This basket is meant for holding dessert knives. It consists of a common cigar-box nine inches and two-fifths long, five inches and four-fifths wide, and two inches and one-fifth high, covered inside and out with grey American cloth, which is ornamented with embroidery worked in appliqué. The seams are made in overcast stitch. The feet consist of four pieces of strong wire three inches and two-fifths long. These pieces of wire are first covered with wool, and then with jet beads; they are then bent into loops, and fastened on at the bottom of the box by means of holes bored into it for that purpose. The feet must be [131] fastened before covering the inside of the box. The inside of the basket is ornamented with an embroidered pattern in appliqué, which must also be worked before covering the box. The leaves are made of red cloth, the stems and veinings of black bugles. No. 160 shows the pattern in full size; the flowers and leaves are edged with light grey purse silk, over which small stitches in black silk are fastened at regular intervals. Inside the box fasten a deal board covered on both sides with American cloth, so as to divide the basket into two compartments, and fasten on to this board a handle consisting of a piece of wire seven inches long, wound round with beads. The basket is ornamented with ruches of red worsted braid; between two box pleats of the ruche a black bugle is fastened.
161.--Satin Stitch Embroidery.
Materials: Purse silk of two colours, in 4 shades of green and 4 shades of red or magenta for the flowers, gold twist.
This branch is embroidered with purse silk of the natural colours of the flowers and leaves, or in different shades of one colour, on silk canvas. Fuchsia blossoms are here designed, and should be worked in raised embroidery; the stamens to be worked in gold twist.