Fig. 881. Letter W of the alphabet in soutache. Mode of placing the bars and embroidering the leaves.
Fig. 882. Letter A of the alphabet in soutache in its finished state.
Flowers executed in Soutache and embroidery (fig. [883]). Flowers and sprays, such as here represented, make a charming trimming for summer dresses, sunshades, aprons etc. and can be executed with admirable effect in the D.M.C Soutache, now to be had in all the colours of the D.M.C colour card. A very pretty running pattern can be formed out of the spray, fig. [883], by turning the flowers first to the right and then to the left and making the stalks come out underneath the ears of corn. In order to reverse the position of the flowers thus, you will have to make two tracings of the spray, one negative and one positive.
Fig. 883. Flowers executed in soutache and embroidery.
Materials: Soutache D.M.C Nos. 1 to 3 and Coton à broder D.M.C No. 35.[A]
Colours—For the Soutache: White, écru or Jaune d’Ocre 677, and Bleu-Indigo 322.—For the Coton à broder: Écru, Jaune-Orange 444, Bleu-Indigo 311, Gris-Tilleul 391 and 330, Vert-Pistache 319, 320 and 369, Rouge-Cardinal 348.[A]
For the ears of corn in fig. [883], use either Soutache écru, or Jaune-d’Ocre 677 No. 2; for the marguerites, white Soutache No. 2½ and for the corn flowers, Soutache Bleu-Indigo 322 No. 2. Nothing could be simpler than the mode of working these flowers.
Thread a tapestry needle with the Soutache and draw it into the stuff, and then pass it through from the right side to the wrong at the bottom of one of the petals of the flowers, secure it on the wrong side by two or three stitches and then bring the working thread, which should be of the same colour as the Soutache, out again at the point of the petal, then carry the Soutache back to the bottom of the petal and fasten it down, like the gold threads in fig. [242], by a stitch rather wider than the Soutache, fold the Soutache over again to the starting point, and secure it by a stitch, and so on. In order to give a different character to the flowers, use Soutache of different widths, fold it over more or less closely and lay it down in shorter or longer lengths, as required. The natural irregularity of the petals of a flower can be very faithfully imitated in this manner. Fig. [883] shows the way in which, for the ears of corn, the braid is folded back upon itself and fastened down, whilst in the white flowers the two layers of the braid that form each petal are separated at the bottom.
The stamens of the marguerites are worked in knot stitch with yellow cotton and those of the cornflowers with dark blue.