Dry partially by laying between two soft cloths or towels for a few minutes. A new and very successful method for drying and pressing, especially small sized linens, is as follows: Lay them close and smooth on a marble slab or board. The woof and warp should be drawn perfectly straight and the stitches of the embroidery should be brought into position—that is, so they will lie as placed when worked. To dry a large article, place a sheet on the carpet and pin the piece through it to the carpet straight by the edges, stretching a little. The drying may be hastened by fanning or by holding a hot iron within half an inch of the surface. Doilies pinned to a board or frame may be dried in a minute by holding them in front of a register, and thus treated they should need no pressing with an iron.
Larger linens may be placed on a fine sheet, face downward, and "touched up" with a moderately hot iron; the marks of the pins may be removed by dampening and pressing. Imperfections in the linen's smoothness may be dampened but the silk should not be wet. The hem will likely need firm pressing; fringe should be brushed and lightly combed out; it will then likely need a little trimming.
All Corticelli Silk will remain fast in color if these directions for washing are followed, and the laundered embroidery will appear no different from that just finished. The peculiar luster, or bloom, of this beautiful silk will be retained if the new method of quick drying, under tension, is carried out.
To set embroidery for the first time, dampen the linen and silk on the wrong side and dry quickly before removing from the hoop. In all cases of fabrics that are not washable set embroidery by pasting on the reverse side.
The Size of Needle to Use.
By Mlle. G. Corsini.
Many ladies who embroider frequently complain that wash silk does not work smoothly, that the silk snarls or ravels, making a bad-looking piece of work, without saying anything about trying one's patience.
"Now, what makes my silk snarl?" is heard only too often. They frequently assign the cause of the trouble to the silk, when, in reality it is the fault of the needle they are using.
Some teachers recommend the use of an ordinary sewing needle with a round eye, but I prefer the long eye or "Crewel" needle. If you want to do fine work, shading closely, and are using double (two threads of) Corticelli Filo Silk, use a No. 8 "Crewel" needle. For single (one thread of) Corticelli Filo Silk use a No. 9 or a No. 10 needle, depending on the material upon which you are working. Generally speaking, use a No. 10 needle, especially for bolting cloth, Chinese linen, or grass linen. Corticelli Persian Floss requires a No. 8 needle. In working Corticelli Etching Silk choose a No. 7 needle. For Corticelli Roman Floss use a No. 6 needle. Use a No. 3 or a No. 6 needle for Corticelli Rope Silk.