Chapter 30

Make leaves in lozenge stitch from points 4 and 8 to points 19 and 20 = one leaf from point 16 to point 19 = make another leaf to point 22 and one to point 21 = make the same leaves on the left to points 20, 21 and 23 = cross the bobbins at point 21 = make leaves from point 21 to points 24, 26 and 26.

Make lozenge stitch with picots, with 3 pairs of bobbins from points 9 and 10 to point 22 = join the bobbins to leaf 22 = carry on the braid to point 26 = join 2 pairs of bobbins to the leaf = leave the 2 pairs at point 28 hanging down = carry on the braid to point 25.

Make a leaf at point 27 to point 14 = tie the threads together as at point 10 = carry on the edge to point 29 = put up a pin = make a plait with picots to point 30 = tie up the threads with those of leaf 28 = make a leaf to point 31 = introduce the threads into the edge = put up a pin = tie the threads together.

Make a plait on the left = leave 4 pairs of bobbins hanging down on the right, 2 pairs for the plait and 2 for the leaf = carry on the edge to point 32 = leave 2 pairs hanging for another leaf = continue the edge to point 33. Make a plait from point 21 to point 34.

Begin again on the left at points 1 and 2 and work, as on the right, to point 35 = cross the threads at point 25 = linen passing = distribute the pairs to point 36 = 2 pairs at point 37 = 2 at point 38 = 3 pairs at point 34 = plait to point 37 = join to point 38 = continue the plait and join to points 36, 35, 39 = at points 35, 36, 37 lozenge stitch with every 2 pairs of bobbins to point 40 = then join the next 6 pairs together = and work on with lozenge stitch to point 41 = work exactly in the same manner at points 31, 32, 34, 35, 39, 42 as at points 36, 37, 38, 40 to 41 = at point 41, all the threads are interwoven, and then divided into 3 sets = continue the leaves to points 45, 46 and 47. Then repeat in the reverse order from points 31, 38, 25, 32 and 39.

ARMENIAN LACE (figs. 811 and 812).—The dresses of the Turkish women are often ornamented with flowers and leaves, executed in needlework which take the place of fringe and braid trimmings and are often even employed as adornments for the neck and arms instead of necklets and bracelets in metal work; though, as such, they do not always accord with our Western notions of good taste, the Armenian work is in itself, both sufficiently interesting and easy of execution, to deserve description here amongst other kinds of needlework that are adaptable to use. It may be imitated with capital effect in strong stiff washing materials, such as those indicated in our illustration, either upon a linen or cotton foundation or upon plush or silk.

The thread is first drawn into the edge of the stuff; you then carry it from right to left, determine the length of the squares, and working from left to right make on this first thread as many knots as you have room for.

Fig. 812 shows the formation of the knot, the manner in which the thread, passing from left to right, forms a loop, and how to pass your needle under the straightly extended thread and through the loop. You leave a space of one or two m/m. between the knots, according to the thickness of the thread you are using. Having covered the first thread with knots, you return to the edge for the next row of knots, but passing your needle this time under three threads.

The number of knots should be the same in each row, and the four sides of the square should be all equal.

When the squares are finished they are edged with picots on the two lower sides, as shown in fig. 812.

Thread of two colours was used for fig. 811, the squares being worked alternately in Écru and Brun-Caroubier and the picots, all in the latter colour.

LACE AND INSERTION IN KNOTTED STITCH (fig. 813).—Excepting in the case of the returning thread, the same stitches are used for the pretty border and insertion given in fig. 813, as for the Armenian lace.

The stitches that form the insertion are attached, on both sides, to an English braid, something of the nature of Rhodes linen, which is open-worked before the knotted work upon it is begun.

As in the preceding figure, two colours are used alternately, the change from one to the other is distinctly marked in the engraving.

The outside edge consists of light scallops, formed by the regular increase and decrease of the stitches. The original piece of work from which our drawing was taken, forms the border of a dark blue plush carpet; the red and écru hues of the lace harmonize exceedingly well with the soft colour of the plush.

