they say, to china; but it has been largely used, and abused indeed, in england. tambour work, when once you have the trick of it, is very quickly done--in about one-sixth of the time it would take to do it with the needle. it has the further advantage that it serves equally well for embroidery on a light or on a heavy stuff, and that it is most lasting. the misfortune is that the sewing machine has learnt to do something at once so like it and so mechanically even, as to discredit genuine hand-work, whether tambour work or chain-stitch. for all that, neither is to be despised. if they have often a mechanical appearance that is not all the fault of the stitch: the worker is to blame. indian embroiderers depart sometimes so far from mechanical precision as to shock the admirers of monotonously even work. artistic use of chain stitch is made in many of our illustrations: for outlines in illustrations and ; for surface covering in mr. crane's lion, illustration ; to represent landscape in illustration , where everything except the faces of the little men is in chain-stitch; and again for figure work in illustration . in illustration it occurs in association with a curious surface stitch; in illustration it is used to outline and otherwise supplement inlay. the old italians did not disdain to use it. in fact, wherever artists have employed it, they show that there is nothing inherently inartistic about the stitch. herring-bone stitch. herring-bone is the name by which it is customary to distinguish a variety of stitches somewhat resembling the spine of a fish such as the herring. it would be simpler to describe them as "fish-bone;" but that term has been appropriated to describe a particular variety of it. one would have thought it more convenient to use fish for the generic term, and a particular fish for the specific. however, it saves confusion to use names as far as possible in their accepted sense. it will be seen from the sampler, illustration , that this stitch may be worked open or tolerably close; but in the latter case it loses something of its distinctive character. fine lines may be worked in it, but it appears most suited to the working of broadish bands and other more or less even-sided or, it may be, tapering forms, more feathery in effect than fish-bone-like, such as are shown at e on sampler. ordinary herring-bone is such a familiar stitch that the necessity of describing it is rather a matter of literary consistency than of practical importance. the two simpler forms of herring-bone (it is always worked from left to right, and begun with a half-stitch) marked a and c on the sampler are strikingly different in appearance, and are worked in different ways--as will be seen at once by reference to the back of the sampler (illustration ), where the stitches take in the one case a horizontal and in the other a vertical direction. [sidenote: to work a.] to work a, bring your needle out about the centre of the line to be worked; put it into the lower edge of the line about / th of an inch further on; take up this much of the stuff, and, keeping the thread to the right, above the needle, draw it through. then, with the thread below it, to the right, put your needle into the upper edge of the line / th of an inch further on, and, turning it backwards, take up again / th of an inch of stuff, bringing it out immediately above where it went in on the lower edge. [sidenote: to work b.] what is called "indian herring-bone" (b) is merely stitch a worked in longer and more slanting stitches, so that there is room between them for a second row in another colour, the two colours being, of course, properly interlaced. [sidenote: to work c.] to work c, bring your needle out as for a, and, putting it in at the upper edge of the line to be worked and pointing it downwards, whilst your thread lies to the right, take up ever so small a piece of the stuff. then, slightly in advance of the last stitch, the thread still to the right, your needle now pointing upwards, take another similar stitch from the lower edge. [illustration: . herring-bone sampler.] [illustration: . herring-bone sampler (back).] [sidenote: to work d.] the variety at d is merely a combination of a and c, as may be seen by reference to the back of the sampler (opposite); though the short horizontal stitches there seen meet, instead of being wide apart as in the case of a. [illustration: the working of e on herring-bone sampler.] [sidenote: to work e.] what is known as "fish-bone" is illustrated in the three feathery shapes on the sampler (e), two of which are worked rather open. it is characteristic of this stitch that it has a sort of spine up the centre where the threads cross. suppose the stitch to be worked horizontally. bring your needle out on the under edge of the spine about / th of an inch from the starting point of the work, and put it in on the upper edge of the work at the starting point, bringing it out immediately below that on the lower edge of the work. put it in again on the upper edge of the spine, rather in advance of where it came out on the lower edge of it before, and bring it out on the lower edge of this spine immediately below where it entered. [illustration: the working of f on herring-bone sampler.] [sidenote: to work f.] in close herring-bone (f on the sampler, illustration ) you have always a long stitch from left to right, crossed by a shorter stitch which goes from right to left. having made a half stitch, bring the needle out at the beginning of the line to be worked, at the lower edge, and put it in / th of an inch from the beginning of the upper edge. bring it out again at the beginning of this edge and put it in at the lower edge / th of an inch from the beginning, bringing it out on the same edge / th of an inch from the beginning. put the needle in again on the upper edge / th of an inch in front of the last stitch on that edge, and bring it out again, without splitting the thread, on the same edge as the hole where the last stitch went in. if you wish to cover a surface with herring-bone-stitch, you work it, of course, close, so that each successive stitch touches its foregoer at the point where the needle enters the stuff (f on the sampler, illustration ). it will be seen that at the back ( ) this looks like a double row of back-stitching. worked straight across a wide leaf, as in the lower half of sampler, it is naturally very loose. a better method of working is shown in the side leaves, which are worked in two halves, beginning at the base of a leaf on one side and working down to it on the other. there is here just the suggestion of a mid-rib between the two rows. [illustration: the working of g on herring-bone sampler.] [sidenote: to work g.] the stitch at g on sampler, having the effect of higher relief than ordinary close herring-bone (f), is sometimes misleadingly described as tapestry stitch. it is worked, as the back of the sampler ( ) clearly shows, in quite a different way. you get there parallel rows of double stitches. having made a half-stitch entering the material at the upper edge of the work, bring the needle out on the lower edge of it immediately opposite. then, going back, put it in at the beginning of the upper edge, and bring it out at the beginning of the lower one. thence take a long slanting stitch upwards from left to right, bring the needle out on the lower edge immediately opposite, cross it by a rather shorter stitch from right to left, entering the stuff at the point where the first half-stitch ended, bring this out on the lower edge, opposite, and the stitch is done. the artistic use of herring-bone-stitch is shown in the leaves of the tulip ( ), and a closer variety of it in the pink, or whatever the flower may be, in the hand of the little figure on illustration . buttonhole-stitch. buttonhole is more useful in ornament than one might expect a stitch with such a very utilitarian name to be. it is, as its common use would lead one to suppose, pre-eminently a one-edged stitch, a stitch with which to mark emphatically the outside edge of a form. there is, however, a two-edged variety known as ladder-stitch, shown in the two horn shapes on the sampler, illustration . by the use of two rows back to back, leaf forms may be fairly expressed. in the leaves on the sampler, the edge of the stitch is used to emphasise the mid rib, leaving a serrated edge to the leaves. the character of the stitch would have been better preserved by working the other way about, and marking the edge of the leaves by a clear-cut line, as in the case of the solid leaves in illustration . the stitch may be used for covering a ground or other broad surface, as in the pot shape (j) on the sampler, where the diaper pattern produced by its means explains itself the better for being worked in two shades of colour. the simpler forms of the stitch are the more useful. worked in the form of a wheel, as in the rosettes at the side of the vase shape (a), the ornamental use of the stitch is obvious. [sidenote: to work a.] one need hardly describe buttonhole stitch. the simple form of it (a) is worked by (when you have brought your needle out) keeping the thread under your thumb to the right, whilst you put the needle in again at a higher point slightly to the right, and bring it out immediately below, close to where it came out before. this and other one-edged stitches of the kind are sometimes called "blanket-stitch." the only difference between versions such as b and c on the sampler, and simple buttonhole, is that the stitches vary in length according to the worker's fancy. [sidenote: to work e.] the crossed buttonhole stitch at e is worked by first making a stitch sloping to the right, and then a smaller buttonhole-stitch across this from the left. the border marked d in sampler consists merely of two rows of slanting buttonhole-stitch worked one into the other. needlewomen have wilful ways of making what should be upright stitches slant awkwardly in all manner of ways, with the result that they look as if they had been pulled out of the straight. [illustration: . buttonhole sampler.] [illustration: . buttonhole sampler (back).] [sidenote: to work f.] the border at f, known as "tailor's buttonhole," is worked with the firm edge from you, instead of towards you, as you work ordinary buttonhole. bringing the thread out at the upper edge of the work to the left, and letting it lie on that side, you put your needle in again still on the same edge, and bring it out, immediately below, on the lower one. you then, before drawing the thread quite through, put your needle into the loop from behind, and tighten it upwards. [illustration: the working of h on buttonhole sampler.] [sidenote: to work g.] in order to make your ladder-stitch (g) square at the end, you begin by making a bar of the width the stitch is to be. then, holding the thread under your thumb to the right, you put the needle in at the top of the bar and, slanting it towards the right, bring it out on a level with the other end of the bar somewhat to the right. this makes a triangle. with the point of your needle, pull the slanting thread out at the top, to form a square; insert the needle; slant it again to the right; draw it out as before, and you have your second triangle. [sidenote: to work h.] the difference between the working of the lattice-like band at h, and ladder-stitch g, is that, having completed your first triangle, you make, by buttonholing a stitch, a second triangle pointing the other way, which completes a rectangular shape. [illustration: . buttonhole, chain, and knot stitches.] in the solid work shown at j, you make five buttonhole-stitches, gathering them to a point at the base, then another five, and so on. repeat the process, this time point upwards, and you have the first band of the pot shape. characteristic and most beautiful use is made of buttonhole stitch in the piece of indian work in illustration , where it is outlined with chain stitch, which goes most perfectly with it. cut work, such as that on illustration , is strengthened by outlining it in buttonhole-stitch. ladder-stitch occurs in the cusped shapes framing certain flowers in illustration , embroidered all in blue silk on linen. it is not infrequent in oriental work, and, in fact, goes sometimes by the name of cretan-stitch on that account. feather and oriental stitches. feather-stitch is simply buttonholing in a slanting direction, first to the right side and then to the left, keeping the needle strokes in the centre closer together or farther apart according to the effect to be produced. it owes its name, of course, to the more or less feathery effect resulting from its rather open character. like buttonhole, it may be worked solid, as in the leaf and petal forms on the sampler, illustration , but it is better suited to cover narrow than broad surfaces. the jagged outline which it gives makes it useful in embroidering plumage, but it is not to be confounded with what is called "plumage-stitch," which is not feather-stitch at all, but a version of satin-stitch. the feathery stem (a) on the sampler is simply a buttonholing worked alternately from right to left and left to right. [sidenote: to work b.] the border line at b requires rather more explanation. presume it to be worked vertically. bring your needle out at the left edge of the band; put it in at the right edge immediately opposite, keeping your thread under the needle to the right; bring it out again still on the right edge a little lower down, and then, keeping your thread to the left, put the needle in on the left edge, opposite to where you last brought it out, and bring it out again on the same edge a little lower down. [illustration: . feather-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . feather-stitch sampler (back).] the border at c is merely an elaboration of the above, with three slanting stitches on each edge instead of a single one in the direction of the band. [illustration: the working of g g on feather-stitch sampler.] bands d, e, f, g, are variations of ordinary feather-stitch, requiring no further explanation than the back view of the work ( ) affords. on the face of the sampler it will be noticed that lines have been drawn for the guidance of the worker. these are always four in number, indicating at once, that the stitch is made with four strokes of the needle, and the points at which it is put in and out of the stuff. [sidenote: to work g g.] in working g g, suppose four guiding lines to have been drawn as above--numbered, , , , , from left to right. bring your needle out at the top of line . make a chain-stitch slanting downwards from line to line . put your needle into line about / th of an inch lower down, and, slanting it upwards, bring it out on line level with the point where you last brought it out. make a chain-stitch slanting downwards this time from right to left, and bring your needle out on line . lastly, put your needle into line , / th of an inch below the last stitch, and, slanting it upwards, bring it out on line . feather-stitch is not adapted to covering broad surfaces solidly, but may be used for narrow ones. oriental-stitch is the name given to a close kind of feather-stitch much used in eastern work. the difference at once apparent to the eye between the two is that, whereas for the mid-rib of a band or leaf of feather-stitching ( ) you have cross lines, in oriental-stitch ( ) you have a straight line--longer or shorter as the case may be. oriental-stitch, sometimes called "antique-stitch," is a stitch in three strokes, just as feather-stitch is a stitch in four. it is usually worked horizontally, though shown upright on the sampler, illustration . like feather-stitch (see diagram), it is worked on four guiding lines, faintly visible on the sampler. [sidenote: to work a, b, c.] stitches a, b, and c are worked in precisely the same way. bring your needle out at the top of line . keep the thread under your thumb to the right and put your needle in at the top of line , bringing it out into line on the same level. then put it in again at line , just on the other side of the thread, and bring it out on line ready to begin the next stitch. [illustration: . oriental-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . oriental-stitch sampler (back).] it will be seen that the length of the central part (or mid-rib, as it was called above) makes the whole difference between the three varieties of stitch. in a the three parts are equal: in b the mid-rib is narrow: in c it is broad, as is most plainly seen on the back of the sampler ( ). the difference is only a difference of proportion. [illustration: the working of a, b, c on oriental-stitch sampler.] [sidenote: to work d.] the sloping stitch at d is worked in the same way as a, b, c, except that instead of straight strokes with the needle you make slanting ones. [sidenote: to work e.] stitch e differs from d in that the side strokes slant both in the same direction. it is worked from right to left instead of from left to right. [sidenote: to work f.] stitch f is a combination of buttonhole and oriental stitches. between two rows of buttonholing (dark on sampler) a single row of oriental-stitch is worked. the stitch employed for the central stalk, g, has really no business on this sampler, except that it has something of the appearance of a continuous oriental-stitch. oriental-stitch is one of the stitches used in illustration . rope and knot stitches. a single sampler is devoted to rope and knotted stitches, more nearly akin than they look, for rope-stitch is all but knotted as it is worked. rope-stitch is so called because of its appearance. it takes a large amount of silk or wool to work it, but the effect is correspondingly rich. it is worked from right to left, and is easier to work in curved lines than in straight. [sidenote: to work a, b.] lines a on the sampler, illustration , represent the ordinary appearance of the stitch; its construction is more apparent in the central stalk b, which is a less usual form of the same stitch, worked wider apart. [illustration: the working of a, b, on rope-stitch sampler.] having brought out your needle at the right end of the work, hold part of the thread towards the left, under the thumb, the rest of it falling to the right; put your needle in above where it came out, slant it towards you, and bring it out again a little in advance of where it came out before, and just below the thread held under your thumb. draw the thread through, and there results a stitch which looks rather like a distorted chain stitch (b). the next step is to make another similar stitch so close to the foregoing one that it overlaps it partly. it is this overlapping which gives the stitch the raised and rope-like appearance seen at a. [illustration: the working of c on rope-stitch sampler.] [sidenote: to work c.] a knotted line (c in the sampler, illustration ) is produced by what is known as "german knot-stitch," effective only in thick soft silk or wool. begin as in rope stitch, keeping your thread in the same position. then put your needle into the stuff just above the thread stretched under your thumb, and bring it out just below and in a line with where it went in; lastly, keep the needle above the loose end of the thread, draw it through, tightening the thread upwards, and you have the first of your knots: the rest follow at intervals determined by your wants. [sidenote: to work d.] the more open stitch at d is practically the same thing, except that in crossing the running thread you take up more of the stuff on each side of it. [illustration: . rope-stitch and knot-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . rope-stitch and knot-stitch sampler (back).] [sidenote: to work e.] what is known by the name of "old english knot-stitch" (e) is a much more complicated stitch. keeping your thread well out of the way to the right, put your needle in to the left, and take up vertically a piece of the stuff the width of the line to be worked at its widest, and draw the thread through. then, keeping it under the thumb to the left, put your needle, eye first, downwards, through the slanting stitch just made; draw the thread not too tight, and, keeping it as before under the thumb, put your needle, eye first, this time through the upper half only of the slanting stitch, making a kind of buttonhole-stitch round the last, and draw out your thread. these knotted rope stitches, call them what you will, are rather ragged and fussy--not much more than fancy stitches--of no great importance. knots used separately are of much more artistic account. [sidenote: to work f.] bullion or roll-stitch is shown in its simplest form in the petals of the flowers f on the sampler, illustration . to work one such petal, begin by attaching the thread very firmly; bring your needle out at the base of the petal, put it in at the tip, and bring it out once more at the base, only drawing it partly through. with your right hand wind the thread, say seven times, round the projecting point of the needle from left to right. then, holding the coils under your left thumb, your thread to the right, draw your needle and thread through; and, dropping the needle, and catching the thread round your little finger, take hold of the thread with your thumb and first finger and draw the coiled stitch to the right, tightening it gently until quite firm. lastly, put the needle through at the tip of the petal, and the stitch is complete and ready to be fastened off. [illustration: the working of f on knot-stitch sampler.] the leaves of these flowers consist simply of two bullion stitches. the bullion knots at the side of the central stalk are curled by taking up in the first instance only the smallest piece of the stuff. [sidenote: to work g.] to work french knots (g), having brought out your needle at the point where the knot is to be, hold the thread under your thumb, and, letting it lie to the right, put your needle under the stretched part of it. turn the needle so as to twist the thread once round it. that done, put the needle in again about where it came out, draw it through from the back, and bring it out where the next knot is to be. for large knots use two or more threads of silk, and do not twist them more than once. with a single thread you may twist twice, but the result of twisting three or four times is never happy. [illustration: the working of g on knot-stitch sampler.] the use of knots is shown to perfection in illustration . worked there in white silk floss upon a dark purple ground, they are quite pearly in appearance, whether in rows between the border lines, or scattered over the ground. they are most useful in holding the design together, giving it mass, and go admirably with chain-stitching, to which, when close together, they have at first sight some likeness. a single line of knots may almost be mistaken for chain-stitch; but of themselves they do not make a good outline, lacking firmness. a happier use of them is to fringe an outline, as for example in the peacock's tail on page ; but this kind of thing must be used with reticence, or it results in a rather rococo effect. good use is sometimes made of knots to pearl the inner edge of a pattern worked in outline, or to pattern the ornament (instead of the ground) all over. differencing of this kind may be an afterthought--and a happy one--affording as it does a ready means of qualifying the colour or texture of ground, or pattern, or part of either, which may not have worked out quite to the embroiderer's liking. the obvious fitness of knots to represent the stamens of flowers is exemplified in illustration . worked close together, they represent admirably the eyes of composite flowers, as on the sampler; they give, again, valuable variety of texture to the crest of the stork in illustration . the effect of knotting in the mass is shown in illustration , embroidered entirely in knots, contradicting, it might seem, what was said above about its unfitness for outline work. the lines, even the voided ones, are here as sharp as could be; but then, it is not many of us who work, knot by knot, with the marvellous precision of a chinaman. his knotted texture is not, however, always what it seems. he has a way of producing a knotted line by first knotting his thread (it may be done with a netting needle), and then stitching it down on to the surface of the material, which gives a pearled or beaded line not readily distinguishable from knot stitch. [illustration: . a tour de force in knots.] the japanese embroiderer, instead of knotting his own thread, employed very often a crinkled braid. this is shown in the cloud work in illustration . the only true knotting there is in the top-knot of the bird. [illustration: . interlacing-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . interlacing-stitch sampler (back).] interlacings, surface stitches, and diapers. the samplers so far discussed bring us, with the exception of darning, satin-stitch, and some stitches presently to be mentioned, practically to the end of the stitches, deserving to be so called, generally in use. by combining two or more stitches endless complications may be made; and there may be occasions when, for one purpose or another, it may be necessary, as well as amusing, to invent them. in this way stitches are also sometimes worked upon stitches, as shown on the sampler, illustration . you will see, on referring to the back of it ( ), that only the white silk is worked into the stuff: the dark is surface work only. there is no end to such possible interlacings. those on the sampler do not need much explanation; but it may be as well to say that a starts with crewel-stitching; b and c with back-stitching; d with chain-stitching; e with darning or running; f, g, and h with varieties of herring-bone-stitch; j with oriental-stitch; and k with feather-stitch. the interlacing on the surface of these is shown in darker silk. c and g undergo a second course of interlacing. the danger of splitting the first stitches in working the interlacing ones, is avoided by passing the needle eye-first through them. other surface work, sometimes called lace-stitch, is illustrated in the sampler, illustration . there is really no limit to patterns of this kind. some are better worked in a frame, but that is very much a matter of personal practice. [illustration: the working of f on interlacing-stitch sampler.] [sidenote: to work h, .] in the surface darning at h ( ) long threads are first carried from edge to edge of the square, there only piercing the stuff, and then darned across by other stitches, again only piercing it at the edges. an oblique version of this is given at c ( ). [sidenote: to work b, .] the lace buttonholing at b ( ) is worked as follows:--buttonhole three stitches into the stuff from left to right, not quite close together, and further on three more; then, working from right to left, make three buttonhole stitches into the thread connecting the stitch groups; but do not stitch into the stuff except at the ends of the rows. the last row must, of course, be worked into the stuff again. [illustration: . surface-stitch sampler.] [sidenote: to work f, .] net passing, as at f ( ), is not very differently worked from a or b. it is much more open, and the first row of horizontal stitches is crossed by two opposite rows of oblique stitches, which are made to interlace. [sidenote: to work g, .] the square at g is worked by first making rows of short upright stitches worked into the stuff, and then threading loose stitches through them. [sidenote: to work d, .] the square at d is worked on the open lattice shown; the solid parts are produced by interlacing stitches from side to side, starting at the angle. in the square at e (japanese darning) horizontal lines are first darned, and then zigzag lines are worked between them, much as in g; but, as they penetrate the material, this is scarcely a surface stitch. [sidenote: to work a, .] the horizontal lines at top and bottom of the square at a are back-stitching, the intermediate ones simply long threads carried from one side to the other; they are laced together by lines looped round them. [sidenote: to work l, .] the band at l is begun by making horizontal bar stitches. a row of crewel-stitch and one of outline-stitch, worked on to the bars, and not into the stuff, makes the central chain. [sidenote: to work k, .] the band at k is merely surface buttonholing over a series of slanting stitches. [sidenote: to work j, .] the band at j is buttonhole stitching wide apart, the bars filled in with surface crewel-stitch. [illustration: . lace or surface stitch.] most delicate surface stitching occurs in illustration , the fine net being worked only from edge to edge of the spaces it fills, and not elsewhere entering the stuff; which accounts for most of it being worn away. the flower or scroll-work is _bonâ fide_ embroidery, worked through the stuff. the delicate network of fine stitching, which once covered the whole of the background, is for the most part neither more nor less than a floating gossamer of lacework. one cannot deny that that is embroidery, though it has to be said that _lace-stitches_ are employed in it. stern embroiderers would like to deny it. of course it is frivolous, and in a sense flimsy, but it is also delicate and dainty to a degree. it is suited only to dress, and that of the most exquisite kind. a french marquise of the regency might have worn it, and possibly did wear it, with entire propriety--if the word is not out of keeping with the period. the frailty of this kind of thing is too obvious to need mention, and that, of course, is a strong argument against it. all attempt to give separate names to diapers of this kind, whether worked upon the surface or into the stuff, is futile. they ought not even to be called stitches, being, in fact, neither more nor less than stitch patterns, to which there is no possible limit, unless it be the limit of human invention. every ingenious workwoman will find out patterns of her own more or less. they are very useful for filling in surfaces (pattern or background) which it may be inexpedient to work more solidly. the greater part of such patterns are geometric (illustrations and ), following, that is to say, the mesh of the material, and making no secret of it. on illustration you see very plainly how the rectangular diaperings are built up geometrically on the square lines of the mesh, as was practically inevitable working on such a ground. the relation of stitch to stuff is here obvious. the choice of stitch patterns of this kind is invariably left to the needlewoman. the utmost a designer need do is to indicate on his drawing that a "full," "open," or "intermediate" diaper is to be used. and the alternation of lighter and heavier diapers should be planned, and not left altogether to impulse, though the pattern may be. moreover, there is room for the exercise of considerable taste in the choice of simpler or more elaborate patterns, freer or more geometric. many a time the shape of the space to be filled, as well as its extent, will suggest the appropriate ornament. the diaper design is not, of course, drawn on the stuff, but points of guidance may be indicated through a kind of fine stencil plate. the patterns used for background diapering need not, as a rule, be intrinsically so interesting as those which diaper the design itself, nor are they usually so full. they take more often the form of spot or sprig patterns, not continuous, in which the geometric construction is not so obvious, nor even necessary. in either case the prime object of the stitching is not so much to make ornamental patterns as to give a tint to the stuff without entirely hiding it with work; and the worker chooses a lighter or heavier diaper according to the tint required. if the work is all in white it is texture, instead of tint, that is aimed at. for a background, simple darning more or less open, in stitches not too regular, is often the best solution of the difficulty. the effect of the ground grinning through is delightful. satin-stitch and its offshoots. satin-stitch is _par excellence_ the stitch for fine silkwork. i do not know if the name of "satin-stitch" comes from its being so largely employed upon satin, or from the effect of the work itself, which would certainly justify the title, so smooth and satin-like is its surface. given a material of which the texture is quite smooth and even, showing no mesh, satin-stitch seems the most natural and obvious way of working upon it. in it the embroidress works with short, straight strokes of the needle, just as a pen draughtsman lays side by side the strokes of his pen; but, as she cannot, of course, leave off her stroke as the penman does, she has perforce to bring back the thread on the under side of the stuff, so that, if very carefully done, the work is the same on both sides. satin-stitch, however, need not be, and never was, confined to work upon silk or satin. in fact, it was not only worked upon fine linen, but often followed the lines of its mesh, stepping, as in illustration , to the tune of the stuff. this may be described as satin-stitch in the making--at any rate, it is the elementary form of it, its relation to canvas-stitch being apparent on the face of it. still, beautiful and most accomplished work has been done in it alike by mediæval, renaissance, and oriental needleworkers. [sidenote: to work a, .] to cover a space with regular vertical satin stitches (a on the sampler, illustration ), the best way of proceeding is to begin in the centre of the space and work from left to right. that half done, begin again in the centre and work from right to left. in order to make sure of a crisp and even edge to your forms, always let the needle enter the stuff there, as it is not easy to find the point you want from the back. in working a second row of stitches, proceed as before, only planting your needle between the stitches already done. fasten off with a few tiny surface stitches and cut off the silk on the right side of the stuff: it will be worked over. [sidenote: to work b, .] to cover a space with horizontal satin stitches (b on sampler), begin at the top, and work from left to right. the longer stretches there are not, of course, crossed at one stitch; they take several stitches, dovetailed, as it were, so as not to give lines. the easiest, most satisfactory, and generally most effective way of working flat satin stitch is in oblique or radiating lines (c, d, e), working in those instances, as in the case of a, from the centre, first from left to right and then from right to left. [illustration: . satin-stitch sampler.] [illustration: . satin-stitch sampler (back).] stems, narrow leaflets, and the like, are best worked always in stitches which run diagonally and not straight across the form. in the case of stems or other lines curved and worked obliquely, the stitches must be very much closer on the inner side of the curve than on the outside: occasionally a half-stitch may be necessary to keep the direction of the lines right, in which case the inside end of the half-stitch must be quite covered by the stitch next following. [illustration: . satin-stitch in coarse twisted silk.] satin-stitch is seen at its best when worked in floss. coarse or twisted silk looks coarse in this stitch, as may be seen by comparing the petal d in the sampler, illustration , with the petal in twisted silk here given ( ). marvellously skilful as are the needle-workers of india (illustration ), they get rather broken lines when they work in thick twisted silk. the precision of line a skilled worker can get in floss is wonderful. an oriental will get sweeping lines as clean and firm as if they had been drawn with a pen, and this not merely in the case of an outline, but in voided lines of which each side has to be drawn with the needle. the voided outline, by the way, as on illustrations , , is not only the frankest way of defining form, but seems peculiarly proper to satin-stitch; and it is a test of skill in workmanship: it is so easy to disguise uneven stitching by an outline in some other stitch. the voiding in the wings of the birds in illustration is perfect; and the softening of the voided line, at the start of the wing in one case and the tail in the other, by cross stitching in threads comparatively wide apart, is quite the right thing to do. it would have been more in keeping to void the veins of the lotus leaves than to plant them on in cord. satin-stitch must not be too long, and it is often a serious consideration with the designer how to break up the surfaces to be covered so that only shortish stitches need be used. you might follow the veining of a leaf, for example, and work from vein to vein. but all leaves are not naturally veined in the most accommodating manner. treatment is accordingly necessary, and so we arrive at a convention appropriate to embroidery of this kind. it takes a draughtsman properly to express form by stitch distribution. the chinese convention in the lotus flowers (illustration ) is admirable. [illustration: . satin-stitch in fine twisted silk.] it is the rule of the game to lay satin-stitch very evenly. worked in floss, the mere surface of satin-stitch is beautiful. a further charm lies in the way it lends itself to gradation of colour. beautiful results may be obtained by the use of perfectly flat tints of colour, as in illustration ; but the subtlest as well as the most deliberate gradation of tint may be most perfectly rendered in satin-stitch. [sidenote: to work surface satin-stitch.] surface satin-stitch (not the same on both sides), though it looks very much like ordinary satin-stitch, is worked in another way. the needle, that is to say, after each stitch is brought _immediately_ up again, and the silk is carried back on the upper instead of the under side of the stuff. considerable economy of silk is effected by thus keeping the thread as much as possible on the surface, but the effect is apt to be proportionately poorer. moreover, the work is not so lasting as when it is solid. the satin-stitch on illustration is all surface work. it looks loose, which it is always apt to do, unless it is kept stretched on the frame, on which, of course, satin-stitch is for the most part worked. very effective indian work is done of this kind--loose and flimsy, but serving a distinct artistic purpose. it is to embroidery of more serious kind what scene painting is to mural decoration. [illustration: . chinese satin-stitch.] embroidery is often described as being in "long-and-short-stitch," a term properly descriptive not of a stitch, but of its dimensions. whether you use stitches of equal or of unequal length is a question merely of the adaptation of the stitch to its use in any given instance; there is nothing gained by calling an arrangement of alternating stitches, "long and short," or by calling them "plumage-stitch," or, which is more misleading, "feather-stitch," when they radiate so as to follow the form, say, of a bird's breast. the bodies of the birds in illustrations and are in plumage-stitch so called. this adaptation of stitch to bird or other forms gives the effect of fine feathering perfectly. but why apply the term "satin-stitch" exclusively to parallel lines of stitches all of a length? "long-and-short-stitch," then, is a sort of satin-stitch; only, instead of the stitches being all of equal length, they are worked one _into_ the others or _between_ them, as in the faces in illustrations and . a little further removed from satin-stitch is what is known as "split-stitch," in which the needle is brought up _through_ the foregoing stitch, and splits it. the way of working this stitch is more fully given on page . the worker adapts, as a matter of course, the length of the stitch to the work to be done, directing it also according to the form to be expressed, and so arrives, almost before he is aware of it, by way of satin-stitch, at what is called plumage-stitch. [illustration: . offshoots from satin and crewel stitches.] [illustration: . offshoots from satin and crewel stitches (back).] the distinction between the stitches so far described is plain enough, and an all-round embroidress learns to work them; but workers end in working their own way, modifying the stitch according to the work it is put to do, and produce results which it would be difficult to describe and pedantic to find fault with. even short, however, of such individual treatment, the mere adaptation of the stitch to the lines of the design removes it from the normal. it makes a difference, too, whether it is worked in a frame or in the hand: in the one case you see more likeness to one stitch, in the other to another. the flower at b, for example, and the leaf at d, on the sampler, illustration , are both worked in what is commonly called "plumage," or "embroidery" stitch, though the term "dovetail," sometimes used, seems to describe it better. instance b, however, is worked in the hand, and d in a frame--from which very fact it follows that the worker is naturally disposed to regard b as akin to crewel-stitch and d to satin-stitch, between which two stitches "dovetail" may be regarded as the connecting link. [illustration: the working of b on sampler .] [sidenote: to work b, .] the petals at b are worked in the method illustrated in the diagram overleaf. the first step is to edge the shape with satin-stitches in threes, successively long, shorter, and quite short. this done, starting at the base again, you put your needle in on the upper or right side of the first short stitch, and bring it out through the long stitch (as shown in the diagram). you then make a short stitch by putting your needle downwards through the material, and taking up a small piece of it. you have finally only to draw the needle through, and it is in position to make another long stitch. as the concentric rings of stitching become smaller, you make, of course, shorter stitches, and you need no longer pierce the thread of the long stitch. [sidenote: to work d, .] the working of the scroll at d on the sampler, illustration , needs no detailed explanation. anyone who is acquainted with the way satin-stitch is worked (it has already been sufficiently explained), and has read the above account of the working of b, will understand at once how that is worked in the frame. it will be seen that there is a slight difference in effect between the two, arising from the fact that work done in the hand is necessarily more loosely and not quite so evenly done as that on a frame. [sidenote: to work split-stitch c, .] split-stitch (c on the sampler), again, resembles either crewel-stitch or satin-stitch, according as it is worked in the hand or on a frame. in working in the hand, you take a rather shorter stitch back than in crewel-stitch, piercing with the needle the thread which is to form the next stitch. in working on a frame, you bring your needle always up through the last-made satin-stitch in order to start the next. whichever way it is done, split-stitch is often difficult to distinguish without minute examination from chain-stitch. further reference to its use is made in the chapter on shading. it may be interesting to compare it with crewel-stitch (a on the sampler), which is also a favourite stitch for shading. darning. it is the peculiarity of darning and running that you make several stitches at one passing of the needle. darning and running amount practically to the same thing. darning might be described as consecutive lines of running. the difference is, in the main, a matter of multiplication; but the distinction is sometimes made that in running the stitches may be the same length on the face as on the reverse of the stuff, whereas in darning the thread is mainly on the surface, only dipping for the space of a single thread or so below it. it results from the way of working that you get in darning an interrupted line characteristic of the stitch. what is called "double darning," by which the breaks in the single darning are made good, has in effect no character of darning whatever. darning has a homely sound, but it is useful for more than mending. in embroidery you no longer use it to replace threads worn away, but build up upon the scaffolding of a merely serviceable material what may be a gorgeous design in silk. [illustration: . darning sampler.] darning is worked, of course, in rows backwards and forwards; but if the stitches are long and in the direction of the weft, it is as well not to run the returning row next to the one just done, but to leave space for a second course of darning afterwards between the open rows. the darning of the sampler, illustration , is very simple. the flower is darned in stitches of fairly equal length, taking up one thread of the material, and covering a space of almost a quarter of an inch before taking up the next thread. the outline of a petal is first worked, and successive rows of darning follow the lines of the flower, expressing to some extent its form. much depends upon the direction of the stitch. the texture of the work depends upon the length of the stitches, and on the amount of the stuff showing through. darning is usually supplemented by outlining. the sampler is designed to show how far one can dispense with it. the flower stalk is defined by darning the first row in a darker colour; for the rest, voiding is employed, but it is not easy to void in darning. the background is darned diaper fashion. it gives, that is to say, deliberately diagonal lines. a background irregularly darned should be irregular enough never to run into lines not contemplated by the worker. [illustration: . darning designed by william morris.] in the case of large leaves, veined, the veining should be worked first, the stitches between them radiating outwards to the edge of the leaf. more accomplished work in darning is shown in the border by william morris in illustration , where it appears, however, much flatter than in the coloured silk. it is worked solid, the radiating stitches accommodating themselves to the forms of the leaves and petals, which, in fact, are designed with a view to their execution in this way. they are defined by outline-stitching--light or dark as occasion seemed to require. mention has already been made of darning _à propos_ of canvas-stitch; and there is a sort of natural correspondence between the _mécanique_ of darning in its simplest form and the network of open threads which gives to rectangular darning, like the german work in illustration , character which more than compensates for its angularity in outline. the darning is there quite even in workmanship, but it is, as will be seen, of different degrees of strength--lighter for the surface of the pattern, heavier for the outline. you may qualify the colour of a stuff by lightly darning it with silk of another shade, and very subtle tints may be got by thus, as it were, veiling a coloured ground with silks of various hues. [illustration: . flat darning upon a square mesh.] laid-work. the necessity for something like what is called "laid-work" is best shown by reference to satin-stitch. it was said in reference to it that satin-stitches should not be too long. there is a great deal of eastern work in which surface satin-stitch, or its equivalent, floats so loosely upon the face of the stuff that it can only be described as flimsy. nothing could be more beautiful in its way than certain soudanese embroidery, in which coloured floss in stitches an inch or more long lies glistening on the stuff without any interruption of threads to fasten it down. embroidery of this kind, however, hardly comes within the scope of practical work. long, loose stitches want sewing down. some compromise has to be made between art and beauty. the problem is to make the work strong enough without seriously disturbing its lustrous surface, and the solution of it is "laid-work," at which we arrive thus almost by necessity. [illustration: . laid-work sampler.] it involves no new stitch, but is only another way of using stitches already described. in laid-work, long tresses of silk, as william morris called them, floss by preference, are thrown backwards and forwards across the face of the stuff, only just piercing it at the edges of the forms, and back again. these silken tresses are then caught down and kept, i will not say close to the ground, but in their place upon it, by lines of stitching in the cross direction. laid-work is not, at the best, a very strong or lasting kind of embroidery (it needs to be carefully covered up even as it is worked), but by no other means is the silky beauty of coloured floss so perfectly set forth. it is hardly worth doing in anything but floss. laid-work lends itself also to gradation of colour within certain limits--the limits, that is to say, of the straight parallel lines in which the silk is laid: the direction of these is determined often by the lines of sewing which are to cross them. in any case the direction of the threads is here more than ever important. the sewing down must take lines and may form patterns. the sampler, illustration , wants little or no explanation. it illustrates the various ways of laying. in the leaf the floss is sewn down with split-stitch, which forms the veining. elsewhere it is kept in place by "couching," a process presently to be described. for the outlines, split-stitch and couching are employed. the last row of laid work in the grounding is purposely pulled out of the straight by the couching in order to give a waved edge. the diaper which represents the seeding of the flower is not, properly speaking, laid-work: single threads of white purse silk are there couched down with dark. [illustration: . japanese laid-work.] for the transverse stitching, for which also it is best to use floss, either split-stitch may be used, as in the leaf in the sampler, illustration , or a thread may be laid across and sewn down--couched, as it is called--as in the flower. the closer the cross lines the stronger the work, but the less lustrous the effect. laid floss may be employed to glorify the entire surface of a linen material, as in the sampler or for the pattern only upon a ground worth showing, as in illustrations , , . laid-work will not give anything like modelling, and it is not best suited to figure design except where it is quite flatly treated. an instance of its use in figure work occurs on illustration . it is effective when quite naively and simply used in cross lines which do not appear to take any account of the forms crossed--as, for example, in illustration , where the stitching does not pretend to express more than a flat surface. the floss, however, is there carefully laid at a different angle of inclination in each petal, so as to give variety of colour. the lines of sewing vary according to the lines of the laid floss, but do not cross them at right angles. the important thing is, of course, that they should catch the laid "tresses" at intervals not too far apart. if the lines which sew down the floss have also to express drawing, as in the case of the bird's wings in illustration , the underlying floss must be laid in lines which they will cross. in the case of the leaves in the same piece of work, the floss is laid in the direction in which the leaf grows, and the stitching across, which sews it down, is slightly curved so as to suggest roundness in them. [illustration: . indo-portuguese laid-work.] a more finished piece of work is shown in illustration , where the laid floss crosses the forms, and the sewing down takes very much the place of veining in the flower, and of ribs in the scroll, expressing about as much modelling as can be expressed this way, and more, perhaps, than it is advisable often to attempt. the sewing down asserts itself most, of course, when it is in a colour contrasting with the laid floss, as it does in the leaves in the smaller sampler overleaf. the stitching down makes usually a pattern more or less conspicuous. on this same sampler it does so very deliberately in the case of the broad stalk. the rather sudden variation of the colour shown there in the leaves is harmless enough in bold work, to which the process is best suited. one may be too careful in gradating the tints: timidity in this respect prevails too much among modern needlewomen: an artist in floss should not want her work to look like a gradated wash of colour. the italians of the th and th centuries (see illustration ) were not afraid of rather abrupt transition in the shades of colour they used for laid-work. [illustration: . italian laid-work.] [illustration: . laid sampler.] when laid floss is kept in place by threads themselves sewn down across it, such threads are called "couched," and the work itself may be described as laid and couched. hence arises some confusion between the two methods of work--laying and couching. it saves confusion to make a sharp distinction between the two--using the term "laid" only for stitches (floss) first loosely laid upon the surface of the stuff and then sewn down by cross lines of stitching of whatever kind, and "couched" for the sewing down of cords, &c. (silk or gold), thread by thread or in pairs. laid floss is sewn down _en masse_, couched silk in single or double threads; and accordingly laid answers best for surface covering, couched for outlining, except in the case of gold, which even for surface covering is always couched. couching couching is the sewing down of one thread by another--as in the outline of the flower on the laid sampler, illustration . the stitches with which it is sewn down, thread by thread, or, in the case of gold, two threads at a time, are best worked from right to left; or, in outlining, from outside the forms inwards, and a waxed thread is often used for the purpose. naturally the cord to be sewn down should be held fairly tightly in place to keep the line even. it is usual in couching to sew down the silk or cord with stitches crossing it at right angles, except in the case of a twisted cord, which should be sewn down with stitches in the direction of the twist. couching is best done in a frame; but it may be done in the hand by means of buttonhole-stitch. [illustration: . a. bullion. b. couched cord.] when a surface is covered with couching, as in the seeding of the flower in the sampler, illustration , the sewing down stitches make a pattern--all the plainer there, because the stitching is in a contrasting shade of colour. it is quite permissible to call attention to the stitching if it suits your artistic purpose. to disguise it by sewing _through_ the cord is not a workmanlike practice. a worker should frankly accept a method of work and get character out of it. embroidresses have a clever way of untwisting a cord before each stitch and twisting it again after stitching through it--between the strands, that is to say, in which the stitching is lost. the device is rather too clever. it shows a cord with no visible means of attachment to the ground, which is not desirable, however much desired. there is no advantage in attaching cords to the surface of silk so that they look as if they had been glued on to it. conjuring tricks are highly amusing, but one does not think very highly of conjurers. personally, i would much rather have seen more plainly the way the cord is sewn down in the graceful cross in illustration , a design perfectly adapted to couching, and yet unlike the usual thing. where it is softish silk which is stitched down, it makes a great difference whether it is loosely held and tightly sewn, or the contrary. contrast the short puffy lines nearest the corners in the sampler, illustration , with the longer ones between the broad and narrow bands. the broad band is worked in rows of double filoselle, of various shades, sewn down with single filoselle. in the narrower bands twisted silk is sewn down with stitches in the direction of its twist. this is more plainly seen in the upper of the two bands, where the sloping stitches are lighter in colour than the cord sewn down. [illustration: . couching sampler.] characteristic use is made of rather puffy couching in the ornament of the lady's dress in miss keighley's panel, illustration , where it has very much the richness of embroidery in seed pearls. it was a common practice in germany in the th century to work in solid couching upon cloth, employing a twisted thread and sewing it with stitches in the direction of the twist, so that at first sight one does not recognise it as couching. it looks like rather coarse stitching in the direction of the forms, and expresses shading very well. the cloth ground accounts, perhaps, for the choice of method: the material is not otherwise a pleasant one to embroider upon. a rather earlier german method was to couch in parallel lines of white upon white linen, and so get relief and texture but no modelling, though the drawing was helped by varying the direction of the parallel lines. the entire surface of a linen ground was sometimes covered with couched threads of silk or fine wool--some of it in vertical and horizontal lines, some of it in the direction of the pattern. this, again, was a german practice, as may be seen in the hildesheim cope at south kensington. all-over couching may be used with advantage to renew the ground of embroidery so worn as to be unsightly; and is more lasting than laid-work for the purpose. it is laborious to do, but more satisfactory when done than remounting; and one or the other is a necessity sometimes. the effect of age is, up to a certain point, pleasing: rags are not. [illustration: . couching in looped threads.] couching, however (except with gold), was more commonly used for outlining, and is quite peculiarly suited to give a firm line. a beautiful example of outline work in coloured silk upon white linen is pictured in illustration , in which the lines of delicate renaissance arabesque are perfectly preserved. the rare practice of such work as this, notwithstanding its distinction, is perhaps sufficiently accounted for by its modesty. it is true, it wants well-considered and definitely drawn design, and there is no possible fudging with it. [illustration: . reverse couching.] the value of a couched cord as an outline to stitching (satin-stitch in this instance) is shown in illustration , in which the singularly well-schemed and well-drawn lines of the ornament are given with faultless precision. this is a portion of an altogether admirable frame to an altogether foolish picture in needlework, of which a fragment only is shown. the appropriateness of couched cord to the outlining of inlay or of appliqué is seen in the two examples which form illustration . in the one (a) it defines the clear-cut counterchange pattern; in the other (b), being of a tint intermediate between the ground and the ornament, it softens the contrast between them. an interesting technical point in the design of this last is the way the cord outlining the leaves makes a sufficiently thick stalk, coming together, as it naturally does, double at the ends of the leaves. [illustration: . reverse couching (back).] this occurs again in illustration , where the double threads which form the stalks, though separately stitched down, are couched again at intervals by bands crossing the two--at the springing of the stalks and tendrils, for example, where joins inevitably occur. the cords forming the central stalk are in one case looped. fantastic use has often been made of the looping of couched cord. the spanish embroiderers made most ornamental use of a wee loop at the points of the leaves where the cord must turn; but the device of looping may easily be used to frivolous purpose. a regularly looped line at once suggests lace. a perplexing chinese practice is to couch fine cord in little loops so close together that they touch. a surface filled in after this manner, as in the butterflies on illustration , might pass at first sight for french knots or chain-stitch: it is really another method of all-over couching. a double course of couching forms the outline in illustration , one of filoselle and one of cord, separately sewn; but the tendrils, which are of silver thread, are sewn down both threads at a time with double stitches, very obvious in the illustration. over the couched silver threads which form the main rib of the leaf a pattern is stitched in silk. _a propos_ of couching, mention must be made of a way of working used in the famous syon cope by way of background, and figured overleaf (illustration ). the ground stuff is linen, twofold, and it is worked in silk, which lies nearly all upon the surface. the stitch runs from point to point of the zigzag pattern; there it penetrates the stuff, is carried round a thread of flax laid at the back of the material, and is brought to the surface again through the hole made by the needle in passing down. that is to say, the silken thread only _dips_ through the linen at the points in the pattern, and is there caught down by a thread of flax on the under-surface of the linen. the reverse of the work (illustration ) shows a surface of flax threads couched with silk, for which reason the method may be described as reverse couching. on the face it gives an admirable surface diaper, flat without being mechanical. it is easily worked with a blunt needle; with a sharp one there would be a danger of splitting the stitch. it is a kind of work on which two persons might be employed, one on either side of the stuff. couched gold. in olden days silk does not appear to have been couched in the east. on the other hand, it was the custom to couch gold thread in europe at least as early as the twelfth century; so that the method was probably first used for gold, which, except in the form of thin wire or extraordinarily fine thread, is not quite the thing to stitch with. besides, it was natural to wish to keep the precious metal on the surface, and not waste it at the back of the stuff. a distinguishing feature about gold is that by common consent it is used double and sewn down two threads at a time. this is not merely an economy of work; but, except in the case of thick cords or strips of gold, it has a more satisfactory effect--why it is not easy to say. panels a, b, c, in the sampler, illustration , are couched in double threads, d in single cords. gold couching is there used, as it mostly is, to cover a surface. in doing that, it is usual to sew the threads firmly down at the edges of the forms and cut them very sharply off; but they may equally well be carried backwards and forwards across the face of the stuff. the slight swelling of the gold thread where it turns gives emphasis to the outline; but the turning wants carefully doing, and the gold thread must not be too thick. if you use a large needle (to clear the way for the thread), the turning of the gold may take place on the back instead of on the face of the material, but only in the case of very fine thread. gold threads often want stroking into position. this may be done with what is called a "pierce"; but a good stiletto, or even a very large needle, will answer the purpose. sharply pointed scissors are indispensable. in solid couching the stitches run almost inevitably into pattern; and it is customary, therefore, to start with the assumption that they will, and deliberately to make them into pattern--to work them, that is to say, in vertical, diagonal, or cross lines as at a, in zigzags as at b, or in some more complicated diaper pattern as at c, where the stitching is purposely in pronounced colour, that the pattern may be quite clearly seen; at d it has more its proper value, that the effect of it may be better appreciated. the pattern may, of course, be helped by the colour of the stitching, and there is some art in making the necessary stitches into appropriate pattern. [illustration: . couched gold sampler.] in fact the ornamentist, being an ornamentist, naturally takes advantage of the necessity of stitching, to pattern his metallic surfaces with diaper, using often, as in the scroll in illustration , a diversity of patterns, which gives at once varied texture and fanciful interest to the surface. there is quite an epitome of little diapers in that fragment of needlework; and one can hardly doubt that the embroiderer found it great fun to contrive them. the flat strips of metal emphasising the backs of the curves are sometimes twisted as they are sewn. the other diapers on the sampler, f, g, h, j, , are emphasised by the relief given to them by underlying cords, purposely left bare in parts to show the structure. these underlying cords must be firmly sewn on to the linen ground, and if the stitching follows the direction of the twist in them, the round surface is not so likely to be roughened by it. by rights, the cords should be laid farther apart than in the sampler, where the attempt to force the effect (for purposes of explanation) has not proved very successful. an infinity of basket patterns, as these may be called (basket _stitches_ they are not), may be devised by varying the intervals at which the gold threads are sewn down, and the number of cords they cross at a time. [illustration: . couched silver.] the central panel of the sampler (e) shows a combination of flat and raised gold. the outline of the heart is corded; the centre of it is raised by stitching, first with crewel wool and then with gold-coloured floss across that (it is difficult to prevent _white_ stuffing from showing through gold). this gives only a hint of what may be done in the way of raised ornament upon a flat gold ground, and was done in mediæval work. a single cord may be sewn down to make a pattern in relief, leafage, scrollwork, or what not, which, when the surface is all worked over with gold, has very much the effect of gilt gesso. if, for any reason, heavy work of this kind is to be done on silk or satin, that must first be backed with strong linen. in mediæval and church work generally the double threads are usually laid close together, forming, as in the diapers on sampler, a solid surface of gold; and that was largely done in oriental embroidery too--in chinese, for example, where, however, the threads, instead of being couched in straight lines, follow the outlines of the design, and are worked ring within ring until the space is filled, as in the dragon's face, a, illustration . there is here, as in the working of his body, a certain economy of gold; a small amount of the ground is allowed to show between the lines of double gold thread--not enough to tell as ground, but enough to give a tint of the ground colour to the metal. further, in this more open couching the direction of the lines of couching goes for more than in solid work. the pattern made by the gold thread is here not only ornamental but suggestive of the scaly body of the creature. it will be seen, too, how, in the working of the legs, the relatively compact gold threads are kept well within the outline, by which means anything like harshness of silhouette is avoided. [illustration: . couched gold not quite solid.] that this less solid manner was not confined to the far east is shown by the venetian valance, b, on the lower part of the page, which has very much the appearance of gold lace. a good example of outline (single thread) in gold is given in illustration , part of an italian housing, which reminds one both in effect and in design of damascening, to which it is in some respects equivalent; only, instead of gold and silver wire beaten into black iron or steel, we have gold and silver thread sewn on to dark velvet. the design recalls also the french bookbindings of the period of henri ii., in which the tooled ornament was precisely of this character. the resemblance is none the less that an occasional detail is worked more solidly; but, in the main, this is outline work, and a beautiful example of it. the art in work of that kind is, of course, largely in the design. gold thread work in spiral forms has very much the effect of filagree in gold wire. the next step is where the cords of gold enclose little touches of embroidery in coloured floss, as in illustration . these have the value of so many jewels or bits of bright enamel. in fact, just as outline work in simple gold thread resembles damascening or filagree, so this outlining of little spaces of coloured silk suggests enamel. the cord of the embroiderer answers to the cloisons of the enameller, the surfaces of shining floss to the films of vitreous enamel. [illustration: . couched outline work.] appliqué embroidery is constantly edged with gold or silver thread. an effective, if rather rude, example of this, the thread here again double, is given in illustration . in couching more than one thread at a time there is a difficulty in turning the angles. the threads give, of necessity, only gently rounded forms. to get anything like a sharp point, you must stop short with the inner thread before reaching the extreme turning point, and take it up again on your way back. what applies to two threads, applies of course still more forcibly to three. the colour with which gold thread is sewn is a question of considerable importance. if the stitches are close enough together to make solid work, they give a flush of colour to the gold. advantage is commonly taken of this both in mediæval and oriental work to warm the tint by sewing it down with red. the chinese will even work with a deeper and a paler red to get two coppery shades. white stitching pales the gold, yellow modifies it least, green cools it, and blue makes it greener. the closer the stitches, the deeper the tint, of course. [illustration: . appliquÉ--satin on velvet.] you can get thus various shades of gold out of the same thread, and even gradation from one to another, as may be seen in a great deal of spanish work of the th century, in which the gold ornament is often quite delicately shaded from yellowish gold to ruddy copper on the one hand, and to bronzy green on the other. similar use may be made of vari-coloured silks in couching white or other cord; but gold reflects the colour much better than silk, and gives much more subtle effects. the flemings and italians of the early renaissance went further. they had a way of laying threads of gold and sewing them so closely over with coloured silk that in many parts it quite hid the gold. only in proportion as they wanted to lighten the colour of the draperies in their pictorial embroideries did they space the stitches farther and farther apart, and let the gold gleam through. except in the high lights it did not pronounce itself positively. the effect is not unlike what is seen in paintings of the primitive school, where the high lights of the red and blue draperies are hatched with gold. the practice of the embroiderer may be reminiscent of that, or that may be the origin of the primitive painters' convention. it is more as if the embroiderer wanted to represent a precious tissue, a stuff shot with gold. illustration gives part of a figure worked in this way, relieved against a more golden architectural background rendered by the very same double threads of gold which run through the figures. in the architecture, however, they are couched in stitches which are never so near as to take away from the effect of the gold. the two degrees of obscuring or clouding gold by oversewing are here shown in most instructive contrast. the cords, as usual, are laid in horizontal courses. that was the convenient way of working; but it resulted in a corded look, which has very much the appearance of tapestry; and there is no doubt that resemblance to tapestry was in the end consciously sought. that the method here employed was laborious needs no saying; but it gave most beautiful, if pictorial, results. appliquÉ. embroidery, it has been shown, is much of it on the surface of the stuff, not just needle stitches, but the stitching-on of something--cord, gold thread, or whatever it may be. and instances have been given where the design of such work was not merely in outline, but where certain details were filled in with stitching. yet another practice, and one more strictly in keeping with the onlaying of cord, was to onlay the solid also, applying, that is to say, the surface colour also in the form of pieces of silk cut to shape. patterns of this kind may be conceived as line work developing into leafy terminations, the appliquÉ only an adjunct to couching (illustration ); or they may be thought of as massive work eked out with line: the appliqué, that is to say, the main thing, the couching only supplementary (illustration ). an intermediate kind is where outline and mass--couching and appliqué--play parts of equal importance in the scheme of design (illustration ). couched cord or filoselle is useful in covering the raw edge of the onlay, not so much masking the joints as making them sightly. appliqué must be carefully and exactly done, and is best worked in a frame. it is almost as much a man's work as a woman's. embroidery proper is properly woman's work; but here, as in the case of tailoring, the man comes in. the getting ready for appliqué is not the kind of thing a woman can do best. the finishing may sometimes be done in the hand, and very bold, coarse work may possibly be worked throughout in the hand, and outlined with buttonhole-stitch (chain-stitch is not so appropriate); but when a couched outline is employed it must be done in a frame, and, indeed, work with any pretensions to finish is invariably begun and finished in the frame. [sidenote: to work appliquÉ] to work appliqué you want, in fact, two frames--one on which to mount the material to be embroidered, and another on which to mount the material to be applied. the backing in each case should be of smooth holland. this is stretched on to the frame, and then pasted with stiff starch or what not; the silk or velvet is laid on to it and stroked with a soft rag until it adheres, and is left to dry gently. when dry, the outlines of the complete design are traced upon the one, and those of the details to be applied upon the other. (you may paste, of course, silks of two or three colours upon one backing for this.) the stuff to be applied is then loosened from its frame, the details are cleanly cut out with scissors, or, better still, a knife (in either case sharp), and transferred to their place in the design on the other frame. there they are kept in position by short steel pins planted upright into the stuff until you are sure they fit, and then tacked firmly down, with care that the stitches are such as will be quite covered by the final couching, chain stitch, or whatever is to be your outline. in the case of silk or other delicate material, peculiar care must be taken that the paste is not moist enough to penetrate the stuff; but an experienced worker has no fear of that. a firm outline is a condition of appliqué, and couched cord fulfils it most perfectly. much depends upon a tasteful and tactful choice of colour for it. you fatten your pattern by outlining it with a colour which goes with it (illustration , b). you thin it by one which goes into the ground. very subtle use may be made of a double outline or of a corded line upon couched floss. there is a double outline to the ornament in illustration : the inner one next to the yellow satin appliqué is of gold, the outer one next the crimson velvet ground is of white sewn with pale blue. this gives emphasis to the bold forms of the leafage. the mid-rib there is of silver couching; the minor veinings are stitched in silk, and are rather insignificant. [illustration: . appliquÉ panel by miss keighley.] the less there is of extra stitching on appliqué the better as a rule. it disturbs the breadth, which is so valuable a characteristic of onlay. in no case is much mixing of methods to be desired; but if appliqué is to be supplemented, it had best be with couching, which is not so much stitching as stitched down, itself another form of applied work. appliqué of itself is not, of course, adapted to pictorial work, but that in association with judicious stitching and couching it may be used to admirable decorative purpose in figure design is shown by miss mabel keighley's panel, illustration . what an artist may do depends upon the artist. miss keighley's panel indicates the use that may be made of texture in the stuff onlaid. appliqué is especially appropriate to bold church work, fulfilling perfectly that condition of legibility so desirable in work necessarily seen oftenest from afar. broadly designed, it may be as fine in its way as a piece of mediæval stained glass, and it gives to silk and velvet their true worth. the pattern may be readable as far off as you can distinguish colour. [illustration: . a. counterchange. b. appliquÉ.] appliqué work is thought by some to be an inferior kind of embroidery, which it is not. it is not a lower but another kind of needlework, in which more is made of the stuff than of the stitching. in it the craft of the needleworker is not carried to its limit; but, on the other hand, it makes great demands upon design. you cannot begin by just throwing about sprays of natural flowers. it calls peremptorily for treatment--by which test the decorative artist stands or falls. effective it must be; coarse it may be; vulgar it should not be; trivial it can hardly be; mere prettiness is beyond its scope; but it lends itself to dignity of design and nobility of treatment. of course, it is not popular. a usual form of appliqué is in satin upon velvet. velvet on satin (b, illustration ) is comparatively rare; but it may be very beautiful, though there is a danger that it may look like weaving. silk upon silk (figured damask) is shown in illustration , designed to be seen from a nearer point of view, and less pronounced in pattern accordingly. the strap work, applied in ribbon, is broken by cross stitches in couples, which take away from the severity of the lines. the grape bunches are onlaid, each in one piece of silk, the forms of the separate grapes expressed by couching. the french knots in the centre of the grapes add greatly to the richness of the surface. the leaves are in one piece. it would have been possible to use two or three, joining them at the veins. [illustration: . appliquÉ--silk on silk damask.] the application of leather to velvet, as in illustration , allows modification in the way of execution, and of design adapted to it. leather does not fray, and needs, therefore, no sewing over at the edge, but only sewing down, which may be done, as in this case, well within the edge of the material, giving the effect of a double outline. the chinese do small work in linen, making similar use of the stitching within the outline, but turning the cut edge of the stuff under; it would not do to leave it raw. on a bolder scale, but in precisely the same manner, is embroidered the wonderful tent of françois ier., taken at the battle of pavia, and now in the armoury at madrid--obviously arab work. something of the kind was done also in morocco, which points to leather work as the possible origin of this method. another ingenious chinese notion is to sew down little five-petalled flowers (turned under at the edges) with long stamen stitches radiating from a central eye of knots. inlay, mosaic, cut-work. a step beyond the process of onlaying is inlay, where one material is not laid on to the other, but into it, both being perhaps backed by a common material. the process is, in fact, precisely analogous to that inlay of brass and tortoiseshell which goes by the name of its inventor, boule. the work is difficult, but thorough. it does not recommend itself to those who want to get effect cheaply. the process is suited only to close-textured stuffs, such as cloth, which do not fray. [sidenote: to work inlay.] the materials are not pasted on to linen, as in the case of appliqué. the cloth to be inlaid is placed upon the other, and both are cut through with one action of the knife, so that the parts cannot but fit. the coherent piece of material (the ground, say, of the pattern) is then laid upon a piece of strong linen already in a frame; the vacant spaces in it are filled up by pieces of the other stuff, and all is tacked down in place. that done, the work is taken out of the frame, and the edges sewn together. the backing can then, if necessary, be removed; and in oriental work it generally was. inlay lends itself most invitingly to counterchange in design, as seen in the stole at a, illustration . light and dark, ground and pattern, are there identical. you cannot say either is ground; each forms the ground to the other. and from the mere fact of the counterchanging you gather that it is inlaid, and not onlaid. [sidenote: to work counterchange.] prior to inlaying in materials which are at all likely to fray, you first back them with paper, thin but tough, firmly pasted; then, having tacked the two together, and pinned them with drawing-pins on to a board, you slip between it and the stuff a sheet of glass, and with a very sharp knife (kept sharp by an oilstone at hand) cut out the pattern. what was cut out of one material has only to be fitted into the other, and sewn together as before, and you have two pieces of inlaid work--what is the ground in one forming the pattern in the other, and _vice versâ_. by this ingenious means there is absolutely no waste of stuff. you get, moreover, almost invariably a broad and dignified effect: the process does not lend itself to triviality. it was used by the italians, and more especially by the spaniards of the renaissance, who borrowed the idea, of course, from the arabs. [illustration: . inlay in coloured cloths.] in india they still inlay in cloth most marvellously, not only counterchanging the pattern, but inlaying the inlays with smaller patternwork, thus combining great simplicity of effect with wonderful minuteness of detail. they mask the joins with chain-stitch, the colour of it artfully chosen with regard to the two colours of the cloth it divides or joins. further, they often patch together pieces of this kind of inlay. inlay itself is a sort of patchwork. you cut pieces out of your cloth, and patch it with pieces of another colour, covering the joins perhaps, as on illustration , with chain stitch, which gives it some resemblance to cloisonné enamel, the cloisons being of chain-stitch. where there is no one ground stuff to be patched, but a number of vari-coloured pieces of stuff are sewn together, they form a veritable mosaic, reminding one, in coloured stuffs, of what the mediæval glaziers did in coloured glass. admirable heraldic work was done in germany by this method; and it is still employed for flag making. the stuffs used should be as nearly as possible of one substance. in patchwork of loosely-textured material each separate piece of stuff may be cut large, turned in at the edge, and oversewn on the wrong side. [illustration: . cut-work in linen.] the relation of cut-work to inlay is clear--in fact, the one is the first step towards the other. you have only to stop short of the actual inlaying, and you have cut-work. fill up the parts cut out in illustration with coloured stuff, and it would be inlay. the needlewoman has preferred to sew over the raw edges of the stuff, and give us a perfect piece of fretwork in linen. it is part of the game in cut-work to make the fret coherent, whole in itself. the design should tell its own tale. "ties" of buttonhole-stitch, or what not, are not necessary, provided the designer knows how to plan a fret pattern. their introduction brings the work nearer to lace than embroidery. the sewing-over may be in chain-stitch, satin-stitch (as in illustration ), or in buttonhole-stitch--which last is strongest. as, in the case of appliqué, inlay, and mosaic, an embroidered outline is usually necessary to cover the join, so in the case of cut-work sewing-over is necessary to keep the edges from fraying. it may sometimes be advisable to supplement this outlining by further stitching to express veining, or give other minute details--just as the glassworker, when he could not get detail small enough by means of glazing, had recourse to painting to help him out. but there is danger in calling in auxiliaries. it is best to design with a view to the method of work to be employed, and to keep within its limits. to worry the surface of applied, inlaid, or cut stuff with finnikin stitchery, is practically to confess either the inadequacy of the design or the fidgetiness of the worker. it should need, as a rule, no such enrichment. embroidery in relief. embroidery being work _upon_ a stuff, it is inevitably raised, however imperceptibly, above the surface of it. but there is a charm in the unevenness of surface and texture thus produced; and the aim has consequently often been to make the difference of level between ground-stuff and