1st row—knot on the threads with double round picots, and one horizontal double bar. The colours should succeed each other as follows: * 4 blue scallops, 4 ecru, 5 red, 4 ecru, repeat from *.

2nd row—begin working from right to left: 1 single chain with 2 single threads, fig. 545, and 7 changes of the threads; after the 3rd change of the threads, connect the 2nd chain with the 3rd, the 4th with the 5th. Finish off every 2 chains with a flat double knot.

Make, over the first blue threads; 1 waved plait, fig. 531 detail b, = over the 14th ecru thread: 1 bar of double knots, 3 going and 4 returning = over the last 2 red threads: waved knots, and repeat from * = then lay down 2 fresh cords, to make a double horizontal bar of knots.

3rd row—with the blue threads: 5 large shell knots, fig. 576, 1 triple bar of double knots to the left and right = between the bars 9 large shell knots = 1 triple bar of double knots to the right and left and finish with 5 large shell knots, as above.

With the ecru threads: 3 flat double knots, 1 double horizontal bar of knots = over the last ecru thread: 3 waved knots with 12 changes of the threads = 1 more double bar of knots = join the cord to the outside thread of the blue triple bar. With the red threads: 1 shell knot, figs. 576 and 577, over 12 threads; 1 double bar on both sides of the shell knot with the outside threads, 1 single chain, consisting of 7 changes of the threads, made with the outside red threads; join the red thread and the light one that comes from the double bar together, on the left.

The light thread is afterwards looped into the blue thread on the right = 4 collecting knots over 6 red threads on the right and left, 1 collecting knot over all the red threads and one, on both sides, over 6 red threads.

After joining the threads on both sides, carry on the single chain with 3 changes of the threads = over the first red thread of the left chain, make 1 double horizontal bar with all the disengaged threads = below the bar, 4 flat double knots = 1 single horizontal bar = 8 double knots, each over a single thread = 1 double bar of knots.

From this point, continue with the ecru threads: 1 row of double knots, 1 double horizontal bar and 1 waved plait; then join: 2 blue threads and 2 ecru, and 2 ecru and 2 red, together, to make flat double knots; the double knots between remain of one colour.

The bottom border is like the top one with the exception of the picots.

When this pattern is to be used for an insertion or a gimp, the threads should be fastened off, as indicated in fig. 558.

COLOURS: Noir grand teint 310, Gris-Tilleul 392 and 330, Brun-Cuir 430 and 432, Bleu-Indigo 334 or Chine d'or D.M.C, Bleu et Or.[A]]



MACRAME BORDER (figs. 580, 581, 582).—Wind the threads on shuttles and knot them on, as in fig. 515, in the following order: 2 threads of, either colour 334 or Chine d'or (blue and gold), 2 of colour 330, 2 of colour 392, 1 of colour 432, 1 of colour 310, 2 of colour 430, 1 of colour 310, 1 of colour 432, 2 of colour 392, 2 of colour 330, 2 of colour 334, or of Chine d'or blue and gold.

Begin with the open work on either side of the crossed bars, figs. 581 and 582, with 4 blue threads and by 4 changes of the threads outwards and 3 inwards = the same with 4 light green threads with 3 changes outwards and 2 inwards = then with the dark green threads, with 2 changes outwards and 3 inwards = over the 4th dark green thread, 1 double knot with the 1st dark green thread with the 4th light green one and with the 4 blue.

Over the 3 next, dark green threads, knot the 4 light green threads and the 4 blue, from right to left, and from left to right, thus forming altogether 8 bars across the first bar = then knot the 8 first threads over the last dark green one = add a crossed bar with 7 changes of the threads outwards and 5 inwards.

Middle group, left side: 1 double knot with the first light brown thread over the second thread; 3 double knots with the black threads (the only ones that are to be taken double) and 2 light brown threads over the 1st and 2nd dark brown ones.

In the 2nd bar, knot the 1st dark brown thread, and in the 3rd, the 4 dark brown ones, over the black thread. On the right, a similar group, slanting towards the one on the left.

On the left—over the 1st light brown thread coming from the right, 1 double knot, made with 2 light and 2 dark brown threads, and the black one, all coming from the left.

On the right—over the 1st light brown thread coming from the left, 1 double knot with 1 light and 2 dark brown threads and the black one (used double).

On the left—over the light brown thread coming from the right, 1 double knot with one light and 2 dark brown threads and the black one.

On the right—over the light brown thread, 1 double knot with 2 dark brown threads and the black one.

On the left—the same knots as on the right.

On the right—over the 1 dark brown thread 1 knot with 1 brown thread and the black one.

On the left—the same knots as on the right.

On the right—over the 1st dark brown thread, 1 knot with a brown thread and the black one.

On the left—the same knots over the last thread.

On the right—over the last brown thread one knot with the black one.

On the left—over the 4 light green threads and the 4 blue ones, double knots with the 4 brown threads and the black one = 1 double knot with the 1st light brown thread over the 2nd, 3 double knots over the 2nd dark brown thread, with 2 light threads and 1 dark brown = 4 double knots with the 2 light and the 2 dark brown threads over the black one; after which you make 5 other bars, taking the last thread turned inwards for the cord. Make similar groups, slanting from right to left, then, beginning again on the left, make the knots with the 4 light green threads over the 1st thread of the same colour running from right to left.



On the right—knot 3 light green threads over the 1st thread coming from the left and repeat the same group twice, on both sides.

The third bar forms, at the same time, the first scallop of a triple crossed bar, which has also to be made on the right.

The two crossed bars finish with a triple group of bars; the last bar of which, on the right, consists of only one double knot.

There remain to be made, on both sides, crossed bars with three whole scallops inside, one outside, and one half one, top and bottom.



Knot all the other threads over the 4 blue and the 4 light green ones = in the middle, knot the right and the left threads, alternately, till the black threads meet at the point.

Turn the group of bars, edged with blue and light green, inwards, and finish it off by a crossed bar, with 3 scallops inside.

MACRAME FRINGE (figs. 583 and 584).—Entire length of the threads for No. 15 of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C: 120 c/m.

1st row—knot the threads on with picots, fig. 519, 6 ecru and 6 brown.

2nd row—double and slanting bars made with 6 single threads, succeeded by a double horizontal bar.

3rd row—begin with the light threads and make bars with double knots between, as in fig. 577, and finish at the sides with 2 bars made with the brown threads; for the dark brown bars, see also figs. 555, 561, 568, for the crossed bars, fig. 584.

This pattern should always end in such a manner that the light openwork figure form the scallop and be framed with the brown knot.

COLOURS: Brun-Cuir 325 and Brun-Marron 403, 405, 407.[A]]

MACRAME FRINGE (fig. 585).—Entire length of the threads for No. 12 of Coton a tricoter D.M.C: 96 c/m.

This pattern is so easy that we refer our readers to figs. 544 and 561 for the working of it, merely remarking, that the bars are made alternately from right to left, and from left to right, and that 3 threads are knotted over the cord that runs from the left and 4, over the one from the right.

This fringe will always be found most effective in appearance if it be made in four shades of one colour, knotted on in succession.



MACRAME FRINGE OR GROUND (figs. 586 and 587).—Entire length of the threads for No. 8 of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C: 150 c/m.

This effective pattern is not difficult, save in appearance, so that it is unnecessary to describe it in detail; for the knotting on, see fig. 525; for the plain bars, figs. 539 to 544; for the collecting knots, fig. 530. The only difficult point is where the threads cross each other inside the bars and form a check and by carefully following the course of the knots in fig. 587, that will be easily overcome.

FRINGE OR GROUND WITH PICOTS (fig. 588).—Wind the threads on shuttles and do the knotting on, as in fig. 521, followed by a double horizontal bar.

Leave a small space between the double bar and the 3rd bar, which is a single one, in which you cross the threads without knotting them.

Beginning on the left—over the 2nd and 3rd thread: 2 buttonhole knots, 1 picot, 2 button hole knots = over the 1st, 2nd and 3rd thread: 1 double knot with each of the 3 next threads = over the 6th and 7th with the 5th thread: 4 buttonhole knots with 1 picot after the 2nd knot.

With each of the 4 next threads, that is the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th: 1 flat double knot followed by: 1 bar of double knots over the 12th thread as the cord, made with the 11th, 10th and 9th thread = add 1 bar with the 11th thread as the cord, and the 7 next ones as the knotting threads = add 1 bar with the 10th thread as the cord, and the 7 next ones as the knotting threads. Leave 3 threads free on the right = with the 8 threads on the left: 1 bar over the thread before these 3 threads = leave 3 free again on the right = 1 quintuple bar with the remaining threads.

* 1 flat double knot with the 15th, 16th and 17th thread = with the 20th thread, over the 19th, 18th and 17th thread: 4 buttonhole knots with 1 picot after 2 knots = knot 4 threads over the 13th thread and from left to right = from left to right, 2 bars with all the threads **.

COLOURS: White, ecru, or any light shade mentioned in the D.M.C colour card.[A]]

Over the 2 threads on the left and with the 3rd thread: 4 buttonhole knots and 1 picot = with the 6 threads from the left: 2 bars consisting of buttonhole knots and picots = a 3rd bar with 6 double knots = join it to the last bar.

Leave 2 threads of the bar of buttonhole knots free = with the outer thread make: 4 buttonhole knots and 1 picot over the 2nd thread and the cord of the bar.

Repeat from * to ** along the bar, also from right to left.

Left group—knot the 3 last threads over the 4th thread and from left to right.

Right group—make, from right to left, 1 bar consisting of 6 double knots, over the 4th thread counting from right to left. After these last changes of the threads no difficulty will be found in copying the rest of the pattern.



DOUBLE FRINGE (figs. 589, 590, 591, 592).—Entire length of the threads for No. 10 of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C: 100 c/m., and entire length for No. 16 of Coton a broder D.M.C: 40 c/m. Knot on, as in fig. 515, 1 thread of Cordonnet, 4 of Coton a broder (these are to be taken double) 2 of Cordonnet, 4 of Coton a broder, and so on.

