MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR TAPESTRY.--Hitherto, wool and silk, were the materials chiefly used for canvas work; a very thick wool for carpets, as being warmer and more durable. Silk is too delicate a fibre to resist much wear and tear, and cannot therefore be recommended for articles that are intended for constant use, and wool, though stronger, is subject to the destructive agency of moths; whereas cotton, which is cheaper than both, and quite as brilliant, is free from all these disadvantages and is extremely easy to clean.
For most kinds of tapestry we can therefore with perfect confidence, recommend the use of Coton a tricoter D.M.C Nos. 6 to 20, Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 3 to 15, and even Coton a repriser D.M.C No. 25.[A]
CROSS St.i.tCH (fig. 253).--Cross st.i.tch is the foundation of every other st.i.tch, and the one in most common use. It is also called marking-st.i.tch, being used for marking linen. It is worked in two lines.
In the first, the thread is carried diagonally from left to right across a square of threads, and then, downwards, underneath the two horizontal threads; in the second, the st.i.tches are carried from the right-hand lower corner of the square to the upper left-hand corner, so that the four points of the two st.i.tches form a perfect square.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 253. CROSS St.i.tCH.]
HALF CROSS St.i.tCH (fig. 254).--If the cotton is too coa.r.s.e, or the canvas too fine, to make the double st.i.tch, carry the thread back along the whole line and make the half-st.i.tches across it, from left to right; the same in the case of a piece of work, which you buy with a part of the pattern ready-worked.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 254. HALF CROSS St.i.tCH.]
GOBELIN St.i.tCH ON PLAIN CANVAS (fig. 255).--This is worked over two horizontal threads and one perpendicular. In a frame, you can work the second row, from right to left, otherwise, you must turn the work round, and bring out your needle behind the last-made st.i.tch.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 255. GOBELIN St.i.tCH.]
GOBELIN St.i.tCH ON PENELOPE CANVAS (fig. 256).--For the same st.i.tch on Penelope canvas, you need rather a coa.r.s.e needle, which will make its way easily between the threads of the canvas.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 256. GOBELIN St.i.tCH ON PENELOPE CANVAS.]
REPS St.i.tCH (fig. 257).--Contrary to Gobelin st.i.tch, this st.i.tch which is an imitation of reps, is worked in vertical lines, over two vertical threads and one horizontal one.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 257. REPS St.i.tCH.]
TENT St.i.tCH (fig. 258).--This st.i.tch is simply the first half of a cross or marking st.i.tch, worked over a single thread each way. The ill.u.s.tration shows the working of a row, from right to left, the thread being carried forward, underneath the vertical threads. Tent st.i.tch is used for the most part, in conjunction with cross st.i.tch, for the more delicate lines and the shaded parts of flowers and figures.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 258. TENT St.i.tCH.]
WIDE GOBELIN St.i.tCH (fig. 259).--This st.i.tch covers two vertical and two horizontal threads, and advances one thread at a time.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 259. WIDE GOBELIN St.i.tCH.]
BROAD CROSS St.i.tCH (fig. 260).--Worked over two vertical and four horizontal threads, and very useful for filling in large surfaces as it can be done twice as quickly as the ordinary cross st.i.tch. It may be varied by turning the crosses first one way and then the other.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 260. BROAD CROSS St.i.tCH.]
DOUBLE St.i.tCH (fig. 261).--Begin with a simple cross st.i.tch over every alternate intersection of the threads then make a second row of st.i.tches between those of the first, but in this case, over two and six threads, so that they extend beyond the first each way. In the subsequent rows, a square st.i.tch should be opposed to a long one and a long st.i.tch to a square one.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 261. DOUBLE St.i.tCH.]
RICE St.i.tCH (fig. 262).--Fill in the whole ground first, with large cross st.i.tches, over four threads each way, then upon these, make the so-called rice st.i.tches. These cross the four points of the large cross st.i.tches, and meet in the s.p.a.ce between, where they form another cross.
The large cross st.i.tches should be worked in rather coa.r.s.e cotton, the rice st.i.tches in one of a finer quality.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 262. RICE St.i.tCH.]
DOUBLE St.i.tCH, SET TWO WAYS (fig. 263).--This consists of diagonal and upright cross st.i.tches, alternately. Work from left to right, and carry the thread over four vertical threads and downwards, under two horizontal ones, then diagonally upwards, over four threads and downwards under two, then again over four vertical threads, and so on.
