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“ BRUSSELS EDGE (No. 1) . This is a continuous line of button-hole stitches, not drawn tightly, and taken at equal distances of about the fourteenth part of an inch. When worked on braid, care should be taken that the needle is inserted at a little distance from the edge of the braid, which would otherwise be apt to fray.
LITTLE VENETIAN EDGING (No. 2) . In working this stitch, do one Brussels, and in the loop of that work a tight stitch. ”

“ The first process in knitting is known by the term CASTING ON. There are two ways of doing this: with one needle, and with two. Our first diagram represents the former process. Take the thread between the second and third fingers of the left hand, leaving an end of about a yard for every hundred stitches; pass it round the thumb of that hand, giving it a twist, so as to form a loop. Take a knitting-needle in the right hand, insert the point in the loop, and pass the thread from the ball round the needle ”

“ The beautiful and expensive lace for which Honiton is famous may be closely imitated in crochet, with the occasional aid of some point-lace stitches.
Honiton sprigs and edgings are done in detached pieces, which are afterwards laid on Brussels net, and run on in any form that fancy may dictate. Sometimes they are connected together into a solid mass by means of twisted bars, in a manner termed guipuring. Being thus separate, the directions for each sprig or edging are comparatively short. ”

“ When the colour is to be changed, begin the stitch with the old colour, and complete it with the new, which continue to work with, holding the other in. If only one stitch of a colour is to be used, you finish one stitch, and begin the next with it; then change. Colours are seldom intermixed, except in solid work, such as the ends of purses, mats worked over cord, and the like.
TO WORK OVER CORD.—Hold it in the left hand, with the work, and work round it, as you would if it were merely an end of thread. The stitches must, however, be sufficiently close to cover it entirely. ”

“ The ground is composed wholly of white beads, one being dropped on every stitch; where, therefore, the scarlet and slate silks are worked without beads, they appear to be in intaglio. A scroll of steel beads below the group is intermixed with the white, and the top and bottom of the square end are finished off with vandykes of plain scarlet without beads. At the bottom is an open pattern in scarlet, to which is attached the fringe.
Begin with the plain scarlet silk, with which make a chain of 100 stitches, and close it into a round. Work one round in scarlet, using in the end of white silk. ”

“ When thread is used as an outline, a second, and much finer thread is used to tack it down. The coarse thread is laid on the outlines, and the needle is brought up on one side of it, and down, in the same hole, on the other. The stitches are taken at the rate of five or six to an inch, one being always placed at the point of each angle, so as to keep the outlines as accurate as possible. To fasten on a thread, run the needle along the braid a little way, taking a button-hole stitch to secure it. ”

“ The elegant fringe round the edge is formed of the long steel bugles, connected with each other at the outer edge by a chain of 4 steel beads. The needle is slipped down them to connect them with the rings, and a single bead is threaded at the base of each. ”

“ Now we would propose a Splash Cloth, in crochet, of this or any similar design, to be worked in very coarse cotton, such as Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Knitting Cord, No. 16, lined with glazed calico to match the hangings, and suspended above the washhand-stand. It will be a pretty decoration, perfectly preventing the injury usually occurring to the walls, readily washed, and always new.
As fine cotton decreases the dimensions of a piece of work, so thicker cotton, with a hook proportionately large, increases its size. ”

“ If to be worked with beads, 1 chain stitch must be reckoned in the foundation, for every square, and the ground must be perfectly solid, with the pattern in beads. If to be worked in square crochet, 3 chains must be allowed for every square. In the scallops the ends of the thread must be neatly run in after they are done. ”

“ Sew on the large gold flowers, passing the ends through the centre loop of the screens, and form a little rosette of X 6 chains, s.c. in the round, X repeated to close the middle.
TO MAKE UP THE SCREENS.—Cut out a hexagon, the exact size of the crochet, in paper, and bend the wire into the same form. Be very particular that the wire frame shall be true and even. Cover it on both sides with white silk, over one side of which sew the crochet. It will only require to be fastened round the edges. ”