In the second horizontal bar, you only use the red threads of Coton a broder for knotting, not the white Cordonnet ones. To supply their place, knot on two threads of red Coton a broder under the white threads.

With the red threads (4 count as one) make 3 rows of collecting knots, followed by a single horizontal bar. Divide the white threads into twos and make single chains with them, the whole length of the fringe; the thread must be changed 8 times for each chain; then pass the right chain under the left one and join them by a flat double knot.

You then, with the threads turned outwards, right and left, make the single chain with 5 changes of the threads and join them together again by a flat knot.

The other single chains are made with 6 and 8 changes of the threads and crossed under the double knots. The tassels, which the red threads serve as a foundation to, are begun by: 1 waved plait with two knots, then 4 single chains, again a waved plait and 1 berry composed of knots.

This berry is made over the 8 threads that come from the chains, with a long auxiliary thread, knotted as shown in fig. 590.

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Large shell knots, as described in figs. 591 and 592 may be substituted in the place of the berry, fig. 590.

MACRAME BORDER (fig. 593).—Fill 24 shuttles, knotted together, that is, 2 and 2, and knot on 3 green threads, 6 gold and 3 green. The changing of the threads and the course of the knots can be so easily copied from the pattern that a description in detail is not necessary, it is sufficient to observe that all the dark parts in the engraving should be worked in green and the light ones in gold.

. COLOURS: Rouge-Cardinal 346, Rouge-Grenat 326 and 309, Bleu-Indigo 312 and 334, Gris-Tilleul 391 and 393[A].]

BEADED GROUND (fig. 594).—Knot on 4 threads for every group of knots, and secure them by a knot and a picot, as shown in the engraving. Work the groups of knots, as indicated in fig. 568, and after each group is finished, thread a gold bead on to every 2 threads. Our model is worked in ecru thread and gold beads; the latter go very well with any colour and especially with the more subdued shades of green, such as the Vert-Mousse, Vert Bouteille and Gris-Tilleul of the D.M.C colour card.

SQUARE OF MOSAIC MACRAME (figs. 595 and 596).—This little pattern illustrates the way in which tapestry and cross-stitch patterns can be utilised for macrame.

All patterns that are drawn on checked paper can be copied in macrame and even in several colours. For every square, you count either one single or one double thread, according to the scale on which the work is to be.

In the case of a single thread, you count one double knot per square, in that of a double one, 4 double knots, two in the first and two in the second row.

After knotting the threads together, two and two, and pinning them to the cushion, see letter a, make 2 single chains with 2 changes of the thread, letters b and c, then take a very long cord, letter d, and knot on the threads. The cord forms picots along two sides of the square; into which you fasten threads, letters e and f, for the single chain formed, on the two other sides by the knotting threads.



The coloured threads for the flowers are knotted on as the pattern requires it, taking the place for the time being, of those with which the foundation is made, which are left hanging on the wrong side until they are wanted again.

The top leaves of the iris shaped flower, are worked in two shades of blue; the bottom ones, in three shades of red, the stalk and the leaves in green, and the little stars, with which the ground is powdered, in real gold thread.

When the ground is finished, you make the same openwork border at the sides and along the bottom, as at the top and finish off with very full tassels, hung on over 3 double threads and made of all the colours used in the square, tied up with gold thread, fig. 596 letter g.

FRINGE WITH THREE ROWS OF TASSELS (fig. 597).—As this kind of fringe is chiefly used for trimming carpets, curtains and furniture, it is best to make it in the coarsest numbers of the materials indicated at the foot of the engraving.

. COLOURS: Bleu-Indigo 312 and ecru.]

The pattern is so simple in its construction that it is sufficient to refer our readers to fig. 528, for the knotting on of the threads and to fig. 531, for the waved plait.

The little tassels between the knots, are made separately from the rest of the work and fastened on by the thread with which you sew them together at the top.



MACRAME GROUND (fig. 598).—The work represented in the engraving was made for a purse and copied from a beautiful piece of Arabian stuff. Ganse turque D.M.C was used for the light background and Coton a broder D.M.C for the design. It is very easy to copy this pattern from the illustration by paying scrupulous attention to the number of knots; we do not therefore enter into any detailed description of the same, merely referring the worker to figs. 528 and 596 and the accompanying directions, for the adding on and the taking off of threads.

MACRAME SQUARE (figs. 599 and 600).—Length of the single threads of both kinds: 200 c/m.

Knot upon a ring consisting of one thread: * 1 thread of white Cordonnet, 1 of Coton a broder colour 309, 1 of colour 358, 1 of colour 309 and repeat three times from *. (The embroidery cotton is to be taken double.)

Begin with the light red thread and make: 1 single chain with 3 changes of the threads, 1 single chain with the dark red thread with 4 changes of the threads. Add, or rather thread, 8 supplementary threads in succession on to the white thread, which in fig. 600, comes in the middle of the group of knots, and over each of these supplementary threads, make 2 double knots with the light red thread and 2 with the dark.

COLOURS: White, Rouge-Grenat 309 and 358, or Gris-Lin 716 and Rouge-Maroquin 3327 and 3329.[A]]

When all the red threads are knotted over the white ones, make crossed bars with the red threads by themselves, thus producing a point at the bottom of the leaf.

Then, over the first white thread coming from the right, knot all the white threads on the left of it and in the last place, the cord itself, over the 3 red threads.

Make the same series of threads on the left. This is succeeded by a second bar of white knots, the last thread of which is left unknotted. Make 4 double knots with the 8 white threads and close the square by a double bar. Add a supplementary thread to the first bar, so that you may have 10 threads coming from each side of the second bar and over these you knot the red threads, which form a dark setting to the leaves.



When this is done on both sides, make 10 flat double knots with a supplementary knot, taking 4 single threads for each knot, and decreasing the number of knots successively to 2. At the point of the inside square, knot the white threads over the red ones and turn back the second white thread to serve as a cord to the first of the outside bars. Join the first thread on the left and the first on the right, to form a flat knot with them in the middle, the threads of which are then passed over the red threads; the last white threads become the cords for the second outer bar. Make a group of bars with the red threads and cross them 3 times, then finish with a handsome tassel and join the white threads together all round the square with tassels. In the case of your wishing to use these squares for making a larger piece of work, through joining several of them together, you can knot the ends of the threads into short double chains, finishing off these again with ring knots, fig. 608, and loops; through these loops, when you come to join on the next square, the knotting thread is drawn, forming them thus into connecting picots, like those which you make in tatting.

FRINGE WITH CORNER (figs. 601, 602, 603).—Macrame fringes are not capable of being drawn up, as knitted, crochet, and netted fringes are, on the inside, so as to turn the corners. Consequently, according to the pattern, a greater or less number of supplementary threads have to be knotted in so as to form the corners.

COLOURS: White and Rouge-Cardinal 348.[A]]

The working detail, fig. 602, shows us how the 5 first supplementary threads, are looped on to the 4th row of knots. A group of crossed bars requires 16 threads, which answer to 4 groups of little squares, placed between the lozenges. The 6th supplementary thread is put into the double connecting knot at the corner, fig. 603, and on this, the bar of knots which runs right and left is subsequently made. (In order to make it clearer, the supplementary threads are represented in the engraving in a darker shade).

On the two middle threads, which are a continuation of the connecting knot, 7 supplementary threads have next to be knotted, thread 7 singly, threads 8 and 9 together, threads 10, 11, 12 and 13, all singly.

In this manner the supplementary threads 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 connect the two cords, whilst threads 8 and 9 only, are mounted separately on both sides.



The bars, formed by the knots which are made with the supplementary threads, must be drawn tight, like any other double bar. The space left between the cords in the engraving is intentional, to distinguish the supplementary threads from the others.

A long, coloured thread is looped on to the topmost thread, between the two bars, and with this, knots are made over all the 14 threads that come from the bars and run inwards.

In the middle of the square there must be 9 flat double knots; when these are made, you continue knotting the red thread from the right and left, down to the bottom point of the square, and complete the figure by a single bar of knots, made of the white thread.



Knotted tassels, hanging from the points of the scallops, and others ornamented with flat double knots made of 10 threads, suspended between the scallops, form the outside finish to this fringe.

FRINGE WITH POINTED SCALLOPS AND LARGE TASSELS (figs. 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610).—Entire length of the threads for No. 15 of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C: 200 c/m.

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The present pattern, which concludes our chapter on macrame work, is one of the most difficult of all, requiring great accuracy in every particular, but more especially, extremely careful attention to the direction of the cords, that the groups of double knots and the bars may be drawn up very tightly together, so as to make the pattern very distinct and give each figure its proper value.



For each repetition of the subject 16 threads are wanted. You begin the half stars, on each side of the lozenges, with the 15th and 16th double thread of the first figure and make 3 double knots with 3 threads over a 4th thread, fig. 606.

Over 2 cords on the left and 2 on the right, consequently over 4 threads: 5 buttonhole knots, with the 4 threads and the disengaged threads, 1 flat double knot over each of the 4 threads. This forms a shell knot, on either side of which, make 3 buttonhole knots over 3 threads.



For the groups of bars on either side of the shell, take the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th double thread on the left, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th on the right. These groups are joined by buttonhole knots.

Knot the 4 threads of the left group over the cord on the right; and over them again the 2 next threads on the right; knot the 4 threads on the left over the 4th thread on the right; make 2 buttonhole knots with the 4th thread over the 3 threads at the bottom and on the side.

Over the 4 threads, that come from the left and right, make quadruple bars; cross the upper threads after the second row of bars, make 2 buttonhole bars with the next thread over the 4th thread, then finish the 3rd and 4th bar of knots.



To make the olive-shaped group of knots on both sides, take the threads, that come out from the shells, as cords. Fig. 605 shows the adding on of the first supplementary thread, fig. 606, that of 12 more which, knotted on to the first, form with it, the group of bars on the diagonal corner line. The knots, of which the next large shell is composed, are made with 2 more supplementary threads and one thread from the preceding figure. Add on 2 more supplementary threads to the disengaged threads, which 4 then serve as cords for the groups of bars, left and right.

