Encyclopedia of Needlework

T >> Therese de Dillmont >> Encyclopedia of Needlework

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[Illustration: FIG. 227. BORDER IN PERSIAN STITCH. MATERIALS: Cordonnet
6 fils D.M.C No. 14, 15, 20 or 25. COLOURS: Noir grand Teint 310,
Vert-Mousse 469 and 471, Rouge-Cardinal 346, Jaune-vieil-Or 680,
Violet-Mauve 315 and 316.]

This graceful design which can be utilised in various ways is formed of
leaves of 7 lobes, worked alternately in dark and light green; of
flowers of 3 petals, worked in red and the centres in yellow, and of
small leaves in violet. The setting, throughout, is worked either in
black or in dark brown.

STRIPE WORKED IN FLAT STITCH (fig. 228).--This pattern, simple as it
is, will be found both useful and effective for the trimming of all
kinds of articles of dress. The bottom edge should be finished off with
rounded scallops or toothed vandykes worked in button-hole stitch. The
flowers in flat stitch, are worked alternately, in Rouge-Geranium 351
and 352, and the leaves alternately, in Vert-de-gris 474 and 475; the
centres of the flowers are worked in knot stitch, in Jaune-Rouille 308.

[Illustration: FIG. 228. STRIPE WORKED IN FLAT STITCH.
MATERIALS--According to the stuff: Fil a dentelle D.M.C, Cordonnet 6
fils D.M.C or Coton a repriser D.M.C[A]

COLOURS--For the flowers: Rouge-Geranium 351 and 352.--For the knot
stitch: Jaune-Rouille 308.--For the foliage: Vert-de-gris 474 and
475.[A]]

BOUQUET IN STRAIGHT AND ENCROACHING FLAT STITCH (fig. 229). As we have
already observed, it is by no means easy to arrange the colours in an
embroidery of this kind, so as to obtain a really artistic effect.
Whether the design be a conventional one or not, the great point is to
put in the lights and shadows at the right place. If you want to make a
faithful copy of a natural flower, take the flower itself, or a coloured
botanical drawing of it, and if possible, a good black and white drawing
of the same, match the colours in 6 or 7 shades, by the flower itself,
keeping them all rather paler in tone, and take the black and white
drawing as a guide for the lights and shadows. The colours for the
leaves and petals, which should always be worked from the outside,
should be chosen with a view to their blending well together. The
stamens and the centres of the flowers should be left to the last, but
the veins and ribs of the leaves, should always be put in before the
grounding.

[Illustration: FIG. 229. BOUQUET IN STRAIGHT AND ENCROACHING FLAT
STITCH. MATERIALS: Coton a repriser D.M.C No. 50. COLOURS--For the
forget-me-nots: Bleu-Indigo 312, 322 and 334.--For the other flowers:
Jaune-Rouille 365 and 366, Violet-Mauve 376, 316 and 377, Vert-Pistache
369.--For the foliage: Vert-de-Gris 474, Vert-Mousse 468, 469, 471 and
472.--For the stalks: Brun-Havane 455 and 457.[A]]

For embroideries of this kind, suitable materials must be selected; the
more delicate and minute the design, and the more varied the colouring,
the softer and finer should be the quality of the material employed.
Specially to be recommended, as adapted to every form of stitch and as
being each of them capable of being subdivided, are Filoselle,
Marseille, open Chinese silk and Coton a repriser D.M.C.[A].

FLOWERS EMBROIDERED IN THE CHINESE MANNER (fig. 230).--All Chinese
embroidery displays undoubted originality and wonderful skill and
judgment in the choice of material and colour. It excels particularly,
in the representation of figures, flowers, and animals, but differs from
European work in this, that instead of using flat stitch and making the
colours blend together as we do, the Chinese put them, side by side,
without intermediate tones, or they sometimes work the whole pattern in
knot stitch. The little knots, formed by this stitch are generally set
in gold thread.

[Illustration: FIG. 230. FLOWERS EMBROIDERED IN THE CHINESE MANNER.]

