the working of F on chain-stitch sampler.
the working of F on chain-stitch sampler.
to work G.
A yet more fanciful variety of braid-stitch (G on the sampler, Illustration17) is worked vertically, downwards. Having, as before, put your needle under the thread and twisted it once round, put it in at a point which is to be the left edge of your work, and, instead of bringing it out immediately below that point, slant it to the right, bringing it out on that edge of the work, and finish your stitch as in the case of F.
These braid-stitches look best worked in stout thread of close texture.
In covering a surface with chain-stitch (needlework or tambour) the usual plan is to follow thecontour of the design, working chain within chain until the leaf or whatever it may be is filled in. This stitch is rarely worked in lines across the forms, but it has been effectively used in that way, following always the lines of the warp and weft of the stuff. Even in that case the successive lines of stitching should be all in one direction—not running backwards and forwards—or it will result in a sort of pattern of braided lines. The reason for the more usual practice of following the outline of the design is obvious. The stitch lends itself to sweeping, even to perfectly spiral, lines—such as occur in Greek wave patterns: it was, in fact, made use of in that way by the Greeks some four or five centuriesB.C.
the working of G on chain-stitch sampler.
the working of G on chain-stitch sampler.
larger image19. CHAIN AND SURFACE STITCHES.
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19. CHAIN AND SURFACE STITCHES.
We owe the tambour frame, they say, to China; but it has been largely used, and abused indeed, in England. Tambour work, when once you have the trick of it, is very quickly done—in about one-sixth of the time it would take to do it with the needle. It has the further advantage that it serves equally well for embroidery on a light or on a heavy stuff, and that it is most lasting. The misfortune is that the sewingmachine has learnt to do something at once so like it and so mechanically even, as to discredit genuine hand-work, whether tambour work or chain-stitch. For all that, neither is to be despised. If they have often a mechanical appearance that is not all the fault of the stitch: the worker is to blame. Indian embroiderers depart sometimes so far from mechanical precision as to shock the admirers of monotonously even work. Artistic use of chain stitch is made in many of our illustrations: for outlines in Illustrations24and72; for surface covering in Mr. Crane's lion, Illustration74; to represent landscape in Illustration78, where everything except the faces of the little men is in chain-stitch; and again for figure work in Illustration81. In Illustration19it occurs in association with a curious surface stitch; in Illustration64it is used to outline and otherwise supplement inlay. The old Italians did not disdain to use it. In fact, wherever artists have employed it, they show that there is nothing inherently inartistic about the stitch.
Herring-boneis the name by which it is customary to distinguish a variety of stitches somewhat resembling the spine of a fish such as the herring. It would be simpler to describe them as "fish-bone;" but that term has been appropriated to describe a particular variety of it. One would have thought it more convenient to use fish for the generic term, and a particular fish for the specific. However, it saves confusion to use names as far as possible in their accepted sense.
It will be seen from the sampler, Illustration20, that this stitch may be worked open or tolerably close; but in the latter case it loses something of its distinctive character. Fine lines may be worked in it, but it appears most suited to the working of broadish bands and other more or less even-sided or, it may be, tapering forms, more feathery in effect than fish-bone-like, such as are shown at E on sampler.
Ordinary herring-bone is such a familiar stitch that the necessity of describing it is rather a matter of literary consistency than of practical importance.
The two simpler forms of herring-bone (it is always worked from left to right, and begun with a half-stitch) marked A and C on the sampler are strikingly different in appearance, and are worked in different ways—as will be seen at once by reference to the back of the sampler (Illustration21), where the stitches take in the one case a horizontal and in the other a vertical direction.
to work A.
To work A, bring your needle out about the centre of the line to be worked; put it into the lower edge of the line about ⅛th of an inch further on; take up this much of the stuff, and, keeping the thread to the right, above the needle, draw it through. Then, with the thread below it, to the right, put your needle into the upper edge of the line ¼th of an inch further on, and, turning it backwards, take up again ⅛th of an inch of stuff, bringing it out immediately above where it went in on the lower edge.
to work B.
What is called "Indian Herring-bone" (B) is merely stitch A worked in longer and more slanting stitches, so that there is room between them for a second row in another colour, the two colours being, of course, properly interlaced.
to work C.