The 4th group of bars which forms the corner of the fringe, is made on the 4 threads that come from the large shell, on to which the fourth set of 12 supplementary threads is knotted.



The pattern ends at the bottom with a half star, and a double bar; beneath these, large scallops are added, consisting of 2 half stars, 4 ovals, 1 whole star and 2 ovals.

All the threads that come from the groups are then collected at the top of the scallops and overcast with strong thread, so as to form a thick round cord along the edges of the scallops, widening towards the point, as more and more threads are taken in. At the point, these threads are knotted into a big tassel with another bunch of supplementary threads added to them. The other small tassels, represented in fig. 604, are made separately and then fastened on.

The fringe is further ornamented by large knotted tassels, introduced between the scallops, for which, a large knotted berry, fig. 590, over 21 cords, has first to be made.

Collect the 21 threads all together, to begin with; then make: 2 rows of knots over 12 threads, 1 over 15, 3 over 21, 1 over 15 and 2 over 12; then cut the ends of the 21 threads to the same length, and turn them inwards, to fill up the hollow space inside the berry, stuffing it besides, if necessary, with wadding to make it perfectly firm and hard and sewing it together at the ends.

To this you attach 5 large and 6 small pendants; the smaller ones are begun with a Chinese knot, figs. 607 and 609, which terminates in a double chain, formed into a ring knot.



These ring knots take the place, in macrame, of bead drops, in gimp trimmings; when they are made of a double chain, you cut away 3 threads, when of a single, 1 thread, conceal the ends carefully inside the knot, make a loop with the 4th or 2nd thread, fig. 608, and lastly, fasten off all the ends with two or three invisible stitches.

Into the loop formed by the 4th thread, you hang 3 small ring knots, made of a single chain, with a loop, top and bottom, formed of the ends of the thread.

Fig. 609 represents the small pendant, of which six are required for a tassel; fig. 610, the large one, of which there should be five. The berry, or head of the tassel, is attached to a crochet, or knotted cord, of which a description will be found in the last chapter but one of this work.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] See at the end of the concluding chapter, the table of numbers and sizes and the list of colours of the D.M.C threads and cottons.



Netting.

Netting is a handicraft, so ancient that it would be difficult to trace it to its origin, or determine the date of its invention. There is evidence to show that the making of nets for fishing and game catching was as familiar to the earlier races of mankind as it is to us.

Practised in the first instance for the wants of life, it by degrees developed into an art, in conjunction with embroidery, to which it was made to serve as a foundation. The netting of every country, almost, has a distinctive character of its own: that of Persia is known by its fine silken meshes and rich gold and silver embroidery; that of Italy, by the varied size and shape of its meshes and a resemblance in the style of its embroidery to the Punto tagliato; whilst the netting of France, known by the name of Cluny guipure, consists of a groundwork of fine meshes with stiff close designs embroidered upon it, outlined in coarse glazed thread.

Netting, which divides itself under two headings, netting proper, or plain netting and net embroidery, has never yet gone out of fashion and places are still to be found where the entire population is engaged in this industry.

PLAIN NETTING AND THE IMPLEMENTS USED IN NETTING (figs. 611, 612, 613).—Plain netting consists of loops, secured and rendered independent of one another by knots. For forming and tightening these loops and knots the following implements are necessary; in the first place, a netting needle; these are generally made of steel, split and flattened at both ends, with a hole bored through them below the fork at the one end, in which the thread, fig. 611, is secured, before it is wound on lengthwise between the forks. They are numbered as to size like knitting needles. There are netting needles likewise of bone, ivory, wood and tortoise-shell for twine and thick materials; these are without hole, fig. 612.



The thread must be wound on very tightly, and not too much of it at a time, that the needle may slip easily through the loops. The mesh, or spool, fig. 613, whether of ivory, bone, steel or wood, should be smooth and round and of the same thickness throughout, so that the loops, made upon it, may be all of one size and easily slipped off.



For long loops a flat mesh is best, and in all cases, the needle and mesh should be selected with a view, both to the material employed, and the size of loop required.

In addition to these two implements, a cushion, weighted with lead will be required, to pin the foundation loop to, on which the first row of netting is worked.

MATERIALS SUITABLE FOR NETTING.—These, of course depend on the purpose of the netting: silk, twine, wool and cotton, can all be used and each possesses its advantages and disadvantages. Silk has the finest gloss but when it is strongly twisted it is very apt to knot, and when loosely twisted, does not make firm knots. It is difficult to get linen thread with a smooth uniform twist and moreover it soon frays in the working; wool is too elastic a fibre and is unsuitable for washing purposes, cotton remains therefore, in every respect the most desirable material, being both smooth and uniformly twisted; as qualities, more especially adapted for netting we may mention the following: Fil a pointer D.M.C, Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C (crochet cotton), Fil a dentelle D.M.C (lace thread), and even Coton a tricoter D.M.C[A] (knitting cotton).

NETTING STITCHES.—The loops are always the same—four-cornered whether they be square or oblong—and connected together, though secured and rendered independent of one another by knots. By different ways of passing the thread over the mesh and connecting the loops together, the following stitches are produced: 1 deg. plain loop, 2 deg. double loop, 3 deg. oblong loop, 4 deg. honeycomb loop, 5 deg. twisted loop.



1 deg. PLAIN LOOP. FIRST POSITION OF THE HANDS (fig. 614).—Every kind of netting requires a foundation loop, from 10 to 20 c/m. long, made either of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 3 to 10, or Fil a pointer D.M.C No. 10[A], which is pinned to the cushion. Fasten the working thread to the foundation loop; then take the mesh in the left hand, holding it between the thumb and forefinger, with the other fingers extended beneath. Take the needle filled with thread in the right hand and pass the thread downwards over the mesh and over the second, third and fourth fingers, inside, carry it up behind the third finger and lay it to the left under the thumb by which it has to be held fast.



SECOND AND THIRD POSITION OF THE HANDS (figs. 615 and 616).—Carry the thread down behind the second, third, fourth and fifth fingers, and put the needle through the loop on the fingers and behind the mesh, through the foundation loop, thus forming a second loop, which you hold back with the little finger of the left hand. Then gradually drawing up the thread that runs from the mesh, let go the loop held down by the thumb; then by degrees let go also, the loop which lies over the second, third and fourth fingers, still holding the last loop fast with the little finger; finally you release this too and pull up the knot thus formed close to the mesh with the right hand. This completes the stitch. The next stitches are made in the same way; whether they are to serve for casting on or for a netted foundation. The mesh is drawn out at the end of each row, the work turned and the mesh held beneath the last row, in readiness for the next, in making which you pass your needle through each loop. These diamond-shaped loops form a diagonal net.



2 deg. DOUBLE LOOP.—To make a double loop put the thread two or three times round the mesh.

3 deg. OBLONG LOOP.—For oblong loops, the knots must be made a little distance from the mesh.

4 deg. HONEYCOMB LOOP.—Make an oblong loop, pass the thread round the fingers, but not over the mesh as in plain netting, put the needle, not into the loop of the previous row, but between the loop, just made. The knot which is made in the same way as in plain netting, must be drawn close up to the mesh; the two threads of the loop should lie side by side on the mesh. The loops in honeycomb netting are six-sided.

5 deg. TWISTED LOOPS.—Pass the thread, as in plain netting, over the mesh and fingers, but before letting the thread which is under the thumb go, pass the needle from right to left under the loop you are making and the thread, and only then draw up the knot.

Although in netting the loops cannot be formed in as many different ways as in knitting or crochet, they admit of a certain variety, as the following explanations will show.

PATTERNS PRODUCED IN NETTING BY USING MESHES OF DIFFERENT WIDTHS.—Plain netting can be varied by making one row of loops over a large mesh and one over a small one, or several rows over the large and several over the small, alternately, changing the meshes at regular intervals.



PATTERNS PRODUCED IN NETTING BY INCREASING AND DECREASING (fig. 617).—Patterns of this kind are made by netting the meshes together in regular sequence and taking up as many meshes as you have netted together, or vice versa. You may increase and decrease in the same rows, or at an interval of so many rows.



Two sizes of thread should be used for this patterns. To show the relation they should bear to one another, we instance: Fil a pointer D.M.C No. 30 with Fil a dentelle D.M.C No. 50[A], or Coton a tricoter D.M.C Nos. 14 and 30[A], with Coton a tricoter D.M.C No. 50[A], or Coton a repriser D.M.C No. 25 with No. 100.[A]

Begin by 3 rows of plain netting with the finer thread over the small mesh, followed by one row with the coarser thread over the large mesh; then, with the coarse thread over the large mesh, one row, in which you net every two loops together and one row, with two loops in every one, so that the number of loops remains the same. These are followed by 3 rows of plain netting with the fine thread on the small mesh.



LOOSE LOOPS IN CLUSTERS (figs. 618 and 619).—These clusters of loose loops are made in the following manner:

1st row—one loop, the knot of which must be a little distance from the mesh; put the thread over the mesh and the needle through the loop where the knot is; repeat this three or four times, making the loops all of the same length. Then unite all the loops with one knot, carrying the needle from right to left, round the loops, instead of putting it through the loop of the previous row.

2nd row—make one loop over each loop of the first row, leaving out the loops that form the cluster.

As may be gathered from the drawing, many different patterns can be worked upon the netting in this manner.



NETTING COMPOSED OF PLAIN, DOUBLE AND OBLONG LOOPS (fig. 620).—Netting composed of large and small loops is the kind generally used as a groundwork for embroidery. The loops of it are straight; diamond netting will serve the same purpose, but as it is less commonly used we have given the preference to the straight.

The whole first row consists of a double and a plain loop alternately; the second, entirely of oblong loops, which are made by passing the thread only once over the mesh, and so, that in netting on the double loop, the knot is brought close to the needle, where as, in netting the plain loop, it hangs free; so that, as shown in fig. 620, all the loops of the 2nd row are of the same length. In the 3rd row, which is like the first, the plain loops should come between the small holes and the double ones between the large holes.