“ TO PASS FROM ONE ROUND TO ANOTHER WITHOUT BREAKING THE THREAD.—In working mats and many similar articles this is very desirable. Having finished one round, see whether a s.c., d.c., or t.c. stitch begins the next; for s.c. make one chain, for d.c. three, for t.c. four; slip the needle out, and twist the chain, then continue working. This twisted chain will have all the appearance of a d.c. or t.c. stitch. Should the round not begin exactly in the same place, slip-stitch to the part where it commences, as it will seldom be more than a few stitches in advance. ”

“ Take another needle and thread and work a few stitches, in the form of a circle, round each cross, so that by slipping the first needle through every stitch, a foundation may be formed for the button-hole work with which the wheel is made, a single Raleigh dot being added between every two threads. The stitches taken with the extra needle should form a sort of railroad for holding the thread in its place. This mode of working wheels will be found very superior to the old one of pinning down the circle of thread. ”

“ The anti-macassar of which we give a representation in the engraving is intended to fit the top of a library chair. One half only is seen. A similar piece of crochet is to be made and sewed to it, the two forming a sort of bag, which is slipped over the back of the chair. It is a great improvement on the old-fashioned anti-macassar, as it is not liable to be displaced. A border is added to the front of it, the pattern of which is made in beads (in the style of the bassinet quilt, page 24) . ”

“ MATERIALS..—5 skeins of rich dark blue purse silk, 6 skeins of fine and pure gold thread; Penelope hook, No. 18; 2 yards of dark blue silk fringe, 2 inches deep; 2 yards of fine wire, and 3/4 yard of white gros-de-Naples. A pair of screen handles.
Of course silk of any other colour may be used, if blue will not correspond with the furniture. Green looks very handsome with gold, and scarlet with silver. The metal thread used must be of the very best description only. ”

“ EDGED VENETIAN BARS (No. 5) . This is a Venetian bar, like the last, edged with Brussels or Venetian edging. This, with various other bars, frequently forms the groundwork of the guipured lace.
ENGLISH BARS (No. 7) . These are frequently worked between two lines of Brussels or Venetian edging to connect them. They are made by passing the needle backwards and forwards through two opposite stitches, always tacking the under side of each, so that the threads be across the space smoothly and evenly. About four times each way will be sufficient. ”

“ When spaces similar to those in the accompanying diagram are to be filled with Brussels lace, the best way is to work each side to the centre, and then run the needle up the middle, catching up alternately a stitch on each side. Sometimes the centre is not closed up at all.
The diagram in page 132 gives a specimen of a modification of the Little Venetian Lace. The first stitch is taken as usual, but is followed by three others, worked as closely as possible. A space equal to that of four stitches is left between every four. In the second row, the four stitches are worked on the loop. ”

“ Short treble crochet (contracted to s.t.c.) , is done in a similar manner. The thread being passed twice round the needle, there are four loops on the latter, after the one is drawn through the stitch of the preceding row. The thread is now drawn through three loops together, and afterwards through two.
When the bread cloth is worked, do open square crochet all round it, taking the d.c. stitches sufficiently close at the corners to lie smoothly. Knot a fringe 2-1/2 inches deep in every square. It is to be made of the coarse cotton. ”

“ In the succeeding row, the two close stitches come on the bar of thread formed between one spot and the next. The centre of the flower is an open circle, covered with close button-hole stitch, with Raleigh dots.
The leaves, which are very small, are entirely in foundation stitch. In each section of the large scallop is a wheel formed by working a circular Raleigh bar, on a foundation of three threads. The ground is in Raleigh bars worked very irregularly.
The straight edge of the lace is a line of button-hole stitch on two thread. ”

“ French braid, whether made of linen or of cotton, is laid on the pattern with stitches taken across it, from one edge to the other. This mode of putting on braid prevents it from stretching, as, from the nature of the plait, it would otherwise do. In forming angles, each edge should be sewn down to the paper, and then the braid turned over. Circles are made by laying the braid on the design, and forming it into the proper shape with the fingers, before tacking it down. ”