To work C, bring your needle out as for A, and, putting it in at the upper edge of the line to be worked and pointing it downwards, whilst your thread lies to the right, take up ever so small a piece of the stuff. Then, slightly in advance of the last stitch, the thread still to the right,your needle now pointing upwards, take another similar stitch from the lower edge.
larger image20. HERRING-BONE SAMPLER.
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20. HERRING-BONE SAMPLER.
larger image21. HERRING-BONE SAMPLER (BACK).
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21. HERRING-BONE SAMPLER (BACK).
to work D.
The variety at D is merely a combination of A and C, as may be seen by reference to the back of the sampler (opposite); though the short horizontal stitches there seen meet, instead of being wide apart as in the case of A.
the working of E on herring-bone sampler.
the working of E on herring-bone sampler.
to work E.
What is known as "fish-bone" is illustrated in the three feathery shapes on the sampler (E), two of which are worked rather open. It is characteristic of this stitch that it has a sort of spine up the centre where the threads cross. Suppose the stitch to be worked horizontally. Bring your needle out on the under edge of the spine about ¼th of an inch from the starting point of the work, and put it in on the upper edge of the work at the starting point, bringing it out immediately below that on the lower edge of the work. Put it in again on the upper edge of the spine, rather inadvance of where it came out on the lower edge of it before, and bring it out on the lower edge of this spine immediately below where it entered.
the working of F on herring-bone sampler.
the working of F on herring-bone sampler.
to work F.
In close herring-bone (F on the sampler, Illustration20) you have always a long stitch from left to right, crossed by a shorter stitch which goes from right to left. Having made a half stitch, bring the needle out at the beginning of the line to be worked, at the lower edge, and put it in ⅛th of an inch from the beginning of the upper edge. Bring it out again at the beginning of this edge and put it in at the lower edge ¼th of an inch from the beginning, bringing it out on the same edge ⅛th of an inch from the beginning. Put the needle in again on the upper edge ⅛th of an inch in front of the last stitch on that edge, and bring it out again, without splitting the thread, on the same edge as the hole where the last stitch went in.
If you wish to cover a surface with herring-bone-stitch, you work it, of course, close, so that eachsuccessive stitch touches its foregoer at the point where the needle enters the stuff (F on the sampler, Illustration20). It will be seen that at the back (21) this looks like a double row of back-stitching. Worked straight across a wide leaf, as in the lower half of sampler, it is naturally very loose. A better method of working is shown in the side leaves, which are worked in two halves, beginning at the base of a leaf on one side and working down to it on the other. There is here just the suggestion of a mid-rib between the two rows.
the working of G on herring-bone sampler.
the working of G on herring-bone sampler.
to work G.
The stitch at G on sampler, having the effect of higher relief than ordinary close herring-bone (F), is sometimes misleadingly described as tapestry stitch. It is worked, as the back of the sampler (21) clearly shows, in quite a different way. You get there parallel rows of double stitches. Havingmade a half-stitch entering the material at the upper edge of the work, bring the needle out on the lower edge of it immediately opposite. Then, going back, put it in at the beginning of the upper edge, and bring it out at the beginning of the lower one. Thence take a long slanting stitch upwards from left to right, bring the needle out on the lower edge immediately opposite, cross it by a rather shorter stitch from right to left, entering the stuff at the point where the first half-stitch ended, bring this out on the lower edge, opposite, and the stitch is done.
The artistic use of herring-bone-stitch is shown in the leaves of the tulip (84), and a closer variety of it in the pink, or whatever the flower may be, in the hand of the little figure on Illustration72.
Buttonholeis more useful in ornament than one might expect a stitch with such a very utilitarian name to be. It is, as its common use would lead one to suppose, pre-eminently a one-edged stitch, a stitch with which to mark emphatically the outside edge of a form. There is, however, a two-edged variety known as ladder-stitch, shown in the two horn shapes on the sampler, Illustration22.
By the use of two rows back to back, leaf forms may be fairly expressed. In the leaves on the sampler, the edge of the stitch is used to emphasise the mid rib, leaving a serrated edge to the leaves. The character of the stitch would have been better preserved by working the other way about, and marking the edge of the leaves by a clear-cut line, as in the case of the solid leaves in Illustration73.