INSERTION IN KNOTTED STITCH (figs. 814 and 815).—This kind of work, similarly composed of knotted stitches, can be used instead of crochet insertion or single and cut openwork in linen. It looks exceedingly well as a trimming for bed and table linen and is executed on foundation threads or cords, which connect the different figures together, with closely connected rows of knots between.

INSERTION IN KNOTTED STITCH (figs. 816 and 817).—The mode of making the insertion in knotted stitch, which is represented in the two accompanying engravings, is supposed to be of Italian origin, but we have met with quite as perfect specimens of work done in the same way, which were the products of Persia and Asia Minor. We have called it by the same name as the preceding patterns, for even the way in which the stitch is worked is almost the same. Through some slight difference however in the interlacing of the threads, shown by the open loops in fig. 817, the stitches lie closer together and are alike on both sides of the work.

No difficulty will be found in making out the course of the rows; it is best to begin by the two rows of stitches that form the perpendicular bars and make the stitches, that compose the 4 staves between the bars next. For the little picots see fig. 700.

LACE IN KNOTTED STITCH (figs. 818 and 819).—This charming little lace, which is of Italian origin, was taken from a cushion cover, used for church purposes. The stitches, made in the order indicated in the working detail, fig. 819, are overcast at the last with a fleecy thread, such as Coton à repriser D.M.C, of a rather sober colour, such for instance as Bleu-Indigo 334, Rouge-Géranium 352, or Jaune-Rouille 363.

You overcast the slanting bars and pass over the stitches that connect the two picots.

RETICELLA LACE (figs. 820 and 821).—The Reticella laces are generally made on a design traced upon parchment, similar to those required for the laces described later on. But as the manner of working has been modified in the lace represented here, we thought it as well to adopt the same simplification, often used in beautiful pieces of old needlework, which consists in substituting a braid made upon a pillow, for the bars made with the needle.

You begin by laying and fastening down the braid by means of very small stitches upon the lines of the pattern, which should be traced upon black paper; you next proceed to make the centre bars, covered with plain button-hole stitches, on which you mount a row of stitches, like those of fig. 755; these are followed by another bar, to make which, you pick up the loop of the stitches of the preceding row and by another row like the second, finished off with picots, like those illustrated in fig. 700. The bases of the pyramids likewise consist of bars, button-holed on both sides and edged on the inside with picots.

The stitches of the first row should not be too close together, that there may be room for those of the second row between, as we have already explained in fig. 702, in the chapter on Irish lace.

The inside of the pyramids is worked in the stitch represented in fig. 755, the picots round them are like the ones in fig. 599.

The lace, represented in fig. 820 in its original size, was worked in Fil à dentelle D.M.C No. 80, whilst the second engraving, representing the same subject, shows us how perfectly well it can also be made in heavier and coarser materials, these being in this instance, Lacets superfins D.M.C No. 4 and Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 20.

VENETIAN LACES (figs. 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828).—Under the name of «Venetian point» are comprised, not only certain kinds of pillow lace, but even more generally, the beautiful needle-made lace, the outlines of which are bordered with handsome scallops in high relief.

We shall confine our attention in the present instance to the needle-made Venetian lace as the other can be learnt without any great difficulty by following the instructions already given for the making of pillow lace.

The preparation of the pattern, in most kinds of needlework, is a most important matter and one requiring the greatest care, but in the case of needle-made lace and pillow lace the processes are different.

The paper on which the design is traced must first be backed or lined with unglazed black paper (made specially for this purpose). Prick holes all along the lines of the pattern, at exactly the same distance from each other, remove the tracing and tack the black paper upon rather coarse linen.

This done, you take from three to five lengths of the thread of which the lace is to be made, lay them down together upon the lines marked by the prickings and secure them at each hole by a stitch made over the threads.

Fig. 822, with the others of the same series in their natural size, show the proper distance that should be left between the prickings, and the laying down of the threads begun; whilst in fig. 823, we have the threads laid down throughout, even for the little eyelet holes, which are to be open-worked afterwards.

