STITCHES.
The common stitch used in embroidery is termed long-stitch. It closely resembles the Irish stitch of canvass work,[[2]] only without its regularity. The stitches are taken closely together and of uneven lengths; the second shade is blended with the first by filling up the vacant spaces of the short stitch; the next shade, in the same way, unites with that one, and so on in an irregular form, the outline only presenting, a regular line of stitches, exactly within the limits of the marked pattern. The shading must, of course, be done with artistic accuracy.
[2]. See Part II.
The veinings of leaves are worked in silk rather coarser than that used for the rest of the work. Sometimes this silk is considerably thicker; it is then laid on, and sewed over with very fine silk of the same shade, the ends being drawn through the material. Leaves are frequently veined with gold thread in a similar manner.
Large leaves should be worked from the points to the veins; small ones seldom require to be veined at all. Like stems they are formed of a succession of slanting stitches very evenly laid on, forming curves and lines of the width and dimensions of the patterns, and forming accurate outlines.
When gold bullion is employed in embroidery, it is cut into short lengths, which are then laid on with fine silk of the same hue. Gold thread is sewed over, and the ends brought through the cloth and so passed from one part to another.
The Chinese employ, in their most elaborate embroidery, a very pretty stitch termed, by us, the French Knot. It is made thus:—Bring the needleful of silk to the right side of the work, in the exact spot where the stitch is to be. Hold the needle in the right hand, and with the left take up the silk, at an inch or two from the cloth. Twist the needle twice round the silk, insert it in the same spot you drew it through before, and, with the right hand, draw the needle to the under side, gradually tightening the silk with the left hand. When quite drawn through the knot is formed. The great art in this work is to make the stitches all lie perfectly even. We seldom use the French Knot for anything but the seeds, stamen, or pistils of flowers; but the Chinese execute whole pieces in this stitch, shading them most exquisitely, and only using a coarse white silk or gold thread as an outline to the whole. In bead embroidery, every stitch is generally put on separately, and in its own place; but a very beautiful effect may be obtained in pearl beads imitating grapes, by stringing them with white silk, and letting them cross each other in various directions, still preserving the outline of the cluster.
A very pretty and effective style of embroidery is that done with gold braid and wool on canvass. It is very suitable for slippers, cushions, the bands of smoking caps, blotting cases, and many other things. An outline design in arabesque, or anything else that may appear suitable for two colors, should be drawn on paper of the proper dimensions and then marked on the canvass. The gold braid must be cut into pieces of the proper lengths, and laid on piece by piece, the spaces between the pattern being filled with wool of some well-contrasting color—as bright blue, green, or claret—so that the pattern appears in gold on a ground of wool. When leaves are so worked, a rich silk, of a deeper gold colour than the braid, should be used afterwards to vein it.
Having spoken of cushions, it may be well to tell my fair readers how to make them up most comfortably:—Cut some good strong calico bias of the proper size; line it with two or three thicknesses of good wadding, well fastened to it in every direction; and stuff the bag thus made with down; the pillow to be afterwards covered in any manner that may be desired. Pillows made in this way are not only much softer than others, but they also keep their shape much better, and are not liable to sink after a little wear.
Waistcoats and other articles are now much embroidered in soie ombre, that is, silk shaded in varieties of one colour. I cannot say I think it so pretty as the variety of natural colors, or even a single self-shade. It is however, fashionable.
The Choice of Colors.—I will conclude my instructions for embroidery with a few hints on the choice of suitable colors; as Dogberry observes, that “reading and writing come by nature,” so I may be excused for asserting that the axiom is (in part, at least) correct, as regards the power of discriminating colors. In a great measure it is a natural gift; still it may be cultivated, nay almost created.
Selecting the necessary wools, silks, &c. is technically called, sorting a pattern. To sort a pattern well, it is requisite to consider the capabilities of the various materials. Wools and silks, silks in flox, and twisted,—though dipped in the same vat, would be found to vary materially in the shade of color when dyed. Hence it is important to select such materials as will blend well together, and also wear well when worked.
The following colors may be said to harmonize perfectly:—
Blue works well with the warmer tints of drab, stone, and fawn.
