is called Broderie Perse, and is very pretty for table-scarfs, bedroom curtains, etc. For a table scarf use a good quality of cream-colored linen. You will need besides some cretonne in bright, artistic, flower designs, together with some filoselles and crewels. From the cretonne cut a sufficient number of flowers, and arrange them in a graceful border pattern on the linen, connecting them with stem lines in pencil. Having arranged your pattern, mark lightly round each flower so as to insure your rearranging them correctly. Then stretch your linen by means of stout pins or thumb-tacks smoothly on a drawing-board (the kneading-board will answer), and with nice smooth starch, paste each flower in its place. When thoroughly dry take the linen off the board and buttonhole the cretonne lightly round the
Fig. 14d.
edges, having the stitches seen as little as possible. Veinings of leaves, high lights and the deepest shadows can be worked in with filoselles, and the stems are worked with crewels. Nice cheese-cloth can be decorated in this way for curtains. As to outline work, the present fancy is to work it in conventional colors, using three shades of a color. Thus, in a floral design the leaves are worked in three shades of green, and the flowers in shades of blue, pink or any other color. Another way of varying this work is by the use of "double outline." Instead of working the outline as usual, what is generally called Kensington stitch is used; that is, the edge of the flower is done in alternate long and short stitches, just as if the whole flower was going to be filled in. The effect is very pleasing. Old fashioned or partially worn out broché shawls can be used very advantageously for this appliqué work, by cutting out the principal figures of the design, and applying them to an appropriate ground-work.
Very pretty mats can be made of appliqué work. Use burlaps or brown Turkish towelling for the mat, and
Fig. 15.
on that apply leaves cut from green, brown, and red flannel, or merino. Germantown wool or zephyr may be used to work them. Either powder the mat with the leaves or arrange them in a set pattern. Button hole them down, and work veins, stalks, etc., with long stitches. Finish at the ends with red flannel ornamented with Point Russe stitches, and line the whole with a piece of hemp or old Brussels carpeting. I have seen such a mat, in which the colors were well chosen, used to cover up an unsightly window. On each side was hung a brilliant Japanese panel, and the whole was crowned with Japanese fans, making a pleasure of what had been an eyesore.
Figs. 15 and 16 are designed for screen panels to be worked in crewels or silk; or they may be painted.
Fig. 16.
Combined, these designs would be very appropriate for a wall protector, to be worked in outline.
Embroidery in crewels or silk should be washed in bran water, and well rinsed.
Many recommend washing silks before working. To do this they should be cut into lengths and boiled in soft water for five minutes, then skimmed out on to a soft towel to dry; sufficient crewels or silks should be purchased to last through the work as it is often extremely difficult to match the shades exactly.
A very pretty "all over" design for a chair-back or tidy is shown in Fig. 17. It can be worked in outline on a darned background or in filled in embroidery.
Fig. 17.
But few patterns are given in this chapter for the reason that the space is too limited to give working designs, and new patterns ready for working are so easily procured. Originality is a great beauty in such designs, and when they are met with in a manual, the eye soon becomes weary of them.
Perforated patterns with the materials for stamping can now be bought for a mere trifle, and the work done from them will prove more satisfactory than when your design stares you constantly in the face from the pages of a book.
HOLBEIN STITCH, POINT RUSSE, TICKING WORK, ETC.
Holbein stitch, so called because this style of ornament is found in Holbein's painting, is in reality only
Fig. 18.
a modification of true Point Russe, the latter name having, however, been applied to a quickly executed and sketchy kind of work. In what is generally called Point Russe, the patterns are all designed to suit the stitch, that is, they have sharp and frequent angles. To work it, bring the needle up from the back of the work at one end of a line, and put it through to the back at the other end. The whole design is thus worked in straight lines. If a line is too long to work neatly with a single stitch,
Fig. 19.
divide it into two or three equal lengths and work each division as a single line.
The peculiarity of all the real Point Russe is that it presents the same appearance on both sides of the work, which makes it a very useful stitch for decorating towels, and other objects which are seen from both sides. Designs for Holbein stitch must always be arranged as for cross stitch, and if worked on material in which counting the stitches is difficult or impossible, must be worked over canvas basted on the material. The principle on which this stitch is worked, is that of working over two threads and under the two following, reversing the arrangement as you come back. Sometimes the design is worked so as to present the effect of ordinary cross stitch, sometimes the stitch follows the outlines of a small square. The designs (Figs. 18-20)
Fig. 20.
show in what direction these stitches are to be taken, but the principle is always the same; where the thread comes on the right side in the first working, it must be on the wrong side in returning.
Strong reds and blues are the most appropriate colors for this work, black being' sometimes combined with them. Any good cross stitch border will give a pattern, and as the work is done over threads no stamping is needed. Holbein stitch is generally used in connection with drawn work. In fine material baste a piece of canvas on, and work over it, drawing out the threads when the work is completed.
RAILWAY STITCH.
Designs for this stitch should always be of small flowers and leaves, such as daisies, etc., arranged in detached sprays. Trace them lightly. Commence to work from centre; and make each petal with one stitch. Bring the needle up from the back and put in close to where it came out, holding thread down with left hand, and bringing it out at the point of the petal. Draw up, making a long loop held in centre by the drawn up thread. Put the needle down again just outside the loop, thus making a very small stitch at the end of the petal: run the needle out at the middle of the flower, and repeat. Finish the centre with French knots