embroidery more appreciable by underlay or padding of some kind. the abuse of this kind of thing need not blind us to the advantages it offers. there are various ways of raising embroidery, the principal of which are illustrated on the sampler overleaf. [sidenote: to work a ( ).] in sprig a the underlay is of closely-woven cloth, darker in colour than would be advisable except for the purpose of showing what it is: it is as well in the ordinary way to choose a cloth more or less of the colour the embroidery is to be. the cloth is cut with sharp scissors carefully to shape, but a little within the outline, and pasted on to the linen. when perfectly dry, it is worked over with thick corded silk couched in the ordinary way. [sidenote: to work b.] the raised line at b reveals the way the stem in illustration was worked. two cords of smooth string (macramé, for example) are twisted and tacked in place. over this floss is worked in close satin-stitch. [sidenote: to work c.] in sprig c the underlay is of parchment, lightly stitched in place. the use of a double underlay in parts gives additional relief. the embroidery upon this (in slightly twisted silk) is in satin-stitch. [sidenote: to work d.] the leaf shapes at d are padded with cotton wool, cut out as nearly as possible to the shape required, and tacked down with fine cotton. they are then worked over with floss in satin-stitch. the stalks are not padded with cotton wool, but first worked with crewel wool, which, being soft and elastic, forms an excellent ground for working over in floss silk. [sidenote: to work e.] in working a stalk like that at e, you first lay down a double layer of soft, thick cotton, and then work over it with flatter cotton (made expressly for padding) in slanting satin-stitch. three threads of smooth round silk are then attached to one side of the padding and carried diagonally across to the other side, where they are sewn down with strong thread of the same colour close to the underlay, so that the stitches may not show. they are then brought back to the side from which they started, sewn down, and returned again, and so backwards and forwards to the end. the crossing threads make a sort of pattern, and it is a point of good workmanship that they should cross regularly. such pattern is more obvious when threads of three different shades of colour are employed. threads of twisted silk may, of course, be equally well used this way without padding underneath. [illustration: . raised work sampler.] [sidenote: to work f.] in sprig f the underlay is of cardboard, pasted on to the linen. it is worked over with purse silk, to and fro across the forms, and sewn down at the margin with finer silk. this is a method of work often employed when gold thread is used. [sidenote: to work g.] in sprig g the underlay or stuffing is of string, sewn down with stitches always in the direction of the twist. it is worked over with floss in satin-stitch. [sidenote: to work h.] in sprig h the underwork consists of stitching in soft cotton, over which thick silk is embroidered in bullion-stitch. the rule is to work the first stitching in such a direction that the surface work crosses it at right angles. the small leaf is worked over with fine purse silk in satin-stitch, which is used also for the stalk. in the smaller sampler of laid-work, illustration , the broad stem is twice underlaid with crewel, excellent for this soft sort of padding, on account of its elasticity. the leaves have there only one layer of understitching. raised work in white upon white is often used for purposes which make it inevitable that sooner or later the work will be washed. that is a consideration which the embroidress must not leave out of account. in any case, work over stitchery is more durable than over loose padding such as cotton wool. [illustration: . raised work showing underlay.] the th century work reproduced in illustration is in flax thread on linen, and the underlay (laid bare in the topmost flower) is of stiff linen, sewn down, not at the margins as in the case of the parchment on the sampler (illustration ), but by a row of stitching up the centre of each petal. the veins of the leaves in illustration are padded with embroidery cotton and worked over with filo-floss. the leaves themselves are not padded, though the sewing down of the veins upon them, as well as the fact that they are applied on to the velvet ground, gives some appearance of relief. raised gold. our sampler of raised work is done in silk. underlaying is more often used to raise work in gold, to which in most respects it is best suited. the methods shown in the sampler would answer almost equally well for gold, except that working in gold one would not at h ( ) use bullion-stitch, but bullion, first covering the underlay of stitching with smoothly-laid yellow floss. bullion consists of closely coiled wire. it is made by winding fine wire tightly and closely round a core of stouter wire. when this central core of wire is withdrawn, you have a long hollow tube of spirally twisted wire. this the embroidress cuts into short lengths as required, and sews on to the silk--as she would a long bead or bugle. its use is illustrated at a in illustration , where the stems of triple gold cord are tied down at intervals by clasps of bullion, and the leaves, again, are filled in with the same. it was the mediæval fashion to encrust the robes of kings and pontiffs with pearls and precious stones mounted in gold: the early byzantine form of crown was practically a velvet cap, on to which were sewn plaques of gorgeous enamel and mounted stones. when to such work embroidery was added, it was not unnatural that it should vie with the gold setting. as a matter of fact, its design was often only a translation into needlework of the forms proper to the goldsmith. yet more openly in rivalry with goldsmiths' work was some of the embroidery of the renaissance, in which the idea--a most mistaken one, of course--seems to have been to imitate beaten metal. this led inevitably to excessively high relief in gold embroidery. you may see in th century church work the height to which relief can be carried, and the depth to which ecclesiastical taste can sink. the spaniards were, perhaps, the greatest sinners in this respect, seeking, as they did, richness at all cost; but it must be confessed that, in the th century at least, they produced most gorgeous results: there is in the treasury of the cathedral at toledo an altar frontal in gold, silver, and coral, and a yet more beautiful mantle of the virgin in silver and pearls upon a gold ground, which make one loth to dogmatise. [illustration: . raised gold.] the preciousness of gold and silver, points, in the nature of things, to their use for church vestments and the like; and high relief gives, no doubt, value to the metal; but the consideration of its intrinsic value leads quickly to display. the artistic value of gold is not so much that it looks gorgeous as that it glorifies the colour caught, so to speak, in its meshes. admitting that there is reason for relief in gold embroidery--it catches the light as flat gold does not--one feels that the very slightest modelling is usually enough. reference was made (page ) to the effect of gilt gesso obtained in raised gold thread: that really is about the degree of relief it is safe to adopt in gold embroidery, the relief that is readily got by laying on gesso with a brush, not carving or modelling it; and the characteristically blunt forms got by that means repeat themselves when you work with the needle. there is ample relief in the gold embroidery on illustrations and . the first of these shows both flat and raised work: the latter illustrates not only various degrees of relief, but several ways of underlaying. it scarcely needs pointing out that the flatter serrated leaves are worked over parchment or paper, and the puffy parts of the flowers over softer padding. allusion has already been made (page ) to the way the stalk is worked over twisted cords, as on the sampler, illustration . the patterns in which the gold is worked do not tell quite so plainly here as on illustration , where the basket pattern is more pronounced. in the stalk there flat gold wire is used, and again in the broken surface towards the top of the plate. spangles of gold may be used with admirable effect, at the risk, perhaps, of a rather tinselly look; but that has been often most skilfully avoided both in mediæval work and in oriental. in india great and very cunning use is made of spangles, by the parsees in particular, who, by the way, embroider with gold wire. gold foil may be cut to any shape and sewn on to embroidery, but spangles take mainly one of two shapes, best distinguished as disc-like and ring-like. the discs are flat, pierced in the centre, and sewn down usually with two or three radiating stitches (a, illustration , and illustration ). the rings may be attached by a single thread. they can easily be made to overlap like fish scales, and most elaborately embossed pictures have been worked in this way. there is a vestment in the cathedral at granada which is a marvel to see; but not the thing to do, surely. relief is easily overdone, in figure work so easily that one may say safety is to be found only in the most delicate relief. to make figures look round is to make them look stuffed. that stuffy images are to be found in mediæval church work is only too true. in gothic art one finds this quaint, perhaps, but it is perilously near the laughable. the point of the ridiculous is plainly overpassed in english work of the th century, which degenerates at last into mere doll work--the dolls duly stuffed and dressed in most childish fashion, their drapery, in actual folds, projecting. some really admirable needlework was wasted upon this kind of thing, which has absolutely no value, except as an object-lesson in the frivolity of the stuarts and their on-hangers. quilting. a most legitimate use of padding is in the form of quilting, where it serves a useful as well as an ornamental purpose. to quilt is to stitch one cloth upon another with something soft between (or without anything between). our word "counterpane" is derived from "contre-poinct," a corruption of the french word for back-stitch, or "quilting" stitch, as it was called. if you merely stitch two thicknesses of stuff together in a pattern, such as that on illustration , the stuff between the stitches has a tendency to rise: the two layers of stuff do not lie close except where they are held together by the stitching, and a very pleasantly uneven surface results. this effect is enhanced if between the two stuffs there is a layer of something soft. if, now, you keep down the groundwork of your design by comparatively frequent stitches diapering it, you get a pattern in relief, more or less, according to the substance of your padding. another way is to pad the pattern only, as in illustration , where the padding is of soft cord. [illustration: . quilting, done in chain-stitch from the back.] a cunning way of padding is first to stitch the outline of the design, and then from the back to insert the stuffing. you first pierce the stuff with a stiletto, and, having pushed in the cord, cotton, or what not, efface as far as possible the piercing: the stuffing has then not much temptation to escape from its confinement. the persians do most elaborate quilting on fine white linen, which they sew with yellow silk; but the pattern is stuffed with cords of blue cotton, the colour of which just grins through the white sufficiently to cool it, and to distinguish it from the creamy white ground made warmer by the yellow stitching. quilting is most often done in white upon colour, or in one colour upon white. yellow silk on white linen (as in the case of illustration ) was a favourite combination, and is always a delicate one. but there is no reason why a variety of colours should not be used in a counterpane. when you stitch down the ground with coloured silk you give it, of course, colour as well as flatness. [illustration: . raised quilting.] stitch groups. there are all sorts of ways in which stitches might be grouped:--according to the order of time in which historically they came into use; according as they are worked through and through the stuff or lie mostly on its surface; according as they are conveniently worked in the hand or necessitate the use of a frame; and in other ways too many to mention. it is not difficult, for example, to imagine a classification according to which the satin-stitch in illustration would figure as a canvas stitch. in the samplers they are grouped according to their construction, that seeming to us the most practical for purposes of description. they might for other purposes more conveniently be classed some other way. at all events, it is helpful to group them. designer and worker alike will go straighter to the point if once they get clearly into their minds the stitches and their use, and the range of each--what it can do, what it can best do, what it can ill do, what it cannot do at all. anyone, having mastered the stitches and grasped their scope, can group them for herself, say, into stitches suited ( ) to line work, ( ) to all-over work, ( ) to shading, and so on. these she might again subdivide. of line stitches, for example, some are best suited for straight lines, others for curved; some for broad lines, others for narrow; some for even lines, others for unequal; some for outlining, others for veining. and, further, of all-over stitches some give a plain surface, others a patterned one; some do best for flat surfaces, others for modelled; some look best in big patches, some answer only for small spaces. with regard to shading stitches, there are various ways (see the chapter on shading) of giving gradation of colour and of indicating relief or modelling. some stitches, of course, are adapted to various uses, as crewel, chain, and satin stitches--naturally the most in use. workers generally end in adopting certain stitches as their own. that is all right, so long as they do not forget that there are other stitches which might on occasion serve their purpose. anyway, they should begin by knowing what stitches there are. until they know, and know too what each can do, they are hardly in a position to determine which of them will best do what they want. our samplers show the use to which the stitches on them may be put. [illustration: . satin-stitch in the making.] by way of _résumé_, it may be added that for line work, more or less fine, crewel, chain, back and rope stitches, and couched cord are most suitable; crewel for long lines especially, and rope stitch for both curved and straight lines; for a boundary line, buttonhole is most emphatic; for broader lines, herring-bone, feather, and oriental stitches answer better; ladder-stitch has the advantage of a firm edge on both sides of it. satin and chain stitches, couching and laying, and basket work make good bands, but are not peculiarly adapted to that purpose. for covering broad surfaces, crewel, chain, and satin stitches (including, of course, what are called long-and-short and plumage stitches) serve admirably, as does also darning and laid-work; and for gold thread, couching. french knots do best for small surfaces only. the stitches most useful for purposes of shading are mentioned later on. no sort of classification is possible until the number of stitches has been reduced to the necessary few, and all fancy stitches struck out of the list. enquiry should also be made into the title of each stitch to the name by which it is known; and the names themselves should be brought down to a minimum. reduce them to the fewest any needlewoman will allow, and they are still, if not too many, more than are logically required. some of them, too, describe not stitches, but ways of using a stitch. the term long-and-short, it has already been explained (page ), has less to do with a particular stitch than its proportion, and the term plumage-stitch refers more to the direction of the stitch than to the stitch itself. and so with other stitches. it is its oblique direction only which distinguishes stem-stitch from other short stitches of the kind. running, again, amounts to no more than proportioning stitches to the mesh of the stuff, and taking several of them at one passing of the needle; and darning is but rows of running side by side. the term split-stitch describes no new stitch, but a particular treatment to which a crewel or a satin stitch is submitted. the foregoing summaries of stitches are only by way of suggestion, something to set the embroidress thinking for herself. she must choose her own method; but it would help her, i think, to schedule the stitches for herself according to her own ways and wants. the most suitable stitch may not suit every one. individual preference and individual aptitude count for something. it is not a question of what is demonstrably best, but of what best suits you. one stitch, or many? the first thing to be settled with regard to the choice of stitch is whether to employ one stitch throughout, or a variety of stitches. much will depend upon the effect desired. good work has been done in either way; but one may safely say, in the first place, that it is as well not to introduce variety of stitch without good cause--there is safety in simplicity--and in the second, that stitches should be chosen to go together, in order that the work may look all of a piece. when the various stitches are well chosen, it is difficult at a glance to distinguish one from another. a great variety of stitches in one piece of work is worrying, if not bewildering. it is as well not to use too many, to keep in the main to one or two, but not to be afraid of using a third, or a fourth, to do what the stitch or stitches mainly relied upon cannot do. [illustration: . stitches in combination.] it tends also towards simplicity of effect if you use your stitches with some system, not haphazard, and in subordination one to the other; there must be no quarrelling among them for superiority. you should determine, that is to say, at the outset, which stitch shall be employed for filling, which for outline; or which for stalks, which for leaves, and which for flowers. or, supposing you adopt one general stitch throughout, and introduce others, you should know why, and make up your mind to employ your second for emphasis of form, your third for contrast of texture, or for some other quite definite purpose. it is not possible here to point out in detail the system on which the various examples illustrated have been worked; the reader must worry that out for herself. but one may just point out in passing how well the various stitches go together in some few instances. nothing could be more harmonious, for example, than the combination of knot, chain, and buttonhole stitches in illustration ; or of ladder, oriental, herring-bone, and other stitches in illustration . again, in illustration the contrast between satin-stitch in the bird and couched cord for the clouding is most judicious, as is the knotting of the bird's crest. laid floss contrasts, again, admirably with couched gold in illustrations , , , and satin-stitch with couching in illustration , where the gold is reserved mainly for outline, but on occasion serves to emphasise a detail. [illustration: . fine needlework upon linen.] couched gold and surface satin-stitch are used together again in illustration , each for its specific purpose. the harmony between appliqué work and couching or chain-stitch outline has been alluded to already. a danger to be kept in view when working in one stitch only is, lest it should look like a woven textile, as it might if very evenly worked. some kinds of embroidery seem hardly worth doing nowadays, because they suggest the loom. that may be a reason for some complexity of stitch, in which lurks that other danger of losing simplicity and breadth. the lace-like appearance of the needlework upon fine linen in illustration , results chiefly from the extraordinary delicacy with which it is done, but it owes something also to the variety of stitch and of stitch-pattern employed in it. outline. the use of outline in embroidery hardly needs pointing out. it is often the obvious way of defining a pattern, as, for example, where there is only a faint difference in depth of tint between the pattern and its background; in appliqué work it is necessary to mask the joins; and it is by itself a delightful means of diapering a surface with not too obtrusive pattern. allusion to the stitches suitable to outline has been made already (see stitch-groups), as well as to the colour of outlining, _à propos_ of appliqué. it is difficult to overrate the importance of this question of colour in the case of outline; but there are no rules to be laid down, except that a coloured outline is nearly always preferable to a black one. the germans of the th century were given to indulging in black outlines, and you may see in their work how it hardened the effect, whereas a coloured outline may define without harshness. the spaniards, on the other hand, realised the value of colour, and would, for example, outline gold and silver upon a dark green ground in red, with admirable effect. a double outline, for which there is often opportunity in bold work, may be turned to good account. among the successful combinations which come to mind is an appliqué pattern in yellow and white upon dark green, outlined first with gold cord, and then, next the green, with a paler and brighter green. another is a pattern chiefly in yellow upon purple, outlined first with yellow couched with gold, and next the ground with silver. in the case of couched cord or gold, the colour of the stitching counts also. stitches from the edge of a leaf or what not, inwards, alternately long and short, though they form an edge to the leaf, are not properly outlining. this is rather a stopping short of solid work than outlining, though it often goes by that name. the first condition of a good outline stitch is that it should be, as it were, supple, so as to follow the flow of the form. at the same time it should be firm. fancy stitches look fussy; and a spikey outline is worse than none at all. there is absolutely no substantial ground for the theory that outlines should be worked in a stitch not used elsewhere in the work. on the contrary, it is a good rule not to introduce extra stitches into the work unless they give something which the stitches already employed will not give. the simplest way is always safest. an outline affords a ready means of clearing up edges; but it should not be looked upon merely as a device for the disguise of slovenliness. unless the colour scheme should necessitate an outline, an embroidress, sure of her skill, will often prefer not to outline her work, and to get even the drawing lines within the pattern, by voiding. she will leave, that is to say, a line of ground-stuff clear between the petals of her flowers, or what not; which line, by the way, should be narrower than it is meant to appear, as it looks always broader than it is. it is more difficult, it must be owned, thus to work along two sides of a line of ground-stuff than to work a single line of stitching, but it is within the compass of any skilled worker; and skilled workers have delighted in voiding even when their work was on a small scale necessitating fine lines of voiding (illustrations and ). in work on a bold scale there is no difficulty about it; and it would be remarkable that it is so seldom used, were it not that the uncertain worker likes to have a chance of clearing up ragged edges, and that voiding implies a broader and more dignified treatment of design than it is the fashion to affect. shading. one arrives inevitably at gradation of colour in embroidery; the question is how best to get it. but, before mentioning the ways in which it may be got, it seems necessary to protest that shading is not a matter of course. perfectly beautiful work may be done, and ought more often to be done, in merely flat needlework; the gloss of the silk and its varying colour as it catches the light according to the direction of the stitching, are quite enough to prevent a monotonously flat effect. still, embroidery affords such scope for gradation of colour, not, practically, to be got by any process of weaving, that a colourist may well revel in the delights of colour which silks of various dyes allow. and so long as colour is the end in view there is not much danger that a colourist will go wrong. [illustration: . part of a design by walter crane.] the use of shading in embroidery is rather to get gradation of colour than relief of form. as to the stitch to be employed, that is partly a personal matter, partly a question of what is to be done. the stitch must be adapted to the kind of shading, or the shading must be designed to suit the stitch. it makes all the difference in the world, whether your shading is deliberately done, or whether one shade is meant to merge into another. in the best work it is always done with decision. there is nothing vague or casual, for example, about the shading of mr. crane's animals on illustration . everywhere the shading is _drawn_, either in lines or as a sharply defined mass. given a drawing in which the shadows are properly planned and crisply drawn like that, and you may use what stitch you please. [illustration: . shading in chain-stitch.] the more natural way of shading is to let the stitches follow the lines of the drawing, and so make use of them to express form, as with the strokes of the pen or pencil upon paper. thus, in mediæval figurework prior to the th century, the faces were usually done in split stitch, worked concentrically from the middle of the cheek outward, and so suggesting the roundness of the face (illustration ). but just as there is a system of shading according to which the draughtsman makes all his strokes in one direction (slanting usually), so the embroidress may, if she prefer, take her stitches all one way; and in the th and th centuries the fashion was to work flesh in short-satin stitches always in the vertical direction (illustration ). the term "long-and-short-stitch" is frequently used by way of describing the stitch. it does not, as i have said, help us much. the stitches are in the first place only satin-stitches worked not in even rows, as in illustration , but so that there is no line of demarcation between one row and another. and this, in the case of gradated colour, makes the shading softer. the words long-and-short apply strictly only to the outer row of stitches. you begin, that is to say, with alternately long and short stitches. if you work after that with stitches of equal length, they necessarily alternate or dovetail. if the form to be worked necessitates radiation in the stitching, there results a texture something like the feathering of a bird's breast (illustration ), whence the name plumage-stitch, another term describing not so much a stitch as the use of a stitch. no matter what the stitch, one must be able to draw in order to express form: it is rather more difficult to draw with a needle than with a pen, that is all. true, the designer may do that for you, and make such a workmanlike drawing that there is no mistaking it; but it takes a skilled draughtsman to do it. [illustration: . shading in short stitches.] in flattish decorative work, where the drawing is in firm lines, as in illustration , the task of the embroidress is relatively easy--there is not much shading, for example, in the drapery of king abias, and the vine leaves are merely worked with yellower green towards the edges. even where there is strong shading, a draughtsman who knows his business may make shading easy by drawing his shadows with firm outlines. the taste of the artist who designed the roses in illustration is too pictorial to win the heart of any one with a leaning towards severity of design; too much relief is sought; but the way he has got it shows the master workman; he has deliberately laid in _flat_ washes of colour, each with its precise outline, which the worker had only to follow faithfully with flat tambour work. a design like that, given the working drawing, asks little of the worker beyond patient care: of the designer it asks considerable knowledge. a yet more pictorial effect is produced in much the same way, this time in satin stitch, in illustration . the artist has for the most part drawn his shadows with crisp brush strokes, which the worker had no difficulty in following; but there is some rounding of the birds' bodies which a merely mechanical worker could not have got. in fact, there are indications that this is the work more of a painter than of an embroidress, who would have acknowledged by her stitches the feathering of the birds' necks as well as their roundness. [illustration: . shading in long-and-short and split stitches.] you can embroider, of course, without knowing much about drawing; but you cannot go far in the direction of shading (not drawn for you, or only vaguely drawn) without the appreciation of form which comes only of knowing and understanding. there is evidence of such knowledge and understanding in the working of the lion in illustration . that is not a triumph of even stitching; but it is a triumph of drawing with the needle. the short satin and split stitches are not placed with the regularity so dear to the human machine, but they express the design perfectly. the embroiderer of that lion was an artist, perhaps the artist who designed it. "it might be a _man's_ work," was the verdict of an embroidress. at all events it is the work of some one who could draw, and only a draughtsman or draughtswoman could have worked it. this is not said wholly in praise of shading. embroidery ought, for the most part, to do very well without it. the point to insist upon is that, if shading is employed at all, it should mean something, and not be mere fumbling after form. the charm of shading in embroidery is not the roundness of form which you get, but the gradation of colour which it gives. this may be very delicately and subtly got by split-stitch, which renders that stitch so valuable in the rendering of flesh tints. but the blending of colour into colour which is universally admired is not quite so admirable as people think. one may easily employ too many shades of colour, easily merge them too imperceptibly one into the other, getting only unmeaning softness. an artist prefers to see few shades employed, and those chosen with judgment and placed with deliberate intention. if they mean something, there is no harm in letting it be seen where they meet: broad masses give breadth: vagueness generally means ignorance. that is, perhaps, why one dislikes it, and why it is so common. figure embroidery. to an accomplished needlewoman embroidery offers every scope for art, short of the pictorial; and the artist is not only justified in lavishing work upon it, but often bound to do so, more especially when it comes to working with materials in themselves rich and costly. a beautiful material, if you are to better it (and if not why work upon it at all?), must be beautifully worked. costly material is worth precious work; and there should be by rights a preciousness about the needlework employed upon it, preciousness of design and of execution. to put the value into the material is mere vulgarity. it seems to an artist almost to go without saying, that the labour on work claiming to be art should be in excess of the value of the stuff which goes to make it. what we really prize is the hand work and the brain work of the artist; and the more precious the stuff he employs, the more strictly he is bound to make artistic use of it. i do not mean by that _pictorial_ use. you can get, no doubt, with the needle effects more or less pictorial--most often less; but, when got, they are usually at the best rather inferior to the picture of which they are a copy. work done should be better always than the design for it, which was a project only, a promise. the fulfilment should be something more. a design of which the promise is not likely to be fulfilled in the working-out is, for its purpose, ill-designed. to say that you would rather have the drawing from which it was done (and that is what you feel about "needle pictures") is most severely to condemn either the designer or the worker, or perhaps both. only a competent figure painter, for example, can be trusted to render flesh with the needle; her success is in proportion to her skill with the implement, but in any case less than what might be achieved in painting: then why choose the needle? admitting that a painter who by choice or chance takes to the needle may paint with it satisfactorily enough, that does not go to prove the needle a likely tool to paint with. it is anything but that. there was never a greater mistake than to suppose, as some do who should know better, that, to raise embroidery to the rank of art, figure work is necessary. the truth is that only by rare exception does embroidered figure work rise to the rank of art: the rule is that it is degraded, the more surely as it aims at picture. and that is why, for all that has been done in the way of wonderful picture work, say by the italians and the flemings of the early renaissance, the pictorial is not the form of design best suited to embroidery. needlework, like any other decorative craft, demands treatment in the design, and the human figure submits less humbly to the necessary modification than other forms of life. animals, for instance, lend themselves more readily to it, and so do birds; fur and feathers are obviously translatable into stitches. leaves and flowers accommodate themselves perhaps better still; but each is best when it is only the motive, not the model, of design. if only, then, on account of the greater difficulty in treating it, the figure is not the form of design most likely to do credit to the needle, and it is absurd to argue that, figure work being the noblest form of design, therefore the noblest form of embroidery must include it. the embroidress entirely in sympathy with her materials will not want telling that the needle lends itself better to forms less fixed in their proportions than the human figure; the decorator will feel that there is about fine ornament a nobility of its own which stands in need of no pictorial support; the unbiassed critic will admit that figure design of any but the most severely decorative kind is really outside the scope of needle and thread; and that the desire to introduce it arises, not out of craftsmanlikeness, but out of an ambition which does not pay much regard to the conditions proper to needlework. those conditions should be a law to the needlewoman. what though she be a painter too? she is painting now with a needle. it is futile to attempt what could be better done with a brush. she should be content to work the way of the needle. common sense asks that much at least of loyalty to the art she has chosen to adopt. wonderful and almost incredibly pictorial effects have been obtained with the needle; but that does not mean to say it was a wise thing to attempt them. the result may be astonishing and yet not worth the pains. the pains of flesh-painting with the needle (if not the impossibility of it for all practical purposes) is confessed by the habit which arose of actually painting the flesh in water colour upon satin. paint on satin, if you like. there may be occasions when there is no time to stitch, and it is necessary for some ceremonial and more or less theatric purpose to paint what had better have been worked. the more frankly such work acknowledges its temporary and makeshift character the better. scene painting is art, until you are asked to take it for landscape painting. anyway, the mixture of painting and embroidery is not to be endured; and it is a poor-spirited embroidress who will thus confess her weakness and call on painting to help her out. it does not even do that, it fails absolutely to produce the desired effect. the painting quarrels with the stitching, and there is after all no semblance of that unity which is the very essence of picture. [illustration: . chinese chain-stitching.] an instance of painted flesh occurs upon illustration . can any one, in view of the bordering to the picture, doubt that the worker had much better have kept to what she could do, and do perfectly, ornament? an example, on the other hand, of what may be done in the way of expressing action in the fewest and simplest chain stitches (if only you know the form you want to represent and can manage your needle) is given in the wee figures in the landscape above ( ). [illustration: . fifteenth century figure work.] in speaking of the necessary treatment of the human figure (as of other natural form) in needlework, it is not meant to contend that there is one only way of treating it consistently, or that there are no more than two or three ways. there are various ways, some no doubt yet to be devised, but they must be the ways of the needle. the flesh, of course, is the main difficulty. a gothic practice, and not the least happy one, was to show the flesh in the naked linen of the ground, only just working the outlines of the features in black or brown. another way was to work the face in split stitch, as already explained, and over that the markings of the features, the fine lines in short satin-stitches, the broader in split-stitch, as shown in the figure of king abias in illustration . the general treatment of the figure there is of course in the manner of the th century, better suited, from its severe simplicity, for rendering in needlework than later and more pictorial forms of composition. that needlework can, however, in capable hands, go farther than that is shown in illustration , a rather threadbare specimen of th century work, in which the character of the man's face is admirably expressed. it is first worked in short, straight stitches, all of white, and over that the drawing lines are worked in brown. the artist gets her effect in the simplest possible way, and apparently with the greatest ease. [illustration: . sixteenth century italian figure work.] more like painting is the head in illustration , worked in short stitches of various shades, which give something of the colour as well as the modelling of flesh. this is a triumph in its way. it goes about as far as the needle can go, and further than, except under rare conditions, it ought to go. but it may do that and yet be needlework. equally wonderful in their miniature way are the faces of the little people on illustration , about the size of your finger nail. they are worked in solid satin-stitch, and the two layers of silk (back and front) give a substance fairly thick but at the same time yielding, so that when the stitches for the mouth and eyes are sewn tightly over it they sink in, and, as it were, push up the floss between and give relief. the nose is worked in extra satin-stitch over the other, and the slight depression at the end of the stitch gives lines of drawing. this trenches upon modelling, but, on such a minute scale, does not amount to very pronounced departure from the flat. the method employed does not lend itself to larger work. the last word on the question as to what one may do with the needle is, that you may do what you _can_; but it is best to seek by means of it what it can best do, and always to make much of the texture of silk, and of the quality of pure and lustrous colour which it gives--in short, to work _with_ your materials. [illustration: . chinese figures.] the direction of the stitch. the effect of any stitch is vastly varied, according to the use made of it. satin-stitch, it was shown ( ), worked in twisted silk, ceases to have any appearance of satin; and it makes all the difference whether the stitches are long or short, close together or wide apart. more important than all is the direction of the stitch. by that alone you can recognise the artist in needlework. the direction of the stitch deserves consideration from two points of view--that of colour and that of form. first as to colour. it is not sufficiently realised that every alteration in the direction of the stitch means variety of tone, if not of tint. take a feather in your hand, and turn it about, so that now one side of the quill now the other catches the light; or notice the alternate stripes of brighter and greyer green on a fresh-trimmed lawn, where the roller has bent the blades of grass first this way and then that. so it is with the colour of silken stitches. the pattern opposite ( ) looks as if it had been embroidered in two shades of silk; in the work itself it has still more that appearance; but it is all in one shade of brownish gold: the difference which you see is merely the effect of light upon it. the horizontal stitches, as it happens, catch the light; the vertical ones do not. had the light come from a different point, the effect might have been reversed. if there had been diagonal stitches from right to left, they would have given a third tint; and, if there had been others from left to right, they would have given a fourth. [illustration: . influence of stitch-direction upon colour.] suppose a pattern in which the leaves were worked horizontally, the flowers vertically, and the stalks in the direction of their growth, all in one stitch and in one colour, there would be a very appreciable difference in tone between leaves, flowers, and stalks. in gold, the difference would be yet more striking. and that is one reason why gold backgrounds are worked in diapers; not so much for the sake of pattern as to get variety of broken tint. in the famous syon cope the direction of the stitching is frankly independent of the design. that is to say, that, while the pattern radiates naturally from the neck, the stitches do not follow suit, but go all one way--the way of the stuff. this, though rather a brutal solution of the difficulty, saves all afterthought as to what direction the stitches shall take; but it has very much the effect of weaving. the embroiderer of the th century was not afraid of that (aimed at it, perhaps?), and was, apparently, afraid of letting go the leading strings of warp and weft. when stitches follow the direction of the form embroidered, accommodating themselves to it, all manner of subtle change of tone results. you get, not only variety of colour, but more than a suggestion of form. that is the second point to be considered. [illustration: . meaningless direction of stitch.] the direction taken by the stitch always helps to explain the drawing; or, if the needlewoman cannot draw, to show that she cannot--as, for example, in the tulip herewith ( ). a less intelligent management of the stitch it would be hard to find. the needlestrokes, far from helping in the very slightest degree to explain the folding over of the petals, directly contradict the drawing. the flower might almost have been designed to show how not to do it; but it is a piece of old work, quite seriously done, only without knowing. the embroidress is free, of course, to work her stitches in a direction which does not express form at all, so as to give a flat tint, in which is no hint of modelling; but the intention is here quite obviously naturalistic. the rendering below ( ) shows the direction the stitches should have taken. the turn-over of the petals is even there not very clearly expressed, but that is the fault of the drawing (very much on a par with the workmanship), from which it would not have been fair to depart. [illustration: . more expressive lines of stitching.] a more clever fulfilment of the naturalistic intention is to be seen in illustration . the drawing of the doves is in the rather loose manner of the period of marie antoinette; but the treatment of the stitch is clever in its way--the way, as i have said, rather of painting than of embroidery, giving as it does the roundness of the birds' bodies but no hint of actual feathering, such as you find in the bird in illustration . there, every stitch helps to explain the feathering. by a discreet use of what i must persist in calling the same stitch (that is, satin-stitch and the variety of it called plumage-stitch) the embroiderer has rendered with equal perfection the sweep of the broad wing feathers and the fluffy feathering of the breast. it is by means of the direction of the stitch, too, that the drawing of the neck is so perfectly rendered. [illustration: . satin and plumage stitches.] the direction of the stitch is varied to some purpose in the head in illustration , where the flesh is all in straight upright stitches, whilst the hair is stitched in the direction of its growth. the five petals on the satin-stitch sampler (illustration )--to descend from the masterly to the elementary--show something of the difference it makes in what direction the stitch is worked. it matters more, of course, in some stitches than in others; but in most cases the direction of the stitch suggests form, and needs accordingly to be considered. it scarcely needs further pointing out how the direction of the stitch may help to explain the construction of the form, as in the case of leaves, for example, where the veining may be suggested; or of stalks, where the fibre may be indicated. there is no law as to the direction of stitch, except that it should be considered. you may follow the direction of the forms, you may cross them, you may deliberately lay your stitches in the most arbitrary manner; but, whatever you do, you must do it with intelligent purpose. an artist or a workwoman can tell at once whether your stitch was laid just so because you meant it or because you knew no better. having laid your stitches deliberately, it is best to leave them, and not to work over them with other stitching. stitching over stitching was resorted to whenever elaboration was the fashion; but the simpler and more direct method is the best. the way the veins are laid in cord over the satin-stitch in the lotus leaves in illustration is the one fault to be found with an all but perfect piece of work. the stitching over the laid silver mid-rib in illustration is better judged. it may be said, generally speaking, that except where, as in the case of laid-work, the first stitching was done in anticipation of a second, and the work would be incomplete without it, stitching over stitches should be indulged in only with moderation. stitching is sometimes done not merely over stitches, but upon the surface of them, not penetrating the ground-stuff. unless, in such a case, the first stitching is of such compact character as to want no strengthening, it amounts almost to a sin against practicality not to take advantage of the second stitching to make it firmer. church work. it is customary to draw a distinction between church, or ecclesiastical as it is called, and other embroidery; but it is a distinction without much difference. certain kinds of work are doubtless best suited to the dignity of church ceremonial, and to the breadth of architectural decoration; accordingly, certain processes of work have been adopted for church purposes, and are taken as a matter of course--too much as a matter of course. the fact is, work precisely like that employed on vestments and the like (illustration ) was used also for the caparison of horses and other equally profane purposes. [illustration: . renaissance church work.] practical considerations, alike of ceremonial and decoration, make it imperative that church work should be effective: religious sentiment insists that it should be of the best and richest, unsparingly, and even lavishly given; common sense dictates that the loving labour spent upon it should not be lost. and these and other such considerations involve methods of work which, by constant use for church purposes, have come to be classed as ecclesiastical embroidery. but there is no consecrated stitch, no stitch exclusively belonging to the church, none probably invented by it. for embroidery is a primitive art--clothes were stitched before ever churches were furnished; and european methods of embroidery are all derived from oriental work, which found its way westwards at a very early date. phrygia (sometimes credited with the invention of embroidery) passed it on to greece, and greece to italy, the gate of european art. christianity produced new forms of design, but not new ways of work. the methods adopted in the nunneries of the west were those which had already been perfected in the harems of the east. embroidery for the church must naturally take count of the church, both as a building and as a place of worship; but, as apart from all other needlework, there is no such thing as church embroidery; and the branding of one very dull kind of thing with that name is in the interest neither of art nor of the church, but only of business. "ecclesiastical art" is just a trade-term, covering a vast amount of soulless work. there is in the nature of things no reason why art should be reserved for secular purposes, and only manufacture be encouraged by the clergy. the test of fitness for religious service is religious feeling; but that is hardly more likely to be found in the output of the church furnisher (trade patterns overladen with stock symbols), than in the stitching of the devout needlewoman, working for the glory of god, in whose service of old the best work was done. many of the examples of old work given on these pages are from church vestments, altar furniture, and the like; information on that point will be found in the descriptive index of illustrations at the beginning of the book; but they are here discussed from the point of view of workmanship, with as little reference as possible to religious or other use: that is a question apart from art. the distinguishing features of church work should be, in the first place, its devotional spirit, and, in the second, its consummate workmanship. in it, indeed, we might expect to find work beyond the rivalry of trade controlled by conditions of time and money. even then it would be but the more perfect expression of the same art which in its degree ennobled things of civic and domestic use. church embroidery, as usually practised in these days, is not only the most frigid and rigid in design, but the hardest and most mechanical in execution--which last arises in great part from the way it is done. it is not embroidered straight upon the silk or velvet which forms the groundwork of the design, but separately on linen. the pattern thus worked is cut out, and either pasted straight on to the ground-stuff, or, if the linen is at all loose, first mounted on thin paper and then cut out and pasted on to the velvet, where it is kept under pressure until it is dry. in either case the edges have eventually to be worked over. this habit of working on linen or canvas and applying the embroidery ready worked on to the richer stuff, though early used on occasion, does not seem to have been common until a period when manufacture generally usurped the place of art. the work in illustration was done directly on to the silk. in the latter half of the th century there was a regular trade in embroidery ready to sew on, by which means purveyors could turn out in a day or two what would have taken months to embroider. even if it had been the invariable mediæval practice to work sprays or what not upon canvas and apply them bodily to the velvet, that would not make it the more workmanlike or straightforward way of working. if needle stitches are the ostensible means of getting an effect upon a stuff, it seems only right they should be stitched upon that stuff. to work the details apart and then clap them on to it, stands to embroidery very much in the relation of hedge-carpentering to joinery. nor is it usually happy in result. occasionally, as in the case of miss c. p. shrewsbury's vine-leaf pattern (illustration ), it disarms criticism. more often it looks stuck-on. a way of avoiding that look is to add judicious after-stitching on the stuff itself; and this must not be confined to the sewing on or outlining merely, but allowed to wander playfully over the field, so as to draw your eye away from the margin of the applied patch, and lead you to infer that, some of the needlework being obviously done on the velvet, all of it is. but to disguise in this way the line of demarcation, even if you succeed in doing it, is at best the art of prevarication. [illustration: . gothic church work.] no doubt it is difficult to work upon velvet. the stuff is not very sympathetic, and the stitching has a way of sinking into the pile, and being, as it were, drowned in it. but the trailing spirals of split-stitch which play about the applied spots in many a mediæval altar cloth hold their own quite well enough to show that silk can be worked straight on to the velvet. that gold may be equally well worked straight on to velvet may be seen in any indian saddle cloth. heavy work of this kind may be rather man's work than woman's; but that is not the point. the question is, how to get the best results; and the answer is, by working on the stuff. it may be argued that in this way you cannot get very high relief; but the occasions for high relief are, at the best, rare. if you want actual modelling, as in the spanish work referred to in a previous chapter, that must, of course, be worked separately, built up, as it were, upon the canvas and worked over. and there is no reason why it should not, for in no case does it appear to be stitching. in fact, it aims deliberately at the effect of chased and beaten metal. [illustration: . modern church work by miss shrewsbury.] heavy appliqué of any kind affects, of course, not only the thickness but the flexibility of the material thus enriched--an important consideration if it is meant to hang in folds. a plea for simplicity. the simplest patterns are by no means the least beautiful. it is too much the fashion to underrate the artistic value of the less pretentious forms of needlework, and especially of flat ornament, which has, nevertheless, its own very important place in decoration. as for geometric pattern, that is quite beneath consideration--it is so mechanical! mechanical is a word as easily spoken as another; but if needlework is mechanical, that is more often the fault of the needlewoman than of the mechanism she employs. the orientals, who indulged so freely in geometric device, were the least mechanical of workers. it is our rigid way of working it which robs geometric ornament of its charm. the needleworker has less than ever occasion to be afraid of geometric pattern; for it is peculiarly difficult to get in it that appearance of rule-and-compass-work which makes ornament so dull. the one real objection to geometric pattern is that it is nowadays so cheaply and so mechanically got by _weaving_ that, however freely it may be rendered, there is a danger of its suggesting mechanical production, which embroidery emphatically ought not to do. there is a similar objection nowadays to some stitches, such, for example, as chain-stitch and back-stitch, which suggest the sewing-machine. embroidery does not to-day take quite the place it once did. it was used, for example, by the early coptic christians to supplement tapestry. that is to say, what they could not weave they stitched; it was only to get more delicate detail than their tapestry loom would allow, that they had recourse to the needle. needlework was, in fact, an adjunct to weaving. later, in mediæval times, the germans of cologne, for their church vestments and the like, wove what they could, and enriched their woven figures with embroidery. again, a great deal of oriental embroidery, and of peasant work everywhere, is merely the result of circumstances. where money is scarce and time is of no account, it answers a woman's purpose to do for herself with her needle what might in some respects be even better done on the loom. her preference for handwork is not that it has artistic possibilities, but that it costs her less. she would in many cases prefer the more mechanically produced fabric, if she could get it at the same price. we do not find that orientals reject the productions of the power-loom--which they would do if they had the artistic instincts with which we credit them. [illustration: . simple stitching on linen.] it results from our conditions of to-day that there are some kinds of needlework we admire, which yet are not worth our doing, such, for example, as the all-over work, which does not amount to more than simple diaper, and which really is not so much embroidering on a textile as converting it into one of another kind. glorified instances of this kind of work occur in the shawl work of cashmere, and in those beautiful bits of persian stitching which remind one of carpet-work in miniature, if they are not in fact related to carpet-weaving. embroidery was at one time the readiest, and practically the only, means of getting enrichment of certain kinds. to-day we get machine embroidery. as machinery is perfected, and learns to do what formerly could be done only by the needle, hand-workers get pushed aside and fall out of work. their chance is, in keeping always in advance of the machine. there is this hope for them, that the monotony of machine-made things produces in the end a reaction in favour of handwork--provided always it gives us something which manufacture cannot. possibly also there is scope for amateurs and home-artists in that combination of embroidery and hand-weaving with which the power-loom, though it has superseded it, does not enter into competition. [illustration: . simple couching on linen.] it is not so much for geometric ornament as for simple pattern that i here make my plea, for that reticent work of which so much was at one time done in this country--mere back-stitching, for example, or what looks like it, in yellow silk upon white linen; or the modest diaper, archaic, if you like, but inevitably characteristic, in which the naïveté of the sampler seems always to linger; or again, the admirably simple work in illustration . this last does not show so delicately in the photographic reproduction as it should, because, being in grey and yellow on white linen, the relative value of the two shades of colour is lost in the process. in the original the broader yellow bands are much more in tone with the ground, and do not assert themselves so much. such as it is, only an artist could have designed that border-work, and any neat-handed woman could have embroidered it. think again of the delicate work in white on white, too familiar to need illustration, which makes no loud claim to be art, but is content to be beautiful! is that to be a thing altogether of the past now that we have art needlework? art needlework! it has helped put an end to the patience of the modern worker, and to inspire her too often with ambitions quite beyond her powers of fulfilment. what one misses in the work of the present day is that reticent and unpretending stitchery, which, thinking to be no more than a labour of loving patience, is really a work of art, better deserving the title than a flaunting floral quilt which goes by the name of "art needlework"--designed apparently to worry the eye by day and to give bad dreams by night to whoever may have the misfortune to sleep under it. is anyone nowadays modest enough to do work such as the couching in outline in illustration ? yet what distinction there is about it! embroidery design. perfect art results only when designer and worker are entirely in sympathy, when the designer knows quite what the worker can do with her materials, and when the worker not only understands what the designer meant, but feels with him. and it is the test of a practical designer that he not only knows the conditions under which his design is to be carried out, but is ready to submit to them. the distinction here made between designer and embroiderer is not casual, but afore-thought, notwithstanding the division of labour it implies. enthusiasm has a habit of outrunning reason. because in some branches of industry subdivision of labour has been carried to absurd excess, it is the fashion to demand in all branches of it the autograph work of one person, which is no less absurd. to try and link together faculties which nature has for the most part put asunder, is futile. that designer and worker should be one and the same person is an ideal, but one only very occasionally fulfilled. when that happens (illustrations and ) it is well. but the attempt to realise it commonly works out in one of two ways: either a good design is spoilt in the working for want of executive skill on the part of the designer, or good workmanship is spent on poor design, as good, perhaps, as one has any right to expect of a skilled needleworker. the fact is, you can only make out all the world to be designers by reducing design to what all the world can do. and that is not much. there is a point of view from which it does not amount to design at all. the study of design forms part of the education of an embroidress, not so much that she may design what she works, but that she may know in the first place what good design is, and, in the second, be equal to the ever-recurring occasion when a design has to be modified or adapted. if, in thus manipulating design not hers, she should discover a faculty of invention, she will want no telling to exercise it. a designer wants no encouragement to design--she designs. there would be no occasion to insist upon this, were it not for the prevalence at the present moment of the idea that a worker, in whatever art or handicraft, is in artistic duty bound to design whatever she puts hand to do. that is a theory as false as it is unkind; let no embroidress be discouraged by it. let her, unless she is inwardly impelled to invent, remain content to do good needlework. that is her art. her business as an artist is to make beautiful things. co-operation in the making of them is no crime. and what, then, about originality? originality is a gift beyond price. but it is not a thing which even the designer should struggle after. it comes, if it is there. there is a revengeful consolation for the pain we suffer from design about us writhing to be up-to-date, in the thought that its contortions tell what pain it cost to do. the birth of beauty is a less agonising travail; and the thing to seek is beauty, not novelty. whoever planned the lines of the border in illustration , or treated the leafage in illustration , was not trying to be original, but determined to do his best. artists and workers of individuality and character are themselves, without being so much as aware that originality has gone out of them. [illustration: . renaissance ornament.] to assume, then, that every needlewoman is, or can ever be, competent to design what she embroiders, is to make very small account of design. how is it possible to take design seriously and yet think it is to be mastered without years of patient study, which few workwomen can or will devote to it? any cultivated woman may for herself invent (if it is to be called invention) something better worth working than is to be bought ready to work. and that may do for many purposes, so long as it does not claim to be more than it is; but in the case of really important work, to be executed at considerable cost not only of material, but of patient labour, surely it is worth giving serious thought to its design. the scant consideration commonly given to it shows how little the worker is in earnest. or has she thought? and is she persuaded that her artless spray of flowers, or the ironed-off pattern she has bought, is all that art could be? it would be rude to tell her she was wasting silk! how should she know? the only way of knowing is to study, to look at good work, old work by preference; it is worth no one's while to praise that unduly. and if in all that is now so readily accessible she finds nothing to admire, nothing which appeals to her, nothing which inspires her, then her case is hopeless. if, on the other hand, she finds only so much as one style of work sympathetic to her, studies that, lets its spirit sink into her, tries to do something worthy of it, then she is on the right road. measure yourself with the best, not with the common run of work; and if that should put you out of conceit with your own work, no great harm is done; sooner or later you have got to come to a modest opinion of yourself, if ever you are to do even moderate things. [illustration: . leaf treatment in appliquÉ.] but the "best" above referred to does not necessarily mean the most masterly. the best of a simple kind is not calculated to discourage anyone--rather, it looks as if it must be easy to do that; and in trying to do it you learn how much goes to the doing it. good design need not be of any great importance or pretensions. it may be quite simple, if only it is right; if the lines are true, the colour harmonious; if it is adapted to its place, to its use and purpose, to execution not only with the needle but in the particular kind of needlework to be employed. there has of late years been something of a revival of needlework design in schools of art, and some very promising and even most accomplished work has been done; but in many instances, as it seems to me, it is rather design which has been translated into needlework, than design clearly made for execution with the needle. a really appropriate and practical design for embroidery should be schemed not merely with a view to its execution with the needle, but with a view to its execution in a particular stitch or stitches--and possibly by a particular embroidress. to be safe in designing work so minute as that on illustration , one must be sure of the needlewoman who is to execute it. [illustration: . delicate satin-stitch--worked by miss buckle.] my reference to old work must not be taken to imply that design should be in imitation of what has been done, or that it should follow on those lines. design was once upon a time traditional; but the chain of tradition has snapped, and now conscious design must be eclectic--that is to say, one must study old work to see what has been done, and how it has been done, and then do one's own in one's own way. it is at least as foolish to break quite away from what has been done as to tether yourself to it. and in what has been done you will see, not only what is worth doing, but what is not. that, each must judge for herself. for my part, it seems to me the thing best worth doing is ornament. any way, this much is certain (and you have only to go to a museum to prove it), that there is no need for needleworkers, unless their instinct draws them that way, to take to needle painting, to pictures in silk, or even to flower stitching. the limitations of embroidery are not so rigidly marked as the boundaries of many another craft. there is little technical difficulty in representing flowers, for example, very naturally--too naturally for any dignified decorative purpose. embroiderer or embroidery designer will, as a matter of fact, be constantly inspired by flower forms, and silk gives the pure colour of their petals as nearly as may be. but, though the pattern be a veritable flower garden, the embroidress will not forget, to use the happy phrase of william morris, that she is gardening with silks and gold threads. let the needleworker study the work of the needle in preference to that of the brush; let her aim at what stuff and threads will give her, and give more readily than would something else. let her work according to the needle: take that for her guide, not be misled by what some other tool can do better; do what the needle can do best, and be content with that. that is the way to art in needlework, and the surest way. embroidery materials. embroidery is not among the things which have to be done, and must be done, therefore, as best one can do them. it is in the nature of a superfluity: the excuse for it is that it is beautiful. it is not worth doing unless it is done well, and in material worth the work done on it. if you are going to spend the time you must spend to do good work, it is worth while using good stuff, foolish to use anything else. the stuff need not be costly, but it should be the best of its kind; and it should be chosen with reference to the work to be done on it, and _vice versâ_. a mean ground-stuff suggests, if it does not necessitate, its being embroidered all over, ground-work as well as pattern; a worthier one, that it should not be hidden altogether from view; a really beautiful one, that enough of it should be left bare of ornament that its quality may be appreciated. [sidenote: stuffs.] it goes without saying, that for big, bold stitching a proportionately coarse ground-stuff should be used, and for delicate work, one of finer texture; whether it be linen, woollen cloth, or silk, your purpose will determine. linen is a worthy ground-stuff, which may be worked on with flax thread, crewel, or silk, but they should not be mixed. cotton is hardly worth embroidering. of woollen stuffs, good plain cloth is an excellent ground for work in wool or silk, but it is not pleasant to the touch in working. serge, if not too loose, may serve for curtains and the like, but it is not so well worth working upon. felt is beneath contempt. the nobler the material, the more essential it is that it should be of the best. poor satin is not "good enough to work on;" it looks poorer than ever when it is embroidered. satin should be stretched upon the frame the way of the stuff, and it should not be forgotten that it has a right and a wrong way up. if it is backed, the linen should be fine and smooth: on a coarse backing, the satin gets quickly worn away, as you may see in many a piece of old work that has gone ragged. "roman satin" and what is called "_satin de luxe_" (perhaps because it is not so luxurious as it pretends to be) are effective ground-stuffs easy to work upon; but there is an odour of pretence about satin-faced cotton. a corded silk is not good to embroider; the work on it looks hard; but a close twill answers very well. silk damask makes an admirable ground beautifully broken in colour, if only it is simple and broad enough in pattern. generally speaking, you can hardly choose a design too big and flat; but something depends upon the work to be done on it. in any case, the pattern of the damask ought not to assert itself, and if you can't make out its details, so much the better. brocade asserts itself too much to form a good background. there is a practice of embroidering the outlines, or certain details only, of damask and brocade patterns. that is a fair way of further enriching a rich stuff; but it is embroidery merely in the sense that it is literally embroidered: the needlework is only supplementary to weaving. tussah silk of the finer sort is easy to work in the hand. the thinner and looser quality needs to be worked in a frame, and with smooth silk not tightly twisted. [sidenote: thread.] with regard to the thread to work with: the coarser kinds of flax are best waxed before using. the crewel to be preferred is that not too tightly twisted. filoselle is well adapted to couching, and may be laid double ( threads). french floss is smooth, and does well for laid work; for fine work bobbin floss, or what is called "church floss," is better; the slight twist in filo-floss is against it; very thick floss may be used for french knots. for couching gold, a very fine twisted silk does well. purse silk, thick and twisted, lends itself perfectly to basket work. working in coloured silks, one should take advantage of the quality of pure transparent colour which silk takes in the dyeing. the palette of the embroiderer in silk is superlatively rich. [sidenote: gold.] the purest gold is generally made on a foundation of _red_ silk. japanese gold does not tarnish so readily as "passing," which is in some respects superior to it. for stitching through, there is a finer thread, called "tambour." flat gold wire is known by the name of "plate," and various twisted threads by the name of "purl." [sidenote: chenille.] a not very promising substance to embroider with is chenille. it came into use in the latter half of the th century, and was still in fashion in the time of marie antoinette. the use of it is shown in illustration , where the darker touches of the roses are worked in it. chenille seems to have been used instead of smooth silk, much as in certain old-fashioned water-colour paintings gum was used with the paint, or over it, to deepen the shadows. the material is used again in the wreath on illustration . it is worked there in chain-stitch with the tambour needle: it may also be worked in satin-stitch; but the more obvious way of using it is to couch it, cord by cord, with fine silk thread. there is this against chenille, that its texture is not sympathetic to the touch, and that there is a stuffy look about it always. nor does it seem ever quite to belong to the smooth satin ground on which it is worked. [sidenote: ribbon.] [sidenote: shaded silk.] there is less objection to embroidery in ribbon, which also had its day in the th century. it was very much the fashion for court dresses under louis seize--"_broderie de faveur_," as it was called, whence our "lady's favour"--_faveur_ being a narrow ribbon. some beautiful work of its kind was done in ribbon, sometimes _shaded_. shaded silk, by the way, may be used to artistic purpose. there is, for example, in the treasury of seville cathedral a piece of work on velvet, th century, it is said, rather persian in character, in which the forms of certain nondescript animals are at first sight puzzlingly prismatic in colour. they turn out to be roughly worked in short stitches of parti-coloured silk thread. the result is not altogether beautiful, but it is extremely suggestive. [sidenote: ribbon.] the effect of ribbon work is happiest when it is not sewn through the stuff after the manner of satin stitch, but lies on the surface of the satin ground, and is only just caught down at the ends of the loops which go to make leaves and petals. the twist of the ribbon where it turns gives interest to the surface of the embroidery, which is always more or less in relief upon the stuff, easy to crush, and of limited use therefore. [illustration: . leather appliquÉ upon velvet.] an effect of ribbon work, but of a harder kind, was produced by onlaying narrow strips of card or parchment upon a silken ground, twisted about after the fashion of ribbon. these, having been stitched in place, were worked over in satin-stitch. the work has the merit of looking just like what it is. but neither it nor ribbon embroidery is of any very serious account. passing reference has been made to other materials to embroider with than thread. gold wire, for example, and spangles, coral and pearls, which have been used with admirable discretion, as well as to vulgar purpose. jewels also were lavished upon the embroidery of bishops' mitres, gloves and other significant apparel, and in default of real stones, imitations in glass, and eventually beads (or pearls) of glass, in which we have possibly the origin of knots. bead embroidery is at least as old as ancient egypt. even atoms of looking-glass, sewn round with silk, have been used to really beautiful effect (barbaric though it may be) in indian work. the question almost occurs: with what can one not embroider? in madras they produce most brilliant embroidery upon muslin with the cases of beetles' wings. in the mauritius they use fish-scales; in north america, porcupine quills; and everywhere savage tribes use seeds, shells, feathers, and the teeth and claws of animals. to return to more civilised work, there is embroidery in gold and silver wire, allied to the art of the goldsmith, and on leather (illustration ), allied to the art of the saddler. it would be difficult to set any limit to the directions in which embroidery may branch out, impossible to describe them all. happily, it is not necessary. a skilled worker adapts herself to new conditions, and the conditions themselves dictate the necessary modification of the familiar way. a word to the worker. a good workwoman will not encumber herself with too many tools; but she will not shirk the expense of necessary implements, the simplest by preference, and the best that are made. [sidenote: needles.] embroidery needles should have large eyes; the silk is not rubbed in threading them, and they make way for the thread to pass smoothly through the stuff. for working in twisted silk, the eye should be roundish; for flat silk, long; for surface stitching or interlacing, a blunt "tapestry needle" is best; for carrying cord or gold thread through the stuff, a "rug needle." [sidenote: thimble.] for a thimble, choose an old one that has been worn quite smooth. [sidenote: scissors.] for scissors, be sure and have a strong, short, sharp and pointed pair--the surgical instrument, not the fancy article. nail scissors would not be amiss but for the roughness of the file on the blades. [sidenote: pins.] for pins, use always steel ones; and for tacks, those which have been tinned; or they will leave their mark behind them. [sidenote: frames.] for a frame, get the best you can afford; a cheap one is no economy; but a stand for it is not always necessary. it should be rather wider than might seem necessary, as the work should never extend to the full width of the webbing. a tambour frame is also useful, though you have no intention of doing tambour work. [sidenote: to stretch silk.] in stretching silk (not backed with linen) upon a frame, some preliminary care is necessary. the stuff should first be bordered with strips of linen or strong tape, and into the two sides of this border which are to be laced up a stout string should be tacked, to prevent it from giving when the work is drawn tight. [sidenote: framing.] the way to put embroidery material (thus bordered or not) into a frame is: first to sew it to the webbing (top and bottom), then to put the laths or screws into the bars, tightening them evenly, and lastly to lace it to the sides with fine string and a packing needle. [sidenote: transferring.] the ordinary ways of transferring a design to embroidery material are well known: the outline may be traced down with a point over transfer paper; it may be pricked upon paper and pounced upon the stuff in chalk or charcoal, and then traced in with a brush or pen; or it (still the outline only) may be stencilled. in any case, the outline marked upon the stuff should be well within what is to be the actual outline of the embroidery when worked. another way, more peculiarly adapted to needlework, is to trace the outline in ink upon fine tarlatan (leno muslin will do for very coarse work), and, having laid this down upon the stuff, to go over the lines again with a ruling pen and indian ink or colour. on a light stuff it is possible to use, instead of a pen, a hard pencil. on a dark material one must use chinese white, to which it is well to add, not only a little gum (arabic), but a trace of ox-gall, to make it work easily. one gets by this method naturally rather a rotten line upon the ground-stuff, but it is enough for all practical purposes. [sidenote: keeping clean.] delicate work is easily rubbed and soiled in the working. it is only reasonable precaution to protect it by a veil or covering of thin, soft, white glazed lining, tacked round the edges on to the stuff. on this you mark the four lines inclosing the actual embroidery, and, cutting through three of them, you have a flap of lining, which you raise and turn back when you are at work. if the work is very delicate, you may make instead of one flap a succession of little ones; but you see then only a portion of your work at a time, and cannot so well judge its effect. [sidenote: starting and finishing.] in starting work, do not begin by making a knot in your thread; run a few stitches (presently to be worked over) on the right side of the stuff. in finishing, you run them at the back of the stuff; for greater security still, one may end with a buttonhole-stitch. [sidenote: puckering.] there is less danger of puckering the stuff if you hold it over two fingers (at least), keeping it taut and the thread loose. working without a frame, it often comes handiest to hold the stuff askew, and there is a natural inclination to pull it in that direction. this temptation must be resisted, or puckering is sure to result. [sidenote: double thread.] in working with double silk or wool, it is better not to double back a single thread, but to pass two separate threads through the eye of the needle. the four threads (where these are turned back near the eye) make way through the stuff for the double thread, which passes easily; moreover, the thread by this means is not pulled too tight, and the effect is richer. the stitch wants always adaptation to the work it has to do. in working a curved line, for example, say in herring-bone-stitch, one is bound always to take up a larger piece of stuff on its outside than on its inner edge. when a thread runs short, it is better not to go on working with it, but to take another; and in finishing off, remember to run the thread in the direction opposite to that from which you are going to run the new one. in starting the new stitch, you naturally bring your needle out as if it were a continuation of that last made. [sidenote: undoing.] if your work is faulty, cut it out and do it again. unpicking is not so satisfactory: it loosens the stuff to drag the thread back through it, and the thread saved is of no further use. beginners find it hard to undo work once done; but a really good needlewoman never hesitates about it--her one thought is to get the thing right. don't break your thread ever: that pulls it out of condition: cut it always. in working, it is well to keep strictly to the stitch you have chosen, but not to the point of bigotry. one may finish off darning, for example, at the edges with a satin stitch. the thing to avoid is fudging. moreover, stitches should be laid right at once; there should be no boggling and botching, no working-over with stitches to make good--that is not playing fair. [sidenote: smoothing.] when the needlework is done, do not finish it with a flat iron. that finishes it in more senses than one. but suppose it is puckered? in that case, stretch it and damp it. to do this, first tack on to it (as explained on page ) a frame of strong tape. then, on a drawing-board or other even wooden surface, lay a piece of clean calico, and on that, face downwards, the embroidery, and, slightly stretching it, nail it down by the tape with tin-tacks rather close together. if now you lay upon it a damp cloth, the embroidery will absorb the moisture from it, and when that is removed, should dry as flat as it is possible to get it. a rather more daring plan is to damp the back of the stuff with a wet sponge. the work, instead of being nailed on to a board, may just as well be laced to a frame by the tape. in the case of raised embroidery there must be between it and the wood, not a cloth merely, but a layer of wadding. the damping above described may take the form of a thin paste or stiffening, but upon silk or other such material this wants tenderly doing. one last word as to thoroughness in needlework. those who have really not time to do much, should be satisfied with simple work. the desire to make a great show with little work is a snare. ladies make protest always, "there is too much work in that." well, if they are not prepared to work, they may as well give themselves up to their play. there was no labour shirked in the old work illustrated in these pages; and nothing much worth doing was ever done without work, hard work, and plenty of it. should that thought frighten folk away, they may as well be scared off at once. art can do very well without them. index. adaptation of stitch, , , antique stitch, (_see also oriental-stitch_) appliquÉ, , _et seq._, , , arab work, artless art, , attachment of cord, backstitch, , , , , , , , , basket patterns, beads, beginning & finishing, blanket-stitch, braid-stitch, , broad surfaces (covering), brocade, bullion, bullion-stitch, , , , buttonhole-stitch, , _et seq._, , , , , , buttonholing (lace), , byzantine embroidery, , cable-chain, canvas, , canvas stitches, _et seq._ canvas-stitch embroidery, card underlay, , cashmere embroidery, cashmere-stitch, chain-stitch, _et seq._, , , , , , , , , , , chenille, chinese embroidery, , , , , , church work, , , , , _et seq._ classification of stitches, , _et seq._ cloth, , , , colour, , colour gradation, , , colour and outline, , combination of stitches, coptic embroidery, , " tapestry, coral, , cord, " (couched), , , , " (attachment of), cotton, couched cord, , , , " gold, _et seq._, " outline, couching, , , , , _et seq._, " (reverse), counterchange, cretan embroidery, cretan-stitch, (_see also ladder-stitch_) crewel, crewel-stitch, _et seq._, , , , , " (surface), crewel work, , , cross-stitch, , , crossed buttonhole-stitch, cushion-stitch, , cut-work, damask, , damping, , darning, , , , , _et seq._, , " (japanese), " (surface), design, , , _et seq._ " traditional, , design and stitch, , designer and embroiderer, , diapers, , , , , , direction of stitch, , , , , , , _et seq._ double darning, " thread, dovetail-stitch, , (_see also embroidery and plumage stitches_) drawing with the needle, , , , , drawn work, , eastern embroidery. (_see oriental_) effect and stitch, , eighteenth century embroidery, , embroidery and painting, , embroidery-stitch, (_see also plumage-stitch_) english embroidery, , , feather-stitch, _et seq._, , , felt, fifteenth century embroidery, , figure work, , , , _et seq._ filling-in patterns, filo-floss, , filoselle, , , fishbone, , , flax thread, , flemish embroidery, , flesh, , florentine-stitch, , (_see also cushion stitch_) floss, , , , , , form and stitch, , , , , , , framing work, french embroidery, , " floss, " knots, , , , , geometric pattern, german embroidery, , , , , , german knot-stitch, gobelin-stitch, gold, , , " (couched), _et seq._, " (raised), , , gold thread, , " tinted by couching stitches, " wire, , half-cross-stitch, heraldic embroidery, herringbone-stitch, , , _et seq._, , , hildesheim cope (the), hungarian embroidery, " stitch, indian embroidery, , , , , , , , , indian herring-bone, inlay, interlacing stitches, italian embroidery, , , , , italian embroidery (renaissance), , , , , , japanese darning, , " embroidery, " gold, jewels, , knot stitches, _et seq._, lace, , lace stitches, _et seq._ ladder-stitch, , , laid-work, _et seq._, , leather, leather on velvet, length of stitch, , limitations of embroidery, line work, , linen, , " (embroidery on), long-and-short-stitch, , , , , , magic-stitch, material (influence of on stitch), , , , , , , materials, _et seq._ mechanical embroidery, mediÆval work, , , , milanese-stitch, modelling, modest work, , moorish-stitch, , morocco embroidery, needle (tambour), , needle pictures, needles, net passing, old english knot-stitch, opus anglicanum, oriental embroidery, , , , , , , , , " stitch, _et seq._, , , originality, outline, , , , , , , , _et seq._ " (couched), , , " (double), , , " (stepped), , " (voided), , outline embroidery, " stitch, , , , padding, , painting, , parchment, , , parisian-stitch, patchwork, pearls, , , peasant work, , , persian embroidery, , , , , pictorial effect, , , pictures (tent-stitch), , pierce, pins, , plait-stitch, plate, plumage-stitch, , , , , , , preciousness, purl, purse silk, , quilting, _et seq._ raised gold, , , _et seq._ " work, , , _et seq._ relief, _et seq._, , , , , renaissance embroidery, , , , , renewing ground, reverse-couching, ribbon, , ribbon work, roll-stitch, (_see also bullion-stitch_) roman satin, rope-stitch, _et seq._, running, , , satin, " "de luxe", " on velvet, satin-stitch, , _et seq._, , , , , , , , , , , , , satin-stitch (surface), , satin-stitch in the making, scissors, serge, seventeenth century embroidery, , shaded silk, shading, , , _et seq._ silk, , " (tussah), " (twisted), , , " on silk, silks, silver, , , simplicity, , , " (a plea for), _et seq._ sixteenth century embroidery, , , , , , solid chain-stitch, , " crewel-stitch, , soudanese embroidery, spangles, , spanish embroidery, , , , , spanish-stitch, , (_see also plait-stitch_) split-stitch, , , , , , , , spot-stitch, stem-stitch, stems, stepped outline, , stiletto, stitch (definition of), " adaptation, , , " and effect, , " and form, , , , , , , " and stuff, , , , , , , " groups, , _et seq._ " names, , " patterns, , " and design, , stitches, stitching over stitching, stretching work, , string, , , stroke-stitch, stuffs, surface crewel-stitch, " darning, " satin-stitch, , " stitches, syon cope (the), , , tailors' buttonhole, tambour, " frame, " needle, , " stitch, " work, , tapestry, , , , , tapestry-stitch, tendrils, tent-stitch, , thimble, thread, traditional design, , transferring design, turkish embroidery, tussah silk, twisted silk, , , underlay, , , unpicking, vandyke chain, variety of method, , " of stitch, _et seq._ velvet, , venetian embroidery, voiding, , weaving, white on white, , wool. (_see crewel_) woollen stuffs, the end. bradbury, agnew, & co. ld., printers, london and tonbridge. _a list of standard books_ on ornament & decoration, including furniture, wood-carving, metal work, &c., published by _b. t. batsford, , high holborn, london, w.c._ windows.