We have retained the familiar term, white embroidery, for this type of needlework, for expediency sake, in spite of its inexactness, now that colored materials are quite the maximum amount used for it as white.
It is perform, either on a backing of oil-cloth, or in an embroidery frame, called «tambour-frame». Only skillful workers can dispense with these, for an untaught hand can hardly avoid puckering. If you work without a groundwork the material must be held, quite effortlessly over the forefinger, so that the threads lie perfectly straight, otherwise, the pattern is very apt to get pulled out of shape in the working. With your three other fingers you hold the fabric fast, the thumb resting on the work itself, beyond the outline of the pattern, which must be turned towards the worker. It is always the outside line of a model that is drawn in double lines, that should be turned towards the palm of the hand.
Tracing patterns.— Patterns are generally to be had ready traced, but because it is usually necessary to repeat, enlarge, or reduce them, descriptions of several modes of doing so, will be found at the end of the concluding chapter.
Materials. —A loose, soft make of cotton, the looser the better, and very little perverse, is the best material for embroidery. We recommend for white embroidery generally , Coton à broder D.M.C Nos. 16 to 150; for monograms on cambric, Coton à broder surfin D.M.C Nos. 100, 120, 150; and for English or Madeira embroidery, Coton Madeira D.M.C Nos. 40, 50, 60 for padding, or raising the embroidery, all the different kinds of Coton à repriser D.M.Ccan be used.
Outlining and stuffing —The outlining of a pattern is a very important preliminary. A want of precision within the ultimate effect is usually due, merely to careless outlining. This a part of the work should be through with rather a coarser cotton than the embroidery itself. Fasten within the thread by a couple of running stitches, never with a knot, a rule to be observed also in embroidering, except in very rare cases. Finish off your thread by drawing it through the tracing stitches, or through some a part of the pattern that's already finished. Fill in the spaces between the lines with a padding of run threads, run loosely, and so that they lie thickly and solidly in the center, and shade off on both sides. The fullness, and roundness of embroidery, depends on the firmness of this sub-stratum of threads. The outlining and the stuffing of the different rounded and pointed scallops, as well as of other figures that occur in white embroidery, are illustrated in figs. 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 187, 189, 190 and 191.
Blanket, or button-hole stitch (fig. 171).— Work from left to right; run in a institution line, hold down the working thread below the run line with the right thumb; insert the needle above and bring it out below the run line but above the working thread; tighten the loop thus formed, without drawing up the stuff, and continue in this method setting your stitches closely and regularly, side by side.
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| (Fig.171) Blanket, or Button and Hole stitch |
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