Fig. 183. A handkerchief for an ambitious little girl
A section of a drawn work handkerchief for some ambitious little girl to own is shown in the illustration on this page ([Figure 183]). It is like a cobweb. A piece of handkerchief linen twelve inches square is selected. Starting from the outer edge of the four sides an eighth of an inch wide space is left, then the threads drawn for an eighth of an inch. Repeat this seventeen times. At the corners the space and drawn threads form squares.
Now the rest of the space should be divided up in like manner, so starting from one corner of the solid square in the centre, draw the threads for an eighth of an inch, then leave a space the same length and then draw again. Continue in this manner on the four sides of the centre square. Pull out all the cut threads and you find that you have a deep border of little squares. Buttonhole around the four sides of the centre square with tiny stitches, thus keeping the linen from fraying.
To get the pointed edge as shown in the handkerchief, buttonhole over the line of horizontal threads and four of the vertical. The little filling stitch I am going to suggest to you is so simple that really after you have buttonholed the handkerchief your task is almost completed.
Start in the first point under the solid square and work diagonally across the open space. Pass your thread around the centre of the little square also on the diagonal. Continue across till you reach the buttonholed edge around the linen square in the centre.
Skip the next point and work the same stitch in every other point. This stitch and in fact all the rest of the handkerchief should be carried out in No. 200 sewing cotton.
In between the worked points make another stitch which is very similar to the one just described.
It is started from the edge and a stitch is taken on the diagonal across four of the squares and half way across the solid squares at the corner of each group.
Having reached the buttonholing next the linen you turn your work and repeat the stitch over the same square. The stitches now form the figure 8.