Some Pretty Bead-work.
There are very few little girls—or big ones either—who are not fond of beads. There is something so fascinating, isn’t there, in seeing what pretty things we can make by threading them. And there are so many lovely ways in which you can use beads.
GREEN VENETIAN AND SMALL CRYSTAL BEADS.
You see the picture on [page 98], showing four little rows of beads. Well, each is a section of a pretty chain, either of which any little girl could make. The top one is made of tiny metal beads and shell beads. There are 12 tiny beads, then 3 shell beads, all the way along.
The next chain shows beads of four different sizes, some dark and some light. This is part of a lovely, long muff chain. Just below is another chain, which is a very simple arrangement, being simply 12 metal beads, then 1 ordinary coral bead. The bottom chain of the little group is made of small, dull blue beads—24 are threaded, then 2 little pink ones, next 1 deep coloured pearl bead, 2 pink, 24 blue, and so on.
OF SMALL PALE BLUE AND PEARL BEADS.
The picture above shows a pretty necklace made on 2 threads. You thread the tiny beads on single threads, then when you come to a larger bead, you put both threads through the same bead. The 5 very big beads are green Venetian beads, and look so pretty.
Another necklace worked on 2 threads is also shown. The beads here are pale blue, with a small pearl here and there. Both threads are put through the same beads, until you come to the front part. There they are divided, and more put on the lower thread, to make the little loops, then both are threaded through the same bead again. This is done 7 times, to make 7 loops, then for the remainder all the beads are threaded on 2 threads.
FOUR SIMPLE BEAD CHAINS.
The upper picture on [page 99] shows sections of 3 chains made of small beads. These are made on a bead loom. On these looms you can make lovely things, and the beads to use are Venetian Iridescent, Cut Tosca, or No. 8 Cut Metal. The work is very easy, and is done as follows:—
Always cut one more warp thread than the number of beads to be used in width, for instance, if the width of work is to be 6 bead wide cut 7 threads. Also in making necklaces cut the thread several inches longer, so as to prevent joining and to allow for the fastening on of the snap.
CHAINS MADE ON A LOOM.
After cutting threads, commence to tie all threads together at one end, fix this on the nail on the spool and then place each of the threads in rotation on the notches of bridge, carrying the threads to the opposite bridge. Then place the threads in same rotation on the second bridge; now draw the threads tight and with the remains of length tie on round the end of loom and fix in and around the pegs. This is called the warp. You now get your thread for threading the beads, and tie the end at the first or left-hand warp, thread the same number of beads in the way you want the first row made, and push them up between the warps, and repeat this again and again until the design is finished.
A BEAD LOOM.
[Pretty Things in Woolwork.]
Have you ever burnt your finger? If so, you know just what it is like, and you don’t want me to tell you how it feels! When you have once had a burn or a scald, you are very careful not to get another if you can help it, and you won’t want anyone else to burn themselves, I know.
Has Grandmamma a kettle holder? She certainly ought to have one, because it is really a nasty thing to pick up a hot kettle without a holder. You just want to drop it at once! Suppose you start right away to make a kettle holder. I mean a really pretty one, of course, that will be delightful to look at, as well as useful.
Here is a pretty Kettle Holder.
It hangs up by the loop at the top.
HOW THE STITCHES ARE DONE.
Here is a lovely chance for you to do some Berlin Woolwork. This is done on Penelope Canvas. You have already learnt to work cross-stitch designs on Penelope Canvas, haven’t you? so you have not so very much that is fresh to learn here. When you did the work before, however, you pulled the threads away afterwards, but here you do not pull any away, but you cover the whole of the canvas square with some pretty pattern. It may be alternate rows of two colours, or it may be a little square pattern, or it can be the “upstairs and downstairs” pattern that you see in the kettle holder on this page.
The easiest kind of kettle holder to start with would be one like the mat on [page 103]—in green and purple—working a row of green crosses, and then a row of purple crosses. When you are working several crosses in a row, you do not finish each cross before going on to the next. You make the halves of the crosses all one way, and then go back and cross them all. You will see what I mean by the top illustration in the picture on this page, showing the stitches.
You will want some Penelope Canvas, and some purple and some green Berlin wool—J. and J. Baldwin’s English-made Berlin wool is the kind to get, as we all like to buy things that are made in England, don’t we? You also need a piece of thick serge or cloth to line the kettle holder, and a pretty cord to finish the edge.
To start the kettle holder, take a piece of canvas, about 7 inches each way. Before you commence the pattern, thread your needle with wool, and take over-and-over stitches all round the edge to keep the canvas from fraying out while you are doing the pretty work.
Now, starting half an inch in, work the cross-stitch, first doing a row of purple and then a row of green, leaving half an inch all round the edge. This will give you a worked square, 6 inches by 6 inches.