The stitch may be used for covering a ground or other broad surface, as in the pot shape (J) on the sampler, where the diaper pattern produced by its means explains itself the better for being worked in two shades of colour.
The simpler forms of the stitch are the moreuseful. Worked in the form of a wheel, as in the rosettes at the side of the vase shape (A), the ornamental use of the stitch is obvious.
to work A.
One need hardly describeButtonhole Stitch. The simple form of it (A) is worked by (when you have brought your needle out) keeping the thread under your thumb to the right, whilst you put the needle in again at a higher point slightly to the right, and bring it out immediately below, close to where it came out before. This and other one-edged stitches of the kind are sometimes called "blanket-stitch."
The only difference between versions such as B and C on the sampler, and simple buttonhole, is that the stitches vary in length according to the worker's fancy.
to work E.
TheCrossed Buttonhole Stitchat E is worked by first making a stitch sloping to the right, and then a smaller buttonhole-stitch across this from the left.
The border marked D in sampler consists merely of two rows of slanting buttonhole-stitch worked one into the other. Needlewomen have wilful ways of making what should be upright stitches slant awkwardly in all manner of ways, with the result that they look as if they had been pulled out of the straight.
larger image22. BUTTONHOLE SAMPLER.
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22. BUTTONHOLE SAMPLER.
larger image23. BUTTONHOLE SAMPLER (BACK).
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23. BUTTONHOLE SAMPLER (BACK).
to work F.
The border at F, known as "Tailor's Buttonhole," is worked with the firm edge from you, instead of towards you, as you work ordinarybuttonhole. Bringing the thread out at the upper edge of the work to the left, and letting it lie on that side, you put your needle in again still on the same edge, and bring it out, immediately below, on the lower one. You then, before drawing the thread quite through, put your needle into the loop from behind, and tighten it upwards.
the working of H on buttonhole sampler.
the working of H on buttonhole sampler.
to work G.
In order to make your ladder-stitch (G) square at the end, you begin by making a bar of the width the stitch is to be. Then, holding the thread under your thumb to the right, you put the needle in at the top of the bar and, slanting it towards the right, bring it out on a level with the other end of the bar somewhat to the right. This makes a triangle. With the point of your needle, pull the slanting thread out at the top, to form a square; insert the needle; slant it again to the right; draw it out as before, and you have your second triangle.
to work H.
The difference between the working of the lattice-like band at H, and ladder-stitch G, is that, having completed your first triangle, you make, by buttonholing a stitch, a second triangle pointing the other way, which completes a rectangular shape.
larger image24. BUTTONHOLE, CHAIN, AND KNOT STITCHES.
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24. BUTTONHOLE, CHAIN, AND KNOT STITCHES.
In the solid work shown at J, you make fivebuttonhole-stitches, gathering them to a point at the base, then another five, and so on. Repeat the process, this time point upwards, and you have the first band of the pot shape.
Characteristic and most beautiful use is made of buttonhole stitch in the piece of Indian work in Illustration24, where it is outlined with chain stitch, which goes most perfectly with it.
Cut work, such as that on Illustration65, is strengthened by outlining it in buttonhole-stitch.
Ladder-stitch occurs in the cusped shapes framing certain flowers in Illustration72, embroidered all in blue silk on linen. It is not infrequent in Oriental work, and, in fact, goes sometimes by the name of Cretan-stitch on that account.
Feather-stitchis simply buttonholing in a slanting direction, first to the right side and then to the left, keeping the needle strokes in the centre closer together or farther apart according to the effect to be produced.
It owes its name, of course, to the more or less feathery effect resulting from its rather open character. Like buttonhole, it may be worked solid, as in the leaf and petal forms on the sampler, Illustration25, but it is better suited to cover narrow than broad surfaces. The jagged outline which it gives makes it useful in embroidering plumage, but it is not to be confounded with what is called "plumage-stitch," which is not feather-stitch at all, but a version of satin-stitch.
The feathery stem (A) onthesampler is simply a buttonholing worked alternately from right to left and left to right.
to work B.