When all this preliminary work is finished, the pattern is ready for the lace stitches that are to form the filling in, between the raised outlines. In order to keep your work perfectly clean and preserve it from unnecessary contact with your fingers, cover all those parts of the pattern you are not immediately engaged on, with a piece of blue paper with a hole, about the size of a pea, cut in it. This you move along as you go, working only at the part of the pattern which is visible through the hole, keeping all the rest carefully covered up and sewing paper over each part as soon as it is finished; this should not be removed until you are ready to join all the separate parts together with bars or latticed ground and work the button-hole edges.

All the different lace stitches that are used as fillings must be begun and fastened off at the outline threads, which you must be careful not to drag out of their place.

We again remark, for the benefit of those of our readers who may not have read the preceding chapter attentively, that in working all the finer lace stitches, the needle should be held with the eye towards the worker and the point turned outwards. All the inside portions of the pattern have to be worked in separately; (for a choice of stitches to serve as fillings see figs. 720 to 762) until all the spaces are filled, as represented in figs. 825 and 826. The stitches should be selected as far as possible, to suit the style of the design. Flowers look best worked in an open or lattice stitch, leaves on the other hand in a thick close stitch.

When all the insides are done, the edges and outlines have to be closely button-holed.

The old Venetian laces are bordered with scallops in high relief, worked over a thick pad of laid threads, as described on p. 83, fig. 191, relating to Venetian embroidery.

VENETIAN LACE WITH NET GROUND (fig. 829).—The outlining of the figures with several strands of Coton surfin D.M.C, should, in the case of detached pieces of lace, be done at once, but where the figures are connected by bars or by a net ground as in fig. 825, the button-holed outlines should be done last. Thus in making the lace, fig. 829, you should begin by working all the insides of the flowers and foliage, then the net ground which may be replaced by bars with picots and then only proceed to the outside button-holing and the scallops.

As all this kind of lace-work is very laborious and takes a long time to do, we advise our readers to use thread that is slightly tinted; in the first place it does not turn yellow as white thread is liable to do and secondly, being softer and less twisted it takes every bend and turn more readily than the stiffer white material does.

Of all the different kinds of thread, so frequently alluded to in these pages, the higher numbers of Fil d’Alsace D.M.C and Fil à dentelle D.M.C are the best for the finer kinds of lace, and they all have the soft ivory tint, we so admire in the old needlework.

SPRAY IN NEEDLE-POINT (fig. 830).—Needle-point lace, also called Brussels lace, requires the same preparatory work as Venetian lace; but it seldom contains such a variety of stitches and openwork as the latter.

The flowers are generally worked in one of the stitches, represented in figs. 720 and 740; the outlines are less thickly button-holed and the stitches, set everywhere less closely.

Here also, the finished parts should be carefully covered with paper to keep them from getting soiled.

The needle-point lace designs are ordinarily speaking more realistic and as regards the composition, less artistic and severe than the Venetian point ones.

The spray, represented in our engraving, is a specimen of an ordinary Brussels lace pattern and of the stitches it is worked in.

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.

Miscellaneous fancy work.

As the plan on which this book was constructed rendered a systematic classification of the different subjects it treats of necessary, a certain amount of miscellaneous fancy work, which does not come under any of the previous headings remains to be dealt with in the present chapter. In most cases the illustrations and the accompanying directions are but an application to a practical use of the different kinds of stitches already described in previous chapters and those who are familiar with all these various branches of needlework will have no difficulty in understanding what follows.

KNOTTED CORD (figs. 831, 832, 833, 834, 835).—The knotted cord referred to in the letter press belonging to figs. 772 and 773 in the chapter on Irish lace, comes under the present heading: in making it, the fingers take the place of a crochet needle.

You tie two ends of thread or braid together, take one thread in the left hand fig. 831, and with the forefinger of the right, pull out a loop long enough for the left forefinger to pass through and hold the end of the thread tight with the little finger of the right hand.

Then draw the left forefinger backwards through the loop and behind the thread that is round the loop and lies in the left hand, fig. 832. As you lay the thread round the left forefinger, you must pass the knot and the ends of thread as well, over into the left hand, and with the right hand pull the thread that lies on the right and draw up the loop, fig. 833.

