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Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
CAPE of white lawn embroidered. Nineteenth century American.
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Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
COLLARS of white muslin embroidered. Nineteenth century American.
The threads used were flosses of linen or cotton, preferably the latter, which were almost entirely imported. With these restricted materials, wonders of ornamentation were performed. The stitch, quite different from that of crewelwork or picture embroidery of the preceding period, was the simple over and over stitch we find in French embroidery of the present day. The leaves of the design or pattern were frequently brought into relief by a stuffing of under threads.