CIRCULAR NETTING COMPOSED OF LONG AND SHORT LOOPS (fig. 621).—Make thirty or thirty one loops over a large mesh with a very stout material, such as Fil a pointer D.M.C No. 20, or a double thread of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 30, then draw up the thread on which the loops are strung, as tightly as possible, so as to form quite a small ring for the centre, and fasten off.

For the next row, also made in coarse thread, fasten the thread on to a long loop and make one loop into each loop of the first row, over a small mesh. Use the same mesh for all the subsequent rows, which should be worked in a finer thread, such as Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 50 or 60.

If you want to avoid fastening on the thread afresh for each row, make a loop over the thumb.

MAKING LOOPS OVER THE THUMB.—Put the thread, as for a plain loop over the mesh and fingers, and put the needle through the loop, likewise as for a plain loop, but before tightening the knot, draw the mesh out of the loop just made and make it exactly as long as the loop above.



CIRCULAR NETTING FORMED BY INCREASES (fig. 622).—Make 10 loops on the foundation loop, close the ring, then go on, making a row with one knot in the first loop and two knots in the second, until the net attains the right circumference; in the subsequent rows, increase by one loop, that is to say, make two knots in each of the previous increases.



SQUARE OF NETTING (figs. 623 and 624).—To make squares of netting with straight loops, begin by making two loops or three knots. Make two knots in each of the following rows so that each row is increased by one loop. Continue to increase until you have one loop more than the square should number.



Following this row with the extra stitch, make a row without either increase or intake and begin the intakes in the next row, joining the two last loops of each row together by a knot. Finish the two last loops over the thumb.



SQUARE OF NETTING BEGUN FROM THE MIDDLE (figs. 625 and 626).—Instead of beginning a square from the corner, in the manner just described, it may be begun from the middle.



Cast on the required number of loops, make an intake in each row, by omitting to take up the last loop of a row. In coming back, your first knot will thus be made over the last loop but one of the previous row, fig. 625. To complete the square, fasten the thread on again, to the end of the thread of the last row, then make a similar to it, and repeat the same rows you made at the beginning (see fig. 626).



STRIPES OF STRAIGHT NETTING (figs. 627 and 628).—These can be begun and finished in two ways. The simplest way, more especially when they are to be embroidered afterwards, is to cast on the necessary number of loops, to decrease on one side by dropping a loop, fig. 627, or by joining two loops together with a knot, fig. 628, and to increase on the other side, by making two knots over one loop.

Great care must be taken not to change the order of the intakes and increases, as any mistake of the kind would break the lines of squares, and interfere with the subsequent embroidery, unless there happened to be more loops in the stripe than stitches in the pattern, in which case the superfluous loops might be cut away when the embroidery is finished.

STRAIGHT NETTING WITH A SCALLOPED EDGE (fig. 629).—The second way of making stripes of straight netting is to begin by a square. After making two loops on the foundation loop, make rows with increases, until you have the required number of loops. Then make an increase in every row to the left and leave the last loop empty in every row to the right. Continuing the increases on the left, you net 4 rows, without increasing or decreasing on the right, whilst in the next 4, you again leave the outside loop empty.



SQUARE FRAME OF NETTING (fig. 630).—Handkerchief, counterpane and chair-back borders can be netted in one piece, leaving an empty square in the centre. After casting on the loops as for an ordinary square of netting, letter a, increase them to double the number required for the border. Thus, for example, if the border is to consist of 3 squares, you make 6 loops, then leave 3 loops empty on the left and continue to work to the right and decrease to the left, up to the dotted line from c to c. After this you begin to decrease on the right and increase on the left, up to the dotted line from e to e.



Leaving the right side of the net, you now fasten on the thread at c, where the 3 empty loops are, and here you make your increases on the right side and your intakes on the left, till you come to the corner, from whence you decrease on the right and increase on the left, up to letter g. Stop on the left side and then work from left to right, passing over the row that is marked e. The fourth corner, letter b, is worked like any other piece of straight netting, with an intake in each row, until there are only two loops left.

For the darning stitches: Coton a tricoter D.M.C Nos. 12 to 20, or Coton a repriser D.M.C Nos. 12 to 50.[A]]

DIAGONAL NETTING WITH CROSSED LOOPS (figs. 631 and 632). To work this simple and effective pattern, begin by making a stripe of plain netting, 14 loops in width, for the middle. When it is long enough for your purpose, take up all the loops on one side on a strong thread; fasten the work to the cushion again and work 3 rows, along the other edge in the following manner.

1st row—long loops, to be made by the thread being passed thrice over the mesh.

2nd row—here, 3 loops are so made as to cross each other, that is, you begin by putting your netting-needle at first into the 3rd loop, counting from left to right, then into the 1st, and lastly into the middle one of the three, so that the right loop leans to the left and the left one to the right.

3rd row—one plain loop in each of the loops of the previous row. You now, draw out the thread, run in on the other side, and run it in through the loops last made, in order to make 3 rows again, as above described, on the bottom side.



When this is done, you begin the scallops, composed of 12 knots or 11 loops, or 14 loops and 15 knots = net 5 rows, leaving the outside loops empty, fig. 632, stop on the left and proceed with: 6 knots or 5 plain loops, 2 or 3 long loops with 3 overs, 3 plain loops = turn the work = 3 plain loops, 3 knots = turn the work = 2 loops with 3 overs, 3 knots = turn the work = 2 plain loops, 2 knots = turn the work = cross 2 or 3 loops, according to the number you crossed in the middle, then carry the working thread to the middle of the long loops, and connect them by 2 knots = pass the needle under the knot of the last long loop, then, on the right side net: 3 plain loops = turn the work = 3 plain loops, 3 knots = turn the work = 2 plain loops, 2 knots = turn the work and continue the rows of plain netting until you have only 2 loops left.

To reach the next scallop, pass the netting-needle through each hole of the net and round each thread.

Finish off the scallops with a row of plain netting, made with a coarser thread than the foundation.



For the fringes: Soutache D.M.C No. 3 or Lacets superfins D.M.C No. 4.[A]]

These netted edgings are generally made in unbleached cotton, because the patterns afterwards embroidered upon them in coarse, white knitting or darning cotton, show best upon it. The thread for this purpose should be used double, and the pattern worked in darning stitches, made over 8 squares of the netting; the 8th knot is then encircled by a loop and the thread carried down over 8 squares and a loop again made round the 8th knot. After making 4 rows of stitches on the netting, cut 3 bars between the rows of white stitches.

The row of openwork produced in this way has a very good effect and greatly improves the look of the lace.

NETTED FRINGE (fig. 633).—Plain netting, pretty as it is, looks rather poor, unless ornamented with embroidery of some kind. The double netting, illustrated in fig. 633, will prove a welcome novelty. The footing is worked in crochet, with braid, secured on both sides by chain stitches.

Into every fourth of these chain stitches, net one loop, missing the 3 between. At the end of the row, turn the work and make the knot in the middle of the 3 chain stitches, so that the 2 loops of netting cross each other.

In the second, or rather the third row, the knots are again made first into the front loops, into those of the first row that is; in the fourth row, into those of the second row.

When the stripe is sufficiently wide, finish it off with tassels, made of Soutache D.M.C No. 3. Instead of tying up the lengths of braid with a thread, twisted round them and fastened off with a stitch, make 2 looped knots round them with an end of the braid, where the neck of the tassel should come.



EMBROIDERED NETTING.—Embroidered netting, also known as Filet Guipure, Cluny Guipure, and Richelieu Guipure, is a netted ground, with patterns of one kind or another, worked upon it in a variety of stitches.

IMPLEMENTS REQUIRED FOR EMBROIDERED NETTING.—Besides scissors, needles and thread, a light steel frame is the only thing required, and this renders embroidered netting very popular.

The needles should be long, and blunt; those called saddlers needles are the best.

WIRE FRAME FOR EMBROIDERED NETTING (fig. 634).—The frame on which the net is stretched should be made of strong iron wire, that will not bend in the using. In shape, it may be square or oblong, according to whether squares or edgings are to be made upon it, but the sides must be straight, so that the net can be evenly stretched.



This wire frame must be covered, first with wadding or tow, as shown in fig. 634, and then with silk ribbon, which must be wound tightly round it, and more particularly at the corners, very closely, so that it may be quite firm and not twist about when the netting is sewn in. The ends of the ribbon should be secured by two or three stitches.



MOUNTING THE NETTING ON THE FRAME (fig. 635).—When the netting is exactly the size of the inside of the frame, it need only be secured to it with overcasting stitches, set very closely at the corners.

MOUNTING THE NETTING ON THE FRAME WITH AN AUXILIARY TAPE (fig. 636).—When the netting, is smaller, the space between it and the frame, must be filled up with strong very evenly woven, linen tape, sewn on all round the netting.

The tape must be very tightly held in the sewing, so that it even forms little gathers all round; this will help you to stretch the netting in mounting it without injuring it, and is especially necessary when the netting is not quite evenly made. Fig. 636 shows how the tape is sewn on, the fold that has to be made at the corners, and the way to fix the netting into the frame.

Long stripes or large pieces of work, can be mounted on waxcloth, but we cannot recommend shortening the preparatory work in this manner, as the squares of netting are never so regular as when they are made in a frame.

MATERIALS FOR EMBROIDERED NETTING.—Thick threads with a strong twist are the best for darned, or embroidered netting, such as Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C[A] (crochet cotton), or Fil a dentelle D.M.C[A] (lace thread).

There are however certain old kinds of embroidered netting made in soft loose silk, for imitating which it is best to use, Coton a repriser D.M.C[A] that being quite the best substitute for the original material.

THE STITCHES USED FOR EMBROIDERED NETTING.—These are so multifarious and admit of so many different combinations, that not a few of them seeing that be quite new to our readers, willsome we have never yet come across in any book on the subject that has come under our notice.

