Part 11

Square crochet (the majority of our readers are aware) consists of d.c. chain stitches exclusively. A close, or solid square is formed of three successive d.c. stitches: an open square of 1 d.c., 2 ch., miss 2 of the preceding row. Almost all square crochet patterns are intended to be worked from the engraving, which is laid open before the worker and copied. To assist in guiding the eye it is advisable to cover each row of the engraving after it is copied.

We will only observe, with regard to this pattern, that the first two rows are done in ch., and that two stitches at each end are also close, which affords an opportunity for working in the ends of the previous rows.

This design is also extremely suitable for a curtain for a grate. For this purpose, Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Knitting Cord, No. 70, will be preferable to the coarser numbers. It would be greatly improved by the addition of a bead border, similar to that of the anti-macassar, given in a former part of this work.

The effect of the bead border being to add weight to the end of the stove apron, it would keep it in its place better than anything else, besides being very ornamental.

A handsome fringe may be knotted on the end, and it may be lined with calico to correspond with the furniture of the room.

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NETTED WINDOW CURTAIN.

MATERIALS.--Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Netting Cotton, No. 24: Embroidering Goat's-head Cotton, No. 30; a middle-sized Netting Needle; Steel Mesh, No. 9; and a long Embroidering Needle.

If worked with the above cotton and mesh four squares will measure one inch, which will be a guide for the number of foundation stitches to make in the beginning for the curtain. The pattern must afterwards be darned in embroidering cotton, No. 30, according to the engraving, by passing the needle under and over the threads of the meshes very regularly and even, always keeping the same number of threads in every square, and all must run the same way and be drawn to one degree of tightness, for all the beauty of the work depends upon its evenness and regularity. This pattern may be extended to any size, and would look very well if the flowers were sewn in pale pink ingrain cotton, and the fretwork in white cotton.

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A FLOWER VASE SCREEN, FOR CONCEALING A FLOWER-POT OR BASIN WITH FLOWERS.

MATERIALS.--4 shades of Green Wool, the lightest almost a pale Lemon, 1 skein only of this, and 3 each of the darkest; 5 shades of Pink, 2 skeins of each, all 4-thread Berlin Wool; 3 yards of ordinary sized skirt cord, the size of blind cord.

D.c. 14 stitches over the end of the cord with the darkest green, unite; now work 2 d.c. into every loop; the next row the same; from this row increase as may be required, working 4 rows of darkest green, 4 rows of next shade, 3 rows of next shade, in all 11 rows; there must by 154 stitches in the outside row.

Fasten off the cord neatly, and with darkest shade of green, work 21 d.c. stitches; now turn on reverse side, and work 21 rows of ridged crochet, which is done by working into the lower loop instead of the upper one, and omitting at the end of every row the 1 ch. which in ordinary ridged crochet prevents it decreasing, but by omitting this 1 ch. these 21 d.c. stitches will be decreased to a point; work 6 rows of the 2 darkest shades, and 9 of the lightest of the 3 shades: make 7 of these points, but be careful, in joining on every shade, that the knots are concealed, and run in the last end very neatly. With the lightest green of the 3 shades, commence on the wrong side of the mat, begin on the first dark ridge of the point, make 5 ch., d.c. on every ridge, but d.c. into the point, make 5 ch., d.c. into same loop, then 5 ch., d.c. on every ridge till the last, then crochet into the 1st ridge of next point, without making any chain between.

_Palest Green_.--D.c. into centre of 2nd 5 ch. from the bottom of the point, 5 ch., d.c. into centre of every 5 ch. till the point, then d.c. in centre of top, 5 ch., 5 ch., d.c. into same, then work down till within the last ch. of 5, omit this, and d.c. in 2nd ch. of 5 from the bottom of next point.

1st row.--_Darkest Pink_: Make 41 ch., turn back, 1 l. into 9th loop from hook, * 3 ch., 1 l. into 4th loop, repeat from * 7 times more, in all 9 spaces.