Often too, instead of combining a number of colours, as we do, the
Chinese fill in the whole leaf with long stitches and upon this
foundation, draw the veins in a different stitch and colour. Even the
flowers, they embroider in the same way, in very fine thread, filling
in the whole ground first, with stitches set very closely together and
marking in the seed vessels afterwards, by very diminutive knots, wide
apart.

CHINESE ENCROACHING FLAT STITCH (fig. 231).--Another easy kind of
embroidery, common in China, is done in encroaching flat stitch. The
branch represented in our drawing, taken from a large design, is
executed in three shades of yellow, resembling those of the
Jaune-Rouille series on the D.M.C colour card.[A]

[Illustration: FIG. 231. CHINESE ENCROACHING FLAT STITCH.

MATERIALS: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 20 to 50 or Chine d'or D.M.C.

COLOURS--For the cotton: Jaune-Rouille 363, 308, 366.--For Chine d'or:
Red and gold, blue and gold, green and gold.[A]]

The stitches of the different rows encroach upon one another, as the
working detail shows, and the three shades alternate in regular
succession. Flowers, butterflies and birds are represented in Chinese
embroidery, executed in this manner. It is a style, that is adapted to
stuffs of all kinds, washing materials as well as others, and can be
worked in the hand and with any of the D.M.C threads and cottons.[A]

RAISED EMBROIDERY (figs. 232 and 233).--Raised embroidery worked in
colours, must be stuffed or padded first, like the white embroidery in
fig. 191. If you outline your design with a cord, secure it on the right
side with invisible stitches, untwisting the cord slightly as you insert
your needle and thread, that the stitch may be hidden between the
strands. Use Coton a repriser D.M.C No. 25, for the padding. These
cottons are to be had in all the colours, indicated in the D.M.C colour
card, and are the most suitable for the kind of work.

[Illustration: FIG. 232. RAISED EMBROIDERY. PREPARATORY WORK.]

[Illustration: FIG. 233. RAISED EMBROIDERY. WORK COMPLETED.]

Use Coton a broder D.M.C for the transverse stitches and over the smooth
surface which is thus formed, work close lines of satin stitch in silk
or cotton; the effect produced, will bear more resemblance to applique
work than to embroidery. The centres of the flowers are filled in with
knot stitches, which are either set directly on the stuff or on an
embroidered ground.

EMBROIDERY IN THE TURKISH STYLE (figs. 234 and 235).--This again is a
style of embroidery different from any we are accustomed to. The solid
raised parts are first padded with common coarse cotton and then worked
over with gold, silver, or silk thread.

Contrary to what is noticeable in the real Turkish embroidery, the
preparatory work here is very carefully done, with several threads of
Coton a repriser D.M.C used as one. A rope of five threads is laid down,
and carried from right to left and from left to right, across the width
of the pattern. After laying it across to the right, as explained in
fig. 234, bring the needle out a little beyond the space occupied by the
threads, insert it behind them and passing it under the stuff, draw it
out at the spot indicated by the arrow. The stitch that secures the
threads, should be sufficiently long to give them a little play, so that
they may lie perfectly parallel, side by side, over the whole width of
the pattern.

This kind of work can be done on wollen or cotton materials, and
generally speaking, with D.M.C cottons, and gold thread shot with colour
(Chine d'or D.M.C.)

Very pretty effects can be obtained, by a combination of three shades of
Rouge-Cardinal 347, 346 and 304, with Chine d'or gold and dark blue or
with Chine d'or, gold and light blue.[A]

This kind of embroidery may be regarded as the transition from satin
stitch to gold embroidery.

[Illustration: FIG. 234. EMBROIDERY IN THE TURKISH STYLE. PREPARATORY
WORK.]

[Illustration: FIG. 235. EMBROIDERY IN THE TURKISH STYLE. WORK
COMPLETED.]

GOLD EMBROIDERY.--Up to the present time, dating from the end of the
eighteenth century, gold embroidery has been almost exclusively confined
to those who made it a profession; amateurs have seldom attempted what,
it was commonly supposed, required an apprenticeship of nine years to
attain any proficiency in.