--a book about stained and painted glass. by lewis f. day. containing pages, including full-page plates, and upwards of illustrations in the text, all of old examples. large vo, cloth gilt. price _s._ net. "contains a more complete popular account--technical and historical--of stained and painted glass than has previously appeared in this country."--_the times._ "the book is a masterpiece in its way ... amply illustrated and carefully printed; it will long remain an authority on its subject."--_the art journal._ "all for whom the subject of stained glass possesses an interest and a charm, will peruse these pages with pleasure and profit."--_the morning post._ "mr. day has done a worthy piece of work in more than his usual admirable manner ... the illustrations are all good and some the best black-and-white drawings of stained glass yet produced."--_the studio._ _now published, the most handy, useful, and comprehensive work on the subject._ alphabets, old and new. containing complete alphabets, series of numerals, numerous facsimiles of ancient dates. selected and arranged by lewis f. day. preceded by a short account of the development of the alphabet. with modern examples specially designed by _walter crane_, _patten wilson_, _a. beresford pite_, the author, and others. crown vo, art linen. price _s._ _d._ net. 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"this little work does for architecture in relation to english poetry what mr. phil robinson has done for the birds and beasts. the poet's appreciation of architecture is a delightful subject with which mr. statham has become infected, not only illustrating his points with quotations and his judgments with his reasons, but the whole with a series of fanciful or suggestive sketches which add considerably to the attractiveness of the book."--_the magazine of art._ the decoration of houses. by edith wharton and ogden codman, architect. pages of text, with full-page photographic plates of views of rooms, doors, ceilings, fireplaces, various pieces of furniture, &c., from the renaissance period. large square vo, cloth gilt, price _s._ _d._ net. this volume, written by an american lady artist, and an architect, describes and illustrates in a very interesting way the decorative treatment of rooms during the renaissance period, and deduces principles for the decoration, furnishing, and arrangements of modern houses. "... has illustrations which are beautiful ... because they illustrate the sound and simple principle of decoration which the authors put forward.... the book is one which should be in the library of every man and woman of means, for its advice is characterised by so much common sense as well as by the best of taste."--_the queen._ the historic styles of ornament. containing , examples from all countries and all periods, exhibited on plates, mostly printed in gold and colours. with historical and descriptive text translated from the german of h. dolmetsch. folio, handsomely bound in cloth, gilt, price £ _s._ net. this work has been designed to serve as a practical guide for the purpose of showing the development of ornament, and the application of colour to it in various countries through the epochs of history. the work illustrates not only flat ornament, but also many decorative objects, such as metal-work, pottery and porcelain, lace, enamel, mosaic, illumination, stained glass, jewellery, bookbinding, &c., showing the application of ornament to industrial art. _just published._ a manual of historic ornament, being an account of the development of architecture and the historic arts, for the use of students and craftsmen. by richard glazier, a.r.i.b.a., headmaster of the manchester school of art. containing plates and illustrations in the text. demy vo, cloth. price _s._ the object of this book is to furnish students with a concise account of historic ornament, in which the rise of each style is noted, and its characteristic features illustrated. it contains upwards of subjects drawn by the author, and includes examples of architectural detail and plastic ornament, pottery, textile fabrics, glass, metal-work, mosaic, painted faïence, &c., &c. of various countries. a manual of practical instruction in the art of brass repoussÉ for amateurs. by gawthorp (art metal worker to h.r.h. the prince of wales). second and enlarged edition. with illustrations, many from photographs of executed designs. crown vo, in wrapper. price _s._ net. old clocks and watches and their makers. by f. j. britten, secretary of the horological institute. being an account of the history of clocks and watches, their mechanism and ornamentation, to which is appended a list of , old makers, with descriptive notes. containing over illustrations, many reproduced from photographs, of choice and curious examples, of clocks and watches of the past in england and abroad, including the finely-ornamented bracket clocks of the xviith century, with their ingenious mechanism, and the tall and elegant cases of the xviiith century, also a selection of portraits of the most renowned masters of the clockmaker's art. pages. demy vo, cloth, gilt. price _s._ net. king renÉ's honeymoon cabinet. a monograph. by _john p. seddon_, architect. illustrated by photographic reproductions of the cabinet, and the panels, painted by the late sir e. burne jones, _dante gabriel rossetti_, and _ford madox brown_. with a chapter on the hereditary earls of anjou, by g. h. birch, f.s.a. large vo, cloth, price _s._ net. this interesting little work has been issued by the author to make known and commemorate some early designs by the celebrated artists. very few copies are printed for sale. _a small remainder, just reduced in price._ animals in ornament. by professor g. sturm. containing large collotype plates, printed in tint, of designs suitable for friezes, panels, borders, wall-papers, carving, and all kinds of surface decoration, &c. large folio in portfolio, price _s._ net (published £ _s._). a new and useful series of clever designs, showing how animal forms may be adapted to decorative purposes with good effect. a history of design in painted glass.--from the earliest times to the end of the seventeenth century. by n. h. j. westlake, f.s.a. containing illustrations with historical text. four volumes, small folio, cloth, price £ _s._, net £ _s._ _very few copies remain for sale of 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avoid gaining a good deal."--_athenæum._ the application of ornament.--containing: i. the rationale of the conventional. ii. what is implied by repetition. iii. where to stop in ornament. iv. style and handicraft. v. the teaching of the tool. vi. some superstitions. third edition (sixth thousand), further revised, with full-page illustrations and woodcuts in the text. crown vo, art linen, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ "a most worthy supplement to the former work, and a distinct gain to the art student who has already applied his art knowledge in a practical manner, or who hopes yet to do so."--_science and art._ ornamental design.--comprising the above three books, "anatomy of pattern," "planning of ornament," and "application of ornament," handsomely bound in one volume, cloth gilt, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ _d._ nature in ornament.--with full-page plates and illustrations in the text. third edition (fifth thousand). thick crown vo, in handsome cloth binding, richly gilt, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ contents: i. introductory. ii. ornament in nature. iii. nature in ornament. iv. the simplification of natural forms. v. the elaboration of natural forms. vi. consistency in the modification of nature. vii. parallel renderings. viii. more parallels. ix. tradition in design. x. treatment. xi. animals in ornament. xii. the element of the grotesque. xiii. still life in ornament. xiv. symbolic ornament. "amongst the best of our few good ornamental designers is mr. lewis f. day, who is the author of several books on ornamental art. 'nature in ornament' is the latest of these, and is probably the best. the treatise should be in the hands of every student of ornamental design. it is profusely and admirably illustrated, and well printed."--_magazine of art._ "a book more beautiful for its illustrations, or one more helpful to students of art, can hardly be imagined."--_queen._ a handbook of ornament.--with plates, containing about , illustrations of the elements and application of decoration to objects. by f. s. meyer, professor at the school of applied art, karlsruhe. third english edition, revised by hugh stannus, lecturer on applied art at the royal college of art, south kensington. thick vo, cloth gilt, gilt top, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ "a library, a museum, an encyclopædia and an art school in one. to rival it as a book of reference, one must fill a bookcase. the quality of the drawings is unusually high, the choice of examples is singularly good.... the work is practically an epitome of a hundred works on design."--_studio._ "the author's acquaintance with ornament amazes, and his three thousand subjects are gleaned from the finest which the world affords. as a treasury of ornament drawn to scale in all styles, and derived from genuine concrete objects, we have nothing in england which will not appear as poverty-stricken as compared with professor meyer's book."--_architect._ "the book is a mine of wealth even to an ordinary reader, while to the student of art and archæology it is simply indispensable as a reference book. we know of no one work of its kind that approaches it for comprehensiveness and historical accuracy."--_science and art._ a handbook of art smithing.--for the use of practical smiths, designers and others, and in art and technical schools. by f. s. meyer, author of "a handbook of ornament." translated from the second german edition. with an introduction by j. starkie gardner. containing illustrations. demy vo, cloth, price _s._, net _s._ both the artistic and practical branches of the subject are dealt with, and the illustrations give selected examples of ancient and modern ironwork. the volume thus fills the long-existing want of a manual on ornamental ironwork, and it is hoped will prove of value to all interested in the subject. "charmingly produced.... it is really a most excellent manual, crowded with examples of ancient work, for the most part extremely well selected."--_the studio._ "professor meyer's work is a useful historical manual on art smithing, based on a scientific classification of the subject, that will be of service to all smiths, designers, and students of technical and art schools. the illustrations are well drawn and numerous."--_building news._ _published with the sanction of the science and art department._ french wood carvings from the national museums.--a series of examples printed in collotype from photographs specially taken from the carvings direct. edited by eleanor rowe. part i.: late th and early th century examples; part ii.: th century work; part iii.: th and th centuries. the three series complete, each containing large folio plates, with descriptive letterpress. folio, in portfolios, price _s._ each net; or handsomely bound in one volume, £ _s._ net. "students of the art of wood carving will find a mine of inexhaustible treasures in this series of illustrations of french wood carvings.... each plate is a work of art in itself; the distribution of light and shade is admirably managed, and the differences in relief are faithfully indicated, while every detail is reproduced with a clearness that will prove invaluable to the student. sections are given with several of the plates."--_the queen._ "needs only to be seen to be purchased by all interested in the craft, whether archæologically or practically."--_the studio._ hints on wood carving for beginners.--by eleanor rowe. fourth edition, revised and enlarged, illustrated. vo, sewed, price _s._ in paper covers, or bound in cloth, price _s._ _d._ "the most useful and practical small book on wood-carving we know of."--_builder._ "... is a useful little book, full of sound directions and good suggestions."--_magazine of art._ hints on chip carving.--(class teaching and other northern styles.) by eleanor rowe. illustrations. vo, sewed, price _s._ in paper covers, or in cloth, price _s._ _d._ "a capital manual of instruction in a craft that ought to be most popular."--_saturday review._ details of gothic wood carving.--being a series of drawings from original work of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. by franklyn a. crallan. containing large photo-lithographic plates, with introductory and descriptive text. large to, in handsome cloth portfolio, or bound in cloth gilt, price _s._, net _s._ "the examples are carefully drawn to a large size ... well selected and very well executed."--_the builder._ progressive studies and designs for wood-carvers. by miss e. r. plowden. with a preface by miss rowe. consisting of five large folding sheets of illustrations (drawn full size), of a variety of objects suitable for wood carving. with descriptive text. second edition, enlarged. to, in portfolio. price _s._ net. ancient wood and ironwork in cambridge.--by w. b. redfarn, the letterpress by john willis clark. folio lithographed plates drawn to a good scale. cloth gilt, a handsome volume, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ _d._ this work, giving an interesting and useful series of examples, is but little known. very few copies remain. hepplewhite's cabinet-maker and upholsterer's guide; or repository of designs for every article of household furniture in the newest and most approved taste. a complete facsimile reproduction of this rare work, containing nearly charming designs on plates. small folio, bound in speckled cloth, gilt, old style, price £ _s._ net. ( .) _original copies when met with fetch from £ to £ ._ "a beautiful replica, which every admirer of the author and period should possess."--_building news._ chippendale's the gentleman and cabinet-maker's director.--a complete facsimile of the rd and rarest edition, containing plates of designs of chairs, sofas, beds and couches, tables, library book cases, clock cases, stove grates, &c., &c. folio, strongly bound in half-cloth, price £ _s._ net. ( .) sheraton's cabinet-maker and upholsterer's drawing-book.--a complete facsimile reproduction of the scarce third edition. with the rare appendix and accompaniment complete. containing in all pages and plates. to, cloth, price £ _s._ net. examples of old furniture, english and foreign. drawn and described by alfred ernest chancellor. containing photo-lithographic plates exhibiting some examples of elizabethan, stuart, queen anne, georgian and chippendale furniture; and an interesting variety of continental work. with historical and descriptive notes. large to, gilt, price £ _s._, net £ _s._ "in publishing his admirable collection of drawings of old furniture, mr. chancellor secures the gratitude of all admirers of the consummate craftsmanship of the past. his examples are selected from a variety of sources with fine discrimination, all having an expression and individuality of their own--qualities that are so conspicuously lacking in the furniture of our own day. it forms a very acceptable work."--_the morning post._ furniture and decoration in england during the xviiith century.--by j. aldam heaton. two volumes, each of two parts, bound in four, large folio, cloth, price £ net. containing upwards of plates of photographic reproductions from the published designs of r. & j. adam, chippendale, hepplewhite, sheraton, shearer, pergolesi, cipriani, darly, johnson, richardson, and all great english designers and cabinet-makers of the period. this work forms an encyclopædic and almost inexhaustible treasury of reference for all furniture designers, painters, interior decorators, cabinet-makers, &c., since no artist of importance is unrepresented, and a fair selection is in every case given of his work. remains of ecclesiastical wood-work.--a series of examples of stalls, screens, book-boards, roofs, pulpits, &c., containing plates beautifully engraved on copper, from drawings by t. talbot bury, archt. to, half-bound, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ _d._ flat ornament: a pattern book for designers of textiles, embroideries, wall papers, inlays, &c., &c.-- plates, some printed in colours, exhibiting upwards of historical examples of textiles, embroideries, paper hangings, tile pavements, intarsia work, &c. with some designs by dr. fischbach. imperial to boards, cloth back, price £ _s._, net _s._ examples of english mediÆval foliage and coloured decoration.--by jas. k. colling, architect, f.r.i.b.a. taken from buildings of the xiith to the xvth century. containing lithographic plates, and woodcut illustrations, with text. royal to, cloth, gilt top, price _s._, net _s._ (published at £ _s._) plastering--plain and decorative. a practical treatise on the art and craft of plastering and modelling. including full descriptions of the various tools, materials, processes and appliances employed. with over full-page plates, and about smaller illustrations in the text. by william millar. with an introduction, treating of the history of the art, by g. t. robinson, f.s.a. thick to, cloth, containing pages of text, price _s._ net. "this new and in many senses remarkable treatise ... unquestionably contains an immense amount of valuable first-hand information.... 'millar on plastering' may be expected to be the standard authority on the subject for many years to come.... a truly monumental work."--_the builder._ a grammar of japanese ornament and design.--illustrated by plates, many in gold and colours, representing all classes of natural and conventional forms, drawn from the originals, with introductory, descriptive, and analytical text. by t. w. cutler, f.r.i.b.a. imperial to, in elegant cloth binding, price £ _s._, £ _s._ net. decorative wrought ironwork of the th and th centuries.--by d. j. ebbetts. containing large lithographic plates, illustrating english examples of screens, grilles, panels, balustrades, &c. folio, boards, cloth back, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ _a facsimile reproduction of one of the rarest and most remarkable books of designs ever published in england._ a new booke of drawings of ironworke.--invented and desined by john tijou. containing severall sortes of iron worke, as gates, frontispieces, balconies, staircases, pannells, &c., of which the most part hath been wrought at the royall building of hampton court, &c. all for the use of them that worke iron in perfection and with art. (sold by the author in london, .) containing folio plates. with introductory note and descriptions of the plates by j. starkie gardner. folio, bound in boards, old style, price _s._ net. only copies were printed for england, and very few now remain. an original copy is priced at £ by mr. quaritch, the renowned bookseller. japanese encyclopÆdia of design. book i.--containing over , engraved curios, and most ingenious geometric patterns of circles, medallions, &c., comprising conventional details of plants, flowers, leaves, petals, also birds, fans, animals, key patterns, &c., &c. oblong mo, fancy covers, price _s._ net. book ii.--containing over most original and effective designs for diaper ornament, giving the base lines to the design, also artistic miniature picturesque sketches. oblong mo, price _s._ net. these books exhibit the varied charm and originality of conception of japanese ornament, and form an inexhaustible field of design. a delightful series of studies of birds, in most characteristic and life-like attitudes, surrounded with appropriate foliage and flowers.--by the celebrated japanese artist, bairei kono. in three books, vo, each containing pages of highly artistic and decorative illustrations, printed in tints. bound in fancy paper covers, price _s._ net. "in attitude and gesture and expression, these birds, whether perching or soaring, swooping or brooding, are admirable."--_magazine of art._ a new series of bird and flower studies. by watanabe sietei, the acknowledged leading living artist in japan. in books, containing numerous exceedingly artistic sketches in various tints, vo, fancy covers. price _s._ net. artists' sketch books.--a series of five volumes.--vol. i.: birds, flowers, and plants, drawn in a decorative spirit. vol. ii.: sketches of insects, plants, &c., drawn for designers. vol. iii.: drawings of fishes and marine animals. vol. iv.: natural scenery, landscapes, &c. vol. v.: scenes from japanese life, &c. vo, fancy covers. _s._ _d._ net. the architecture of the renaissance in italy.--a general view for the use of students and others. by w. j. anderson, a.r.i.b.a., director of architecture, glasgow school of art. second edition, revised and enlarged. containing full-page plates, mostly reproduced from photographs, and illustrations in text. large vo, cloth gilt, price _s._ _d._ net. "a delightful and scholarly work ... very fully illustrated."--_journal r.i.b.a._ "it is the work of a scholar taking a large view of his subject.... the book affords easy and intelligible reading, and the arrangement of the subject is excellent, though this was a matter of no small difficulty."--_the times._ "should rank amongst the best architectural writings of the day."--_the edinburgh review._ "we know of no book which furnishes such information and such illustrations in so compact and attractive a form. for greater excellence with the object in hand there is not one more perspicuous."--_the building news._ a history of architecture for the student, craftsman and amateur.--being a comparative view of the historical styles from the earliest period. by banister fletcher, f.r.i.b.a., professor of architecture in king's college, london, and b. f. fletcher, a.r.i.b.a. containing pages, with collotype plates, mostly from large photographs, and other illustrations in the text. third edition, revised. cr. vo, cloth gilt, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ "we shall be amazed if it is not immediately recognised and adopted as _par excellence_ the student's manual of the history of architecture."--_the architect._ "the general reader will read the book with not less profit than the student, and will find in it quite as much as he is likely to retain in his memory, and the architectural student in search of any particular fact will readily find it in this most methodical work.... as complete as it well can be."--_the times._ "as a synopsis of architectural dates and styles, professor banister fletcher's work will fill a void in our literature, and become a most useful manual."--_the building news._ the orders of architecture: greek, roman and italian.--edited with notes by r. phenÉ spiers, f.s.a., f.r.i.b.a. third edition, revised and enlarged, containing plates. to, cloth, price _s._ _d._, net _s._ _d._ "a most useful work for architectural students.... mr. spiers has done excellent service in editing this work, and his notes on the plates are very appropriate and useful."--_british architect._ renaissance architecture and ornament in spain.--a series of examples selected from the purest executed between the years - . by andrew n. prentice, a.r.i.b.a. containing beautiful plates, reproduced by photo-lithography and photo process from the author's drawings, of perspective views and geometrical drawings, and details, in stone, wood, and metal. with short descriptive text. folio, handsomely bound in cloth gilt, price £ _s._, net £ _s._ "for the drawing and production of this book one can have no words but praise.... it is a pleasure to have so good a record of such admirable architectural drawing, free, firm and delicate."--_british architect._ b. t. batsford, , high holborn, london. * * * * * transcriber's note: the following printer's errors have been corrected in the text: page xxi: part of a fan "f" of "fan" not printed in original page : the feathery stem (a) on the sampler "the" missing in original page : except that it has something of the appearance "of" missing in original page : in no case does it appear to be stitching "t" of "it" not printed in original page : forms of needlework "froms" printed for "forms" in original none note: the reader is strongly advised to use project gutenberg's html version of this book because it includes almost illustrations which cannot be incorporated in this text version. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) _"flowers, plants and fishes, birds, beasts, flyes, and bees, hils, dales, plaines, pastures, skies, seas, rivers, trees, there's nothing neere at hand, or farthest sought, but with the needle may be shap'd and wrought."_ --john taylor ("the praise of the needle"). the artistic crafts series of technical handbooks edited by w. r. lethaby embroidery and tapestry weaving a practical text-book of design and workmanship by mrs. archibald h. christie with drawings by the author and other illustrations second edition revised (a reprint of the first edition, with various slight alterations in text) third edition revised (a reprint of the second edition) published by john hogg paternoster row london [illustration: _frontispiece see page ._] printed by ballantyne, hanson & co. at the ballantyne press, edinburgh editor's preface needlework, which is still practised traditionally in every house, was once a splendid art, an art in which english workers were especially famous, so that, early in the xiiith century, vestments embroidered in england were eagerly accepted in rome, and the kind of work wrought here was known over europe as "english work." embroideries _façon d'angleterre_ often occupy the first place in foreign inventories. at durham are preserved some beautiful fragments of embroidery worked in the xth century, and many examples, belonging to the great period of the xiiith and xivth centuries, are preserved at the south kensington museum, which is particularly rich in specimens of this art. in order to judge of what were then its possibilities it is worth while to go and see there three notable copes, the blue cope, the sion cope, and the rose-colour jesse-tree cope, the last two of which are certainly english, and the former probably so. the sion cope bears a remnant of an inscription which has unfortunately been cut down and otherwise injured, so that all that i have been able to read is as follows: davn pers : de : v ...; probably the name of the donor. in the xiiith century the craft of embroidery was practised both by men and women. that great art patron, henry the third, chiefly employed for his embroideries, says mr. hudson turner, "a certain mabel of bury st. edmund's, whose skill as an embroideress seems to have been remarkable, and many interesting records of her curious performances might be collected." and i have found a record of an embroidered chasuble made for the king by "mabilia" of st. edmund's in . the most splendid piece of embroidery produced for this king must have been the altar frontal of westminster abbey, completed about . it was silk, garnished with pearls, jewels, and translucent enamels. four embroideresses worked on it for three years and three-quarters, and it seems to have cost a sum equal to about £ of our money. "the london broderers" did not receive a formal charter of incorporation until , but they must have been a properly organised craft centuries before. in henry iv. it was reported to parliament that divers persons of the "craft of brauderie" made unfit work of inferior materials, evading the search of "the wardens of brauderie" in the said city of london. in paris, in the year , there were ninety-three embroiderers and embroideresses registered as belonging to the trade. the term of apprenticeship to the craft was for eight years, and no employer might take more than one apprentice at a time. in the xvith century the guild was at the height of its power, and embroideries were so much in demand that the jardin des plantes in paris was established to furnish flower-subjects for embroidery design. it was founded by the gardener, jean robin, and by pierre vallet, "brodeur" to henry iv. in the xviiith century the company numbered past-masters. to this craft the present volume forms, i believe, an admirable introduction and text-book, not only on the side of workmanship, but also on that difficult subject, "design"--difficult, that is, from its having been so much discussed in books, yet entirely simple when approached, as here, as a necessary part of workmanship. it is fortunate that we have not as yet learned to bother our cooks as to which part of their work is designing and which is merely mechanical. of course the highest things of design, as well as of workmanship, come only after long practice and to the specially gifted, but none the less every human creature must in some sort be a designer, and it has caused immense harm to raise a cloud of what morris called "sham technical twaddle" between the worker and what should be the spontaneous inspiration of his work. what such combination has produced in past times, may perhaps best be understood by some reading in old church inventories of the simply infinite store of magnificent embroidered vestments which once adorned our churches. in an inventory of westminster abbey i find mentioned such patterns as roses and birds, fleur-de-luces and lybardes, angels on branches of gold, roses and ships, eagles and angels of gold, castles and lions, white harts, swans, dogs, and antelopes. w. r. lethaby. _september ._ author's preface in the following pages the practical sides of embroidery and tapestry weaving are discussed, their historical development being only incidentally touched upon. the drawings illustrating design and the practical application of stitches have been taken almost without exception from actual embroidery or tapestry; the exceptions, where it has been impossible to consult originals, from photographic representations obtained from various sources, among which the collection of m. louis de farcy should be mentioned. i have to thank miss may morris and mrs. w. r. lethaby for permission to reproduce pieces of their work, and miss killick, colonel j. e. butler-bowdon, the viscount falkland, and the reverend f. j. brown of steeple aston for permission to reproduce work in their possession. also i must thank the authorities of the victoria and albert museum for help in various ways, and mr. j. h. taylor, m.a. oxf. and cam., for his kindness in reading the proofs. grace christie. _ewell, september ._ contents page editor's preface xi author's preface xvii part i embroidery chapter i introduction chapter ii tools, appliances, and materials needles--scissors--thimbles--frames--stand and frame combined--tambour frame--cord-making appliance--requisites for transferring patterns--pricker--knife--spindle--piercer--materials suitable for embroidering upon--threads of all kinds--stones, beads, &c. chapter iii pattern designing the difficulties of pattern making--a stock-in-trade--some principles upon which patterns are built up--spacing-out--nature and convention--shading--figure work--limitations--colour chapter iv stitches introduction--chain stitch--zigzag chain--chequered chain--twisted chain--open chain--braid stitch--cable chain--knotted chain--split stitch chapter v stitches--(_continued_) satin stitch--long and short stitch--stem stitch--overcast stitch--back stitch--buttonhole stitch--tailor's buttonhole--fancy buttonhole edgings--flower in open buttonhole stitch--leaf in close buttonhole stitches--petal in solid buttonholing chapter vi stitches--(_continued_) knots and knot stitches--herring-bone stitch--feather stitch--basket stitch--fishbone stitch--cretan stitch--roumanian stitch--various insertion stitches--picots chapter vii canvas work and stitches introduction--samplers--petit point pictures--cross stitch--tent stitch--gobelin stitch--irish stitch--plait stitch--two-sided italian stitch--holbein stitch--rococo stitch chapter viii methods of work couching--braid work--laid work--applied work--inlaid work--patch work chapter ix methods of work--(_continued_) quilting--raised work--darning--open fillings--darned netting chapter x methods of work--(_continued_) drawn thread work--hem stitching--simple border patterns--darned thread patterns--corners--cut or open work--various methods of refilling the open spaces chapter xi embroidery with gold and silver threads introduction--materials--precautions for the prevention of tarnish--ancient method of couching--its various good points--description of working diagram--working a raised bar--examples of patterns employed in old work--illustrations upon draped figures--usual method of couching--couching patterns--outline work--raised work--the use of purls, bullions, &c. chapter xii lettering, heraldry, and emblems the uses of lettering--marking--monograms--heraldry--emblems chapter xiii the garniture of work finishing off--making up--edges--use of cord-making appliance--cord twisted by hand--knotted cord--fringes--tassels--knots chapter xiv practical directions transferring patterns--paste for embroidery purposes--protection and preservation of work--washing embroidery--prevention and cure of puckered work--points about the thread--dressing the frame part ii tapestry weaving chapter xv introduction chapter xvi necessary appliances and materials the loom--mirror--bobbins and needles--the comb--embroidery frame treated as a loom--warp--wools--silk--gold and silver thread chapter xvii preparations for work warping the loom--dressing the coat-stave--tracing the pattern upon the threads chapter xviii the technique of weaving weaving--commencing and fastening off--the interlocking stitch--fine drawing--shading--added after-stitches notes on the collotype plates the collotype plates index part i--embroidery chapter i introduction in the practice of embroidery the needlewoman has an advantage not now shared by workers in any other craft, in that the technical processes are almost a matter of inherited skill. every woman can sew, and it is with little more than the needle and thread, which she habitually employs, that the greatest masterpieces of the art have been stitched. the art of embroidery, however, is not merely an affair of stitches; they are but the means by which ideas can be expressed in intelligible form, and memories of all kinds of things be pictured on stuffs. to laboriously train the hand is scarcely worth while unless it is capable of expressing something that is at least pretty. nowadays much embroidery is done with the evident intent of putting into it the minimum expenditure of both thought and labour, and such work furnishes but a poor ideal to fire the enthusiasm of the novice; happily, there still exist many fine examples showing what splendid results may be achieved; without some knowledge of this work we cannot obtain a just idea of the possibilities of the art. it is obvious that much advantage can be gained from studying the accumulated experience of the past in addition to that current in our own day. to do this intelligently, the history of embroidery must be followed in order that the periods richest in the various kinds of work may be ascertained. museums afford useful hunting-grounds for the study of past work; other sources are private collections, churches, costume in pictures or on engraved brasses, and manuscript inventories such as those of cathedral treasuries, which sometimes contain interesting detailed descriptions of their embroidered vestments and hangings. blind copying of old work is not of much value; it is not possible or desirable to imitate xiiith century work now, but much can be learned by examining fine examples in an appreciative and analytical spirit. in what way the design has been built up can be discovered; the most complicated result may often be resolved into quite elementary lines. the student must find out wherein lie the attraction and interest, note good schemes of colour, and learn about stitches and methods of work by close examination of the embroidery, both front and back. every one knows what embroidery is, and a formal definition seems unnecessary. as a matter of fact, it would be a difficult task to give one, since weaving, lace-making, and embroidery are but subtle variations of the same art. this art may be of the highest or the most homely character, and the latter is by no means to be despised. simple unaffected work decorating the things of every-day use can give a great deal of pleasure in its way. this should surely be the accomplishment of every woman, for though she may not have the skill to attain to the highest branches, it would at least enable her to decorate her home with such things as the counterpanes, curtains, and other objects that set such a personal stamp upon the english domestic work of several centuries, and which nowadays can hardly be found except stored up in museums. it is advisable as a general rule that the design be both made and carried out by the same person. from the worker's own point of view the interest must be much greater when working out her own ideas than when merely acting as amanuensis to another. the idea is more likely to be expressed with spirit; further there is the possibility of adding to or altering, and thereby improving, the work as it progresses. the designer must in any case be well acquainted with stitches and materials, for they play an important part in achieving good results. the individuality of the worker should be evident in her work; indeed it generally is, for even plain hems by two people bear quite different characters; the degree of individuality present, varies with each one, but in any case it will be much more marked if the design and stitching bear the stamp of the same personality. the difference between good and unsatisfactory results should be carefully thought out, for it is often but a small matter. the best kind of work is that which appeals to the intelligence as well as to the eye, which is another way of saying there should be evidence of mind upon the material. work must be interesting in some way if it is to be attractive; it had better almost be faulty and interesting than dull, dry, and correct. it can interest by reminding us of pleasant things, such as familiar flowers, shady woods, or green lawns; birds, beasts, and so forth can be depicted in their characteristic attitudes, or a story can be told; in fact, work can be made attractive in a hundred different ways. it must not show signs of having wearied the worker in the doing; variety and evidence of thought lavishly expended upon it will prevent this, and enthusiasm will quicken it with life. the selection of the object to work comes at an early stage, and is a matter to be well considered, for it is a pity to spend time and labour upon unsuitable objects when there are many excellent ones to choose from. in thinking over what to work it should be realised that it takes no longer to execute one rather important piece than several of a less ambitious character, and that the former is generally more worth the doing. whether the subject is a suitable one for embroidery or not sometimes depends upon the method chosen for carrying it out; for instance, anything that has to endure hard wear must be treated in such a way as to stand it well. dress is a fine subject for embroidery; but, for the decoration to be satisfactory, the art of designing dress must be understood, and the dress must also be well cut, or the embroidery will be quite wasted upon it. what is termed "art dress," proverbially bad, well deserves its reputation. there is a great difference in the quantity of work that may be put into dress decoration; this may be simply an embroidered vest, collar, and cuffs, or it may be actually an integral part of the costume, which as a much bigger and more difficult undertaking is correspondingly finer in effect when successfully carried out. amongst larger objects that well repay the labour of embroidery, hangings of various kinds, quilts, screens, furniture coverings, altar frontals, church vestments, may be mentioned; amongst smaller, are bags, boxes, book-covers, gloves or mittens, bell-pulls, cushions, mirror frames, all kinds of household linen, infants' robes, and so on, and for church use such things as alms-bags, book-markers, stoles, pulpit and lectern frontals. then a panel may be worked with the deliberate intention of framing it to hang on a wall. there is no reason why the painter should have the monopoly of all the available wall space, for decorative work is undoubtedly in place there; a piece of embroidered work might well fill a panel over a mantel-piece. there is no need to discuss what not to do, but, if the attraction to embroider a tea-cosy is too strong to resist, it should surely be of washable materials. embroidery has distinct practical advantages over some other crafts practised nowadays--no special studio need be devoted to its use, for most work can be done in any well-lighted room, which indeed will be rendered more attractive by the presence of an embroidery frame, for this is in itself a characteristic and dainty piece of furniture. it need but seldom interfere with one of our pleasant traditions, genial converse with, and about, our neighbours, for it is a distinctly sociable occupation. work of this kind can be put down and taken up at leisure; the necessary outlay in materials need not be extravagant, and so on. many other points might be thought of, but the claims of the art do not demand any special pleading, for it is pleasant in the actual working, and can produce an infinite variety of most interesting results. chapter ii tools, appliances, and materials needles--scissors--thimbles--frames--stand and frame combined--tambour frame--cord-making appliance--requisites for transferring patterns--pricker--knife--spindle--piercer--suitable materials for embroidering upon--threads of all kinds--stones, beads, &c. good workmanship takes a prominent, though not the first, place. technical excellence in needlework, as in all other artistic crafts, is a question of the worker's perseverance and her ability in the use of tools. in embroidery these are few and simple, and are as follows:-- _needles._--for most purposes needles known as long-eyed sharps are used. tapestry needles, similar to these, but with blunt points, are useful for canvas work and darned netting. for gold work a special needle can be procured with sharp point and long wide eye. a bent needle makes a crooked stitch; but needles if made of good steel should not bend; they break if used unfairly. the eye should be cleanly cut, or it roughens the thread. the needle must be just stout enough to prepare for the thread an easy passage through the material. _scissors._--three pairs may be necessary; for ordinary work a small pair with fine sharp points, for gold work small ones with strong points similar to nail scissors, and for cutting-out purposes a large pair with one rounded and one sharp point. _thimbles._--steel ones are said to be most serviceable, silver are most usual; but whatever the material they must be neatly made in order not to wear the thread. _frames._--a common type of frame is shown at fig. . it is made in various sizes; the one here represented measures inches across. it consists of four pieces of wood, two rollers for the top and base and two side pieces. each of the rollers has a piece of webbing securely nailed along it, and its extremities are pierced with holes to receive the side pieces. these are formed of two long wooden screws, fitted with movable nuts, which adjust the width of the frame and the tautness of the stretched work. the piece of material that is stretched between is the link that keeps the frame together, for the screw ends fit just loosely in the holes of the rollers. the side pieces are sometimes made of flat laths of wood pierced with holes at regular intervals; in these are inserted metal pins, by means of which the work is kept stretched. fig. represents a frame of this type. if the frame is a very large one it can have a strengthening bar fixed across the centre from roller to roller. [illustration: fig. .] the frame is most convenient for work when fixed in a stand, although it can be used leaning against a table or the back of a chair. a very large frame would be supported upon trestles, but for ordinary purposes, a stand, such as the one shown in fig. , is practical. it consists of two upright wooden posts, a little over feet in height, which are connected near the base by a strengthening cross piece. both this and the uprights are adjustable; the centre part of the posts is arranged to slide up and down, and can be fixed at any convenient height by the insertion of a long metal pin; the width of the cross piece is regulated in similar fashion, being made firm, by a screw, at the required width, thus allowing various sized frames to be used in the same stand. the frame is fixed in place by metal clamps, and a wooden pivot is arranged so as to permit the stretched work to be inclined at any angle convenient. both stand and frame should be well made and of good wood, for they must be able to stand strain and be perfectly firm and true when fixed for work. [illustration: fig. .] a small circular frame, such as is shown in fig. , is useful for marking linen or for any small work. this, formed of two hoops fitting closely one within the other, can be procured in wood, ivory, or bone, of various sizes, the one illustrated being about inches in diameter. the material to be worked upon is stretched between these hoops like the parchment on a drum. these tambour frames, as they are called, are sometimes fixed into a small stand or fitted with a wooden clamp for fastening to a table; this frees both hands for work. these tambours cannot well be recommended; the material is apt to stretch unevenly, and a worked part, if flattened between the hoops, is liable to be damaged. [illustration: fig. .] the illustration at fig. shows a simple little instrument for making a twisted cord. it is interesting to note that etienne binet, who wrote on embroidery about , when discussing some necessary equipment for an embroideress mentions "_un rouet pour faire les cordons_." there is sometimes a difficulty in procuring the cord just right to suit the finished work; the texture may be too coarse to put beside fine embroidery, it may not be a good match, and, even if so at first, it may fade quite differently from the worked silks. for these and other reasons it is a safe method to make the cord one's self, possibly with some materials of the kind already used in the embroidery. [illustration: fig. .] this appliance enables the worker to make any kind of twisted cord; it is as simple as a toy to handle, and gives excellent results. it is a metal instrument about inches in height. the three small discs are wheels, supported on the arms of an upright cross which has a heavy circular base. these three wheels are connected by a cord with a larger wheel below that has a handle attached to it. the cord runs in a groove round the circumference of each wheel, and must be held taut in position. by turning the handle of the large wheel the three small ones are set in motion. three hooks, attached to the axles of the small wheels, are therefore rotated with them. one end of each ply of the cord in making is looped on to one of these hooks, the other ends are attached to three similar hooks fixed into a block of wood which, when in use, is firmly clamped to the table. further instruction in the making of cords is given in chapter xiii. [illustration: fig. .] to trace the pattern on to the material the following articles may be required: indian ink, a small finely-pointed sable brush, a tube of oil paint, flake white or light red, according to the colour of the ground material, turpentine, powdered charcoal or white chalk for pounce, tracing paper, drawing-pins, and a pricker. this last-mentioned tool is shown in fig. . it is about inches long, and is like a needle with the blunt end fitted into a handle. for rubbing on the pounce some soft clinging material rolled into a ball is necessary. a piece of old silk hose tightly rolled up makes an excellent pad for the purpose. the knife shown in fig. is useful for cutting out at times when the use of scissors is not practical. it is used in an upright position, with the point outwards. [illustration: fig. .] a spindle for winding gold thread upon whilst working is shown in fig. . it is about inches long. a soft padding of cotton thread is first placed round (between a and b, fig. ), and the gold thread wound upon that. the end of the thread passes through the forked piece at the top on its way to being worked into the material. the use of this or some similar appliance enables the worker to avoid much touching of the metal threads. a small tool called a piercer is represented by fig. ; it is used in gold work; the flat end assists in placing the gold in position, and also in making the floss silk lie quite flat; the pointed end is used for piercing holes in the material for passing coarse thread to the back, and for other purposes. this little tool, made of steel, is about inches in length. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] materials the surface is a matter of special interest in embroidery work. this makes the choice of materials of great importance. besides the question of appearance, these must be suitable to the purpose, durable, and, if possible, pleasant to work with and upon. the materials chosen should be the best of their kind, for time and labour are too valuable to be spent upon poor stuffs; occasionally a piece of old work is seen with the ground material in shreds and the embroidery upon it in a good state of preservation, which is a pity, for a newly applied ground of any kind is never as satisfactory as the original one. still another plea for the use of good materials is the moral effect they may have upon the worker, inciting her to put forth her best efforts in using them. [illustration: fig. .] the purpose to which the work is to be put usually decides the ground material, besides governing pattern, stitches, and everything else. a background is chosen, as a rule, to show to advantage and preserve what is to be placed upon it, though sometimes it is the other way about, and the pattern is planned to suit an already existing ground. a background must take its right place, and not be too much in evidence, although if of the right kind it may be full of interest. there are, roughly speaking, three ways of treating the ground, leaving the material just as it is, covering part of it with stitching, or working entirely over it. if there is no work upon the ground the choice of material becomes more important. texture, colour, tone, and possibly pattern, have all to be considered, though the problem is often best solved by the selection of a plain white linen. the question of texture is sometimes one of its suitability for stitching upon; colour and tone may be of all kinds and degrees from white to black; these two, as a rule, being particularly happy ones. if the ground stuff is patterned, as in the case of a damasked silk, it must be specially chosen to suit the work to be placed upon it; small diaper patterns are frequently very good, since they break up the surface pleasantly without being too evident. linen, which well answers all the usual requirements, is, for this reason, very frequently chosen for a ground material. it can be procured in great variety, the handmade linens being the best of all. of kinds besides the ordinary are twilled linens, of which one named kirriemuir twill is similar to the material used in the fine old embroidered curtains. some damask linens look very well as backgrounds for embroidery; the pattern is sometimes a slightly raised diaper, which forms a pleasantly broken surface. loosely woven linens can be obtained specially suitable for drawn thread work. in any case, if there is dressing in the new material, it must be well boiled before the embroidery is commenced: this makes it much softer for stitching through. coloured linens are rarely satisfactory, a certain kind of blue being almost the only exception. the safest plan is to keep to pure white, or to the unbleached varieties that have a slightly grey or warm tone about them. wools, silks, and flax threads all look well upon a linen ground; it is not usually in good taste to embroider with poor thread upon a rich ground material, and, upon the other hand, gold thread and floss demand silk or velvet rather than linen, though any rule of this kind may on occasion be broken. velvet and satin make excellent backgrounds for rich work; they should not be used unless of good quality. the pile of the best velvet is shorter than that of poorer kinds, and so is easier to manipulate, which is a further reason for using the best. it is in any case a difficult material, so much so that work is often carried out on linen and afterwards applied to a velvet ground. the modern velvets, even the best of them, are for quality or colour not comparable with the old ones. silk of different kinds is largely employed, since it makes a suitable ground for many kinds of embroidery. twilled and damasked silks are much used; in the last-named kind, patterns must be carefully chosen to suit the particular purpose. a thick ribbed silk is rarely satisfactory for embroidery purposes. for working with silk thread, an untwisted floss takes the first place, but it needs some skill in manipulation. filofloss is somewhat similar, but it has a slight twist in it, making it easier to work, though producing a less satisfactory result. filosel is useful for some kinds of work, but it is a poorer quality of silk. the purse silks, and what is called embroidery silk, are all excellent; they are tightly twisted varieties of fine quality. there are various others in use; a visit to a good embroidery depôt will probably be the best means of finding out about these and about materials in general. wools can be obtained in various thicknesses and twistings, each good in their way. some workers prefer a but slightly twisted wool; however, examples of old wool work are to be found in which a finely twisted variety is used with most satisfactory effect. flax threads can be obtained in very good colours, and are to be highly recommended. there are various cottons procurable, either coloured or white, that are good for marking and other embroidery purposes where an evenly twisted thread is desirable. pearls and precious stones take their place in rich embroideries, also various less expensive but pretty stones may often be made use of effectively. beads are a fascinating material to work with; all kinds of pretty things can be done with them, either sewing them upon a ground, knitting or crocheting, or making use of a small bead loom. a good deal of the ready-made bought bead work, that only requires a monotonous ground to be filled in around an already worked pattern of sorts, is not at all suggestive of its possibilities. beads of both paste and glass can be obtained in much greater variety than is usually known, from the most minute in size to large varieties of all kinds of shapes and patterns, the colours of most of them being particularly good. the larger ornamental beads are useful in many ways, sometimes taking the place of tassels or fringes. many kinds of most curious materials are at times brought into the service of embroidery, but the above-mentioned ones are the most usual. chapter iii pattern designing the difficulties of pattern making--a stock-in-trade--some principles upon which patterns are built up--spacing-out--nature and convention--shading--figure work--limitations--colour. a beginner sometimes experiences difficulty in preparing her own patterns. a designer needs a wide knowledge of many subjects, which necessitates much time being given to study; also drawing ability is necessary to enable the worker to set down her ideas upon paper. for much simple and pretty work, however, a slight acquaintance with drawing and design is sufficient, and any one who can master the requisite stitches can also acquire some knowledge of these two subjects. the word design frightens some who do not know quite what it means or entails. perhaps they do not realise that the design has already been begun when the object to be worked has been settled, and the material, thread, and stitches have been decided upon--the rest comes in much the same way, partly by a system of choice; as it is necessary to know what materials there are which can be used, so must the chief varieties of pattern be known from which choice can be made. all patterns are built up on some fundamental plan, of which the number is comparatively small. the ability to choose, plan, and arrange is in a greater or less degree inherent in every one, so there should be, after all, no great difficulty in the design. the necessary underlying qualities are--a nice taste, freedom from affectation, an eye for colour and form, and, it might be added, a fair share of common sense. a pattern maker requires some stock-in-trade, and it is wise to collect together a store of some well-classified design material of ascertained value, ready to be drawn upon when required. a good knowledge of plants and flowers is very necessary. this is best acquired by making careful drawings from nature. in choosing flowers for embroidery purposes, the best-known ones, such as the daisy, rose, or carnation, give more pleasure to the observer than rare unrecognisable varieties. figures, birds, beasts, and such things as inscriptions, monograms, shields of arms and emblems, all demand study and drawing, both from miscellaneous examples and from embroideries. the treatment of all these should be studied in old work, in order that the curious conventions and all kinds of amusing and interesting ideas that have gradually grown up in the past may still be made use of and added to, instead of being cast aside in a wild endeavour after something original. the student who collects a supply of the foregoing materials will find she has considerably widened her knowledge during the process, and is better prepared to make designs. in making a pattern the first thing to be decided upon is some main idea, the detail that is to carry it out must then be considered. this latter may be of various types, such as flowers, foliage, figures, animals, geometrical forms, interlacing strapwork, quatrefoils, &c., &c.; perhaps several of these _motifs_ may be combined together in the same design. [illustration: fig. .] one of the simplest plans upon which a pattern can be arranged is that of some form recurring at regular intervals over the surface. the principle involved is repetition; an example of it is shown at fig. . the form that is used here is a sprig of flower, but the repeating element admits of infinite variation, it may be anything from a dot to an angel. [illustration: fig. .] copes and chasubles, bedspreads and curtains, are often to be seen decorated with some repeating form. fig. shows in outline a conventional sprig that is repeated in this fashion over the surface of a famous cope in ely cathedral. fig. is an example of a sprig of flower taken from a xviith century embroidered curtain; similar bunches, but composed of different flowers, recur at intervals over this hanging. it may interest the practical worker to know what are the different stitches used upon this figure. the petals of the top flower are in chain stitch in gradated colouring, the centre is an open crossing of chain surrounded by stamens in stem stitch in varied colour, the outermost leaves are outlined in stem stitch with an open filling of little crossed stitches. the petals of the lower flower are worked similarly, and the centre is carried out in chain stitch and french knots. the leaves are filled in with ingenious variations of these stitches. [illustration: fig. .] the repeating element is perhaps a symbolical figure, a heraldic shield, or it may be some geometrical form that supplies the motive. fig. is a conventional sprig of hawthorn that ornaments in this way an altar frontal at zanthen. it is by no means necessary that the element which repeats should be always identical; so long as it is similar in size, form, and general character it will probably be the more interesting if variety is introduced. the principle of repetition is again found in fig. , but with an additional feature; a sprig of flower is used, with the further introduction of diagonal lines, expressed by leaf sprays, which are arranged so as to surround each flower and divide it from the adjoining ones. [illustration: fig. .] it is advisable to space out the required surface in some way before commencing to draw out a pattern; for carrying out fig. it would be well to pencil out the surface as in fig. ; a connection between these two will be perceived at a glance. this spacing-out of the required surface in one way or another is of great assistance, and may even prove suggestive in the planning of the design. it helps the regularity of the work, and order is essential in design as in most other things in life. [illustration: fig. .] another very usual expedient is that of introducing a main central form, with others branching out on either side and symmetrically balancing each other. an example of this is given in fig. . the symmetry may be much more free than this; a tree is symmetrical taken as a whole, but the two sides do not exactly repeat each other. [illustration: fig. .] a plan very commonly employed is that of radiating main lines all diverging from one central point. fig. shows a design following this principle; there is infinite variety in the ways in which this may be carried out. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] another method would be to plan a continuous flowing line with forms branching out on one side or on both. figs. and are border designs, for which purpose this arrangement is often used, though it can also well form an all-over pattern; sometimes these lines used over a surface are made to cross each other, tartan wise, by running in two directions, producing an apparently complicated design by very simple means. [illustration: figs. and .] [illustration: fig. .] designs may be planned on the counterchange principle. this is a system of mass designing that involves the problem of making a pattern out of one shape, continually repeated, and fitting into itself in such a way as to leave no interstices. the simplest example of this is to be found in the chess board, and it will easily be seen that a great number of shapes might be used instead of the square. fig. is an example of a counterchange design carried out in inlay; for this method of work counterchange is very suitable. on reference to the chapter upon this work another example will be found (page ). fig. illustrates the same principle, further complicated by the repetition of the form in three directions instead of in two only. [illustration: fig. .] a method of further enriching a straightforward pattern, covering a plain surface, is to work a subsidiary pattern upon the background. this is usually of a monotonous and formal character in order not to clash with the primary decoration, though this relationship may sometimes be found reversed. it has the appearance of being some decoration belonging to the ground rather than to the primary pattern; in its simplest form it appears as a mere repeating dot or a lattice (see fig. ), but it may be so elaborated as to cover with an intricate design every portion of the exposed ground not decorated with the main pattern. many other distinct kinds of work might be mentioned, such as needlework pictures, the story-telling embroideries that can be made so particularly attractive. embroidered landscapes, formal gardens, mysterious woods, views of towns and palaces, are, if rightly treated, very fine. in order to learn the way to work such subjects we must go to the xvith and xviith century _petit point_ pictures, and to the detail in fine tapestries. the wrong method of going to work is to imitate the effect sought after by the painter. [illustration: fig. .] it is a mistake in embroidery design to be too naturalistic. in painting it may be the especial aim to exactly imitate nature, but here are wanted embroidery flowers, animals and figures, possessing the character and likeness of the things represented, but in no way trying to make us believe that they are real. the semblance of a bumble bee crawling upon the tea cloth gives a hardly pleasant sensation and much savours of the practical joke, which is seldom in good taste; the needle, however, adds convention to almost anything, and will usually manage the bee all right unless the worker goes out of the way to add a shadow and a high light. such things as perspective, light and shade or modelling of form, should all be very much simplified if not avoided, for embroidery conforms to the requirements of decoration and must not falsify the surface that it ornaments. shading is made use of in order to give more variety to, and exhibit the beauty of, colour by means of gradation, to explain more clearly the design, and so on; it is not employed for the purpose of fixing the lighting of the composition from one point by means of systematically adjusted light and shade, or of making a form stand out so realistically as to almost project from the background. in avoiding too much resemblance to natural forms it is not necessary to make things ugly; a conventional flower implies no unmeaning straightness or impossible curve, it may keep all its interesting characteristics, but it has to obey other requirements specially necessary in the particular design. another point to be noted is that, since there is freedom of choice of flowers and other objects, only those perfect and well-formed should be chosen; all accidents of growth and disease may, happily, be omitted; if anything of this kind is put in it helps to give the naturalistic look which is to be avoided. both sides of a leaf should match, though it may happen in nature, through misfortune, that one is deformed and small. in figure work, which, though ambitious, is one of the most interesting kinds of embroidery, the figures, like all other things, must be treated with a certain amount of simplicity; very little attempt must be made to obtain flesh tones, roundness of form, perspective, or foreshortening. the work should be just sufficiently near to nature to be a good embroidery rendering of it. however, without overstepping the limits there is a great deal that may be expressed, such things as character, gesture, grace, colour, and so on, matters which are after all of first importance. detail, if of the right kind, may be filled in, but it is wrong to attempt what is to the craft very laborious to obtain, for this would be misdirected energy, which is great waste. a right use of the figure can be seen in the xiiith century embroidery pictures, which, covering mediæval church vestments, often display episodes from the lives of the saints. these are some of the masterpieces of the art of embroidery; observation of nature is carried to a marvellous pitch, but the execution never sinks into commonplace realism. certain restrictions are always present, in making a design, that must be conformed to, such as, the limit of space, the materials with which the work is to be carried out, the use to which it will be put, and so on. these, instead of being difficulties, can afford help in the way of suggestion and limitation. a bad design may look as if it obeyed them unwillingly--a form is perhaps cramped, perhaps stretched out in order to fit its place, instead of looking as if it naturally fitted it whether the confining lines were there or not. in the early herbals, illustrated with woodcuts, examples can be found over and over again of a flower filling a required space simply and well; fig. is taken from the herbal of carolus clusius, printed at antwerp in by the great house of plantin. the draughtsman in this case had to draw a plant to fit a standard-sized engraver's block, and he had a certain number of facts to tell about it; he drew the plant as simply and straightforwardly as possible, making good use of all the available space, the result being a well-planned and balanced piece of work, with no affectation or unnecessary lines about it. [illustration: fig. .] fine colour is a quality appreciated at first sight, though often unconsciously. it is a difficult subject to speak of very definitely; an eye for colour is natural to some, but in any case the faculty can be cultivated and developed. by way of studying the subject, we can go to nature and learn as much as we are capable of appreciating; even such things as butterflies, shells, and birds' eggs are suggestive. again, embroideries, illuminated manuscripts, pictures, painted decoration, may be studied, and so on; in fact, colour is so universal that it is not possible to get away from it. unfortunately we are sometimes forced to learn what to avoid as well as what to emulate. colour is entirely relative, that is to say it depends upon its immediate surroundings for what it appears to be. also it has effects varying with the material which it dyes; wool is of an absorbent nature, whereas silk has powers of reflection. it is a safe plan to use true colours, real blue, red or green, not slate, terra cotta, and olive. gold, silver, white and black, are valuable additions to the colour palette; it should be remembered about the former that precious things must be used with economy or they become cheap and perhaps vulgar. [illustration: fig. .] for getting satisfactory colour there is a useful method which can at times be made use of; this is to stitch it down in alternate lines of two different tints, which, seen together at a little distance, give the desired effect. backgrounds can be covered over with some small geometrical pattern carried out in this way, such as is shown in fig. , perhaps using in alternation bright blue and black instead of a single medium tint of blue all over. at a slight distance the tone may be the same in either case, but this method gives a pleasantly varied and refined effect, which avoids muddiness, and shows up the pattern better. this same method is used for expressing form more clearly as well as for colour; waves of hair, for instance, are much more clearly expressed when worked in this way. chapter iv stitches introduction--chain stitch--zigzag chain--chequered chain--twisted chain--open chain--braid stitch--cable chain--knotted chain--split stitch. it is necessary for every worker to have a certain amount of knowledge of stitches, for they are, so to speak, the language of the art, and though not of first importance, still there is a great deal in stitchery. the needlewoman should be absolute master of her needle, for there is a great charm in beautifully carried out stitching; also a good design can be made mechanical and uninteresting by a wrong method of execution. the simplest and most common stitches are the best, and are all that are necessary for the doing of good work. work carried out entirely in one stitch has a certain unity and character that is very pleasing. there are a great number of stitches in existence, that is, if each slight variation has a different name assigned to it. the names are sometimes misleading, for often the same stitch is known by several different ones; descriptive names have where possible been chosen for those discussed in the following pages. a worker may find it useful to keep by her a sampler with the most characteristic stitches placed upon it; a glance at this will be suggestive when she is in doubt as to which to use, for it is often difficult to recollect just the right and most suitable one at a moment's notice. it is necessary to learn only the main varieties, for each individual worker can adapt, combine, and invent variations to suit a special purpose. the direction of the stitch is important; tone, if not colour, can be very much altered by change in direction; also growth and form can be suggested by it; for instance, lines going across a stem are not usually so satisfactory as those running the length of it; these suggesting growth better. folds of drapery are often explained by direction of the lines of stitching quite as much as by gradation of colour. with reference to the stitches described in the following chapters, the worker is advised to try to work them by simply examining the diagrams, and, if in any difficulty, then to refer to the printed description, for such directions are apt to be tedious. the simplest way to master these is to let some one read them out step by step, and to work from dictation. it should be remembered that the use of a particular thread often makes or mars a stitch, some requiring soft silks to show them to advantage, whilst others may need a stoutly twisted thread. chain stitch is universal, and one of the most ancient of stitches. it is the most commonly used of a group that might be described as linked stitches. much beautiful work has been carried out entirely in it, and when a monotonous even line is required, this is a most suitable stitch to employ. it is equally in request for outline and filling in, and its chain-like adaptability makes it specially good for following out curved forms or spiral lines. tambour stitch is practically the same in result, though worked in quite a different manner, for it is carried out in a frame with a fine crochet hook, instead of with a needle. this makes it quicker in execution, but more mechanical in appearance, so it is not to be as much recommended. [illustration: fig. .] to work chain stitch (fig. ) bring the needle through at the top of the traced line, hold the working thread down towards the left with the thumb, insert the needle at the point where the thread has just come through and bring it up on the traced line about one-sixteenth of an inch further along, draw the thread through over the held down thread. it should show a neat line of back-stitching on the reverse side. the chain can be made broader by inserting the needle a little to the right, instead of at the exact point where the last thread came through. care must be taken in the working not to draw the thread too tightly, as this stitch is inclined to pucker the material, especially when it is worked in curved lines. a flower and leaf worked with a solid filling of chain stitch are shown in fig. . the dark outline of the flower is in back stitch, the centre a mass of french knots, and the stem in stem stitch. by working the petals in curved lines in this way the shape is well suggested, and the play of light on the curves is particularly happy, especially if the thread used is silk or gold. another slight variation from this would be to work the lines of chain stitch in different shades of colour, and so get each petal gradually either lighter or darker towards its base; this gives a very pretty effect. fig. shows an oak leaf carried out in this way, the lines upon it indicate the way in which the stitches would be worked. the rule in solid fillings is to work from the outside inwards where possible, and thus make sure of a good outline. [illustration: fig. .] in the victoria and albert museum there is a white linen dress[ ] daintily embroidered in chain stitch. it is an excellent example of a kind of design suitable to this stitch; the leaves and flowers are carried out in lines of chain stitch following the outline, and in these lines use is made of strongly contrasting colour to both show up the form better, and also decorate it. the leaf in fig. is in style somewhat similar to this, and is intended to be carried out in two distinct colours. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] chain stitches can be worked singly; they are used in this way as a powdering over a background. sometimes they may be seen conventionally suggesting the small feathers on the shoulder of a bird's wing by being dotted over it at regular intervals. fig. shows how they might be used to carry out a tiny flower, five separate stitches represent the petals, and two more the leaves at the base; this is a simpler and more satisfactory method than to attempt very minute forms with satin stitches. [illustration: fig. .] the common chain makes a particularly neat border stitch taken in zigzag fashion. to work this (fig. )--trace two parallel lines on the material and work the chain across from side to side at an angle of ° to the traced lines. for further security it is well to catch down the end of the stitch just completed with the needle as it commences the following one. the line can be further decorated by placing a french knot, perhaps in a contrasting colour, in each little triangular space left by working the stitch. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] there is an ingenious method of working ordinary chain stitch in a chequering of two colours (fig. ). it is quite simple to work. thread a needle with two different coloured threads, commence the chain stitch in the usual way until the thread has to be placed under the point of the needle for forming the loop. place only one of the two threads underneath, leaving the other on one side out of the way, then draw the needle and thread through over the one held down. a chain stitch will have been formed with the thread that was looped under the needle. for the next stitch, the alternate thread is placed under, and so on, taking each thread in turn. the thread not in use each time usually requires a little adjustment to make it entirely disappear from the surface. twisted chain is worked very similarly to the ordinary chain stitch. it has not such a decidedly looped appearance, which is sometimes an advantage. to work it (fig. )--bring the thread through at the top of the line, hold it down under the thumb to the left, and insert the needle to the left of the traced line, slightly below the point where the thread has come through. bring it out again on the traced line, about one-eighth of an inch lower down, and draw it through over the held down thread. an entirely different effect can be obtained by working this stitch much closer together, but in exactly the same way. it will then resemble a satin stitch slightly raised on one side. this is known as rope stitch and is at times very useful. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] open chain stitch makes a good broad line; it looks best when worked with a stout thread. to carry out the stitch (fig. )--trace two parallel lines upon the material, about one-eighth of an inch apart, and bring the thread through at the top of the left-hand one. hold the thread down with the thumb and insert the needle exactly opposite on the other line, bring it up one-eighth of an inch lower down and draw the thread through over the held down part, leaving a rather slack loop upon the material. then insert the needle on the first line again, inside the slack loop, and bring it out one-eighth of an inch below. repeat this on each side alternately. fig. is a drawing from a piece of white linen work in which the open chain stitch is used in combination with other stitches. this figure, with its open-work centre, is repeated diagonally over a white linen cloth exhibited in the victoria and albert museum. [illustration: fig. .] braid stitch rather resembles a fancy braid laid upon the material. it looks best when carried out with a stoutly twisted thread. to work it (fig. )--trace two parallel lines upon the material about one-eighth of an inch apart, and bring the thread through at the right-hand end of the lower line. throw the thread across to the left and hold it slackly under the thumb. place the needle pointing towards the worker under this held thread, then twist it round towards the left and over the held thread until it points in the opposite direction. it will now have the thread twisted loosely over it. next, insert the needle on the upper line one-eighth of an inch from the starting-point, and bring it through on the lower line exactly underneath. place the thumb over the stitch in process of making and draw the thread through as the diagram shows. it can be worked openly or more closely as preferred. