Encyclopedia of Needlework

by Thérèse de Dillmont

The little wheel at the top of the square is begun with 10 chain for the ring = 16 plain on the ring, 4 chain, * 1 treble, 1 chain = repeat 14 times from *; 16 trebles in all, including the chain stitches = then on each treble and each chain stitch: 1 plain; after 4 plain: 1 picot; connect the wheel first on the right.

The 2nd picot is to be fastened to the 9th picot of the large scallop = proceed with: 3 times 4 plain with 1 picot = after the 3rd plain, fasten the picot to the 3rd picot of the next large scallop and complete the small wheel. The left wheel is made and inserted in the same manner as the right one. The wheels at the bottom of the square require for the foundation ring: 14 chain, on which you make 21 plain = on these: 4 chain, * 1 treble, 1 chain = repeat 19 times from *; 21 trebles in all, including the chain stitches = 3 plain, 1 picot, 3 plain, 1 picot, 3 plain, 1 picot, 3 plain, 4 chain, join to the 8th picot of the 2nd scallop; 4 chain, finish the picot, 3 plain, 1 picot, 3 plain, 8 chain, join to the 10th picot of the scallop, 8 chain, complete the picot; 3 plain, 1 picot, 3 plain, 8 chain, join to the 2nd picot of the 3rd scallop, 8 chain, close the picot, 3 chain, 1 picot, 3 plain, 4 chain, join to the 4th picot of the 3rd scallop; 4 chain, complete the picot, 3 plain, 1 picot and so on, until you have 14 picots round the wheel. Repeat the same wheel to the left between the 4th and 5th scallop.

The edging of this second kind of square is also slightly different; fasten the thread to the 6th picot of the 1st scallop before the small wheel, then working from right to left, count: * 10 chain, 1 treble on the 2nd empty picot of the small wheel; 8 chain, 1 triple treble on the 4th picot of the wheel = upwards: 9 chain, 1 double treble on the 6th picot of the wheel; 9 chain, 1 plain on the 6th picot of the 8th scallop, 12 chain, 1 plain on the 7th picot of the scallop, 11 chain **, 1 quadruple treble on the 9th picot of the 8th scallop and on the 3rd picot of the 7th; draw the last loops of the two trebles up together. Repeat once more from ** to *, then: 1 plain on the 6th picot of the 6th scallop; *** 12 chain, 1 sextuple treble on the 9th picot of the 6th scallop, retain 2 loops of the treble on the needle, make 4 more overs, join the treble to the 3rd picot of the 5th scallop; finish the bars, 12 chain, 1 plain in the 6th picot of the next scallop = 12 chain, 1 double treble on the 2nd picot of the 7 empty picots of the bottom wheel; 9 chain, 1 quadruple treble on the 4th picot; 12 chain, 1 double treble on the 6th picot, 14 chain, 1 plain on the 6th picot of the 4th scallop, 14 chain ***, 1 septuple treble, in the 9th and 3rd picots of the 4th and 3rd scallops ****. For the preceding treble, you pass first through 4 loops only, then make 4 more overs for the other half of the treble, and finish the last loops one by one. Repeat from **** to ***. One row of plain stitches completes the square.

After having made the square similar to that of the upper one, you have merely to add the large wheels at the top.

The setting of chain stitches and trebles is begun at the first scallop between 2 wheels = 1 plain on the 6th picot of the 1st scallop; 14 chain, 2 quintuple trebles, of which the last loops only are joined together, on the 9th and 3rd picot of the 1st and 2nd scallop, = 14 chain, 1 plain on the 6th picot of the next scallop; * 14 chain, 1 treble on the 2nd empty picot of the wheel; 10 chain, 1 quadruple treble on the 4th picot, 10 chain, 1 treble on the 6th picot; 14 chain, 1 plain on the 6th picot of the 3rd scallop; 14 chain, 2 sextuple trebles on the 10th and 2nd picot of the 3rd and 4th scallop; 15 chain, 1 plain on the 6th picot of the 4th scallop; 16 chain, 2 sextuple trebles on the 10th and 2nd picot of the 4th and 5th scallop; 16 chain, 1 plain on the 6th picot of the 5th scallop; 15 chain ** 3 septuple trebles on the 10th and 2nd picot of the 5th and 6th scallop. Repeat from ** to *; and make 4 figures with rounded edges. When all the figures are finished, join them together by trebles of a suitable length.

Introduce the thread at the corner stitch on the widest side of the 2nd 8 pointed star and make: 1 plain, 6 chain, miss 3 stitches, 1 plain on the 3 next stitches, 4 chain, miss 2, 1 plain on the next 3 plain stitches.

Make 11 loops in this manner, each consisting of 4 chain and 3 plain, then 2 loops of 3 chain and 2 plain = then miss as many stitches of the square at the edge of the collar as were left empty in the second square; 2 plain and draw the loop each time through the 2 last stitches of the opposite square = 1 chain, 1 single on the 2nd chain stitch of the opposite side; 1 chain, 3 plain on the edge of the first square, 1 chain, 1 single, 1 chain, miss 3 stitches, 3 plain, 5 chain, bring the loop from the wrong side to the right = on the chain stitches: 4 plain, 2 chain, miss 3, 3 plain.

From this point onwards, fasten all the bars of chain stitches to the loops produced by the same stitches in the 2nd square. Thus, the 1st bar consisting of 5 chain, the 2nd will consist of 7 chain on which make 7 plain, and then add 2 more chain. Nowhere must the two first chain stitches be uncovered.

The 3rd bar must consist of 9 chain, 9 plain and 2 chain = the 4th of 11 chain, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 2 chain = the 5th of 13 chain, 4 plain, 1 picot, 4 plain, 1 picot, 4 plain, 2 chain = the 6th of 16 chain, 6 plain, 1 picot, 6 plain, 1 picot, 6 plain, 2 chain = the 7th of 18 chain, 5 plain, 1 picot, 4 plain, 1 picot, 4 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 2 chain = the 8th of 21 chain, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 2 chain = the 9th of 24 chain, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 2 chain = the 10th of 26 chain, 6 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 5 plain, 1 picot, 6 plain, 2 chain = the 11th and last of 28 chain, 32 plain, 2 chain, fasten off.

As the square with the semicircles in it, has more plain stitches in the edge than the one with the eight-pointed star in it, the stitches must be divided so that you miss 3 from time to time, instead of two. When the 7 top figures are finished, join the 7 bottom ones to them, each separately, by a row of plain stitches, made on the wrong side of the work. Below the first square with the semicircles, comes the eight-pointed star, below the next eight-pointed star, the square with the semicircles, and so on.