But now, when it is the fashion to decorate every kind of fancy article,
whether of leather, plush, or velvet, with monograms and ingenious
devices of all descriptions, the art of gold embroidery has revived and
is being taken up and practised with success, even by those to whom
needlework is nothing more than an agreeable recreation.

We trust that the following directions and illustrations will enable our
readers to dispense with the five years training, which even now,
experts in the art consider necessary.

IMPLEMENTS AND MATERIALS.--The first and needful requisites for gold
embroidery, are a strong frame, a spindle, two pressers, one flat and
the other convex, a curved knife, a pricker or stiletto, and a tray, to
contain the materials.

EMBROIDERY FRAME (fig. 236).--The frame, represented here, is only
suitable for small pieces of embroidery, for larger ones, which have to
be done piece by piece, round bars on which to roll up the stuff, are
desirable, as sharp wooden edges are so apt to mark the stuff.

[Illustration: FIG. 236. EMBROIDERY FRAME FOR GOLD EMBROIDERY.]

Every gold embroidery, on whatever material it may be executed, requires
a stout foundation, which has to be sewn into the frame, in doing which,
hold the webbing loosely, almost in folds, and stretch the stuff very
tightly. Sew on a stout cord to the edges of the foundation, which are
nearest the stretchers, setting the stitches, 3 or 4 c/m. apart. Then
put the frame together and stretch the material laterally to its fullest
extent, by passing a piece of twine, in and out through the cord at the
edge and over the stretchers. Draw up the bracing until the foundation
is strained evenly and tightly. Upon this firm foundation lay the stuff
which you are going to embroider, and hem or herring-bone it down,
taking care to keep it perfectly even with the thread of the foundation
and, if possible, more tightly stretched to prevent it from being
wrinkled or puckered when you come to take it off the backing. For
directions how to transfer the pattern to your stuff, and prepare the
paste with which the embroidery has to be stiffened before it is taken
out of the frame, see the concluding chapter in the book.

THE SPINDLE (fig. 237).--The spindle to wind the gold thread upon,
should be 20 c/m. long and made of hard wood. Cover the round stalk and
part of the prongs with a double thread of Coton a broder D.M.C No. 16,
or pale yellow Cordonnet D.M.C No. 25, and terminate this covering with
a loop, to which you fasten the gold thread that you wind round the
stalk.

[Illustration: FIG. 237. THE SPINDLE.]

THE PRESSERS (figs. 238 and 239).--These, so called 'pressers', are
small rectangular boards with a handle in the middle. The convex one,
fig. 238, should be 15 c/m. long by 9 broad; the other, fig. 239, which
is quite flat, should be 32 c/m. by 20.

[Illustration: FIG. 238. CONVEX PRESSER, FOR PRESSING THE STUFF ON THE
WRONG SIDE.]

[Illustration: FIG. 239. FLAT PRESSER FOR LAYING ON THE PATTERN.]

Having cut out your pattern in cartridge paper, lay it down, on the
wrong side, upon a board thinly spread with embroidery paste. Let it get
thoroughly impregnated with the paste and then transfer it carefully to
its proper place on the stuff; press it closely down with the large
presser, and with the little convex one rub the stuff firmly, from
beneath, to make it adhere closely to the pasted pattern; small, pointed
leaves and flowers will be found to need sewing down besides, as you
will observe in fig. 242, where each point is secured by stitches. The
embroidery should not be begun until the paste is perfectly dry, and the
pattern adheres firmly to the stuff.

THE KNIFE (fig. 240).--Most gold embroideries require a foundation of
stout cartridge paper, and, in the case of very delicate designs, the
paper should further be covered with kid, pasted upon it.

[Illustration: FIG. 240. THE KNIFE. REDUCED SCALE.]

Transfer the design on to the paper or kid, in the manner described in
the concluding chapter, and cut it out with the knife. You can only make
very short incisions with this tool, which should be kept extremely
sharp and held, in cutting, with the point outwards, and the rounded
part towards you, as shown in the drawing.