2nd: Turn on reverse side, 3 l. under the 3 ch., 1 ch., repeat at the point, work 9 l., 2 ch., 6 more l. under same space, then 1 ch., 3 l. under the 3 ch., repeat; at the end cut off the wool.

3rd: With next shade commence on same side as 1st row, 1 l. between each long, but after every 3rd l., make 1 ch. at the point, and between each of the 6 l., make 1 l., 1 ch., then under the 2 ch., make 1 l., 3 ch., 1 more l. under same, then work the same as the half just completed.

4th.--_Next Shade_: With same colour, inclose some white wire drawn from ribbon wire, thus--between each l. stitch, and under each 1 ch., work 1 d.c. stitch with the wire between, first bending the end of the wire to prevent it slipping, but over the point work 2 d.c. under each 1 ch., and under the 3 ch., work 3 d.c.; now work the remaining half, and d.c. along the bottom, still enclosing the wire to the side where this row was commenced, twist the 2 ends of the wire together, after pulling it into shape.

5th: Great care must be taken in working this row not to bend the work; next shade, 1 l. on 1st d.c. stitch at the side, 3 ch., * 1 l. into successive loops for 4 times, 3 ch., repeat from *, be careful that a 3 ch. comes at the point; this row will end as it was begun; then crochet along the bottom.

6th.--_Next Shade_: 2 l. under the 1st 3 ch., 3 ch., 2 more l. under same; repeat this 6 times more, then repeat the same over the point, but for 5 times make 5 ch. instead of 3. Now sew these pink points up at the side, joining them for 6 times by the chain of 3, slipping the wool on from chain to chain; now pin each green point on to the part of the pink which is sewed together, stretching each green point as high as possible; then sew these green points at about the second shade of green, on to the pink, as in engraving.

MATERIALS.--Three reels of Brooks' No. 24, and two of No. 16, Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Crochet Cotton. A hook suitable for the fine number.

The octagon shape is one extremely well adapted for bread baskets, as well as for papier-maché trays of the usual forms; but it requires a little nicety to produce even edges at the sloping sides. The way it is done is this. The whole pattern, it will be perceived, is done in square crochet, and in the increasing sides a close square is added at each end. This is done by making one chain extra at the beginning and end of the first row of d.c. 2nd row: 1 ch., 2 d.c. on the chain, and 2 on the first d.c. at the commencement, thus increasing three stitches, besides the one chain which is merely a foundation for the next increase; then at the other extremity of the row, 2 d.c. on the last stitch, 2 d.c. on the chain, and make one chain. Do this for every row which is increased, working in all the ends.

For the decreasing rows begin with 1 slip, 1 s.c., 1 short double crochet, 1 d.c.--this last coming on the first stitch in the second square of last row, keeps the squares evenly over each other. At the other end of the row reverse the process, by doing 1 d.c., 1 short d.c., 1 s.c., 1 slip, which completes it.

The short double-crochet stitch, being new to our readers, may be briefly described. It is, as its name implies, a medium stitch between a s.c. and a d.c. stitch. Begin as for a d.c. stitch, with the thread round the hook, but after the latter is inserted in the stitch, and the thread drawn through, so that there are three loops on the needle, the thread must be drawn through all three at once.

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.

To increase the size of this d'oyley, for a tray, or other article, use coarser cotton and hook.

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BREAD CLOTH.

MATERIALS.--Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Crochet Cotton, Nos. 14, 16, 18, 20. Walker's Penelope Hook, No. 3.

_a_. With cotton No. 18 make 10 chain, 1 s.c., in 1st chain; then in round loop 3 d.c., ** 9 chain, miss 3, 1 s.c. in 4th; then in round loop. * 1 s.c. 7 chain, * repeat twice more; 1 chain to cross and in 1st 7 chain,** [·1·] 1 d.c., 9 long, 1 d.c., repeat in the other two 7 chains; 1 s.c. in the 1 chain that crosses the stem: [·2·] 5 chain; 3 d.c. in the centre round loop.