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] cable chain is descriptively named, for, when worked with a stoutly twisted thread, it has very much the appearance of a chain laid upon the material, rather too much so perhaps to be a pretty embroidery stitch. to work it (fig. )--bring the needle through at the top of the traced line, throw the thread round to the left and hold it down with the thumb near where it has come through the material. pass the needle under the held down thread from left to right and draw it through until there is only a small loop left. insert the needle in the centre of this loop, on the traced line about one-sixteenth of an inch below the starting-point. bring it out a quarter of an inch below and outside the loop. take the thread in the right hand and tighten the loop that has now been formed, and then pass the thread under the point of the needle towards the left (see diagram). place the left thumb over the stitch in process of making and draw the thread through; this will complete the first two links of the chain; to continue, repeat from the beginning. knotted chain is a pretty stitch; to look well it must be worked with a stout thread. to carry it out (fig. )--trace two parallel lines upon the material, about one-eighth of an inch apart. bring the thread through at the right hand end in the centre between the two lines, then insert the needle on the upper line one-sixteenth of an inch further along, and bring it through on the lower line immediately below. draw the thread through and there will be a short slanting line left upon the material. throw the thread round to the left and hold it under the thumb, then pass the needle and thread through the slanting line from above downwards, leaving the thread a little slack. place the thread again under the thumb, then in the same way as before, from above downwards, pass the needle and thread through this slack loop. this makes the first two links of the chain; the last one will not be properly fixed in place until the next stitch is taken. the dotted vertical line on the diagram shows the piece of material taken up by the needle upon commencing the next stitch. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] split stitch is a most useful one for many purposes. it is difficult to distinguish from a fine chain when done, but in the working it much more resembles stem stitch. it can be carried out in the hand or in a frame. this stitch, frequently seen upon ancient work, was much used for both draperies and features; the lines of the stitching usually, by their direction, expressing moulding of form or folds of drapery. to work it (fig. )--bring the thread through at the lower end of the traced line, then insert the needle about one-eighth of an inch further along, and bring it through on the line two or three threads nearer the starting-point; whilst bringing it through take it also through the centre of the working thread, which thus splits each stitch. footnote: [ ] no. , . chapter v stitches--(_continued_) satin stitch--long and short stitch--stem stitch--overcast stitch--back stitch--buttonhole stitch--tailor's buttonhole--fancy buttonhole edgings--flower in open buttonhole stitch--leaf in close buttonhole stitches--petal in solid buttonholing. satin and similar stitches satin stitch is perhaps the most commonly used of all stitches. it is more quickly worked by hand, but for complicated work the help of a frame is required. floss silk thread is seen to greatest advantage in a stitch of this kind, for it shows off the glossiness of silk particularly well. it is straightforward in the working and needs no further description than is given by the diagram (fig. ). the stitches may vary in length, they must neither be impracticably long nor, on the other hand, too much cut up, lest the silky effect be partly lost. these stitches lie close together and in parallel lines; the chief difference between satin and several other closely allied stitches being that these others may radiate or vary in direction according to the space to be filled. the stitch is usually worked in oblique lines; stems, leaves, and petals would be treated in this way; sometimes it is worked regularly having regard to the warp and woof of the material; it would be treated thus when used in conjunction with cross or stroke stitch. [illustration: fig. .] it will be seen that there is as much silk at the back as on the front of the work. there is a method of carrying out the stitch by which this waste of material at the back is avoided; the thread is returned to the front close to where it went through instead of crossing over and coming up on the other side. the effect on the right side, however, is not so good, so this method cannot be recommended. one of the technical difficulties with satin stitch is to get a neat firm line at the edges of the filled space; this is excellently attained by the chinese and japanese, who use this satin stitch a great deal. they frequently work each petal of a complicated flower separately, leaving as a division, between each one and the next, a fine line of material firmly and clearly drawn. [illustration: fig. .] the stitch is much used for raised work, and also lends itself well to gradation of colour. fig. is an example of shading in satin stitch. in this case each new row of stitches fits in just between those of the last row; this is a bold but very effective method of expressing gradation. a variation upon this is shown in fig. ; the bands of different colour are here necessarily worked in a chevron pattern which makes the shading rather more gradual. an example of the same thing can be seen in fig. in the leaf upon which the squirrel sits. apart from gradation of colour, the surface to be covered by satin stitch has often to be partitioned up in some way in order to make the satin stitches of a practical length. [illustration: fig. .] long and short stitch is a very slight variation, if any, from satin stitch. the name describes the method of working, for it is carried out by working alternately a long and a short stitch, the stitches being picked up just as in satin stitch. it is useful for close fillings and shaded work, and also as a solid outline for any kind of open filling. the working of the stitch can be seen in fig. , where the band of lightest colour on the upper part of the leaf is worked in long and short stitch. the advantage of this way of working can be seen at once, it makes a firm outline on the one edge and a nicely broken-up one on the other, just ready for another shade to be worked in. in order to carry out the rest of the shading on the leaf in the same way the stitches can be all of the same length; this will always ensure a broken line at the edge, which is a necessity for this method of gradation. long and short stitch used as an outline for a leaf with an open filling can be seen on page . the _opus plumarium_ or feather stitch that we read of in the descriptions of the old embroideries was a similar stitch to this, and so called, some say, because it resembled the plumage of a bird. [illustration: fig. .] stem stitch, well known and frequently in use for various purposes, such as for lines, outlines, gradated and flat fillings, and so on, is usually done in the hand, and is quite simple; fig. explains the working. if a broad line is required the needle is put in more obliquely, and a raised effect can be obtained by working over a laid thread. the thread must be kept to the same side of the needle, either to the left or to the right as better suits the purpose in hand; the effect is more line-like when it is kept to the right. occasionally, when just a double line is to be worked, it is deliberately done in the two ways, and then the line resembles a narrow plait. a solid filling in stem stitch should be worked in lines as illustrated in the squirrel in fig. . this little beast is taken from the curtain shown in plate vii., and is a good example of the life and interest that the introduction of such things adds to embroideries. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] the stitches just described were largely used in crewel work. this is a rather vague name that denotes a decorative kind of needlework carried out with coloured wools upon a plain white linen ground. the design is usually composed of conventionally treated leaves and flowers, often growing from boldly curved stems. these were partly shaded in solid stitches, partly worked with geometrical open fillings; ornamental birds and beasts of all kinds were introduced, and the effect of the whole was very beautiful. the work is characteristically english, and a great deal of it was executed in the xviith century. plates vii. and viii. are illustrative of the type of work, and fig. represents a detail. the various stitches which occur in this drawing are stem, herring-bone, long and short, knot, basket, buttonhole, single chain and satin stitches. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] overcast stitch in embroidery is practically a very short raised satin stitch. it requires neat workmanship, and then makes a bold clear line or outline. to work it (fig. )--run or couch down a thread on the traced line, then with fine thread cover this over with close upright stitches, picking up as little material as possible each time in order to make the line clear and round. the stitch is worked most perfectly in a frame. back stitch sometimes makes a good line or outline. to work it (fig. )--bring the needle through one-sixteenth of an inch from the end of the traced line, insert it at the commencement and bring it through again one-sixteenth of an inch beyond where it first came out. each stitch, it will be seen, commences at the point where the last one finished. buttonhole stitch and its application buttonhole stitch, which is well known in plain needlework, is very useful also in embroidery, besides being an important stitch in needlepoint lace. owing to its construction it is well suited for the covering of raw edges, but it is also adaptable to a variety of other purposes, such as are open or close fillings of leaves and flowers, cut work, and the outlining of applied work. [illustration: fig. .] there are two ways of forming the stitch, the common buttonhole and what is called tailor's buttonhole. to work the ordinary buttonhole stitch (fig. )--bring the needle through at the left-hand end of the traced line, hold the thread down to the left with the thumb and insert the needle as shown in the diagram, draw it through over the held thread to complete the stitch. it is worked openly in the diagram, but it may, as required, be either more or less open or quite closed. [illustration: fig. .] the tailor's buttonhole is for some purposes more satisfactory; the stitch is firmer than the other kind owing to the heading having an extra knot in it; this makes it also more ornamental. to work it (fig. )--commence in the same way as the last stitch until the needle and thread are in the position shown in fig. then, with the right hand take hold of the thread near the eye of the needle, bring it down and loop it under the point from right to left, draw the needle and thread through over these two loops, and the first stitch is made. [illustration: fig. .] buttonhole stitch can be varied in many ways, dependent mainly upon the spacing of the stitch and the direction that the needle takes when picking up the material. fig. shows four simple varieties; the first is the open buttonhole spaced slightly irregularly and with a thread slipped underneath it; any variety of spacing can be arranged, and the thread shown running underneath, which sometimes forms a pretty addition, is usually of a contrasting colour or material. the second shows the stitches taken slanting-wise, so that they cross each other. in the third the stitches are at different angles and of unequal length. the fourth example shows two lines of spaced buttonhole stitch fitting neatly the one into the other and forming a solid line. one row is worked first, leaving just sufficient space between each stitch for the second row to fill up, which can be carried out by reversing the position of the material and exactly repeating the first line in the same or in a different colour. [illustration: fig. .] a flower filled in with open buttonhole stitch is shown at fig. . the centre consists of a mass of french knots, and the outside line is in satin stitch. the innermost circle of buttonholing is worked first, the next row is worked over the heading of the first row as well as into the material; the succeeding rows are worked in the same way until the outside limit is reached, and there the satin stitch just covers the heading of the last row of buttonhole stitching. gradation of colour can easily be introduced by using a different shade for each circle of stitches, and this produces a very pretty effect. an open method of filling a space, whether flower, leaf, drapery, or background, is sometimes preferable to a solid filling, and the two methods can very well be used together as each shows off the other. these light fillings give opportunity for further variety and ingenuity in the stitching, and prevent the work from looking heavy. a butterfly, carried out partly in open stitches, is illustrated in fig. . [illustration: fig. .] fig. is, in the original, a gay little flower carried out in orange and yellow. the stitch employed here is a close buttonhole. [illustration: fig. .] another example of the use of close buttonhole is shown in the ivy leaf in fig. . the stitch is worked in two rows, back to back, in each lobe of the leaf, and the resulting ridge down the centre rather happily suggests the veining. this method of filling in might be just reversed for a rose leaf; the heading of the stitch would then suggest the serrated edge, and the meeting of the two rows down the centre the line of the vein. [illustration: fig. .] a cluster of berries can be very prettily worked in buttonhole stitch in the way shown in fig. . the stitches are so arranged that the heading outlines each berry, and the needle enters the material at the same point, always in the centre. a bullion stitch in a darker colour marks the eye of the berry. [illustration: fig. .] a good method of filling a space with solid buttonhole stitching is shown in fig. . each row is worked into the heading of the preceding row, and the stitches do not pierce the material except in the first row and at the extremities of succeeding rows. they are placed rather close together in order to completely cover the ground. the stitch is worked, first, from left to right, then for the next row from right to left; this is quite easy and enables the work to be continuously carried out. sometimes, when the first row is done, the thread is thrown across to the side where the row began, and there made fast; then the second row is worked with stitches which take up the thrown thread as well as the heading of the first row. by using a more open buttonhole and thus partly exposing the laid thread, a filling, both quick and effective, is obtained. this is a useful method to employ when the work is done over a padding of threads, for there is no necessity to pierce the material except at the edges. [illustration: fig. .] chapter vi stitches--(_continued_) knots and knot stitches--herring-bone stitch--feather stitch--basket stitch--fishbone stitch--cretan stitch--roumanian stitch--various insertion stitches--picots. knots and knot stitches it would be difficult to go far in embroidery without requiring knots for one purpose or another. they are useful in all sorts of ways, and make a pleasant contrast to the other stitches. for the enrichment of border lines and various parts of the work, both pattern and background, they are most serviceable, and also for solid fillings; for such places as centres of flowers or parts of leaves, they are again valuable. they have been used to form a continuous outline, but owing to their tendency to make a weak line, not frequently; indeed they usually show to better advantage when slightly separated. examples are to be seen of english knotted line work in which the knotting was executed in the thread previously to embroidering with it. the knotting of thread was a pastime with ladies in the xviith century. the thread, usually a linen one and as a rule home spun, was wound upon a netting-needle, and by the aid of this a close series of knots was made upon it; when finished it somewhat resembled a string of beads. balls of this prepared knotted thread may still be found, treasured up in old work receptacles. when prepared it was couched on to the material with fine thread, like a cord or braid, and made to follow out some prearranged pattern. in white linen work it was used for carrying out ornamental borderings on infants' robes and other dainty articles. [illustration: fig. .] french knots can be worked in the hand or in a frame. they are easier to manage in the latter, and to look well they must be neatly and firmly made. completed they should resemble beads lying end upwards on the material. to work the french knot (fig. )--bring the thread through the material at the required point, take hold of it with the left finger and thumb near the starting-point (a on plan), then let the point of the needle encircle the held thread twice, twist the needle round and insert it at point b on plan, draw the thread through to the back, not letting go the held thread until necessary. fig. shows some french knots decorating a leaf spray, and various other examples of their use can be found in the book. [illustration: fig. .] bullion knots resemble tight curls of thread laid on the material. they can be used as a variation from french knots, and even for the representation of petals and small leaves. to be satisfactory they must be firm, stout, and tightly coiled; some knack is required to make them properly. to work the bullion knot (fig. )--bring the thread through at the required place, insert the needle one-eighth of an inch from this point and bring it through again exactly at it. take hold of the thread about two inches from where it came through and twist it several times round the point of the needle, the number of times being dependent on the required length of the knot. place the left thumb upon the tight coil on the needle, in order to keep it in place, and draw the needle and thread through it, then pass the thread through to the back at the point where the needle was last inserted (point a on plan). the thumb must not be removed until it is in the way. fig. represents a flower, of which the centre is formed of bullion together with french knots. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] fig. shows a knotted stitch that is similar in result to the knotted threads discussed earlier in the chapter. in this case the knotting of the thread and the fixing to the material is done at the same time. it is a useful stitch when a jagged line is wanted, and can be seen used, for instance, for the branching veins in open work leaves, as in fig. . the diagram explains the working of the stitch; at point a on the plan the left thumb holds the thread down whilst the stitch is in progress. [illustration: fig. .] miscellaneous stitches [illustration: fig. .] the stitch illustrated at fig. is very similar to the common herring-bone. the only practical difference is that in the plain needlework stitch there is usually a smaller piece of material picked up by the needle each time. to work it as in the diagram--trace two parallel lines on the material and bring the thread through at the commencement of the lower line, insert it on the opposite line rather farther along and there pick up a stitch, as the needle is doing in the figure. then on the opposite line pick up a similar stitch a little in advance of the one just finished. after this work the stitches on either line alternately, commencing each one at the point where the last one ended; this forms on the underside a double row of back stitches. it is quite easy to work this stitch with the back stitches on the working side, and when they are required to be on the surface it is advisable to do it in that way. when embroidering upon a semi-transparent material this stitch is a satisfactory one to use, the back stitching follows out the outline on either side of the form, and the crossing of the threads on the under side shows through prettily. this stitch sometimes goes by the name of double back stitch. it is useful in many ways, making a light stitch for stems, leaves, or flowers; it can be sometimes found in eastern work used for an entire embroidery. when used for flowers or leaves the width and the closeness of the stitch are varied to suit the shape to be filled. an example of its use as a flower filling is shown in the carnation at fig. , which is carried out in four shades of colour. considerable use is made of this stitch in embroidered curtain shown in plate vii.; it is there employed for all the stems and various flowers upon the hanging. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] the feather stitch, often used to decorate plain needlework, is now to be discussed; although similar in name it must not be confused with the feather or plumage stitch that has already been mentioned. the stitch is so simple and so much in use as hardly to need description; fig. explains the working. there can be many slight variations of the stitch, the worker perhaps devising them needle in hand. two are shown in fig. . the one to the left is worked very like the ordinary stitch; the needle picks up the material in a straight line instead of slightly obliquely, and each stitch touches the one immediately above; it is here made use of as a couching stitch, a bunch of threads of a contrasting colour is laid on the material, and the stitch worked over it from side to side. the right-hand example shows the ordinary feather stitch worked more closely and in a broader line; carried out in this way, it can be used for a leaf filling. [illustration: fig. .] basket stitch, useful for a solid line, shows up very clearly when worked with a stout twisted thread. this stitch would be appropriately used when applied to some representation of basket work. to carry out the diagram (fig. )--trace two parallel lines on the material, and to commence, bring the thread through on the left-hand line, then insert the needle on the right-hand line about one-eighth of an inch lower down and bring it through on the left-hand line exactly opposite (see needle in fig.); the next stitch is worked by inserting the needle on the right-hand line but above the last stitch, that is at point a on diagram, and bringing it through at b. to continue, repeat from the beginning. [illustration: fig. .] a particularly good line for a border is made by fishbone stitch. it can be worked in one colour, or as easily in a chequering of two or three, as shown in the diagram (fig. ); to carry it out in this way the worker must have two threads in use, bringing through each as required. for such purposes as the fillings of small leaves, this stitch is very useful (see fig. ). the meeting of the stitches in the centre suggest the veining line, also the change in direction of the thread gives, to the two sides of the leaf, pleasant variation in tone. to work it--trace three parallel lines upon the material and bring the thread through on the upper line at the left-hand end. insert the needle and bring it through as in process in the diagram, then repeat the same stitch on the other side the reverse way, that is, insert the needle just over the central line and bring it through on the upper one close to the last stitch. care must be taken that the stitches cross well over each other at the centre, or the material will show through. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] the stitch shown in fig. , known as plait or cretan, is commonly seen on cretan and other eastern embroideries. it can be used as a solid border stitch or as a filling, varying in width as required. to work it--bring the thread through on the lower central line, then insert the needle on the uppermost line and bring it through on the next below as in process in the diagram; then, still keeping the thread to the right, insert the needle immediately underneath on the lowest line and bring it through on the line next above, in fashion similar to the last stitch, but in reverse direction. to continue, work the stitch alternately on one side and the other, always keeping the thread to the right of the needle. in order to make the central plait broader take up rather less material with the needle; this will decrease the outer and increase the inner lines. fig. is taken from a cretan embroidery, in which this stitch is mainly used. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] another similar but more simple stitch, often seen in eastern work, is shown in fig. . it can also frequently be found employed on xviith century english wool work hangings. it is sometimes called roumanian stitch, and is composed of one long stitch crossed by a short one in the centre. to work it--trace two parallel lines on the material and bring the thread through on the left-hand line at the top. insert the needle on the opposite line and bring it through near the centre, as shown in process in the diagram. for the next half of the stitch the needle enters the material at point a on plan, and is brought through again on the left-hand line close to the last stitch, and so in position to commence again. an illustration of this stitch in use as a filling can be seen at fig. . it is worked in four shades of green wool, and each line of stitches is so arranged as to encroach slightly on the line before by means of setting each stitch just between two of the last row. this method of working has two advantages; the shading is thus made more gradual, and a pleasant undulating effect is given to the surface of the leaf. this can be most easily understood by a practical trial of the stitch and method. [illustration: fig. .] insertion stitches there is occasion sometimes in embroidery to join edges together visibly. this gives an opportunity for some additional pretty stitching--the addition of something like this, that is perhaps not absolutely necessary, has extra value from the evidence it gives of the worker's interest and delight in her work, a quality always appreciated; on the other hand, work done from the motive of getting a result with as little labour as possible is valued at just its worth. these insertion stitches are useful for joining together edges of cushion covers, bags, detached bands, also for the ornamentation of dress, and for embroideries upon which drawn thread work is not possible. a stout thread is usually suitable for the purpose. the raw edges must first be turned in and flattened, and the parts to be joined can if necessary be tacked in place on a temporary ground such as _toile cirée_. fig. illustrates a twisted insertion stitch that is quickly executed and very frequently used. the diagram sufficiently explains the working without further description. [illustration: fig. .] buttonhole stitch can be turned to account for this purpose. fig. shows the tailor's buttonhole used as an insertion stitch; for this purpose it is the better of the two kinds of buttonhole. the stitches could be arranged in various ways; in the present example three are worked closely together on either side in turn. the only difficulty with this buttonhole insertion is that on one side the stitch has to be worked in direction contrary to that usual, that is from right to left instead of from left to right. in the diagram the needle is shown working in this reverse way. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] fig. is a knotted insertion stitch; the knot at each side makes the stitch a very rigid one. to work it--bring the thread through at the lower left-hand side, insert the needle on the upper side a little towards the right, draw the thread through, and then tie the knot on it as in process in the diagram. [illustration: fig. .] a rather more complicated joining stitch is shown in fig. . it could be carried out with different coloured threads. the two sides must be first worked with the edging, which is practically the braid stitch described on page . commence the stitch in exactly the same way as when carrying out braid stitch, but work on the edge of the material as in buttonholing, the working edge in this case being away from the worker. let the worker, having reached the point of pulling the thread through to complete the stitch, draw it out in the direction away from her. this will draw the stitch towards the edge, where it will form a knot. in the diagram one of the stitches has been partly undone in order to show the working more clearly. when the two sides are bound with the stitch, they can be laced together with another thread as in the illustration. picots picots are commonly in use in lace work and they are sometimes required for embroidery purposes, especially in the kinds of work nearly allied to lace, such as cut work, or for an added ornament to an edging stitch. [illustration: fig. .] fig. shows too small picots added to a buttonhole bar, and on the lower bar is shown the method of working the left-hand picot. the pin that passes into the material behind the bar can be fixed in the bar itself if there happens to be no material underneath. after reaching the point illustrated in the diagram, the needle draws the thread through, thus making a firm knot round the loop. this completes the picot, the bar is then buttonholed to the end. the second picot is made in much the same way; instead, however, of putting the needle as the diagram shows, bring the thread up through the centre of the loop, then round under the pin from left to right, and it will be in position to make three buttonhole stitches along the loop, which completes the second example. [illustration: fig. .] the upper bar on fig. shows a buttonholed picot. the bar must be worked to the left-hand end of the required picot; the thread is then from there taken back about one-eighth of an inch and threaded through the edge of the buttonhole. this is repeated to and fro until there is a loop composed of three threads ready to be buttonholed over. upon this being done, the thread will have arrived at the right point to continue the bar. bullion stitch makes another simple picot--work the bar to the point where the picot is required, then, instead of taking the next stitch, insert the point of the needle in the heading of the last stitch. leave the needle in this position, and twist the thread six or eight times round the point of it, just as for the bullion knot (fig. ). place the left thumb over the tight coil thus formed, and pull the needle and thread through tightly in order to make the stitch double up into a tight semi-circle, then continue the buttonholing to the end of the bar. chapter vii canvas work and stitches introduction--samplers--petit point pictures--cross stitch--tent stitch--gobelin stitch--irish stitch--plait stitch--two-sided italian stitch--holbein stitch--rococo stitch. canvas work, known in the xiiith century as _opus pulvinarium_ or cushion work, is of great antiquity, and seems to have had an independent origin in several countries. it is sometimes given the misleading name of tapestry, perhaps owing to hangings of all kinds being called tapestries, whether loom-woven, worked with the needle, or painted. large wall hangings with designs similar to those of woven tapestries have been most successfully carried out on canvas in cross or tent stitch; as a rule, however, smaller objects are worked, such as furniture coverings, screens or cushions, whence it is obvious canvas work received its ancient and descriptive latin name. many eastern carpets are worked upon a strong canvas in a kind of tent stitch, and so come under the heading of canvas work. it is a particularly durable method of embroidering, and this makes it suitable for use upon anything subjected to hard wear. the work has usually a very decided and attractive character of its own. a familiar example of this can be seen in the xviiith century samplers. its peculiar character is perhaps due to the fact that it cannot break away from a certain conventionality due to constant use of the same stitch, and its dependence upon the web of the fabric. this regularity prevents the work from showing certain faults of design that other methods may exaggerate. it is hardly possible to copy a natural spray of flowers in cross stitch and keep it very naturalistic. the stitch being square and alike all over gives a formality of treatment to every part of the design, also, some detail is perforce omitted owing to the impossibility of putting it in; all of this tends to a right method of treatment, which renders the sampler an admirable lesson not only in workmanship but also in design. the xvith and xviith century pictorial subjects worked upon fine canvas in cross or tent stitch afford instances of most interesting work in canvas stitches. some of these, though, as a rule, very much smaller in size, equal, in their way, the finest tapestries. most of them, if judged from a painter's standpoint, would be pronounced failures, but this effect is not what is sought after; the method of treatment belongs rather to the great traditions of the tapestry weaver, and is not governed by the canons of the painter. plate vi. shows a detail of foliage from a particularly fine example of this work lately added to the victoria and albert museum collection.[ ] in what went by the name of berlin wool work, popular in the early xixth century, we have before us a degenerate offshoot of this fine and poetic kind of work in which all its possibilities are missed, with a result that is prosaic in the extreme. some of the canvas-work seat covers decorated with geometrical designs, seen on chippendale chairs, were a pleasant and satisfactory variation in their way, but in most of the work after that period, the attempt at impossible naturalistic effect gave such unsatisfactory results as to almost deal a death blow to all canvas embroidery. it is, however, a method too good and useful to die out; it must always be more or less in vogue. patterns carried out in canvas stitches are sometimes to be seen worked apparently upon velvet or similar ground materials. this is done by first laying the canvas upon the velvet and stitching through both materials; this would have to be carried out in a frame. the threads of the canvas are afterwards either withdrawn or closely cut off. in the former case, the stitches must be drawn tight, or the finished work will not look well. this method has the advantage of saving the labour of working the background, and sometimes it suits the pattern to have a contrast in the ground material. in old embroideries, heraldic devices may be seen successfully treated in this way. the usual canvas stitches can be worked upon other fabrics that have an even and square mesh, such as various kinds of linen; also other embroidery stitches, such as stem, satin, or chain, can be used upon canvas; they are then always worked with a certain regularity, following the web of the material. canvas work can be done in the hand or in a frame, but the technique is often better in work done in a frame. in all-over work it is important that not even a suggestion of the ground fabric should be allowed to show through; for this reason work in light colours should be done on white canvas, and _vice versâ_, as far as possible, also the thread used must suit in thickness the mesh of the canvas. to work a plain ground well is less easy than to work the pattern, though it may sound more simple. the back of the work, though not necessarily similar to the front, must be alike in stitch all over, for the direction the stitch takes at the back affects the regularity of appearance of the front. the stitch must not be commenced in exactly the same place in each row, lest a ridge should appear upon the surface; this can be avoided by using threads of different lengths. a ground is usually commenced at the lower left-hand corner, and a pattern, if a complicated one, from the centre outwards. these technical points are of importance, but they are of little value unless the stitches are at the same time expressing an interesting and suitable design. the stitches used are exceedingly numerous; those described in the following pages are the varieties most commonly seen. cross stitch, the best known in this group, can be worked in slightly different ways, according to the purpose for which it is required. on the surface it is always the same, but it can vary at the back. for instance, when used for marking purposes it should form on the reverse side either a cross or a square, to do either of which demands some ingenuity on the part of the worker. for ordinary work the really correct method is to complete each stitch before going on to the next, though grounding is frequently done by working the first half of the stitch along an entire line, and completing the cross upon a return journey. in any case, the crossing must always be worked in the same direction. cross stitch is a double stitch worked diagonally over two threads of the canvas each way. it can, however, be taken over more or fewer threads if required larger or smaller. to work it (fig. )--bring the needle through on the upper left side of the threads to be covered, and take it back again on the lower right, then bring it through on the upper right side and return it to the back on the lower left, which completes the first stitch. [illustration: fig. .] tent stitch (fig. ) is the finest canvas stitch, and is therefore suitable for work involving much detail. pictorial and heraldic subjects are frequently carried out in it. it is worked diagonally over a perpendicular and horizontal thread of the canvas. the diagram shows the method of working both back and front. it will be noticed that though the line goes alternately from left to right and from right to left, the stitch is always the same at the back as well as the same upon the front; if this were not so, alternate rows would have a different appearance upon the right side. the diagram does not show the connection between the first and the second row, but it is evident that it must be a short upright line. [illustration: fig. .] gobelin stitch is a useful variety; it lends itself to shading better than cross stitch. it is most often worked upon a fine single canvas, and it can be used as a raised stitch. fig. represents the stitch; it is worked similarly to tent stitch but over two threads in height and one in width, no matter whether the single or double thread canvas is used. in order to work it as a raised stitch, a line of some kind of padding is thrown across the canvas, and the stitch taken over it. this line can be arranged to show in part, in which case the material must be one presentable, such as a gold cord or narrow braid. the padding would be covered with stitching to form the background, and left exposed for the pattern, which would probably be a simple repeating form of some kind. gobelin stitch is sometimes worked quite perpendicularly just over two threads in height. [illustration: fig. .] irish stitch is pretty and quickly worked. it is usually taken perpendicularly over four threads of the canvas (fig. ), though the number over which it is taken may vary. it is worked in such a way as to make the stitches of each succeeding row fit between those of the last row, and can be carried out either diagonally or in horizontal lines. what is known as florentine work is carried out in a stitch of this kind. the pattern in this kind of work is taken horizontally across the ground in a succession of shaded zigzag lines. [illustration: fig. .] plait stitch is often used for grounding. it resembles a simple plait laid in close rows to and fro on the ground. it can frequently be seen used upon the italian xvith century linen work, that in which the pattern is left in plain linen, and the ground worked in some colour. the diagram in fig. shows the method of working the stitch. if carried out correctly, the back of the material should show a row of short perpendicular lines, each composed of two threads. [illustration: fig. .] two-sided italian stitch is descriptively named, for it is alike on both sides. this is frequently seen on xvith and xviith century italian linen work, similar to that mentioned above. a loosely woven linen makes a suitable ground material, for in the working the stitches must be pulled firmly, so as to draw the threads of the fabric together; this gives over the ground a squared open-work effect, which is very pretty. fig. explains the working of the stitch; it is shown in four stages, and is quite simple; the final result is a cross surrounded by a square. the lowest figure in the diagram shows the last stage, for the upper side of the square is filled in when the row above is worked. the drawing together of the web is not shown, but at a trial it should be done, for in that lies the special character of the stitch. the silk used must be just thick enough to well cover the linen, but not too thick, for then the work would be clumsy. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] holbein stitch (fig. ), also known as stroke or line stitch, is alike on both sides, and is often used in conjunction with cross and satin stitch, as well as alone. very intricate and interesting patterns can be devised to be carried out with these three stitches, worked always with regard to the web of the linen. squared paper could be used for planning the design, as the stitches would all be practically of the same length, and the pattern must be one that can be easily carried out alike on both sides. the stitch is worked as follows: an even running stitch, picking up as much material as it leaves, is taken all round the pattern. this does half the work on either side; the gaps are then filled up by the running stitch being taken in a contrary direction, which completes the pattern. occasionally stitches go off at an angle from the running pattern; these are completed on the first journey by a satin stitch being made at the necessary point. the present diagram is a zigzag line, with one of these stitches going off at each angle. fig. is an example of a border design carried out in holbein stitch. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] the stitch illustrated in fig. is known as rococo stitch. it is a useful one for carrying out a conventional design, such as, to give a simple illustration, a flower sprig repeating in the spaces formed by a trellis pattern. the effect of the stitch when worked cannot be judged from this diagram; to see this properly a piece of canvas must be worked entirely over with it. the pattern chosen is usually one that lends itself to being worked in diagonal lines, as this stitch is best worked in that way. it entirely hides the canvas background, and is carried out very similarly to the oriental stitch in fig. . by the help of that diagram and description and the present one, which gives various steps, the worker will easily master the stitch, which is quite simple. the ordinary carrying out of the stitch is shown where the needle is at work, and in another part the diagram, by some loosened stitches, illustrates how to pass from one cluster to the next. some fine examples of canvas work design, introducing a variety of stitches, may be seen in the victoria and albert museum. these are large panels filled with foliage and flowers growing about architectural columns.[ ] footnotes: [ ] no. , . [ ] no. - , . chapter viii methods of work couching--braid work--laid work--applied work--inlaid work--patch work. couching couching is the name given to a method of embroidery in which one thread is attached to the material by another one. sometimes not only one thread but a number of threads are couched down together; or it may be cord, braid, or metal thread that is attached to the material in this way. fig. shows some couching in progress. the method probably arose through the difficulty experienced in passing either coarse or very delicate threads through a material. couching is constantly in use with gold thread embroidery, and it is further discussed in the chapter upon that subject, where also is described an entirely different method, which is to be recommended for couching other as well as for gold threads. [illustration: fig. .] couching is useful in a variety of ways, _e.g._ for carrying out work in line or for outlining other embroidery, applied work for instance, which is frequently finished off by means of a couched thread; in the case of a difficult ground material, it is one of the most manageable methods of working. the geometrical open fillings of leaves and backgrounds are often composed of lines of thread thrown across and couched down at regular intervals. fig. is an example of a favourite filling of this kind. embroidery stitches can be made use of for couching down other threads; a bunch of threads may be laid upon the material, and an open chain, buttonhole, or feather stitch worked over in order to fix it in place. [illustration: fig. .] braid work is quickly and easily executed; it needs only a suitable pattern and a pretty braid for couching down to be most successful. there are a few points to be observed about the technique--the cut edge of a braid is awkward to manage, for it must, with a special needle, be taken through to the back of the material and there made secure and flat; for this reason the design should be so planned as to have as few breaks as possible. interlacing strap work designs, of which a simple example is given in fig. , are very suitable for braid work. the thread that couches down the braid may be quite invisible, or, on the other hand, it may be made use of to further decorate the braid by being placed visibly across it, perhaps forming a chequering or other simple pattern, as shown in fig. . ravellings of the braid may be used as invisible couching threads for stitching it down. curves and sharp corners need special attention by way of extra stitches. the completed work is much improved by several hours' pressure under a weight. [illustration: fig. .] laid work [illustration: fig. .] laid work might be described as couching on a more extended scale--a given space is covered with threads taken from side to side in parallel lines close together, fixed at either extremity by entering the material. further security is usually given by small couching stitches dotted down at intervals over the laid threads, or by throwing single lines of thread across in a contrary direction and tying these down at intervals with couching stitches. yet another way is, to work a split or stem stitch over the laid threads, and thus fix them down. fig. shows a flower carried out in laid work. the tying-down threads can often be made use of in one way or another to further decorate, or to explain form, by means of contrasting colour, change in direction, and so on. the laid stitches in this flower are taken from the centre outwards and fixed in place by couched circular lines of thread. the centre of the flower has a geometrical filling, composed of a couched lattice pattern with french knots between. conventional centres of this and like kinds are very pretty for embroidery flowers; such patterns as those shown in fig. can often be seen in use, and they need only a trial to be frequently adopted. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] laid work shows off the gloss and texture of silk to great advantage, which is due to the thread being laid upon the material without being cut up into small stitches. floss silk is much used for the work; it must not be at all twisted in the laying down, since this mars the effect. the work is carried out in a frame; it is quickly executed and economical, the thread being practically all upon the surface. owing to the length of the stitches, this is not a very durable method, so it should not be subjected to hard wear. the work has sometimes a flimsy, unsatisfactory appearance, probably because of these long stitches. it will be seen that the silk passing through to the back, and then immediately to the front again, takes up very little of the material. a method in use for giving greater strength in this way is to lay the silk first in alternate lines and to fill up the gaps thus left upon a second journey across the form. for added strength, use might be made of a linen thread at the back, as in the _point couché rentré ou retiré_ method that is discussed later. [illustration: fig. .] a gold thread outline gives a nice finish to laid work. if there is nothing in the way of an outline, and the pattern and ground are both covered with laid threads, the edges of the pattern are likely to look weak. fig. shows a leaf filled in with rather loosely laid threads and outlined and veined with gold passing, the veining answering the double purpose of fixing down the laid threads and veining the leaf at the same time. in this work, the colouring is frequently in flat tones, but if necessary it is quite easy to introduce gradation. further variety can be obtained by a contrast in colour in the tying-down threads. applied work the ancient latin term _opus consutum_, and the modern french one _appliqué_, which is perhaps the name most commonly in use, both refer to the same kind of work; what is now called cut work is quite different from this, and is described elsewhere. under the heading of applied work comes anything that, cut out of one material, is applied to another; it may have been previously embroidered, or it may be just the plain stuff. both kinds can, as has been proved, be carried out with excellent effect, but much unsuitable and badly designed work has been done by this method, with the result that the very name has fallen into disrepute. the simplest kind of applied work is that in which the design, traced upon one material, then cut out along the outline of the pattern, is applied to another material, the junction of the two materials being hidden by a cord or suitable stitch. the applied work is most often flat, but it can be in slight or in strong relief. the texture of the materials employed may be an important factor in the result, for a contrast in material as well as in colour is often wanted; sometimes the former alone is sufficient. the choice of material depends very much upon the use to which the finished work will be put, but this simple form of applied work often relies for part of its effect upon an intrinsic interest in the material, so it is usually carried out with such materials as velvet, satin, or silk, either plain or figured. the design for this kind of work should be of a bold conventional type, such as large foliage with the character of the heraldic mantling; any naturalistic flowers, figures, or animals easily become grotesque. a simple outline to the forms is necessary, both because of the technical difficulties and for the effect of the finished work. this kind of work is hardly suitable for expressing fine detail; oftentimes it is seen from a distance, and many indentations on an outline sometimes tend to weaken it. heraldry can be well expressed by this method. fig. is an example from a piece of xiiith century work, a fragment of the surcoat of william de fortibus, third earl of albemarle, who lived in the reign of henry iii.; the example can be seen in the british museum. this method of work is also particularly suitable for such purposes as the decoration of wall surfaces, for hangings of various kinds, or banners; it can, however, be used for many other purposes, provided the design and the materials are well chosen. [illustration: fig. .] owing to the difficulty of working upon some ground stuffs, the method has arisen of carrying out the embroidery upon an easily worked ground, such as linen; cutting it out, when finished, along the outline and applying it to the proper ground, the junction of the two materials being hidden by a cord or some equivalent. it is usually further completed by light sprays or some other kind of finishing touches being placed around the applied part, these worked directly on to the proper ground. this prevents the embroidery from looking too bald and detached from its surroundings, of which there is always a danger when it is carried out separately and then attached; if at all possible it is always more satisfactory to work directly on to the right ground. as a matter of fact it is almost always possible to do this; the workers of the xiiith century, the period at which the art of embroidery was at its height, carried out the most exquisitely fine stitching and design on such grounds as velvet that had almost as long a pile as some varieties of plush. the famous cope of english work known as the bowden cope, of which a detail is given in plate i., is an excellent illustration of this point. upon careful examination of the work it is apparent that between the stitching and the velvet there is a layer of material, composed either of fine linen or silk. this would be of great help in the carrying out of the stitching. it is exceedingly probable that this layer of fine material was at the commencement of the work laid completely over the velvet background of the cope; for one thing, the design, with its finely drawn detail, could easily be perfectly traced upon a surface of this kind and only imperfectly upon velvet; another advantage of this method would be, that the background would be kept quite free from dust and from getting soiled by the hands during the lengthy process of the work. the stitching would be carried through all the surfaces, and when finished, the fine surface layer would be cut away close round the edges of the design, which would be quite easily done. this method of working upon a difficult ground is well worth trying in place of the applied method. to return to the discussion of applied embroidery--let us suppose the embroidered piece to be just completed on its linen ground, still stretched in the frame in which it was worked. in another frame, stretch the background material and trace upon it the exact outline of the piece to be applied. cut out the embroidered piece carefully round the edge, allowing about one-sixteenth of an inch margin outside the worked part, leaving, if necessary, little connecting ties of material here and there for temporary support. with fine steel pins or needles fix the cut-out work exactly over the tracing already made on the ground material, then make it secure round the edge with rather close stitches of silk placed at right-angles to the outline; with fine materials the raw edge of the applied part can be neatly tucked under and fixed in place by this overcast stitch. a cord is next sewn on to hide the fixing and give a finish to the edge. the colour of this cord is important, since its colour may increase the expanse of either the applied part or the ground. sometimes a double cord is put round, and in this case the inner one is attached to the embroidery before it is cut out of the frame, and the second attached afterwards. the inner one is often of a colour predominating in the embroidery, and the outer one of the colour of the ground. gold cord is very usual; if a coloured silk one is used it must be a perfect match. the ordinary twisted cord looks best attached invisibly; to do this, slightly untwist it whilst stitching, and insert the needle in the opening thus formed. some kinds of flat braids look well with the fixing stitches taken deliberately over them and forming part of the ornamentation (see fig. ). bunches of silk are sometimes couched round with a buttonhole or other stitch, but whatever the outline may consist of, it should be a firm bold line. the work must be perfectly flat when completed. puckering may occur through want of care in the preliminary straining or in the fixing on of the applied parts. some materials are more easy to manage than others. the difficult ones can if necessary have a preliminary backing applied, which is useful also if the material is inclined to fray. the backing may consist of a thin coating of embroidery paste, or of tissue paper or fine holland pasted over the part to be applied. the more all this kind of thing can be avoided, the better the work, for pasting of any kind is apt to give a stiff mechanical look; also, if the work is intended to hang in folds any stiffness would be most impracticable. even more than simpler work applied embroidery needs the finish of some light work upon the ground. gold threads and spangles, arranged in fashion similar to the sprays in fig. , are very often used. sometimes, instead of this, some small pattern in outline is run all over the ground in order to enrich it. inlaid work inlaid work is in effect similar to the applied, and it is used for the same purposes. the difference with this is that both background and pattern are cut out and fitted into each other, instead of only one of them being cut out and laid on an entire ground. the method of work is economical, for there need be very little waste of material. what is left from cutting out the pattern and background for one piece can be used as ground and pattern for another and possibly companion piece. there is in perugia a church which possesses a complete set of draperies of this description, that were made at a good period for this work, early xvith century, and evidently were designed for the position they occupy. on festivals, the piers, pulpit, and parts of the wall are hung with these rose and gold-coloured hangings of inlaid work. the design is a conventional scroll-work pattern, and the various hangings have alternately the rose ground with gold pattern, and gold ground with rose pattern, the whole forming a rich and harmonious interchange of colour. [illustration: fig. .] fig. is an example of inlaid work. it is a xvth century tabard said to have belonged to charles the bold, and now in the musée historique at berne. the pattern, it will be noticed, is planned on the counterchange principle, which is particularly well suited for this method of work. a very ancient piece of the same kind of inlaid work is the funeral tent of queen isi-em-keb, dated about b.c., which is in the boulak museum, cairo. it is composed of thousands of pieces of gazelle hide dyed in various colours and stitched together so as to form a wonderful design.[ ] to carry out the work--stitch in a frame some holland to use as a background; this may be only temporary, being removed when the work is completed, or it may be left for additional strength. the materials for both background and pattern must first be carefully cut out. it is a good plan, where possible, to cut the two together so as to ensure exact similarity, for they have to fit together afterwards like the parts of a puzzle. the cut edges cannot be allowed to fray, so if there is any danger of this, precautions must be taken to prevent it, though the better way is to choose in the first place more suitable material. leather is a particularly good example of one. any pasting or backing which might be used for prevention of fraying would prevent also that possibility of exposing both sides of the work, which in inlay is sometimes a valuable quality; also, the stiffening which unavoidably results from pasting is rarely an improvement. when materials of different thicknesses are used together, the thinner one can be lined with fine holland so as to make it nearer equal in strength. after the materials are cut out the next process is to lay them in position on the prepared holland and tack them to it. then, with an overcast stitch that must not be allowed to pierce the under surface, join all the edges together, and cover the stitches with a finishing cord or braid. the backing can now be removed if need be. patchwork patchwork can hardly attain to a high position amongst the various branches of embroidery. the main object of doing patchwork frequently is to make good use of valuable scraps of waste material. unless, however, the product shows evidence of well thought out colour and arrangement, it cannot come under the heading of embroidery. interesting results, however, of many kinds can be produced from this paint-box of brightly coloured scraps of material by ingenious mixing and shaping of them. patchwork infers a rather more mosaic-like design than inlaid work, to which it is in some respects similar. the geometrically planned mosaic and inlay pavements that are to be seen so commonly in italy and the east suggest great variety of patterns that could be applied to patchwork. the illustration at fig. is a simple example taken from this source. too often the results are only "alarming," as the countess of wilton expressively puts it, thinking, probably, of the patterns frequently seen upon cushions, patterns more resembling bright-coloured bricks set in cornerwise than anything else. they are the most unrestful looking things imaginable. the important elements of the work lie in the colour, shape, and texture of the pieces used, for upon the right selection the result wholly depends. the shapes chosen must be simple owing to the necessity of fitting and stitching them together, but there is plenty of variety obtainable with simplicity. the design may consist of one shape repeated or several. if only one, it is limited to a few geometrical figures, such as the square, hexagon, or shell shape; if more than one, there can be greater variety of pattern. fig. is an example in which four shapes are made use of, a large and small circle, an octagon, and an s-like twist. four of these twists together make the figure that interlaces over the surface. embroidery stitching can be added to patchwork; for instance, this example might have a neat border pattern worked on all the s-shapes, as suggested in the diagram, which would probably considerably increase its interest. fig. shows flowers springing from the base of the shell-form in use upon it. the embroidery could be simply carried out in one colour, or if a more gorgeous result were required, variety could be introduced in this way as well as in the ground, and a marvellous combination of intricate colour could be thus produced. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] for the work to be made up satisfactorily it is necessary that the shapes be accurately cut out. to ensure this, a metal plate is cut and all the shapes are taken from it; sometimes, in lieu of this, a pattern is cut out in stiff cardboard. lay this pattern-shape on the wrong side of the material and pencil it round, then carefully cut out the stuff, leaving about a quarter of an inch for turning in. next lay the pattern-shape upon a piece of stiff paper or thin card-board and again trace off the shape, this time cutting it out exactly to the pattern, tack the material to the paper, and stitch down the raw edges at the back. lay the prepared patches on a table and put them in place by referring to the design, and then commence sewing the edges together with an overcast stitch on the wrong side. when all are sewn, remove the papers and flatten the seams with an iron. any braid or stitch that may be required to mask the join is next put on; this may be made ornamental by interlacing knots at the corners, or by any other device that happens to suit the work. the last thing to be done is to put a neat lining upon the back to cover and protect the numerous raw edges. [illustration: fig. .] footnote: [ ] for further information see "the funeral tent of an egyptian queen," by villiers stuart. chapter ix methods of work--(_continued_) quilting--raised work--darning--open fillings--darned netting. quilting is a method of working by which three materials are fixed together by more or less all-over stitching. it probably developed through the necessity of keeping the three layers in place. for practical purposes only, the sewing machine does the work excellently, but by making the stitching follow out some prearranged design, it is raised to the level of art. plate iii. is an interesting example showing what can be done in the way of design with the stitching over the surface. embroidery may be added to the quilting, and this is often an improvement. the eastern nations carry out marvellously intricate designs in quilting, and english xviiith century work of this kind shows eastern influence strongly. a good example of this is a very interesting piece in the victoria and albert museum.[ ] the first aim in quilting was evidently warmth, and the name denotes one of the chief uses to which it is put. it is made use of also for curtains, infants' caps or gloves (see fig. ), all these things requiring the three layers for warmth. the materials usually consist of a surface one, which can be silk, fine linen or anything else; an interlining of some softer material having a certain amount of spring in it, such as flannel, cotton wadding, or wool; and for the third, an underneath lining of some kind. a cord is sometimes inserted instead of the inner layer of stuff, the lines of stitching running along either side to keep it in place. occasionally there are only the top and the under layer, with no intervening material. the stitch usually employed is a running, back, or chain stitch, and it can be of the colour of the surface, or a contrast to it. gold silk is often seen upon a white linen ground. the chief interest in the work lies in the choice of pattern, such things as colour, variety of stitching, interest in material, are not made much of. in planning the pattern, use is made of the knowledge that the closely stitched parts will lie more flatly, so it frequently happens that the ground has a small diaper running over it, and the pattern part, being less worked upon, perhaps only outlined, stands out more and forms an effective contrast. [illustration: fig. .] raised work in the xivth century raised work was commonly done, but few examples are known of date earlier than this. the raised effect is obtained by an interposed layer of padding, which is a good method of getting a certain kind of effect. it is perhaps wise to err on the side of too little rather than too much relief. an example of too much and also of a wrong kind is the english stump work that was popular in the xviith century, when figures were stuffed like dolls, the clothes made separately and attached, even to the shoes and stockings. germain de st. aubin, writing in , describes with much admiration a kind of _broderie en ronde bosse_, apparently much the same thing and in equally doubtful taste, though the skill required to carry it out must have been considerable. the work, usually done in a frame, must be well carried out technically; the padding should be quite perfect in the form required before the final surface layer is worked over it, for this one will not make any deficiency right, but will only serve to show it up the more. another point to be careful about is to make the padding stop well within the traced line of the pattern, otherwise the finished design will turn out much larger than was originally intended. the outline is sometimes worked round at the commencement, whereby its correctness is ensured. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] many different materials are brought into use for padding purposes. one of the simplest and most durable is a running of thread as illustrated in fig. . the thread can be arranged so as to be thicker in the centre than at the edges by laying some extra stitches over that part. if a quite flat padding is required, the shape, cut out in cloth, felt, or parchment, is attached by stitches to the material as shown in fig. ; the surface stitching would be taken across it. cardboard, sometimes pasted on to the ground, is used for this purpose, but it is unsatisfactory in several ways; for instance, cardboard letters are procurable for embroidering initials upon linen, but they are not at all practical for anything that goes through the wash; moreover, the letters are sometimes of bad design. cotton wool is used as a stuffing, its surface being usually covered over with muslin, but this again would not stand much wear of any kind, and so could only be used under certain conditions. [illustration: fig. .] another good method is to couch down a hank of threads of fine cotton or perhaps wool as illustrated in fig. . for raised lines there is a special kind of string procurable that can be couched to the ground material at the required places. the padding, whatever it may be composed of, should be as nearly as possible of the same colour as the surface layer, in view of any after wear and tear misplacing the threads. [illustration: fig. .] the top layer of underlay must lie in direction contrary to the surface embroidery stitching, which is very often some form of satin stitch taken from side to side over the padding. instead of going through the material it can be fixed on each side with a couching stitch, as in fig. . a stronger way than these would be that shown in fig. . buttonhole is a good stitch for working over a padding; it would be worked solidly in the manner described and illustrated on page , but taken, as there shown, over a padding instead of over a flat surface. darning there is a most practical sound about darning; it can, however, be made good use of in embroidery as well as in plain needlework. there are two rather different kinds in use; in both the stitch is a running one and done in much the same way that a thin place would be darned in mending. one kind of darning is rather popular at the present moment, and examples of it may be familiar; it is a large, bold kind of work, often carried out with a coarse twisted silk. upon the background, the lines of stitching usually run straight across or up and down, in the pattern, they radiate according to the shape of the form to be filled. the entire material is covered one way or another by the running stitches, and just one thread of the ground fabric is picked up where necessary at irregular intervals; a loosely woven linen is often chosen for working upon, one in which it is easy to pick up the single thread. gradation of colour can easily be introduced; the design chosen is most frequently some kind of conventional flower and leafy scroll. this method of embroidery is seen to best advantage when used upon large surfaces. the second kind is called pattern darning; in it the stitches are picked up in some regular order, so that they form various geometrical patterns over the surface. it is worked by counting the threads of the fine linen ground and picking up a single thread or more in some regular sequence. the threads are run in parallel lines close together, either horizontally or vertically, so as to take advantage of the web of the fabric. the work is particularly pretty and not difficult, requiring only patience and good eyesight. fig. gives some simple examples of the work--the first is a chevron pattern, formed by picking up one thread and leaving about five each time; each succeeding row moves a step forward or backward as required to carry out the pattern. in the second example the darning is taken two ways of the material; in the centre, where it meets and crosses, it entirely covers the ground. a different colour might be used for each direction, which would look very well at the crossing in the centre. the four corners are filled up with a chequer darn; this each time picks up as much material as it leaves. the third example shows the darning stitch forming a diamond pattern. samplers, dated early xixth century, may be seen entirely filled with these pattern darns; they are covered with most intricate and beautiful sample squares showing various patterns in darning, and were possibly done in order to learn how to repair damask table linen. in a collection of early egyptian work in the victoria and albert museum, there is some pattern darning, dated vith to ixth century, a.d., which proves it to be a very early method of embroidering. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] this pattern darning, however, is so pretty that it is often possible to make use of it in embroidery work for all kinds of purposes. it makes a very good background if there is sufficient space to show the pattern, if there is not, the irregular darning might be used instead, for it would in that case be just as good and much quicker to work. to pattern-darn the ground with the ornament upon it left in the plain material, perhaps not worked upon at all, is a very effective method of carrying out a design, see fig. for example. again it might very well be used for the conventional carrying out of draperies in the same way as in _point couché rentré ou retiré_.[ ] the draperies on the figure in the frontispiece could easily be carried out with silk thread in the darning stitch, in fact this method of decoration more closely resembles the early couching than any other; it is not quite as satisfactory because the single threads of the background that are picked up prevent the ground showing nothing but silk. bands of this work may be seen ornamenting needle books or work cases; it shows to best advantage when worked finely with floss or filosel silk, the coarse twisted silks are too thick for the purpose. open work fillings [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] patterns can be carried out in line, they can be worked quite solidly, and there is a method that lies between these two known as open filling. the open and solid fillings are often used together in the same piece of work; examples of this can be seen on the xviith century wool-work curtains, the large scrolling leaves are sometimes partly worked openly and a portion, possibly reflexed, filled in with solid stitches in gradating colour; see for an example plate viii. this has a very good effect, it prevents the work looking too heavy, shows up the form more clearly, and allows of more variety in the stitching. with open fillings the outline surrounding them must always be some firm decided line, such as is made by a band of satin or long and short stitch, or, in the case of larger forms, by several rows of different line stitches worked closely together, one inside the other, most likely in different shades of colour. a filling of open work can be carried out in a variety of ways; it may be a decorated trellis, a regular dotting of some kind, or some geometrical pattern in outline, or some light stitch such as an open buttonhole (see fig. ), which would be treated each as a diapering over the form to be filled. it does not much matter what the filling is as long as it is dispersed pretty regularly over the space, giving the effect at a little distance of a light pervading tone, and when examined closely exhibiting an interesting small pattern. the open filling method can be used entirely throughout a design with very pretty effect; an example of this may be seen on an embroidered coverlet and pillow case in the victoria and albert museum.[ ] the pattern, composed of vine leaves and grapes, is carried out in dark brown silk on a linen ground, the leaves being all outlined with satin stitch. there is wonderful variety in the patterns, no two alike, which form the open fillings of the leaves; this makes them most interesting to examine, and is evidence of enthusiasm in their designing. fig. , a leaf taken from this specimen, shows one method of filling a form with open work.[ ] fig. shows a collection of patterns taken from the same piece of embroidery. it will be observed that small stitches of the same length compose the pattern, which can be designed upon squared paper and easily copied on to the linen ground by always picking up the same number of threads. to look well these little forms must be accurately worked, and they or similar kinds can be used upon flowers, leaves, beasts, draperies, or anything else quite indiscriminately. fig. , from a cap in the victoria and albert museum, is a drawing showing the same kind of open filling in use upon a bird.[ ] [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] a quicker way of carrying out these geometrical fillings is by using such forms as a lattice and throwing the lines from side to side across the shape to be filled, fixing them down, where they cross each other, with couching stitches; the interstices left between the threads can be filled in with little stars, crosses, or dots (see fig. ). buttonhole stitch, if made use of as an open filling, would be taken in lines straight across a form, the stitches being worked possibly two or three closely together and then a space, and so on. [illustration: fig. .] fig. suggests another method of lightly filling a leaf with a conventional veining and dotting. there is no limit to the variety which can be obtained in this method of working. [illustration: fig. .] open fillings are effective for use upon any work that is intended to be seen with a light at the back; they make very decorative the various forms they fill, in such things as muslin window blinds, curtains, fire screens, whether hand screens or the larger type. for articles of this kind the patterns should be rather more solid and less lined in character; fig. , taken from a window blind exhibited in the victoria and albert museum, exemplifies what is meant; most of the patterns illustrated in fig. could be treated in a more solid manner if necessary, and would look equally well that way. when working upon transparent grounds special care must be taken with the reverse side as well as with the surface, for the work to be practically alike upon both sides; there must be no threads running from one form to another nor any visible fastening off of ends. [illustration: fig. .] darned netting [illustration: fig. .] darned netting, or _lacis_, as it is sometimes called, might almost come under the heading of either lace or embroidery. it is used effectively with other kinds of white linen work, bands or squares of it being let into the linen; the contrast of the solid with the more open work gives a pretty effect. fig. is an example of this work. the darning is done on a plain netted ground which can be prepared by the worker if acquainted with netting, if not, the squares can be obtained ready for working upon. the pattern must be designed upon squared paper as for cross stitch work, then it is simply a question of following out the pattern upon the square net ground. every square of the patterned part must be crossed in each direction by two lines of darning, which should about fill it up. the various lines are run in and out as continuously as possible, so as to avoid unnecessary fastening off or passing from one part to another. when a fresh thread is required, join it with a knot to the end of the last one (see figs. and ), and darn the ends in neatly with the other threads. these knots are often used in embroidery, for they are both strong and small. detached stitches and parts must be worked by themselves; the thread should not be carried from one to the other. the work must be done in a frame and carried out with a blunt-pointed needle. the same thread is used for the netted ground and for the darned pattern. a method of work that the french call _dessein réservé_ is, in result, rather similar to this, but it is worked in just the reverse way. the pattern, whatever it may be, is left in the plain linen, and the background has certain threads in each direction withdrawn at regular intervals, whereby the effect of the squared net ground is obtained. footnotes: [ ] no. , . [ ] for description of this method, see page . [ ] a piece belonging to lord falkland. [ ] fig. is a drawing from the border of the same example. [ ] no. , . chapter x methods of work--(_continued_) drawn thread work--hem stitching--simple border patterns--darned thread patterns--corners--cut or open work--various methods of refilling the open spaces. this method of work is the acknowledged link between embroidery and lace, and was possibly the origin of the latter. drawn work is that in which the threads of either the warp or the weft of the material are withdrawn and those remaining worked into a pattern, by either clustering together or working over them in some fashion. the cut or open work, as it is sometimes called, is that in which both warp and weft are in places cut away, and the open spaces thus formed are partly refilled with a device of one kind or another. the work is most often carried out in white thread on white linen, but coloured threads may occasionally be introduced with advantage. it is a durable method of work, and particularly suitable for the decoration of various house-linens, things that must undergo daily wear and wash; its rather unobtrusive character too makes it the more suitable for this purpose. the work is used in conjunction with other kinds of embroidery, perhaps making a neat finish to an edge, or lightening what would otherwise be too heavy in appearance. drawn thread and cut work can be carried out with such detail and fineness as to really become most delicate lace. in this chapter, however, it is intended to be treated rather as an adjunct to other embroidery, therefore only elementary work will be discussed. more attention might with advantage be paid to the design of this kind of work, for more might be done with it than sometimes is. for one thing, there is very little variety in the patterns, and the result often seems a spidery mass of incomprehensible threads with no very perceivable plan; perhaps if more attention were paid to the proportion and massing of the solid and open parts, a better result might be attained. neatness and simplicity are good qualities in the pattern, the method of work not being suited to the expression of the various larger and bolder types of design. drawn thread work in drawn work the question is how to treat the remaining warp threads after the weft has been withdrawn. they can be clustered in bunches in different ways with ornamental stitches added, or be entirely covered over with darning or overcast stitches in such a way as to form a pattern. the beginning of most drawn thread work is hem stitching, the two edges marking the limit of the withdrawn threads have usually to be hem stitched before any pattern can be carried out. one method of doing this is in progress in fig. . in order to work it, draw out three or four threads of the warp and tack the hem down to the top edge of the line thus made. the diagram explains the remainder of the working. [illustration: fig. .] fig. shows in the first example clusters of four threads drawn together at each edge by hem stitching in such a way as to form a ladder-like pattern. this and the one below are the ornamentations of a plain hem that are most commonly seen. the variation in pattern in the lower one is obtained by drawing together on the lower edge two threads from two consecutive bunches in the upper row instead of just repeating over again the same divisioning as before. these two examples are drawn to show the reverse, not the working side. [illustration: fig. .] another way of disposing of the undrawn threads is to cover them with a kind of darning stitch, as illustrated in fig. . this kind of work is more solid than the other, and is for that reason very durable. this example is commenced at the right-hand corner, where the threads are drawn loosely in order to explain the working. the needle, which should have a blunt point, takes the thread to and fro alternately over and under two clusters of warp thread, drawing them together a little during the process; half-way down, the needle leaves the first set of threads and continues working with the second and a new set (see needle in diagram). when this is worked down to the base the needle takes the thread invisibly up the centre of the worked part to the point where it is required for the continuation of the pattern. the working of this simple pattern explains the principle upon which all kinds of pretty and more complicated designs can be carried out. the darning thread may be coloured; in a more intricate design two or three different colours might be introduced. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] fig. shows another pattern in the same kind of work. the darning stitch begins by working to and fro over and under four clusters of warp threads, part way down it continues over the two central ones only, leaving the outside clusters alone for the present. it finishes up, as at the beginning, to and fro over the four. the threads that were left are next covered with an overcast stitch, the adjoining ones in each case are caught together in the centre in order to form the x shape that recurs along the pattern. this darning kind of work is very closely allied to weaving, and especially the kind often seen in coptic work, in which bands of the woof threads are purposely omitted in places, whilst the fabric is being made, in order that a pattern may be hand-woven in afterwards to take their place. many beautiful examples of this work are on view in the victoria and albert museum. [illustration: fig. .] in working a drawn thread border round a square shape, at each corner there comes an open space that requires a filling. fig. shows two wheels that are commonly used to ornament such places. the square in the first one has a preliminary groundwork of threads thrown across from corner to corner and from side to side, all meeting and crossing in the centre. the working thread is brought through at this point and the wheel commenced by taking a kind of back stitch over a bar and bringing the needle up beyond the next bar. it then takes the thread a step back and over the same bar and brings it up beyond the next; this goes on until the circle is of sufficient size, the stitches growing a little longer in each succeeding row. in the diagram the thread is loosened at the end to explain the working. the lower example is a commonly used wheel, which is made by the thread running round alternately over and under a bar until the wheel is completed. it should be as solid as the upper one, but is purposely left loose in the diagram. either of the wheels could have a line of buttonhole stitching worked round the edge as a finish. this figure shows also the two usual ways of making firm the raw edges in cut work--the square shape is bound by an overcast stitch, and the round one by buttonholing. cut or open work cut work can be most interesting both to look at and to carry out. in the xviith century italy was famous for its _punto tagliato_ or cut work. john taylor mentions "rare italian cutworke" in "the praise of the needle." this poem may perhaps be of interest to some; it was prefixed to a book of embroidery patterns of cut work named "the needle's excellency." it ran through twelve editions, the first of which was printed in , and sold at "the signe of the marigold in paules churchyard." copies may be seen in the british museum library; in the bodleian, oxford, in the ryland's library, manchester, and occasionally elsewhere. fig. shows a pattern taken from this book. there are several distinct varieties of cut work, for instance, that known as renaissance embroidery, which is usually composed of an arabesque design from which the background is cut away, leaving the pattern in the linen; the cut edges are outlined and protected by an overcast stitch. the pattern has to be specially planned with the idea of holding strongly together, but, if necessary, buttonholed bars can be added to form strengthening ties in any weak part. another kind of cut work is that known as _broderie anglaise_, and sometimes as madeira work, over which our grandmothers spent much time, perhaps without adequate result. the pattern is followed out by round holes pierced in the linen with a stiletto and then overcast round the edges. at the present day the work is done mostly by machinery, though hand work also is procurable. [illustration: fig. .] perhaps the prettiest kind of cut work is that in which various-shaped spaces are cut out of the linen, and these filled in, in part, with some design built up with stitches. there are various methods of refilling the spaces cut out, one of the simplest is a diapering formed by some lace stitch, such as an open buttonhole. as a rule, the decoration of the open spaces is based upon bars of thread that are either composed of warp or woof threads left, instead of being cut away, or else upon fresh threads thrown across in various directions. the pattern is planned on and about these strengthening ties, and where necessary receiving support from them. an ingenious worker will soon devise ways of refilling the spaces by all kinds of interesting patterns, which can be geometrical or floral, or any kinds of objects that can be attractively represented in conventional fashion, such as figures, birds, insects, ships in full sail, or anything else. it must, however, be remembered that the various forms filling the spaces are for use in the way of strength as well as for ornament, and that the work is often put upon objects that have to endure daily wear. open work is frequently mixed with other, and especially with white embroidery, and such things as counterpanes may be seen arranged with a chequering of alternate squares of embroidered linen and open work. fig. shows in progress a simple method of filling a space, mainly making use of the strengthening threads that have been left at regular intervals over the cut part. the threads are covered with an overcast stitch, and alternate squares of those that recur over the space are decorated with a cross. this is made by the working thread, after reaching the right point at the centre of an overcast line, being thrown across the space and then twisted back over itself to the starting-point, where it is in the right position for continuing the overcast line. the crosses being put in at the same time as the overcasting of the bars renders some forethought necessary to get each in at just the right time and place. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] another kind of filling can be seen in progress in fig. . the stitches used in it are overcast and buttonhole. with the help of this last-mentioned stitch patterns of all kinds can be carried out, for each succeeding row of the stitch can be worked into the heading of the last row, and in this way it is possible to build up any required shape. this figure is a working diagram of a piece of cut work of which the completed square with its surrounding decoration can be seen in fig. . after overcasting the raw edges a diagonal thread is thrown across (e d on plan), upon which the pattern shall be built up; the thread is taken once to and fro and then twisted back again for a third crossing. commence by overcasting the threads from point d, and upon reaching the part where the pattern is widened out, change the stitch to an open buttonholing (as shown on line b). it is worked openly in this way in order to leave space for another row of the same kind of stitching to be fitted in from the opposite side, which is the next thing to be done. then an outer row of buttonhole stitch is worked on each side of the central bar and into the heading of the first row of stitching; this is shown in progress where the needle is at work. the entire pattern is carried out in this way, first laying down foundation threads in the necessary places and then covering them up with either overcasting or buttonhole stitch as required. it is easily possible to carry out flowers and all kinds of other things sufficiently well to make them pleasantly recognisable. chapter xi embroidery with gold and silver threads introduction--materials--precautions for the prevention of tarnish--ancient method of couching--its various good points--description of working diagram--working a raised bar--examples of patterns employed in old work--illustrations upon draped figures--usual method of couching--couching patterns--outline work--raised work--the use of purls, bullions, &c. gold and silver threads have always played an important part in embroidered work, and are a most valuable addition to the worker's stock of materials, for they give a splendour and richness that is not obtainable in any other way. they have been utilised from the earliest times in both embroidery and weaving; in scripture and other ancient historical writings there is abundant proof of this fact. the earliest form of gold thread in use was the pure metal beaten into thin plates and then cut into long narrow strips; that it was sometimes rounded into wire form is very probable. the first wire-drawing machine is said to have been invented by a workman at nuremberg, but it was not until two centuries later that the drawing-mills were introduced into england. gold thread, similar to that we now use, entwined about a silk one, is mentioned in a xivth century latin poem; also, it is known that in the xiiith century our english ladies prepared their own gold thread before working it in, and it was of the same type as ours, the gold being spirally twisted round a thread of silk or flax.[ ] to be a skilled worker with gold thread needs considerable application and practice. there is much variety in the work, some branches of it being more simple to manipulate than others. it is desirable for all workers to understand something of gold work, for it is frequently employed in conjunction with other embroidery, as well as alone. fig. shows a couched line of gold thread outlining some silk embroidery, which gives a pretty jewel-like effect of something precious in a setting of gold. [illustration: fig. .] gold embroidery may be divided roughly into three main classes, outline work, solid flat work, and raised work. outline work is, as far as technique is concerned, one of the simplest forms of gold embroidery. the pattern is followed round with a gold cord or double thread of passing, fixed either visibly or invisibly with a couching stitch; the work needs but an interesting design and suitable background to be most successful. fig. illustrates a portion of a design, carried out with gold cord upon a velvet ground, which has been further enriched by the addition of little applied white flowers. the raised work, and that which introduces the use of purls and bullions, is at once more complicated, and perhaps hardly as pleasing as the simpler flat work. [illustration: fig. .] the method of applying the gold to the material is usually by couching of one form or another, for most of the threads are too inflexible to be stitched through. the ground, if it shows at all, is usually a rich stuff, such as velvet, satin, or silk, in order to be in keeping with the valuable thread. if the ground chosen is difficult to work upon, the embroidery is carried out upon linen, and the finished work afterwards applied to the ground. if both background and pattern are solidly embroidered, linen can be used as the permanent ground. it is usual to have two layers of material for working upon, for gold threads are heavy and require the support of the double ground. there are several advantages in this double material, as the old workers knew, for we find they commonly used two. the under-layer can be a strong linen, and the surface one silk, satin, or a fine linen, as required. materials a variety of metal threads are manufactured for embroidery purposes, and they are all obtainable in gold, silver, or imitations of these; aluminium thread has been made lately, and has the advantage of being untarnishable, but its colour and quality do not seem quite satisfactory, and it is not popular. the imitation threads are never worth the using; they tarnish to a worse colour, and are more difficult in manipulation; what goes by the name of real gold, is silver or copper, plated with the more valuable metal. the pure gold thread is said not to be so practical as this, being too brittle; but somehow or other it was more successfully manufactured in the past than nowadays, for some gold work six centuries old exhibits beautifully bright threads. the following list comprises the chief threads used in this work:-- _passing._--this is a bright smooth thread, resembling in appearance a gold wire; it consists of a narrow flat strip of gold spirally twisted round a silken thread. it can be obtained in different sizes, the finest qualities going by the name of tambour. most passing has to be couched on to the material, but it is possible to stitch in the tambour like ordinary thread. _purl._--this resembles a smooth round hollow tube of metal, very pliable and elastic; when pulled lengthways it is found to be constructed like a closely coiled spiral spring. it is manufactured in lengths of about one yard, and for use it is cut into small sections of any required size with scissors or a knife. there are several varieties of purl, namely, the smooth, rough, check, and wire check. the smooth has a bright polished appearance, which is obtained by a flat gold wire being spun spirally round; the rough has a duller and more yellow appearance, which is owing to the wire having been rounded; the check is bright and sparkling, and consists of the flattened wire spun in a different way, so that parts of it catch the light and sparkle; the wire check is the same thing, but duller and of a deeper yellow, owing again to its being made of the round wire. _bullion._--this is the name given to the larger sizes of purl. _pearl purl._--this is manufactured in the same spiral tube-like fashion as the other purl, but the gold wire is previously hollowed out in this [inverted u] shape, the convex side being the one exposed. this, when spun round, has the appearance of a string of tiny gold beads. it is frequently used as an outlining thread. various gold twists and cords can be obtained; they are composed of several threads twisted up in the usual cord fashion, each ply consisting of gold spun round a silk thread. _plate_ is a flat strip of metal commonly about one-sixteenth of an inch wide; it can be obtained in different widths. _spangles._--these are small variously shaped pieces of thin metal, usually pierced with a hole in the centre for fixing on to the material. they are frequently circular in shape, and either flat or slightly concave; the latter are the prettier. many fancy shapes also are obtainable, but they are inclined to look tawdry, and suggestive of the pantomime. _cloth of gold and silver._--this is a fabric manufactured of silk, with gold or silver thread inwoven in the making. it is not now so much used as formerly, when it was in great request for robes of kings and other high dignitaries of church or state. a special make of silk for couching down gold thread is obtainable in various colours. it is called horsetail or sewings, and is both fine and strong. padding for use in raised gold work is usually yellow, and for silver, white or grey. yellow soft cotton, linen thread, or silk, are all used for the purpose. various precautions can and must be taken to keep the gold thread bright, for under unfavourable circumstances it rapidly assumes a bad colour; the silver thread is even more liable to tarnish than the gold, and it turns a worse colour, going black. there is a special paper manufactured to wrap threads in, and the stock supply should be kept in a tin or air-tight bottle; this is in order to protect the metal from damp, which is most injurious; to do this is a difficult matter in the english climate. linen used for working upon, or as backing, is best unbleached, for sometimes the chemicals used in the bleaching process have a deleterious effect upon the gold; a piece of gold embroidery wrapped up in cotton wool for preservation has been found completely spoiled by some chemical in this wool, which proved more disastrous than exposure to air would have been. gas, strong scents, handling (especially with hot hands), all have an evil effect, and so should be avoided as much as possible. work even whilst in progress should be kept covered as much as is practicable, and should not be allowed to hang about; the quicker it is done the better. a piece of finished work can be polished up with a leather pad or a brush, similar to a housemaid's brush for silver-cleaning purposes; this of course, must be used with care. ancient method of couching gold thread can be couched on to the material in two distinct ways, one of them in use at the present day, the other one that was commonly practised in the xiiith and xivth centuries. about the second half of the last-named century the earlier method was supplanted by the present one. almost every example of early gold thread work exhibits this obsolete and ingenious method of couching. the syon cope and the jesse cope in the victoria and albert museum may be mentioned as famous examples. m. louis de farcy[ ] draws especial attention to this beautiful method of working, to which he gives the name _point couché rentré ou retiré_, and strongly urges its revival; he points out many distinct advantages it has over the method now in use. the durability is very great, owing to the couching thread being upon the reverse side, where it is protected from wear and tear, and being out of sight can be made strong and durable. if a thread is accidentally broken it does not necessarily give way along an entire line, as may easily happen in the present method. a proof of this point can be seen upon the beautiful ascoli cope lately in the victoria and albert museum, about which there has been so much discussion of late as to in what country it originated, and who was the rightful owner. the early couching worked entirely over the background of the cope is in a state of perfect preservation; portions of the gold thread drapery have here and there been couched by the other method, the tying down threads have, in those parts, mostly disappeared, and the gold hangs loose and ragged upon the surface. by the way in which it is worked, there results a particularly pleasing and even surface, agreeably varied by play of light and shade. another advantage of the ancient method is that the completed work is very flexible; this point will appeal to those who have experienced the extreme stiffness of a large surface of ordinarily couched metal threads. flexibility is an invaluable quality for any work destined, like copes and curtains, to hang in folds. representations of draperies upon figures are well expressed, for by the way in which they are worked there comes an indentation along the lines marking the folds; this emphasises them rather happily, and also breaks up the surface in a satisfactory manner. fig. is a diagram that will aid in explaining the working, it gives both the front and the reverse side. this has been found to be the simplest and the most practical method of obtaining a result similar to the early examples; there is, however, no means other than examination of result whereby to get at this obsolete method. to all appearance there is upon the surface a kind of satin stitch worked in gold passing, the stitches carrying out some geometrical pattern, such as a chevron or lattice; but at the back a linen thread is seen running to and fro in close parallel lines in the same direction as the surface thread, and at regular intervals encircled by the gold passing, just as if this was intended to couch down the linen thread. [illustration: fig. . front. back.] the ingenuity and satisfactoriness of the method must be admitted by all who give it a trial, and it is interesting to conjecture how it may have arisen. possibly weaving suggested it to the embroiderers, for, take away the intervening material, and it is not unlike woven work, and these two arts would very likely be the accomplishment of the same person. perhaps the commonly used method of taking a coarse thread through to the back (see fig. ) suggested it, for this is briefly the whole process. in order to try the couching, a two-fold ground material must be firmly stretched in an embroidery frame, a strong linen underneath and a thinner closely woven one upon the upper side. some fine gold passing and some strong linen thread, well waxed, are required to work with, also an embroidery needle with long eye and sharp point, the size, which is important, depending upon the threads in use; the needle has to pierce the two-fold ground material, making a hole only just large enough for the passage of a double gold thread. if the linen has a regular even thread the drawn pattern shown in the diagram can be worked by counting the threads of the ground fabric, but if this is difficult or impossible, as in the case say of a twilled surface, a careful tracing must be made upon the linen; a beginner may find this the easier way in any case. the end of the gold thread, which by now, in readiness for working, will be wound upon the bobbin or spindle, must be passed through to the back at the starting-point, the top left-hand corner in the diagram. the linen thread secures it at the back and then comes through to the front upon the traced line exactly beneath (see arrow on plan). it now encircles the gold thread which the left hand draws out rather tautly, and then returns by the same hole to the back, pulling the metal thread through with it. there is knack in taking the gold thread only just through and leaving the completed stitch straight and flat upon the surface. the process is now repeated, the linen thread coming through to the front again upon the next traced line, and so on. when the base of the pattern is reached the gold thread is taken through once upon that line, and then commences a like journey upwards. this practically explains the couching; variety is obtained by change of pattern, but the method of carrying it out is always the same. figs. , , and show three patterns taken from old examples of this couching. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] the difficulties in technique are easily overcome; an important aid in this matter is the use of materials exactly right; this means needles and threads of the correct size, the ground composed of suitable fabrics, and properly strained in a frame. the aim in the working is to get each stitch perfectly flat and straight in its correct place in spite of the obstinacy of the metal thread; to avoid making the perforation larger than necessary, for this makes the work clumsy; to make each succeeding line lie closely beside the last one, for the surface must be of solid gold, and if the ground showed through in places it would impoverish the effect. [illustration: fig. .] the direction of the couched thread is usually either vertical or horizontal, and it may be both of these in the same piece of work. the reason of this may be because it is worked by counting the threads of the fabric, or because the pattern is always treated as a diaper and placed upon the surface without regard to contour. the exception to this rule of direction is when the couching is taken along a stem or the narrow hem of a robe to form the border, or along a girdle, it then follows the direction of the band, this being evidently the most straightforward and satisfactory method to use for the purpose. [illustration: fig. . front. back.] the _point couché rentré ou retiré_ is an excellent method to use for working a raised bar. fig. shows the front and reverse sides of a bar worked by it. the gold thread comes cleanly through from the back of the material instead of being clumsily doubled upon the surface, and the durability is evidently great. the linen thread, it will be seen, runs to and fro at the back, at each turn securing the gold thread. [illustration: fig. .] in fig. this couching is to be seen in use upon drapery. it is taken entirely over the exterior surface of the cloak, and upon the crown, sceptre, and model of the church. the lines expressing the folds of drapery are in this case shown by the couching at these places being taken in a different direction. fine gold passing is used for the couched thread, much finer than can possibly be shown in the drawing, and the pattern chosen for the couching down is a chevron. the other parts of the work are done with silk thread in a fine chain or split stitch. the play of light upon the varied surface of the golden cloak is very beautiful; the drawing of the figure is perhaps primitive, and, regarded from the draughtsman's point of view, somewhat ludicrous; it is however sufficiently good to express all that its author intended, and there is something very human in this dignified little king who would not have you forget that he founded a church. the king who is personified here is edward the confessor, so the church is westminster abbey, of which he was the founder. [illustration: fig. .] the madonna and child forming the frontispiece of the work is another example of this couching. the method of expressing the folds of drapery is slightly different from that employed upon the king's robes. all drapery carried out in this stitch is worked in somewhat the same fashion, that is, the couching running to and fro between the lines marks each fold as roughly shown at fig. . this method leaves an indented line to express the drapery, which is a more satisfactory way than a simple line of dark colour worked over the gold, as in more modern work. the indented line is often further emphasised by a line of dark silk stitched along it, which is done in this case. the figures are taken from the jesse cope in the victoria and albert museum;[ ] this vestment, with its red silk background and its finely coloured and drawn ancestors of christ posed amongst encircling vine branches, is a most beautiful, though sadly mutilated, example of xiiith century design and workmanship. modern method of couching in the usual form of couching the gold thread is attached to the material by fine strong silk. the thread is fastened down as a rule two-fold, sometimes even three-fold; this method is both quicker and more effective than couching each thread separately. as the couching thread is necessarily in evidence, decorative use is often made of it as well as practical; the stitches, for instance, may be planned so as to carry out some pattern (see fig. ) instead of being put down at random. there is no limit to the variety of the patterns that can be devised in this way. decorative use can be made of the colour of the couching thread; a hot colour warms the tone of the gold and a cool one does the reverse; and the more contrasting the colour the more it is in evidence. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] the gold thread may be couched solidly in straight lines, as the above figure shows, or it may be arranged in wavy lines either close or open, as in fig. . the thread is waved by bending it round the pointed end of a piercer just before fixing down. this waving line is particularly suitable for the gold thread, since the slight change in direction allows the light to play upon the metal very prettily. for this reason gold is often couched solidly in circular or shell form over a ground. in gold embroidery, therefore, the direction of the thread is a specially important matter. [illustration: fig. .] at the end of a line a technical difficulty sometimes arises in the turning of the thread, which is apt to be clumsy. this difficulty is overcome in various ways; the most usual is to return the doubled thread as neatly as possible and continue the next line; another is to cut the thread sharp off, secure it close to the end with a double stitch, and recommence in like fashion; the thread can sometimes be passed through to the back and brought up in position for working the next line. the fine point of a leaf may present difficulties in the same way; sometimes one of the two threads is temporarily let slip and the point completed with the single one, the left thread being picked up upon the return (see fig. ). for such occasions as this it is more practical to wind the two threads of passing upon separate bobbins, and bring them together at the working. another way of overcoming the point difficulty is shown at fig. . raised work the couched gold threads may be raised in parts by means of some kind of padding interposed between it and the ground. they are very effective so treated, since the raised metal catches and reflects the light in a pleasing manner. this raising of the thread, however, has been carried to such extremes as to resemble goldsmith's work rather than embroidery, and it is then hardly in good taste. [illustration: fig. .] a simple method of raising the gold is to lay down lines of string at stated intervals over the ground. the well-known form called basket stitch is done in this way; fig. illustrates this stitch, a part of the square is left unworked in order to expose the under-layer of string. to carry out the diagram--first couch down the lines of string at regular intervals over the surface, then commence laying on the gold by carrying a doubled thread of passing over two bars of string, and there fixing it down to the material, then over two more and fixing it down again, and so on to the end of the line. this is exactly repeated for a second line of passing, then, for the next two lines, commence by carrying the passing for the first stitch over one bar only, and for the remainder of the line over the two as before. this process repeated makes the wicker-like pattern so frequently seen in gold work. it can be used as a filling or as a border. it is evident that with the same arrangement of strings many other patterns could be carried out by varying the points of couching down. [illustration: fig. .] another way in which string is used for padding the gold is illustrated in fig. . the pattern, which in the first part is two diamond shapes and a border line, is laid down in string. the doubled gold thread is then taken horizontally to and fro in close parallel lines over the part to be worked, and fixed by couching stitches at necessary intervals; wherever else these stitches may be put, one must always be placed upon each side of a raised line to make it sharp and clear. other kinds of padding are used in this method of work; for instance, a lozenge shape may be stuffed with layers of soft cotton, as shown in the second part of this same diagram. sometimes most complicated patterns are laid down in string and covered with gold thread in this way, _e.g._:--fig. shows an interlacing pattern taken from the border of an orphrey upon a xvth century chasuble. [illustration: fig. .] the use of fancy gold threads a cursory glance must be given to the use of purls and other fancy threads, but these are mostly used nowadays for badges on uniforms, or for masonic purposes, and are carried out by the trade. these threads, when tarnished, are very difficult to clean, they easily turn a bad colour and catch the dust, and for real embroidery purposes are not as satisfactory as the plainer threads. [illustration: fig. .] purl and bullion must be cut very accurately into pieces of the required size, and attached to the material as a bead would be. the metal must be as little as possible touched with the fingers; the cut pieces can be placed upon a tray lined with some soft springy substance, such as felt, in order to be easily picked up with the point of the needle, and they can be adjusted to their right position upon the work by the aid of the flat end of the piercer; unnecessary handling may be avoided in this way. these threads, laid over padding either straight across or at an angle, may be used for the stems or petals of conventional flowers. the various kinds, dull, bright, and check, may perhaps be used in succession. plate is frequently taken to and fro over the same kind of forms over a prepared padding, being caught down by a stitch on each side by a method the french call _le guipé_. it needs skill and practice to do this well. crinkled plate used to be couched on to work, but now is not much used in this way. pearl purl is most often seen outlining a form filled in with the other threads; an enlarged example of this thread lies vertically down the centre of fig. , the end of it is pulled out, in order to show the formation of the thread. [illustration: fig. .] spangles are usually sewn down separately; they may be attached by stitches from the centre outwards or by the thread being passed through a piece of purl and then returning to the back through the hole in the centre of the spangle. fig. illustrates another way of using these spangles to form a long tail shape. here again they are attached with the help of pieces of purl. in the same figure are given some illustrations of the use of the fancy threads; to learn more about them the student should examine xvith to xviiith century gold work during which period they were in popular use. footnotes: [ ] see dr. rock's "textile fabrics." [ ] in _la broderie du onzième siècle jusqu'à nos jours_. [ ] no. , . chapter xii lettering, heraldry, and emblems the uses of lettering--marking--monograms--heraldry--emblems. lettering of one kind or another is frequently in request. it is useful for inscriptions, verses, names attached to figures, the signing and dating of work, and for the more ordinary purposes of marking linen and so forth. signed and dated work has peculiar attractiveness: it can be placed amidst definite historical associations: an authenticated piece of embroidery, say of the reign of king richard coeur de lion, queen anne, or george iii., would be an historical document and a standard to gauge the period of any uninscribed examples. although few of us are likely to possess treasures of the xiiith century, signed and dated pieces of our great-grandmothers' embroideries are interesting personal landmarks in family history, so for this reason, amongst others, unostentatious marks of identification are by no means out of place. descriptive names or verses are also a means of amplifying the story and so enlivening our curiosity. [illustration: fig. .] lettering can answer a further purpose still; it can enrich the design, for, if rightly chosen and employed, letters are very decorative. they may be seen forming a border to a piece of work. the three letters in fig. were taken from an xith century embroidered cope, which has a fine inscription running round the entire lower margin.[ ] the names of the saints and martyrs standing in rows in the columned arcades, affected at certain periods, are sometimes inscribed in the mouldings of the arches above them or along the base; kneeling donors can be seen naïvely presenting a little scroll inscribed with prayers, and many other interesting uses of lettering might be recalled. the names st. luke and st. john, shown in fig. , are taken from a beautiful embroidered example of gothic lettering. [illustration: fig. .] illuminated manuscripts supply fine examples of initial letters and writing. a visit to the show-cases in the king's library at the british museum will be of great interest to the student; the illustrations also to be seen there, the beautifully composed and coloured figure-subjects, would be equally suitable for carrying out in embroidery; indeed it is very probable that many of the figure compositions on the old copes and chasubles were derived from such a source. fig. gives as an example of an alphabet one taken from a benedictionale of late xvth century date. [illustration: fig. .] a practical purpose to which lettering is often put is the marking of linen. to learn how to do this used to be a recognised part of a girl's education, and was one of the objects of the sampler. marking can be anything from a simple cross-stitch initial to an elaborately worked monogram. for simple work the corner to be marked can be tacked upon _toile cirée_, a material not unlike american cloth. tambour frames also are useful for this purpose. fig. shows the stitches most used for working simple letters such as those seen upon the old samplers. the first is cross stitch, which for marking purposes should be worked so as to be alike on both sides. to do this requires some forethought whilst the work progresses, and necessitates an occasional doubling of one of the crossed stitches, in order to reach the point for commencing the next one and at the same time preserving a cross on each side. [illustration: fig. .] the second stitch in the diagram shows a square on one side and is a cross upon the reverse. this makes a good stitch for the purpose, is quite simple to manipulate, and is easier to manage than the cross on both sides. the third example is made use of when a larger letter is required. it is known as blanket stitch, and is used for the marking of such things. it may be further completed by a neat back stitch just fitting along the outside edges of the other stitches. [illustration: fig. .] many embroidery stitches are suitable for marking purposes, such as satin, chain, stem, back, rope, basket, and others. the oriental stitch which carries out the letter in fig. is a good one when both sides can be seen, for though these are quite different, it is presentable upon either. the diagram shows the appearance of the stitch on the front and on the back. a simple initial letter may be made interesting by enriching the ground behind it with some form of diaper patterning. an example of this is shown in fig. . the letter could be worked in a plain satin stitch over a padding of threads, and the pattern on the ground in a darning stitch and french knots, or in any other suitable way. [illustration: fig. .] a monogram carried out in embroidery can be a very pretty thing; there is scope in it for ingenuity both of design and of stitching. the letters may be decorated and tied up with a floral spray, strap work or a combination of several _motifs_. fig. shows a monogram composed of the letters i. g. ornamented and bound together by a ribbon-like interlacing band. the letters are worked in a raised satin stitch, and a running stitch in another colour threads in and out down the centre of each letter. the outline is stem stitch in a darker colour. the band is outlined on both sides with an overcast stitch, which always makes a particularly neat edging for anything of this sort. the centre is filled with a row of french knots, the tassels are worked in close lines of stem stitch, and the petals of the small flowers in satin stitch, finished off with a french knot at the centre. [illustration: fig. .] another mark of proprietorship and origin was the shield of arms of the owner, which introduces the subject of heraldry. a shield executed with the needle is often seen, and looks particularly rich. heraldry is an intricate science, full of pitfalls for the unwary, and demands an earnest study of its complex rules and regulations. every one should know at least some fine examples of great national shields such as the lions of england, the fleur de lys of france, and the imperial eagle. examples of shields surmounted by helmets and crests with quaint and flowing mantling are to be seen in all kinds of art work. various stitches and methods specially lend themselves to the expression of heraldry. those which, like cross stitch, impose a certain simplicity, are very good. another suitable medium is applied work, of which an illustration can be seen on page . gold and silver thread are very useful here, and look exceptionally rich when couched in the xiiith century method. fig. is an embroidered coat of arms dated the first half of the xivth century. it is executed almost entirely in the _point couché rentré ou retiré_. the arms are those of the clinton and leyburne families--_argent, cross crosslets fitchée , and on a chief azure, two mullets or_. [illustration: fig. .] in designing heraldic work care must be taken to introduce no debased forms such as were current after the xvth century. the xiiith and xivth centuries are the periods considered best for the study of this subject. heraldry sometimes adds historic interest to embroideries; owners or donors may be traced by their coat of arms appearing upon some part of the work. [illustration: fig. .] allied to heraldry and marking are a number of decorative objects that have acquired peculiar traditional significance of an emblematic or symbolical nature, hard to define. the cross of christianity may be instanced, the olive branch of peace, the mirror of truth, and the snake of eternity. the name of a saint is frequently declared by an emblem accompanying the figure. in appropriate surroundings emblems may often be used effectively. for knowledge about these things the student must go to various books that deal with the special subject. fig. is an illustration of the well-known emblem, the pelican in her piety. footnote: [ ] this cope is full of interest in every detail. see m. louis de farcy, _la broderie du onzième siècle jusqu'à nos jours_. plate ii. chapter xiii the garniture of work finishing off--making up--edges--use of cord-making appliance--cord twisted by hand--knotted cord--fringes--tassels--knots. when the embroidery is completed, the making up, the addition of tasteful finishing touches, and such things as fringes, tassels, and linings, must all be considered. these will, if judiciously made use of, give a distinction and character to the work that might be missed if due care and thought were not expended upon such details. this part of the work might be compared to the garnishing of a boiled fowl with lemon and parsley, a minor detail, but a very effective one. it is possible, by the help of such expedients, to emphasise certain colours and bring out points of the design, as well as to give completeness and finish. such things as fringes, cords, and tassels are often more satisfactory when made by the worker and with materials like those used in the embroidery, for such will be more likely to be in keeping with the character of the rest, and to be more interesting in detail. in the finishing off the same taste and neatness of execution is required as in the embroidery. good work can be very much marred in the making up; on the other hand, a little extra interest added on a part not often seen renders it doubly valuable. the mounting of certain things should not be attempted at home; boxes should be handed over to the cabinetmaker, books to the bookbinder, and so on, for it is not possible for any one not an expert to do these things properly, and even good work can look poor if badly set. the question how to appropriately finish off an edge often arises; let it be hem stitched rather than plain hemmed; or a narrow line of drawn thread work may be inserted, for an open-work border is frequently a set-off to the rest of the embroidery. if a binding is placed over the edge this can be fixed with a pretty stitch, or the stitch alone can bind the edge, one such as buttonhole, overcast, or that shown in fig. . with some stitches the edge of the material can be rolled over a piping cord and the stitch worked over the thus emphasised margin. the difficulty of procuring cord suitable for use with embroidered work makes the appliance illustrated at fig. a useful possession.[ ] the cords made upon this wheel can be of any thickness, according to the number of plies and the substance in each. different colours and materials can be twisted up together, such as a gold and silk thread. [illustration: fig. .] to make a three-plied cord, cut three equal lengths of thread rather longer than the required cord is to be, as it shortens in the twisting. make a loop at each end of the thread, or, better still, attach tiny metal rings at the ends. hook the threads in position as shown in the diagram, and place the instrument far enough from the clamped block of wood to make the threads that are stretched between quite taut. now commence the twisting by turning the large wheel quickly with an even motion in the direction that continues to twist up the threads, keeping the left hand on the instrument to steady it, for it gradually slides towards the block as the twisting continues. when corkscrew-like knots begin to come in the threads, stop revolving the wheel, unhook the two outer threads and place them both on the central hooks together with the third thread, keeping them taut during the process. revolve the large wheel again, in the direction opposite to that in which it has been working, and continue turning until the cord is tightly twisted up. it is now made, and can be removed from the machine. the second twisting had better be over-done rather than not sufficiently, since if over-twisted the cord rights itself upon being removed from the machine. a two-ply cord is made in like manner, by using first the two outer hooks only, and then placing both threads together on the central hooks. there is a simple way of making this cord without the help of any instrument, but it is not possible to get the perfect result that the machine gives. it is most easily carried out by two persons, though one can do it. in order to make a two-plied cord, by hand, take a thread rather more than twice the length of the required cord. let each worker take an end of the thread in the right hand and commence to twist it between the thumb and finger, each working in direction opposite to the other and keeping the thread at tension. when twisted as much as possible without getting corkscrew-like knots in the thread, the cord must be doubled in half by holding it at the centre and bringing together the two ends, which are then knotted. during the entire process the thread must be kept under tension. if one end of the cord is now let go it should immediately twist itself up tight, and remain in that position. if any small knots form during the process run the cord sharply through the fingers once or twice to straighten it out. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] another pretty kind of cord is a knotted one. it is made in the hand in most primitive fashion by using the two first fingers as crochet hooks. the thread used for making it should be stout and firm. to commence making the cord, knot two pieces of thread together and place the threads in position as shown in fig. . the next step is shown in fig. , which is the index finger of the left hand bringing the darker thread through the loop. fig. shows this thread looped on the finger, the cord held in the left hand instead of the right, and the right hand in process of drawing the lighter thread, which was the last loop, tight. the next move, fig. , shows the right-hand first finger making the new loop with the lighter thread, and fig. shows the loop on the finger, the cord passed over to be held in the right hand again, and the left hand this time pulling the last loop tight. continue making the cord by following out the last four positions consecutively. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] a very usual finish to an edge is a fringe. this can be made either by fraying out the material or by adding a detached fringe, either knotting it in or attaching it in some other way. if the fringe is to be a frayed-out one, the best way to do it is to first draw out a few warp threads where the head of the fringe is to come, then hem stitch the upper edge of this, see the right-hand end of fig. ; this makes the heading of the fringe secure, after which the remainder of the warp threads can be withdrawn. when fringing a square in this fashion, it is well to save some of the frayings out to knot in at the four corners where otherwise there would be gaps. [illustration: fig. .] to knot an added fringe into the border is a very simple matter. begin by cutting the threads that are to compose it all to one length, about double that of the required fringe. take a few together to form a bunch and double it in half. with a stiletto make a hole near the edge of the material; then bring from the back a crochet hook through this hole, and draw the loop formed by the doubling of the bunch a little way through, then take the ends of the bunch through the loop and draw them tight in order to make the knotting firm. [illustration: fig. .] there are many ways of patterning a plain fringe, sometimes a change of colour in the knotted-in threads is sufficient, as shown in fig. . another very usual way is to divide the bunches and refasten them together in some way to form a pattern. fig. is an example of this; they may be either knotted together, as in the first half of the diagram, or bound with thread as in the second half, the needle reaching the required places by running in zigzag fashion up the thread and down again. [illustration: fig. .] a simple fringe can be made of strands twisted together, as in the first half of fig. . this is made upon the same principle as the twisted cord already described. about three threads of the fringe are twisted up tight, and an adjoining three treated in the same fashion. these threes are then twisted together in the direction opposite to that which has just been used, and thus are securely locked together. the ends of the completed fringe may require a little trimming off to make all of an equal length. the second half of the diagram shows a durable and simple fringe made by a close series of knots down the thread. [illustration: fig. .] fig. suggests two methods by which a stitching of coloured thread near the margin can help to decorate a plain fringed edge. [illustration: fig. .] a row of tassels makes a pretty finish to various things. complicated tassel-making requires a professional hand; even a simple tassel requires making properly. the first proceeding is to wind some thread round a piece of cardboard, which should be a little wider than the tassel is to be long; then double a piece of the same thread and thread the two ends into a needle, thus leaving a loop at the usual knot end. slip the needle through the centre of the wound thread close to the cardboard, then through the loop and draw the thread tight; this will bind the threads securely at that point. they can then be cut exactly opposite this on the other side, which will release the cardboard. give the binding thread another tightening pull, and then take the needle and thread straight through the centre, as shown in fig. , and fasten it off with a good knot. this knot will be in the ball part of the tassel and will help to make it round. next, double the tassel into shape ready for the collar. thread the needle as before and make the thread encircle the tassel, as shown in the second figure in the diagram, drawing the thread quite tight, and, if necessary, winding it several times round the neck of the tassel until the collar is of sufficient width, then take the needle and thread straight through the centre, bringing it out at the top, where it can be made use of to fix the tassel in its place upon the work. with sharp scissors trim the edge of the tassel which now is complete. the ball part can be further decorated by covering it with an open network of stitches in some contrasting colour; buttonhole and various lace stitches can be used for the purpose. [illustration: fig. .] knots knots, which can be very pretty, are at times required in embroidery; anything that requires a fastening may give an opportunity for some pretty interlacing strap work or knotting. also knots may be practically useful in both weaving and embroidery, for sometimes a finishing thread must be knotted on to a new one, since there may be no opportunity of making a firm commencement with the aid of the material. the knot shown in fig. is called the girdle knot; it might be made use of in many other ways. to carry it out, make a loop with one end of the cord and hold it between the left finger and thumb, the looped part being towards the right, and the end that points downwards to the left passing over the other end. take up the other piece of cord, pass it diagonally across the surface of the loop, commencing from the right-hand lower side, then round under one end and over the other, then up into the loop from underneath, over its own end that crosses the loop there, and then out under the loop at the top right-hand corner. [illustration: fig. .] the chinese knot, which is used for a sailor's collar, is shown in fig. . the looped end can be left as large as necessary. to work it the first part of the knot is laid in position on the table, commencing at point a; for the latter part (from point c) the thread is interlaced through to the finish. it can then be pulled tight, taking care in the drawing-together process that the various loops are adjusted in right position. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] another ornamental knot is shown at fig. . to make it--form a loop and hold it between the left thumb and finger, the loop pointing to the right, the longer end pointing upwards and passing over the end that points downwards. take hold of the end pointing upwards, pass it perpendicularly downwards across the surface of the loop, then round under the other end, up over its own end, under the side of the loop, over its own end that lies across the loop, and out under the loop at the right-hand end. pull as tight as required. all these knots may be made of double cord by running a second through, following the lead of the first, just before tightening up the knot. the one last described may be made of doubled cord from the commencement, the looped end being used as the working end: the knot will then finish off with a loop at one end, which can be used as a loop or cut if required. [illustration: fig. .] fig. is an example of a pretty piece of interlacing strap work attached to a fastening. the weavers' knot (fig. ) is useful for practical purposes in both weaving and embroidery; this knot is universally employed by the cotton weavers when the warp breaks. it is made as follows--place the two ends that are to be knotted together between the thumb and first finger of the left hand in such a way that they cross each other at right angles, the end that points towards the left passing under the one pointing towards the right. pass the long end of thread that hangs down towards the right, and which is the newly attaching piece, over the thumb, round the back of the end pointing to the left in front of the other end, and let it hang down again towards the right, holding the loop thus made between the thumb and finger; then pass the end pointing towards the right down through this loop and out on the opposite side. to draw the knot tight, pull the end which hangs down towards the right, which will tighten the loop and so complete the knot. [illustration: fig. .] the reef knot (fig. ) is another useful one, and it has this advantage over the weaver's knot, that both short ends return parallel to the long ones instead of going off at an angle; this makes it neater for some purposes. [illustration: fig. .] footnote: [ ] this will be found described in detail in chapter ii. there is an interesting drawing of a neat little machine, similar to this, but worked by cogwheels, in _l'art du brodeur_, by germain de st. aubin ( ). chapter xiv practical directions transferring patterns--paste for embroidery purposes--protection and preservation of work--washing embroidery--prevention and cure of puckered work--points about the thread--dressing the frame. the best method of getting the pattern on to the material is to draw it on directly with a brush; since this, however, is not always possible, other ways of doing it can be employed. the pattern can be transferred to the background by a process called pouncing. to do this fix some tracing-paper over the design and carefully take the outline; a good margin of plain paper should be left round the outside in order to prevent any of the pounce getting accidentally rubbed on to the embroidery. the next process is the perforation of the pattern. lay the tracing upon some substance of the nature of thick felt, then with a pricker or a needle, held in an upright position, pierce tiny holes all round the outline of the pattern, very close together. this completed, attach the perforated tracing securely to the material, the smooth side of the perforations towards the stuff. both material and tracing paper may be fixed to a board with drawing pins. next, rub the pounce, which consists of finely powdered charcoal or of white chalk, lightly over the perforated parts with a soft pad, keeping the rubbing always in the same direction; once or twice at the most over the surface is quite sufficient, often too much is rubbed through, which afterwards is only in the way. the pad, first dipped into the pounce, is rubbed preparatorily upon some paper to remove the superfluous powder, and then upon the actual work. carefully remove the tracing-paper; there should now be visible upon the surface of the material, in charcoal dust, a perfectly clear reproduction of the pattern. should, however, the impression be blurred, it is quite easy to flick everything away with a duster and repeat the process. the causes of failure would most probably be that the perforations were too large or too far apart, or that there was some movement of either paper or material during the process. it is necessary for the pattern to be permanently fixed upon the ground material; blow lightly to remove any superfluous powder, then, with a brush dipped in light red oil-paint moistened with turpentine, trace a fine clear line over the powdered pattern. when this is dry, what is left of the charcoal can be lightly dusted away. red is in most cases a good colour to use for tracing purposes, for if by chance any tracing should show or come off on the thread it will be a clean-looking colour, and one comparatively easily removed in any after cleaning. red or blue carbonised paper is used for tracing patterns; it is not a good medium though it may be an expeditious one. if it is used, an after painting over the outline will make the marking permanent. when pouncing or painting is difficult, a method of indicating the pattern upon the stuff is to trace the design on tissue paper, and tack it to the ground material with cotton, the stitching of which should follow the outline of the design, and be kept as much as possible upon the front. the thin paper is then torn away, and there will be some suggestion of pattern left upon the material. transparent ground stuffs need only be laid upon the pattern; then the tracing can be taken directly on the stuff. paste is sometimes in request for embroidery purposes; the following is a good recipe--pour rather less than half a pint of cold water into a saucepan, add to this a piece of carpenter's glue about the size of a small filbert and place it on the fire to heat. put three teaspoonfuls of flour into a basin, and with cold water mix to a smooth paste; when the water in the saucepan boils add it to the paste, stirring well all the time; then place the mixture in the saucepan and boil for about two minutes. when cold it is ready for use. it may be required as a preservative; for instance, canvas work when finished can have a thin coating of paste rubbed over the back in order to preserve the stitches from giving or running; when the work is to be used for such things as furniture coverings this may be a good thing to do. applied work is sometimes pasted on to its new ground, and a backing may be fixed to the surface material by paste. the more all this can be avoided the better, for its tendency is to give a stiff mechanical look to work; professional people, however, are rather fond of the paste pot. paste, if used, must be of the right kind, or it will do more harm than good. it should be very fresh, and have no acid in its ingredients, of which gum arabic must not be one if any after stitching has to take place through the stuff, for gum makes it hard and less penetrable. the paste must be applied and allowed to dry thoroughly before the work is removed from the frame. a finger makes a good brush for the purpose. the paste should be put on as thinly and evenly as possible, care being taken not to rub on the cross of the material, since this might stretch it unevenly. shoemakers' paste is easily procured, and can be used for embroidery purposes. this is made from rye flour, and is very strong. it is harmless if perfectly fresh. a good many things go to the keeping of work fresh and orderly, which is a very important matter. the work must be kept carefully covered up when not in use; finished parts can sometimes be covered whilst the work is going on, for the covering is easily raised when comparison with the part in progress is necessary. the work should have some protection if the hand rests on it; the worker should wear a white apron with sleeves. the worker's hand should be cool, dry, and smooth; hot hands should frequently be washed. the use of pumice stone cures slight roughness, but fine work cannot be attempted if the fingers are for any reason constantly rough. wools and silks need a case to keep them orderly and clean. the best way to preserve valuable embroidery is to frame it, which, of course, is not always practicable, but it is a sure safeguard against moth and dust. for washing embroidery special soap should be procured. it is not well to use any ordinary soap, for this may contain alkali, which would injure the colours in the work. dissolve the soap in boiling water, and add cold to make it just warm and of the required strength. immerse the embroidery in the lather thus made, and work it about gently, avoiding any friction. when clean, rinse first in warm water, afterwards in cold, to which a little salt may be added. the water must be squeezed out carefully and the material quickly dried. if ironing is necessary it must be done on the wrong side, but if the work can be pinned out on a board to dry, and in this way stretched and smoothed without any ironing, so much the better, for the embroidery will not be flattened at all. another way of ironing embroidery that is not harmful is to do it from underneath while some one holds out the material. it is easy to prevent the puckering of work when it is carried out in the frame; there is, however, no necessity for it to occur in hand work. certain stitches are more inclined to draw up the material than others, and extra care has to be taken in working upon the cross of the fabric. the work should be held in convex fashion over the fingers of the left hand. weights are occasionally attached to the corners of the work to prevent any unconscious drawing of it up. there are remedies for the cure of slightly puckered work. place on a drawing-board some clean blotting-paper, damp it evenly over with a wet handkerchief, and then lay the work, right side up, upon it. fix the work down to the board with drawing-pins, inserted at regular short intervals round the edge, endeavouring during the process to stretch the material to its original shape. this needs doing carefully, for it is quite possible to stretch it to a wrong shape, and it will remain as now pinned out. next, lay some white paper or a handkerchief upon the surface of the work, and then place upon it a flat weight that presses equally on every part of the embroidery. leave it undisturbed for a night, and the puckering will probably be cured. work, if not puckered, may be improved by going through this process, which practically amounts to a mild ironing, but without any injurious effects. [illustration: fig. .] there are various points about the thread that should be known. to commence a new thread run a few stitches in the material upon the right side upon a part that will afterwards be covered by the working. this is a better way than a fastening on the wrong side, for it is both neater and more secure. a knot made at the beginning is fairly safe, but it is undesirable for several reasons. the needleful should not be lengthy lest it gets worn before it is all worked in. with some threads it is important to thread only the proper end into the eye of the needle, since one way they will work in roughly and the other way smoothly. an end of a coarse thread can be taken through to the back of the material by the help of a fine one; the fine thread is brought through from the back by the needle, it then encircles the coarse one, and returns to the back by the same hole, pulling the coarse thread with it, as in process in fig. . taking it through by the aid of a thick needle would make too large a hole. thread can be knotted into the eye of the needle if for any reason it is required to be quite safe from accidental unthreading. the neatest way of doing this is to pass the needle through the centre of the thread and draw it tight; this is a useful trick for any unskilled worker with needles and thread, for re-threading also may be a difficulty. when work has to be unpicked it is better to cut the threads rather than do any drawing out, for they are in any case unfit for further use, and this method wears the material less; a beginner must not shirk unpicking if first-rate results are to be obtained. frame work certain stitches and methods of work cannot be carried out except with the help of a frame, others are hand stitches, and some few can be worked either way. work done in a frame takes longer than that done by hand, and is rather more fatiguing. each method has its advantages; in the frame it is perhaps easier to get good technique, for difficulties such as puckering the material, irregular stitching, and so on, are more easily avoided, also it is more possible to see the effect of the whole whilst the part progresses. in frame work a thimble is required for each hand, for one pushes the needle through from above and one from below. it is a rest to be able to reverse the hands, so both should be equally dexterous in either position. to dress the frame correctly is an important preliminary, for unless done well the effect of much after labour may be spoiled. in the chapter upon tools and appliances in fig. is shown a piece of linen stretched in the frame ready for commencing work. the square of material that is seen to be inserted in the centre of the stretched linen is to show how a very small piece or a portion of a large surface could be stretched in the same sized frame. a corner may require marking or a small detail of embroidery carrying out upon it. a portion is cut out of the centre of the stretched linen, and the piece or part of the material to be worked stitched securely to it, as illustrated in the diagram. the remainder of the material, if there is any, can be folded up and pinned out of the way over the rollers. to return to the dressing of the frame--the linen to be stretched, before being fixed in place, must be hemmed or herring-boned down at the top and base and then sewn with overcast stitches to the webbings, inclining during the process to pucker the webbing rather than the material. the side pieces can now be put through the holes at the ends of the rollers and the metal pins inserted, or nuts adjusted, as the case may be, in order to stretch the material to the right tension. the raw edges at the sides must now be turned in or bound with tape, and a string securely attached at intervals along the edge; this is for lacing the string through that now braces the material to the sides of the frame (see fig. ). the screw-sided frame has an advantage over the side pieces shown in fig. , in that in the former an extra turn can, at this point, be given to the nuts to still further stretch the material; on the other hand, some workers prefer the flat side pieces, thinking that they make the frame more rigid. if the material, when fixed to the two webbings, is too long for the frame, it must be wound round one of the rollers until of the correct size. this must be done carefully, for a delicate fabric might get damaged in the process; the roller can be padded with soft paper, and an interlining of tissue paper can be inserted and wound up with the material. it may not always be desirable to do this winding round the rollers; in that case fine glazed holland can be stretched in the frame, and the part to be first embroidered fixed to it. when the first part of the work is completed, the holland is cut out of the frame and fresh pieces substituted as the work goes on. if it is not wished that the stitches should be taken through both surfaces, as would here be the case, it would be possible to cut the linen partly away underneath, and use it only as a kind of inner frame for stretching the material on, in a way somewhat like that already described (see fig. ). a backing to the material, however, is often a necessity--perhaps heavy work may be put on it or the stuff itself is fragile; in such cases there must be a backing of some kind. this usually consists of fine holland or linen, which is first stretched in the frame and then has the surface material securely stitched to it with overcast stitches, care being taken that both materials are equally strained. to frame velvet, sew it to the webbing by the selvedges or that way of the material, since the pile with that arrangement is more manageable when the embroidery is in progress. [illustration: fig. .] part ii tapestry weaving chapter xv introduction weaving, a most ancient art, naturally precedes embroidery, for this necessitates an already existing ground stuff, which is generally some kind of woven material. all varieties of weaving are done by one little-varied method, that of the weft passing to and fro in and out of the warp, and thus binding the whole into a fabric or web. the kind of weaving which demands from the worker the greatest artistic skill is that which produced the great masterpieces of flanders, once known as arras, from the town of that name, and now commonly called gobelins tapestry, so named from the _manufacture des gobelins_ in paris, at which establishment, founded over three hundred years ago, it is still produced. it is this kind of weaving that is now to be discussed, but without the least suggestion that the pupil should work upon a scale so large as is usually followed, though there is no reason against doing so if it is practicable. tapestry weaving is so constantly associated with objects of large size, such as wall hangings, that it is scarcely realised as an art in this smaller way and as an alternative to embroidery. yet it can be work of a most interesting kind even when produced in pieces only six inches square, as is well shown by existing specimens of the work of the weavers in egypt who flourished in the early centuries of the christian era. examples of this work can be seen in many museums; they consist frequently of decorative panels of tapestry work inlaid in linen tunics and stuffs that have been used as grave clothes. these early coptic examples are, like all tapestry, built up by interweaving various threads upon warp-strings stretched in close parallel lines. by varying the colour of the threads that are thus manipulated upon the warp, patterns of any degree of complexity can be built up directly by hand, and without the assistance of any further mechanical contrivance. the peculiarity of this ancient weaving is that the patterns are frequently woven upon the warp-threads of some fabric, from which the weft either has been removed, or, what is perhaps more probable, been purposely left out when the material was made, to leave space for this decorative pattern weaving to be added to it. the latin name for the workman who in this way wove in the ornamental patterns was _plumarius_, which is a name known to be applied to an embroiderer also. this weaving of small subjects is certainly very little removed from embroidery; it may fairly be called needlework, for it is as often carried out with needles as with bobbins, the former being frequently better suited to the size of the work. in execution weaving is not more difficult than embroidered work; it can be done in an ordinary room and upon a simple loom that is not more cumbersome than an embroidery frame; in fact an embroidery frame can sometimes be used in the place of a loom. weaving takes about as long in doing as finely stitched solid needlework, for in weaving the entire fabric is made, both pattern and ground. the speed with which the work can be done of course varies considerably, being mainly dependent upon the design that is being carried out. also the quality of the materials used affects the rate of working; for instance, the thickness of the warp-strings and the placing of them nearer together or further apart. moreover the weft may be composed of one strand or of several strands together. in weaving, unless the materials used are very fine, it is impossible to get minute detail in drawing; fortunately it is seldom necessary to attempt much of this. the simpler and more direct work is as good as, and sometimes better than, that with finely gradated colour, shading, and form. on the other hand, work, small in scale, even though simply treated, does not look well when carried out with very coarse materials, for they seem out of proportion to the size of it. the main difficulty in the technique of the work lies in the attainment of good draughtsmanship, which of course includes light and shade as well as outline. it is naturally more difficult to draw by means of bobbin and thread, in horizontal lines, than to work unrestrictedly with a pencil, or even with an embroidery needle. there is a great deal in the preparation of the design; as in all other crafts this must be suited to the method of work; otherwise the difficulties of execution will be greatly increased and the result will be less satisfactory. this is even more important in weaving than in embroidery, for in the latter the stitch and method may possibly be chosen to suit the design, but in weaving no variation of stitch is possible; all must be carried out in the same way. tapestry weaving, whether for wall hangings or for small objects, has the same technical difficulties, and certain restrictions govern all work of the kind. one point to be observed is, the main lines of the design should go as little as possible in the same direction as the warp threads. this is because with each change of colour in the weft that occurs in the direction of the warp, there comes an inevitable separation in the woven material, which, oft repeated, would materially impair the strength of the fabric. the less frequently this occurs, of course, the better, since it entails additional labour, either a joining-together stitch at the time of working or an after-sewing up from the back. long lines made by change of colour going straight or at a slight angle across the warp-threads, are perfectly simple to manage, and the hatching lines of shading, as well as the outline, should be taken as much as possible in this direction. it will be noticed that most tapestries have the ribbed lines of warp going horizontally across; in the loom these lines are perpendicular, so this means that the design has been placed and carried out sideways upon it. this is for the reason just under discussion, for the long lines of a design are most frequently perpendicular, take, for instance, lines of figures, draperies, or architecture, and so by placing the design sideways in the loom, most of the important lines will come in the direction most easy for the working of them. with small pieces it frequently does not matter which way it is carried out, but it is useful to know when making the design that there is the alternative of placing it either way upon the warp-threads. if this matter were not considered and arranged, there might come a good deal of twisting round one or two warp-threads which would be most unsatisfactory in working and in appearance. a band of plain colour framing a square piece of work will be found to be completely detached from the centre part upon each side of the square, although working in very straightforwardly at the top and base; if, instead of being a straight band, the inner edge was vandyked, the work would be well knitted together upon all sides (see fig. ). in such ways as this the technical pitfalls can be somewhat avoided by a designer who understands the method of the work. [illustration: fig. .] to lay down definite rules for designing is practically impossible; right and wrong depend upon so many circumstances. the study of fine tapestries of the best periods is one of the most satisfactory ways of learning what one may or may not attempt; the beautifully flowered grounds in many of these show what excellent motives flowers make, and how they should be treated. it is not usually a good plan to introduce in any part of the work much plain ground, for it is inclined to look poor; this is very likely the reason why the grass in tapestry-land is often covered with such profusion of flowers. tapestry calls for beautiful colour, richness, and plenty of interesting detail; it is essentially decorative work, and must be treated as such. the arrangement of colours and tones need to be sharply defined; if by chance a dark leaf comes against another dark one, a line of light colour is sometimes deliberately run between, perhaps shading or outlining one of the forms; a flower may even change its colour as it passes over different backgrounds; what is more remarkable is that this change, unless sought for, is imperceptible. the work may be applied to all kinds of uses, such as coverings for furniture, mats, curtains, bell-pulls, book-covers, bags, boxes, and so forth. anything that hangs upon a wall is particularly suitable for working in tapestry, for at a little distance this kind of work shows up more effectively than embroidered work does. a great many articles, such as alms-bags, frontals of all kinds, stoles and book-markers, for use in churches could most excellently be carried out in tapestry. chapter xvi necessary appliances and materials the loom--mirror--bobbins and needles--the comb--embroidery frame treated as a loom--warp--wools--silk--gold and silver thread. tools and appliances the chief requisite for weaving is the loom; this can be made by a carpenter from a working drawing. in the victoria and albert museum there is a model of a small tapestry loom, presented by william morris, which a novice will do well to examine. it is quite possible to carry out a small piece of weaving upon an embroidery frame, but to work in a loom which has all the proper appliances is always quicker, better, and absolutely necessary with work of any size. there are two main varieties of tapestry loom, one in which the warp-threads are horizontal, and another in which they are vertical. the latter kind is considered to give the best results, mainly owing to the possibility of the worker's seeing the right side of the work whilst it is in progress. this is a great advantage, for tapestry is woven with the reverse side towards the worker, and progresses by such gradual steps that the weaver is prone to lose sight of the whole whilst paying attention to the part in progress, and it will be easily understood that to be able to go round and view the entire piece is of immense help. a detail may perhaps be corrected during the progress of the work, but afterwards this would be an awkward matter. it is one of the difficulties of weaving to have to finish completely each step as it comes up. working from the wrong side is not so hard as it might seem, for both sides are practically alike; the side towards the worker, however, shows ends of thread and thread passing from one place to another, which make it somewhat unpresentable. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] fig. shows a drawing of a small loom with some warp stretched upon it in readiness for commencing work. it stands upon the ground, and is about feet high by ½ feet wide. it is made of beechwood; a hard wood like this is best, for there must be no possibility of the rollers bending with the strain of the warp. the loom consists of two uprights standing upon heavy feet; these uprights are joined together at the top and base by strengthening cross bars. two wooden rollers are fixed into the uprights (see a and b in fig. ) and in the surface of each of these a narrow groove is hollowed out lengthwise (see fig. ); this is for the purpose of holding a long metal pin, by means of which the warp-threads are kept in place. the rollers are fitted at one extremity with a handle for turning them round, and at the other with a ratchet and toothed wheel to prevent unwinding. the purpose of the upper roller is to hold the supply of warp-thread and unwind it as required; the lower one is for winding up the web as the work progresses, so that upon a loom of this size a piece of work of considerable length can easily be carried out. [illustration: fig. .] the warp soon after it passes from the top roller is divided into two leaves by a cylindrical wooden bar about one inch in diameter, called the cross stave (see fig. ). the cross stave may be oval or round in section; if it is oval the warp-threads may be moved more widely apart when required by turning the stave round, but this is not often necessary. the upper part of the cross stave can be seen in position in the loom diagram, which shows also how the stave divides the threads, which pass alternately one in front and one behind the bar. after this the threads are passed through a comb-like instrument, having about fourteen divisions to the inch (see fig. ). this extends from side to side of the loom, and lies in a groove made in the bar that fixes the coat-stave (c in fig. ) in position at either extremity. it can be taken out and exchanged for another with a different divisioning, if necessary; without doing this, however, it is quite possible to put at intervals two threads through one division, or to pass over one occasionally if need be. the threads are next fixed in the lower roller. [illustration: fig. .] the coat-stave can be seen projecting from near the top of the loom. a number of looped threads called coats are fixed to it, and each one of these encircles a thread of the warp. they are attached only to those threads that were passed behind the cross stave and form the back leaf of the warp, and they are for the purpose of pulling these forward when required. underneath the lower roller is fixed a wooden tray, which is useful for holding bobbins, comb, or scissors. on the loom is hung a small mirror facing the right side of the work (see fig. ). this enables the weaver to glance now and then through the warp-strings at any detail that is in progress. smaller looms can be made, suitable for placing upon a table; these, standing about two feet in height, must in some way be firmly fixed to the table, in order to be properly rigid for work. [illustration: fig. .] the thread composing the woof is wound upon a wooden bobbin or shuttle, such as that shown in fig. . the chief point about this is, that it may not have sharp angles that might catch in the warp whilst passing to and fro. the pointed end is sometimes made use of to poke between the warp-threads and press down the weft. a fresh bobbin is employed for each colour, and the wool is wound upon it two or three strands together, just as may happen to be required for the work. large blunt-pointed needles about three inches long (fig. ) are often used in place of bobbins, for with small pieces of work sometimes so little of a colour is required as to make it unnecessary to wind a quantity on a bobbin, which is, after all, only a needle with an extra long thread. [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] a comb is necessary for pressing down the weft whilst the work is in progress. combs vary in size and shape; fig. shows one suitable for this type of work; it is ½ inches square, slightly wedge-shaped, and about one-eighth of an inch thick. boxwood is the most suitable wood to make them from, since it is particularly hard and fine in the grain. they are sometimes made of metal, ivory, or bone; for large work, metal combs of a heavier type are used. [illustration: fig. .] an embroidery frame, which has been already mentioned as a possible substitute for the loom, is oftentimes an article more easily procured. fig. illustrates how a frame of this kind may be prepared with warp-threads for weaving. one with the screw side pieces is the best, for these enable the tension of the warp to be slightly adjusted if the working shows any tendency to slacken the thread. to prepare the frame for weaving--place the parts together at the required distance from each other; secure the end of some warp-thread to some part of the frame, and then commence to wind it round and round over the two rollers, placing the threads at approximately the right distance apart, taking into account when doing this that the two leaves thus formed will eventually be brought into the same plane. when the required width of warp-thread is wound upon the rollers, secure the end of the string and proceed to bring the front and back leaves together by darning a knitting-needle or some similar article in and out of the threads at the centre. then slide it up close to the top roller and secure it by tying it with string at each end (see diagram). the same process is gone through with a second pin, which is tied to the lower roller. the warp-threads can now be adjusted to their proper distance apart, as they will probably be a little irregularly spaced. the next process is to weave two or three courses of warp-thread close to the knitting-pins at either end; this brings the warp still nearer to being in the one plane, and enables the threads to be arranged in perfect order by the aid of the point of the bobbin or a needle, and they will remain as now placed. the frame is now ready for work. a piece of plain web, about half an inch in width, is usually woven before the actual design is begun; this serves as a selvedge for turning in when the completed work is mounted, and also gets the warp into condition much better for working upon. a thick knitting-needle can be passed between the alternate threads of the warp and placed towards the top of the frame, as shown in the diagram. this takes the place of the cross-stave in the loom, and, by thus dividing the warp into two leaves, is of assistance when the shuttle goes in one direction. coats cannot easily be applied to an embroidery frame. it is quite possible upon a frame of this kind to weave a long narrow band of any kind. the warp must be wound on and arranged in position at the necessary length by separating the rollers and temporarily fixing them apart at the distance required for the band. the surplus warp is then wound up on the upper roller until the side pieces will fit into the ends. as it gets worked upon, the completed part is wound upon the lower roller. a piece both long and wide would be impracticable, especially if any winding on and off the rollers were necessary. materials there are very few materials required for tapestry weaving; they consist of, string for warp, wools, silks, and maybe gold and silver thread for the weft. the warp is usually composed of a smooth, strong, evenly twisted thread, specially made for the purpose. it can be procured of various thicknesses. it happens sometimes that in parts the warp shows, as a fringe or in some other way; in this case it could be made of a strong silk thread, such as purse silk, though for edges of mats, the ordinary string warp fringed out is quite suitable. occasionally weaving is carried out in such a way as to expose the warp in various parts of the work, the pattern being woven, but the ground left altogether unworked. in a case of this kind the colour and composition of the warp is naturally important, and must be considered. in a show-case in the british museum there can be seen a small book with an interesting woven binding carried out after this manner. the warp is composed of gold passing, and the effect of this with a pattern carried out in brightly coloured silks is very pretty indeed, the gold adding a rich glow to the whole. wool and silk are the chief materials used for the woof. it is well to choose those of fine texture, for several strands can then be wound together upon one bobbin, which, with coarse materials, would be too clumsy a method. when working in this way there is more opportunity of varying colour and texture, for three shades may be wound upon the bobbin together to get a required colour, and this has often a prettier effect than the use of an unblended colour; also, silk and wool are very satisfactory wound and worked in together, each texture showing the other to advantage. fine gold or silver threads are frequently used in tapestry weaving. they can be woven in alone, which gives a metallic look, or they may be mixed with strands of silk. both ways are very good, and the use of the metal thread adds great richness to the work. these threads make fine backgrounds, and they can be used in many ways upon the design; it is a common practice to carry out the lighting of draperies and of other parts in real gold, just as they are treated in illuminated manuscripts. chapter xvii preparations for work warping the loom--dressing the coat-stave--tracing the pattern upon the threads. upon commencing the warping of the loom the first matter to be decided is the length of the threads. some extra length must be measured off besides that actually used for weaving, to allow for what is taken up in fixing the threads and winding them round the rollers, and as it is not convenient to work more than about half-way up the loom, this also has to be allowed for in the length. the threads must all be cut to one size, and since they have to be doubled in halves when placed on the loom, this should be twice the required length. another question for early decision is the number of warp-threads that may be allowed per inch. this varies with the coarseness of the strings and the thickness of the weft that will have to pass to and fro between them; what governs both of these points is the design, whether there is much detail or not, for if the drawing is complicated the warp-strings must be fine in order to be able to carry it out; this point will be better understood after some experience of working. fourteen to sixteen threads to the inch is a very usual number. the fixing of the threads in the upper roller is a very simple matter. it is done by doubling each in halves and placing the loop thus formed over the metal pin, which for this purpose may be temporarily suspended by string to the frame of the top of the loom just above the roller. it can be dropped into its place in the groove when all the threads are looped upon it, and made secure there for the moment by tying some string round the extremities of the roller. each thread is now taken separately through the comb-like instrument. the cross-stave is laid upon this, so it is well to put it in place now, and carry the threads alternately in front and behind it, whilst passing them through the comb. the threading of the strings through the comb decides the number there will be to the inch, so they must be put through at the required distance apart. the upper roller is next given a complete turn, which will make the metal pin and the threads that are round it secure in the groove. the winding up must be continued until only about three inches of the warp-string hang below the lower roller. some kind of tension must be applied to the threads whilst this winding is going on, or it will be done irregularly; a hand, or several hands, holding it, answers the purpose well enough. the next process is to fix the threads securely in the lower roller. the difficulty here lies in getting the placing and tension of the threads between the two rollers exactly regular and even. if some were slack and others tight it would be very awkward to correct afterwards, and impossible to weave upon properly if incorrect. [illustration: fig. .] fig. shows a practical method by which the warp may be fixed in the lower roller, but any contrivance will do that gains the required result. to carry out the fixing as in the diagram, the roller must be turned so that the groove comes just at the centre in the front. four lines of warp-thread are then fixed from end to end of the roller, two above and two below the groove. each warp-string in turn is now threaded in and out of these cross lines, as shown in the diagram. this places them in regular order, at the correct distance apart, and keeps them at very nearly the same tension throughout. the metal pin is now placed in the groove and pushes the threads before it. it must be temporarily made firm there by string tied round the roller at intervals. the next process is to tie the warp-threads in knots, either two or four together, just where they emerge below the pin. this prevents any giving way, and if the threads are pulled just equally tight immediately before the knotting, the tension of the entire warp will be the same. the lower roller is next turned round until the metal pin is made quite firm in its place by the warp-threads passing across the face of the groove. the warp will now be fixed in the loom as shown in the drawing in fig. . the placing of the coats upon the coat-stave is the next part of the preparatory work. commence by fixing a line of warp-thread along the exterior side of the coat-stave, making it secure to the bar at both ends. the coats, encircling the stave and a thread of warp, are fixed to this string by a kind of buttonhole stitch (see fig. ). it is important that each loop should be of exactly the same size; this can be ensured by temporarily fixing a rod across the loom at the point where the loops will encircle the warp-thread, and then taking the loop round this bar as well as round the thread. [illustration: fig. .] to commence making the coats, take a long needleful of warp-thread and secure the end of it to the string at the right-hand end, and then make about three small looped stitches upon it (see needle in progress in the diagram); next, instead of making another of the same stitches, take the thread down below the stave, let it encircle the first thread of the back leaf and then be brought up over the coat-stave and string and be looped under the thread to complete the stitch (see b). usually a long and a short stitch are taken alternately, but the number of short ones may be varied. this process is continued until all the threads of the back leaf are encircled each by a loop. a new length of thread must be knotted on to the last one as it gets used up. the weavers' knot, which is shown on p. , might be used for the purpose. it would be made use of also if by chance the warp-thread were broken, for it is a knot specially good for the purpose. when the coats are completed there are still one or two preparations to be made before actually commencing to weave. either a metal rod or a long narrow piece of wood must now be threaded in and out of the warp-strings and placed in position at the base. this rod can be seen properly placed in position in fig. in front of the lower cylinder. this is put there to keep the lines of the woof horizontal when they are being beaten down by the comb. next wind on a bobbin some warp-thread similar to that already on the loom, or, if that happens to be very coarse, let this be a little finer. now weave two courses with this warp-thread and beat it down with the comb, leaving the woof during the process rather loose. the technique of weaving with all its difficulties is discussed in chapter xviii. when two of the warp-thread courses are complete, insert either the pointed end of the bobbin or a blunt needle between the warp-threads below the woven portion, and if necessary move the warp-strings a little to or fro until they are equally separated each from the other all along the line. next weave about four more courses of the woof; these will serve to keep the arranged warp-threads still more firmly in place. then with a red pencil rule a horizontal line straight across the warp-strings about one-third of an inch above the woven portion. wind on another bobbin some wool and weave it to and fro until the space between the woven portion and the red line is filled in. between each course the comb must beat the woof-threads firmly down. it is often necessary to weave over some portions of the surface more than over others as the threads pack down tighter in some parts. the loom should be now in perfect order for commencing work. the preparatory weaving that has been done is often useful afterwards as a selvedge. it is necessary to have a coloured drawing of the design for frequent reference whilst the work is in progress; also a tracing of the outline must be marked upon the warp-threads for the worker's further guidance. the tracing upon the threads must be a reflection of the pattern owing to the fact that the work is done from the back. it does not affect the matter if the design is a symmetrical one, but to find the lions of england facing the wrong way in some completed piece of heraldic work would be most annoying. in order to get a tracing of the design upon the threads, a sheet of paper, with a distinct outline of the pattern upon it, must be attached, possibly by pinning, to the further side of the warp-threads, exactly where the weaving is to take place. the outline will be clearly perceivable through the threads, and the next process is to take pen and indian ink and make a dot upon each warp-thread in sequence round the outline of the pattern. when this is completed, the tracing-paper can be removed, and the dots upon the warp must be taken all round each thread instead of marking one side only. the marking round is done by holding a warp-thread between the finger and thumb, placing the side of the nib against one of the dots, and then twisting the thread to and fro against it. all the marks upon the first thread are treated in succession in this way, then the next thread is taken up and treated in similar fashion, and so on until all are done. fig. shows a leaf marked upon the warp-threads in readiness for working. this marking should be clear, sharp, and decided, all the lines being taken horizontally round, as in fig. ; if the pattern seems to run up a thread, a mark just half-way up is sufficient guide. in a piece of work of any size the tracing must be done, a part at a time, for the threads moving slightly when the warp is unwound and the web wound up may displace the marks and make the guiding lines incorrect. [illustration: fig. .] chapter xviii the technique of weaving weaving--commencing and fastening off--the interlocking stitch--fine drawing--shading--added after-stitches. the way in which the woof threading in and out of the warp makes the web is shown at c, fig. . here the woof has been taken once to and fro; a movement called a weft or a course, one way only, goes by the name of a half pass or a shoot. by the use of the cross stave for one direction, and of the coats for the other, the tediousness of the process of darning in and out and so picking up the right threads is avoided. it is not always practical to make use of these appliances; for instance, in working over only two or three threads it may not be worth while, but when they can be made use of the work is done twice as rapidly by their help. the bobbin enters the loom rather high up, for there the division of threads is greatest. one hand starts the bobbin upon its journey, the other hand, entering between the divided warp-threads, takes it on and out as required. sometimes the bobbin has to go the entire way between the leaves, and at others it may be only over two or three threads, this depending upon the pattern. to enable the bobbin to make the return passage, the warp must be redivided, the threads that are at the back must be brought to the front; this is managed by the help of the coats--a bunch of them is taken in the hand in order to pull forward the threads to which they are attached. this can be done by sections all along the line, or just in one part of it if it be so required. the weft is almost always taken in horizontal lines to and fro. the exceptions to this rule occur when it is very evident that to run up and down a narrow slanting line from end to end is far simpler than to work up in a horizontal zigzag fashion along it. about an inch of thread is left at the end and at the commencement of each length of weft; these are secured by the tight packing down of the threads above them, so there is as a rule no need for any knot or fastening off, which would be necessary only in the case of commencing or ending off round a single thread, but it is important for the future durability of the work to see that the ends are secured. sometimes a commencement or a finish is made just where a natural division of the fabric occurs; in this case, the end of thread would not be secure, for it might work loose or appear upon the right side. this can usually be avoided by commencing a little further along the line. the few times that fastening off or on is necessary, the thread can be run into the part already woven with a smaller needle, or else be knotted on to a loose end of wool. the bobbins not actually in use hang down fixed as in lace work by a half-hitch. fig. shows this in process of making; the loop is passed from the finger on to the bobbin; it will unwind as wanted and yet hold firm whilst hanging down. the thread is always carried, if practicable, from one place to where it is next required, in order to avoid unnecessary breaking off. tapestry is sometimes woven with both sides alike, which means only that all the ends must be cut close off. it is said that work so treated is quite durable. [illustration: fig. .] special care must be taken that the weft is turned neatly round at the margins, because if it is at all loose there the work has a ragged, untidy appearance. this applies also to any turnings that may occur in other parts due to the carrying out of the pattern; if in these places the thread is too loose upon the warp, the fabric will be uneven and pushed out of place; if on the other hand the thread there is too tight, the slits will gape, and if these are afterwards closed by stitching, the entire material will be drawn in. a new thread is never commenced actually at the margin, for it would then be seen upon the right side; it is quite easy to avoid this happening by commencing an inch further in. this may entail beginning in a direction which is apparently wrong for picking up the proper threads, that is, those not picked up in the row below; but this must happen at times, and the work packs down and quite prevents the warp showing, as it might be inclined to do in such a case. it is sometimes at the margin a good plan to pick up two warp-threads together, for this emphasises the edge rather pleasantly; this might be advisable in carrying out a long ribbon-like border of any kind. after each shoot, the point of the bobbin, the comb, or maybe the fingers, should press down the woof to make it lie close upon the row before, and so entirely cover up the warp. fig. shows the comb in action, and also the bobbins hanging. the weft must be left a little slack along the line for this purpose, and some experience is required in order to leave just the right slackness. the turn at the edge is arranged first, and then the thread eased evenly along its length in readiness for being pressed down; it must have the appearance not of running straight across the warp-strings, but of lying loosely round them. for packing down a long line, much more play of weft is required than for a short one. [illustration: fig. .] the usual fault with beginners is to draw the web too tight here and there. this is a fault to be specially avoided, for it causes the fabric to be drawn in, and to vary in width, spoiling its appearance and making the threads difficult to work upon; also the packing down of the weft could not be properly done, which would cause the warp-threads to be exposed in parts. the thoroughness of this packing down of the weft is for several reasons very important. the durability of the work is much affected by it, both for the securing of the ends of wool already mentioned, and for the making of a strong, well-knit piece of fabric. another reason is, that the drawing of the various forms in the design may be made incorrect, in this way: suppose an apple were woven in, apparently correctly, but the wefts were not pressed down thoroughly, the weaving and packing down of the wefts above it would be sure to press the part underneath closer together, and the effect of this would be to make the round apple assume a flattened oval shape, and cause similar changes throughout the work. it has already been mentioned that wherever a change of colour occurs vertically, that is, in the direction of the warp-threads, there results of necessity a division or slit in the web; the slit, which may be of any length, if noticeable, must be closed. this can be done whilst the weaving is in progress by a method of interlocking the two wefts as they meet, or else by stitching up at the back when the work is finished. the latter way is called fine drawing, and must be very carefully done, especially with large tapestries. both methods are used; the first takes longer, but is the most durable. old and worn tapestries will usually be seen to have given way where this stitching up at the back has taken place. in small pieces of work, however, there is not much likelihood of strain, so the oversewing at the back answers fairly well. the two ways can be used in conjunction. supposing a border, owing to its being of a different colour, had to be joined the entire length of the work, the interlocking stitches might be made at intervals of about half an inch, and when the work was finished the oversewing at the back might be taken the entire length. [illustration: fig. .] fig. is a diagram illustrating the way in which the wefts may be interlocked whilst the weaving goes on. examination of the drawing will probably be sufficient explanation; however, interlocking is effected thus: commencing at the base, run a weft of the darker wool to and fro, leaving it slack at the turning point. a half pass of the lighter-coloured woof is then run through, it is threaded in an upward direction through the slack loop of the darker wool, waits there whilst another weft of the darker colour is worked, and then is threaded down through the second loop that has been formed, and returns to the starting-point. it then comes back again and is threaded upwards through this same loop, and waits, as before, for another to be formed, and returns back through it--and so on. if this is done properly, no change is visible on the right side. the joined weft will last as long as any other part of the weaving. the process of stitching up at the back is simply an oversewing with silk or other strong thread. the stitches must be rather close, drawing the edges just sufficiently together, and they must not show through to the right side. the stitching together should be done while the work is on the loom, since the web would then be in less danger of pulling out of shape. [illustration: fig. .] shading in tapestry weaving is carried out by a hatching process which is most simply explained by a diagram (fig. ). the difficulty is not in the working, but in getting the form of the shadow or light correctly expressed. there is no need for fine gradation of colour and tone, for the shading looks best when carried out simply and boldly, but the drawing of it should be decided and good. the above figure gives but one intermediary tone in shading from one colour to another, which is the ancient method of working; at the present day the weavers in the _manufacture des gobelins_ employ several other intermediary tones, thus allowing of finer gradation; possibly however these fine gradations are not of such great importance, and so need not have an unnecessary amount of attention and time devoted to their accomplishment. the student will do well to examine fine examples and make careful drawings from them, since this will teach the right way of going to work better than anything else can. fig. is simply a shaded leaf taken at random from a piece of weaving; the same leaf was shown in outline in fig. , so the two show the commencement and completion of the same piece. it will be noticed upon studying tapestry that usually all the light parts of a work are hatched with the same colour, often a buff shade, those of rich tapestries with gold thread. this sameness of colour throughout gives unity to the work. [illustration: fig. .] sometimes after the weaving is completed a few finishing touches can be satisfactorily put in by means of single stitches taken through the fabric with a sharp-pointed embroidery needle. the dots representing the seeds upon a strawberry could be stitched in afterwards in this way, for to insert them while the work is going on would be very tedious. this kind of thing must not be overdone, however, for the stitches are apt, unless very deftly treated, to have a laid-on look, and care must be taken not to mar the evenly ribbed effect, which is one of the characteristics of tapestry. [illustration: fig. .] this weaving is a most fascinating kind of work, as will be found upon a trial. the simplest patterns look very interesting when woven, and, on the other hand, the work can be carried to any degree of complexity that the worker desires. for a first trial a piece might be done with no attempt at shading; even one such as that illustrated at fig. would be suitable. this example happens to be a form particularly easy for carrying out in weaving. the worker should begin at the lower right-hand corner and work the successive flights of steps diagonally, as shown by the unfinished portion of the diagram. in the way of actual technique there is in the art of tapestry weaving not nearly as much to be learnt as there is in embroidery, for there are no varieties of methods and of stitch to be acquired; still for a person to become a skilled weaver, capable of carrying out large wall hangings, is a thing very difficult of attainment--indeed it is said that it takes as long as fifteen years of constant application to acquire the necessary knowledge and skill. to carry out designs of less magnitude and intricacy is a very different matter; success in this smaller way is far more easily attained, and is well within the reach of unprofessional people. notes on the collotype plates plate i.--_a detail from a xivth century english cope._--the figure of christ which is shown in this plate is taken from a central group, representing the coronation of the virgin, in a famous cope in the possession of colonel j. e. butler-bowdon. the ground is of rich red silk velvet; the face, hands, and linings of the draperies are worked in silk in split stitch; the drapery, crown, and surrounding architectural decoration are in gold thread couched by the early method. the twisted column with oak leaves and the five lobed arch are both characteristic of english work of this period. note the use of pearls in the lion's head and in the acorns, also the charmingly drawn bird. an interesting technical point displayed in this example is that the work is done directly on to the velvet ground, instead of being first worked upon linen and afterwards as a completed piece of embroidery applied to the velvet. the method in use here, if at all possible, is always the most satisfactory. size of detail, about eleven inches by six. plate ii.--_two heads from a xivth century english cope preserved at steeple aston, oxfordshire._--the cope is not now in its original state, for it has been divided into two parts and used for the decoration of the altar. the background is composed of a thin greyish white silk backed with a stronger material. the white may have been originally some other colour; it is, however, in its present state, very beautiful and harmonious. the drawing of the features in this cope is remarkably refined and true to nature (the reproduction does not do full justice to the original). the ancient method, of working the faces in split stitch commencing with the middle of the cheek and continuing spirally round, then afterwards pressing the centre down by some mechanical means, is plainly to be observed here. the effective drawing of the tresses of hair in alternate lines of two colours is well seen in the left-hand example. the gold thread which is freely made use of all over the cope, upon the draperies, nimbi, and surrounding foliage, is marvellously bright and sparkling, although nearly six hundred years old. the manufacture of untarnishable gold for embroidery purposes seems beyond present day enterprise. width of nimbus, two and a half inches. plate iii.--_a small portion of a quilted coverlet, probably of sicilian work. date about ._--in this interesting example of quilting, which is exhibited in the victoria and albert museum, the ground is composed of a buff-coloured linen. the raised effect is obtained by an interpadding of wool. the background is run over irregularly with white thread, in order to keep it more or less flat, and the design, which is in fairly high relief, is outlined with brown thread. the entire coverlet is embroidered with scenes from the life of tristan. tristan frequently engaged in battle against king languis, the oppressor of his country. this detail represents "how king languis (of ireland) sent to cornwall for the tribute." size of detail, two feet by three. plate iv.--_a portion of an altar cloth band, embroidered in coloured silk threads upon a white linen ground._--this is a piece of german xvth century work exhibited in the victoria and albert museum. it is embroidered almost entirely in one stitch, which might be described as a variety of herring-bone. the design is made up of two motives which repeat alternately along the band--a square shaped tree and a circle, the latter decorated with floral sprays and, in the centre of it, a group of emblems. down the middle of the design runs a series of names in fine gothic lettering--"ursula" and "augustinus" being the two that occur in this plate. width of embroidered band, four and a half inches. plate v.--_a portion of a late xvth century orphrey, embroidered with the arms of henry stafford, duke of buckingham._--the ground is of red velvet, and is embroidered with gold thread and coloured silks. the two shields here represented bear the arms of the families of de bohun and fitzwalter. each shield has for supporters two swans, and is surrounded by floral sprays. the stafford knot unites the sprays between the shields. the chasuble upon which this orphrey is placed is made of a lovely brocaded silk decorated with falcons, peahens, and roses. width of embroidered orphrey, about eight inches. plate vi.--_a detail of foliage taken from a late xvith century embroidered picture representing the story of daphne._--the picture is worked in coloured wools and silks in cross stitch upon canvas, and is an admirable example of this kind of work, and this particular detail is a good illustration of a very satisfactory treatment of foliage. the whole panel measures about seven feet by two, and is exhibited in the victoria and albert museum. height of detail, ten and a half inches. plate vii.--_an embroidered xviith or xviiith century wool-work curtain._--this curtain, the property of miss killick, is a pretty example of a small crewel-work hanging. the design is of a type that was often used upon hangings of that period. it is embroidered with brightly coloured wools upon a white linen ground, and is in a good state of preservation. much ingenuity as well as variety of stitching are shown in the execution of the work. size of curtain, about five feet by three. plate viii.--_a portion of a large xviith century linen hanging embroidered with coloured wools._--in both design and execution this curtain is remarkably fine. the entire hanging is about eighteen feet in width by seven in height. it is embroidered with a conventional representation of a forest; in the branches of the trees lodge all kinds of birds and beasts. the type of design shown in this plate and in the last is derived from eastern work; its introduction into england was due to the increase of trade with oriental nations, which developed about this time. size of detail, about six feet by four. plate ix.--_cutwork lettering taken from a xviith century english sampler._--the letters and surrounding decoration shown in this example of cut or open work are built up on a square network of warp and weft threads that were left at regular intervals throughout the space, when the unnecessary threads were withdrawn, and then covered with a kind of darning stitch. the letters are worked in buttonhole stitch, each fresh line being taken into the heading of the last one. the other parts of the work are carried out in either buttonhole or overcast stitch. the complete sampler is a long narrow strip of linen, across which run specimen bands of various kinds of work. it is exhibited in the victoria and albert museum. width of cutwork detail, six inches. plate x.--_an embroidered sampler._--the work is carried out in coloured silks in minute cross-stitch and occasional rows of satin stitch, upon a ground of fine single-thread canvas. it is dated , and was worked by alice knight, the author's great-grandmother. the birds, trees, and flowers, the charming little border patterns, and the comical cats standing on either hillocks or housetops, are all characteristic of sampler work. working the sampler was once the regular introduction to mending, marking, and embroidery, and one was done by almost every xviiith century child as a part of education, indeed the practice of working samplers was continued some decades into the xixth century. actual size of original, eighteen inches by twelve. plate xi.--_an example of persian embroidery._--formerly in the collection of lord leighton, and now in that of the london county council's central school of arts and crafts. the embroidery is carried out almost entirely in chain stitch with brilliantly coloured silks, upon a fine semi-transparent ground. the flowers that appear dark in the reproduction are worked in a bright rosy red, others are yellow and orange, and the leaves are in pale grey green outlined with a dark myrtle shade of the same. size of panel, about five feet by four. plate xii.--_a detail from an embroidered tablecloth._--the entire surface of this fine white linen cloth is strewn with a profusion of beautiful flowers, worked in floss silk in bright colours. the flowers were all drawn directly from nature by the worker, mrs. w. r. lethaby. plate xiii.--_an embroidered altar frontal, executed by miss may morris, designed by mr. philip webb._--the work is carried out with floss silk in bright colours and gold thread, both background and pattern being embroidered. the five crosses, that are placed at regular intervals between the vine leaves, are couched in gold passing upon a silvery silk ground. plate xiv.--_two pieces of ancient weaving taken from tombs in egypt._--these are exhibited in the victoria and albert museum. the upper example is about five inches square, dated iiird to viith century, egypto-roman work, and is said to have decorated a child's tunic. it is woven in coloured silks upon a green ground; the colours are still wonderfully fresh and bright. weavers may see various interesting technical as well as other points in this early work. for instance, how the difficulty of the narrow detached vertical lines, necessitated by change of colour in the weft, has been overcome by using surface stitching instead, the easier horizontal lines being woven in the usual way. a good deal of this surface stitching can be seen in the ancient weaving; sometimes an entire pattern is picked out by this method, the ground having been first woven all over in some plain colour. the lower border pattern is a band of weaving about two inches in width, saracenic work. it is woven in coloured silks and linen thread upon the actual warp threads of the garment that it decorates. the weft threads were probably omitted for the space of one and a half inches when the fabric was being made in order that some ornamentation might be put in, in this way. some of the weft threads have perished, leaving the warp exposed to sight; this enables the student to understand better the manner in which it was carried out. plate xv.--_an example of a tapestry field strewn with flowers._--this kind of decoration is characteristic of many tapestry grounds, for the style is particularly suited to the method of work, and very happy in result. the detail shown in this plate is taken from a piece of late xvith century flemish work; it carries on, however, a much earlier tradition. the ground is of a dark blue colour, and the flowers varied as in nature. plate xvi.--_a tapestry bag, woven in coloured silk and gold thread by the author._--the ground is woven with black silk, decorated with gold at the top and base. the centre panel is carried out in brightly coloured silks and gold thread. the various compartments are filled with representations of flowers, birds, and fishes, upon an alternating purple and blue background. the dividing lines are of gold thread. size of bag, ten inches by six. the collotype plates [illustration: plate i.--a detail from a xivth century english cope.] [illustration: plate ii.--two heads from a xivth century english cope preserved at steeple aston, oxfordshire.] [illustration: plate iii.--a small portion of a quilted coverlet, probably of sicilian work. date about .] [illustration: plate iv.--a portion of an altar cloth band, embroidered in coloured silk threads upon a white linen ground.] [illustration: plate v.--a portion of a late xvth century orphrey, embroidered with the arms of henry stafford, duke of buckingham.] [illustration: plate vi.--a detail of foliage taken from a late xvith century embroidered picture, representing the story of daphne.] [illustration: plate vii.--an embroidered xviith or xviiith century wool-work curtain.] [illustration: plate viii.--a portion of a large xviith century linen hanging, embroidered with coloured wools.] [illustration: plate ix.--cutwork lettering taken from a xviith century english sampler.] [illustration: plate x.--an embroidered sampler.] [illustration: plate xi.--an example of persian embroidery.] [illustration: plate xii.--a detail from an embroidered tablecloth. designed and executed by mrs. w. r. lethaby.] [illustration: plate xiii.--an embroidered altar frontal, executed by miss may morris, designed by mr. philip webb.] [illustration: plate xiv.--two pieces of ancient weaving taken from tombs in egypt.] [illustration: plate xv.--an example of a tapestry field strewn with flowers.] [illustration: plate xvi.--a tapestry bag, woven in coloured silk and gold thread by the author.] index altar-cloth band (plate iv.) altar frontal (plate xiii.) appliances, appliances and materials for tapestry weaving, applied embroidery, applied work, background, the, bag, tapestry (plate xvi.) beads, bobbins, braid work, _broderie anglaise_, bullions, , canvas work, coat-stave, collotypes, descriptive notes on, colour, comb, , cope at steeple aston (plate ii.), cope, detail from xivth century english (plate i.), cord, , cord-making appliance, , cotton, couching, couching gold, ancient method of, couching gold, usual method, coverlet, quilted sicilian (plate iii.), crewel work, curtain, xviith century (plate viii.), curtain, xviith century wool-work (plate vii.), cutwork, , darned netting, darning, darning, pattern, design, , design for tapestry, designing, pattern, directions, practical, drawn thread work, dressing the coat-stave, egyptian weaving (plate xiv.), emblems, embroidery frame used as a loom, embroidery, washing, embroidery with gold and silver threads, figure work, fine drawing, flax threads, foliage, detail of (plate vi.), frames, embroidery, frame work, fringes, garniture of work, the, gold and silver threads, embroidery with, gold thread embroidery, heraldry, inlaid work, interlocking stitch, knife, knots, , knotted cord, knotted thread, laid work, lettering, lettering, cutwork, xviith century (plate ix.), linen, loom, madeira work, marking, materials, materials and appliances for tapestry weaving, materials for gold work, methods of work, monograms, needles, , objects to work, , open-work fillings, _opus plumarium_, orphrey, xvth century (plate v.), past work, study of, , paste, embroidery, patch work, pattern darning, pattern designing, pattern tracing, patterns, transference of, , persian embroidery (plate xi.), _petit point_ pictures, picots, piercer, practical directions, precious stones, pricker, puckered work, cure of, purls, quilting, raised gold work, raised work, sampler, embroidered (plate x.), samplers, satin, scissors, shading, , silk, , silk threads, silver and gold threads, embroidery with, spindle, stands, embroidery frame, stitches, stitch, back, stitch, basket, stitch, braid, stitch, bullion, stitch, buttonhole, stitch, cable chain, stitch, chain, stitch, chequered chain, stitch, cretan, stitch, cross, stitch, double back stitch, stitch, feather stitch, stitch, fishbone, stitch, french knot, stitch, gobelin, stitch, herring-bone, stitch, holbein, stitch, insertion, various, stitch, interlocking, stitch, irish, stitch, knot, stitch, knotted chain, stitch, long and short, stitch, open chain, stitch, overcast, stitch, plait, stitch, rococo, stitch, rope, stitch, roumanian, stitch, satin, stitch, split, stitch, stem, stitch, stroke, stitch, tailor's buttonhole, stitch, tambour, stitch, tent, stitch, twisted chain, stitch, two-sided italian, stitch, zigzag chain, tablecloth, embroidered (plate xii.), tambour frame, tapestry bag (plate xvi.), tapestry, example (plate xv.), tapestry weaving, introduction to, tassels, tarnish of gold and silver threads, thimbles, threads, , , threads, gold and silver, tools, tools for tapestry weaving, tracing patterns, , tracing patterns on warp, transferring patterns, methods of, transferring patterns, requisites for, velvet, warp, warping the loom, washing embroidery, weaving, weaving, egyptian (plate xiv.), weaving, tapestry, work, garniture of, work, methods of, work, preparations for, work, protection and preservation of, wools, , printed by ballantyne, hanson & co. edinburgh & london * * * * * embroidery materials george kenning & son, goldsmiths, gold lacemen, and embroiderers, are the actual manufacturers of all materials that are best for embroidery of any and every description. [illustration] [illustration] the following are a few articles from the great variety they manufacture: threads, tambours, braids, laces, and cords in gold, silver, tinsel, and aluminium; also spangles, sequins, ornaments, and beads of every possible variety. please insist on your draper or fancy warehouseman supplying only materials manufactured by george kenning & son. manufactory: / little britain, e.c. _and at liverpool, glasgow, and manchester._ ribbon weaving factory, coventry * * * * * j. maygrove & co. ltd. _mills_-- _warehouse_-- st. albans. aldersgate street, london, e.c. _manufacturers of silks for weaving and embroidery._ _for really reliable boiling and unfading dyes._ maygrove's duchesse floss. maygrove's twisted embroidery. maygrove's filoselle, &c. unequalled for lustre, permanence, and artistic graduations of colour. ready for use. for weaving. china tram shades. tussah tram and organzine shades. oriental floche shades. worsted yarns--cotton yarns. _stocked ready for dyeing._ organzines, sewings, flosses, twists, and spun silks. worsted cords, genappes, mohairs, &c. &c. * * * * * plaster casts lettering for letter cutters by a. e. r. gill plaster casts of the stones shown on the collotype plates, numbers , , and , in the portfolio, "manuscript and inscription letters," by edward johnston, price s. d. net, are obtainable from the publisher, or direct from messrs. c. smith & sons, moulders, kentish town road, london, n.w., at the following prices:-- _roman capital letters (incised)._ } _"lower-case" italics, &c. (incised)._ } s. _net per set of three._ _"raised" letters, capitals, &c._ } packed--delivered free in london--carriage forward for country these casts being facsimiles of the actual stones make the best kind of models for letter cutters and sculptors, and all who have to do with inscriptions. being small, they are easily handled. the portfolio, "manuscript and inscription letters," by edward johnston, is intended as a working supplement to his handbook, "writing and illuminating, and lettering," price s. d. net. it contains plates in all, measuring - / × - / inches, with full descriptions and notes. john hogg, _publisher_, paternoster row, london, e.c. * * * * * robert s. ronald decorator and upholsterer [illustration] loom maker to the royal school of art, south kensington table or pedestal looms to order prices on application office and works-- st. ann's hill, wandsworth, london, s.w. * * * * * the artistic crafts series bookbinding and the care of books. by douglas cockerell. third edition. drawings by noel rooke. pages collotype reproductions. pp. s. net. extract from _the times_. "... a capital proof of the reasoned thoroughness in workmanship, which is the first article in the creed of those who ... are attempting to carry into practice the industrial teaching of ruskin and william morris." silverwork and jewellery. by h. wilson. second edition. diagrams by the author. pages of collotype reproductions. pp. s. d. net. containing special chapters, fully illustrated, based on demonstrations and with notes by professor unno bisei and professor t. kobayashi, of the imperial fine art college at tokyo, giving the traditional method of casting, damascening, incrustation, inlaying, engraving, and metal colouring still practised in japan, also on niello, the making of boxes and card cases, with chapters on egyptian and oriental methods of work. woodcarving: design and workmanship. by george jack. drawings by the author. pages of collotype reproductions. pp. s. net. extract from _the builders' journal_. "undoubtedly the best guide to woodcarving extant.... a practical work, written with clearness and literary power by a practical man ... of great artistic talent.... the illustrations are excellent." stained glass work. by c. w. whall. diagrams by two of his apprentices. pages of collotype reproductions. pp. s. net. extract from _the scotsman_. "it provides an exposition at once instructive and interesting of the workshop practice of the craft ... of stained glass, animated throughout by an encouraging and cheerful sense of the dignity and the elevating influence of such an occupation." embroidery and tapestry weaving. by mrs. a. h. christie. diagrams and illustrations by the author. pages of collotype reproductions. pp. s. net. (_third edition._) extract from _the pall mall gazette_. "mrs. christie has performed her task to admiration, ... and her lucid explanations of various kinds of stitches ... should be of value to all workers at embroidery or tapestry weaving and to novices anxious to learn." writing and illuminating, and lettering. by edward johnston. illustrations and diagrams by the author and noel rooke. pages of examples in red and black. pages of collotype reproductions. pp. (_fifth edition._) extract from _the athenæum_. "... this book belongs to that extremely rare class in which every line bears the impress of complete mastery of the subject. we congratulate mr. johnston on having produced a work at once original and complete." hand-loom weaving. by luther hooper. drawings by the author and noel rooke. coloured and collotype reproductions. pp. s. net. extract from _the morning post_. "... every phase and process in weaving is described with so clear and careful an exactitude, that, helped as the text is by the author's sketches and diagrams, the reader should have no difficulty in conquering with its aid the rudiments of the craft." portfolios (in the series) already issued. school copies and examples. selected by w. r. lethaby and a. h. christie. drawing copies ( in colours), with descriptive letterpress. s. d. net. manuscript and inscription letters. for schools and classes and the use of craftsmen. by edward johnston. with plates by a. e. r. gill, plates in all. full notes and descriptions by the author. s. d. net. (_second edition._) new volume in the press heraldry for craftsmen and designers by w. h. st. john hope, m.a. _further volumes and portfolios in preparation._ on workmanship a lecture by h. wilson author of "silverwork and jewellery" s. d. net john hogg, paternoster row, london transcriber's notes: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). superscripted characters are enclosed by curly brackets (example: march {th}). the original text includes a diamond symbol that is represented as [diamond] in this text version. samplers and tapestry embroideries _tho our countrie everywhere is fil'd with ladies and with gentlewomen skil'd in this rare art, yet here they may discerne some things to teach them if they list to learne and as this booke some cunning workes doth teach too high for meane capacities to reache so for weake learners other workes here be as plaine and easie as an a b c._ --the needle's excellency. [illustration: plate i.--tapestry embroidery. henry viii., edward vi., mary, and elizabeth. _the corporation of maidstone._ (frontispiece.) the very unusual piece of embroidery reproduced as our frontispiece may date from the accession of queen elizabeth, in which case it is the earliest specimen of an embroidery picture that we have seen. it would appear to be the creation of some exultant protestant rejoicing at the restoration of his religion, which to him is "good tidings of great joy"; for his queen holds the bible open at this verse, and is ready to defend it with her sword. edward vi. also upholds the bible in his upraised hand, whilst henry viii. has one foot on the downtrodden pope, and the other on his crown, which he has kicked from his head. popery is portrayed in mary with her rosary and papal-crowned dragon. the presence of the thistle raises a doubt as to its being of the elizabethan age, but although this flower consorts with the rose it also does so with a pansy, which deprives it of its value as an emblem of scotland. the piece belongs to the corporation of maidstone.] samplers & tapestry embroideries by marcus b. huish, ll.b. author of "japan and its art," "greek terra cotta statuettes" "the american pilgrim's way," &c. second edition with coloured plates and illustrations in the text longmans, green, and co. paternoster row, london new york, bombay, and calcutta all rights reserved preface to the second edition _i have explained, in the chapter upon english needlework with which this volume opens, the reasons which prompted me to take up the subject of samplers and tapestry embroideries, and i have here only to thank the many who, since its first issue, have expressed their acknowledgment of the pleasure they have derived from it, and to record my gratification that it has induced some of them to start the study and collection of these interesting objects._ _in the present edition several american samplers of considerable interest, kindly furnished by correspondents in that country, are noted and illustrated._ _i am indebted to the publishers for putting the present volume on the market at a more popular price than the expense of the first edition permitted._ contents pages english needlework.--its practice in past times.--its place amongst the minor arts.--mr ruskin's views as to needlework in a museum.--lack of a history.--exhibition of samplers.-- range of this volume - part i.--samplers.--the need of.--the age of.--inscriptions on.--alphabets and numerals on.--signatures on.--inscriptions on.--design, ornament, and colouring of, including: the human figure; animals; flowers.--further inscriptions on.--verses which commemorate religious festivals; which take the form of prayers and dedications; which refer to life and death; which inculcate duties to parents and preceptors; which have reference to virtue or vice, wealth or poverty.--quaint inscriptions; crowns; coronets; hearts; borders.--miscellanea respecting samplers, namely:--the age and sex of the workers; the place of origin of samplers; samplers as records of national events; map samplers; american samplers; foreign samplers; sampler literature; the last of the samplers - part ii.--embroideries in the manner of tapestry pictures.-- large numbers exhibited at fine art society's.--opportunity for their examination, and for making record of their history.--difficulties surrounding investigation of origin of industry.--no apparent infancy.--no specimens discoverable earlier than elizabethan era.--theory as to fashion originating with introduction of tapestry manufacture to england.--particulars of that manufacture.--three-fold interest of picture embroideries: ( ) subjects depicted thereon; ( ) historical material as to fashions; ( ) as specimens of needlework.--particulars respecting subjects, fashions of dress, horticulture, etc. - part iii.--( ) stitchery of embroideries in imitation of tapestry and the like.--background stitches.--figures in raised needlework.--knot stitches.--plush stitch.--embroidery in purl and metallic threads.--bead embroidery.--first stage of embroidered picture - ( ) the stitchery of samplers, with a note on their materials.--cut and drawn work.--back stitch.--alphabet stitches.--darning stitches.--tent and cross stitches.-- various stitches.--materials - index list of colour plates plate _to face page_ i. tapestry embroidery. henry viii., edward vi., mary, and elizabeth _frontispiece_ ii. sampler, by m. c. th- th century iii. portion of long sampler, by a. s. dated iv. sampler, by elizabeth calthorpe. dated v. portion of sampler, by mary hall. dated vi. portion of sampler, by elizabeth creasey. dated vii. sampler, by hannah dawe. th century viii. sampler, by mary postle. dated ix. sampler, by e. philips. dated x. sampler, by catherine tweedall. dated xi. sampler, by ann chapman. dated xii. sampler, by ann maria wiggins. th century xiii. american sampler, by martha c. barton. dated xiv. tapestry embroidery: christ in the temple, stoning of martyrs, etc. about xv. tapestry embroidery. the story of hagar and ishmael. about xvi. tapestry embroidery. charles i. and his queen. about xvii. lid of a casket. the judgment of paris. about xviii. tapestry embroidery. the story of queen esther. about xix. lid of a casket. about xx. back of casket in tapestry embroidery. signed a. k., xxi. beadwork embroidery. charles ii. and his queen, etc. xxii. tapestry embroidery. dated xxiii. purl embroidery. th and th century xxiv. darning sampler. dated illustrations in text fig. page . the visit to the boarding school, by george morland xiv . bottom of sampler, in knotted yellow silk, by mary caney, . upper portion of sampler, by pupil in orphan school, calcutta, . sampler of cut and embroidered work. early th century . portion of sampler. th century . portion of sampler of cut and embroidered work. th century . samplers in the victoria and albert museum. dated , , . long sampler, signed ann turner. . sampler, by elizabeth baker. . sampler, by charlotte brontË. . sampler, by emily jane brontË. . sampler, by anne brontË. . easter sampler, by kitty harison. . sampler, by elizabeth stockwell. . sampler, by sarah young. _c._ . drawn-work sampler, by s. i. d. . sampler, by jean porter. - . sampler. name illegible. date, . sampler, by mary anderson. . sampler (? scottish). th century . small scottish sampler, by j. h. [jane heath]. . sampler, by mary bywater. . heart-shaped sampler, by mary ives. . drawn-work sampler, by s. w. . border of mary lounds's sampler. . border of mary heaviside's sampler. . border of elizabeth greensmith's sampler. . border of margaret knowles's sampler. . border to sampler, by elizabeth turner. . border to sampler, by sarah carr. . border to sampler, by susanna hayes. . small sampler, by martha haynes. . sampler, by sarah pelham, aged . scottish sampler, by robert henderson. . two small samplers, by may johnson. - . two small samplers, by lydia johnson. . scottish sampler, by mary bayland. . sampler, by mary minshull. . map of north america, by m. a. k. . map of england and wales, by ann brown . map of africa. . sampler, by anne gower . sampler, by loara standish . sampler, by miles and abigail fleetwood . sampler, by abigail ridgway. . sampler, by elizabeth easton. . sampler, by maria e. spalding. . sampler, by martha c. hooton. . sampler, by the lamborn family. . sampler, by elizabeth m. ford . sampler, by lydia j. cotton. . sampler, by helen price . beadwork sampler, by jane mills . sampler, by elizabeth clarkson. . embroidered glove. early th century . the judgment of paris. about . tapestry embroidery: the finding of moses. about . portion of a book cover. th century . purl and applied embroidery. about . embroidery picture. charles ii. and his queen. . hollie point lace, from top of christening cap. . cushion-stitch background: embroidered book cover, dated . eyelet-hole-stitch: from a sampler dated . tapestry embroidery. about . face worked in split-stitch: enlarged from embroidery reproduced in fig. . face worked in split-stitch: enlarged from lower portion of fig. (not reproduced) . knotted-stitch: enlarged from embroidery reproduced in fig. . embroidery picture: a squire and his lady. dated . hair of unravelled silk: enlargement of portion of embroidery reproduced in plate . groundwork tracing for embroidered picture. th century . moulds for knotted, or lace-work, with silk spools and case . drawn-work sampler. th century . cut and drawn-work: enlargement from th century sampler . satin-stitch and combination of types of open-work: enlarged from the sampler reproduced in fig. . th century . back-stitch: enlargement of portion of sampler in fig. . th century. twice actual size . darning sampler. signed m. m., t. b., j. j. . enlarged portion of a darning sampler. dated [illustration: fig. .--the visit to the boarding school. by george morland. _wallace collection._] [illustration: fig. .--bottom of sampler, in knitted yellow silk, by mary caney, . _mrs c. j. longman._] english needlework amongst all the minor arts practised by our ancestresses, there was certainly no one which was so much the fashion, or in which a higher grade of proficiency was attained, as that of needlework. it was in vogue in the castle and the cottage, in the ladies' seminary and the dame's school, and a girl's education began and ended with endeavours to attain perfection in it. amongst the earliest objects to be shown to a mother visiting her daughter at school was, as is seen in the charming picture by morland in the wallace collection (fig. ), the sampler which the young pupil had worked.[ ] these early tasks were, very certainly in the majority of instances, little cared for by the schoolgirls who produced them, but being cherished by fond parents they came in after years to be looked upon with an affectionate eye by those who had made them, and to be preserved and even handed down as heirlooms in the family. for some reason, not readily apparent, no authority on needlework has considered this by-product of the art to be worthy of notice. in the many volumes which have been penned the writers have almost exclusively confined their attention to the more ambitious and, perhaps, more artistic performances of foreign nations. to such an extent has this omission extended that in a leading treatise on "needlework as art," samplers are dismissed in a single line, and in a more recent volume they are not even mentioned. it follows that the illustrations for such books are almost without exception culled from foreign sources, to the entire exclusion of british specimens. it may be contended that the phase of needlework to which special attention is drawn in this volume cannot be classed amongst even the minor arts, and therefore is not worthy of the notoriety which such a work as this gives to it. such a contention can fortunately be met by the authority of one whose word can hardly be challenged on such a question, namely, mr ruskin. some years ago, upon a controversy arising in the press as to what objects should, and what should not, find a place in a museum, the author, in his capacity of editor of _the art journal_, induced mr ruskin to furnish that magazine with a series of letters containing his views on the matter. in these, after dealing with the planning of the building and its fitting up with the specialties which the industry of each particular district called for, he set aside six chambers for the due exposition of the six queenly and music-taught arts of _needlework_, writing, pottery, sculpture, architecture, and painting, and in these the absolute best in each art, so far as attainable by the municipal pocket, was to be exhibited, the rise and fall (if fallen) of each art being duly and properly set forth. mr ruskin did not, however, content himself with claiming for needlework a prominent position. had he only done this, his dictum might have availed us but little as regards admission of the branch of it to which we shall devote most of this volume. with the thoroughness which was so characteristic of him, he gave chapter and verse for the faith that was in him, clenching it with one of his usual felicitous instances, which, in this case, took as its text the indifferent stitching of the gloves which he used when engaged in forestry. proceeding to show what the needlework chamber should contain, he designated first the structure of wool and cotton, hemp, flax, and silk, then the phases of its dyeing and spinning, and the mystery of weaving. "finally the accomplished phase of needlework, all the acicular art of nations--savage and civilised--from lapland boot, letting in no snow water, to turkey cushion bossed with pearl; to valance of venice gold in needlework; to the counterpanes and _samplers_ of our own lovely ancestresses." it might appear to be by an accident that he specifically included the "samplers of our own lovely ancestresses," but this was not so. fine needlework was an accomplishment which was carried to an exceptional pitch of excellence by his mother, and her son was proud of her achievements, for this proficiency had descended from his grandmother, whose sampler (reproduced on plate ix.) was probably present to mr ruskin's mind when he penned the sentence to which we have given prominence. having, then, such an authority for assigning to english needlework a foremost place in any well organised museum, it may reasonably be claimed that our literature should contain some record of the sampler's evolution and history, and that our museums should arrange any materials they may possess in an order which will enable a would-be student, or any one interested, to gain information concerning the rise and fall (for such it has been) of the industry. it may be said that such information is not called for, but this can hardly be asserted in face of the fact that the first edition of this work, published at the considerable price of two guineas, was quickly exhausted, and demands have for some time been made for its reissue. the publication in question was the outcome of an exhibition held at the fine art society, london, in , at which some three hundred and fifty samplers, covering every decade since , were shown. the interest taken in the display was remarkable, the reason probably being that almost every visitor possessed some specimen of the craft, but few had any idea that his or her possession was the descendant of such an ancestry, or had any claim to recognition beyond a purely personal one. everyone then garnered information with little trouble and with unmistakable pleasure from the surprising and unexpected array, and the many requests that the collection should not be dispersed without an endeavour being made to perpetuate the information derived from an assemblage of so many selected examples led to the compilation of the present work. when the fine art society's exhibition was first planned the intention was to confine it to samplers, which, in themselves, formed a class sufficiently large to occupy all the space which experience showed should be allotted to them in any display with which it was not desired to weary the visitor. but it was speedily found that their evolution and _raison d'être_ could not be satisfactorily nor interestingly illustrated without recourse being had to the embroidered pictures alongside of which they originated, and which they subsequently supplanted, and to other articles for the decoration or identification of which samplers came into being. consequently the collection was enlarged so as to include three sections: first the embroidered pieces which range themselves under the heading of "pictures in imitation of tapestry"; then samplers; and lastly the miscellaneous articles, such as books, dresses, coats, waistcoats, gloves, shoes, caskets, cases, purses, etc., which were broidered by those who had learned the art from sampler making, or from the use of samplers as guides. it would, without doubt, have added interest and variety to this volume could all these classes have been considered in it, but to include the last-named would have necessitated enlarging its bulk beyond practicable limits, and, besides, it would then have covered ground, much of which has already been very satisfactorily and completely dealt with. the work has consequently followed the lines of the exhibition in so far as it includes "samplers" and "embroideries in the manner of tapestry," which are dealt with in successive sections, and are followed by one upon the "stitchery" employed, written by mrs head, who has unfortunately died since the publication of the first edition. the author much regrets having given currency on page to the report of mrs. head's death, which he is glad to learn is incorrect. part i samplers [illustration: plate ii.--sampler by m. c. th- th century. _this early pattern sampler is described at p. ._] [illustration: fig. .--upper portion of sampler by pupil in orphan school, calcutta, . _author's collection._] part i samplers the sampler as a pattern, or example, from which to learn varieties of needlework, whether of design or stitches, must have existed almost as long as the art of embroidery, which we know dates back into as distant a past as any of the arts. but when we set about the investigation of its evolution, we did not propose to trouble our readers with the history of an infancy which would have been invested with little interest and less art; we did, however, hope to be able to extend our illustrated record backwards to a date which would be limited only by the ravages which time had worked upon the material of which the sampler was composed--a date which would probably take us back to an epoch when the art displayed upon it was of an unformed but still of an interesting character. we must at the outset admit that we have been altogether disappointed in our quest. for some two hundred and fifty years, which most will admit to be a fair stretch of time, we can easily compile a record of genuinely dated and well-preserved specimens, filling not only every decade, but almost every year. the art displayed, whether it be in design or dexterity with the needle, improves as we proceed backwards, until, in the exact centre of the seventeenth century, we arrive at a moment when little is left to be desired. we then have before us a series of samplers wherein the design is admirable, the stitches are of great variety, and the materials of which they are composed are, in an astonishing number of instances, as fresh and well preserved as those of to-day. but at that moment, to our astonishment, the stream is arrested, and the supply fails, for no, at present, discoverable reason. this sudden arrest can in no way be explained. it would appear as if, with the downfall of the monarchy under charles i., with which it almost exactly corresponds, a holocaust had been made of every sampler that existed. it is most exasperating, for it is as if one had studied the life of a notable character backwards through its senility, old age, and manhood, to lose all trace of its youth and infancy. nor is there any apparent reason for this failure of the output. as we shall show later on, needlework for a century previously was in the heyday of its fashion. every article of dress and furniture was decked out with it. as an instance, the small branch of needlework which we discuss in our second part was mainly in vogue in the first half of the seventeenth century, when we are searching in vain for specimens of samplers. samplers, too, for generations previously are recorded in the literature of the time as common objects of household furniture. the specimens even of our earliest recorded decade cover no less than five years, (three), , (three), , , and yet beyond the last-named date we encounter an entire blank. this cannot be the limit of dated specimens. earlier ones must exist, but the publicity of a very well advertised exhibition, which brought notifications of samplers by the thousand, did not produce them. neither have the public museums, nor indefatigable collectors of many years' standing, been able to obtain them, save two of the earliest years, and , which have been acquired by the victoria and albert museum, and of which that of is reproduced in fig. . our study of the sampler must therefore be based upon the materials at our disposal, and from these we shall analyse it with reference to its _raison d'être_, age, decorative qualities, characteristics, and the persons by whom it was worked. the need of samplers in these days of sober personal attire, in which the adornment of our houses is almost entirely confined to the products of the loom, the absorbing interest which needlework possessed, and the almost entire possession which, in the middle ages, it took of the manual efforts of womankind, is apt to be lost sight of. in , stubbes, in his "anatomy of abuses," wrote that the men were "decked out in fineries even to their shirts, which are wrought throughout with needlework of silke, curiously stitched with open seams and many other knacks besides," and that it was impossible to tell who was a gentleman "because all persons dress indiscriminately in silks, velvets, satins, damasks, taffeties, and such like." so, too, as regards the fair sex it was the same, from the queen, who had no less than , dresses in her wardrobe, downwards. in france, almost at the same moment (in ), a petition was presented to catherine de medicis on "the extreme dearness of living," setting forth that "mills, lands, pastures, woods, and all the revenues are wasted on embroideries, insertions, trimmings, tassels, fringes, hangings, gimps, needleworks, small chain stitchings, quiltings, back stitchings, etc., new diversities of which are invented daily." everyone worked with the needle. we read that the lady just named gathered round her her daughters, their cousins, and sometimes the exiled marie stuart, and passed a great portion of the time after dinner in needlework. a little later madame de maintenon worked at embroidery, not only in her apartments, but even when riding or driving she was "hardly fairly ensconced in her carriage than she pulled her needlework out of the bag she carried with her." the use of embroidery was not confined to personal adornment, but was employed in the decoration of the various objects which then went to make up the furniture of a house, such as curtains, bed-hangings, tablecloths, chair coverings, cushions, caskets, books, purses, and even pictures. the luxury of the dwelling and the household had also of late increased to an extent that called for the possession of numbers of each article, whether it were clothing, table, or bed napery. identification by marking and numbering became necessary, and as, probably, the very limited library of the house seldom contained books of ornamental lettering and numerals, samplers were made to furnish them. the evolution of the sampler is thus easily traceable. first of all consisting of decorative patterns thrown here and there without care upon the surface of a piece of canvas (see plate ii.); then of designs placed in more orderly rows, and making in themselves a harmonious whole; then added thereto alphabets and figures for the use of those who marked the linen, and as an off-shoot imitation of tapestry pictures by the additions of figures, houses, etc. finally it was adopted as an educational task in the schools, as a specimen of phenomenal achievement at an early age, and as a means whereby moral precept might be prominently advertised. as we have said, the samplers which have come down to us, and the age of which is certified by their bearing a date, do not extend beyond two hundred and seventy years, but those even of that age are writ all over with evidence that the sampler was then a fully developed growth, and must have been the descendant of a long line of progenitors. that they were in vogue long before this is proved by the references to them in literature as articles the use of which was a common one. before proceeding further it may be well to cite some of these. the earliest record which we have met with is one by the poet skelton ( - ), who speaks of "the sampler to sowe on, the laces to embroide." the next is an inventory of edward vi. ( ), which notes a parchment book containing-- "_item_: sampler or set of patterns worked on normandy canvas, with green and black silks." to shakespeare we naturally turn, and are not disappointed, for we find that in his "midsummer night's dream," act iii. scene , helena addresses hermia as follows:-- "o, is all forgot? all schooldays' friendship, childhood innocence? we, hermia, like two artificial gods, have with our needles created both one flower, both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, both working of one song, both in one key, as if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds had been incorporate." and in "titus andronicus," act ii. scene , marcus speaks of philomel as follows:-- "fair philomel, she but lost her tongue, and in a tedious sampler sewed her mind." sir philip sidney ( - ), in his "arcadia," introduces a sampler as follows:-- "and then, o love, why dost thou in thy beautiful sampler set such a work for my desire to take out?" and milton in "comus" ( ):-- "and checks of sorry grain will serve to ply the sampler, and to tear the housewife's wool." in "the crown garland of golden roses," , is "a short and sweet sonnet made by one of the maides of honor upon the death of queene elizabeth, which she sowed upon a sampler, in red silk, to a new tune of 'phillida flouts me'"; beginning "gone is elizabeth whom we have lov'd so dear." in the sixteenth century samplers were deemed worthy of mention as bequests; thus margaret tomson, of freston in holland, lincolnshire, by her will proved at boston, th may , gave to "alys pynchbeck, my systers doughter, my sampler with semes." in lady marian cust's work on embroidery, mention is made of a sampler of the reign of henry viii., and a rough illustration is given of it; we have endeavoured to trace this piece, but have been unable to find it either in the possession of viscount middleton or of lord midleton, although both of them are the owners of other remarkable specimens of needlework. it is evident from these extracts that samplers were common objects at least as early as the sixteenth century. * * * * * the sampler in its latest fashion differed very materially both in form and design from its progenitors. consisting originally of odds and ends of decorative designs, both for embroidery and lacework, scattered without any order over the surface of a coarse piece of canvas, its first completed form was one of considerable length and narrow breadth, the length being often as much as a yard, and the breadth not more than a quarter. the reason for this may well have been the necessity of using a breadth of material which the looms then produced, for the canvas is utilised to its full extent, and is seldom cut or hemmed at the sides. be that as it may, the shape was not an inconvenient one, for whilst its width was sufficient to display the design, its height enabled a quantity of patterns to follow one another from top to bottom. these consisted at first of designs only, in embroidery and lace, to which were subsequently added numerals and alphabets. later followed texts, and then verses, which, with the commencement of the eighteenth century, practically supplanted ornaments. the sampler thereupon ceased to be a text-book for the latter, and became only a chart on which are set out varieties of lettering and alphabets. still later it was transformed into a medium for the display of the author's ability in stitching, the alphabet even disappearing, and the ornament (if such it can be called) being merely a border in which to frame a pretty verse, and a means whereby empty spaces could be filled, art at that epoch not having learnt that an empty space could be of any value to a composition. how these changes came about, with their approximate dates, may now be considered. the age of a sampler the approximate date of any sampler, which is not more than two hundred and fifty years old, should, from the illustrations given in this volume, be capable of being arrived at without much difficulty, and it is, therefore, only those undated specimens which, from their appearance, may be older than that period that call for consideration here. they are but few in number, and a comparison of one or two of them may be of service as indicating the kind of examination to which old specimens should be subjected. [illustration: fig. .--sampler of cut and embroidered work. early th century. _the late canon bliss._] [illustration: plate iii.--portion of long sampler by a. s. dated . _author's collection._ owing to its great length this sampler is not shown in its entirety. a portion of the upper part, which consists of various unconnected designs, and figures of birds, beetles, flies, and crayfish, has been omitted. in the portion illustrated is a man with a staff followed by a stag bearing a leaf in its mouth, a unicorn and lion, and the initials "a.s.," with date . the bands of ornaments which follow are in several instances those which find a place nearly two centuries later as the borders of samplers still. the lower portion is interesting for the changes which are rung upon the oak leaf and acorn. the silks of which it is made are in three colours only--blue, pink, and a yellowish green--which are worked upon a coarsish linen. size, - / × - / . it is in the author's collection. a somewhat similar sampler, dated , is in the victoria and albert museum.] the earliest samplers present but little of the regularity of design which marks the dated ones. they were made for use and not for ornament, a combination which was probably always aimed at in those where regularity and order marked the whole. they would resemble that illustrated in plate ii., which bears evidence that it was nothing more or less than an example, whence a variety of patterns could be worked, for in almost every instance the design is shown in both an early and complete condition. it is somewhat difficult to assign a date to it, but the employment of silver and gold wirework to a greater or lesser extent in almost every part,[ ] the coarse canvas upon which it is worked, and the colours, point to its being of the elizabethan or early jacobean period, the linked s's in fig. perhaps denoting the stuart period. one of the two specimens of (plate iii.) continues in its upper portion this dropping of the decoration in a haphazard way on the canvas, although the greater part of it is strictly confined to rows of regular form. at first sight fig. should for the same reason be assigned to an earlier date than , for the greater, and not the lesser, portion of it is embroidered without any apparent design. but more careful consideration discloses the fact that the sampler was evidently begun at the top with thorough regularity, and it was only at a later stage that the worker probably tired, and decided to amuse herself with more variety and less formality. nor can an earlier date be assigned to fig. on account of the irregularity and incompleteness of the lines, which have evidently been carried out no further than to show the pattern.[ ] [illustration: fig. .--portion of sampler. th century.] [illustration: fig. .--portion of sampler of cut and embroidered work. th century. _the late mrs head._] the forms which the lettering takes will probably be found to be one of the best guides to the age of the early samplers, and on this ground fig. , with its peculiar g and its reversed p for a q, may be earlier than , although the stags and the pear-shaped ornament beneath them are closely allied to those in plate iii., dated . [illustration: fig. .--samplers in the victoria and albert museum. dated , , and .] [illustration: plate iv.--sampler by elizabeth calthorpe. dated . _mrs charles longman._ this small sampler (it measures only × ) is a remarkable testimony to the goodness of the materials used by our ancestors, and the care that has been taken in certain instances to preserve these early documents of family history. for it is over two hundred and sixty years since elizabeth calthorpe's very deft fingers produced what even now appears to be a very skilled performance, and every thread of silk and of the canvas groundwork is as fresh as the day that it emerged from the dyer's hands. the design is one of the unusual pictorial and ornamental combinations, the pictorial representing the sacrifice of isaac in two scenes.] texts and mottoes also furnish a clue to age, for they extend backwards beyond on but one known sampler, namely that of martha salter in the victoria and albert museum, dated , which has the maxim, "the feare of god is an excellent gift," although on such articles as purses and the like they are to be found much earlier, and the "sonnet to queen elizabeth," to which we have referred, shows that they were in vogue in . age may also be approximated by the ornament and by the material of which the sampler is made, which differs as time goes on. the following table has been formed from many specimens that have come under my inspection; it shows the earliest date at which various forms of ornament appear on dated samplers so far as i have been able to trace them. adam and eve, figure of alphabet border enclosing sampler border of flowing naturalistic flowers boxers (and until ) crown eyelet form of lettering (? anne gover's, _circ._ ) _fleur-de-lys_ (see, however, plate iii.) flower in vase heart house inscription motto or text mustard-coloured canvas name of maker (? anne gover's, _circ._ ) numerals rows of ornament (latest ) stag (but only common between and ) the spies to canaan verse (? lora standish, _circ._ ) lettering on samplers it is from this, rather than from any other feature, that we trace the evolution of the sampler. originally a pattern sheet of devices and ornaments, there were added to it in time alphabets and numerals of various kinds, which the increased luxury of the house called for as aids to the marking of the linen and clothes. later on the monotony of alphabets and numerals was varied by the addition of the maker's name, the year, an old saw or two, and ultimately flights into moral or religious verse. alphabets and numerals although a sampler without either alphabets or numerals would seem to be lacking in the very essence of its being, it is almost certain that the earliest forms did not contain either, but (like that in plate ii.) were merely sheets of decorative designs. for the need of pattern-books of designs would as certainly precede that of copy-books of alphabets and numerals, as the pleasure of embroidering designs upon garments preceded that of marking their ownership by names, and their quantity by figures. a sampler would seldom, if ever, be used as a text-book for children to learn letters or figures from, except with the needle, and the need for lettering and figuring upon them would, therefore, as we have said, only arise when garments or napery became sufficiently common and numerous to need marking. this period had clearly been reached when our earliest dated samplers were made, for, out of dated specimens of the seventeenth century that i have examined, two-thirds carry the alphabet upon them, and the majority have the numerals. it is rare to find later samplers without them, those of the eighteenth century containing assortments of every variety of lettering, scottish ones especially laying themselves out for elaborately designed and florid alphabets. with the advent of the nineteenth century, however, the sampler began to lose its _raison d'être_, and quite one-half of those then made omit either the alphabet, or numerals, or both. signatures initials, which are followed by signatures, occur upon samplers of the earliest date. it is true that one or two of the undated samplers, which probably are earlier than any of the dated ones, carry neither, but as a rule initials, or names, are found upon all the early specimens. thus the early one in plate ii. has the initials "m. c.," and the two dated in are marked respectively "a. s." and "rebekah fisher," and that of , "s. i. d." in later times unsigned samplers are the exception. inscriptions the earliest inscriptions are practically only signatures, thus: "mary hall is my name and when i was thirteen years of age i ended this in "; or, somewhat amplified: "ann wattel is my name with my needle and thred i ded this sam and if it hath en beter i wold----" (remainder illegible.)[ ] the earliest inscriptions, other than a signature such as the foregoing, that i have met with are lora standish's (fig. ) and miles fletwood's referred to under "american samplers," dated (fig. ), and which has the rhyme, "in prosperity friends will be plenty but in adversity not one in twenty." the next, dated , has a saw which is singularly appropriate to a piece of needlework: "apparell thy self with ivstice and cloth thy self with chastitie so shall thov bee happi and thy works prosper. ann tvrner" (fig. ). it is dated . [illustration: fig. .