TRAY TO CONTAIN THE MATERIALS (fig. 241).--Cut out as many divisions
in a thin board, or sheet of stout cardboard, as you will require
materials for your embroidery; these include not only gold thread of all
kinds, but likewise beads and spangles of all sorts and sizes as well as
bright and dead gold and silver purl, or bullion, as it is also called.
For the pieces of purl alone, which should be cut ready to hand, you
should have several divisions, in order that the different lengths may
be kept separate.

[Illustration: FIG. 241. TRAY TO CONTAIN THE MATERIALS.]

USE OF THE SPINDLE (fig. 242).--Gold embroidery thread should be wound
double upon the spindle. It is laid backwards and forwards and secured
with two stitches at each turn, as described in fig. 234. Small holes
where the stitches are to come, have first to be pierced in the material
with the pricker, from the right side, for the needle to pass through.
In soft stuffs, this is unnecessary, but in brocaded materials, and in
plush and leather, where every prick shows and would often spoil the
whole effect, it is indispensable.

[Illustration: FIG. 242. USE OF THE SPINDLE]

Gold thread which is stiff and difficult to work with, can be rendered
soft and pliable by putting it into the oven, or any other warm place,
for a short time.

EMBROIDERY WITH GOLD PURL (fig. 243).--Embroidery is the easiest kind
of gold embroidery; you have only to thread the little pieces of purl,
cut into the required lengths beforehand, like beads on your needle, and
fasten them down upon the foundation like the beads in bead-work. Smooth
and crimped gold purl, or silver and gold purl used together, look
exceedingly well, particularly where the pattern requires effects of
light and shade to be reproduced.

[Illustration: FIG. 243. EMBROIDERY WITH GOLD PURL.]

EMBROIDERY IN DIAMOND STITCH (fig. 244).--The diamond stitch is a
charming novelty in gold embroidery. Short lengths of purl, not more
than 11/2 m/m. long, are threaded on the needle, and the needle is put
in and drawn out at the same hole. These stitches which resemble knot
stitches, form so many little glittering knots, turned alternately to
the right and left, and look like seed-diamonds in appearance, more
especially, when they are made in silver purl. The shorter the pieces
are, and the more closely you set the knots together, the handsomer and
richer the effect will be.

[Illustration: FIG. 244. DIAMOND STITCH.]

CHINESE GOLD EMBROIDERY (figs. 245 and 246).--We recommend the
imitation of Chinese gold embroidery to our readers as an easy and
grateful recreation. It consists simply in laying down a gold thread, on
a delicately outlined pattern and securing it by stitches. It can be
done on any material, washing or other, the costliest as well as the
most ordinary.

[Illustration: FIG. 245. CHINESE GOLD EMBROIDERY. First part.]

[Illustration: FIG. 245. Second part]

[Illustration: FIG. 246. CHINESE GOLD EMBROIDERY. First part.]

[Illustration: FIG. 246. Second part.]

For a washing material use, Or fin D.M.C pour la broderie, No. 20, 30 or
40,[A] which, as it washes perfectly, is well adapted for the embroidery
of wearing apparel, and household linen. Plain gold thread and gold
thread with a thread of coloured silk twisted round it, are very
effective used together.

Thus in fig. 245, the trees, foliage and flowers, are worked in plain
gold, the grasses, in gold shot with green, the butterflies in gold with
red, the two birds in gold with dark blue, and gold with light blue.

Two threads of gold should be laid down side by side and secured by
small catching stitches, set at regular intervals from one another, and
worked in Fil d'Alsace D.M.C No. 200,[A] of the same colour. Where the
design requires it, you may separate the gold threads, and work with one
alone.

The second specimen of Chinese embroidery, fig. 246, resembles the
first, as far as materials and execution are concerned, but the design
is different. The grotesque animals, flowers and shells it represents,
can be worked separately, or connected together so as to form a running
pattern.

