Handbook of Embroidery Part 4

Examples of it come to us from Germany and Spain, in which the design is embroidered in satin st.i.tch, or entirely filled in with solid chain st.i.tch, in a uniform gold colour.

Chain st.i.tch resembles _Tambour work_, which we shall describe amongst framework st.i.tches, though it is not at present practised at this School.

_Twisted Chain_, or Rope st.i.tch.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 9.--TWISTED CHAIN.]

Effective for outlines on coa.r.s.e materials, such as blankets, carriage rugs, footstools, &c.

It is like an ordinary chain, except that in place of starting the second st.i.tch from the centre of the loop, the needle is taken back to half the distance behind it, and the loop is pushed to one side to allow the needle to enter in a straight line with the former st.i.tch.

It is not of much use, except when worked with double crewel or with tapestry wool; and should then have the appearance of a twisted rope.

_Feather St.i.tch._--Vulgarly called "_long and short st.i.tch_," "_long st.i.tch_" and sometimes "_embroidery st.i.tch_." We propose to restore to it its ancient t.i.tle of feather st.i.tch--"_Opus Plumarium_," so called from its supposed resemblance to the plumage of a bird.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 10.--FEATHER St.i.tCH.]

We shall now describe it as used for handwork; and later (at page 37), as worked in a frame. These two modes differ very little in appearance, as the principle is the same, namely, that the st.i.tches are of varying length, and are worked into and between each other, adapting themselves to the form of the design, but in handwork the needle is kept on the surface of the material.

Feather St.i.tch is generally used for embroidering flowers, whether natural or conventional.

In working the petal of a flower (such as we have chosen for our ill.u.s.tration), the outer part is first worked in with st.i.tches which form a close, even edge on the outline, but a broken one towards the centre of the petal, being alternately long and short. These edging st.i.tches resemble satin st.i.tch in so far that the same amount of crewel or silk appears on the under, as on the upper side of the work: they must slope towards the narrow part of the petal.

The next st.i.tches are somewhat like an irregular "stem," inasmuch as they are longer on the surface than on the under side, and are worked in between the uneven lengths of the edging st.i.tches so as to blend with them. The petal is then filled up by other st.i.tches, which start from the centre, and are carried between those already worked.

When the petal is finished, the rows of st.i.tches should be so merged in each other that they cannot be distinguished, and when shading is used, the colours should appear to melt into each other.

In serrated leaves, such as hawthorn or virginia creeper, the edging st.i.tches follow the broken outline of the leaf instead of forming an even outer edge.

It is necessary to master thoroughly this most important st.i.tch, but practice only can make the worker perfect.

The work should always be started by running the thread a little way in front of the embroidery. Knots should never be used except in rare cases, when it is impossible to avoid them. The thread should always be finished off on the surface of the work, never at the back, where there should be no needless waste of material. No untidy ends or knots should ever appear there; in fact, the wrong side should be quite as neat as the right. It is a mistake to suppose that pasting will ever do away with the evil effects of careless work, or will steady embroidery which has been commenced with knots, and finished with loose ends at the back.

The st.i.tches vary constantly according to their application, and good embroiderers differ in their manner of using them: some preferring to carry the thread back towards the centre of the petal, on the surface of the work, so as to avoid waste of material; others making their st.i.tches as in satin st.i.tch--the same on both sides, but these details may be left to the intelligence and taste of the worker, who should never be afraid of trying experiments, or working out new ideas.

Nor should she ever fear to unpick her work; for only by experiment can she succeed in finding the best combinations, and, one little piece ill done, will be sufficient to spoil her whole embroidery, as no touching-up can afterwards improve it.

We have now named the princ.i.p.al st.i.tches used in hand embroidery, whether to be executed in crewel or silk.

There are, however, numberless other st.i.tches used in crewel embroidery: such as ordinary st.i.tching, like that used in plain needlework, in which many designs were formerly traced on quilted backgrounds--others, again, are many of them lace st.i.tches, or forms of herringbone, and are used for filling in the foliage of large conventional floriated designs, such as we are accustomed to see in the English crewel work of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, on a twilled cotton material, resembling our modern Bolton sheeting.

