For the scallops, a round material with rather a strong twist should be used, such as Soie de coton D.M.C No. 100[A] or Fil à dentelle D.M.C Nos. 70 to 100[A], wound on reels.
Fig. 868. Quarter of the pattern for fig. [867], in the natural size.
Where the picots have to fill up empty spaces of a larger size, you can join several together by connecting them each in turn with the first.
When you have bordered all the outlines with button-hole stitches and picots, fill up the spaces enclosed within the lines, which properly speaking form the pattern, with flat stitch embroidery, worked in Coton à broder or Coton à repriser; after which the whole surface is sewn over with fine little spangles which give the sparkling look that constitutes the peculiar charm of this kind of embroidery. The flowers are covered with a fancy stitch that forms regular little lozenges, and every second row of stitches is hidden under a spangle.
With regard to the colours indicated at the foot of fig. [867], this is how they were distributed in the original, from which our engraving was taken; all the outlines in button-hole stitch, in Bleu pâle 668; the tops of the flowers in Bleu-Indigo 334; the bottom parts in Bleu-Indigo 332, and all three shades of blue so blended together in the solid parts of the design as to be undistinguishable from each other. It is not absolutely necessary to keep to the colours here indicated; there is no reason whatever why a greater variety should not be introduced, but in every case the more subdued shades should be selected; a pale red, for instance, for the flowers, a green and a brown for the arabesques, will always be found to produce a very pretty and harmonious effect.
When all the needlework is finished, you cut away the stuff underneath the network formed by the picots, with a pair of sharp scissors.
A word remains to be said with regard to the copying of fig. [868].
Our readers will notice that in fig. [867] the flowers and arabesques succeed and grow out of each other; that whilst the four quarters are symmetrical, yet at the same time, the curves in each quarter take a different inclination.