“ This completes the centre of the mat. Now cover six of the rings with the darkest cerise, 12 with the lightest, 12 with the second lightest, and 24 with white. They are to be done in s.c. The darkest are sewed in the centre of each side of hexagon, with a white at each side, and two more (joined together) above it. The lightest cerise are placed at the points the two being joined together, and one to the mat. These form the extreme points, and the other twelve are placed to connect the lightest rings with the white. ”

“ In the engraving it will be seen that the thread is put twice entirely round the needle; and then brought forward, so that the next knitted stitch will take it over a third time. In doing the next row, knit one, purl one, knit one of these stitches; however many are made, they must be alternately knitted and purled in the next row. When the stitch allowing the made stitches is to be purled, the thread must be entirely passed round the needle, once for every stitch to be made, and brought forward also. ”

“ Work on the cord with black wool and white silk, two stitches of each alternately; draw in the end of twine. Take care in placing the two parts of the cap together, to make that part which begins every round at the same place in both, as a small defect in the pattern is inevitable, and must be covered by the tassel. Draw the string of the tassel through the centre of the crown, and fasten it in its place. The cap may be lined with scarlet sarsenet. ”

“ The five open work rows to be done as in a.
(e) Work these pieces like a, until 10 ribs are done; then turn and s.c. up to the three centre stitches, slip on the first of the three, X turn, miss the slip stitch, slip on the next, and s.c. to the end; turn, 1 ch., s.c. on all the s.c. but the last, which slip; X repeat between the marks until one stitch only remains, through which the thread is drawn. The other side of the point must then be worked to correspond with the first, the centre stitch not being worked at all. ”

“ Care must be taken that the bars in one direction, fall between the spots in the other.
CORDOVAN LACE (No. 21) . Worked like the preceding; but with three bars in each line instead of two.
VALENCIENNES LACE (No. 22) . This stitch also is done with the finest threads made. It is simple darning, of the closest and finest description, done with so much regularity that it resembles cambric.
BRABANT EDGING is a name sometimes given to a union of the Brussels with the Venetian edging. A row of Brussels is first worked, and on it a row of Venetian. ”

“ The distance of the lines is seen in the engraving.
LYONS POINT.
BRUSSELS LACE.
The accompanying diagram gives another variety of open English lace. The straight bars are formed of single threads, while the diagonal ones are twisted; and at every cross a tight button-hole stitch is worked, to keep the threads together. Observe, that in working bars, a tight stitch should always be taken on the braid, at the beginning and end of every one.
MECKLIN WHEELS (No. 19) . Work Venetian bars on a single thread, in one direction, at equal distances. ”

“ Make 266 chain stitches; this chain must be worked very evenly and well, as it is the centre of the pattern, and will have to be worked into on the other side after the 33rd row; turn back 1 l., into 4th loop from hook, 3 more long into successive loops, now 14 square, formed by working 2 ch., 1 l. into 3rd loop, 3 l., 4 sq., 6 l., 1 sq., 6 l., 6 sq., 15 l., 3 sq., 9 l., 1 sq., 3 l., 2 sq., 12 l., 1 sq., 12 l., 2 sq., 3 l., 1 sq., 3 l., 1 sq., 3 l., 1 sq., 3 l., 1 sq., 15 l., 2 sq., 9 l., 11 sq., 3 l.
The cotton must be cut off every row. ”

“ MATERIALS..—3 shades of scarlet, the lightest to be a very bright military scarlet, 1 skein of the darkest, 2 of each of the lighter shades; 4 skeins of bright maize colour; skein of shaded violet; 1 skein of shaded scarlet; 3 shades of green; 1 skein of each shade, the darkest to be very dark, and the lightest to be very light; 2 shades of sky-blue, 1 skein of each; 1 skein of white; all 4 thread Berlin wool; 24 curtain rings, the size of a fourpenny-piece, or a trifle larger; 4 yards of blind cord ”