The rings are buttonholed to the net.
If a very elaborate piece is wanted, lace stitches may be inserted in spaces that are bound on all sides with braid. The stitches, however, should be of the simplest, such as the twisted bar or spider.
Honiton braid which is an egg-shaped braid is much more beautiful than the plain Renaissance braid employed in Connemara.
The dearest of baby caps, handkerchief tie ends, and other dainty little articles on which a fine decoration is desired can be made from fine net and Honiton braid. Each section of braid can be cut and made to form petals for a flower or to represent a leaf. Honiton is of course more expensive than Renaissance braid but a yard of Honiton goes a good way.
There is a thread that can be bought by the yard, called picot or purling thread. It has a loop at short intervals each side of it. The needle can be threaded with it and can be used for stems, tendrils, or other parts of a design where a fine single line is desired.
The centre of a flower in Honiton appliqué may be in worked various ways. A small ring or button may be used or spiders may be woven in the centre. Again the single Brussels or mesh stitch is worked in a little circle in the centre. Use a very small ring, if you decide on rings for centre, as a large ring spoils the effect of a flower. Any child can make designs for Honiton appliqué.
The background for Honiton is the fine Brussels net. Sometimes a double thickness of net is basted over the pattern and the Honiton sewed on or appliquéd to the net. The double thickness of net gives a moire effect. Each section of the braid is sewed to the net only. Sometimes two widths of braid are used, one size for the flowers and another for the leaves.
The braids at most art shops can be had in black, cream, or white. If, however, you are not fortunate enough to get cream, the white can be dyed at home to be as light or deep as you desire. I use cold tea diluted in water for a light cream, and coffee for the deeper cream. Put the lace to soak in the tea or coffee for a couple of hours. Rinse in cold water and let dry. If it is not a deep enough shade put more tea or coffee in the water and soak the lace again. Another way to dye lace, chiffon or any delicate fabric is to get a tube of oil paint the colour you desire and dilute it in gasolene. Of course the gasolene makes the paint light, so test the solution by dipping a small piece of cloth in and see if it is the right shade. A quart of gasolene is sufficient unless the article is very large.
I know a girl who dipped her white hat all trimmed with flowers and tulle that was quite soiled into a mixture of gray paint and gasolene and the result was a pretty dove gray that everybody thought was new.