Mrs. Beeton

“ Take the needle in the right hand, pass the thread over the middle and ring finger and over the mesh, pass the needle upwards and behind the mesh in the large loop which forms the thread round the fingers, and at the same time through the first stitch or loop of the foundation. Draw the needle out, retaining the loops on the fingers and dropping them off, the little finger being the last to release the thread. As the thread tightens and the knot is firm, the loop on the little finger should be drawn up quickly and smartly. ”

“ A purl is a small loop of cotton often used as an edging in tatting, as, for instance, round the outer edge of the ovals in tatted insertion No. 2. The following is the easiest method of making a purl:--The stitches are not made quite closely together at the place where a purl is to be made; about one-sixth of an inch is left between each. This space is left free until the loop is made by uniting the stitches; then the small piece of cotton in the space bulges out between the stitches, and forms the purl. ”

“ The principal stitches used in guipure d'art are POINT D'ESPRIT, POINT DE TOILE, POINT DE FESTON, POINT DE REPRISE, POINT DE BRUXELLES, and WHEELS and STARS. POINT D'ESPRIT is worked with finer cotton than the foundation, say No. 10 on a foundation of No. 6. It consists of a succession of small loops, as will be seen clearly in the illustration. The learner should begin from the mark * No. 503, and working a row of loops the length required, turn the frame and work loops on the opposite half of each square intersecting the first worked loops in the centre of each intervening bar of netting. ”

“ The materials are simple, while the effects produced by good netting are most elegant and of great durability. One great advantage of netting is that each stitch is finished and independent of the next, so that if an accident happens to one stitch it does not, as in crochet or knitting, spoil the whole work. ”

“ For Gobelin stitch and tent stitch undivided canvas (not Penelope) is required. Purse silk is often used for the latter; it is more brilliant than floss silk or filoselle. Floss silk is generally used for other stitches because it covers the thread of the canvas better than purse silk; it is, however, often replaced by filoselle, which is a much cheaper material. Moss wool is hardly ever used. Before beginning to work upon a piece of canvas the raw edges must be hemmed or [560] sewn over with wool. Care must be taken not to crumple the canvas in the course of the work. ”

“ The ground is worked over a mesh measuring three-tenths of an inch round. For each square one more row than is needed must be worked, and the cast-on stitches are cut off, as they are longer than the stitches of the other rows. The tatted border is worked with fine tatting cotton. Fasten the cotton at one corner of the square and work * a circle consisting of 7 double, 1 purl, then six times alternately 2 double, 1 purl, 7 double, fasten the cotton on to the same stitch of the ground where it was first fastened ”

“ Then work over 16 rings with maize colour, and join them beyond the black, but not to lie flat down; they are to stand up to form the sides of the purse. Work over 16 rings with cerise, and these you can join one to each of the former rounds in working the second half of the crochet, as it will save the sewing. Work over 16 rings in black, and join them in the same manner to the cerise. For the edge, with cerise, work into the centre stitch of the ring a stitch of double crochet, make 5 chain, work into the stitch joining the 8 rings an extra long stitch, make 5 chain, repeat. ”

“ When a piece of netting is finished it is cut off the foundation, and the little ends of thread that held the stitches are drawn out.
304.--Square Netting.
Is done precisely in the same manner as plain netting, only begin from one stitch, then net two stitches into this first, and increase by making two in the last loop of every row. As soon as the right number of stitches is complete diminish exactly in the same way by netting two stitches as one at the end of each row until one stitch alone remains. These squares are used for guipure d'art and for darning on. ”

“ To knit, two, three, four, or five needles, and either thread, cotton, silk, or wool are required.
Knitting needles are made of steel, of ivory, or of wood; the size to be used depends entirely upon the material employed, whether thread, cotton, silk, single or double wool, for knitting. As the size of the needles depends upon that of the cotton, a knitting gauge is used (see No. 287) . ”

“ Berlin Work includes every kind of stitch which is made upon canvas with wool, silk, or beads. The principal stitches used are common cross stitch, Gobelin stitch, leviathan stitch, raised or velvet stitch, tent stitch, and others. The materials and needle must always be carefully chosen of a corresponding size. For common cross stitch and raised stitch Penelope canvas must be used; for small articles, such as slippers, bags, or borders, single Berlin wool is preferable; for larger ones fleecy wool or double Berlin wool (the latter, however, is much more expensive) . ”

“ Ladies may now, however, confidently commence, with our patterns before them, to reproduce Antique laces; for care and patience, with a knowledge of Point Lace stitches, are alone required to perfect the beautiful work, which, as shown in existing specimens of exquisite Old Lace, constitute the chief glory of women's refined industry in past centuries.
INSTRUCTIONS in TATTING, in EMBROIDERY, in CROCHET, in KNITTING and NETTING, in BERLIN WOOL WORK, in POINT LACE, and GUIPURE D'ART are prefixed to the pages devoted to these separate branches of needlework. ”