ORDINARY DARNING STITCH (fig. 637).—The simplest stitch of all for covering a netted ground is the ordinary darning stitch; drawing the thread, that is to say, in and out of the number of squares, prescribed by the pattern, and backwards and forwards as many times as is necessary to fill them up.



The number of stitches depends, to a certain extent, on the material employed; with Coton a broder D.M.C for example, you will have to make more stitches than with one of the coarser numbers of Coton a repriser D.M.C.

This is the stitch generally used for reproducing a cross stitch pattern on a netted ground and is especially to be recommended for covering large surfaces, curtains, counterpanes and so forth, as it is quickly done and shows up the pattern well.



LINEN STITCH (figs. 638 and 639).—This is the stitch most often met with in the old embroideries, it being the one the solid parts of the leaves and flowers, and the borders are generally worked in.

Fasten on the thread to a knot of the netting and carry it twice to and fro, over and under the threads of the netting, so that at the end of the row, every second thread passes under and over the thread of the netting, as it is carried upwards again.

This constitutes the first layer of threads, the second completes the linen stitch and is made in the same way, only across the first, alternately taking up and missing a thread as is done, in darning. The thread may also be carried both ways over the threads of the squares. In this case you must draw an uneven number of threads through the squares, otherwise the crossing of the threads will be irregular in the last square.

LINEN STITCH. FORMATION OF THE CORNERS (fig. 640).—When linen stitch is used for the border of a pattern, and a corner has to be formed, you begin by carrying the threads over a given number of squares. This first layer, especially in the case of long stripes, must be kept very slack, and to ensure the threads being all of the same length, lay a fine mesh or a thick knitting needle at one end and stretch the threads over it. After carrying the second layer across a few squares, take away the mesh or needle. The threads of the first layer become gradually shorter, from the passage of the cross threads in and out between them, and end by being just long enough to prevent the last embroidered squares from being too tightly stretched.

On reaching the corner, you cross the threads of the next row, as shown in fig. 640. The first threads of the second side form the foundation of the corner square; from the second corner square you pass to the third; from the third to the fourth, carrying your thread alternately over and under the threads that were stretched for the first corner.

LOOP STITCH (POINT D'ESPRIT) (figs. 641 and 642).—This is a light open stitch, chiefly used for making a less transparent foundation than plain netting. Fasten the thread to the middle of one bar of the netting, then make a loose loop to the middle of the top bar of the same square, fig. 641, by carrying the thread, from left to right, over one vertical and one horizontal bar of the net and inserting the needle downwards from above under the bar and in front of the working thread. For the second row back, also represented in fig. 641, you draw the needle through, underneath the bar above the loop stitch and make the loop upwards from below; in doing this the working thread must lie to the left, in front of the needle. Fig. 642 shows how to join the rows and pass the needle through the stitches of the preceding row.



STAR COMPOSED OF LOOSE THREADS (figs. 643, 644, 645).—This star covers 16 squares of netting. Fasten the thread to the middle knot of the 16 squares, then carry it diagonally over 4 squares, three times from left to right under a knot of the foundation and three times from right to left. In this way, the bottom rays of the star are formed. For the stitches that complete the figure, you start from the middle and following the direction of the little arrow in the illustration, you cover the netting with 3 horizontal and 3 vertical threads, carried over 4 squares. When you have laid the vertical threads, slip the needle 4 or 5 times round in a circle, under the diagonal and over the straight threads, but always over the bars of the netting. This completes the star, as it is represented in fig. 645. Care must be taken to make the stitches lie quite flat side by side, and not one on the top of the other.



DARNING STITCH (POINT DE REPRISE) (figs. 646 and 647).—Little flowers and leaves are generally executed in this stitch; the first course of the thread is shown in fig. 646. Leaves can be made with one, two or three veins. Carry the needle, invariably from the middle, first to the right and then to the left, under the threads of the foundation and push the stitches close together, as they are made, with the point of your needle. This you will be able to do most easily by holding the work so as to make the stitches towards you.



For a leaf with only one division or vein, like the left leaf in fig. 646, merely run the needle through the middle of the threads, whereas for a leaf with two or three veins, you must run it, over and under, either one, or two threads (see the right leaf in fig. 646).

In working leaves of this kind in darning stitch, you must draw your stitches at the top and bottom of the leaf rather tighter than in the middle, so as to give them the proper shape. If you wish to make them very slender at the bottom, you can finish them off with a few overcasting stitches.

Fig. 647 represents two leaves completed, one with one vein and the other, with two.

POINTED SCALLOPS IN DARNING STITCH (fig. 648).—The simplest way to work these scallops is to carry a thread, as shown in the illustration, to and fro over the square, from the knot in one corner to the middle of the bar above and downwards to the opposite knot, round which the thread is carried and passed upwards again to the middle. As the scallop must always be begun from the top, you will have, two foundation threads on one side and three on the other. Here likewise, you must push the threads as closely together as possible with the needle.



POINTED SCALLOPS IN BUTTONHOLE STITCH (fig. 649).—Another quite as pretty and easy way of working pointed scallops on a netted foundation is by making two buttonhole stitches before crossing to the opposite side. As shown in the foregoing illustration, you begin by stretching single or double foundation threads across; then beginning at the point, you make, alternately right and left, 2 buttonhole stitches over the foundation threads, so that the working thread is only carried across to the opposite side after every second stitch.

VEINED POINTED SCALLOPS (fig. 650).—A third way of making pointed scallops is by first stretching a thread to and fro across the middle of the square, after which you slip the needle from left to right under the middle thread, and underneath the left bar from above. Then you carry the needle, from right to left, over the foundation thread and under the right bar and so on. The one thread must be drawn tightly round the other, in order that the stitches may form close and evenly shaped veins, like small cords, on the wrong side of the scallop. There must be enough stitches to completely cover the foundation thread that crosses the middle of the square.



POINTED SCALLOPS IN VENETIAN STITCH (fig. 651).—The prettiest scallops of all are those worked in Venetian stitch. You begin, by making from 8 to 10 buttonhole stitches over one bar of the netting, then you work on with the same stitch backwards and forwards, making one stitch less in each row, until you come to the one which forms the point of the scallop and is fastened to the bar above; you carry the working thread back on the wrong side to the lower bar, and then under the buttonhole stitches to the next square of the netting. Scallops worked in this manner, can be overcast round the edges in the way described further on, in fig. 660.

WHEELS EMBROIDERED ON NETTING (figs. 652 and 653).—To make wheels or spiders, as they are also called, you have first to fasten the thread to the middle knot of four squares, thence you carry it diagonally right and left, fig. 652, right detail, across the empty squares of netting and the knot, and return to the middle, overcasting your first thread by the way, so as to form a closely twisted cord. This is called cording a thread.

Having reached the centre, carry the working thread round and round, under and over the corded threads and under the bars of the netting till the wheel covers half the bars.



Fig. 653 shows, on the right, a finished wheel, and on the left, another way in which it can be made, and indicates the course of the thread over and under the lines, as in a darn. These details show also how, when the foundation thread of the wheel starts from a corner, it is left single in the first square until the wheel is finished; then the needle is slipped back along the little spoke, opposite to the single thread, and through the wheel, and the single thread is corded like the others.



RIBBED WHEELS (fig. 654).—Make the foundation of the wheels as before, over 8 threads. To form the ribs at the back of the wheels, see fig. 654; make a back stitch, on the right side, over a bar of the netting, and carry on the needle under one bar, so that the thread that lies outside always crosses 2 bars of the netting.

In this case you must make circles of thread enough, to cover the bars completely, not half, as before.

The same stitches, as fig. 654 shows, can be made on either side of the embroidery, and so as to form, either a square or a lozenge (see fig. 655).



WHEELS SET WITH BUTTONHOLING (fig. 656).—A very pretty lace-like effect is produced by encircling the wheels in large squares of netting with a double setting of stitches. The left detail of fig. 656 shows how the thread, having been passed under the wheel and twisted once round the single thread, is carried all round the square and forms 8 loops.

The arrow shows the way in which the loops are taken up, and the first ring of stitches round the wheel is finished.

The second detail of the same figure explains the course the thread, that forms the second ring, has to take through the loops and between the bars; whilst the white line shows the passage of the thread over the second ring. The third detail represents a wheel, completed.



STAR WITH ONE-SIDED BUTTONHOLE STITCHES (fig. 657).—The pattern represented in fig. 657, is the quickest to work that we know of. Two buttonhole stitches made upon the outside bar of a square and a simple crossing of the thread at the bottom, produce elongated triangles which should always be begun from the knot. Two triangles stand exactly opposite to each other in one square, and the square that comes in the middle of the four thus filled, is ornamented with a small wheel.



ROUNDED CORNERS OF NETTING (fig. 658).—Darning stitches, made over a thread carried diagonally across one square and the adjacent corners of that and two other squares, produce the figure illustrated in fig. 658. The accompanying detail shows the mode of working.

The number of stitches depends on the material you use; there should be no more than can lie quite flat, side by side, on the diagonal thread.

LINEN STITCH, SET WITH DARNING STITCH (fig. 659).—There are some patterns it would hardly be possible to work on netting unless you could soften the outlines by darning stitches, as shown in the foregoing figure.

When employed as a setting to linen stitch, there should be fewer than in fig. 658; you may also, instead of interrupting them at every corner, carry them all round a square, (see the right detail of the figure).

LINEN STITCH SET WITH CORD STITCH (fig. 660).—Many figures are also either corded or edged with twisted thread; both ways are represented in the illustration. In the latter case you can use the same thread as for the linen stitch, or if you wish the setting to be very pronounced, a thicker one. For instance, if the netting be made of Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 25[A] we recommend Fil a pointer D.M.C No. 15 or 20[A] for the setting. This difference of material is especially noticeable in the old Cluny Guipure, where the figures worked in linen stitch are edged with a thread like a cord. But if the linen stitch be bound with cord stitch, the same thread must be used for it, as for the foundation. A soft material, like Coton a repriser, makes the best padding for the overcasting stitches.