The border line at B requires rather more explanation. Presume it to be worked vertically. Bring your needle out at the left edge of the band; put it in at the right edge immediately opposite, keeping your thread under the needle to the right;bring it out again still on the right edge a little lower down, and then, keeping your thread to the left, put the needle in on the left edge, opposite to where you last brought it out, and bring it out again on the same edge a little lower down.
larger image25. FEATHER-STITCH SAMPLER.
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25. FEATHER-STITCH SAMPLER.
larger image26. FEATHER-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
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26. FEATHER-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
The border at C is merely an elaboration of the above, with three slanting stitches on each edge instead of a single one in the direction of the band.
the working of G G on feather-stitch sampler.
the working of G G on feather-stitch sampler.
Bands D, E, F, G, are variations of ordinary feather-stitch, requiring no further explanation than the back view of the work (26) affords. On the face of the sampler it will be noticed that lines have been drawn for the guidance of the worker. These are always four in number, indicating at once, that the stitch is made with four strokes of the needle, and the points at which it is put in and out of the stuff.
to work G G.
In working G G, suppose four guiding lines to have been drawn as above—numbered, 1, 2, 3, 4, from left to right. Bring your needle out at the top of line 1. Make a chain-stitch slanting downwards from line 1 to line 2. Put your needle into line 3 about ⅛th of an inch lower down, and, slanting it upwards,bring it out on line 4 level with the point where you last brought it out. Make a chain-stitch slanting downwards this time from right to left, and bring your needle out on line 3. Lastly, put your needle into line 2, ⅛th of an inch below the last stitch, and, slanting it upwards, bring it out on line 1.
Feather-stitch is not adapted to covering broad surfaces solidly, but may be used for narrow ones.
Oriental-stitchis the name given to a close kind of feather-stitch much used in Eastern work. The difference at once apparent to the eye between the two is that, whereas for the mid-rib of a band or leaf of feather-stitching (25) you have cross lines, in Oriental-stitch (27) you have a straight line—longer or shorter as the case may be.
Oriental-stitch, sometimes called "Antique-stitch," is a stitch in three strokes, just as feather-stitch is a stitch in four. It is usually worked horizontally, though shown upright on the sampler, Illustration27. Like feather-stitch (see diagram), it is worked on four guiding lines, faintly visible on the sampler.
to work A, B, C.
Stitches A, B, and C are worked in precisely the same way. Bring your needle out at the top of line 1. Keep the thread under your thumb to the right and put your needle in at the top of line 4, bringing it out into line 3 on the same level. Then put it in again at line 2, just on the other side of the thread, and bring it out on line 1 ready to begin the next stitch.
larger image27. ORIENTAL-STITCH SAMPLER.
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27. ORIENTAL-STITCH SAMPLER.
larger image28. ORIENTAL-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
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28. ORIENTAL-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
It will be seen that the length of the central part (or mid-rib, as it was called above) makes the whole difference between the three varieties of stitch. In A the three parts are equal: in B the mid-rib is narrow: in C it is broad, as is most plainly seen on the back of the sampler (28). The difference is only a difference of proportion.
the working of A, B, C on oriental-stitch sampler.
the working of A, B, C on oriental-stitch sampler.
to work D.
The sloping stitch at D is worked in the same way as A, B, C, except that instead of straight strokes with the needle you make slanting ones.
to work E.
Stitch E differs from D in that the side strokes slant both in the same direction. It is worked from right to left instead of from left to right.
to work F.
Stitch F is a combination of buttonhole and Oriental stitches. Between two rows of buttonholing(dark on sampler) a single row of Oriental-stitch is worked.
The stitch employed for the central stalk, G, has really no business on this sampler, except that it has somethingofthe appearance of a continuous Oriental-stitch.
Oriental-stitch is one of the stitches used in Illustration72.
A single sampler is devoted toRopeandKnotted Stitches, more nearly akin than they look, for rope-stitch is all but knotted as it is worked.
Rope-stitchis so called because of its appearance. It takes a large amount of silk or wool to work it, but the effect is correspondingly rich. It is worked from right to left, and is easier to work in curved lines than in straight.
to work A, B.
Lines A on the sampler, Illustration29, represent the ordinary appearance of the stitch; its construction is more apparent in the central stalk B, which is a less usual form of the same stitch, worked wider apart.
the working of A, B, on rope-stitch sampler.
the working of A, B, on rope-stitch sampler.
