The Lady's Album of Fancy Work for 1850 Part 7

_For the Cup of the Flower_.--With green make a chain of four st.i.tches, work 1 single, 1 long in every loop; make stamens with pieces of amber wool; place the flower within the cup, draw the stamens through, and sew at the end, leaving a piece of wool for the stem, which is wrapped with green.

_For the Leaves_.--With green make a chain of 18 st.i.tches; work down one side of these for 11 st.i.tches in single crochet; turn to the other side, work 1 single, 2 long, in the first two st.i.tches; (_a_) 1 single, 1 long, in third st.i.tch; 2 double long in the fourth; 1 long, 2 chain, in the fifth st.i.tch; repeat from (_a_) once, and work 1 long, 2 double long, in the ninth and tenth st.i.tches, and in the last st.i.tch work two treble long. Work the other side of leaf to correspond. Work down the chain to the fifteenth st.i.tch; from this work a chain of 11 st.i.tches, and work a leaf from the directions already given. Work a third leaf on the reverse side of stem. Seven geraniums and three buds will be required, and fifteen forget-me-nots and seven sprays of leaves will also be needed.

Arrange the flowers and leaves on the basket as seen in ill.u.s.tration, and sew on the handle.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 23. LADY'S RETICULE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 24. SPECTACLE CASE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 25. TOILET CUSHION.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 26. BONNET PRESERVER.]

CROCHET

29. RAISED CROCHET COLLAR.

_Materials--Raworth's crochet-thread No. 70, and a middle-sized tambour-needle_.

Cut out in paper the shape of the collar you wish to make, but half an inch larger all round.

_Edging for the Collar_.--Make a chain about one-third longer than the outside of your paper pattern, turn and work the first row along the chain in long crochet, making a chain st.i.tch after each long one, and missing the corresponding loop of the chain.--

_2d row_. Turn again, keeping the work on the right side; make 3 chain st.i.tches, and along the opposite edge of the long st.i.tches, (_a_), work 10 plain st.i.tches, and in the tenth a chain of 9 st.i.tches; turn, and along the vein just made work 8 st.i.tches in double crochet, and 1 plain st.i.tch in the loop from which the chain springs; repeat from (_a_) throughout the row. Break off your cotton, and begin the next row and all the following at the other end.--

_3d row. (b_) Work 9 plain st.i.tches, then work round the vein in long st.i.tches, making an additional st.i.tch at the top; repeat from (_b_).--

_4th row. (c_) Work 8 plain st.i.tches, then round the leaf in long st.i.tches, making 2 additional st.i.tches in the top loop; repeat from (_c_).--

_5th row. (d_) Work 7 plain st.i.tches, then, in double crochet, making round the leaf an additional st.i.tch in the top loop; repeat from _(d)_.--

_6th row. (e)_ Work 6 plain st.i.tches, and round the leaf in double crochet, without making a st.i.tch at the top; repeat from _(e)_.

To complete your edging, work a row of double crochet on the other edge of the row of long st.i.tches.

_Flowers for the Collar_.--

Make a chain of 6 st.i.tches; close it by taking a plain st.i.tch in the first of the chain; work in every loop of this small ring 2 long st.i.tches, with a chain-st.i.tch between each of the long ones. In finishing the round, make a st.i.tch to complete the number of twenty-five loops; then _(a)_ work 5 plain st.i.tches, and in the fifth make a chain of 7 st.i.tches; turn, work 6 st.i.tches in double crochet along the chain, and 1 plain in the loop from which the chain springs; repeat from _(a)_ four times. You have then three veins; work round them as directed for the leaves of the edging; after the second row of double crochet break off your cotton. According to the size of the collar, five or six flowers will be sufficient, if you make also the trifoliums.