Yellow with the richest and darkest shades of drab.
Pink with soft stone, fawn, and grey.
Lilac with the cold green tints of the same colors.
Lilac with some greens.
Maize and salmon with green.
Scarlet with a slate tint.
Blue with rich dark claret brown.
Maize with blue.
White with olive green.
Green and blue do not harmonize, whatever the votaries of the present fashion may declare to the contrary. Even green leaves do not look well in the vicinity of blue flowers, unless they partake of the rich autumn tints of olive, yellow, and brown. Then the primitive colors, scarlet and yellow, kill each other; they give color, but not coloring; and yellow and green, scarlet and brown, or scarlet and lilac, are all equally injurious.
It must be remembered that strong contrasts do not of themselves produce beauty; it is rather the delicate adjustment of the various shades. There are numberless varieties of every leading color—greens, whites, and reds especially. The following list may be serviceable:—
White Flowers.—These may be shaded in any of the following colors: green, pure white, grey or slate. The choice depends on the color to be worked, the Fleur de lis requiring, for instance, to be shaded into green. In all the shades, however, the greatest softness is imperative. All sudden contrasts must be avoided.
Damask roses are worked in at least six shades; from black to a pure rose pink; the gradations include deep claret, lighter ditto, scarlet, and a medium shade between the last.
Ordinary roses are shaded from deep scarlet to bright ponceau, and various shades of pink.
The shades of green, for leaves, are quite innumerable.
It is never in good taste to have a group of flowers on a light ground without some one in the group to correspond with it. Not that it should be a prominent object, but that it softens the whole.
Finally, I may be permitted to observe that, as “good wine needs no bush,” so good needlework requires not very gaudy or striking mountings. A well designed portfeuille or cushion does not look at all better for being so extravagantly finished off, that the eye rests on the fittings rather than the work. Let cords, tassels, linings &c., be as good as possible; let them also be as plain as possible. These are but the frame, the work is the picture; and the valuable part should be also the most attractive.
HONITON CROCHET COLLAR.
[Fig. 1.]
This crochet collar, in imitation of Honiton lace, is composed of sprigs and edging in crochet sewed on Italian or Brussels net. It is a very simple style of collar, and may be made very rapidly.
Materials.—Cotton, No. 70. Crochet hook, No. 24, eagle card-board gauge.
The Edging.—16 ch. close in the 6 for a loop, in which work + 5 ch., miss 1, sc. in 2nd + 4 times; 5 ch., sc. on the close of the loop. Turn the work on the wrong side, and do under every chain of five 2 sc., 5 dc.; 2 sc.; repeat from the 16 chain as often as may be required for the length.
For the Sprig.—Make a chain of 10, form it into a loop, in which work * 5 ch.; miss 1, sc. in 2nd * 5 times, joining into the close of the loop at the last; turn on the wrong side, and this forms the flower. 12 ch. for stem; miss 1, 7 dc., turn the work + 6 ch., miss 1, sc. on 2nd dc. stitch, + all round this centre of the leaf; work all these loops in sc.; 9 ch., miss 1, 7 dc. for centre of another leaf; work as before; 6 ch., work sc. all along the stem, and fasten off.
Open hem.—Make a chain of the required length, and in it work + 2 ch., miss 1, 1 dc. +; repeat to the end.
To make up crochet Honiton lace for collars, or any other purpose:—Cut out a pattern of the article required in coloured paper, slightly larger than is requisite; then a similar one, in Italian or Brussels net. A very narrow roll or hem must be made round this net, and it must then be tacked on the paper. Then arrange on it the crochet work, beginning with the edging and sprigs, and tack them lightly in their places. Run them round with very fine cotton; put the openwork in every loop 1 sc., 1 dc., 3 tc., 1 dc., 1 sc. hem round the neck, fasten it on; and, round the outer edge, lay some of the very best pearl edging.
The collar given in the engraving is formed in scallops, in each of which one sprig is laid. In future, when giving receipts for Honiton lace, I shall refer to this number of our book for the mode of making up, &c.
KNITTED BASKET.
[Fig. 2.]
Materials.—Six shades of 4-thread Berlin wool, in scarlet or any other colour, and 4 bone pins No. 8.