Having brought out your needle at the right end of the work, hold part of the thread towards the left, under the thumb, the rest of it falling to the right; put yourneedle in above where it came out, slant it towards you, and bring it out again a little in advance of where it came out before, and just below the thread held under your thumb. Draw the thread through, and there results a stitch which looks rather like a distorted chain stitch (B). The next step is to make another similar stitch so close to the foregoing one that it overlaps it partly. It is this overlapping which gives the stitch the raised and rope-like appearance seen at A.
the working of C on rope-stitch sampler.
the working of C on rope-stitch sampler.
to work C.
A knotted line (C in the sampler, Illustration29) is produced by what is known as "German Knot-stitch," effective only in thick soft silk or wool. Begin as in rope stitch, keeping your thread in the same position. Then put your needle into the stuff just above the thread stretched under your thumb, and bring it out just below and in a line with where it went in; lastly, keep the needle above the loose end of the thread, draw it through, tightening the thread upwards, and you have the first of your knots: the rest follow at intervals determined by your wants.
to work D.
The more open stitch at D is practically the samething, except that in crossing the running thread you take up more of the stuff on each side of it.
larger image29. ROPE-STITCH AND KNOT-STITCH SAMPLER.
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29. ROPE-STITCH AND KNOT-STITCH SAMPLER.
larger image30. ROPE-STITCH AND KNOT-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
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30. ROPE-STITCH AND KNOT-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
to work E.
What is known by the name of "Old English Knot-stitch" (E) is a much more complicated stitch. Keeping your thread well out of the way to the right, put your needle in to the left, and take up vertically a piece of the stuff the width of the line to be worked at its widest, and draw the thread through. Then, keeping it under the thumb to the left, put your needle, eye first, downwards, through the slanting stitch just made; draw the thread not too tight, and, keeping it as before under the thumb, put your needle, eye first, this time through the upper half only of the slanting stitch, making a kind of buttonhole-stitch round the last, and draw out your thread.
These knotted rope stitches, call them what you will, are rather ragged and fussy—not much more than fancy stitches—of no great importance.Knotsused separately are of much more artistic account.
to work F.
BullionorRoll-stitchis shown in its simplest form in the petals of the flowers F on the sampler, Illustration29. To work one such petal, begin by attaching the thread very firmly; bring your needle out at the base of the petal, put it in at the tip, and bring it out once more at the base, only drawing it partly through. With your right hand wind the thread, say seven times, round the projecting point of the needle from left to right. Then,holding the coils under your left thumb, your thread to the right, draw your needle and thread through; and, dropping the needle, and catching the thread round your little finger, take hold of the thread with your thumb and first finger and draw the coiled stitch to the right, tightening it gently until quite firm. Lastly, put the needle through at the tip of the petal, and the stitch is complete and ready to be fastened off.
the working of F on knot-stitch sampler.
the working of F on knot-stitch sampler.
The leaves of these flowers consist simply of two bullion stitches. The bullion knots at the side of the central stalk are curled by taking up in the first instance only the smallest piece of the stuff.
to work G.
To workFrench Knots(G), having brought out your needle at the point where the knot is to be, hold the thread under your thumb, and, letting it lie to the right, put your needle under the stretched part of it. Turn the needle so as to twist the thread once round it. That done, put the needle in again about where it came out, draw it through from the back, and bring it out where the next knot is to be.
For large knots use two or more threads of silk, and do not twist them more than once. With a single thread you may twist twice, but the result of twisting three or four times is never happy.
the working of G on knot-stitch sampler.
the working of G on knot-stitch sampler.
The use of knots is shown to perfection in Illustration24. Worked there in white silk floss upon a dark purple ground, they are quite pearly in appearance, whether in rows between the border lines, or scattered over the ground. They are most useful in holding the design together, giving it mass, and go admirably with chain-stitching, to which, when close together, they have at first sight some likeness. A single line of knots may almost be mistaken for chain-stitch; but of themselves they do not make a good outline, lacking firmness. A happier use of them is to fringe anoutline, as for example in the peacock's tail on page38; but this kind of thing must be used with reticence, or it results in a rather rococo effect. Good use is sometimes made of knots to pearl the inner edge of a pattern worked in outline, or to pattern the ornament (instead of the ground) all over. Differencing of this kind may be an afterthought—and a happy one—affording as it does a ready means of qualifying the colour or texture of ground, or pattern, or part of either, which may not have worked out quite to the embroiderer's liking.
