Stitches on Saturday ~ Embroidery - Mrs Beeton’s Needlework

From Mrs Beeton's Needlework

With all these designs to choose from it is little wonder that ladies could spend hours on their needlework.

154.--Sandwich Case.
Materials: Strip of grey kid; strip of oil silk; 1 skein black silk; 1 skein red purse silk; 1 hank steel beads; steel button.
This case will be found very useful on the occasion of a journey or picnic, as it can be carried in the pocket without any inconvenience.
The case is made of a strip of grey kid, scalloped out at the edges. The words "Bon appetit," or "Good appetite," at will, are worked over it in overcast with black purse silk and steel beads, the scroll pattern in chain stitch with red silk. The back and front of the case are formed of the same strip, which is lined with oilskin, and to which narrow side-pieces are added to form the pocket. These pieces are lined and scalloped out in the same way as the back and front, and then the scallops of both sides are joined together, and worked round in button-hole stitch with purse silk.
The case is fastened down with a steel button.
If another colour is preferred, the sandwich case can be made of brown kid. The scroll pattern should then be worked in rich blue purse silk, and gold beads used for the letters, which should be embroidered as before in black silk. The edge may be worked in double overcast stitch in blue or black silk. A gold button must replace the steel when this alteration of colour is made.

155.--Insertion.
Materials: Muslin; Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s embroidery cotton No. 16.
This insertion is worked in raised satin stitch between two rows of hem-stitching; a small eyelet-hole is worked in the centre of each flower.

156.--Cravat End in Raised Embroidery.
Materials: Messrs. Walter Evans and Co.'s. embroidery cotton Nos. 50 and 16.
This pattern is a muslin cravat 32 inches long. The greater part of the embroidered ends is worked in satin stitch; the leaves in the bouquet of the centre are worked in raised embroidery. (See Nos. 113 and 116, Embroidery Instructions.)
The dotted lines are raised by taking four threads of the muslin on the needle, draw it half out, wind the cotton twice round the point, holding it tightly under the thumb, draw the needle out and insert it at the place where the stitch was begun, and draw it out where the next stitch is to be worked.

157.--Lady's Purse.
Materials: Russia leather; blue silk; black purse silk; blue silk soutache; fine gold braid; and gold thread.

This purse is embroidered upon Russia leather; an oval-shaped medallion is cut out in the centre; a piece of blue silk is gummed on under the leather so as to show within the oval; both leather and silk are then lined with calico and stretched upon a small embroidery frame. The front and back of the purse are made all of one piece, the centre of which is the bottom; after the embroidery is completed a piece of leather is added on each side to give the necessary fullness. Four flowrets are worked over the blue silk, with black purse silk, in raised satin stitch, with a dot in gold thread for the centre. The stems are black and the leaflets gold. The inner border round the oval medallion is worked in gold braid, and the outer one in blue soutache. The network upon the leather is formed of threads of black purse silk, fastened at every crossing with a stitch of gold thread; the outer border round this network is formed entirely of gold braid. On the opposite side of the purse initials may be worked in black and gold, over the blue silk oval medallion.
The purse is lined with brown watered silk, and mounted with a clasp of gilt steel.


158.--Table-Napkin Ring.
Materials: Crimson cashmere; toile cirée; 1 reel each of white, black, green, blue, and yellow Chinese silk.

Stretch a strip of cashmere of a bright shade of crimson over a piece of toile cirée, and work the pattern over it in point Russe with fine silk. The outer borders have white and black outlines, and leaflets of green silk. The stars have black and blue outlines, a yellow cross and dots. The figure between the stars is black and yellow.

159 and 160.--Knife Basket.
Materials: Grey American cloth; red cloth; black jet beads and bugles; red worsted braid, three-quarters of an inch wide; some strong wire; a cigar-box.

This basket is meant for holding dessert knives. It consists of a common cigar-box nine inches and two-fifths long, five inches and four-fifths wide, and two inches and one-fifth high, covered inside and out with grey American cloth, which is ornamented with embroidery worked in appliqué. The seams are made in overcast stitch. The feet consist of four pieces of strong wire three inches and two-fifths long. These pieces of wire are first covered with wool, and then with jet beads; they are then bent into loops, and fastened on at the bottom of the box by means of holes bored into it for that purpose. The feet must be fastened before covering the inside of the box. The inside of the basket is ornamented with an embroidered pattern in appliqué, which must also be worked before covering the box. The leaves are made of red cloth, the stems and veinings of black bugles. No. 160 shows the pattern in full size; the flowers and leaves are edged with light grey purse silk, over which small stitches in black silk are fastened at regular intervals. Inside the box fasten a deal board covered on both sides with American cloth, so as to divide the basket into two compartments, and fasten on to this board a handle consisting of a piece of wire seven inches long, wound round with beads. The basket is ornamented with ruches of red worsted braid; between two box pleats of the ruche a black bugle is fastened.