_Trifoliums_.--Make a chain of 18 st.i.tches; turn, and work along the chain 3 plain st.i.tches, a vein of 7 st.i.tches; 6 plain, a vein of 8 st.i.tches; 6 more plain st.i.tches, another vein of 7; 3 plain st.i.tches, and break off the cotton. Begin at the first end, and work the two rows of long st.i.tches exactly as directed for the leaves of the edging; at the end of the two following rows, which are in double crochet, round the leaves, instead of breaking off the cotton, work in double crochet from the third leaflet to the first; thus connecting the work in one single leaf with three divisions. Having prepared the required number of flowers and leaves, baste your edging on the paper pattern, so that the whole of the leaves rest on the paper; then work a chain rather loose, to connect the two ends of the collar on the neck side; turn, and work along that chain a row of double crochet. Baste this narrow band carefully half an inch from the edge of the paper; then begin a row of double crochet inside the collar, throwing, at even distances, a slanting chain from the edging to the neckband, working back each time along that chain in long or double crochet; repeat the same operation from the neckband to the edging, so as to divide the whole middle of the collar in a certain number of diamonds; baste the diamonds to the paper, place alternately in each a flower or a trifolium, and, with a sewing-needle and fine French embroidery cotton, connect the flowers and leaves to the inside edges of the diamonds in long twisted st.i.tches, rows of b.u.t.ton-hole st.i.tches, or any kind of lace-work. After being washed and starched, the collar ought to be pressed on the wrong side with the head of a round nail warmed in the fire.

Page-22.

SCAGLIOLA WORK

30. A CHESS-BOARD.

This description of drawing is called Scagliola work, or a Mischia (mixed workmanship); it was first invented by Guido Ta.s.si, and the art was afterwards improved and perfected by Henry Hugford, a monk, of Vallambrosa. It was first used to counterfeit marbles; and the altar of St. Antonio, in the church of St. Nicolo, at Carpi, is still preserved as a monument of extraordinary skill and beauty. It consists of two columns, representing porphyry, and adorned with a pallium, embroidered as it were with lace; while it is ornamented in the margin with medals bearing beautiful figures.

The dicromi, or yellow figures on a black ground, in imitation of the Etruscan vases, are now most admired in scagliola work; and as the art is one easy of attainment, we shall describe it. Having procured a piece of sycamore of the desired size and shape, you draw upon it with a pencil, first the centre piece, and afterwards the border; you then trace over the pencil marks with Indian-ink and a fine crow-quill, and next fill in the ground with Indian-ink and a camel's-hair brush. After two or three days, varnish with the best picture-varnish. If sycamore cannot be procured, deal will answer the purpose, covered with good cream-coloured drawing-paper.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 27. SMALL OTTOMAN]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 28. CARD BASKET.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 29. COLLAR.]

CROCHET.

31. GARNITURE FOR TOILET-BASKET.

_Materials--Raworth's crochet-thread No. 40; Penelope crochet No. 3_.

Make a chain of 60 st.i.tches; work round this, at each side and the ends, 1 long, 2 chain, miss 2, increasing by missing but 1 st.i.tch at the ends.

Work 10 rounds thus; then make a round of double crochet. For the sides, work 13 rounds in the same manner, but increasing in every alternate round by making 3 chain-st.i.tches between the long; finish with the following lace:

_Pattern for Lace_.--

_1st round_. 3 long, 3 chain, miss 2, 1 long, 3 chain, miss 2, 1 long, 3 chain, miss 2, 1 long, 3 chain, miss 2; repeat.--

_2d round_. 5 long, the first worked over the last st.i.tch of chain; the others in succeeding st.i.tches, 4 chain, 1 long, 4 chain, 1 long, 4 chain; repeat.--

_3d round_. 3 long worked over the 3 centre long st.i.tches, 5 chain, 1 long, 4 chain, 1 long, 5 chain; repeat.--

_4th and 5th rounds_. 1 long, 5 chain, the long worked in the centre st.i.tch of chain; repeat.--

_6th round_. 5 long worked in the centre st.i.tch of chain, 3 chain, miss 8; repeat.--

_7th round_. 3 long, the first in the last chain st.i.tch, the succeeding above the first, 2 long, 2 chain, miss 1, 3 long, 3 chain; repeat.--