SPANISH POINT (No. 12). This is the raised stitch which gives the peculiarly rich appearance to all the Spanish lace. A certain thickness of soft cotton is tacked down on the lace, in the form desired, and this is covered closely with button-hole stitch, edged with Raleigh dots, or with small loops. It is to be noticed that this is not attached to the lace by the button-hole stitches, but only by the thread which tacks down the soft cotton, so that it can be picked off without injury. The button-hole stitches must be worked very smoothly, and quite close together.
ROSETTE (No. 13). This is exactly like a spider's web, worked on three, four, or more threads, according to the shape of the space intended to be filled. Begin by making a Sorrento bar across the space, from one point to the opposite; then a second one, slipping the needle under the first in going, and over it in twisting back; then do a third, or fourth, if necessary; but when you have twisted back to the centre of the last, make the rosette, leaving the half bar single. The rosette is done by passing the needle under two threads, then continuing to slip it under two, the first of which is always the last of the previous two, until you have made the spot a sufficient size, when you finish the last bar, by twisting down to the braid, and fastening off. The size of the space must be the guide for that of the rosette; but from six to ten times round a centre is an average.
STITCHES.
BRUSSELS LACE (No. 14). Consecutive rows of Brussels edging, worked alternately from left to right, and from right to left.
VENETIAN LACE (No. 15). Rows of Venetian edging. As this stitch can only be worked from left to right, a line of Brussels is usually placed between every two rows, and being worked from right to left, saves the trouble of running the needle along the braid.
SORRENTO LACE (No. 16). Successive rows of the Sorrento edging.
ENGLISH LACE (No. 17). This is to be worked with the finest thread that is made. Do a number of Sorrento bars (closely twisted threads), at equal distances, in one direction throughout the space: then take one thread under all these, in exactly the opposite direction; take a stitch on the braid to secure it, and twist to the first cross. Pass the needle under the single thread and over the twisted one, till it has gone four times round, when the spot will be sufficiently large. Twist on the single thread to the next cross, and repeat. Do this until the whole space is filled, as seen in the engraving, where the distance between the threads is sufficiently accurately represented. This lace always looks best, however, when the lines are diagonal. English lace is often radiated; that is, the lines are more distant from each other at one edge than at the other, and the spots proportionably larger, presenting the appearance of a fan.
