[Ill.u.s.tration: 78.--Point de Plume.]

ILl.u.s.tRATION 78 shows the so-called _point de plume_ on a scalloped leaf. It is worked like the satin st.i.tch, only the needle is drawn through the material in a slanting direction.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 79.--Point de Minute.]

ILl.u.s.tRATION 79 (_Point de Minute_).--This st.i.tch is often used instead of satin st.i.tch when the patterns must appear raised. Wind the cotton several times round the point of the needle, which is inserted into the material half its length (the number of times the cotton is to be wound round the needle depends on the length of the pattern), hold fast the windings with the thumb of the left hand, draw the needle and the cotton through the windings, insert the needle into the material at the same place, and draw it out at the place where the next st.i.tch is to begin.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 80.--Ladder St.i.tch.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 81.--Ladder St.i.tch.]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 80 & 81 show the _ladder st.i.tch_, often used in ornamental embroidery. Trace first the outlines as seen in ill.u.s.trations; mark also the cross st.i.tches between the outlines, so that the first touch the outlines only at both ends. The outlines are embroidered in overcast st.i.tch or double overcast; the material is cut away underneath the ladder st.i.tch between the outlines.

We have now shown the different kinds of st.i.tches used in embroidery; the following ill.u.s.trations show them used for different patterns.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 82.--b.u.t.ton-hole St.i.tch Scallop.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 83.--b.u.t.ton-hole St.i.tch Scallop.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 84.--b.u.t.ton-hole St.i.tch Scallop.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 85.--b.u.t.ton-hole St.i.tch Scallop.]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 82 TO 85 (_Different b.u.t.ton-hole St.i.tch Scallops_).--These scallops are prepared as above described. Take care to have the st.i.tches even and regular; the scallops must be wide in the centre and very fine at both ends.

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 86 & 87 (_b.u.t.ton-holes and Eyelets_).--This kind of embroidery is used only in round or long patterns. Trace first the outline of the hole, cut away a small round piece of material, not too close to the outlines (when the b.u.t.ton-hole is very small merely insert the point of the scissors or a stiletto into the material), fold the edge of the material back with the needle, and work the hole in overcast st.i.tch, inserting the needle into the empty place in the centre and drawing it out under the outline. Some b.u.t.ton-holes are worked separately; sometimes they are in a row; if so, take care to begin to work each b.u.t.ton-hole at the place where it touches the next. In the following b.u.t.ton-holes the outside must be traced double, so as to reach as far as the next one, but each b.u.t.ton-hole is finished at once.

Ill.u.s.tration 86 shows a b.u.t.ton-hole worked round in b.u.t.ton-hole st.i.tch, 87 an eyelet-hole worked in overcast.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 86.--b.u.t.ton and Eyelet Holes.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 87.--b.u.t.ton and Eyelet Holes.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 88.--Shaded b.u.t.ton-hole.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 89.--Shaded b.u.t.ton-hole.]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 88 & 89.--Shaded b.u.t.ton-holes are worked like the others, only they are prepared, as can be seen in ill.u.s.tration 89, so as to mark the thickness. The st.i.tches must gradually get narrower or wider, and be worked very close to each other.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 90.--Leaf in Raised Satin St.i.tch.]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 90 & 91 (_Two Leaves in Raised Satin St.i.tch_).--In a leaf like the one seen in 90 work first the outline and veining in overcast st.i.tch; work one half of the leaf in satin st.i.tch, and the other half between the overcast outline and veining in back st.i.tch. The stem of a leaf is always worked last.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 91.--Leaf in Raised Satin St.i.tch.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 92.--Raised Leaf.]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 92 & 93 (_Two Leaves in Satin St.i.tch and Point de Plume_).--For leaves like the one seen in 93 begin with the veinings, then work the inner points, then the outer ones, and lastly the raised spots in the centre. The leaf seen in 92 is worked, one half in _point de plume_, the other half in back st.i.tch or _point d'or_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 93.--Raised Leaf.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 94.--Leaf.]

ILl.u.s.tRATION 94.--- The outline of this leaf is embroidered in overcast st.i.tch; the open-work veining consists of eyelets; one half of the leaf is worked in back st.i.tch, the other half in a kind of satin st.i.tch worked without chain st.i.tches underneath; the st.i.tches are worked across the leaf, leaving between two st.i.tches an interval as wide as the st.i.tch itself. The next row is then worked in these intervals, and each st.i.tch begins half-way up the one before and after it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 95.--Leaf Raised.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 96.--Leaf Raised.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 97.--Raised Leaf.]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 95 to 97 (_Leaf in Raised Embroidery).--This kind of embroidery is particularly beautiful, as it is worked separately and sewn on the material with an outline in very fine cotton, this produces the shade seen in 95 (see also ill.u.s.trations 98 to 113). For such leaves work first one half in overcast and satin st.i.tch (ill.u.s.tration 96); the other half is worked on a separate piece of material (see ill.u.s.tration 97); cut away the material along the overcast outline, and fasten it on the foundation material along the outline which forms the veining on ill.u.s.tration 96.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 98.--Raised Embroidered Leaf.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 99.--Half of Leaf (98).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 100.--Centre of Leaf (98).]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 98 TO 100 show a similar leaf; both halves are worked separately (see 99); the centre is worked in open lace st.i.tch. The latter (see No. 100) is traced, then make ladder st.i.tches across, work the outlines in overcast st.i.tch, and cut away the material underneath the ladder st.i.tch. The cross st.i.tches are then worked in darning st.i.tch with very fine cotton wherever two threads meet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 101.--Blossom in Satin St.i.tch.]

ILl.u.s.tRATION 101 (_Blossom in Satin St.i.tch_).--The eyelet is worked in overcast st.i.tch, then work the upper part of the blossom all in one piece as far as the beginning of the veining, thence the blossom is worked in two halves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 102.--Blossom in Satin St.i.tch.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 103.--Bead partly covered.]

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS 102 & 103 (_Blossom in Satin St.i.tch_).--The raised centre of this flower is formed by a bead, over which the embroidery is worked.

When the leaves have been worked one after the other, place a bead in the centre, left free in such a manner that one hole lies on the material, and work over the bead by inserting the needle into its upper hole, then underneath the material, drawing it out above the material close to the bead, and so on (see 103).

[Ill.u.s.tration: 104.--Star in Satin St.i.tch.]

ILl.u.s.tRATION 104 (_Star Pattern in Satin St.i.tch_).--The centre, which forms a wheel, is worked first. Draw the threads across the circle marked by an outline; in the centre they are wound round, always taking one thread _on the needle_ and leaving the next thread _under the needle_, as can be seen in 122 on the half-finished pattern. The material underneath the wheel is only cut away when the rest of the pattern has been embroidered.