FLOWER IN DOT STITCH ON A FOUNDATION OF LINEN STITCH (fig. 661).—With the help of this stitch, which is described in the chapter on white embroidery and represented in fig. 179, a great variety of little supplementary ornaments can be made, on every description of netted ground.



BORDERING IN BUTTONHOLE STITCH (fig. 662).—Scalloped edges in netting should be buttonholed; 2 or 3 padding threads should be run in first, following the bars of the netting, over which the buttonholing is done; the bars of the netting must not be cut away until the edge be finished.

CUT WORK IN EMBROIDERED NETTING (fig. 663).—Cut work here means half covering the bars of the netting with button-hole stitches and half cutting them away with scissors. The inner bars are frequently ornamented with a double buttonhole edging and knotted picots, see figs. 698 and 699 in the next chapter. You slightly separate the stitches of the first row of buttonholing so as to be able to introduce the thread of the second row between them.



STRAIGHT LOOP STITCH (fig. 664).—In the first row you carry the thread over one bar and slip it through behind a knot; in the second you do the same thing, only that above, your needle will pass under 3 threads, two of them the threads of the loop of the first row and the third a bar of the net. In every square 4 threads cross each other.



WAVED STITCH (fig. 665).—This stitch, which forms a close waved ground, is produced by passing the thread in each row of the netting over a square and behind a knot. When the pattern admits of it, as it mostly does, a considerably thicker thread is used for this stitch and for the stitches represented in figs. 667, 668, 669 and 670, than that in which the netting is made. When the netted ground is of Fil a dentelle D.M.C No. 50,[A] the embroidery upon it may very well be done in Cordonnet 6 fils. D.M.C No. 10[A], or Fil a pointer D.M.C No. 30.[A]

INTERSECTED LOOP STITCH (fig. 666).—Begin by covering the whole surface to be embroidered with plain loop stitches, then stretch threads diagonally across the squares of the netting and the loop stitches; one set of threads running over the stitches and under the knots of the netting, the other under the first and second threads of the loop stitches and over the first crossed threads and the knots.

The laying and stretching of these threads must, it is hardly necessary to say, be systematically and regularly done.



GROUND WORKED IN HORIZONTAL LINES (fig. 667).—Make half cross stitches over 4 squares of netting, by passing the thread alternately over and under 3 knots, and under 3 squares of the netting. In the second row, cross the threads over those of the first row, as is shown in our engraving.

GROUND WORKED IN STITCHES PLACED ONE ABOVE THE OTHER (fig. 668).—Cover a whole row of squares with cross stitches and leave 3 rows of squares empty. When you have a sufficient number of rows of cross stitches, take a long needle and pass it upwards from below, and from right to left, under the two bars of the third upper square; then pass downwards to the first square of the 3 bottom rows and under the bars from right to left, so as again to leave 3 squares between the fresh stitches. The next row of stitches is made in the same manner, so that the stitches are not only set contrary ways but reciprocally cover each other.

LATTICED GROUND (fig. 669).—Begin by running the thread, to and fro, under two vertical bars and over three horizontal ones. When the ground is entirely covered, carry your thread from right to left, under the bars over which the first rows of threads are crossed; then take it over the long crosses, that correspond to 5 squares of netting, and pass it in the same line under the bars of the netting. In coming back, the long stitches cross each other over the stitches of the first rows.



GROUND WORKED IN RUSSIAN STITCH (fig. 670).—Pass the thread from left to right, under a bar of the netting, carry it downwards over 4 squares and pass it again, from left to right, under the bar, then upwards, again over 4 squares of netting and so on. The stitches of the next rows are made in the same manner; you have only to see that the loops formed by the stitches all come on the same line of knots.

GROUND WORKED IN TWO SIZES OF THREAD (fig. 671).—Herewith begins the series of stitches, referred to at the beginning of the chapter, copied in part from one of the oldest and most curious pieces of embroidered netting we have ever met with. The copies were worked with Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 25 and ecru Fil a dentelle D.M.C No. 70[A]; the former being used for the darning and the almond-shaped stitches between; the latter for the buttonhole stitches. Wherever two sizes of thread are used for one pattern, all the stitches in the coarse thread should be put in first and those in the fine, last.



GROUND WITH WHEELS AND LOOP STITCH (fig. 672).—You begin with the coarse thread and finish all the wheels first, making them each over 4 threads of the netting; then with the fine thread, you make loop stitches between them, in rows, as shown in figs. 641 and 642.

GROUND WORKED IN DARNING AND LOOP STITCH (fig. 673).—The darning stitches are made in the coarse thread, over 4 squares of the netting, in a horizontal direction, with loop stitches, in the fine thread, made between them, over the same number of squares.



GROUND WORKED IN TWO SIZES OF THREAD (fig. 674).—Carry the coarse thread, from right to left, under the first knot of the netting, and then under the next, from left to right. This has to be done twice, to and fro, so that the squares of the netting are edged on both sides with a double layer of threads.

When the whole foundation has been thus covered, take the fine thread and make loop stitches in the squares between the other rows of stitches, passing the needle for that purpose over the double stitch. Lastly, intersect the loop stitches with straight threads and pass the needle each time through the knot of the netting.



GROUND WORKED WITH CROSS STITCHES IN ONE SIZE OF THREAD (fig. 675).—This pattern, very like the foregoing one, consists of 3 diagonal rows of stitches, worked to and fro, with cross stitches made over them.

You may also begin with the cross stitches, in the fine thread, and work the triple stitches over them, in the coarse.

GROUND WORKED WITH DARNING AND CORD STITCHES (fig. 676).—Patterns, executed chiefly in darning stitches, in a comparatively coarse thread, present a closer and heavier appearance than those we have been describing. Here, every other square of the netting is filled, as closely as possible, with stitches; the empty squares between are intersected diagonally with corded threads.



GROUND WORKED WITH SQUARES AND WHEELS (figs. 677, 678, 679).—A ground very often met with in old embroidered netting, consists of diagonal lines of squares, closely filled with darning stitches, alternating with diagonal lines of squares, each with a small wheel in the middle.

In fig. 678, the darning stitches, and the wheels, which are both worked with the same material, cover 4 squares of the netting.

Larger expanses of netting may also be entirely filled with wheels, fig. 679. To make a really satisfactory grounding of this kind, you should be careful always to carry your thread over the bars of the netting and under the threads that are stretched diagonally across.

GROUND WORKED IN CROSS AND DARNING STITCH (fig. 680).—You begin, as before, by making the close darning stitches, and then proceed to the cross stitches. To give them the right shape, finish all the rows of stitches one way first; in the subsequent rows, that cross the first ones, you introduce the thread between the stitches that were first crossed.



GROUND OF GEOMETRICAL FIGURES (fig. 681).—This pattern, quite different from all the others, consists of simple geometrical lines. Fasten the thread to a knot of the netting, then carry it, always diagonally, under 3 other knots and repeat this 3 times, after which, carry it once round the bar of the netting, to fasten it, and back again to the knot which it already encircles, and from thence begin a new square. Owing to your having always to bring the thread back to the knot whence the next square is to begin, you will have 4 threads on two of the sides and 6 on the two others.



In the second and subsequent rows, the needle has to pass twice under the angles that were first formed, in order that, over the whole surface, all the corners may be equally covered and connected.

NETTED INSERTION WORKED IN PLAIN DARNING STITCH (fig. 682).—The taste for ornamenting not only curtains but bed and table linen also, with lace and insertion of all kinds, to break the monotony of the large white surfaces, is becoming more and more general and the insertion here described will be welcome to such of our readers as have neither time nor patience for work of a more elaborate nature.

The way to make straight netting has already been fully described in figs. 625, 626, 627, 628, 629 and 630, and darning stitch in fig. 637.

To those who wish to be saved the trouble of making the netting themselves, we can strongly recommend various fabrics, intended to take its place, more especially Filet Canevas, which is an exact imitation of the finest hand-made netting. The centre part of the pattern in fig. 682, is worked in rows of horizontal darning stitches, the narrow border in vertical ones.



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GROUND OF NETTING EMBROIDERED (fig. 683).—We have already had occasion, in the foregoing explanations, to point out the advantage of embroidering with two sizes of thread, but it is only in a piece of work of a certain size that it is possible really to judge of the excellent effect produced by the use of two threads of different sizes.

The principal lines of the pattern, which are in darning stitch, are worked in a very coarse thread with a strong twist, Fil a pointer D.M.C, whilst the loop stitches are in Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C.

Our model was worked in ecru thread but there is nothing to prevent several colours being introduced, for instance ecru, black or Gris-Ficelle 462 for the netted foundation; Rouge-Cardinal 346, for the darning stitches, and Chine d'or D.M.C green and gold or blue and gold, for the loop stitches and the threads that are carried across inside.

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EMBROIDERED SQUARE OF NETTING WITH TWO KINDS OF LACE SUITABLE FOR THE BORDER (figs. 684, 685, 686).—Large pieces of embroidered netting are generally made up of squares and stripes, joined together with ribbon and fine linen insertions. It is easier and less cumbrous to make the netting in separate pieces. Squares of different patterns can also be combined with crochet and pillow lace, in this case of course the squares have to be arranged with some system.

Fig. 685 represents a lace edging intended for the square fig. 684, which shows how even in such a simple pattern as this, several colours may be successfully introduced.

Fig. 686 is a handsomer and more elaborate pattern for the same kind of purpose. The loop stitches and the linen stitches should be worked in a very light shade; instead of the colour indicated at the foot of the engraving, Rouge-Geranium 353, Violet-Mauve 377 or Jaune-Rouille 365 may be used; for the netting and the loop stitches you may combine, with the first shade, two shades of Brun-Caroubier 303 and 357, with the second, two shades of Jaune-vieil Or 678 and 680 and with the third, two shades of Rouge-Cardinal 346 and 348.

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PATTERN FOR GROUND (fig. 687).—The peculiar charm of this most unpretending pattern is chiefly due to the variety of material and colour introduced into it. The netted ground is made of dark brown Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C No. 25, worked over, in the first instance, with loop stitches in a pale grey, which are afterwards connected by darning stitches in Coton a repriser Gris-Tilleul 392.

