White Embriodery 5

Renaissance embroidery (figs. 192 and 193).— This is that the term applied, more especially in France, to embroidery patterns, which are worked entirely in button-holing, and connected by button-hole bars without picots, as shown in the two accompanying figures. The outside edge in fig. 193, is embellished with picots, described in the chapters just referred to.

Fig. 192. Renaissance embroidery.

Fig. 193. Renaissance embroidery.

Richelieu embroidery (fig. 194).— The name given to embroidery of an identical kind to the previous , but during which the concerning bars, rather than being left plain as they're within the Renaissance embroidery, are ornamented with picots.

Fig. 194. Richelieu embroidery.

Madeira work (figs. 195, 196, 197).— This kind of embroidery, which consists chiefly of eyelet holes, and is distinguished for the excellence of its workmanship used to be known as English, but is now generally called Madeira work, from the island where it originated. The scallops in figs. 195 and 197, are bordered with shaded eyelet holes, worked half in button-hole stitch, half in overcasting; the finely scalloped edge, in fig. 196, is entirely button-holed. In working eyelet holes, the fabric should be turned in, up to the within line, and completely worked in, underneath the so as that no loose threads may be visible on the wrong side.


Fig. 195. Madeira work.

Fig. 196. Madeira work.
Materials: Cotton Madeira D.M.C No. 40, 50 or 60. (Special cotton for Madeira work)


Fig. 197. Madeira-work. Materials: Cotton Madeira D.M.C No. 40, 50 or 60. (Special cotton for Madeira-work).

Swiss embroidery frame (fig. 198).— Letters, monograms, coronets and the like, require intense care in the working, and can only be really well done in a frame. The round Swiss frame, or tambourine frame, is that the one most ordinarily used. It consists of two wooden hoops, fitting loosely into each other; the inner one, fastened to a support with a wooden screw let into the lower a part of it, with which to fasten the edge to the table. The outside hoop is loose.

Place the material to be embroidered over the smaller hoop, the pattern within the middle, and press the opposite down over it in order that it's tightly stretched and glued between the two hoops.

A leather strap with holes and a buckle, sometimes takes the place of the second hoop.

Fig. 198. Swiss embroidery frame.

Ordinary embroidery frame (fig. 199).— Tambourine frames can only be used for embroidering pocket-handkerchiefs and other small articles; all larger work has to be done in an commonplace frame. Sew a bit of strong stuff into the frame, stretch it as tightly and evenly as possible, and cut out a square within the middle to the dimensions of the pattern. Then tack your work in underneath, straight to the thread separating it out carefully with pins first, to ensure its being set in perfectly evenly. Roll or fold up the rest of the stuff over the boundaries of the frame, and secure it with a few stitches or pins, to keep it out of the way of your hand as you work.