Probably it was originally used for the sewing on of gold threads, which were too precious to be wasted, being made of pure metal—naturally the difficulty of drawing these metal threads through the material would lead to the simplest means of attachment. At any rate, this method of sewing on gold threads was in general use all over Europe as early as the twelfth century.
PLATE VIII.
A LUNCHEON MAT. ([See page 86.])
Couching is particularly useful as an outline to stitching, especially where a weak line requires defining. An irregularly sewn form, whether floral or geometrical, may be much improved, and the colour may also be enhanced, by a firmly couched outline. It is most convenient for sewing down applied work. Primarily it covers the join, and is of considerable importance in aiding the colour scheme (Plate IV.). Where simple treatment shows to advantage, couched threads, outlined with metal cord, give the necessary means of expressing taste and choice of colour, and with a little extra stitching to indicate veinings or whatever detail there may be, couching can again be applied with good results, instead of resorting to another stitch. It is worked from right to left; the small tying down stitches may be straight or slanted, but they ought not to be placed too far apart—for simple decorative work, from a sixteenth to a quarter of an inch, the latter for the attaching of wools or yarns and narrow braids, the former for finer work. One of the commonest mistakes of a beginner is to couch with a thick thread, each stitch varying from a half to one-and-a-half inches apart. This entirely destroys the character and effect of the applied threads. When couching a straight line with cord or braid it should be held rather tightly, while with wool or silk a pretty bead-like appearance can be got by holding the thread rather loosely (Plate XVI.).
The fashion of sewing on a cord invisibly—as in upholstery—by untwisting the cord slightly between each stitch should never be resorted to for embroidery.
Ancient method of Couching, “Point rentré et retiré.”—A most interesting method of couching, which unfortunately fell out of use, was practised up till the middle of the fourteenth century. The couching thread was on the reverse side, and was generally of strong waxed linen thread, which did not appear on the surface at all. The ground material was formed of two layers of linen, and the gold or silk thread was kept on the surface, only penetrating the layers of linen at intervals where the linen couching thread had drawn it through.
Some of the beautiful specimens of early English work, the famous Syon Cope and the Jesse Cope, to be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the backgrounds of which are covered with couching done in this quaint and durable fashion, are well worth studying. The linen background of the Syon Cope is couched in coloured silk, that of the Jesse Cope in fine gold.
The two lines on the outer edges of the sideboard runner, which has almost the appearance of back stitching, are worked in this way (Plate VI.).