“ It is best to roll one end of the canvas upon a round piece of deal while the other end is kept down upon the table with a lead cushion. Handsome artistic patterns should always be worked in a frame. When you undertake to work a large pattern begin in the centre, and complete one half before you commence the other. Always work the stitches in the same direction, from the top downwards--this is very essential to the beauty and regularity of the pattern. ”

“ The completed foundation is laced upon the frame, taking the lacing cotton through the double edge formed by the increased and decreased [505] stitches. If the four corners of the netting are tied at each corner of the frame before beginning the lacing, that operation is greatly facilitated. The netting should be laced as tightly as possible, it being far easier to darn on than when loose.
Ladies who wish to excel in working guipure d'art should practise each of the stitches until they attain perfect regularity and quickness in their execution. ”

“ The 1st row of the work is the cross-way side; the last, the point at the bottom; fasten on the blue silk to the 1st stitch of the 1st row, and on a larger mesh work 1 row round the ground of the fichu, not forgetting that the stitch on the outer edge at the sides must always be taken, and 2 stitches made in the 5th, 10th, 14th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, and 25th stitches at the sides, as well as in each of the 2 middle stitches of the last row ”

“ These spots, which appear raised, consist of 5 treble stitches; they are worked in every other row at intervals of 5 stitches. For working them leave 1 loop on the needle, insert the needle between the 2 long sides of the last-worked double stitch, and work 5 treble stitches, always inserting the needle into the front part of 1 stitch of the preceding row. The first 4 treble are completed entirely without taking up the loop which was on the needle; with the fifth treble stitch only the 3 loops are cast off together by winding the cotton round the needle. ”

“ To complete the sock, the outline of the sole is marked by working slip stitches with blue wool in crochet all round it; work also slip stitches on the selvedge stitch of the heel. The stocking is finished off at the top with a double round of loops in blue wool, worked over a mesh four-fifths of an inch wide. ”

“ For the border No. 150, trace first the outlines of the scallop, then draw the threads which are to form the wheel in each scallop (take for this fine Mecklenburg thread, for the rest embroidery cotton) , fasten them at the places where they cross each other, and work at these places small and large spots in satin stitch. Then work the scallops in button-hole stitch; edge each larger spot with button-hole stitch all round, and make a row of button-hole stitches for the upper edge of the border, and above this a row of herring-bone stitches. ”

“ They are worked with coloured filoselle in point Russe, herring-bone stitch, coral stitch, and knotted stitch, on cloth, velvet, cashmere, or silk. The middle oval of both medallions contrasts with the colour of the ground, and must therefore be worked in appliqué on the latter with herring-bone stitch, before working the outer border. The wreath on No. 211 is worked in coral stitch; the knots, which imitate small blossoms, in knotted stitch. The choice of colours is left to the personal taste of the worker. ”

“ Cast on enough stitches for double the width required, say twenty, and knit very tightly in plain knitting, row by row, until a sufficient length has been obtained. Cut off and place the strip on a sieve over a basin of boiling water, and cover it over. When it has absorbed the steam, and while wet, iron it with a box-iron. Then cut the strip down the centre, and unravel the wool on each side. The threads of wool all curling, resemble moss. They are held firmly by the selvedge of the knitting. ”

“ The whole work is interspersed with coloured and other Patterns in Point Lace, Guipure d'Art, Tatting, Embroidery, and Designs for Monograms and Initials for marking handkerchiefs and table-linen. The quantity of materials required for each class of work is also given with every pattern. ”

“ Draw a narrow piece of red worsted braid through every other open-work row of the pattern, as can be seen in illustration 341. When the cushion has been covered with the knitting, it is edged all round with a border knitted the long way, in the above-mentioned open-work pattern; it is 14 rows wide, and also trimmed with worsted braid; a fringe of grey cotton and red wool, 3 1/4 inches wide, is sewn on underneath the border at the bottom of the cushion ”

“ The circles filled with lace stitch are worked when the 2 rows are completed from illustration in the empty places between 4 patterns; work first 3 double, fasten them on to a purl on the side of a leaf turned inside, * 3 double, fasten them on to a purl of the next leaf, repeat 5 times more from *, work 3 double, join the stitches into a circle, but not too close, so that the purls keep their natural position ”

“ The work must always, if possible, lie so that the outline of the pattern is turned towards the person who works. For the sake of greater clearness one part of the following illustrations is given in larger size than nature. Preparing the patterns is one of the most important things in embroidery, for the shape of the patterns is often spoiled merely because they have not been prepared with sufficient care. ”

“ To be effective the very finest black silk should be employed. This pattern may be worked in appliqué by placing muslin over net, sewing all the outlines in fine overcast stitch, and when finished, carefully cutting away the muslin. ”