Repeat from ** to ** 1 d.c., 5 long, join to 5th long in 3rd section, 4 long, 1 d.c. in same 7 chain; in the next two 7 chains: 1 d.c., 9 long, 1 d.c., 1 s.c. in the chain that crosses the stem [·2·] Repeat from [·2·] to [·2·] 5 chain, 3 d.c. in the centre round loop.

Repeat again from ** to ** 1 d.c., 5 long, join, 4 long, 1 d.c., in next 7 chain, 1 d.c., 9 long, 1 d.c., in next 7 chain, 1 d.c., 1 s.c. on the chain that crosses, 5 chain, 1 s.c. on 1st d.c. in centre, fasten off.

Make 11 more _a_'s like the 1st, only joining, as in the engraving:--"thus, 1 d.c., 5 long, join, 4 long, 1 d.c."

_b_. With cotton No. 20. 15 chain, 1 s.c., in 1st stitch and in round loop. * 4 d.c., 10 chain, join where the two _a_'s join, turn, 10 s.c. down the 10 chain; 4 d.c., 10 chain, join where the two 9 long of _a_ are joined together; 10 s.c. down the 10 chain; repeat from * 3 times more; * 1 s.c., 5 chain, miss 2, * repeat all round; fasten off. Make 5 more, placing them as in the engraving.

_c_. With cotton No. 16. 10 chain, 1 s.c. in 1st, make it round. * 1 d.c., 3 chain, 3 long, 3 chain, * repeat 3 times more in round loop. ** 1 d.c. on d.c., 7 chain, 1 d.c. on 2 long, 7 chain repeat all round. ** 9 d.c. in each 7 chain; fasten off.

1 s.c. in 5th d.c., 9 chain repeat all round. In 1st 9 chain 6 d.c., join to 5th long of _a_ 5 d.c. in same 9 chain: * in next 9 chain 11 d.c., repeat all round; fasten off.

Make another _c_, joining to _a_ and first _c_. Make 12 more; join as in the engraving.

_d_. With cotton No. 18. 7 chain make it round; 11 d.c. in round loop, join to 5th d.c. of 11 d.c. of _e_, * 7 chain, miss 1, 1 s.c., repeat * twice more; join to the other _c_ to the 5th d.c. of 11 d.c., fasten off. 1 s.c. in 4th chain of 1st 7 chain. ** 5 chain 1 s.c. in same as last s.c., then in 5 chain, 1 d.c. 4 long, 2 chain, join to _a_, turn, 1 chain, 2 long on 2 chain, 4 long, 1 d.c. in same 5 chain. 1 s.c. in next 7 chain; 7 chain join to next division of _d_ 7 chain; 1 s.c. in 4th chain stitch of 7 chain, repeat from ** to ** 7 chain, join, 7 chain, repeat from ** to ** again, fasten off. Make 9 more _d_'s, joining in the same manner, and as placed in the engraving.

_e_. With cotton No. 18. 10 chain, make it round and work in loop 17 d.c.; 1 d.c. on 1st d.c., 5 chain, miss 1, 1 s.c. in next 4 chain join to _c_'s 3 chain, miss 2, 1 s.c. in 3rd, 5 chain, miss 1, 1 s.c. in next, 6 chain join to _a_ 5 chain, miss 1, 1 s.c. in next, 5 chain, miss 1, 1 s.c., 4 chain, join to _c_ 3 chain, miss 2, 1 s.c., 5 chain, miss 1, 1 s.c., 7 chain 1 s.c. fasten off. Make 3 more, placing them as in the engraving.