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The same material in Rouge-Geranium, is used for the little centre squares and the pink crosses, and isolated darned squares are framed with loose cord stitches in Coton a repriser colour Jaune-vieil-Or 680.

We can also recommend, for the same pattern, the following combination of colours, all to be found on the D.M.C colour card; namely, Bleu pale 668 for the netting; Chine d'or, gold with dark blue for the loop stitches; Ganse turque D.M.C No. 12 (Turkish gold cord) for the darning stitches, between the loop stitches; Coton a broder or Cordonnet 6 fils in Rouge-Cornouille 450, for the detached darned squares and Coton a repriser, in Jaune-d'Or 667 for the setting of all the different parts of the pattern.

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EMBROIDERY ON NETTING WITH DIFFERENT-SIZED LOOPS (fig. 688).—The netting, described and represented in fig. 620, with plain, oblong and double loops, here forms the ground for the embroidery.



In order to make the isolated loop stitches, the thread which forms the cross in the middle must be carried to the middle of the bar, the loops that form the stitches must be finished and the thread carried back to the knot whence it started. It must then be taken three times backwards and forwards over the foundation thread and the two bars of the netting, when the stitches, into and over 3 squares of the netting, should be made. The last row in the engraving shows the pattern in the successive stages of its development.



SQUARE AND EDGING IN CUT NETTING (figs. 689 and 690).—Few patterns admit of such a successful application of all the stitches hitherto described, as the square and edging presented to our readers in the two subjoined figures. On a netted ground of rather fine thread, we have in the first place, linen stitch, in the border, worked in rather a coarser thread than the ground; then raised wheels, buttonholed bars with picots in the centre, plain wheels very close together, and long ribbed bars worked in darning stitch.

The edging, to match the square, is worked in the original in pale shades, in contrast to the square which is executed entirely in ecru thread. The squares in the netted footing of the lace are loosely overcast with pale Violet-Mauve 316, the same colour is also used for the wheels in the outside edge, each of which fills a square, and for the loop stitches round them; whilst the middle one of the three upper ribbed wheels and the star are worked in dark Violet-Mauve 315. The crosses in linen stitch, the three lower ribbed wheels and the long ribbed bars in darning stitch, are in Gris-Tilleul 392.

NETTED INSERTION (fig. 691).—This is a copy of a beautiful piece of embroidered netting, to all appearance, several centuries old, and in a state that rendered, even the most delicate handling almost impossible.

After several experiments, the best result has been arrived at, and the Turkish cord in which the original is made, has now been manufactured for netting purposes, as well as for other kinds of decorative work, already alluded to, and referred to again later on.

The first foundation, that is, the actual netting, for a thing of this kind, should be made in white or ecru thread, with very small meshes; the pattern itself is embroidered on the netting with Ganse turque D.M.C No. 12; this material, ecru and gold mixed, gives the work a glittering and peculiarly elegant appearance, unobtainable in any other.

The execution is extremely easy, it being worked entirely in darning stitch; but the drawing should be copied with great accuracy and the wide braid very carefully sewn on with close stitches round the squares, which are filled in with darning stitches made in Ganse turque No. 12.

Any netting pattern can be copied in this braid, and the simplest piece of work of the kind is worth mounting on a rich foundation of silk, brocade, velvet or plush. To give a single example, the insertion here described and illustrated, was mounted on slate-blue plush and has been universally admired.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] See at the end of the concluding chapter, the table of numbers and sizes and the list of colours of the D.M.C threads and cottons.



IRISH LACE.

Irish lace, also known under the name of Renaissance lace, from its having been first made in the sixteenth century, is an imitation of the earliest pillow laces; it ought, properly speaking, to be called French lace, having been invented in France and thence introduced into England and Ireland.

It is composed of braid or tape, formed into figures, joined together by needlemade, corded or buttonhole bars and fillings of different kinds, or by bars alone.

The lace stitches and bars are almost the same as those used in fine Venetian point, but they are executed in a coarser material so that this section of our work may be considered as a preparation for the different kinds of lace, to be described in the next chapter.

MATERIALS (fig. 692).—The braids used for making Irish lace are an English speciality and manufactured exclusively in England; they are very various in shade, width and thickness, and are to be had white, unbleached, grey and pale yellow, narrow and wide, coarse and fine in texture, with and without holes, open edge and picots, with large medallions and small.

Fig. 692 represents the kinds most commonly used, in their original size, together with a specimen picot, or purl, as they are called in England, for the outside edge, also to be had ready made, for those who do not care for the trouble of making them themselves.

For the stitches and bars by which the braids are joined together, the best material is Fil a dentelle D.M.C,[A] (lace thread) a smooth even thread, now made in every colour to match the braids.



TRANSFERRING DESIGNS FOR IRISH LACE.—The best way is to trace them on oiled tracing linen with a watery ink, free from greasy matter. This tracing linen, which is of English make, is white, glazed on one side only; the unglazed surface should be turned uppermost, as it takes the ink better.

As this tracing linen is quite transparent, the pattern can be transferred to it at once without recourse to any other process.

It will be found less trying for the eyes to lay a piece of transparent coloured paper, or stuff, under the pattern whilst you are copying it. The Irish lace designs are almost all drawn with double lines, between which the braid is tacked on with small back stitches. We may mention at once that it is advisable to make the stitches longer on the right side than on the other, or at any rate to make them of the same length.

TACKING DOWN AND GATHERING IN THE BRAIDS (fig. 693).—Where the lines of the pattern describe a curve or a circle, the outside edge of the braid, as shown in fig. 693, must be sewn down firmly, so as to form little folds or gathers on the inside edge, which are first tacked down and then gathered in with small overcasting stitches in fine thread, so as to fit exactly to the pattern.



The stitches, made for the bars and the fillings, must never be drawn so tightly as to drag out the edges of the braids and thus spoil the outlines of the pattern. Nor should the stitches be caught into the tracing cloth, but only rest upon it.

When the embroidery is finished, turn the work the wrong side up, cut every second or third tacking stitch and pull the threads carefully out, from the wrong side, when the lace will separate itself from the backing without difficulty; it has then to be damped and ironed also on the wrong side. (See the concluding chapter on the different processes for finishing off needlework).

It is of no consequence which are made first, the bars or the fillings; we however incline to the former, more especially in the case of buttonhole bars, as they are easier to do than the fillings and once done, there is less risk of puckering or drawing the edges together, in making the fillings.

THE STITCHES.—We shall now proceed to describe a series of bars and stitches, which, if carefully studied, will serve as a preparation for making all the finer kinds of laces described in the ensuing chapter.

Without pretending to have exhausted the infinite variety of lace stitches that exists, we hope to have brought before our readers' notice a sufficiently numerous selection to satisfy all tastes and capacities.

With regard to the names, the same stitches are known by so many different ones, that excepting in the case of those universally accepted, we have disregarded them altogether and merely numbered the stitches in their order.



PLAIN TWISTED BAR (fig. 694).—Secure the thread to the braid and throw it across from one braid edge to the other, put the needle in downwards from above, and overcast the first thread, so as to form the two into a cord. If you do not make enough overcasting stitches to tighten the two threads, the bars will be loose and untidy and spoil the general appearance of the work.



DOUBLE TWISTED BAR (fig. 695).—Throw three foundation threads across the space to be filled and overcast them loosely, so that they remain visible between the stitches.

PLAIN BUTTONHOLE BAR (fig. 696).—Throw three threads across and cover them with buttonhole stitches, made from right to left.

In making this and the subsequent bars, we recommend turning the needle round and holding it as it were the reverse way, so that the eye not the point passes first under the threads; strange as it may seem, it is easier in this manner to avoid splitting the threads. The working thread should always issue from the edge of the braid, one or two threads before the foundation threads of the bar, to prevent the bars being of unequal width, or getting twisted at the beginning.

BUTTONHOLE BARS WITH PINNED PICOTS (figs. 697 and 698). After covering half, or a third of the bar with buttonhole stitches, pass the thread without making a loop, under the foundation threads, and fasten the loop with a pin, fig. 697, then slip the needle, horizontally from right to left, under the 3 threads and tighten the knot close to the last buttonhole stitch.



Fig. 698 shows a picot made in the same manner, but with several buttonhole stitches inserted between the loop and the buttonholed bar.

BAR WITH LACE PICOT (fig. 699).—Here the picot is made by bringing the thread out through the loop and beginning the buttonhole stitches, 4 or 5 in number, according to the size of the thread, quite close to the pin, so that they entirely cover the loop. The pin must be stuck in the width of 4 stitches, distant from the bar, and the foundation threads should be completely hidden under the bar.

BAR WITH PICOT MADE IN BULLION STITCH (fig. 700).—Put the needle halfway into the last buttonhole stitch, twist the thread ten or twelve times round it from left to right, draw it through and tighten the thread, so that the spiral on the thread form a semicircle, then continue the bar (see also for the bullion stitch figs. 179 and 661).

BAR WITH BUTTONHOLE PICOT (fig. 701).—Cover rather more than half the bar with buttonhole stitches, carry the thread three times to the 6th stitch and back, then buttonhole these threads that are attached to the bar in the same way as the bar itself and finish the bar in the usual way.

These buttonhole picots are generally used for edging lace; they may in their turn be adorned with small pinned picots to produce a richer effect.



BAR WITH TWO ROWS OF KNOTS (fig. 702).—Over two foundation threads, make double knots, far enough apart to leave room for the knots of the next row between.

These double knots consist, in the first place, of one plain buttonhole stitch and then one reversed, that is, made by bringing the needle out in front of the thread and passing it under the loop; the result being that the thread will lie behind the thread and not before it, as in an ordinary buttonhole stitch.