Coming back, you cross the first threads, and pa.s.s the working thread each time in a straight line, underneath the two threads of the canvas.
The st.i.tches of the third and fourth rows are set, as the ill.u.s.tration shows, the opposite way to those of the two first, the thread being laid the contrary way. Gold thread is generally used for this second set of st.i.tches; Or fin D.M.C pour la broderie, or Chine d"or D.M.C will be found to be the most suitable for the purpose.[A]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 263. DOUBLE St.i.tCH SET TWO WAYS.]
PLAIT St.i.tCH (fig. 264).--It requires great attention to work this st.i.tch, to and fro; the easier way is to carry the thread back each time, to the starting point.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 264. PLAIT St.i.tCH.]
Carry the thread from left to right, over two horizontal threads, and downwards under four perpendicular ones, then under two threads, from right to left, as the figure indicates.
STEM St.i.tCH (fig. 265).--Here, the st.i.tches are worked in separate rows, over four threads each way. The working thread pa.s.ses first under the two middle threads, from right to left, and then under the two upper ones.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 265. STEM St.i.tCH.]
LEAF St.i.tCH (fig. 266).--Carry the thread diagonally over two double threads each way, and back under one double thread, to the row whence the st.i.tch started. Make rows of back-st.i.tches in a different colour between the rows of long ones.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 266. LEAF St.i.tCH.]
FISH-BONE St.i.tCH (fig. 267).--The difference between this and the preceding st.i.tch is, that the working thread after pa.s.sing over three perpendicular and three horizontal threads, is secured by a back-st.i.tch over the last intersection of the canvas threads. These back-st.i.tches lean to the right or left, according to the direction of the long st.i.tches.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 267. FISH-BONE St.i.tCH.]
DIAGONAL WEB St.i.tCH (fig. 268).--Stretch diagonal threads across the whole surface you are going to embroider, and secure them with rows of overcasting st.i.tches, set, if you are working on Penelope canvas, between the double threads of the canvas. In the next rows the st.i.tches must be set the opposite way, which produces the effect of diagonal or twilled cloth.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 268. DIAGONAL WEB St.i.tCH.]
CASHMERE St.i.tCH (fig. 269).--To imitate this texture in needlework first make one st.i.tch over one crossing of the canvas threads, and then two st.i.tches over two crossings.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 269. CASHMERE St.i.tCH.]
FLORENTINE St.i.tCH (fig. 270).--Florentine st.i.tch is worked in slanting lines, the thread being carried, diagonally first over one and then over two double threads of the canvas.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 270. FLORENTINE St.i.tCH.]
MOSAIC St.i.tCH (fig. 271).--The first row consists of one short and one long st.i.tch, alternately; the second, of short st.i.tches only, set between the long st.i.tches of the first row; the third row is a repet.i.tion of the first, and so on.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 271. MOSAIC St.i.tCH.]
KNOTTED St.i.tCH (fig. 272).--Carry the working thread over two threads in width and six in height, bring the needle back, four threads lower down, in front of the double threads, and insert it behind the preceding st.i.tch, and over the middle threads, and then carry it down to the line of the st.i.tches. In the subsequent rows, the st.i.tches extend over four threads and encroach on two of the previous row, so that the st.i.tches of the second row lie between those of the first.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 272. KNOTTED St.i.tCH.]
STAR, OR SMYRNA St.i.tCH (fig. 273).--- Make a plain cross st.i.tch over four threads, each way, and then over that, another cross st.i.tch, standing upright. The same st.i.tch can be made over six or seven threads; if you work over more than four threads, it follows that you increase the number of st.i.tches accordingly.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 273. STAR, OR SMYRNA St.i.tCH.]
ROCOCO St.i.tCH (figs. 274, 275, 276).--After fastening in your thread, lay it over four single or two double threads, as the case may be, and carry the needle through to the left, under one double thread; then, as fig. 274 shows, bring it back over the first st.i.tch, put it in by the side of it, and bring it out below, under half the horizontal threads covered by the first st.i.tch. Then make a st.i.tch to the right, similar to the one just made to the left.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 274. ROCOCO St.i.tCH. FIRST St.i.tCHES ON THE WRONG SIDE.]
When you have finished one st.i.tch, carry the needle under one thread, in an oblique line, to the next st.i.tch, see fig. 273. The whole pattern is worked in diagonal lines.