The obvious fitness of knots to represent the stamens of flowers is exemplified in Illustration93. Worked close together, they represent admirably the eyes of composite flowers, as on the sampler; they give, again, valuable variety of texture to the crest of the stork in Illustration85.
The effect of knotting in the mass is shown in Illustration31, embroidered entirely in knots, contradicting, it might seem, what was said above about its unfitness for outline work. The lines, even the voided ones, are here as sharp as could be; but then, it is not many of us who work, knot by knot, with the marvellous precision of a Chinaman. His knotted texture is not, however, always what it seems. He has a way of producing a knotted line by first knotting his thread (it may be done with a netting needle), and then stitching it down on to the surface of the material, which gives apearled or beaded line not readily distinguishable from knot stitch.
larger image31. A TOUR DE FORCE IN KNOTS.
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31. A TOUR DE FORCE IN KNOTS.
The Japanese embroiderer, instead of knotting his own thread, employed very often a crinkled braid. This is shown in the cloud work in Illustration85. The only true knotting there is in the top-knot of the bird.
larger image32. INTERLACING-STITCH SAMPLER.
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32. INTERLACING-STITCH SAMPLER.
larger image33. INTERLACING-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
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33. INTERLACING-STITCH SAMPLER (BACK).
The samplers so far discussed bring us, with the exception of Darning, Satin-stitch, and some stitches presently to be mentioned, practically to the end of the stitches, deserving to be so called, generally in use.
By combining two or more stitches endless complications may be made; and there may be occasions when, for one purpose or another, it may be necessary, as well as amusing, to invent them. In this way stitches are also sometimes worked upon stitches, as shown on the sampler, Illustration32. You will see, on referring to the back of it (33), that only the white silk is worked into the stuff: the dark is surface work only. There is no end to such possibleINTERLACINGS. Those on the sampler do not need much explanation; but it may be as well to say that A starts with crewel-stitching; B and C with back-stitching; D with chain-stitching; E with darning or running; F, G, and H with varieties of herring-bone-stitch; J with Oriental-stitch; and K with feather-stitch. The interlacing on thesurface of these is shown in darker silk. C and G undergo a second course of interlacing.
The danger of splitting the first stitches in working the interlacing ones, is avoided by passing the needle eye-first through them.
Other surface work, sometimes calledLACE-STITCH, is illustrated in the sampler, Illustration34. There is really no limit to patterns of this kind. Some are better worked in a frame, but that is very much a matter of personal practice.
the working of F on interlacing-stitch sampler.
the working of F on interlacing-stitch sampler.
to work H,34.
In the Surface Darning at H (34) long threads are first carried from edge to edge of the square, there only piercing the stuff, and then darned across by other stitches, again only piercing it at the edges.
An oblique version of this is given at C (34).
to work B,34.
The Lace Buttonholing at B (34) is worked as follows:—Buttonhole three stitches into the stuff from left to right, not quite close together, and further on three more; then, working from right to left, make three buttonhole stitches into the thread connecting the stitch groups; but do not stitch into the stuff except at the ends of the rows. The last row must, of course, be worked into the stuff again.
larger image34. SURFACE-STITCH SAMPLER.
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34. SURFACE-STITCH SAMPLER.
to work F,34.
Net Passing, as at F (34), is not very differently worked from A or B. It is much more open, and the first row of horizontal stitches is crossed by two opposite rows of oblique stitches, which are made to interlace.
to work G,34.
The square at G is worked by first making rows of short upright stitches worked into the stuff, and then threading loose stitches through them.
to work D,34.
The square at D is worked on the open lattice shown; the solid parts are produced by interlacing stitches from side to side, starting at the angle.
In the square at E (Japanese Darning) horizontal lines are first darned, and then zigzag lines are worked between them, much as in G; but, as they penetrate the material, this is scarcely a surface stitch.