With the lightest shade of wool cast on 13 stitches.
1st Row.—Slip 1, knit 1, ✕ make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, † make 2, knit 2 together, † twice, knit 1.
2nd.—Knit 3, purl 1, knit 2, purl 1, knit 1, ✕, make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, knit 1.
3rd.—Slip 1, knit 1, ✕, make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, knit 2, make 2, knit 2 together, make 2, knit 2 together, knit 1.
4th.—Knit 3, purl 1, knit 2, purl 1, knit 3, ✕, make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, knit 1.
5th.—Slip 1, knit 1, ✕, make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, knit 4, †, make 2, knit 2 together, † twice, knit 1.
6th.—Knit 3, purl 1, knit 2, purl 1, knit 5, ✕, make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, knit 1.
7th.—Slip 1, knit 1, ✕, make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, knit 6, †, make 2, knit 2 together, † twice, knit 1.
8th.—Cast off 8, knit 5, ✕, make 1, knit 2 together, ✕ 3 times, knit 1.
This completes one pattern; join on the next shade of wool for another, and so on, changing the shade with every repetition of the pattern. The seventh pattern will be done again with the lightest shade; and 12 patterns will be found sufficient for the edging.
Sew the sides up, and on each of the three needles take up 33 stitches, from the straight side of the edging; knit 2 rounds plain, then knit 1, knit 2 together, knit to within 3 of the end of the needle, knit 2 together, knit 1; repeat this on the other two needles; knit one plain round and one decreasing one alternately, until only 4 stitches are left on each needle. Draw up the opening, and fasten the wool with a coarse embroidery needle. Make a handle of 3 or 4 pieces of fine wire covered with wool or ribbon; and put a round, similarly covered, at the top and bottom of the three rows of open hem to keep the basket in shape.
INITIAL LETTERS IN EMBROIDERY.
[Fig. 3.]
The C and E here represented are given in a style more suitable for marking household linen and large articles than for embroidering delicate handkerchiefs.
Materials.—Ingrain Turkey red, and white embroidery cotton, No. 70 for linen, and 80 for cambric.
The letters are to be worked in raised satin stitch, with white cotton, and the whole surrounded by a single thread of red, sewed closely over; this throws the letters into strong relief, and has a very chaste and beautiful effect.
In future numbers we shall give other and more decorative styles of letters, for handkerchiefs, &c.
SHAMROCK-LEAF D’OYLEY.
[Fig. 4.]
Materials.—Cotton No. 16. Crochet hook, No. 17. Eagle card-board gauge. 8 ch., close for a round.
1st.—16 dc.
2nd.—✕ 7 ch., miss 1, sc. on 2nd, ✕ 8 times.
3rd.—✕ 6 ch., sc. on the centre of 7 ch., ✕; repeat all round.
4th.—Dc. all round, increasing 1 in every other stitch.
5th.—7 ch., miss 2, dc. into 3rd; turn the work, 5 ch., miss 2, dc. into 3rd, ✕ 5 times, turn the work, and repeat from the beginning of the row.
6th.—✕ sc. on the point of a scallop; 6 ch., sc. on centre of next scallop, 9 ch., ✕; repeat.
7th.—7 tc. on 6 ch., 13 ch., ✕ 7 tc. on next 6 ch., 13 ch., ✕ all round.
8th.—✕ sc. on centre of 13 ch., 26 ch., ✕ sc. on centre of next 13, 26 ch., ✕; repeat all round.
9th.—Dc. all round, increasing every other stitch.
10th.—7 ch., sc. into the same stitch, turn the work, 2 dc., 7 tc., 2 dc., in loop of 7, turn again, miss 8; repeat.
11th.—Commence with sc. on the point of the leaf, make 7 ch., sc. on the point of the next leaf, and so on all round.
12th.—✕ sc. on centre of 7 ch., 9 ch., ✕, repeat.
13th.—✕ sc. on centre of 9 ch., 7 ch., ✕ repeat.