_f_. With cotton No. 14. 1 long between two _c_'s; 1 _c_ before the corner. Commence: 6 chain, · 1 d.c. in 6th d.c. of 11 d.c. of _c_ 9 chain, repeat · 3 times more; 10 chain, 1 s.c. in 4th chain of 7 chain of _e_ 10 chain, ·· 1 d.c. in the centre of 11 d.c., 9 chain, repeat ·· 3 times more. Repeat all round the d'oyley, making the corners alike.

2nd: · 3 long, 2 chain, miss 2, · this is the · pattern all round, except at the corners. You miss 2 and make no chain, this is to be done by _e_, and by the 1 long between the two _c_'s. You work as follows: make no chain, and miss 4, 2 each side of one long.

3rd: 5 chain, miss 2, 1 s.c. repeat all round.

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HONITON SPRIG.

Materials.--Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Crochet Cotton, No. 60. Penelope Hook, No. 24. 6 ch. for the end of the stem.

Leaf: 14 ch., miss 2, 9 d.c. on the next 9, 2 s.c., 1 slip, 24 ch., miss 3, 2 d.c. in next, 2 d.c. in next, 9 d.c. in the next 9, 2 s.c. in the next 2, slip in the next, which leaves 7 for the stem. Slip stitch on the 2 s.c., and 7 of the d.c., taking great care not to contract the leaf, 10 ch., miss 4 d.c. in the fifth, X 2 ch., miss 2, t.c. in 3rd, X twice, 2 ch., miss 2, d.c. in 3rd, 2 ch., miss 2, s.c. on 3rd, 1 ch., miss 1, slip at the base of the flower. Do 9 slip stitches up the last row, the open hem of which forms the centre of the flower; then 11 ch., miss 3, 2 contracted d.c. stitches on the next 4, d.c. down all but the last 3, 2 s.c., 1 slip. The flower thus formed consists of an open hem for the centre petal, and a closer petal on each side. Work entirely round the flowers in s.c.

S.c. on the seven chains of the stem, before you get to the leaf, opposite which make another, exactly like it. S.c. to the end of the stem, and fasten off.

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A SPANGLED WOOL NETTED COVER FOR A TEA-POY.

Materials.--If a fire-veil is required, use a flat thin bone or boxwood mesh, nearly half an inch in width; but if for a table-cover, etc., use a flat mesh scarcely three-eighths of an inch wide. 3 reels of Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Crochet Cotton, No. 10, of a good drab, or dark claret colour, the latter is preferable; 1 ounce of maize colour spangled wool; 1 ounce of green ditto, and 1 ounce of violet ditto. No. 13 Netting Needles.

[Footnote: This spangled wool is a new article, extremely brilliant, and may be obtained, by inquiry, at any Berlin Shop, at 1s. 6d. or 2s. per ounce, and weighing much the same as any other Berlin wool.]

Begin on a foundation of 85 diamonds, and net with the cotton until the piece is 68 diamonds long; if for a fire-veil, darn, as in ordinary darned netting, the centre with maize wool, and the border with green, darn the outer row of diamonds with violet, and also the pattern inside the border; but if for any other purpose, use any colour of the spangled wool that may harmonise or contrast well with the draperies of the room; but, as a general rule, the netted ground should be dark. For the fringe, cut some shaded 4-thread Berlin wool of the same colour as the spangled--in the pattern given it is violet--into lengths of 10 inches, tie this in tufts of 9 threads into every other diamond; or, if preferred, 6 lengths in every diamond. Draw the wool through the loop, placing the wool exactly in the centre, double the two ends evenly, and tie in a tight knot; then, with a rug needle, draw in two or three lengths of spangled wool, so as to lie on the surface of every tuft; but, if preferred, all spangled wool may be used, but then the work would be rendered very costly, whereas, with the present directions, the work is sufficiently elegant, brilliant, and exceedingly new. Darn the centre first and the border last. Count 37 clear diamonds from the left-hand side of the work, and 19th diamond from the bottom. In the 39th diamond from the left-hand side and 20th from the bottom, darn the 2 first diamonds for the stem of a flower, then work from engraving.