In fig. 834, representing the fourth position of the hands, you are shown how the forefinger of the right hand lifts up the thread and passes through the loop on the left hand; the end will consequently also pass immediately into the right hand and the left hand will tighten the knot.

It is by thus drawing up first a loop on the right and then one on the left that this pretty cord is produced.

Skilful hands will soon learn to make a cord of the same kind with four threads, as follows: knot the four ends of thread together, make a few knots, using two threads as one, then dropping the loop on your forefinger, put the next one upon it and draw up the knot, passing however the threads over those that you dropped. Then drop the loop you have on your finger again and take up the first loops.

For the cord made with double threads, represented in fig. 835 on a magnified scale, use Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C or one of the other materials mentioned at the foot of the illustration. Soutache D.M.C will always be found to be very suitable for this purpose.

BALLS FOR TRIMMINGS (figs. 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841).—Amongst the crochet patterns are two that are finished off with balls; to make these, begin by cutting a number of rounds of cardboard, two for every ball, with holes in the middle, fig. 836.

If you have a great many balls to make it is well worth your while providing yourself with a metal die of the proper size, to cut the rounds with.

Lay two of these rounds together and cover them closely with stitches, fig. 837, using for this purpose Coton à tricoter D.M.C (knitting cotton) or Coton à repriser D.M.C (darning cotton).[A]

When the round is entirely covered, put the scissors in between the two circles of cardboard and cut open the stitches all round the outer edge, fig. 838; then draw a piece of thread between the two circles and knot it firmly round the stitches that meet in the centre hole, fig. 839; leave sufficiently long ends of thread hanging to form a loop by which the ball can afterwards be fastened to the heading of the fringe; when the stitches are knotted together you cut and pull out the cardboard, fig. 840, and snip the thread with your scissors until it becomes quite fluffy and the ball is perfectly round, as shown in fig. 841.

TAMBOUR WORK (figs. 842, 843, 844, 845).—Since the introduction of the sewing machine, by means of which this charming kind of embroidery can be so quickly and easily executed, it has somewhat gone out of favour. As however, the fine patterns with a good deal of shading in them, can be far more accurately worked by hand than by machine, tambouring, which is in point of fact merely a form of crochet, has lately been revived. The piece of stuff on which the tambour work is to be done must be mounted on a frame.

The loops which are made with a small hook, called a tambour needle, form a fine chain stitch and must be regular and even; to facilitate this a sort of thimble, fig. 842, is worn on the forefinger of the right hand, formed of a small plate of sheet brass, rolled up but not joined, so as to fit any finger; it is open at the top like a tailor’s thimble and has a little notch on the side which is placed above the nail, and in which you lay the tambour needle whilst you work. From the thimble being cut slightly slanting at the top, it follows that the inside where the two ends meet is a little shorter than the outside.

The thread is drawn through in a loop to the front of the work by means of the hook, whilst it is held at the back in the left hand, and when the needle is put downwards through the stuff, laid round it. The needle in its downward and upward passage, should be kept in the notch in the thimble and the stuff pressed down with the thimble, as the needle is drawn up to the surface of the work, fig. 844.

A little practice is necessary to acquire the right action of the hands, there being always a tendency, the same as in tatting and macramé, to confuse the movements of the two. As soon as you realize that the upward drawing of the needle and the downward pressure of the stuff with the thimble must be simultaneous, you will find that you can work with great rapidity and with admirable results. Thread with a very strong twist, which the hook will not split, is the only suitable kind for tambouring. Of the D.M.C materials, Fil d’Alsace[A] and Fil à dentelle[A] are the most to be recommended.

Numbers of patterns, originally intended for other kinds of embroidery can be executed in tambour work; amongst those contained in this Encyclopedia, figs. 192, 210, 216, 219, and 227 are the ones that are best adapted to the purpose.

SMYRNA STITCH WORKED WITH A CROCHET-NEEDLE (figs. 846, 847, 848, 849).—In the chapter on tapestry, p. 137 we remarked that Oriental carpets and mats could be worked in different other ways, to be subsequently alluded to at greater length.