14th.—Sc. on centre of the chain of 7, 8 ch., slip stitch into the same, 12 ch., slip into the same, 8 ch., slip into the same; turn the work; work under the 8 ch., 1 sc., 2 dc., 6 tc., 2 dc., 1 sc.; the loop of 12 work in the same way with 12 tc., the loop of 8, with 6 tc.; fasten off; miss 2 chains of 7, sc. on 3rd, 10 ch., miss 5, dc. on the 6th, 1 ch., miss 1., sc. on 2nd, 1 ch., miss 1, slip on first of 10, work all round in tc., except the first and last stitches in sc.; fasten off; miss 2 chains of 7, and repeat from the beginning of the round.
15th.—✕ sc. on the point of the single leaf, 15 ch., sc. on point of the shamrock, 15 ch., ✕; repeat.
16th.— Dc. all round, increasing in every other stitch.
17th.—✕ sc. in one stitch, 7 ch., miss 2, repeat.
18th.—✕ sc. in centre of 7 ch., 9 ch., ✕; repeat.
19th.—✕ sc. in centre of 8 ch., 9 ch., ✕; repeat.
20th.—sc. under 9 ch., ✕ 5 tc. under the same, 12 ch., sc. under the next 9 ch., ✕; repeat.
Like all other crochet work, this pattern may be greatly increased by the use of coarser materials. Worked with Evans’s boar’s-head cotton, No. 4, and a hook proportionably large, it will make a very pretty couvrette for a music-stool.
PINAFORE.
[Fig. 5.]
This pinafore or blouse is made of very fine holland, trimmed with worsted braid. There are two ways of making it: the first is that given in the engraving; the second, which has much the same effect, was brought into this country by a Russian family of the highest rank. It was made of the richest crimson velvet with gold braid and buttons.
The First Pattern.—Measure the length from the child’s knee to the top of the shoulder; and cut out in holland, a perfect round, exactly double the width of the length you have taken, and two nails over, thus—if it be half a yard from the child’s knee to the shoulder, the circle must be one yard and two nails wide. In the exact centre of this cut a circle out, large enough for the neck, and on each side of it, (distant 5 to 6 inches,) another hole for the arm. A slit is made from the neck, the straight way of the stuff, six inches long. A pair of full and long sleeves are then put in the small holes, and two lines of worsted braid go down them from the centre of the neck, on each side, confining the sleeves in plaits. Small wristbands are set on, also trimmed with braid, the neck and slit are hemmed, and trimmed in the same way, and buttons and loops added to fasten the slit. A hem, one nail broad is made all round the outer edge of the circle, and trimmed like the rest. The pinafore is then complete, being merely confined with a broad band and buckle at the waist.
The other pattern was still more simply made, notwithstanding the rich materials. As it would be best made in French merino, I will describe it in that material—two yards will be more than enough, unless the child is unusually tall. Cut off a yard and three-eighths, fold it evenly, and join up the two sides, leaving only room for an armhole. Slit the centre of the width about 6 inches, or perhaps twelve; and make a slit of six inches, at the end of this one in the opposite direction. Cut the sleeves long, and full at the bottom, make a hem, which trim with braid, and put them in the arm-holes; plait up the fulness on each side of the neck in large plaits, and confine them by a double row of braid which continues to the bottom of the sleeve. Hem and trim the slit in the same manner; fold in plaits the superfluous fulness of the neck, (if twelve inches have been cut) and trim it also with braid. Make a hem at the bottom of the dress and finish in like manner. A few ornamental buttons should fasten the opening on the breast, and also go down the shoulders, and a broad band round the waist completes this graceful dress. For full dress, a rich green merino, with silver braid, and silver buttons, has a very rich and chaste effect.
NECK TIE.
[Fig. 6.]
Materials.—Two shades of crochet purse twist, any color that may be desired. Crochet hook, No. 16. Eagle card-board gauge. Make a chain of the required length; work one row of sc.
2nd.—Sc. on 1st, 6 ch., miss 3, sc. on 4th; repeat.
3rd.—Turn the work, 6 ch., sc. under first loop, 6 ch., sc. under next; repeat.
Continue these 2 rows until about a yard and a quarter is done, when work a row thus:—sc. on centre of 6 ch., 3 ch., sc. in centre of next; finish with a row of sc.
A ring, covered with silk, and two silk tassels, complete the neck tie.