Fig. 153. Ribbon flowers
Forget-me-nots, conventionalized small asters, and little roses are suitable for the narrow ribbons. Satin, moire, broadcloth, or heavy silk are used for the background and the daintiest of needle cases, jewel cases, handkerchief bags, belts, and other little accessories may be evolved from a small piece of silk and a few yards of ribbon. The design is stamped on the background and all the single lines or stems outlined with filo silk. Let us imagine we are working on a spray of forget-me-nots. The needle is threaded with six inches of the narrow green ribbon. Slip your needle from the under side of the material drawing all the ribbon through but a quarter of an inch. One stitch is generally sufficient for a leaf, though sometimes the leaves are wider and require two or possibly three stitches. The ribbon serves the same purpose as silk. The one point to remember is that the ribbon should not be twisted. Naturally in pulling it through the material several times it becomes so wrinkled that a short piece works to better advantage than a long one. The flower is made in the same way, one stitch for each petal and when completed a French knot is made in the centre of the flower ([Figure 153]).
The ends caused from starting and finishing off are fastened or caught down with a piece of fine thread on the wrong side.
Do not pull your stitches. The work is very much prettier when it lies soft and full on the background.
It is well to make use of every piece of fancy work you do and yet sometimes a new thing may strike your fancy and you would like to make a small piece.
A card case is acceptable to every girl and it is a good plan to make them to match your visiting dresses.
Take a piece of material five by ten inches long. Three inches from one of the short edges stamp a design that will not occupy a space larger than three inches long and two inches deep. The length of the design must run parallel with the short edge of the material. The bottom of the stamping must be five and a half inches from the short edge of the material.