STRIPE WORKED IN VARIOUS STITCHES (fig. 247).--All the designs
described thus far, are worked in the same way, but the stripe now
presented to our readers introduces them to several kinds of gold
thread, and a variety of stitches. The small, turned-back petals of the
flowers are worked in plain gold thread, and outlined with crimped; the
rest of the petals are worked in darning stitch, with plain gold thread.
The latticed leaves are edged with picots, worked with bright purl. The
other parts of the design are all worked with a double gold thread, the
stalks in dead gold, the leaves in crimped. The gold thread is secured
by overcasting stitches in gold-coloured thread, Jaune d'or 667, but it
looks very well if you use black or red thread for fastening the crimped
gold and dark or light green for the leaves and tendrils.

[Illustration: FIG. 247. STRIPE WORKED IN VARIOUS STITCHES.]

GOLD EMBROIDERY ON A FOUNDATION OF CORDS (fig. 248).--In the old
ecclesiastical embroideries, especially those representing the figures
of saints, we often find thick whip cords used as a foundation, instead
of cardboard, for the good reason that the stiff cardboard does not give
such soft and rounded contours as a cord foundation, which will readily
take every bend and turn that you give to it. In the following
illustrations, we have adhered strictly to the originals, as far as the
manner of working the surface is concerned, but have substituted for the
cord, which in their case has been used for the foundation, Cordonnet 6
fils D.M.C No. 1, which is better for padding than the grey whip cord,
as it can be had in white or yellow, according to whether it is intended
to serve as a foundation to silver or gold work.

[Illustration: FIG. 248. EMBROIDERY IN FLATTENED GOLD WIRE AND PURL.]

Lay down as many cords as are necessary to give the design the requisite
thickness, in many cases up to 8 or 10 m/m. in height, taking care to
lay them closely and solidly in the centre, and graduate them down at
the sides and ends. When you have finished the foundation, edge it with
a thick gold cord, such as Cordonnet d'or D.M.C No. 6 and then only
begin the actual embroidery, all the directions just given, applying
merely to the preparatory work.

Only four of the many stitches that are already in use and might be
devised are described here. For the pattern, represented in fig. 248,
flattened gold or silver wire is necessary, which should be cut into
pieces, long enough to be turned in at the ends so as to form a little
loop through which the thread that fastens them down is passed. Over
each length of gold or silver wire small lengths of purl are laid at
regular intervals, close enough just to leave room for the next stitch,
the pieces of one row, alternating in position with those of the
preceding one.

PLAITED STITCH IN GOLD PURL ON A CORD FOUNDATION (fig. 249).
--Distribute the stitches as in the previous figure, substituting purl,
for the flattened gold wire, and covering the purl with short lengths of
gold thread of the same kind. All these stitches may be worked in gold
and silver thread, mixed or in the one, or the other alone.

[Illustration: FIG. 249. PLAITED STITCH IN GOLD PURL ON A CORD
FOUNDATION.]

SCALE STITCH WORKED IN GOLD THREAD AND PURL ON A CORD FOUNDATION (fig.
250).--Begin by covering the whole padded surface with gold or silver
thread, then sew on short lengths of purl, long enough to cover six or
eight threads, 2 or 3 m/m. apart, as shown in the engraving. These
stitches in dead gold purl are then surrounded by shining or crimped
purl.

[Illustration: FIG. 250. SCALE STITCH IN GOLD THREAD AND PURL ON A CORD
FOUNDATION.]

You bring out the working thread to the left of the purl stitch, which
you take on your needle, put the needle in on the other side, draw it
out above the little stroke, and secure the crimped purl with an
invisible stitch.

CONVENTIONAL FLOWER WORKED ON A CORD FOUNDATION (fig. 251).--The half
finished flower, represented here, was copied from a handsome piece of
ecclesiastical embroidery enriched with ornament of this kind. The three
foregoing stitches and a fourth, are employed in its composition. The
finished portions on the left hand side, are executed in silver and gold
purl, whilst the egg-shaped heart of the flower is formed of transverse
threads, carried over the first padding, and secured by a stitch between
the two cords. In the subsequent row, the catching stitch is set between
the cords, over which the first gold threads were carried.