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NETTED ANTI-MACASSAR

MATERIALS.--Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize Goat's-head Knitting Cord, No. 40, and Embroidery Cotton, No 70; mesh, one-third of an inch wide.

This anti-macassar is done in the fashionable style of netting, with a pattern darned on it after it is worked. Make a foundation, on which work 67 stitches. Repeat these, backwards and forwards, until a square is done, of as many holes up the sides as along the width. Remove the foundation, and add either a crochet-bead border all round, or a netted one. The bead border makes the shape more solid; the netted one is certainly lighter, and the following is very pretty:--

With a mesh three times the size of that used for the square, do one entire round, with three stitches in one at the corners.

2nd round: With the small mesh. Miss the first stitch, net the second, then the missed one, repeat all round.

3rd: X Net a stitch in each of seven stitches, miss one stitch of last round, X repeat all round.

Observe, before doing this round, count the number of stitches; if they cannot be divided by eight, add at the corners as many as may be required. Supposing there are so many eights and five over, then three more will be wanted, and one must be added (by doing two in one) in each of the three corners.

4th: X 6 over seven, miss the long stitch, X repeat.

5th: X 5 over six, missing as before, X repeat.

6th: X 4 over five, as before, X repeat.

7th: X 3 over four, as before, X repeat.

8th: X 2 over three, as before, X repeat.

Before darning netting, wash it perfectly clean, stiffen it by dipping it into a little gum-water, and pin it out on a pillow, in the proper form, to dry. Then darn it with embroidery cotton, every square of the pattern being closely filled up.

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SHORT PURSE, IN NETTING.

As the following specimen is done only in the ordinary netting stitch, we do not think any particular explanation of the art of netting can be needed by our readers, it being so universally known. Indeed, it would be extremely difficult to teach the stitch by writing. Whenever any stitch, except that used in common netting, may occur in any of the following designs, we will endeavour to explain it as clearly as possible.

MATERIALS.--Very fine crimson netting silk, and gold thread. Two steel meshes are required, one about No. 15, and one No. 11. Eagle card-board gauge.

Make a piece of foundation of 9 stitches, and join your silk in the first.

1st round (small mesh). 1 stitch in every stitch of the foundation.

2nd: The same.

3rd: 2 stitches in every one of the previous round.

4th: A stitch in every one of the last round.

5th: X 2 stitches in the first, and one in the second, X 8 times.

6th: A stitch in every stitch.

7th: Increase eight stitches in the round, by doing two in one eight times, taking care that the stitch increased is the one which precedes the increased stitch of the last augmented round.

8th: Like 6th.

9th: Like 7th.

10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd: Like 6th.

The intermediate rounds like the 7th. There ought now to be 88 stitches in the round. Do 44 more rounds, without any increase. Then take the large mesh, and do another round. Take the small mesh, X miss one stitch, take a stitch in the second, then one in the stitch that was missed. X Repeat this all round.

Do four rounds of plain netting with the small mesh, then begin to make the points. 1st point: 7 stitches; draw out the mesh, X turn the work, and make a stitch on every one but the last; X repeat till you come to a point.

2nd and following points, like the first, so that there are 11 in the round.

The pattern is then to be darned with the gold thread, according to the design we have given.

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BRIDAL PURSE, IN CROCHET.

MATERIALS.--Six skeins of white crochet silk, two skeins of _ombré_ scarlet ditto, in long shades, three skeins of slate-colour, and one of bright scarlet. Two ounces of transparent white beads, rather larger than seed beads, four strings of gold, the same size, and a hank of steel to match. For the garnitures (which must be entirely of bright steel), two rings, a handsome tassel for one end, and a deep fringe for the other. Boulton's tapered indented Crochet Hook, No. 23.