Having finished the cross-stitch, turn in the edge all round as far as the work, and tack it. Take your piece of cloth, turn in and tack the edge of that all round to the same size as the kettle holder. Place them together with the wrong sides facing, and hem the lining to the holder, not letting the stitches show through on the right side.
The only thing to be done now is to sew the cord to the edge. This finishes the kettle holder very prettily, and at one corner it can be twisted up to make a loop to hang the holder up by, as you see in the picture on [page 100].
Do you see the little piece worked in squares at the bottom of the picture on [page 101]. This is a lovely design for a kettle holder. You see nine crosses are worked in light wool and nine in dark wool alternately.
BERLIN WOOL WORK ON A BAG.
The “upstairs and downstairs” pattern is just a little bit more difficult, but even this only requires careful counting. You start in the top left-hand corner, and work six crosses in a row. Then take four downwards, then four more in a row with the last one down, then four more down, and so on. When you have worked from one corner to the other in this way, you start filling in the space at each side of that diagonal line, working two rows in each colour. Light and dark green would look very pretty for this. The kettle holder worked in this design is shown hanging cornerwise, but of course it has to be worked straight, as in third specimen in the picture on [page 101].
A MAT FOR A HOT WATER JUG.
There is another thing that Grandma would find very useful, and that is a mat to stand on the table for her hot water-jug. You can make this in the same way as the kettle holder, with just two little differences. When the work on the front is finished, turn the canvas on the wrong side over a piece of cardboard before tacking it. Then line it with a strong piece of sateen. The cardboard keeps it firm, and it will then be quite a useful mat to stand the jug on. Then you do not make a loop to hang it up, as you did the kettle holder, but you simply finish the edge with a straight piece of cord.
If you have a thicker wool, or use the wool doubled, you can work the design in half crosses only, that is to say, just take a half stitch and do not cross it. You will see what I mean by the second little specimen in the picture on [page 101].
Does Grandma knit? If she does she will need a strong bag to keep her work in, as steel knitting needles have an aggravating way of poking their heads through the corners of a bag that is not very strong. You will see how to make a bag on [page 11], and a way to make it extra strong is to work a strip of Berlin wool-work and sew it to the bottom of the bag, so that when you join up the seams of the bag, you sew in the strip of wool-work at the same time. Isn’t that a sweet bag on [page 102]. This is made of pretty grey material, and the work at the bottom is done in several lovely colours, purple, green, black, yellow and white, and you would hardly believe how lovely they all look blended together. The ribbons to draw up the bag, and the feather-stitching, are of a beautiful purple colour.
Preparing for Visitors.
We’ve been so busy all this week,
Spring-cleaning Dolly’s rooms.
We’ve shaken carpets, scrubbed the floors,
We’ve cleaned the walls, and rubbed the doors,
With dusters, pails, and brooms.
We’ve made new curtains and new mats,
A carpet for her feet,
A bedspread fit for any queen,
A hearthrug worked in pink and green—
It all looks very sweet.
You see, when Cousin Mabel comes
And brings her doll, Rose Gerty,
It would be shocking if she found
A speck of dust upon the ground,
Or thought our doll’s house dirty!
F. K.
[A Butterfly Pincushion.]
THE BUTTERFLY DESIGN FOR COUNTING THE CROSSES.
This cushion case can be made of white Hardanger Canvas and embroidered with J. & J. Baldwin’s Beehive Shetland Wool in a blue shade, but you must first make a little calico case and stuff it with bran, then the embroidered case can be taken off and cleaned when it gets dirty.
Cut two squares of calico 4½ inches wide each way, run them together along three of the sides then turn the little square bag you have made inside out, and stuff it with bran. When you have put in as much bran as you can possibly manage to squeeze into the bag, turn the edges of the open side in and oversew them together.
Now cut two squares of canvas the same size as you cut the two calico squares, for the case. The butterfly and the border are worked in cross-stitch. This stitch was described on [page 26].
The Cord gives the Pincushion a pretty finish.
Make your first row of crosses 8 threads in from the edge of the square, going over three threads of canvas for each cross and leaving three threads between each. Then put the second row of crosses above the open spaces of the first row. A cross is then added at each corner three threads in from the border.
To get the butterfly right in the centre of the square, count the crosses on the design and place the centre cross of the butterfly even with the centre cross of the border each way. Now sew your two squares of canvas together along three of the edges on the wrong side, taking a seam of four threads of canvas. Turn on to the right side, pull the case over the stuffed cushion, and oversew the edges of the fourth side together.
Finish the cushion with blue cord, making a loop at each corner; the cord should be hemmed on along the seam all round. The oversewn seam can be opened a little way and the ends of the cord tucked in and sewn securely to make a neat finish. Three-quarters of a yard of cord will be sufficient to go round the cushion.
This little butterfly would also look very pretty on a cushion for Dolly’s chair or couch, and you could make the cushion in exactly the same way as the pincushion, only you would not need to stuff it so full, but leave it loose and soft for Dolly’s head.