It would be impossible to describe or even enumerate them all; as varieties may be constantly invented by an ingenious worker to enrich her design, and in lace work there are already 100 named st.i.tches, which occasionally are used in decorative embroidery. Most of these, if required, can be shown as taught at the Royal School of Art-Needlework, and are ill.u.s.trated by samplers.

[Decoration]

[Decoration]

CHAPTER IV.

FRAMES AND FRAMING.

Before proceeding to describe the various st.i.tches used in frame embroidery, we will say a few words as to the frame itself, the manner of stretching the material in it, and the best and least fatiguing method of working at it.

The essential parts of an embroidery frame are: first, the bars, which have stout webbing nailed along them, and mortice holes at the ends; second, the stretchers, which are usually flat pieces of wood, furnished with holes at the ends to allow of their being fastened by metal pegs into the mortice holes of the bars when the work is stretched.

In some cases the stretchers are fastened into the bars by strong iron screws, which are held by nuts.

FRAMING.

In choosing a frame for a piece of embroidery we must see that the webbing attached to the sides of the bar is long enough to take the work in one direction. Begin by sewing the edge of the material closely with strong linen thread on to this webbing. If the work is too long to be put into the frame at one time (as in the case of borders for curtains, table-covers, &c.), all but the portion about to be worked should be rolled round one bar of the frame, putting silver paper and a piece of wadding between the material and the wood, so as to prevent its being marked.

The stretchers should then be put in and secured with the metal pegs.

A piece of the webbing having been previously st.i.tched on to the sides of the material, it should now be braced with twine by means of a packing needle, pa.s.sing the string over the stretchers between each st.i.tch taken in the webbing, and, finally, drawing up the bracing until the material is strained evenly and tightly in the frame. If the fabric is one which stretches easily, the bracings should not be drawn too tightly.

For small pieces of work a deal hand-frame, morticed at the corners, will suffice, and this may be rested on the table before the worker, being held in its position by two heavy leaden weights, covered with leather or baize, in order to prevent them from slipping. It should be raised off the table to a convenient height, thus saving the worker from stooping over her frame, which tires the eyes, and causes the blood to flow to the head.

There is no doubt that a well-made standing-frame is a great convenience, as its position need not be disturbed, and it can be easily covered up and put aside when not in use. It requires, however, to be very well made, and should, if possible, be of oak or mahogany, or it will warp and get out of order. It must also be well weighted to keep it steady.

For a large piece of work it is necessary to have a long heavy frame with wooden trestles, on which to rest it. The trestles should be made so as to enable the frame to be raised or lowered at will.

A new frame has recently been invented and is sold by the Royal School, which, being made with hinges and small upright pins, holds the ends of the material firmly, so that it can be rolled round and round the bar of the frame without the trouble of sewing it on to the webbing.

When a frame is not in use, care should be taken that it does not become warped from being kept in too dry or too hot a place, as it is then difficult to frame the work satisfactorily.

It will be found useful to have a small basket, lined with holland or silk, fastened to the side of the frame, to hold the silks, thimbles, scissors, &c., needed for the work. Two thimbles should be used, one on each hand, and the best are old silver or gold ones, with all the roughness worn off, or ivory or vulcanite.

The worker ought to wear a large ap.r.o.n with a bib to save her dress, and a pair of linen sleeves to prevent the cuffs from fraying or soiling her work.

Surgeon's bent scissors are useful for frame embroidery, but they are not necessary, as ordinary sharp-pointed scissors will answer every purpose.

When silk, satin, or velvet is not strong enough to bear the strain of framing and embroidering, it must be backed with a fine cotton or linen lining. The "backing" in this case is first framed, as described above, and the velvet or satin must then be laid on it, and first fastened down with pins; then sewn down with herringbone st.i.tch, taking care that it is kept perfectly even with the thread of the "backing," and not allowed to wrinkle or blister.

It is most important that a worker should learn to use equally both hands, keeping the right hand above the frame till the arm is tired, then letting the left take its place while the right goes below.

A cover should be made large enough to envelop both the upper and under portions of the work, and to be fastened down to the sides, so as to protect it from dust when it is not being used, and during work it should be kept over the portion of the embroidery not actually in hand.

Lastly, a good light should be chosen, so as not to try the eyes.