[Illustration: FIG. 251. CONVENTIONAL FLOWER WORKED ON A CORD
FOUNDATION. MATERIALS.--For padding: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 1 to 5
or Fil a pointer D.M.C No. 10.--For sewing on the gold thread and purl:
Soie de coton D.M.C No. 50 or 70, Fil a dentelle D.M.C on reels Nos. 25
to 50.[A]]

The heavier the design is, the thicker your padding should be, and cords
a good deal thicker than those which are represented in the drawing
should be used, as the more light and shade you can introduce into
embroidery of this kind, the greater will be its beauty and value.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] See at the end of the concluding chapter, the table of numbers and
sizes and the list of colours of the D.M.C threads and cottons.

[Illustration: INSERTION IN CROSS STITCH, ALIKE ON BOTH SIDES, THE
PATTERN LEFT BLANK.]

Tapestry and Linen Embroidery.

Tapestry is one of the oldest kinds of needlework and one which has
always been popular every where.

There are two distinct sorts of canvas in use for tapestry, called
respectively, 'plain (single thread) canvas', and 'Penelope (double
thread) canvas'. The latter is generally preferred, because it is easier
to count the stitches upon it, but both make an equally good foundation
for the embroidery, as the following examples will show.

Besides canvas, other fabrics bearing a close resemblance to it, are
often used, especially Java linen, the close texture of which renders
grounding unnecessary.

Cloth, velvet or plush can also be overlaid with canvas, the threads of
which are pulled away after the pattern is finished. For work of this
kind, we however prefer a material with less dressing, such as a twisted
tammy, or Colbert linen, because the pulling out of the harsh rough
threads of the canvas is very apt to injure the material beneath.

Stitches, worked upon two stuffs, must be drawn very tight, or they will
look loose and untidy when the auxiliary fabric is taken away.

Tapestry can be done either in a frame, or in the hand; in the latter
case, the ends of the piece of canvas should be weighted with stones or
lead, to prevent its puckering.

The stitches, which ought completely to hide the canvas, should all lean
one way and the underneath ones always from left to right, as the
letters in writing.

MARKING OUT THE EMBROIDERY GROUND (fig. 252).--Before beginning a
piece of canvas work and tacking on the auxiliary fabric, count how many
stitches it will contain, and mark them out in tens, with a coloured
thread, as shown in fig. 252, along two sides at least, in the length
and breadth. Having ascertained the number of stitches both ways, divide
them in two, and starting each time from the middle stitch, trace two
lines, one horizontal, the other vertical, right across the canvas. The
point of intersection will be the centre. This sort of ground-plan will
be found most useful, and should not be pulled out until, at least, half
the work be finished. If moreover, you have corners to work, or a
pattern to reverse, in the angle of a piece of embroidery, trace a
diagonal line besides, from the corner to the centre.

[Illustration: FIG. 252. MARKING OUT THE EMBROIDERY GROUND.]

MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR TAPESTRY.--Hitherto, wool and silk, were the
materials chiefly used for canvas work; a very thick wool for carpets,
as being warmer and more durable. Silk is too delicate a fibre to resist
much wear and tear, and cannot therefore be recommended for articles
that are intended for constant use, and wool, though stronger, is
subject to the destructive agency of moths; whereas cotton, which is
cheaper than both, and quite as brilliant, is free from all these
disadvantages and is extremely easy to clean.

For most kinds of tapestry we can therefore with perfect confidence,
recommend the use of Coton a tricoter D.M.C Nos. 6 to 20, Cordonnet 6
fils D.M.C Nos. 3 to 15, and even Coton a repriser D.M.C No. 25.[A]

CROSS STITCH (fig. 253).--Cross stitch is the foundation of every
other stitch, and the one in most common use. It is also called
marking-stitch, being used for marking linen. It is worked in two lines.
In the first, the thread is carried diagonally from left to right across
a square of threads, and then, downwards, underneath the two horizontal
threads; in the second, the stitches are carried from the right-hand
lower corner of the square to the upper left-hand corner, so that the
four points of the two stitches form a perfect square.

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