--long sampler, signed ann turner, . _the late mr a. tuer._] in plate vi., on a sampler of the same year, we have wording which is not infrequently met with in the cycles which follow, as, for instance, in mrs longman's sampler, dated , and in one of . it runs thus:-- "look well to that thoo takest in hand its better worth then house or land. when land is gone and money is spent then learning is most excelent let vertue be thy guide and it will keep the out of pride elizabeth creasey her work done in the year ." dated in - are the set of samplers recording national events, to which reference will be made elsewhere. in the last-named year ( ) a sampler bears the verse: "love thou thee lord and he will be a tender father unto thee." and one of , "be not wise in thy own eyes."--_sarah chamberlain._ [illustration: plate v.--portion of sampler by mary hall. dated . this plate only shows the upper half of a remarkably preserved sampler. like its fellow (_plate vi._) it is distinguished by its admirable decorative qualities of colour and design. the lower portion, not reproduced, consists of three rows of designs in white thread, and four rows of drawn work. the inscription, which is in the centre, and is reproduced in part, runs thus: "mary hall is my name and when i was thirteen years of age i ended this in ." size, x - / .] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by eliz. baker. dated .] a preference for saws rather than rhymes continues until the eighteenth century is well advanced. the following are instances:-- "if you know christ you need know little more if not alls lost that you have larnt before."--_elisabeth bayles_, . "the life of truth buteafieth youth and maketh it lovely to behold blessed are they that maketh it there staey and pryes it more than gold it shall be to them a ryoul diadem transending all earthly joy."--_elisabeth chester_, . "keep a strict guard over thy tongue, thine ear and thine eye, lest they betray thee to talk things vain and unlawful. be sparing of thy words, and talk not impertinently or in passion. keep the parts of thy body in a just decorum, and avoid immoderate laughter and levity of behaviour."--_sarah grimes_, . "favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the lord she shall be praised."--_mary gardner, aged _, . another undated one of the period is:-- "awake, arise behold thou hast thy life alife thy breath ablast at night ly down prepare to have thy sleep thy death thy bed thy grave." one with leisure might search out the authors of the doggerel religious and moral verses which adorned samplers. the majority are probably due to the advent of methodism, for we only find them occurring in any numbers in the years which followed that event. it may be noted that "divine and moral songs for children," by isaac watts, was first published in , that wesley's hymns appeared in , and dr doddridge's in . we may here draw attention to the eighteenth-century fashion of setting out the lord's prayer and the ten commandments (fig. ), and other lengthy manuscripts from the old testament in tablets similar to those painted and hung in the churches of the time. the tablets in the samplers are flanked on either side by full length figures of christ and moses, or supported by the chubby winged cherubs of the period which are the common adornments of the georgian gravestones. in the exhibition at the fine art society's were specimens dated , , , , and , the belief taking, in three instances, the place of the commandments. on occasions the pupil showed her proficiency in modern languages as well as with the needle, by setting out the lord's prayer in french, or even in hebrew. contemporaneously with such lengthy tasks in lettering as the tables of the law, came other feats of compassing within the confines of a sampler whole chapters of the bible, such as the th chapter of ezekiel, worked by margaret knowles in ; the th psalm (a favourite one), by elizabeth greensmith in , and of later dates the three by members of the brontë family. the last-named samplers (figs. , , and ) by three sisters of the brontë family which, through the kindness of their owner, mr clement shorter, i am able to include here, have, it will be seen, little except a personal interest attaching to them. in comparison with those which accompany them they show a strange lack of ornament, and a monotony of colour (they are worked in black silk on rough canvas) which deprive them of all attractiveness in themselves. but when it is remembered who made them, and their surroundings, these appear singularly befitting and characteristic. for, as the dates upon them show, they were produced in the interval which was passed by the sisters at home between leaving one ill-fated school, which caused the deaths of two sisters, and their passing to another. it was a mournful, straitened home in which they lived, one in which it needed the ardent protestantism that is breathed in the texts broidered on the samplers to uphold them from a despair that can almost be read between the lines. it was also, for one at least of them, a time of ceaseless activity of mind and body, and we can well understand that the child charlotte, who penned, between the april in which her sampler was completed and the following august, the manuscript of twenty-two volumes, each sixty closely written pages, of a catalogue, did not take long to work the sampler which bears her name. the ages of the three girls when they completed these samplers were: charlotte, ; emily jane, ; and anne, . [illustration: fig. .--sampler by charlotte brontË. dated . _mr clement shorter._] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by emily jane brontË. dated . _mr clement shorter._] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by anne brontË. dated . _mr clement shorter._] but the lengthiest task of all was set to six poor little mortals in the orphans' school, near calcutta, in bengal, east indies. these wrought six samplers "by the direction of mistress parker," dividing between them the longest chapter in the bible, namely, the th psalm. it was evidently a race against time, for on each is recorded the date of its commencement and finish, being accomplished by them between the th of february and the rd of june . at the top of each is a view of a different portion of the school; one of these is reproduced in fig. . returning to the chronological aspect of sampler inscriptions. as the eighteenth century advances we find verses coming more and more into fashion, although at first they are hardly distinguishable from prose, as, for instance, in the following of :-- "you ask me why i love, go ask the glorius son, why it throw the world doth run, ask time and fat [fate?] the reason why it flow, ask dammask rosees why so full they blow, and all things elce suckets fesh which forceeth me to love. by this you see what car my parents toock of me. elizabeth matrom is my name, and with my nedell i rought the same, and if my judgment had beene better, i would have mended every letter. and she that is wise, her time will pris (e), she that will eat her breakfast in her bed, and spend all the morning in dressing of her head, and sat at deaner like a maiden bride, god in his mercy may do much to save her, but what a cas is he in that must have her. elizabeth matrom. the sun sets, the shadows fleys, the good consume, and the man he deis." more than one proposal has been made, in all seriousness, during the compilation of this volume, that it would add enormously to its interest and value if every inscription that could be found upon samplers were herein set out at length. it is needless to say that it has been altogether impossible to entertain such a task. it is true that the feature of samplers which, perhaps, interests and amuses persons most is the quaint and incongruous legends that so many of them bear, but i shall, i believe, have quite sufficiently illustrated this aspect of the subject if i divide it into various groups, and give a few appropriate examples of each. these may be classified under various headings. verses commemorating religious festivals these are, perhaps, more frequent than any others. especially is this the case with those referring to easter, which is again and again the subject of one or other of the following verses:-- "the holy feast of easter was injoined to bring christ's resurrection to our mind, rise then from sin as he did from the grave, that by his merits he your souls may save. "white robes were worn in ancient times they say, and gave denomination to this day but inward purity is required most to make fit temples for the holy ghost." _mary wilmot_, . or the following:-- "see how the lilies flourish wite and faire, see how the ravens fed from heaven are; never distrust thy god for cloth and bread while lilies flourish and the raven's fed." _mary heaviside_, . or the variation set out on fig. . [illustration: plate vi.--portion of sampler by elizabeth creasey. dated . _the late mr a. tuer._ this sampler, of which only the upper half is reproduced, is remarkable not only for the decorative qualities of its design but for its perfect state of preservation. it consists, besides the four rows which are seen, of one other in which the drawn work is subservient in quantity to the embroidery, and of seven rows in which the reverse is the case. the inscription, which is set out below, alternates in rows with those of the design. the butter colour of the linen ground is well reproduced in the plate. the original measures × . inscription. "look well to that thou takest in hand its better worth then house or land when land is gone and money is spent then learn ing is most excelent let vertue be thy guide and it will kee p the out of pride elizabeth creasey her work done in the year ."] as also in that by kitty harison, in our illustration, fig. . [illustration: fig. .--easter sampler by kitty harison. dated .] the christmas verse is usually:-- "glory to god in the highest"; but an unusual one is that in margaret fiddes's sampler, :-- "the night soon past, it ran so fast. the day came on amain. our sorrows ceast our hopes encreast once more to meet again a star appears expells all fears angels give kings to know a babe was sent with that intent to conquer death below." ascension day is marked by:-- "the heavens do now retain our lord until he come again, and for the safety of our souls he there doth still remain. and quickly shall our king appear and take us by the hand and lead us fully to enjoy the promised holy land." _sarah smith_, . whilst passion week is recognisable in:-- "behold the patient lamb, before his shearer stands," etc. the crucifixion itself, although it is portrayed frequently in german samplers (examples in the fine art society's exhibition were dated , , and ), is seldom, if ever, found in english ones, but for good friday we have the lines:-- "alas and did my saviour bleed for such a worm as i?" verses taking the form of prayers, dedications, etc. amongst all the verses that adorn samplers there were none which apparently commended themselves so much as those that dedicated the work to christ. the lines usually employed are so familiar as hardly to need setting out, but they have frequent varieties. the most usual is:-- "jesus permit thy gracious name to stand as the first effort of young phoebe's hand and while her fingers on this canvas move engage her tender heart to seek thy love with thy dear children let her share a part and write thy name thyself upon her heart." _harriot phoebe burch, aged years_, . a variation of this appears in the much earlier piece of lora standish (fig. ). another, less common, but which again links the sampler with a religious aspiration, runs:-- "better by far for me than all the simpsters art that god's commandments be embroider'd on my heart." _mary cole_, . verses to be used upon rising in the morning or at bedtime are not unfrequent; the following is the modest prayer of jane grace marks ( ). "if i am right, oh teach my heart still in the right to stay, if i am wrong, thy grace impart to find that better way." but one in my possession loses, by its ludicrousness, all the impressiveness which was intended:-- "oh may thy powerful word inspire a breathing worm to rush into thy kingdom lord to take it as by storm. oh may we all improve thy grace already given to seize the crown of love and scale the mount of heaven." _sarah beckett_, . lastly, a prayer for the teacher:-- "oh smile on those whose liberal care provides for our instruction here; and let our conduct ever prove we're grateful for their generous love." _emma day_, . verses referring to life and death the fact that "religion never was designed to make our pleasures less" appears seldom or never to have entered into the minds of those who set the verses for young sampler workers. from the earliest days when they plied their needle their thoughts were directed to the shortness of life and the length of eternity, and many a healthy and sweet disposition must have run much chance of being soured by the morbid view which it was forced to take of the pleasures of life. for instance, a child of seven had the task of broidering the following lines:-- "and now my soul another year of thy short life is past i cannot long continue here and this may be my last." and one, no older, is made to declare that:-- "thus sinners trifle, young and old, until their dying day, then would they give a world of gold to have an hour to pray." or:-- "our father ate forbidden fruit, and from his glory fell; and we his children thus were brought to death, and near to hell." or again:-- "there's not a sin that we commit nor wicked word we say but in thy dreadful book is writ against the judgment day." a child was not even allowed to wish for length of days. poor little elizabeth raymond, who finished her sampler in , in her eighth year, had to ask:-- "lord give me wisdom to direct my ways i beg not riches nor yet length of days my life is a flower, the time it hath to last is mixed with frost and shook with every blast." a similar idea runs through the following:-- "gay dainty flowers go simply to decay, poor wretched life's short portion flies away; we eat, we drink, we sleep, but lo anon old age steals on us never thought upon." not less lugubrious is esther tabor's sampler, who, in , amidst charming surroundings of pots of roses and carnations, intersperses the lines:-- "our days, alas, our mortal days are short and wretched too evil and few the patriarch says and well the patriarch knew." a very common verse, breathing the same strain, is:-- "fragrant the rose, but it fades in time the violet sweet, but quickly past the prime white lilies hang their head and soon decay and whiter snow in minutes melts away such and so with'ring are our early joys which time or sickness speedily destroys." and the melancholy which pervades the verse on the sampler of elizabeth stockwell (fig. ) is hardly atoned for by the brilliant hues in which the house is portrayed. [illustration: plate vii.--sampler by hannah dawe. th century. _formerly in the author's collection._ this is a much smaller specimen than we are wont to find in "long" samplers, for it measures only × - / . it differs also from its fellows in that the petals of the roses in the second and third of the important bands are in relief and superimposed. the rest of the decoration, on the other hand, partakes much more of an outline character than is usual. as a specimen of a seventeenth-century sampler it leaves little to be desired. it is signed hannah dawe.] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by elizabeth stockwell. . _the late mr a. tuer._] the gruesomeness of the grave is forcibly brought to notice in a sampler dated :-- "when this you see, remember me, and keep me in your mind; and be not like the weathercock that turn att every wind. when i am dead, and laid in grave, and all my bones are rotten, by this may i remembered be when i should be forgotten." ann french put the same sentiment more tersely in the lines:-- "this handy work my friends may have when i am dead and laid in grav." . it is a relief to turn to the quainter and more genuine style of marg't burnell's verse taken from quarles's "emblems," and dated :-- "our life is nothing but a winters day, some only breake their fast, & so away, others stay dinner, & depart full fed, the deeper age but sups and goes to bed. hee's most in debt, that lingers out the day, who dyes betimes, has lesse and lesse to pay." this verse has crossed the atlantic, and figures on american samplers. but the height of despair was not reached until the early years of the nineteenth century, when "odes to passing bells," and such like, brought death and the grave into constant view before the young and hardened sinner thus:-- ode to a passing bell "hark my gay friend that solemn toll speaks the departure of a soul 'tis gone, that's all we know not where, or how the embody'd soul may fare only this frail & fleeting breath preserves me from the jaws of death soon as it fails at once i'm gone and plung'd into a world not known." _ann gould seller, hawkchurch_, . samplers oftentimes fulfilled the rôle of funeral cards, as, for instance, this worked in black:-- "in memory of my beloved father john twaites who died april . life how short--eternity how long. also of james twaites my grandfather who died dec. , . how loved, how valu'd once, avails thee not to whom related, or by whom begot, a heap of dust alone remains of thee, 'tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be." curiously enough, whilst compiling this chapter the writer came across an artillery non-commissioned officer in the okehampton camp who, in the intervals of attending to the telephone, worked upon an elaborate berlin woolwork sampler, ornamented with urns, and dedicated "to the memory of my dear father," etc. duties to parents and preceptors that the young person who wrought the sampler had very much choice in the selection of the saws and rhymes which inculcate obedience to parents and teachers is hardly probable, and it is not difficult to picture the households or schools where such doctrines as the following were set out for infant hands to copy:-- "all youth set right at first, with ease go on, and each new task is with new pleasure done, but if neglected till they grow in years and each fond mother her dear darling spares, error becomes habitual and you'll find 'tis then hard labour to reform the mind." the foregoing is taken from the otherwise delightful sampler worked by a child with the euphonious name of ann maria wiggins, in her seventh year, that is reproduced in plate xii. preceptors also appear to have thought it well to early impress upon pliable minds the dangers which beset a child inclined to thoughts of love:-- "oh mighty god that knows how inclinations lead keep mine from straying lest my heart should bleed. grant that i honour and succour my parents dear lest i should offend him who can be most severe. i implore ore me you'd have a watchful eye that i may share with you those blessings on high. and if i should by a young youth be tempted, grant i his schemes defy and all he has invented." _elizabeth bock_, . samplers were so seldom worked by grown-up folk that one can hardly believe that the following verse records an actual catastrophe to the peace of mind of eleanor knot:-- on disingenuity "with soothing wiles he won my easy heart he sigh'd and vow'd, but oh he feigned the smart; sure of all friends the blackest we can find are those ingrates who stab our peace of mind." a not uncommon and much more agreeable verse sets forth the duties of man towards woman in so far as matrimony is concerned:-- "adam alone in paradise did grieve and thought eden a desert without eve, until god pitying his lonesome state crown'd all his wishes with a lovely mate. then why should men think mean, or slight her, that could not live in paradise without her." samplers bearing the foregoing verse are usually decorated with a picture of our first parents and the tree of knowledge, supported by a demon and angel. the parent or teacher sometimes spoke through the sampler, as thus, in lucia york's, dated :-- "oh child most dear incline thy ear and hearken to god's voice." or again:-- "return the kindness that you do receive as far as your ability gives leave." _mary lounds._ "humility i'd recommend good nature, too, with ease, be generous, good, and kind to all, you'll never fail to please." _susanna hayes._ samplers expatiating upon virtue or vice, wealth or poverty, happiness or misery amongst these may be noted:-- "happy is he, the only man, who out of choice does all he can who business loves and others better makes by prudent industry and pains he takes. god's blessing here he'll have and man's esteem, and when he dies his works will follow him." of those dealing with wealth or poverty none, perhaps, is more incisive than this:-- "the world's a city full of crooked streets, and death's the market-place where all men meet; if life was merchandise that men could buy the rich would always live, the poor alone would die." an american sampler has the following from burns's "grace before meat":-- "some men have meat who cannot eat and some have none who need it. but we have meat and we can eat, and so the lord be thanked." [illustration: plate viii.--sampler by mary postle. dated . _mrs c. j. longman._ an early specimen of a bordered sampler, dated , the rows being relegated to a small space in the centre, where they are altogether an insignificant feature in comparison with the border. some of the ornament to which we have been accustomed in the rows survives, as for instance the pinks, but a new one is introduced, namely, the strawberry. here are also the noah's ark animals, trees, etc., which henceforward become common objects and soon transform the face of the sampler. the border itself is in evident imitation of the worsted flower work with which curtains, quilts, and other articles were freely adorned in the early eighteenth century.] inscriptions having an interest owing to their quaintness the following dates from , and has as appendix the line, "god prosper the war":-- "the sick man fasts because he cannot eat the poor man fasts because he hath no meat the miser fasts to increase his store the glutton fasts because he can eat no more the hypocrite fasts because he'd be condemned the just man fasts cause he hath offended." an american version of this ends with:-- "praise god from whom all blessings flow we have meat enow." that self-conceit was not always considered a failing, is evident from the following verses:-- "this needlework of mine may tell that when a child i learned well and by my elders i was taught not to spend my time for nought," which is concentrated and intensified in one of frances johnson, worked in :-- "in reading this if any faults you see mend them yourself and find no fault in me." in a much humbler strain is this from an old sampler in mrs longman's collection:-- "when i was young i little thought that wit must be so dearly bought but now experience tells me how if i must thrive, then i must bowe and bend unto another will, that i might learn both arte & skill." owing to the portrayal of an insect, which was not infrequently met with in days gone by, upon the face of the sampler which bears the following lines, it has been suggested that they were presumably written by that creature:-- "dear debby i love you sincerely my heart retains a grateful sense of your past kindness when will the hours of our separation be at an end? preserve in your bosom the remembrance of your affectionate deborah jane berkin." the following, coming about the date when the abolition of the slave trade was imminent, may have reference to it:-- "there's mercy in each ray of light, that mortal eye e'er saw, there's mercy in each breath of air, that mortal lips can draw, there's mercy both for bird, and beast, in god's indulgent plan, there's mercy for each creeping thing--but man has none for man." _elizabeth jane gates aged years_, . riddle samplers, such as that of ann witty, do not often occur:-- "i had both | | and a | | by both i set great store i lent my | money | to my | friend | and took his word therefor i asked my | | of my | | and nought but words i got i lost my | | and my | | for sue him, i would not." here, too, is an "acrostick," the first letters of whose lines spell the name of the young lady who "ended" it "anno dom. ." "a virgin that's industrious merits praise, nature she imitates in various ways, now forms the pink, now gives the rose its blaze. young buds, she folds, in tender leaves of green, omits no shade to beautify her scene, upon the canvas, see, the letters rise, neatly they shine with intermingled dies, glide into words, and strike us with surprize." _e. w._ as illustrations of tales the sampler of sarah young (fig. ) is an unusual example. it deals with sir richard steele's story of the loves of inkle and yarico. inkle, represented as a strapping big sailor, was cast away in the spanish main, where he met and loved yarico, an indian girl, but showed his baseness by selling her for a slave when he reached barbadoes in a vessel which rescued him. the story evidently had a considerable, if fleeting, popularity, for it was dramatised. the design, ornament and colouring of samplers whilst important clues to the age of a sampler may be gathered from its form and legend, its design and colouring are factors from which almost as much may be learnt. design can be more easily learned from considering in detail the illustrations, which have been mainly chosen for their typifying one or other form of it, but certain general features are so usually present that they may be summarised here. no one with any knowledge of design can look through the specimens of samplers selected for this volume without noting, first, that it is, in the earlier specimens, appropriate to the subject, decorative in treatment, and lends itself to a variety of treatment with the needle. secondly, that the decoration is not english in origin, but is usually derived from foreign sources. indeed, if we are to believe an old writer of the jacobean time, the designs were "collected with much praise and industrie, from scorching spaine and freezing muscovie, from fertile france and pleasant italie, from poland, sweden, denmarke, germanie, and some of these rare patternes have been set beyond the boundes of faithlesse mahomet, from spacious china and those kingdomes east and from great mexico, the indies west. thus are these workes farre fetch't and dearly bought, and consequently good for ladyes thought." thirdly, that after maintaining a remarkable uniformity until the end of the seventeenth century, design falls away, and with rare exceptions continuously declines until it reaches a mediocrity to which the term can hardly be applied. [illustration: fig. .--sampler by sarah young. about . _mrs head._] the same features are noticeable in the colouring. the samplers of the caroline period are in the main marked by a softness and delicacy, with a preference for tender and harmonious shades of pinks, greens, and blues, but these quickly pass out of the schemes of colouring until their revival a few years ago through the influence of japan and the perspicuity, of sir lazenby liberty. this delicacy is not, as some suppose, due to time having softened the colours, for examination shows that fading has seldom taken place, in fact one of the most remarkable traits of the earlier samplers is the wonderful condition of their colouring (see mrs longman's sampler of , plate iv., as an example). towards the end of the seventeenth century the adoption of a groundwork of roughish close-textured canvas of a canary hue also militated against this ensemble of the colour scheme, which is now and again too vivid, especially in the reds, a fact which may, in part, be due to their retaining their original tint with a persistency that has not endured with the other dyes. during the early georgian era sampler workers seem to have passed through a stage of affection for deep reds, blues, and greens, with which they worked almost all their lettering. the same colours are met with in the large embroidered curtains of the time; it is probably due to the influence of the tapestries and the chinese embroideries then so much in vogue. in the opening years of the eighteenth century a pride in lettering gave rise to a series of samplers of little interest or artistic value, consisting, as they did, of nothing else than long sentences, not readily readable, and worked in silks in colours of every imaginable hue used indiscriminately, even in a single word, without any thought bestowed on harmony or effect of colouring. later on, towards the middle of the century, more sober schemes of colour set in, consisting in the abandonment of reds and the employment of little else than blues, greens, yellows, and blacks (see plate ix.), which are attractive through their quietness and unity. subsequently but little praise can be bestowed upon samplers so far as their design is concerned. occasionally, as in that of mr ruskin's ancestress (plate x.), a result which is satisfactory, both in colour and design, is arrived at, but this is generally due to individual taste rather than to tuition or example. in this respect samplers only follow in the wake of all the other arts--furniture and silversmiths' work, perhaps, excepted, as regards both of which the taste displayed was also individual rather than national. an evil which cankered later sampler ornamentation was a desire for novelty and variety. the earliest samplers exhibit few signs of attempts at invention in design. a comparison of any number of them shows ideas repeated again and again with the slightest variation. the same floral motives are adapted in almost every instance, and one and all may well have been employed since the days when they arrived from the far east, brought, it may be, by the crusaders. but it is in no derogatory spirit that i call attention to this lack of originality. a craftsman is doing a worthier thing in assimilating designs which have shown their fitness by centuries of use, patterns which are examples of fine decorative ornament that really beautifies the object to which it is applied, than in inventing weak and imperfect originals. no architect is accused of plagiarism if he introduces the pointed arch, and the great designs of the past are free and out of copyright. the greek fret, or the persian rose, is as much the property of anyone as the daisy or the snowdrop, and it was far better to make sound decorative pieces of embroidery on the lines of these than to attempt, as was done later on, feeble originals, which have nothing ornamental or decorative in their composition. the workers of the east, when perfection was arrived at in a design, did not hesitate to reproduce it again and again for centuries. [illustration: plate ix.--sampler by e. philips. dated . _author's collection._ were it not that this sampler was produced by little miss philips at the tender age of seven, there would be a probability that it was unique through its containing a portrait of the producer. for in no other example have we so many evidences pointing to its being a record of actual facts. for instance, there is clearly shown a gentleman pointing to his wife (in a hooped costume), and having round him his five girls of various ages, the youngest in the care of a nurse. in the upper left corner is his son in charge of a tutor, whilst on the right are two maid-servants, one being a woman of colour. this fashion for black servants is further emphasised by the negro boy with the dog. that these should be present in this family is not remarkable, for by the lower illustration it is evident that mr philips was a traveller who had crossed the seas in his ship to where alligators, black swans and other rare birds abounded. the work was executed in , the second year of george the third, whose monogram and crown are supported by two soldiers in the costume of the period. it has been most dexterously carried out by the young lady, and it is conceived in a delicate harmony of greens and blues which was not uncommon at that time. size, × - / . an adaptation of this sampler has been utilised as the drop scene to the play of "peter pan."] but the mistress of a ladies' improving school would hardly like her pupils to copy time after time the same designs--designs which perhaps resembled those of a rival establishment. such a one would be oblivious to the fact that an ornamentalist is born not made, that the best design is traditional, and that pupils would be far more worthily employed in perpetuating ornamentation which had been invented by races intuitively gifted for such a purpose, than in attempting feeble products of her own brain. so, too, results show that she was, as a rule, unaware that good design is better displayed in simplicity than in pretentiousness. as that authority on design, the late lewis day, wrote in his volume on embroidery, "the combination of a good designer and worker in the same person is an ideal very occasionally to be met with, and any attempt to realise it generally fails." samplers show in increasing numbers as the end approaches that their designers were ignorant of most of the elementary rules of ornamentation in needlework, such, for instance, as that the pictorial is not a suitable subject for reproduction, nor the delineation of the human figure, nor that the floral and vegetable kingdom, whilst lending itself better than aught else, should be treated from the decorative, and not the realistic point of view. we will now pass on to consider generally the forms of decoration most usually met with. sampler design: the human figure whilst embroideries in imitation of tapestries deal almost entirely with the portrayal of the human figure, samplers of the same period, and that the best, for the most part avoid it. this is somewhat remarkable, for the design of the renaissance, which was universally practised at the time upon which we are dwelling, was almost entirely given up to weaving it into other forms, and the volumes which treat of embroidery show how frequently it occurs in foreign pieces of needlework. the omission is a curious one, but the reason for it is, apparently, not far to seek. if we examine the earlier pieces we shall see that practically one type of figure only presents itself. save in exceptional pieces, such as mrs longman's early piece (plate iv.), where the figures are clearly copied from one of the small tapestry pieces so in vogue at that date ( ), or mrs millett's piece (fig. ), the figures which appear upon samplers are all cast in one mould, and in no way improve but rather mar the composition. this last-named drawn-work sampler is a specimen altogether apart for beauty of design and workmanship. doubts have been expressed as to its english origin, but portions of the ornament, such as the acorn, and the stuart s in the lowest row, are thoroughly english; besides, as we have seen, design in almost every one of the seventeenth-century samplers is infected with foreign motives. the uppermost panel is supposed to represent abraham, sarah, and the angel. to the left is the tent, with the folds worked in relief, in a stitch so fine as to defy ordinary eyesight. sarah, who holds up a hand in astonishment at the angel's announcement, has her head-dress, collar, and skirt in relief, the latter being sewn with microscopic fleurs-de-lis. the winged angel to the left of abraham has a skirt composed of tiny scallops, which may represent feathers. a rabbit browses in front of the tent. the centre of the second row is occupied by a veiled mermaid, her tail covered with scalloped scale in relief. she holds in either hand a cup and a mask. the lettering in the two flanking panels is "s.i.d. a.i." the decorative motive of the outer panels is peapods in relief, some open and disclosing peas. roses and tulips fill the larger square below, and these are followed by a row (reversed) of tulips and acorns. four other rows complete the sampler, which only measures - / × - / . in order to give it a larger size the lowest row is not reproduced. i have seen another drawn-work sampler which antedates that just described by a year. it is of somewhat coarse texture but is good in design, and bears in a panel at the side initials and the date. the victoria and albert museum has also two somewhat similar drawn-work samplers--one by elizabeth wood, dated , which contains the stuart s's; the other (undated) has the arms of james i. [illustration: fig. .--drawn-work sampler by s. i. d. dated . _mrs c. f. millett._] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by jean porter. - .] a type of figure prevalent in early samplers has puzzled collectors who possess specimens containing it. it wears a close-fitting costume and has arms extended, and has received the name of a "boxer," presumably from its attitude and costume. it and a companion are continuously depicted for nearly a century, finally disappearing about , but maintaining their attitude with less variation than any other form of ornament, the only alteration being in the form of the trophy which they hold in one hand. it is this trophy, if we may use such a term, that negatives the idea of their being combatant figures, and it almost with certainty places them in the category of the greek erotes, the roman amores, or the cupids of the renaissance. it is difficult to give a name to the trophy in most of the samplers, and the worker was clearly often in doubt as to its structure. in some it resembles a small vase with a lid, in others a spray with branches or leaves on either side. in one of it takes the form of a four-petalled flower, and in one of that of an acorn, which is repeated in samplers of , , and , this repetition being probably due to the acorn being a very favourite subject for design under the stuarts. in a sampler of acorns are held in either hand. in one of (fig. ), the object held is a kind of candelabra. the little figures themselves preserve a singular uniformity of costume, which again points to their being the nude erotes, clothed, to suit the times, in a tight-fitting jerkin and drawers. these are always of gayest colours. on occasions (as in a sampler dated ) they don a coat, and have long wigs, bringing them into line with the prevailing fashion. when these figures disappear their place is taken by those of our first parents in the garden of eden, the incongruity of which is well depicted in the sampler illustrated in fig. . this piece of work, which took nearly a year to complete--it was begun on th may , and finished on th april --is unlike any other that i have seen of that period, for it antedates, by nearly half a century, the scenes from real life which afterwards became part and parcel of every sampler. adam and eve became quite common objects on samplers after .[ ] mention need only be made here of the dressed figures which occur in samplers dated during the reign of george the third. they are sometimes quaint (as in plates ix. and xi.), but they hardly come into any scheme of decoration. the squareness of the stitch used in later samplers renders any imitation of painting such as was attempted altogether a failure. [illustration: fig. .--sampler. name illegible. date . _formerly in the author's collection._] sampler design: animals animals in any true decorative sense hardly came into sampler ornament. whilst the tapestry pictures teem with them, so that one wanting in a lion or stag is a rarity, in samplers, probably, the difficulty of obtaining rounded forms with the stitch used in the large grained canvas was a deterrent. the lion only being found on the fletwood sampler of (fig. ) and the stag, which in tapestry pictures usurps the place of the unicorn, appears but rarely on samplers before the middle of the eighteenth century, when it came into fashion, and afterwards occurs with uninterrupted regularity so long as samplers were made. this neglect of animals is hardly to be deplored, for when they do occur they are little else than caricatures (see, for instance, those in plate iii.). birds, which lend themselves to needlework, appear in the later samplers (plate xi. and fig. ), but hardly as part of any decorative scheme. sampler design: flowers with the practically insignificant exceptions which we have just noticed, the ornamentation of the sampler was confined to floral and geometrical motives, and whilst the latter were for the most part used in drawn-work samplers, the former constituted the stock whence the greater part of the decoration employed in the older examples was derived. amongst the floral and vegetable kingdom the selection was a wide one, but a few favourites came in for recognition in almost every sampler, partly because of their decorative qualities, and partly from their being national badges. with few exceptions they were those which were to be met with in english seventeenth-century gardens, and undoubtedly, in some instances, may have been adapted by the makers from living specimens. chief among the flowers was the rose, white and red, single and double, the emblem for centuries previously of two great parties in the state, a badge of the tudor kings, a part of the insignia of the realm, and occupying a foremost place upon its coinage. in sampler ornamentation it is seldom used either in profile or in bud, but generally full face, and more often as a single than as a double flower. as a form of decoration it may have been derived from foreign sources, but it clearly owed its popularity to the national significance that attached to it. the decorative value of the pink or carnation has been recognised from the earliest times, and a piece of persian ornament is hardly complete without it. it is not surprising, therefore, that the old sampler workers utilised it to the full, and in fact it appears oftener than the rose in seventeenth-century specimens. ten of the thirteen exhibits of that century at the fine art society's exhibition in contained it as against seven where the rose was figured. it maintains this position throughout, and the most successful of the borders of bordered samplers are those where it is utilised. specimens will be found in plates iii., iv., and vi. the decorative value of the honeysuckle was hardly appreciated, and it only appeared on samplers of the date of (plate iii.), (plate v.), , , and , in the exhibition, and the undated one reproduced in fig. . [illustration: plate x.--sampler by catherine tweedall. dated . _mrs arthur severn._ the sampler is noteworthy not only on account of its harmonious colour scheme, its symmetry of parts, and the excellence of its needlework, but as having been wrought by a young lady who afterwards became mrs ruskin, and the grandmother of john ruskin. her name, cathrine tweedall, is worked in the lower circle, and is illegible in the otherwise admirable reproduction, owing to its being in a faded shade of the fairest pink. the verse was probably often read by her renowned grandson, and may perchance have spurred his determination to strive in the race in which he won so "high a reward." mrs arthur severn, to whom the sampler belongs, notes that the jean ross whose name also appears upon it was the sister of the great arctic explorer. the date of the sampler is .] sampler workers were very faithful to the strawberry, which, after appearing in almost every one of the seventeenth-century long samplers, was a favourite object for the later borders, and it may be seen almost unaltered in specimens separated in date by a century at least. we give in fig. a very usual version of it. (see also plate xiii.) [illustration: fig. .--sampler by mary anderson. . _lady sherborne._] other fruits and flowers which now and again find a place are the fig, which will be seen in plate iii.; the pineapple, the thistle (fig. ), and the tulip in samplers dated , , , and (plate xiii.). although the oak tree acquired political significance after the flight of charles ii., that fact can in no way account for such prominence being attached to its fruit and its foliage as, for instance, is the case in samplers dated and (plate iii.), where varieties of these are utilised in a most decorative fashion in several of the rows of ornament, or in another of the following years (fig. ). but, curiously enough, after appearing in almost every seventeenth-century sampler, it disappeared entirely at the commencement of the eighteenth century. sampler design: crowns, coronets, etc. the crown seems to have been suddenly seized upon by sampler makers as a form of decoration, and for half a century it was used with a tiresome reiteration. it had, of course, been largely used in tudor decoration, and on the restoration of the monarchy it would be given prominence. but it probably was also in vogue because it lent itself to filling up spaces caused by alphabets not completing a line, and also because it allowed of variation through the coronets used by different ranks of nobility. we have seen in the sampler, fig. , that the coronet of each order was used with a letter beneath, indicating duke, earl, etc. on occasions crowns were also used with some effect as a border. it is possible that the fashion for coronets was derived from foreign samplers, where this form of decoration was frequently used about the end of the seventeenth century, doubtless owing to the abundance of ennobled personages; they may well have come over with many other fancies which followed in the train of the house of hanover. the earliest sampler in the exhibition before referred to which bore a crown was one of ; but the coronet was there placed in conjunction with the initials m. d., and might be that of a titled lady who worked it. after that it appeared in one dated (where it was clearly a royal one connected with "her majesti queen anne"), and in samplers dated , , ( , in which there were at least fifty varieties), and so on almost yearly up to , after which it gradually disappeared, two only out of seventy subsequent samplers containing it. these were dated and . in countries where almost every family bore a rank which warranted the use of a coronet, there would be a reason for their appearance as part of what would have to be embroidered on table linen, etc. [illustration: fig. .--sampler. scottish (?). th century. _formerly in the author's collection._ note.--the bright colouring, coarse canvas, and ornate lettering of this piece suggest a scottish origin. it dates from about , and is one of the earliest of the bordered samplers, the border being at present an altogether insignificant addition. it is also one of the first specimens of decoration with crowns and coronets, the initials underneath standing for king, duke, marquis, earl, viscount, lord, count, and baron.] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by j. h. [jane heath]. a.d. . _mr ashby sterry._] the tiny sampler with crown illustrated in fig. was one of four contributed to the exhibition by mr ashby sterry, each of them representing a generation in his family. it is unfinished, the background only having been completed in the lower half; its crown and thistle denote its scottish origin. [illustration: fig. .--sampler by mary bywater. . _formerly in the author's collection._] [illustration: fig. .--heart-shaped sampler by mary ives. dated . _miss haldane._ note.--this delightful little sampler is reproduced in its full size, and is most delicately adorned with a pink frilled ribbon edging. we do not know which of the three ladies whose names it bears worked it, or to which of them the lines, "be unto me kind and true as i be unto you," were addressed. the date, it will be seen, is , and it shows that at the end of the century there was still an affection for the little flying cupids so usual upon eighteenth-century gravestones. we have remarked upon the absence of the cross in samplers: even here we do not find it, although we have the heart and anchor.] sampler design: hearts this emblem, which one would have imagined to be a much more favourite device with impressionable little ladies than the crown, is more seldom met with. in fact, it only figured on four of the hundreds of samplers which composed the exhibition, and in three of these cases it was in conjunction with a crown. when it is remembered how common the heart used to be as an ornament to be worn, and how it is associated with the crown in foreign religious art, its infrequency is remarkable. the unusually designed small sampler (the reproduction being almost the size of the original), fig. , dated , simply worked in pale blue silk, on a fine khaki-coloured ground, has a device of crowns within a large heart. fig. shows a sampler in the form of a heart, and has, in conjunction with this symbol, anchors. it is dated . the borders to samplers the sampler with a border was the direct and natural outcome of the sampler in "rows." a case, for instance, probably occurred, as in fig. ,[ ] where a piece of decoration had a vacant space at its sides, and resort was at once had to a portion of a row, in this case actually the top one. from this it would follow as a matter of course that the advantage, from a decorative point of view, of an ornamental framework was seen and promptly followed. the earliest border i have seen is that reproduced in fig. , from a sampler dated , but it is certain that many must exist between that date and , the date upon the sampler in fig. just referred to. the border consists of a pattern of trefoils, worked in alternating red and yellow silks, connected by a running stem of a stiff angular character; the device being somewhat akin to the earlier semi-border in fig. . [illustration: fig. .--drawn-work sampler by s. w. a.d. . _mrs c. j. longman._] it is astonishing with what persistency the samplerists followed the designs which they had had handed to them in the "row" samplers, confining their attentions to a few favourites, and repeating them again and again for a hundred and fifty years, and losing, naturally, with each repetition somewhat of the feeling of the original. we give a few examples which show this persistency of certain ideas. [illustration: fig. .--border of mary lounds's sampler. a.d. .] [illustration: fig. .--border of mary heaviside's sampler. a.d. .] [illustration: fig. .--border of elizabeth greensmith's sampler. aged . july ye , .] the border in fig. is dated , and presents but little advance from a decorative point of view. it is the production of mary heaviside, and is upon an easter sampler, which bears, besides the verse to the holy feast of easter, the lord's prayer and the belief. the border may possibly typify the cross and the tree of life. elizabeth greensmith's sampler (fig. ), worked two years later, in , is more pretentious in form, the body of the work being taken up with a spreading tree, beneath which repose a lion and a leopard. the border consists of an ill-composed and ill-drawn design of yellow tulips, blue-bells, and red roses. the stem, which runs through this and almost every subsequent design, is here very feebly arranged; it is, however, only fair to say that the work is that of a girl in her tenth year. [illustration: fig. .--border of margaret knowles's sampler. aged . a.d. .] margaret knowles's sampler (fig. ), made in the next year--a.d. --is the earliest example i know of the use on a border of that universal favourite the pink, which is oftentimes hardly distinguishable from the corn blue-bottle. in the present instance it is, however, flattened almost out of recognition, whilst the design is spoilt by the colossal proportions of the connecting stem. in the second row of the sampler, fig. , it is seen in a much simpler form, and it will also be found in plate vi. [illustration: fig. .--border to sampler by elizabeth turner. a.d. .] [illustration: plate xi.--sampler by ann chapman. dated . _mrs c. j. longman._ incongruity between the ornament and the lettering of a sampler could hardly be carried to a more ludicrous extreme than in ann chapman's, which is here reproduced in colour. the two points of agur's prayer, which fills the panel, are that before he dies vanity shall be removed far from him, and that he shall have neither poverty nor riches. yet as surroundings and supporters to this appeal we have two figures posing as mock shepherd and shepherdess, and decked out in all the vanities of the time. agur's prayer was apparently often selected, for we see it again in the sampler of emily jane brontë (fig. ), but there it has the quietest of ornament to surround it, and it is worked in black silk; whereas in the present case there is no sampler in the collection where the whole sheaf of colours has been more drawn upon.] the remaining illustrations of borders are selected as being those where the design is well carried out, and as showing how the types continue. the first (fig. ), worked by elizabeth turner in , represents a conventional rose in two aspects; the second, by sarah carr (fig. ), in , is founded on the honeysuckle; whilst the third (fig. ) is a delightfully simple one of wild strawberries that is frequently found in samplers from the earliest (in plate ii.) onwards. in that from which this example is taken, worked by susanna hayes in , it is most effective with its pink fruit and green stalks and band. it will be noticed that it even crossed the atlantic, for it reappears in mr pennell's american sampler, plate xiii. [illustration: fig. .--border to sampler by sarah carr. a.d. .] [illustration: fig. .--border to sampler by susanna hayes. a.d. .] how even the border degenerated as the nineteenth century advanced may be seen in the monotonous greek fret used in the three samplers of the brontës (figs. , , ), and in that of mary anderson (fig. ). miscellanea respecting samplers under this heading we group what remains to be said concerning samplers, namely:-- the age and sex of sampler workers in modern times samplers have been almost universally the product of children's hands; but the earliest ones exhibit so much more proficiency that it would seem to have been hardly possible that they could have been worked by those who were not yet in their teens. this supposition is in a way supported by an examination of samplers. of those prior to the year , i have seen but one in which the age of the maker is mentioned. it reads thus, "mary hall is my name and when i was thirteen years of age i ended this in ." on the other hand, the rhyme which we quoted at page , attached to one in mrs longman's possession, which, although undated, is certainly of the seventeenth century, points to it being the work of a grown-up and possibly a married lady. it is not until we reach the year that i have found a sampler (fig. ) which was the product of a child under ten, namely, that bearing the inscription "martha haynes ended her sampler in the th year of her age, ." this is quickly followed by one by "anne michel, the daughter of john and sarah michel ended nov. the being years of age and in the year of her majesti queen anne and in the year of ovr lord ." is the next date upon one worked by mary gardner, aged (page ). [illustration: fig. .--small sampler by martha haynes. dated . _late in the author's collection._] from onwards the majority of samplers are endorsed with the age of the child, and the main interest in the endorsements lies in the remarkable proficiency which many of them exhibit, considering the youth of the worker, and in the tender age at which they were wrought. almost one half of the tiny workers have not reached the space when their years are marked with two figures, and we even have one mite of six producing the piece of needlework reproduced in fig. , and talking of herself as in her prime in the verse set out upon it. [illustration: fig. .--sampler by sarah pelham, aged .] but perhaps the most remarkable achievement is the "goldfinch" sampler illustrated in plate xii., which was worked by ann maria wiggins at the age of seven. it is not unreasonable to suppose that samplers were on occasions worked by children of both sexes. one's own recollection carries back to canvas and berlin wool-work having been one way of passing the tedious hours of a wet day. but specimens where the christian name of a male appears are few and far between, and more often than not they are worked in conjunction with others, which would seem to indicate that they are only there as part and parcel of a list (which is not unusual) of the family. in the sampler illustrated in fig. the boy's name, robert henderson, is in black silk, differing from any of the rest of the lettering, which is perhaps testimony to his having produced it. this sampler shows the perpetuation until of the form in which rows are the predominant feature. a sampler, formerly in the author's collection, was more clearly that of a boy, being signed lindsay duncan, cuper [_sic_], . another scottish one bears the name or names alex. peter isobel dunbar, whilst a third of the same kind is signed "mathew was born on april , , and sewed this in august, ." the size of samplers the ravages of time and the little value attached to them have probably reduced to very small numbers the tiny samplers such as those which are seen in figs. and , and which must have usually been very infantine efforts. those illustrated, however, show the progress made by two sisters, mary and lydia johnson, in two years. presumably lydia was the elder, and worked the sampler which bears her name and the date . this was copied by her sister mary in the following year, but in a manner which showed her to be but a tyro with the needle; nor much advanced in stitchery in the following year, in which she attempted the larger sampler which bears her name. lydia, on the other hand, in the undated sampler, but which was probably made in the year , showed progress in everything except the power of adapting the well-known design of a pink to the small sampler on which she was engaged, as to which she clearly could not manage the joining of the pattern at the corners. the originals of these samplers measure from four to six inches in their largest dimensions. [illustration: fig. .--scottish sampler by robert henderson. dated .] [illustration: fig. .--small samplers by mary johnson. - . _author's collection._] [illustration: fig. .--small samplers by lydia johnson. . _author's collection._] the place of origin of samplers collectors, in discussing samplers among themselves, have wondered whether it would be possible to assign differences in construction and material to their having been produced in localities where the characteristic forms and patterns had not permeated. but those specimens which the author has examined, and which by a superscription gave a clue as to their place of origin, certainly afford insufficient foundation for such assumptions. in the first place, samplers so marked are certainly not sufficiently numerous to warrant any opinion being formed on the subject, and, as to those not so marked, the places where they have been found cannot be taken into account as being their birthplaces, as families to whom they have for long belonged may naturally have removed from quite different parts of the kingdom since the samplers were made. it is surprising how seldom the workers of samplers deemed it necessary to place upon them the name of the district which they inhabited. there are few who followed the example of the girl who describes herself on a sampler dated , thus:-- "ann stanfer is my name and england is my nation blackwall is my dwelling place and christ is my salvation." [illustration: fig. .--scottish sampler by mary bayland. .] the only names of places in england recorded on samplers in the fine art society's exhibition were chipping norton, sudbury, hawkchurch, and tottenham, and certain orphan schools or hospitals, such as cheltenham and ashby. curiously enough, the scottish lassies were more particular in adding their dwelling-place, thus, in the sampler reproduced in fig. , and which is interesting as a survival as late as of a long sampler, mary bayland gives her residence as perth, and others have been noted at cupar, dunbar, and elsewhere in scotland. it might be expected that these scottish ones would differ materially from those made far away in the southern parts of the kingdom, but whilst those in figs. and have a certain resemblance and difference from others in the decoration of their lettering, that in fig. might well have been worked in england, showing that there were no local peculiarities such as we might expect. it will be seen that two of the american samplers figured here have their localities indicated, namely miss damon's school at boston (fig. ) and brooklyn (fig. ). samplers as records of national events [illustration: fig. .--sampler by mary minshull. dated june , .] a largely added interest might have been given to samplers had a fashion arisen of lettering them with some historical occurrence which was then stirring the locality, but unfortunately their makers very rarely rose to so much originality. three rare instances were to be seen in the fine art society's exhibition. these, curiously enough, came together from different parts of the country--one from nottingham, a second from hockwold, norfolk, and the third from the author's collection in london--but they were worked by two persons only, one by mary minshull, and two by martha wright. they are all unusual in their form of decoration (as will be seen by that illustrated in fig. ), and were practically similar in design, colour, and execution, each having a set of single pinks worked in high relief in the centre of the sampler. their presence together was certainly a testimony to the all-embracing character of the exhibition. the inscriptions upon them were as follows:-- ( ) "the prince of orang landed in the west of england on the th of november , and on the th april was crowned king of england, and in the year the french came to invade england, and a fleet of ships sent by king william drove them from the english seas, and took, sunk, and burned twenty-one of their ships."--signed "_martha wright, march th, _." ( ) "there was an earthquake on the th september in the city of london, but no hurt tho it caused most part of england to tremble."--signed "_mary minshull_." [illustration: plate xii.--sampler by ann maria wiggins. th century. _mrs c. j. longman._ this "goldfinch" sampler was one of the most elaborate samplers in the bond street exhibition, and is really a wonderful production for a child of seven years of age. it was probably made early in the nineteenth century.] the third was a combination of the two inscriptions. nothing of a similar character in work of the eighteenth century has come under my notice, but the peace of produced the following lines on a sampler:-- "past is the storm and o'er the azure sky serenely shines the sun with every breeze the waving branches nod their kind assent." on peace "hail england's favor'd monarch: round thy head shall freedom's hand perennial laurels spread. fenc'd by whose sacred leaves the royal brow mock'd the vain lightnings aim'd by gallic foe alike in arts and arms illustrious found proudly britannia sits with laurel crown'd invasion haunts her rescued plains no more and hostile inroads flies her dangerous shore where'er her armies march her ensigns play fame points the course and glory leads the way. * * * * * o britain with the gifts of peace thou'rt blest may thou hereafter have perpetual rest and may the blessing still with you remain nor cruel war disturb our land again. "the definitive treaty of peace was signed march {th} proclaimed in london april the {th} --thanksgiving june the st . _mary ann crouzet dec{br} ._" later samplers gave expression to the universal sympathy elicited by the death of queen charlotte. map samplers needlework maps may very properly be classed under the head of samplers, for they originated in exactly the same way, namely, as specimens of schoolgirl proficiency, which when taken home were very lasting memorials of the excellence of that teaching termed "the use of the globes." maps were only the product of the latter half of the eighteenth century; at least, none that i have seen go back beyond that time, the earliest being dated . their interest for the most part is no more than that of a map of a contemporary date; for instance, the north america reproduced in fig. has nothing whatever in the way of needlework to recommend it, but it shows what any map would, namely, how little was known at that date of the western states or canada. a map of europe in the exhibition, dated , was a marvellous specimen of patient proficiency in lettering, every place of note being wonderfully and minutely sewn in silk. the executant was fanny le gay, of rouen. [illustration: fig. .--map of north america by m.a.k. .] [illustration: fig. .--map of england and wales by ann brown.] a map printed on satin or other material was sometimes worked over, not always as regards all the lettering, but as to the markings of the degrees of latitude and longitude,[ ] and some of the principal names. these have naturally less interest and value as specimens of needlework than those which are entirely hand worked, although for the purposes of geographical reference they were at all events reliable, which is more than can be said for some of the original efforts; as, for instance, that of little ann brown, whose map of england and wales is reproduced (fig. ). starting bravely, her delineation of northumberland takes her well down the canvas, so that by the time she has reached newcastle she has carried it abreast of dumfries in scotland, and cork in ireland! yorkshire is so expansive that it grows downward beyond exeter and lundy island, which last-named places have, however, by some mishap, crept up to the northward of manchester and leeds. it is a puzzle to think where the little lassie lived who could consort london with wainfleet, the river thames with the isle of wight, lichfield with portland, or join france to england. although one would imagine that the dwelling-place of the sempstress would usually be made notable in the map either by large lettering or by more florid colouring, we have not found this to be the case. [illustration: fig. .--map of africa. dated .] the map of africa (fig ), which is surrounded by a delightful border of spangles, and which seems to have been used as a fire-screen, is interesting now that so much more is known of the continent, for many of the descriptions have undergone considerable change, such as the grain coast, tooth coast, and slave coast, which border on the gulf of guinea. the sampler is also noteworthy as having been done at mrs arnold's, which was presumably a school in fetherstone buildings, high holborn, hardly the place where one would expect to find a ladies' seminary nowadays. american samplers tapestry pictures have such a royalist air about them that it is hardly probable that they found favour with the puritan damsels of the stuart reigns, and, consequently, it may be doubted whether the fashion for making them crossed the atlantic to the new world with the pilgrim fathers, or those who followed in their train. samplers, on the other hand, with their moralities and their seriousness, would seem to be quite akin to the old-fashioned homes of the new englanders, and doubtless there must be many specimens hanging in the houses of new england and elsewhere which were produced from designs brought from the old country, but over which a breath of native art has passed which imparts to them a distinctive interest and value. three notable ones, we know, crossed the atlantic with the early settlers. one, that of anne gower (spelled gover on the sampler), first wife of governor endicott (fig. ), is now a cherished possession of the essex institute, salem, massachusetts. as governor endicott's wife arrived at salem in , and died the following year, we have in her sampler the earliest authentic one on record. the inscription of very well-designed and elaborately-worked letters, difficult to distinguish in the photograph, is:-- anne [diamond] gover s t v w x y z j k l m n o p q r a a b c d e f g h [illustration: fig. .--drawn-work sampler by anne gover, first wife of govr. j. endicott.] [illustration: fig. .--sampler of loara standish, daughter of the pilgrim father, miles standish, now in pilgrim hall, plymouth, u.s.a.] [illustration: fig. .--sampler bearing names of miles and abigail fleetwood. dated . _property of mrs frank boxer._] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by abigail ridgway. . _mr a. d. drake's collection._] [illustration: plate xiii.--american sampler by martha c. barton. dated . _mr joseph pennell._ mr joseph pennell's sampler, which finds a place here as a specimen of american work, has little to distinguish it from its fellows that were produced in england in the reign of george iv. the border, it is true, only preserves its uniformity on two of the four sides, but where it does it is designed on an old english pattern, that of the wild strawberry. so, too, we find the ubiquitous stag and coach dogs, noahs, ash trees, birds, and flower baskets.] the sampler itself is a beautiful specimen of drawn work, and the lettering is the same colour as the linen. if, as must probably be the case, it was worked by her as a child, it was made in england, and its date may be the end of the first decade of the seventeenth century. the second, by lora standish, is now in the pilgrim hall, plymouth (fig. ). lora was the daughter of miles standish, the pilgrim father, who went to boston in february , and it bears the inscription:-- "loara standish is my name lord guide my heart that i may do thy will and fill my hands with such convenient skill as will conduce to virtue void of shame and i will give the glory to thy name." [illustration: fig. .--sampler by elizabeth easton. . _mr a. w. drake's collection._] the earliest dated sampler in america of which i have cognisance, and one which may have been worked in that country, is that bearing the names of miles and abigail fletwood (fleetwood?) (fig. ). it is dated , and has been owned by the descendants of mrs henry quincy since , and is now in the possession of mrs frank boxer of cambridge, massachusetts, who has kindly furnished me with particulars concerning it. it bears the following inscription:-- "in prosperity friends will be plenty, but in adversity not one in twenty," which, it is thought, may possibly have reference to the reverses of miles fletwood and his relationship to cromwell. it is somewhat remarkable for a sampler to bear the names of husband and wife for it necessarily presupposes its having been worked after marriage. [illustration: fig. .--sampler by maria e. spalding. . _dr j. w. walker's collection._] [illustration: fig. .--sampler by martha c. hooton. . _mr a. w. drake's collection._] if one may judge from the photographs which collectors in america have sent me, and for which i have to thank dr james w. walker of chicago and mr a. w. drake of new york, and those noted in an article on the subject in the _century magazine_,[ ] specimens between the period just named, that is the middle of the seventeenth century and the end of the eighteenth century, are rare. we have but two such figured, each dated , and, as will be seen by the illustrations (figs. and ), they are entirely british in character. i am glad, however, to add several interesting specimens of later date from the collections of these gentlemen. unfortunately, not having the originals, i can only give them in monochrome. plate xiii., however, represents in colour an american sampler. it belongs to mr pennell, the well-known artist and author, and was worked by an ancestress, martha c. barton, in . from mrs longman's collection i also give (fig. ) one, worked in silk on a curious loose canvas, which was obtained by her in massachusetts, and has the following inscription:-- "persevere. be not weary in well doing. youth in society are like flowers blown in their native bed, 'tis there alone their faculties expand in full bloom shine out, there only reach their proper use. "wrought by lydia j. cotton. aged years. august . . love learning and improve." foreign samplers it has been my endeavour in this volume to confine the survey of samplers and embroideries entirely to the production of the english-speaking race, in part because other authors have drawn almost all their material from foreign sources, and the subject is sufficiently ample and interesting without having recourse to them, and also because the collections containing foreign samplers or embroideries are very few, and although they, perhaps, surpass the efforts of our own countrywomen in the variety of their stitches and the proficiency with which they are executed, they take a less important place where interest of subject is the main recommendation. [illustration: fig.-- . american sampler of the lamborn family. . _mr a. w. drake's collection._] [illustration: fig. .--american sampler by elizabeth m. ford. _dr jas. w. walker's collection._] [illustration: fig. .--american sampler by lydia j. cotton. dated . _mrs c. j. longman._] nevertheless as the acquisition of them may add an interest to those who never fail on their travels to inspect the contents of every curiosity shop they come across, the following description of them which mrs c. j. longman, who possesses a most important collection, has been good enough to furnish, may not be out of place. "my collection of foreign samplers includes specimens from the following countries: germany, holland, belgium, denmark, sweden, france, switzerland, italy, spain, and portugal, but by far the largest number of my foreign samplers come from germany, and, next to english ones, the german seem more easy to obtain than those of any other country. in spain and portugal there are also a fair number in the market. "the dated samplers abroad seem to begin at about the same period as in england, namely, the middle of the seventeenth century. the earliest specimens that i possess from these several countries are as follows: germany, ; switzerland, ; italy, seventeenth century (undated); spain, early eighteenth century (undated); belgium, ; holland, ; denmark, ; france, ; portugal, early nineteenth century (undated). "there are a few marked characteristics which seem to belong to the different countries, which it is interesting to note. "in the german samplers, the initials of the worker and the date are almost always given, enclosed together, in a little garland or frame; but i have never seen the name signed in full. i have only once seen a german sampler with an inscription on it; in that case 'fur uns geoffert' is worked above a representation of the crucifixion. "the seventeenth-century german samplers are rather small, and much squarer in shape than english ones of the same date. with the eighteenth century long, narrow ones came in, a quite common size being in. long, by about in. broad, the usual width of the linen; the selvage is left at the top and bottom. "there is seldom much arrangement in the earlier german samplers. they usually have one alphabet, and various conventional flowers, birds, and other designs scattered over them. "with the long shape of sampler a more methodical arrangement came in. a typical one is as follows: lines of alphabets and numerals across the top, some large subjects in the centre, and designs for borders arranged in lines across the bottom. "the central subjects very often include a representation of the crucifixion and emblems of the passion, namely, the crown of thorns, scourge, ladder, nails, hammer, tweezers, sponge, hour-glass, dice, cock. adam and eve under the tree of knowledge is another favourite subject, and animals such as lions, deer, or parrots frequently occur. one does not often find houses or domestic scenes. one sampler, dated , has a christening depicted on it, which i imagine to be very unusual. "the borders are very various. in them trefoils, grapes, conventional pinks, roses, pears, and lilies and occasionally deer and birds are worked in; but i have never seen the 'boxers' or other figures that one finds in the english borders, and i have only one specimen with acorns. "the earliest german samplers seem to be worked entirely in cross-stitch, beautifully fine, and the same on both sides of the material; the back-stitching so often found on early english ones i have never seen. in the eighteenth century other stitches were sometimes used, and i have one german sampler, dated , which is almost entirely worked in knots. on others some elaborate stitches are shown, which are mostly worked in square patches, and are not made use of for improving the design of the samplers. "the earliest examples of darned samplers that i have seen come from germany, and i think that one may give the germans the credit of inventing them; for, whereas, in england they do not appear much before the end of the eighteenth century, i have a german one dated , and several others from the middle of the same century. the darns on these samplers show every kind of ordinary and damask darning, the material being usually cut away from underneath and the hole entirely filled in. i have never seen german darning worked into designs of flowers, birds and so on, as we see on english darned samplers. "as in all countries, the colours of the earlier german samplers are the best, but they are in no case striking. "dutch samplers seem quite distinct in character from german ones. all those that i have seen are broader than they are long, and they are worked across the material, the selvage coming at the sides, instead of at the top and bottom. they are usually dated, and signed with initials. one of their main characteristics is to have elaborate alphabets worked in two or more colours. the second colour is very often worked round an ordinary letter as a sort of frame or outer edge, and gives it a clumsy, rather grotesque appearance. the dutch samplers might, as a rule, be described as patchy. without any obvious arrangement they have houses, ships, people, animals, etc., scattered over them. the stitch used is mainly cross-stitch; but back-stitch, an open kind of satin-stitch, and bird's-eye-stitch are also often seen. "belgian samplers, as far as i have seen, approach more nearly to the german in style. i have one, however, dated , which is quite distinct in character. it is in. in length, with a large, bold alphabet of letters over in. long worked on it, such as might be used for marking blankets. "i have only three specimens of danish samplers, but they are all remarkable for the great variety of stitches introduced. i have a danish sampler, and also a swedish one of about worked on fine white muslin, both giving patterns of stitches for the 'töndu' muslin drawn work. these patterns imitate both needlepoint and pillow laces, threads are drawn out one way of the material, the remaining ones being drawn together with a great variety of stitches, so as to follow the intricacies of lace patterns. this work was much used for adorning elbow ruffles, fichues, etc., and it is very like some indian muslin work, though the stitches are slightly different. "french samplers, as far as i have seen, are also remarkable for the fineness of the stitches. they are usually dated and signed in full, and often have inscriptions worked on them. one large french map of europe in my collection has names worked on it in fine cross-stitch, many of them being worked on a single thread of material, which is a fine muslin. "swiss samplers show fine work, but a great lack of effect. one dated has several borders on it, worked in the back-stitch so much used in england at that date. "from italy i have no important coloured samplers, but several point-coupé ones. they are undated but belong to the seventeenth century. these samplers show a beauty of design which is rather in contrast to that of english ones of the same kind and date, there being a grace and meaning about the italian patterns that one seldom finds in english specimens of drawn work, fine as these are. a typical coloured italian sampler of about is as follows: the sampler is nearly square, and is divided into three parts. in the upper division a latin cross is worked at the side, and the rest of the space is filled with two alphabets, numerals, and the name of the worker, but no date. in the second division a cross is worked, and fourteen emblems of the passion. in the third division are various trees, figures, animals, etc., some local colour being given by an orange and a lemon tree in pots. "spain is well represented in my collection. for beauty of colouring and designs i think that it stands far ahead of any other country. spanish samplers are generally large; they are sometimes square, sometimes long in shape. they are as a rule entirely covered with border patterns, which in the square shape are worked along the four sides parallel to the edge; and which in the long shape runs in lines across the sampler, with a break in the middle, where the border changes to another pattern, thus giving the impression that the sampler is joined up the centre. the patterns of the borders vary a great deal; i have counted thirty different ones on one sampler. they are mostly geometric, and not based on any natural objects, but the designs are so skilfully handled and elaborately worked out as to take away any appearance of stiffness; and in them the prim acorn, bird, or trefoil of the english and german border patterns are never seen. i have one spanish sampler, dated , of a quite different type to all my others. it is divided into three panels. the top panel is filled with floral designs, the centre with a gorgeous coat of arms, and the lower panel contains a representation of st george and the dragon. "the colours used in spanish samplers are very striking, and their blending in the different borders is very happy and effective. most of the early specimens are worked almost entirely in satin-stitch, although cross-stitch and back-stitch are also sometimes introduced. the samplers are usually hem-stitched round the edge, and occasionally contain some drawn work. i have one early specimen in which the drawn part is worked over in coloured silks. "the spanish samplers that i have seen seldom have the alphabet worked on them, and are rarely dated. on the other hand, they often have the name of the worker signed in full. "portugal is only represented in my collection by samplers worked in the nineteenth century; it is therefore hardly fair to compare these specimens with the earlier ones of other countries, for everywhere samplers began to deteriorate in that century. the portuguese samplers that i possess are eminently commonplace and can well be described as 'early victorian.' "it must be remembered that my remarks on foreign samplers are based on specimens belonging to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. with few exceptions i have not tried to collect modern ones, which approximate much more to each other in the different countries. "looking back over this brief survey, and comparing foreign samplers with english, one or two differences at once stand out. the foreign samplers are seldom worked in a pictorial form. they hardly ever, except in france, have verses or texts worked on them. the age of the worker is never given. this is much to be regretted, as in these three things lies much of the personal interest of the english sampler. "on the other hand, from a practical point of view, if one goes to one's samplers as to pattern-books for good stitches, designs and effects of colour, england no longer takes the first place, and one would turn for these to the samplers of germany, scandinavia, spain, and italy." indian samplers many of the anglo-indian mothers who reared and brought up families in the east indies in the days when the young ones had to pass all their youth in that country, regardless of climatic stress, must have trained their girls in the cult of sampler-making, and the same schooling went on in the seminaries at calcutta and elsewhere, as we have seen in the specimen illustrated in fig. . i am able to give another illustration (fig. ), which is not otherwise remarkable except for the fact that it was worked by a child at kirkee, and shows how insensibly the european ornament becomes orientalised as it passes under eastern influence. it is the only sampler in which there is any use made of plain spaces, and even here it is probably only accidental. [illustration: fig. .