[Plate V]
After the embroidered pattern is done one may finish the mat with fine, close hemstitching or by button-holing the edge with ravellings of the crash. The latter method is usually more pleasing. The simple darning stitch can also be used to make very attractive borders for table runners, sofa pillows, decorations for work bags, as illustrated in [Plate V], besides being used to enrich a great variety of block printed or stencilled articles.
The Satin Stitch.—Another effective and easy embroidery stitch to be used in decorating articles for the home is the over-and-over or satin stitch. When planning to use this stitch upon coarse linen in which the threads can be easily counted, transfer the design, after having carefully drawn it in pencil outline, to paper marked off into little squares. This can be bought where kindergarten supplies are sold. Redraw the outline of the design, following exactly the lines on the paper, and at the same time keep as close as possible to the original form. Let a certain number of threads of linen represent a square of the design and copy the pattern in the satin stitch or even the cross stitch if preferred. No transferring of the pattern to the cloth is necessary.
A pattern worked out on cross section paper in this way can also be crocheted, as illustrated in [Plate V], and set into linen or some of its many imitations to decorate numberless articles for home or personal adornment. This crocheted work, if evenly done in fine thread, is quite suggestive of the Italian filet lace.
[VI]
DRESS AND THE PRINCIPLES OF DECORATION
"A foolish little maiden had a foolish little bonnet
With a feather and a ribbon and a bit of lace upon it;
And that the other maidens of the little town might know it,
She thought she'd go to meeting of a Sunday just to show it.
'Hallelujah! hallelujah!' sang the choir above her head.
'Hardly knew you! hardly knew you!' were the words she thought they said."