Or, if you can knit, you could knit her a woollen bedspread, using J. & J. Baldwin’s 4-ply Beehive Fingering. Knit it in plain garter stitch, the length and width you require. Then work a cross-stitch border all round, and the butterfly in the centre. It is easy to work cross-stitch on plain knitting.
[The Farmyard Curtain.]
Isn’t this a pretty curtain? It has quite a farmyard of animals on it. First, there is the stately cock; then two rabbits, one running along and one sitting down; and then quite a group of ducks and ducklings. Perhaps if you were to ask mother, she would let you make some like it for your own bedroom.
Cream Congress canvas was used to make the curtain, and it was lined with sateen of the same shade. The animals and border are worked in green “Star Sylko” thread, No. 5, Shade 754. The curtain in the picture is about 18 inches wide and 21 inches deep, but you would, of course, make it the right size for your own window.
First cut your canvas to the size required, allowing about 6 threads of canvas extra all round for turnings. Turn in a single turning of 6 threads all round and tack securely.
The curtain looks like this when it hangs at the window.
Working the Border.
Now look carefully at the border and see how this is done. You have an illustration showing how to make the various stitches used. You first work slanting up-and-down stitches all along the side edges and across the bottom of the curtain, going over 4 threads of canvas.
Commencing from the top of the right side edge of the curtain, count 4 threads from the top edge, and put your needle up through the hole right on the edge; go over 4 threads to the right and 4 threads up, put your needle in and pick up 8 threads; make a slanting stitch back again down to the edge of the canvas, and put your needle into the hole you first brought it out of, pick up 8 threads along the edge, and repeat this up and down all the way round three sides of the curtain.
I think the little picture will best show you how this is done; you will see that two slanting stitches meet at the corner. In picking up the lower threads only take up the single canvas, so that no stitches will be shown at the edge on the other side.
A CORNER SHOWING THE BORDER.
Now to complete the edge, buttonhole stitches are worked around. Directions for making buttonhole stitch are given on [page 6]. One stitch is placed at each point of the slanting stitches, putting your needle down through the fold of the edge of the curtain. How this should look can be seen in the second specimen in the illustration of the stitches. You will notice that three stitches are made into the one hole at the corner.
SHOWING SOME OF THE STITCHES USED ON THE CURTAIN.
You have now to work the rows of stars around to finish the border. These are worked as shown in the third specimen in your illustration of stitches. All the stitches of the star start from the centre hole, the four long stitches being worked over four threads of the canvas, and the four short stitches over 2; one thread of canvas is left between each star. There should also be four threads left between the points of the first row of stars and the stitches round the edge of the curtain. One row of stars is worked all round, a second row and a row of half stars being added across the bottom.
The Animals.
The animals are worked in cross-stitch, going over 2 threads of canvas for each cross. If you are not quite sure how to work cross-stitch, you can find out by looking at [page 26]. You will be able to count the crosses from the diagrams given. Of course, if your curtain is to be much larger than this one, you will have to leave more space between each animal.
Also, you might like to make your curtain of some other material instead of the canvas, and if you are using a plain material, without even threads to count, you can first tack Penelope canvas where you want your animals, and work over this, pulling the threads of canvas away after, as you see explained on [page 27]. For instance, the curtain would look quite nice made of unbleached calico in this way. You have a set of pictures on [page 111], showing the animals worked over Penelope canvas, and these will help you, if you are using calico, or casement cloth for your curtain.
 |  |
From these diagramsyou can easily countthe crosses for theanimals. | |
| You can see that this is the Swimming Duck. On the left is the Cock. |
The pictures on this page show the animals worked over Penelope Canvas. You would do them this way if you make your curtain of sateen or unbleached calico.
| This is the Running Rabbit. The one on the left prefers to sit still. |
Here are the Duck and Duckling. On the left is the Duckling flapping his wings.
Lining the Curtain.
You now cut out a piece of sateen exactly the same size as you cut the canvas, turn in a narrow single turning, and tack the sateen to the wrong side of the curtain. The stitch used for sewing the lining to the curtain is shown at the bottom of your illustration of stitches. In working this, you hold a strand of your embroidery thread along just in from the edge of your work, and sew over this, with small slanting stitches, putting your needle in just above the line of thread, and bringing it out just underneath. The coloured thread is used for this; a white thread is used in the specimen, just to show you how the stitches should look.
When you are doing this part of the work, be careful that you do not take your stitches through to the right side of the curtain, but only pick up the turned-in edge of the canvas with the sateen.
Sew 7 bone curtain rings to the top of curtain at even distances apart, and the curtain is complete.
You will need two curtains, or even three, if your window is a very wide one. But each curtain is made in exactly the same way. And when they are finished, you will be very proud of your needle-work I am sure. And all your friends will be able to see it, without any showing, every time they come into your room.