Begin by threading all the white beads on the white silk; half the gold on the _ombré_ cerise, and the steel on the slate-coloured. What scarlet silk is used in the square end is without beads; the few rows at the other end, of that colour, are threaded with gold, which may be put on afterwards.

The design of the square end consists of a spray of roses and leaves, the former in scarlet _ombré_ with gold beads intermixed, the latter with slate-silk and steel. 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.

2nd round: In which you begin to drop on the white beads. X 2 white, 3 scarlet, X 20 times.

3rd: X 3 white, 1 scarlet, 1 white, X 20 times.

4th: All white; work in the scarlet silk all round, and then fasten it off, as no more is required until the whole square end is worked.

5th: X 22 white, 1 steel, 23 white, 1 steel, 3 white, X twice.

6th: X 21 white, 2 steel, 22 white, 2 steel, 3 white, X twice.

7th: X 3 white, 1 steel, 5 white, 2 steel, 3 white, 2 steel, 4 white, 3 steel, 2 white, 1 steel, 6 white, 2 steel, 4 white, 2 steel, 3 white, 3 steel, 4 white, X twice.

8th: X 3 white, 2 steel, 3 white, 3 steel, * 2 white, 4 steel, * twice; 2 white, 2 steel, 4 white, 3 steel, 3 white, 3 steel, 2 white, 4 steel, 4 white, X twice.

9th: X 2 white, 3 steel, * 2 white, 4 steel, * 3 times; 1 white, 3 steel, 3 white, 4 steel, ** 2 white, 4 steel, ** twice, 4 white, X twice.

10th: X 2 white, 2 steel, * 3 white, 3 steel, * 3 times; 2 white, 2 steel, 4 white, 3 steel, ** 3 white 3 steel, ** twice, 5 white, X twice.

11th: X 1 white, 1 steel, 2 white, 4 steel, 4 white, 3 steel, 3 white, 2 steel, 3 white, 1 steel, 3 white, 4 steel, 4 white, 3 steel, 3 white, 2 steel, 3 white, 1 steel, 3 white, X twice.

12th: x 4 steel, 2 white, 1 steel, 1 white, 5 steel, 3 white, 3 steel, 4 white, 4 steel, 2 white, 1 steel, 1 white, 5 steel, 3 white, 3 steel, 4 white, 1 steel, 3 white, X twice.

13th: X 3 white, 2 steel, 2 white, 1 steel, 4 white, 5 steel, 4 white, 2 steel, 3 white, 2 steel, 2 white, 1 steel, 4 white, 5 steel, 4 white, 2 steel, 4 white, X twice.

14th: 3 white, 2 steel, 2 white, 3 steel, 4 white, 4 steel, 8 white, 2 steel, 2 white, 3 steel, 4 white, 4 steel, 9 white, X twice.

15th: X 4 white, 1 steel, * 3 white, 4 steel, * twice, 8 white, 1 steel, ** 3 white, 4 steel, ** twice, 8 white, X twice.

16th: X 9 white, 4 steel, 4 white, 2 steel, 13 white, 4 steel, 4 white, 2 steel, 8 white, X twice.

17th: All white.

18th: x 14 white, 2 slate silk, 34 white, X twice.

19th: X 14 white, 3 slate, 8 white, 5 steel, 20 white, X twice.

20th: X 14 white, 5 slate, 4 white, 9 steel, 12 white, 2 steel, 4 white, X twice.

21st: X 14 white, 11 slate, 1 steel, 3 slate, 2 steel, 10 white, 2 steel, 1 white, 2 steel, 4 white, X twice.

22nd: Begin the _ombré_ scarlet, X 16 white, 7 slate, 2 steel, 12 white, 2 gold, 2 white, 2 steel, 4 white, 2 steel, 1 white, X twice.

23rd: x 13 white, 11 steel, 12 white, 1 gold, 2 scarlet silk, 1 gold, 7 white, 2 steel, 1 white, X twice.