Stitches on Saturday ~ Embroidery Stitches Part 2

From Mrs Beeton's Book of Needlework

ILLUSTRATIONS 86 & 87 (Button-holes and Eyelets).--This kind of embroidery is used only in round or long patterns. Trace first the outline of the hole, cut away a small round piece of material, not too close to the outlines (when the button-hole is very small merely insert the point of the scissors or a stiletto into the material), fold the edge of the material back with the needle, and work the hole in overcast stitch, inserting the needle into the empty place in the centre and drawing it out under the outline. Some button-holes are worked separately; sometimes they are in a row; if so, take care to begin to work each button-hole at the place where it touches the next. In the following button-holes the outside must be traced double, so as to reach as far as the next one, but each button-hole is finished at once. Illustration 86 shows a button-hole worked round in button-hole stitch, 87 an eyelet-hole worked in overcast.

ILLUSTRATIONS 88 & 89.--Shaded button-holes are worked like the others, only they are prepared, as can be seen in illustration 89, so as to mark the thickness. The stitches must gradually get narrower or wider, and be worked very close to each other.

ILLUSTRATIONS 90 & 91 (Two Leaves in Raised Satin Stitch).--In a leaf like the one seen in 90 work first the outline and veining in overcast stitch; work one half of the leaf in satin stitch, and the other half between the overcast outline and veining in back stitch. The stem of a leaf is always worked last.

ILLUSTRATIONS 92 & 93 (Two Leaves in Satin Stitch and Point de Plume).--For leaves like the one seen in 93 begin with the veinings, then work the inner points, then the outer ones, and lastly the raised spots in the centre. The leaf seen in 92 is worked, one half in point de plume, the other half in back stitch or point d'or.

ILLUSTRATION 94.--- The outline of this leaf is embroidered in overcast stitch; the open-work veining consists of eyelets; one half of the leaf is worked in back stitch, the other half in a kind of satin stitch worked without chain stitches underneath; the stitches are worked across the leaf, leaving between two stitches an interval as wide as the stitch itself. The next row is then worked in these intervals, and each stitch begins half-way up the one before and after it.

ILLUSTRATIONS 95 to 97 (Leaf in Raised Embroidery).--This kind of embroidery is particularly beautiful, as it is worked separately and sewn on the material with an outline in very fine cotton, this produces the shade seen in 95 (see also illustrations 98 to 113). For such leaves work first one half in overcast and satin stitch (illustration 96); the other half is worked on a separate piece of material (see illustration 97); cut away the material along the overcast outline, and fasten it on the foundation material along the outline which forms the veining on illustration 96.

ILLUSTRATIONS 98 TO 100 show a similar leaf; both halves are worked separately (see 99); the centre is worked in open lace stitch. The latter (see No. 100) is traced, then make ladder stitches across, work the outlines in overcast stitch, and cut away the material underneath the ladder stitch. The cross stitches are then worked in darning stitch with very fine cotton wherever two threads meet.