--sampler by helen price. made at kirkee, east indies. dated --. _late in the author's collection._] sampler literature although, undoubtedly, much of the ornament upon samplers consists of designs that have been handed down from generation to generation by means of the articles themselves, pattern-books have not been altogether lacking even from early days. they have not, however, rivalled either in quantity or quality those which treat of the sister art of lace-making, for, so far as is known, early english treatises on the subject are limited to some half a dozen, and these occupy themselves as much with lacework as with embroidery. the first english book that is known is in reality a foreign one; it is entitled, "new and singular patternes and workes of linnen serving for patternes to make all sorts of lace edginges and cut workes. newly invented for the profite and contentment of ladies, gentilwomen and others that are desireous of this art. by vincentio. printed by john wolfe ." we have not been able to find a copy, and therefore can do no more than chronicle its existence. a volume upon which needleworkers of the seventeenth century must have relied much more largely for their ideas was published in its early years under the title of "the needle's excellency. a new booke wherein are divers admirable workes wrought with the needle. newly invented and cut in copper for the pleasure and profit of the industrious. printed for james boler, and are to be sold at the syne of the marigold in paules churchyard." this treatise went to twelve editions at least, but, nevertheless, is very rare. the twelfth, "enlarged with divers newe workes, needleworkes, purles, and others never before printed. ," is to be found in the british museum library, but even that copy has suffered considerably from usage, for many plates are missing, and few are in consecutive order. the title-page consists of an elaborate copper plate, in which are to be seen wisdom, industrie, and follie; industrie, seated in the middle under a tree with a formal garden behind her, is showing follie, who is decked out in gorgeous elizabethan costume, her work, and follie is lifting her hands in astonishment at it. following the title-page comes a lengthy poem by taylor, the water poet, upon the subject of needlework. so far as one can judge from the samplers of the period, the designs for needlework in the book, which consist of formal borders, have been very seldom copied, but some for drawn work undoubtedly have a close resemblance to those which we see in existing pieces. another book, which i have been unable to find in the museum, is described as "patternes of cut workes newly invented and never published before: also sundry sorts of spots, as flowers, birdes, and fishes, etc., which will fitly serve to be wrought, some with gould, some with silke, and some with creuell in coullers; or otherwise, at your pleasure." from "the needle's excellency" we have many clues as to needlework in the early seventeenth century. first of all, as to the articles for which samplers would be required, the following are mentioned: "handkerchiefs, table cloathes for parloures or for halls, sheetes, towels, napkins, pillow beares." then as to the objects which were delineated on embroideries, it states that:-- "in clothes of arras i have often seene men's figured counterfeits so like have beene that if the parties selfe had been in place yet art would vie with nature for the grace." again, "flowers, plants and fishes, beasts, birds, flyes and bees, hills, dales, plains, pastures, skies, seas, rivers, trees, there's nothing ne'er at hand or farthest sought but with the needle may be shap'd and wrought." it would seem from the foregoing that the volumes would be of more profit to the worker of embroidered pictures than to sampler-makers, and this was no doubt the case; for when the former went out of fashion, the books dealing with the subject disappeared too, and nothing further of any note was published, except in the beginning of the last century, when the national schools were furnished with manuals which dealt more with plain sewing than with decorative needlework. the last of the samplers i can hardly close my remarks upon the entertaining subject, the elucidation of and material for which has filled many spare hours, without a word of regret at having to pen the elegy of the sampler. it may be said that even so long ago as the era of the _spectator_ there were those who sounded its death knell, and who considered that the days when a lady crowded a thousand graces on to the surface of a garter were gone for ever. for did it not go to the heart of one of mr spectator's correspondents to see a couple of idle flirts sipping their tea for a whole afternoon, in a room hung round with the industry of their great-grandmothers, and did he not implore that potentate to take the laudable mystery of embroidery into his serious consideration? but even then there were matrons who upheld the craft, and of whom an epitaph could be written that "she wrought the whole bible in tapestry, and died in a good old age after having covered three hundred yards of wall in the mansion house." besides, the samplers themselves show that the industry, if not the art, continued all through that century and for at least half of the nineteenth. the decadence of the sampler has never been more tenderly or pathetically dealt with than in the description given of the dame's school in the sketch entitled "lucy," in miss mitford's "our village."[ ] ... there are seven girls now in the school working samplers to be framed. "such a waste of silk, and time, and trouble!" i said to mrs smith, and mrs smith said to me. then she recounted the whole battle of the samplers, and her defeat; and then she sent for one which, in spite of her declaration that her girls never finished anything, was quite completed (probably with a good deal of her assistance), and of which, notwithstanding her rational objection to its uselessness, lucy was not a little proud. she held it up with great delight, pointed out all the beauties, selected her own favourite parts, especially a certain square rosebud, and the landscape at the bottom; and finally pinned it against the wall, to show the effect that it would have when framed. really, that sampler was a superb thing in its way. first came a plain pink border; then a green border, zig-zag; then a crimson, wavy; then a brown, of a different and more complicated zig-zag; then the alphabet, great and small, in every colour of the rainbow, followed by a row of figures, flanked on one side by a flower, name unknown, tulip, poppy, lily--something orange or scarlet, or orange-scarlet; on the other by the famous rosebud, then divers sentences, religious and moral;--lucy was quite provoked with me for not being able to read them; i daresay she thought in her heart that i was as stupid as any of her scholars; but never was ms. so illegible, not even my own, as the print-work of that sampler;--then last and finest, the landscape, in all its glory. it occupied the whole narrow line at the bottom, and was composed with great regularity. in the centre was a house of a bright scarlet, with yellow windows, a green door, and a blue roof: on one side, a man with a dog; on the other, a woman with a cat--this is lucy's information; i should never have guessed that there was any difference, except in colour, between the man and the woman, the dog and the cat; they were in form, height, and size, alike to a thread, the man grey, the woman pink, his attendant white, and hers black. next to these figures, on either side, rose two fir-trees from two red flower-pots, nice little round bushes of a bright green or intermixed with brown stitches, which lucy explained, not to me--"don't you see the fir-cones, sir? don't you remember how fond she used to be of picking them up in her little basket at the dear old place? poor thing, i thought of her all the time that i was working them! don't you like the fir-cones?"--after this, i looked at the landscape almost as lovingly as lucy herself. [illustration: fig. .--beadwork sampler by jane mills. th century. _late in the author's collection._ note.--the only modern sampler in the fine art society's exhibition in which beadwork was employed. this is the more remarkable as it apparently dates from about the period when beadwork was so much in fashion for purses, etc. as we shall see in our illustrations of pictures in imitation of tapestry (plate xxi.), beadwork was very common in the seventeenth century, but we have not seen a single specimen of this material dated in the eighteenth century, unless it be this one, which we place at the end of the eighteenth or the beginning of the nineteenth century.] it has been prophesied that:-- "untill the world be quite dissolv'd and past so long at least the needles use shall last." i trow not, if for "use" the word "art" may be substituted. it is true that recent international exhibitions have included some marvellous specimens of adroitness in needlework, such, for instance, as the wonders from japan; but these _tours de force_, and even the skilled productions from english schools, as, for instance, "the royal school of art needlework," and which endeavour fitfully to stir up the dying embers of what was once so congenial an employment to womankind, are no indications of any possibility of needlework regaining its hold on either the classes or the masses. samplers can never again be a necessity whereby to teach the young idea, and every year that passes will relegate them more and more into the category of interesting examples of a bygone and forgotten industry. [illustration: fig. .--sampler by elizabeth clarkson. . _author's collection._] one sampler dated within the last half century finds a place in this book, but it is indeed a degraded object, and is included here to show to what the fashion had come in the victorian era, an era notable for huge sums being expended on art schools, and over a million children receiving art instruction at the nation's expense. the sampler is dated , and was the work of a lady of seventeen years of age. the groundwork is a common handkerchief, the young needlewoman evidently considering that its puce-coloured printed border was a better design than any she could invent. it was produced at a school, for there are broidered upon it the names of thirty-five other girls, besides seven bearing her own patronymic. as will be seen by the reproduction (fig. ), it is adorned with no less than nine alphabets, not one of which contains an artistic form of lettering. as to the ornament, the cross and anchor hustle the pawnbroker's golden balls, and formless leaves surround the single word "love," all that the maker's invention could supply of sentimentality. this is apparently the best that the deft fingers of art-taught girlhood could then produce. the flash in the pan that, round about the date of its creation, was leading to the production of the "chairback" in crewels, collapsed before machine-made imitations, and well it might when even a knowledge of how to stitch an initial is unnecessary, as we can obtain by return of post from coventry, at the price of a shilling or so a hundred, a roll of our names in red, machine-worked, lettering. truly it seems as if any use for needlework in the future will be relegated to an occasional spasmodic effort, such as when war confronts us and our soldiers are supposed to be in need of a hundred thousand nightcaps or mufflers. the decay of needlework amongst the children of the middle classes may perhaps be counterbalanced by other useful employments, but undoubtedly with those of a lower stratum of society the lack of it has simply resulted in their filling the blank with the perusal of a cheap literature, productive of nothing that is beneficial either to mind or body. [illustration: plate xiv.--embroidered picture: christ in the temple, stoning of martyrs, etc. about . _formerly in the author's collection._ one of the quaintest of the embroidery pictures. differing as it does from the majority of its fellows in the costume of its figures, and valuable as it is as a record of the dress of the first years of the seventeenth century, the piquancy and variety of the subjects depicted combine with these to give it an unusual interest. as regards the dress, it denotes a period towards the close of the reign of james i. the ruff is still worn by the doctors, but the boots of the gentleman who walks with a lady are very close to the fashion of charles i. the subjects combine religious and mundane. the former comprise christ in the temple instructing the doctors, susannah and the elders, and a remarkable scene of martyrs at the stake, one of the latter being in the uncomfortable position of having a stone protruding from his forehead. the latter show the squire and his lady beside their residence, young ladies out for an airing, and others about to enter a pergola. its maker has not only been happy through the vitality imparted to the human puppets, but has succeeded equally well with animal life; witness the rabbit and squirrel beneath the apple tree and the greyhound and hare in the lower corner. the water in which susannah laves her legs is worked in imitation of ripples, and looks fresher than the rest owing to the recent removal of the talc with which it was covered. the clouds in the upper part of the moss, etc., in the lower portion come dark in the reproduction as they are made of purl, which has tarnished. it will be noted that those of the pictures in which the surface is not entirely covered with embroidery are usually worked upon white satin. this was a fashion of the time, and supplanted velvet, the material hitherto used, owing, it is assumed, to its being an easier material to work upon, but also probably to its beautiful surface resembling a background of parchment, and to the magnificent quality which was then made.] [illustration: fig. .--embroidered glove. early th century. _formerly in the author's collection._] part ii embroideries in the manner of tapestry pictures the exhibition at the fine art society's included, besides samplers, a gallery containing embroideries, the like of which had not previously been seen together, and as to the history of which text-books were altogether silent. exhibited collectively, they not only formed a most interesting and unusual whole, but they were clearly the result of a widespread fashion. specimens were forthcoming in considerable numbers, and were regarded by their owners with a proper appreciation of their archæological value, but with a diffidence as to their history and origin which was not surprising. under these circumstances it seemed that the occasion of their being brought together should not be lost, and that some illustration of representative specimens, some setting down of any deductions which might be arrived at from their examination and comparison, and some collation of the information which was supplied by their owners should be taken in hand. it was, however, at the outset a matter of no little trouble to find a title which, while it identified and included them, yet excluded those that it was felt necessary to omit. had a shortened phrase, such as "embroidered pictures," been selected, readers would reasonably have expected to find a survey of that large class of embroideries, now somewhat in vogue, which imitate the coloured engravings of the late eighteenth century, and, perhaps, even of the berlin wool-work travesties of landseer and his contemporaries. "stuart embroidered pictures," or "seventeenth-century embroidered pictures," would have better served the purpose were it not that some of the examples precede, and some follow, the period covered by either. besides, some pieces are not pictures, whilst others, though pictorial in subject, are covers to caskets, etc. the majority, however, have this in common, that they represent a phase of embroidery which, curiously enough, originated contemporaneously with the introduction of the manufacture of tapestry into this country, became popular concurrently with it, and passed out of favour when the production of that textile ceased in england for lack of support. it was this relationship, which i shall shortly proceed to establish, that decided the title which is found at the heading of this part. in endeavouring to trace the origin of these embroideries i have been, curiously enough, confronted with exactly the same difficulties that i encountered in dealing with samplers, namely:-- . the industry has no apparent infancy, all the pieces having the same matured appearance. . no specimen earlier than the reign of elizabeth has come under my notice. this does not arise from the decay inseparable from the life of a fairly perishable article, for amongst the earliest specimens may be counted the best preserved; besides, similar work, as, for instance, the embroidery of book covers which was subjected to harder usage, extends for centuries further back. [illustration: plate xv.--tapestry embroidery. the story of hagar and ishmael. about . the common subject amongst tapestry workers of hagar and ishmael is told somewhat fully here in three scenes. in the first we have sarah and isaac at the tent door, in the second abraham dismissing hagar, and in the third the angel visiting ishmael in the desert. the embroidery is one of those where flat and raised work are conjoined. the sky might be woven, so fine are the stitches, the landscape is made up of a variety of open stitches which are used in lace, but in this instance have been worked on the canvas, the faces are modelled in cotton wool and covered with silk, and the animals (lion and stag) are similarly modelled. the piece is the property of miss taintor, of hartford, u.s.a. size, - / × - / .] it is for these reasons that i am disposed to attach importance to the theory that the fashion originated with the introduction into england of tapestry, that, like tapestry, it quickly sprang into vogue, and like that article as quickly died out, having for some half a century been an agreeable occupation for deft hands to busy themselves about. if we glance for a moment at the history of tapestry in this country, it will be seen how entirely it mirrors that of the embroideries under notice. tapestry, as an english manufacture, and tapestry of sufficient amount to afford opportunities to any but a few to imitate it, can hardly be said to have existed in this country prior to the seventeenth century. in the king's palaces, and in those of his wealthy ministers and nobles, this form of decoration was undoubtedly in use in remote times, perhaps as early as in those of other nations, but small interest was taken in its production in comparison with that by foreign countries, even those so contiguous as france and the netherlands. in fact, until the close of the sixteenth century, but one manufactory is known to have existed in england, namely, that of burcheston, founded towards the end of the reign of henry viii. by william sheldon, styled "the only author and beginner of tapestry, within this realm." it was not until the year that james i., stimulated by the example of henri iv., enlisted in his service a number of flemish workmen and established at mortlake the factory which quickly attained to a success which was only rivalled by that of the gobelins. the industry on the banks of the thames developed rapidly, and secured european recognition, thanks to the extreme interest taken in it by james i., and still more so by charles i., aided, as he was, by the invaluable co-operation of rubens and vandyck. tapestry made under royal patronage quickly became the fashion and hobby, and although under the commonwealth its continuance was threatened, it received fresh favours and subventions under charles ii., at the end of whose reign, however, it not only declined, but practically ceased to exist. it can readily be understood that the prevalence of such a fashion, coinciding with a period when every lady in the land was an adept with her needle, would stimulate many to imitate on a smaller scale the famed productions of the loom, for nothing would better accord with the tapestry-covered walls, than cushions for the oaken chairs, or pictures or mirrors for panelled walls, worked in the same materials. hence it is probable that all the earlier embroideries were in imitation of tapestry, and worked only in stitches which resembled those of the loom, and that the pieces where we find varieties of stitches introduced, as well as figures, dresses, and animals in relief, are subsequent variations and fancied improvements on the original idea.[ ] this is borne out by an examination of dated pieces, none of those bearing these additions being contemporaneous with the introduction of the tapestry industry, whilst only those having a plain surface are found amongst the earliest specimens.[ ] [illustration: plate xvi.--tapestry embroidery. charles i. and his queen. about . none of the embroideries reproduced in this volume approach this in their imitation of tapestry, it being a facsimile on a small scale in needlework of a large panel. its resemblance is increased by the border, which adds considerably to its interest and value. both sovereigns are crowned, the king wearing a cloak, a vest and breeches which would appear to be all in one (the latter garnished at the knees with many points), boots with huge tops, and big spurs. on either side of the royal pair stand a chamberlain and a lady of honour. the house in the background points to the tapestry having been designed by a netherlander.] embroidery probably reached the zenith of its popularity in the late sixteenth century. it was then of so much importance that queen elizabeth granted a charter of incorporation to an embroiderers' company who had a hall in gutter lane. in order to encourage the pursuit foreign embroideries were in this and the following reigns considered to be contraband, but this protection, instead of improving, practically rang the death knell of the art. it will be seen from the foregoing that these little embroideries have an abiding interest of a threefold nature. first that arising out of the subjects that are depicted thereon, and which, though limited in range, present considerable differences when compared one with another, quite sufficient to make them individual in character. next they afford, upon examination, a large amount of historical material, some of it of a valuable kind, concerning the fashions and cranks of the time, material which has not hitherto met with recognition such as it deserves. lastly, they are admirable specimens of needlework, and in this are quite as noteworthy as samplers, a single piece often containing as many varieties of clever stitches as may be found in a dozen samplers. all that concerns them on this last-named account will be found in the section devoted to "stitchery." i will, therefore, proceed to examine them collectively from the two first points of view, leaving any remarks which they may separately call for to the notes which accompany the reproductions. the subjects of tapestry embroideries these are, as we have noted, somewhat limited as regards range, and somewhat limited within that range. this is, perhaps, even more so than in the case of the parent tapestries, for whilst they frequently travel into the realms of mythology, the reverse is the case with the embroidered pictures. in the royal palaces of henry viii. we find the tales of thebes and troy, the life and adventures of hercules, and of jupiter and juno, depicted in tapestry more often, perhaps, than sacred subjects, but this is not so with our little pictures. for instance, there were but two profane subjects in the embroidery exhibition, "orpheus charming the animals with his lute," and the "judgment of paris" (fig. ); whereas there were at least half a dozen of "esther and ahasuerus," and more than one "susannah and the elders," "adam and eve," "abraham and hagar," "joseph and potiphar," "david and abigail," "queen of sheba," and "jehu and jezebel." our first parents naturally afforded one of the earliest biblical subjects for tapestry. thus a description of a manor house in king john's time states that in the corner of a certain apartment stood a bed, the tapestry of which was enwrought with gaudy colours representing adam and eve in the garden of eden, and we read in a fifteenth-century poem by h. bradshaw, concerning the tapestry in the abbey of ely, that:-- "the storye of adam there was goodly wrought and of his wyfe eve, bytwene them the serpente." in embroidered pictures the working of the nude figures on a necessarily much smaller scale would appear to have been a difficulty it was hard to contend with, and we consequently find the subject treated for the most part rather from the point of view of the animals to be introduced than from that of our first parents. curiously enough, adam and eve came to the front again as a most popular subject in samplers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, at a time when a knowledge of the draughtsmanship of the human figure appeared to be even slighter than heretofore. consequently, they were usually of the most primitive character, standing on either side of a tree of knowledge, from which depends the serpent. [illustration: fig. .--the judgment of paris. about . _late in the author's collection._] passing onwards in bible history we find in tapestry embroideries several incidents in the life of abraham. first the entertainment of the angels and the promise made to him; next the casting forth of hagar and ishmael (plate xv.), oft repeated, perhaps, because of the many incidents in the story capable of illustration; then the offering up of isaac, as illustrated in plate iv. "moses in the bullrushes" (fig. ) completes the illustrations from the pentateuch. few other subjects are met with until we reach the life of david as pictured in "david and goliath" and "david and abigail." to these follow the visit of the queen of sheba to solomon, and the judgment of that ruler. but the most popular subject of all would seem to be the episode of queen esther and king ahasuerus (plate xviii.), from which mordecai sitting in the king's gate, esther adventuring on the king's favour, the banquet to haman, and his end on the gallows, furnished delightfully sensational episodes, although the main reason for its frequency doubtless depended upon its offering an opportunity of honouring the reigning kings and queens by figuring them as the great monarch ahasuerus and his beautiful consort, a reason also for the frequent selection of solomon and the queen of sheba. the only incident subsequent to this is one hardly to be expected, namely, "susannah and the elders," from the apocrypha (plate xiv.). the new testament, curiously enough, seems to have received but scant attention, even the birth of christ being but seldom illustrated. if space permitted it would be a matter of interest to trace the reasons for this unexpectedness of subject. it may have arisen from the fact that the english at this time were "the people of one book, and that book the bible." it is, however, more readily conceivable that the selection was a survival of the times when the mainstay of all the arts was the church, and the majority of the work, all the world over, was produced in its service, and therefore naturally was imbued with a religious flavouring. again, the pieces being in imitation of tapestries, the subjects would naturally follow those figured thereon. now we find, curiously enough, in the "story of tapestrys in the royal palaces of henry viii.," that whilst there were a few such subjects as "jupiter and juno," and "thebes and troy," the majority were the following: in the tower of london, "esther and ahasuerus"; in durham palace, "esther" and "susannah"; in cardinal wolsey's palace, the "petition of esther," the "honouring of mordecai," and the "history of susannah and the elders," bordered with the cardinal's arms, subjects identical with those represented in our little embroidered pictures. [illustration: plate xvii.--lid of a casket. the judgment of paris. about . _formerly in the author's collection._ reproduces the gay and well-preserved top of a writing box. the figures which stand under a festooned bower may represent paris handing the apple to venus. the dress of the female is of the time of charles i., which is the date of the casket, the interior of which is lined in part with that beautiful shade of red so popular at this time, and in part with mirrors which reflect a flemish engraving which lines the bottom. an upper tray is a mass of ill-concealed secret drawers. size, × inches.] it has been claimed for many of these pieces that they are the product of those prolific workers the nuns of little gidding, but the assertion rests on as little basis as does that which ascribes all the embroidered book covers to the same origin. the subjects, although sacred in character, are too mundane in habit to render it at all probable that they were worked in the seclusion of a country nunnery. the foreign origin of the tapestries (even those which were manufactured in england being made and designed by foreigners) accounts for the foreign flavour which pervades their backgrounds and accessories. it has, consequently, been asserted that the inspiration of these embroidery pictures is also foreign, the assertion being based on the fact that the buildings are for the most part of teutonic design. this is not my opinion. the buildings, it is true, for the most part assume a flemish or german air, but this is probably due to the reason given at the commencement of this paragraph. it might, with equal force, be held that the pieces are italian in their origin, as their foregrounds, as we shall presently show, largely affect that style. that either of these suppositions is correct is negatived by the thoroughly english contemporary costume that apparels the principal figures, which also proves that the majority of the pieces were in the main original conceptions, the designers following in the footsteps of their forerunners from the times of greece downwards, and clothing their puppets, no matter to what age they appertained, in the contemporary dress of their own country. this brings us to the most interesting feature of these little pictures, namely, their value as mirrors of fashion. tapestry embroideries as mirrors of fashion in this respect they are hardly inferior, as illustrations, to the pictures of vandyck or the engravings of hollar; whilst, as sidelights to horticultural pursuits under the stuart kings, and of the flowers which were then affected, they are perhaps more reliable authorities than the herbals from whence it has been erroneously asserted that they derived their information. in these respects their value has been entirely overlooked. authorities on dress go to obscure engravings, or to the brasses or sculptural effigies in our churches, for examples, which have, in every instance, been designed by a man unversed in the intricacies of dressmaking. they have failed to recognise the fact that these embroideries are the product of hands which very certainly knew the cut of every garment, and the intricacy of every bow, knot, and point, and which would take a pride in rendering them not only with accuracy, but in the latest mode. it was probably due to this desire to make their work complete mirrors of fashion, that the embroideresses gave up illustrating the figure in the flat, and stuffed it out like a puppet, upon which each portion of the dress might be superimposed. an illustration of this may be seen in the reproduction on a large scale, in the text of part iii., of some of the figures from the piece of embroidery illustrated in plate xxiii.[ ] as sir james linton, an eminent authority upon the dress of the period under review, has pointed out, these embroideries bear upon their face an impress of truth, for they usually, in the same picture, illustrate fashions extending over a considerable period of time. this, instead of being an inaccuracy, is unimpeachable evidence as to their correctness, for the fact is usually overlooked that in those times a man (and a woman also) almost invariably wore, throughout life, the costume of his early manhood, and that in such a piece as that illustrated in plate xiv. it is quite accurate to represent the old men in the costume of the reign of james i., and the young women in that of charles i. [illustration: plate xviii.--tapestry embroidery. the story of queen esther. about . this remarkably well-preserved piece of embroidery represents various incidents in the life of queen esther. in the centre the king stretches forth his sceptre to the queen; in the various corners are portrayed the banquet, the hanging of haman, and mordecai and the king. it will be noticed that the king and queen are likenesses of charles i. and henrietta maria, and the costume is that in vogue towards the end of his reign, when the big boots worn by the men came in for much ridicule, the tops of the king's being "very large and turned down, and the feet two inches too long." the needlework is of the transition period, when a better effect was sought for by appliquéing the faces in satin, outlining the features in silk, and making the hair of the same material. the collars and bows are also added, and the queen's crown is of pearls, the dais on which the king sits being also sown with them. size, - / × - / .] the repetition, amounting almost to monotony, in the subjects of these tapestry pieces has been urged against them, but the force of this depreciation is considerably lessened if this question of costume and accessories is taken into account, for a comparison even of the few pieces which are illustrated here will show how much variety is afforded in matters of dress, even if that of a single individual, such as charles i., is selected for study, although in the case of a royal personage, such as the king, it would only be natural if there was a sameness of costume. he may probably never have been seen by the embroiderer, who would consequently dress him from some picture or engraving. but even here the differences are many and interesting.[ ] [illustration: fig. .--tapestry embroidery. the finding of moses. about . _lady middleton._] they may therefore be deemed worthy of further examination than is usually given them, and this we have accorded in the description attached to each. we embody, however, an instance here as it is not only an apt illustration of the use of these little pictures as illustrations of dress, but of how their age may be thereby ascertained. the work in question belongs to lady middleton, is illustrated in fig. , and its frame bears an inscription that it dates from the sixteenth century. the condition of the needlework, and the stitches employed, might well lead to this supposition, but the dress of the attendant to the left of the picture almost exactly corresponds with that on the effigy of one dorothy strutt, whose monument is dated . the hair flows freely on the shoulders, but is combed back from the forehead; it is bunched behind, and from this descends a long coverchief which falls like a mantle; the sleeves are wide at the top, but confined at the wrist; a kerchief covers the bust, whilst the gown pulled in at the waist sets fully all round. it will be noted that the chimneys of the house in the background emit volumes of black smoke, a tribute to the wallsend coal which came only into general use in the early seventeenth century. the greater part of the strong darks in this picture are due to the silk having been painted with a kind of bitumen, which has eaten away the groundwork wherever it has come into contact with it. the frequent selection of royal personages for illustration is one of the features of the industry, and is probably accounted for by the majority of the workers being persons in the higher walks of life, to whom the divine right of kings and devotion to the crown were very present matters in those troublous times. it will be further noted that the only pre-stuart embroideries which are reproduced here (_frontispiece_, and the covering for a book [fig. ]) deal with them. as i have stated, yet another value attaches to these tapestry embroideries, namely, as illustrations of the fashions in horticulture under the stuarts. those who take an interest in gardening will not be slow to recognise this, and they may even carry that interest beyond this stuart work to the samplers, whereon instances are not wanting of the formal gardening which came over from holland with king william, and continued under the house of hanover. [illustration: fig. .--portion of a book cover. th century. _author's collection._] [illustration: fig. .--purl and applied embroidery. lady with a rabbit. about . _formerly in the author's collection._ an illustration of purl work, the whole of the smaller decorations being in tarnished silver thread sewn upon the original satin. the figure in the centre with a rabbit on her knees, as well as the other flowers and birds, are appliquéd, and are in very fine coloured silks. the date of the piece is, judging from the costume, the early part of the reign of charles i.] in the embroideries we see repeated again and again the hold that italian gardening had obtained in this country at the time when they were produced, owing to the grafting of ideas carried from the age of mediæval art. note, for instance, the importance attached to the fountain, which hertzner, a german, who travelled through england at the end of the sixteenth century, remarked upon as being such a feature in gardens. the many columns and pyramids of marble and fountains of springing water to which he alludes are repeated again and again in tapestry pictures. the pools of fish which are also found in embroideries of the time were a common feature of the gardens. we read that "a fayre garden always contained a poole of fysshe if the poole be clene kept." (plate xviii., fig. , and fig. .) the garden also had green galleries or pergolas formed of light poles overgrown with roses red and white. these are illustrated in plate xiv. the little noah's ark trees did not originate in the brain of the sampler designer, but were actualities which he saw in the garden of the time, being as old as the romans, who employed a topiarius or pleacher, whose sole business was the cutting of trees into fantastic shapes. this practice was in full swing in italy in the fifteenth century, and was familiarised in england by the "hyperotomachia poliphili," published in , although this book did not introduce it, for bacon in his essay on "gardens" says that the art of pleaching was already well known and practised in england. they are quite common objects on the samplers of the eighteenth century, when the cult was increasingly fostered, william and mary having brought over the dutch fashion of cutting everything into queer little trifles. an illustration in worlidge's "art of gardening" might almost be a reproduction of the sampler of (plate ix.) with its trees all set in absolutely similar order and size. this style, it may be remembered, was doomed upon the advent of capability brown with his attempts at chastening and polishing, but not reforming, the living landscape. the embroidered pictures are also interesting as showing the flowers which found a place in the parterres of english gardens. a nosegay garden at the beginning of the seventeenth century consisted, we read, of "gillyflowers, marigolds, lilies, and daffodils, with such strange flowers as hyacinths, narcissus, also the red, damaske, velvet, and double province rose, double and single white rose, the fair and sweet scenting woodbind, double and single, the violet nothing behind the rose for smelling sweetly." figs. and show many of these flowers naturally disposed, as an examination of the samplers of the period displays almost all of them in a decorative form. a curious feature of these little pictures is the fondness of their makers for introducing grubs of all kinds. this was not altogether fortuitous, or done simply to fill a void, for some of them were certainly as much emblems as the lion and unicorn. the caterpillar, for instance, was a badge of charles i. it speaks somewhat for the difficulty of imitating these little pictures, that although their price has increased since this book was first published, from a moderate to a high figure, there are as yet few spurious or much restored pieces on the market, and the same remark may apply to samplers. [illustration: fig. .--embroidery picture. charles i. and his queen. dated . _lord montagu._ this picture is signed "k.b.," and bears the date , and is, through its composition and subject, of much interest. the king and queen stand under an elaborate tent, on the canopy of which is emblazoned the royal arms, the rose and the thistle, in heavy gold and silver bullion. the robes of both their majesties are ornamented with coloured flowers in a heavy silver tissue. the king is crowned and has an ermine cloak, and his spurred white boots have pink heels.] [illustration: plate xix.--lid of a casket. about . we have here the top of the lid of the best preserved casket it has been our fortune to encounter, the reproduction in no way exaggerating the brilliancy or freshness of its colouring. the whole of the embroidery is in high relief, and as the shadows show, much of it is detached from the ground, as for instance the strawberries, the apples on the tree on which the parroquet with his ruffled feathers is seated, and the pink and tulip. for some reason not apparent, the gentleman has two left arms and hands, in each of which he holds a hat. it is possible that the figures may be intended for abraham and sarah, the latter with her flock at the well.] [illustration: fig. .--hollie point lace from top of christening cap. . _formerly in the author's collection._] part iii i.--stitchery of pictures in imitation of tapestry and the like "tent-worke, rais'd-worke, laid-worke, froste-worke, net-worke, most curious purles or rare italian cut-worke, pine ferne-stitch, finny-stitch, new-stitch, and chain-stitch, brave bred-stitch, fisher-stitch, irish-stitch, and queen-stitch, the spanish-stitch, rosemary-stitch, and morose-stitch, the smarting whip-stitch, back-stitch, and the cross-stitch. all these are good, and these we must allow, and these are everywhere in practise now." _the needles excellency._--john taylor. a writer on the interesting subject of the stitchery of embroidered pictures and their allies, is confronted at the outset with a serious difficulty in the almost hopeless confusion which exists as to the proper nomenclature of stitches. it is hardly too much to say that nearly every stitch has something like half a dozen different names, the result of re-invention or revival by succeeding generations, while to add to the trouble some authorities have assigned ancient names to certain stitches on what appears to be wholly insufficient evidence of identity. that stitches known as _opus anglicanum_, _opus plumarium_, _opus peclinum_, and so on, were used in embroidery as far back as the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, is proved by ancient deeds and inventories, but what these stitches actually were we have no means of deciding with any degree of certainty. we shall, therefore, in these notes describe the stitches under the names by which they are most commonly known, or which seem to describe them most clearly. background-stitches when the backgrounds of pictures in raised or stump embroidery are not of silk or satin left more or less visible, they are usually worked in one or other of the innumerable varieties of cushion-stitch, so-called, it is said, because it was first introduced in the embroidering of church kneeling-cushions. foremost among these ground-stitches comes tent-stitch, in which the flat embroidered pictures of a slightly earlier period are entirely executed. tent-stitch is the first half of the familiar cross-stitch, but is taken over a single thread only, all the rows of stitches sloping the same way as a rule, although occasionally certain desired effects of light and shade are produced by reversing the direction of the stitches in portions of the work. an admirable example of evenly worked tent-stitch is shown in plate xv., although here, of course, it is not a purely background-stitch, as it is adopted for the whole of the work. [illustration: plate xx.--back of casket in tapestry embroidery. signed a. k., . _mrs percy macquoid._ we have here the true imitation of tapestry as regards stitch, but not so as regards composition, for it is seldom that in tapestry we find such a lack of proportion as exists in this case between figures and accessories, tulips and carnations standing breast-high, and butterflies larger than human heads. the harpy, which appears on the lower portion of the lid, is an exceptional form of decoration. the backs of caskets are always the least faded portions, as they have been less exposed to the sun and light; such is the case here, although the whole is in a fine state of preservation. it is one of the few dated pieces in existence, being signed "a. k.," .] another commonly used grounding-stitch is that known in modern times as tapestry or gobelin-stitch. this is not infrequently confused with tent-stitch, which it much resembles, save that it is two threads in height, but one only in breadth. [illustration: fig. .--cushion-stitch background; embroidered book cover, dated .] next in order of importance to these two stitches come the perfectly upright ones, which, arranged in a score of different ways, have been christened by an equal number of names. an effective kind, used for the background of many stuart pictures, consists of a series of the short perpendicular stitches, arranged in a zig-zag or chevron pattern, each row fitting into that above it. this particular stitch, or rather group of stitches, has been named _opus pulvinarium_, but its claim to the title does not seem very well supported. other and more modern names are florentine and hungary stitch. a neat and pretty cushion-stitch is shown in the background of fig. on an enlarged scale. this is taken from a quaint little needle-book dated ; the design itself being worked in tent-stitch. among other stitches used for grounds are the long flat satin-stitch familiar in japanese embroideries of all periods, and laid-stitches, _i.e._, those formed of long threads "laid" on the satin or silk foundation, and held down by short "couching" stitches placed at intervals. laid-stitch grounds, however, are oftener seen in foreign embroideries, especially italian and spanish, than in english examples. [illustration: fig. .--eyelet-hole-stitch: from a sampler dated .] [illustration: fig. .--tapestry embroidery (upper portion). about . _formerly in the author's possession._] although tapestry embroidery backgrounds are in most cases worked "solid," that is, entirely covered with close-set stitches forming an even surface, they are occasionally found to be filled in with some variety of open-stitch, as exemplified by plate xv. sometimes the lace-like effect is produced by covering the foundation material with a surface stitch; the first row being a buttonhole-stitch, worked into the stuff so as to form the basis of the succeeding rows of simple lace or knotting stitches. the last row is again worked into the foundation. when, however, a linen canvas of rather open mesh was the material of the picture or panel, it was not unusual to whip or buttonhole over the threads with fine silk, a process resulting in a honeycomb-like series of small eyelet holes, as shown in the enlargement, fig. . this is taken from an early nineteenth-century sampler, but the stitch is precisely similar to that seen in embroideries of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. figures in raised needlework the high relief portions of the embroidery known as "stump" or "stamp" work, which is popularly supposed to have been invented by the nuns of little gidding, appear to have been almost invariably worked separately on stout linen stretched in a frame, and applied when completed. the design was sketched, or transferred, by means of something equivalent to our carbonised paper, on the linen, padded with hair or wool kept in position by a lattice-work of crossing threads, and the raised foundation, or "stump," thus formed covered with close lace-stitches, or with satin or silk, which, in its turn, was partly or entirely covered with embroidery, generally in long-and-short stitch. when the figures were finished a paper was pasted at the back to obviate any risk of frayed or loosened stitches, and they were cut out and fastened into their proper places in the design which had been drawn on or transferred to the silk, satin, or canvas foundation of the actual picture. the lines of attachment are adroitly concealed by couchings of fine cord or gimp. in some pieces of stump embroidery the heads and hands of the figures are of carved wood covered in most instances with a close network of lace-stitch, or with satin or silk, on which the eyes and mouth are either painted or embroidered. in the more elaborate specimens, however, the satin is merely a foundation for embroidery in long-and-short or split stitch, the latter being a variety of the ordinary stem-stitch, in which the needle is brought out through, instead of at the side of, the preceding stitch. the features of faces worked in either of these stitches are generally indicated by carefully directed lines of stem or chain stitching worked over the ground-stitch. this latter when well worked forms a surface scarcely distinguishable from satin in its smoothness. the figs. and , which are enlargements of portions of the embroidery illustrated in fig. , show examples of this mode of working faces. [illustration: fig. .--face worked in split-stitch: enlarged from embroidery reproduced in fig. .] [illustration: plate xxi.--beadwork embroidery. charles ii. and his queen, etc. the bright colouring of this picture is due to the greater portion of it having been worked in beads, in which those of strong blue and green predominate, only the hair and hands being worked in needlework, the former in knotted stitches. beadwork seems to have been extensively utilised in seventeenth-century pictures, but it does not figure in samplers until a late date, and then only to a minor extent. it is illustrated in fig. , and is about a century old, having been included in the fine art society's exhibition. the central figures in this piece represent charles ii. and his queen, catherine of braganza, who is represented with that curious lock of hair on her forehead to which the king took so much objection when he saw it for the first time upon her arrival at southampton. the portraits within the four circles have not at present been recognised. the late owner of this piece purchased it in hammersmith, and from the fact that queen catherine had a house there it is possible that it may have once been a royal possession. size, - / × - / .] knot-stitches [illustration: fig. .--face worked in split-stitch: enlarged from lower portion (not reproduced) of fig. .] knot-stitches--these, by the way, have no connection with the knotting-work popular at the end of the seventeenth century--are introduced freely into the stump-work pictures to represent the hair of the human figures, together with the woolly coats of sheep and the sundry and divers unclassified animals invariably found in this type of embroidered picture. these knots or knotted stitches range from the small, tightly-worked french knots which, when closely massed, produce a sufficiently realistic imitation of a fleece, to the long bullion knots formed by twisting the silk thread ten or twelve times round the needle before drawing the latter through the loops. the sheep (enlarged from fig. ) in fig. shows very clearly the effect of the massed french knots. the longer knot-stitches are found to be arranged in even loops sewn closely together, or are worked loosely and placed irregularly to meet the requirements of the design. knot-stitches of all kinds are seen, too, in the foliage, grass, and mossy banks, although for these couchings of loops of fine cord, untwisted silk and gimp, as well as of purl, seem to have been equally popular. at a later period, that is, towards the middle of the eighteenth century, chenille replaced knot-stitches, couched loops, and purl for the purpose, but it proved much less satisfactory both as regards appearance and durability. [illustration: fig. .--knotted-stitch: enlarged from embroidery reproduced in fig. .] looped-stitches are also used to indicate flowing ringlets, for which the bullion knots would be too formal, as may be seen in figs. and . the loops in these examples are of partly untwisted gimp. in flat embroidery, it may be mentioned, the hair is frequently worked in long-and-short or split stitch, or in short, flat satin-stitches, the lines whereof are cleverly arranged to follow the twists of the curls. in this way the hair of the lady, shown on an enlarged scale in fig. , is worked. plush-stitch this is a modern name for the stitch used in the stuart period embroideries for fur robes and the coats of certain beasts. it is also known as velvet, rug, and raised stitch. to carry it out a series of loops is worked over a small mesh or a knitting pin, each loop being secured to the foundation stuff by a tent or cross-stitch, and when the necessary number of rows is completed, the loops are cut as in the raised berlin wool-work of early victorian days. in this stitch the ermine of the king's robe in plate xviii. is worked, the black stitches meant to represent the little tails having been put in after the completion of the white silk ground. embroidery in purl and metallic threads purl, both that of uncovered metal and that variety wherein the corkscrew-like tube is cased with silk, was generally cut into pieces of the desired length, which were threaded on the needle and sewn down either flat or in loops, according to the design. the greater part of the beautiful piece of embroidery illustrated in plate xxiii. is carried out in coloured purl, applied in pieces sufficiently long to follow the curves of the pattern. a small example of looped purl-work is shown in the left-hand upper corner of fig. . purl embroidery, when at all on an elaborate scale, was worked in a frame and "applied," although the slighter portions of a design were often executed on the picture itself. the system of working all the heavier parts of such embroideries separately and adding them piece by piece, as it were, until the whole was complete, accounts, of course, for the extreme rarity of a "drawn" or puckered ground in old needlework pictures and panels. besides purl, gold and silver "passing" often appears in certain sections of the work. "passing" is wire sufficiently thin and flexible to be passed through instead of couched down on the foundation material, and with it such devices as rayed suns and moons are often embroidered in long-and-short stitch. a thicker kind of metallic thread was employed for couching, this being made in the same manner as the japanese thread so largely used in modern work, save that a thin ribbon of real gold took the place of the strip of gilt paper as a casing for the silk thread. water is sometimes represented by lengths of silver purl stretched tightly across a flat surface of satin or laid-stitches, but not infrequently, instead of the purl, sheets of talc are laid over the silken stitchery. the water in susannah's bath (plate xiv.) is covered with talc, hence it appears light coloured in the reproduction. when a metallic lustre was needed, the plumules of peacocks' feathers were occasionally employed, especially in the bodies of butterflies and caterpillars, but these unfortunately have almost invariably suffered from the depredations of a small insect, and it is seldom that more remains of them in old embroideries than a few dilapidated and minute fragments, often barely recognisable for what they are. lace-stitches the needle-point lace-stitches, so profusely used in the dresses and decorative accessories of the figures in stuart embroideries, are, as a rule, of a close and rather heavy type. sometimes they are found to be worked directly on the picture or panel as surface stitches, in the manner already described as adopted for backgrounds; but it was undoubtedly more usual to work the ruffles, sleeves, flower-petals, butterfly-wings, etc., separately, fastening them into their proper places when finished. stiffenings of fine wire were generally sewn round the extreme edge of any part intended to stand away from the background. a most interesting variety of lace-stitches may be seen in the costume of the boy shown in the enlargement (fig. ), taken from the panel reproduced in fig. . the small illustration (fig. ) heading this chapter illustrates quite a different kind of lace-stitch, to wit, the hollie-point, which, originally confined to church embroidery, was during the seventeenth century used to ornament under-garments and babies' christening-robes. [illustration: fig. .--embroidery picture. a squire and his lady. signed m. c. dated . _mr minet._ this embroidery, which bears the initials "m. c." and the date in pearls, is notable for the variety of stitches which find a place upon it. the central figures are dressed in elaborate costumes, the lady's robe of yellow satin being embroidered with coloured flowers and decked with pearls, laces, and flowers, an attire altogether inconsistent with the puritanical times in which she lived.] [illustration: fig. .--hair of unravelled silk: enlargement of portion of embroidery reproduced in fig. .] bead embroidery the actual stitchery in the old embroideries that are worked entirely, or almost entirely, in beads, is of an extremely simple description. in the majority of pieces the work is applied as in the case of the stump embroideries, the beads being threaded and sewn down on the framed linen, either flatly or over padding. in the less elaborate class of embroideries, however, the beads are sewn directly on the satin ground; but when this plan has been adopted the design is rarely padded at all, although small portions of it, such as cravats, girdle-tassels, and garter-knots, are found to be detached from the rest of the work. this is for the most part executed with long strings of threaded beads couched down in close-set rows. plate xxi. represents an excellent specimen of flat and raised bead-work combined with purl embroidery. see also fig. . groundwork tracings the first stage of an embroidered picture is well illustrated in fig. , which is worthy of careful study. the original is a piece of satin measuring - / × in., and on this the design has been traced by a pointed stylus, the deep incised lines made in the thick material having been coloured black, probably by a transferring medium similar to carbonised paper. the shadows have been added with a brush, evidently wielded by an experienced hand, for not only are they gradated in the original, but there are no signs of any difficulty in dealing with the flow of colour on the absorbent textile. the subject of the picture is said to be the princess mary and the prince william of orange. [illustration: plate xxii.--tapestry embroidery. dated . in no embroidery in the whole of this volume has a more determined endeavour been made to imitate tapestry than in the little piece here illustrated. so deftly has this been carried out that experts have declined to believe that it is needlework, or that the gradation of blues in the background have been obtained except through stain or dye. the workmanship of that portion of the sky over which the bird flies appeared also too fine for manual execution. an examination of the back has disproved both suppositions. the piece is noteworthy for the border at the top, which is a link connecting it with the sampler. a date, , can be distinguished through the stain in the upper right corner.] implements used [illustration: fig. .--groundwork tracing for embroidered picture. th century. _mr e. hennell._] it is probable that some details in the picture--acorns, fruit, and the like--were worked with the aid of the curious little implements shown in fig. . these are thimble-shaped moulds of thin, hard wood, which have two rows of holes pierced round their base. through these holes are passed the threads which form the foundation of the rows of lace or knotting-stitches that are worked with the needle round and round the mould until it is completely covered. the knotted purses of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were possibly made on moulds of this kind. the plate shows two of these queer little objects, as well as a long spool or bobbin with ancient silks of various colours still wound on it, the spool-case belonging to it, and two pieces of knotted-work in different stages of development. [illustration: fig. .--moulds for knotted or lace work, with silk spools and case.] [illustration: plate xxiii.--specimen of purl embroidery. th- th century. _formerly in the author's collection._ a specimen of stitchery of various kinds, much of it in high relief, and of purl work. the reproduction, whilst translating very faithfully the colours, gives but little idea of the relief. size, × - / .] ii.--the stitchery of samplers, with a note on their materials "sad sewers make sad samplers. we'll be sorry down to our fingers'-ends and 'broider emblems native to desolation--cypress sprays, yew-tufts and hectic leaves of various autumn and bitter tawny rue, and bent blackthorns." _the soldier of fortune._--lord de tabley. cut and drawn-work the open-work stitchery, which is so important and pleasing a feature of the seventeenth-century sampler, is of two kinds; that is, _double_ cut-work--the italian _punto tagliato_--in which both warp and woof threads are removed, save for a few necessary connecting bars, and _single_ cut-work--_punto tirato_--wherein but one set of threads is withdrawn. the first type (which is probably the "rare italian cut-work" mentioned in "the needle's excellency") is the immediate ancestor of needle-point lace, and is the kind that is oftenest met with in the oldest and finest samplers; the second approaches more nearly to the drawn-thread embroidery worked both abroad and at home at the present day. in executing real double cut-work, after the surplus material has been cut away, the supporting or connecting threads are overcast, the edges of the cut linen buttonholed, and the spaces within this framework filled in with lace-stitches, simple or elaborate. in the best specimens of samplers the effect is sometimes enhanced by portions of the pattern being detached from the ground, as in the upper part of the beautiful sampler illustrated in fig. .[ ] these loose pieces usually have as basis a row of buttonhole-stitches worked into the linen, but in some examples the lace has been worked quite separately and sewn on. the mode of working both double and single cut-work is shown plainly in the two enlargements (figs. and ), which are of parts of samplers probably worked about . [illustration: fig. --drawn-work sampler. th century.] there is a third and much simpler type of open-work occasionally found on seventeenth-century samplers, which is carried out by piercing the linen with a stiletto and overcasting the resulting holes so as to produce a series of bird's-eye or eyelet stitches. all three varieties of open-stitch are frequently seen in combination with that short, flat satin-stitch, which, when worked in a diaper pattern with white thread or silk on a white ground, is sometimes called damask-stitch. this pretty combination of stitches appears in plate vi., and also in the enlargement (fig. ) already referred to. [illustration: fig. .--cut and drawn-work: enlargement from th-century sampler.] back-stitch this stitch was largely used in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries for the adornment of articles of personal clothing, as well as of quilts and hangings, hence it is natural that it is prominent in the samplers of the period. in the older specimens the bands of back-stitch patterns are worked with exquisite neatness, both sides being precisely alike; but in those of later date signs of carelessness are apparent, and the reverse side is somewhat untidy. in no sampler examined by the writer, however, has the back-stitch been produced by working a chain-stitch on the wrong side of the linen, as is the case in some of the embroidered garments of the period. the samplers illustrated in plates iii. and vii. are noticeable for their good bands of back-stitching. a small section of fig. is shown on an enlarged scale in fig. . in some modern text-books of embroidery, it may be added, the old reversible or two-sided back-stitch is distinguished as holbein-stitch. [illustration: fig. .--satin-stitch and combination of types of open-work: enlarged from the sampler reproduced in fig. . th century.] alphabet-stitches the stitches used for the lettering on samplers are three in number, to wit, cross-stitch, bird's-eye-stitch and satin-stitch. of the first there are two varieties, the ordinary cross-stitch, known in later years as sampler-stitch, and the much neater kind, in which the crossed stitches form a perfect little square on the wrong side. this daintiest of marking stitches is rarely seen on samplers later than the eighteenth century. the satin-stitch alphabets are worked in short flat stitches, not over padding, according to the modern method of initial embroidering, and the letters are generally square rather than curved in outline. the bird's-eye-stitch, when used for alphabets, varies greatly in degree of fineness. in some instances the holes are very closely overcast with short, even stitches, but in others the latter are alternately long and short, so that each "eyelet" or "bird's-eye" is the centre, as it were, of a star of ray-like stitches. [illustration: plate xxiv.--darning sampler. . darning samplers of unpretentious form date back a long way, but those where they were conjoined to decoration, as in the specimens reproduced here, appeared to cluster round the end of the eighteenth century. not only are a variety of stitches of a most intricate kind set out on them, but they are done in gay colours, and any monotony is averted by delicately conceived borderings. whilst "darning samplers" cannot be considered as rare, they certainly are not often met with in fine condition. they are a standing testimony to the assiduity and dexterity of our grandparents in the reparation of their household napery.] darning-stitches the stitches exemplifying the mode of darning damask, cambric, or linen had usually a sampler entirely devoted to them, and at one period--the end of the eighteenth century--it seems to have been a fairly general custom that a girl should work one as a companion to the ordinary sampler of lettering and patterns. the specimen darns on such a sampler are, as a rule, arranged in squares or crosses round some centre device, a bouquet or basket of flowers for instance, or it may be merely the initials of the worker in a shield. the two samplers (fig. and plate xxiv.) are typical examples of their kind, although perhaps the ornamental parts of the designs are a little more fanciful than in the majority of those met with. [illustration: fig. .--back-stitch: enlargement of portion of sampler in fig. . th century. twice actual size.] the best worked--not necessarily the most elaborately embellished--of this particular class of sampler has small pieces of the material actually cut out and the holes filled up with darning, but in inferior ones the stuff is left untouched, and the darn is simply worked on the linen, tammy cloth, or tiffany itself. this is a very much easier method and the appearance is better; but the darns so made are, after all, but imitations of the real thing. for the damask darns fine silk of two colours is invariably used, and in the properly worked examples both sides are alike, save, of course, for the reversal of the damask effect, as in woven damask. the centre designs in the two samplers illustrated are worked in fine darning-stitches of divers kinds, outlined with chain and stem stitches. here and there a few other stitches are introduced, as in the stem of the rose in fig. , where french knots are used to produce the mossy appearance. the centre basket in this sampler is worked in lines of chain-stitching crossing each other lattice fashion. both the samplers have the initials of their workers, and in that shown in fig. the date ( ) also, neatly darned into one of the crosses formed by the damask patterns. darning-samplers are usually square, or nearly square, in shape, and are simply finished with a single line of hem-stitching at the edge, but some of the older ones are ornamented with a broader band of drawn-work as border; while a few have examples of drawn-work, alternating with squares and crosses of darning, in the body of the sampler. a small section of such a sampler, dated , is illustrated on an enlarged scale in fig. . it has a series of small conventional leaf patterns worked in single drawn-work, and edged with a scalloping worked in chain-stitch with green silk. the ground of this particular sampler is thin linen, but the muslin-like stuff known as tiffany is that used for the foundation of nine darning-samplers out of ten. tent and cross stitches neither tent-stitch nor tapestry-stitch appears to have been largely introduced in sampler-embroidery at any period; still, portions of a few specimens worked during the early and middle years of the eighteenth century are executed in one or other of these stitches. tent-stitch, for instance, plays an important part in the wreath border of fig. . the beautifully shaded leaves are all worked in this way, as are many of the flowers, other varieties of grounding or cushion-stitches being used for the rest of the border. the commandments, which the wreath enframes, are worked in cross-stitch. this last-named stitch in its earliest form is worked over a single thread, and produces a close and solid effect when closely massed, or, as may be seen in many sampler maps, very fine lines when worked in single rows. ordinary cross-stitch taken over two threads is, of course, the familiar stitch in which nineteenth-century samplers are entirely worked, whence arises its second name of sampler-stitch. [illustration: fig. .--darning sampler. signed m. m., t. b., j. f. dated . _the late mrs head._] [illustration: fig. .--enlarged portion of a darning sampler. dated .] a pretty and--in sampler embroidery--uncommon stitch is that in which the crowned lions in the samplers of mary and lydia johnson (figs. and ) are worked. this stitch is formed of two cross-stitches superimposed diagonally, and since its revival in the berlin wool era has been known by the names of star-stitch and leviathan-stitch. various stitches besides the stitches already enumerated and described, sundry and divers others are found on samplers of various periods. satin-stitch, for instance, is used for borders and other parts of designs, as well as for alphabets. long-and-short stitch, frequently very irregularly executed, seems to have been popular for the embroidery of the wreaths and garlands that make gay many of the later eighteenth-century samplers. stem-stitch, save for such minor details as flower-stalks and tendrils, is not often seen; but the wreath-borders of a limited number of eighteenth-century samplers are done entirely in this stitch, worked in lines round and round, or up and down, each leaf and petal until the whole is filled in. stem-stitch, it should be explained, is, to all intents and purposes, the same as "outline" or "crewel" stitch. the latter name, however, is likewise applied to long-and-short or plumage stitch by some writers on embroidery. laid-stitches may also be included in the list of stitches occurring occasionally in samplers, although it is rarely met with in its more elaborate forms. a sampler dated has two baskets (of flowers) worked in long laid-stitches of brown silk couched with yellow silk, the effect of wicker-work being produced with some success by this plan, and similar unambitious examples appear in some samplers of rather earlier date. the portion of a sampler shown in fig. is interesting by reason of the fact that it is worked in knots, a form of stitchery comparatively rare, save in those unclassifiable pieces of embroidery which are neither pictures nor samplers, but possess some of the features of both. materials linen, bleached or unbleached, but, of course, always hand-woven, is the foundation material of the early samplers. it varies greatly in texture, from a coarse, canvas-like kind to a fine and closely woven sort of about the same stoutness as good modern pillow-case linen. the stitchery of these oldest samplers is executed in linen thread or a somewhat loosely twisted silk, often scarcely coarser than our nineteenth-century "machine silk," although, on the other hand, a very thick and irregularly spun type is occasionally seen. about linen of a peculiar yellow colour and rather harsh texture came into vogue; but this went out of fashion in a few years, and towards the end of the eighteenth century the strong and durable linen was almost entirely superseded by an ugly and moth-attracting stuff called indifferently tammy, tammy cloth, bolting cloth, and, when woven in a specially narrow width, sampler canvas. the stitchery on samplers of this date is almost invariably executed with silk, although in a few of the coarser ones fine untwisted crewel is substituted. tiffany, the thin, muslin-like material mentioned in connection with darning-samplers, was at this period used also for small delicately wrought samplers of the ordinary type. early in the nineteenth century very coarsely woven linen and linen canvas came into fashion again, and for some time were nearly as popular as the woollen tammy; while, about , twisted crewels of the crudest dyes replaced in a great measure the soft toned silks. next followed the introduction of cotton canvas and berlin wool, and with them vanished the last remaining vestige of the exquisite stitchery and well-balanced designs of earlier generations, and the sampler, save in a most degraded form, ceased to exist. index abraham on sampler, . fig. acorn, , , . plate iii. fig. adam and eve on samplers, , , ; on embroideries, africa, map of, . fig age of sampler, how to estimate, age of sampler workers, agur's prayer. plate xi. alphabets on samplers, , , ; stitches, america, samplers from, , (plate xiii., figs. - ); map of, . fig. anchors, fig. animals on samplers, ascension day samplers, background-stitches, back-stitches, , . plates iii. and vii. fig. bead embroidery, (plate xxii.); sampler, fig. belief, the, belgian samplers, biblical subjects in tapestry embroideries, bird's-eye-stitch, borders to samplers, boston, u.s.a., samplers from, . fig. boxers, . plate iii. fig. boys, samplers by, . fig brontës, samplers by, . figs. , , brooklyn, u.s.a., sampler from, . fig. buttonhole-stitch, calcutta, samplers from, . fig. carnation, see "pink" caterpillar, charles i., plates xvi. and xviii. charles ii., plate xxi. children, samplers by, christening samplers, christmas samplers, colouring of samplers, commandments, the, . fig. corn blue-bottle, coronet, see "crowns" costume on tapestry embroideries, crewel-stitch, cross-stitch, , crowns on samplers, . figs. - crucifixion on samplers, , cupids on samplers, fig. cushion-stitch, . fig. cut and drawn work stitches, . figs. , , , , , , darned samplers, fig. . plate xxiv. darning-stitches, , . plate xxiv. figs. , david and abigail, , ; and goliath, deer, see "stags" design on samplers, dogs on samplers, fig. . plate iii. drawn-work, , . fig. dress, value of tapestry embroideries as patterns of, dutch samplers, earliest samplers, , , easter samplers, embroiderers' company, embroideries in the manner of tapestry pictures, ; subjects of, ; as mirrors of fashion, england, maps of, . fig. . esther and ahasuerus, , . plate xviii. evolution of samplers, , eyelet-stitch, . fig. fig on samplers, . plate iii. fine art society's exhibition of samplers, , , , , ; of embroideries, fleur de lys on samplers, florentine-stitch, flowers on samplers, ; on tapestry embroideries, foreign flavour in embroideries, foreign samplers, fountains on tapestry embroideries, french knot-stitches, . figs. and french samplers, gardening, illustrations of, on tapestry embroideries, german samplers, glove, embroidered. fig. gobelin-stitch, gold and silver passing, grubs on tapestry embroideries, hagar and ishmael, . plate xv. hearts on samplers, . figs. - hollie point lace cap, fig. ; stitch, honeysuckle on samplers, , . fig. horticulture, see "gardening" house on samplers, (figs. , , ); on tapestry embroidery, . fig. human figure, hungary-stitch, implements used in stitchery, . fig. indian samplers, . figs. and inscriptions on samplers, , italian samplers, judgment of paris, . fig. knot-stitches, , . figs. and lace-stitches, . figs. , - laid-stitch, last of the samplers, lettering on samplers, leviathan-stitch, life and death, inscriptions referring to, lion on sampler, . fig. literature sampler, little gidding, nuns, , long-and-short-stitch, looped-stitches, lord's prayer, the, maidstone museum, tapestry picture. plate i. map samplers, . figs. - materials on which samplers were worked, mermaid on sampler, fig. metal thread, milton, mention of sampler by, mitford, miss, on samplers, mortlake tapestries, moses in the bullrushes, mustard or canary-coloured canvas, national events, samplers as records of, need of samplers, needle's excellency, the, , , numerals on samplers, oak, see "acorn" origin of samplers, place of, ornament, sampler, ornamentation, earliest date of various forms of, orpheus, parents and preceptors, duties to, passing, passion week samplers, patternes of cut workes, peacocks' feathers, use of, pearls, seed, on tapestry embroideries, --_note_ pears, pineapple on samplers, pink on samplers, , , . plates iii., iv., vi. fig. place of origin of samplers, plush-stitch, . plate xviii. portuguese samplers, poverty, inscriptions concerning, prayers on samplers, preceptors, duties to, purl, . plate xxiii. quaint inscriptions, religious festivals, verses commemorating, rhymes on samplers, see "verses" royal personages on tapestry embroideries, royal school of art needlework, rose on samplers, , , (figs. , , plate vi.); on tapestry embroideries, ruskin, john, on needlework in museums, ; on samplers, ; sampler by grandmother of, , and plate x. samplers. parts i. and iii. (sec. ii.) satin-stitch, , , scottish samplers, , , . figs. , sex of sampler workers, shakespeare, mention of sampler by, sidney, sir p., mention of sampler by, signatures on samplers, size of samplers, smoke (chimney) on embroideries, . fig. spanish samplers, _spectator_ on decay of needlework, spies to canaan, split-stitch, . figs. , stag on samplers, , , . figs. , . plates iii., viii. star-stitch, . figs. , stem-stitch, stitchery of tapestry pictures, ; of samplers, stitches, background, ; cushion, ; tent, ; gobelin, ; upright, ; florentine, ; hungary, ; satin, ; open, ; buttonhole, ; eyelet, (fig. ); split, (figs. , ); stem, ; knot, ; looped, ; plush, ; purl, ; passing, ; lace, sampler stitches, ; hollie point, (fig. ); cut and drawn-work, ; back-stitch, (fig. ); alphabet-stitch, ; darning-stitch, (plate xxiv. and figs. , ); tent and cross-stitch, ; various, strawberry on samplers, . fig. . plate xiii. stump embroidery, susannah and the elders, , , . plate xiv. swiss samplers, talc, . plate xiv. tammy cloth, tapestry, history of, ; stitch, tapestry pictures--see embroideries in the manner of tent-stitch, thistle on sampler, . fig. tracing, groundwork, . fig. tree of knowledge on samplers, _n_, _n_, . figs. , tulip on samplers, . figs. , upright-stitch, verses on samplers, , - vice, inscription concerning, victoria and albert museum, samplers in, , , . fig. virtue, inscription concerning, wealth, inscription concerning, _printed at_ the darien press, _edinburgh_ footnotes: [ ] the picture also shows that the principal decorations of the walls of the schoolroom were framed examples of attainments with the needle. [ ] in the original all the small pieces of work in the upper corner near the initials are varieties of gold thread design, and almost all the grey colour throughout, in the reproduction, is silver thread. [ ] it was claimed by its late owner, mrs egerton baines, that almost every line of this sampler contains royalist emblems. for instance, the angel in the upper part is supposed to be margaret of scotland wearing the yorkist badge as a part of her chatelaine; beside her is the tree of life, on either side of which are lancastrian s's, the whole row being symbolical of the descent of the stuarts from margaret of scotland, daughter of henry vii. the next row of ornament is also the tree of life, represented by a vine springing from an acorn, by tradition a symbolical badge of henrietta maria, wife of charles i. the next two rows are made up of roses, acorns, and stuart s's, which s's again appear in the line beneath, linked with the tree of life. we refer elsewhere (p. ) to the figures in the bottom row (the whole of the sampler is not shown here), and these are supposed to be oliver cromwell as a tailed devil. the sampler is neither signed nor dated, but it clearly belongs to the first half of the seventeenth century. the silks employed are almost exclusively pink, green, and blue, and the work is of the open character found in that illustrated in plate iii. [ ] in one by hannah lanting, dated , the orthography is "with my nedel i rout the same," and it adds, "and juda hayle is my dame." [ ] the lower portion of fig. opposite introduces us to an early and crude representation of adam and eve and the serpent, and to the bird and fountain, and flower in vase, forms of decoration which became at a later date so very common. the name of the maker has been obliterated owing to dirt getting through a broken glass, but the date is . [ ] this sampler is interesting owing to its drawn-work figures, which are directly copied from two effigies of the reign of james i., and may stand for that monarch and his queen. this portion of the sampler might readily be mistaken for that date were it not that it bears on the bar which divides the figures the letters s.w., . the border at the side of the figures is in red silk, that at the top and the alphabet are in the motley array of colours to which we are accustomed in specimens of this date. [ ] a map of europe, formerly in the author's possession, had the degrees marked as so many minutes or hours east or west of clapton! [ ] "samplers," by alice morse earle. [ ] it first appeared in the _lady's magazine_, , and in the first collected edition, , vol. i. pp. , ; also in bohn's classics, , pp. , . [ ] these latter, with their figures standing out in relief, could never have been used for cushions, and can only have been employed as pictures. [ ] the difficulty of assigning a close date to tapestry embroideries is a considerable one, for dress is practically the only guide, and this is by no means a reliable one, for a design may well have been taken from a piece dated half a century previously, as, for instance, when the marriage of charles i. is portrayed on an embroidery bearing date , the year of his death. those, therefore, which have a genuine date have this value, that they can only represent a phase of art or a subject coeval with, or precedent to, that date. hence the importance of the pieces illustrated in fig. and in fig. , dated six years later. [ ] mr davenport considers that this rounded, padded work is a caricature of the raised embroidery of the _opus anglicanum_, and that the earliest specimens of it are to be found at coire, zurich, and munich. [ ] the fondness for decking the dress with pearls is quaintly portrayed in these pictures, where they are imitated by seed pearls. as to these there is an interesting extract extant, from the inventory of st james's house, nigh westminster, in , wherein among the items is one of "a table [or picture] whereon is a man holding a sword in one hand and a sceptre in the other, of needlework, prettily garnished with seed pearls." [ ] a very good example of a sampler in drawn-work, in which the floral form of decoration is entirely absent, save in the sixth row (the pinks), which is in green silk, the rest being in white. that the sampler was intended as a pattern is evident from some of the rows being unfinished.