An embroidery book

by Anne Knox Arthur

Method:—Take two threads in the needle, a black and a white, or a blue and a green, or any two contrasting colours; bring the needle out at the starting point; hold the black thread, which should be to the left, under the thumb—the white thread is placed aside out of the way; insert the needle, as for chain stitch, beside the held thread and draw through—a chain stitch of black has been formed. Next, hold the white thread under the thumb, and form the white link, the black thread being placed aside to the right this time. Work in this way alternate black and white links; a little manipulation is sometimes required to keep the thread not in use out of sight (Plate I.).

Split Stitch.—Split stitch may be used for very fine work, or for fixing down laid stitches, for which it is particularly suitable; it has the appearance of a fine chain stitch, but is in reality a single stitch which is split, in the process of working, by the needle. Up to the fourteenth century, it was generally used in figure embroidery to express form, folds of drapery, and features, and was a stitch well adapted for the purpose; but as figure embroidery is quite beyond the scope of this book and the simpler pieces of embroidery it advocates, it is sufficient perhaps to explain the method of working, rather than go into the particulars of its history. It is worked from left to right.

Method:—Bring the thread to the surface at the left; take a stitch, one-sixteenth of an inch, to the right with the point of the needle towards the left; pierce the thread which covers this space and draw the needle through it, splitting the thread and forming a link-like stitch.

Fig. 2.

Coral Stitch (Fig. 2).—Coral stitch is a good decorative line stitch, easily and quickly executed. It is known under several names, such as snail-trail and knotted stitch, etc. It is composed of single knots, worked with the connecting thread on the surface; sometimes the knots are worked so closely together as to have the appearance of beads, or they may be worked half an inch apart, and in rows, when they make good lines for filling large spaces or borders.

Method of working:—Bring the thread through to the front; place the left thumb on it, beyond the point where the knot is to be made; take a stitch under the held thread and at right angles to it; draw the needle through, still holding the thread under the thumb, and tighten. This stitch is suitable for working with wools on fine material.

PLATE IV.

A PORTIÈRE.