This style of work is most effective for couvrettes or bed covers. It is worked in cambric muslin and silk, over Brussels net.
The arabesque patterns are worked in cambric muslin, the outlines are embroidered in overcast, and the material is cut away all round. The medallions are made of blue silk; the figures upon them are cut out of flesh-coloured silk, and are gummed first upon tissue-paper, then upon the blue silk; the figures are further fastened upon the medallions in overcast stitch with fine silk of a rather darker shade of flesh-colour. The scarfs are cut out of bright rose-coloured silk; the quiver and arrows and all the other attributes are worked in gold thread; the hair in fine brown silk. The edge of the blue silk medallions is worked round in button-hole stitch, but so as to be easily unripped when the couvrette has to be cleaned. A border in open ladder stitch is worked round them (see No. 81, Embroidery Instructions). The openings in the centre pattern are also filled in with lace stitches.
CROCHET
CROCHET INSTRUCTIONS
A Crochet-Needle
Cotton or thread, wool or silk, with a crochet-needle, are the materials required for working crochet. The needle, whether it be steel or bone, must be smoothly polished. The long wooden and bone crochet-needles are used for wool; for cotton and silk work short steel needles screwed into a bone handle are best. The beauty of the crochet-work depends upon the regularity of the stitches, as is the case with every other style of needlework. The stitches must be elastic, but if too loose they look as bad as if too tight. The size of the needle and that of the cotton or wool must correspond; work only with the point of the needle, and never move the stitch up and down the needle. The cotton with which you work must be of the very best quality; for borders, insertions, rosettes, imitation of guipure, use Evans's crochet cotton; for couvrettes, counterpanes, covers, &c., use knitting-cotton. All crochet-work [186] patterns are begun on a foundation chain; there are three kinds of foundation chains--the plain foundation, the double foundation, and the purl foundation chain.