The leaves or petals of a Wallachian figure are worked on the slant, and here is the difference from ordinary buttonholing and the distinctive feature of Wallachian embroidery. Usually the petals have an indented top and a line running through the centre. Begin at the lower right-hand section and take a short stitch on the line as for outlining. The next stitch is taken close to this from the midrib to the outer right-hand edge. The stitches need not be quite as close as in buttonholing and no padding is required. Continue in the same slant to where the centre line stops. The stitches from this point radiate till they are in a good slant to continue down the left side. Note the stitches in the diagram ([Figure 120]).
Some people do not slant their stitches and the result is that the work is not as pretty and loses its chief charm.
Placing your thimble on a piece of material, make a little circle around it and in the centre make a little dot to practise the Wallachian ring on.
Fig. 121. A whisk broom holder in Wallachian stitch
You will find that your thimble or spool is a great help to you also in making scallops. Draw a line with the ruler just below where you want your scallop to be. Inscribe half a circle with the aid of your thimble or spool on the straight line. Just within this half-circle draw another half-circle that will touch the upper line of the scallop. A ten-cent piece or in fact any coin can be used like this. Embroidered pieces should be washed by themselves, especially if they are worked in colours.
A little girl I was teaching some years ago was very slow in working a centre piece. She finished the piece one day just before her term was over. Thinking that she would surprise me, little Daisy decided to launder the piece herself. Her mother knew nothing about embroidery, so was not able to tell her how to proceed. So Daisy washed the piece and having seen how mother bleached the linens, Daisy desired to give her piece a sun bath. She spread it out in the sun and when she went for it the colour was half out. Poor little Daisy was heart-broken. She would not have had this trouble had she observed the following directions:
Put the piece to launder in warm water and rub it with a pure soap, such as castile. Ordinary laundry soaps are too strong of lye to be used. If the piece is very soiled let it soak a long time, several hours. Usually washing the piece out in water is sufficient. Rub with the hand only. Rinse in clean water and lay the piece on a thick cloth or a Turkish towel. Roll the towel up and leave until the piece is almost dry.
Lay the embroidery, with the worked side down, over a heavy padded surface. Press with a hot iron quickly. If the centre of the piece puckers, dampen it again till you have pressed it out thoroughly.