BRANCHED BARS (fig. 703).—Where you have a larger surface to cover with bars, you are generally obliged to make them with branches. For this purpose you prepare the threads as for an ordinary bar and cover them halfway with buttonhole stitches; then you carry on the foundation thread to the next bar, buttonhole it also halfway, lay the next foundation thread, and finally buttonhole all the half-covered bars till you reach the dotted line, from whence you lay the last foundation threads.

The last bar is worked over 2 or 4 threads, so that the working thread can be taken back to the edge of the braid by means of the last buttonhole stitches.



PLAIN RUSSIAN STITCH (fig. 704).—Stitches of all kinds can be used, as well as bars, for joining braids together that run parallel to each other, and for filling up the spaces between. These stitches, which serve as an insertion, are some of them very elementary, whilst others require great skill and patience to execute.

The simplest of all is the Russian stitch, which bears a great resemblance to the crossed stitch, shown in fig. 39, and the crossed back-stitch, fig. 176.

You pass the needle from left to right, under the edge of the braid, then again from right to left under the opposite edge, taking care always to leave the thread in front of the needle.



TWISTED RUSSIAN STITCH (fig. 705).—Instead of passing the needle behind the thread, pass it before it and round it, so that the needle always comes out again beneath the thread, which will then be twice twisted.



COLUMN STITCH (fig. 706).—At the bottom, the stitch is made like the plain Russian stitch, and at the top, like the one in fig. 705, with the difference that the second thread is passed three times round the first.



INSERTION OF SINGLE BUTTONHOLE STITCHES (figs. 707 and 708).—Make very loose buttonhole stitches along both edges of the braid, all the same size and the same distance apart, and vertically, opposite to each other.

When these two rows are finished, pick up each loop with Russian stitch, either single, fig. 704, or twisted, fig. 705. Fig. 708 shows the double Russian stitch made in each loop; it may be trebled or quadrupled, according to whether you wish your insertion to be very transparent or not.



INSERTION WITH BEAD STITCHES (fig. 709).—Join the opposite rows of loops together by four stitches. The threads of these stitches must lie quite flat, side by side, and not one on the top of the other. After the fourth stitch, you wind the thread round the bottom loop and then carry it on to the next, whence you repeat the four stitches as above.

CLUSTER INSERTION (fig. 710).—Over the middle of two finished plain bars and one half-finished one, a short distance apart, you make five buttonhole stitches and overcast the remainder of the third bar. The first bar of the next cluster must be set quite close to the last.

INSERTION WITH BRANCHES (figs. 711 and 712).—Throw the thread across the middle of the space between two edges of braid, and lengthways, from one end to the other, pass the needle horizontally under four or five threads of the braid, across the insertion; then carry it in a similar manner, first to the left and then to the right, take up the same number of threads of the braid and connect the three loops together by a knot, as is clearly shown in fig. 711.



Fig. 712 represents a similar beginning, and a similar interlacing of the threads, but ornamented this time with a wheel, added after the knot has been made over the loops.



INSERTION WITH LEAVES IN DARNING STITCH (fig. 713).—Fasten on the thread where, according to the illustration, the first leaf in the insertion ought to come, carry it across to the opposite side, draw it through the edge of the braid and bring it back to the point whence it started, lay threads across to both sides, like in figs. 711 and 712, unite them by a knot, such as described in fig. 711, lay the thread once more round the middle leaf, and finish the leaf in darning stitch, working downwards from the top, as described in the preceding chapter in figs. 646 and 647. As may be seen from the second middle leaf, your darning stitches have to be made over five threads, subdivided into two and three.



INSERTION WITH SMALL WHEELS (fig. 714).—Here, you have to make two rows of Russian stitches opposite each other and carry the thread to the point of intersection, then, you make a wheel over five threads and pass the needle under the completed wheel to reach the next point of intersection. Half wheels may also be added at the edge of the braid, as in figs. 658 and 659.



INSERTION WITH BIG WHEELS (fig. 715).—Carry the thread horizontally across the middle of the space intended for the insertion, to the opposite side, and then conduct it by means of overcasting stitches into the corner; thence make a loose loop over to the opposite corner, pass the needle under six or eight threads of the braid edge, slip it under the horizontal thread first laid and behind the loop, and finish the stitch on the other side in the edge of the braid.

Throw the thread again across the empty space and over the first thread, bring your needle back to the middle, make a big wheel over four threads, passing each time under the same threads, then overcast the single thread, come back to the edge of the braid and make the second loop, bringing out the thread at the same place where the other stitches came out.

INSERTION WITH CONES (figs. 716 and 717).—Over plain but very distended Russian stitch, make darning stitches backwards and forwards, beginning at the point and reaching to the middle, so as to form small cone-shaped figures.

To reach the point of the next cone you overcast the thread of the Russian stitch several times.

You may also, as in fig. 717, double the Russian stitch and make the darning stitches in such a manner that the points of the cones touch each other and their bases meet the edge of the braid. The same thing, worked the reverse way, that is, with the points turned outwards to the edge, produces a not less pretty effect.



INSERTION WITH EMBROIDERED SQUARES (fig. 718).—After making rows of loose buttonhole stitches along the braid edges, as in figs. 707, 708, 709, run a thread through the buttonhole stitches; this thread serves as the foundation to the Russian stitches by which the two edges are joined together. The empty square space left between the Russian stitches is then filled up with buttonhole stitches, like those in fig. 651, in the foregoing chapter.



INSERTION WITH HALF BARS (fig. 719).—Fasten on the thread in one of the corners of the braid and conduct it by means of overcasting stitches to the middle of the insertion, draw it through the edge of the braid on the right and make buttonhole stitches over it, to the middle of the space to be filled, then carry the thread to the left, draw it through the left edge, a little higher up than on the other side, and make the same number of stitches over it as over the first. You can vary this insertion with very good result by making more stitches on one side than on the other, but it should never be more than 10 or 12 stitches wide.



PLAIN NET STITCH. FIRST LACE STITCH (fig. 720).—Make rows of buttonhole stitches to and fro, loose enough to form loops into which the stitches of each subsequent row are set. You must be careful to make the same number of stitches in all the spaces that are of the same size, and also, when you begin a row with a whole stitch, to begin the return row with a half, and so on, in regular rotation.

The number of stitches should vary with the width of the pattern and the decreasing and increasing should always be done at the edge.

The loops must be as many threads of the braid edge long, as they are wide.



DOUBLE NET STITCH. SECOND LACE STITCH (fig. 721).—You leave the same distance between the stitches here as in the preceding figure, but in each of the loops of the first row, you must make two buttonhole stitches close together. It is as well to round the loop a little less than is usually done in net stitch.



THIRD LACE STITCH (fig. 722).—Here, you make three buttonhole stitches close together, joined to the next three by a loop of thread, just long enough to hold the three buttonhole stitches of the subsequent row.



FOURTH LACE STITCH (fig. 723).—Working from left to right, make two buttonhole stitches rather near together, and leave twice as long a loop between them and the next two stitches as between the two first.

In the next row, which is worked from right to left, make one stitch in the loop between the two stitches that are close together and three or four in the long loop.



FIFTH LACE STITCH (fig. 724).—As in fig. 723, you begin this stitch from left to right, but making three stitches very close together with an intermediate loop as long as the three stitches in one.

In the second row, you make one buttonhole stitch in each of the loops between the three stitches and six or eight in the long intermediate loop.



SIXTH LACE STITCH (fig. 725).—Over wide loops, made from left to right in the first row, make in the second, enough buttonhole stitches entirely to cover the thread.

In the third row of stitches, put the needle into the small loop between two sets of buttonhole stitches, so that the close stitches shall form vertical lines across the surface they cover.

This stitch admits of every sort of modification, such as, for instance, making the third row of stitches on the buttonhole stitches, in the middle of the ones on the small loop; or making one row of close stitches first, and then three open rows; in the former case you should always make an uneven number of buttonhole stitches, so that you have the same number on both sides of the needle, which you must put in between the two threads that form the middle buttonhole stitch.



SEVENTH LACE STITCH (fig. 726).—Begin, working from right to left, by making one row of pairs of buttonhole stitches, a very short distance apart; in the second row you make one buttonhole stitch between each of these pairs, and in the third row, two buttonhole stitches in every long loop. Here, the stitches must not be crowded together but have a small gap left between them.



EIGHTH LACE STITCH (fig. 727).—This stitch is generally known as the "pea-stitch" on account of the holes occasioned by the different distribution of the stitches.

The first row consists of stitches, set rather closely together, and all the same distance apart. In the second row, you make one buttonhole stitch in the last stitch of the first row, then, missing two loops and three buttonhole stitches, you make two stitches in the next loops and so on. In the third row, you make three stitches in the big loop, and one in the loop between the stitches of the second row.



NINTH, AND TENTH LACE STITCH (figs. 728 and 729).—Both, the small and the big pointed groups of stitches, begin with a row of close buttonhole stitches.

Fig. 728 requires three rows; in the second you miss two stitches and make two in the next loops; in the third, only one stitch is introduced between the two loops of the lower row.

Fig. 729 requires five rows. The stitches of the first must be set as closely together as possible; in the second row you make four stitches and miss two of the first row, in the third row you make three stitches, in the fourth, two and in the fifth, one only. The long loops of the last row must not be too slack so that the first stitches of the next scallop may quite cover them.



ELEVENTH LACE STITCH (fig. 730).—This stitch is not really more difficult to work than those we have been describing, but requires rather more attention to learn.

The first row consists of plain net stitches; in the second, you have three buttonhole stitches in the middle net stitch; in the third, three buttonhole stitches in the whole loops on either side of the three buttonhole stitches of the second row, and one stitch in the half loops that precede and immediately follow them; the fourth row is similar to the second.

In the fifth row the close stitches are changed. The three buttonhole stitches are made in the third whole loop, before and after those of the fourth row, so that between two groups of three stitches you have six single buttonhole stitches and seven loops.



TWELFTH LACE STITCH (fig. 731).—Fasten on your thread, take it by overcasting stitches over the braid edge, half a c/m. from the corner, and make three buttonhole stitches downwards, quite close together. The next loops, over four or six threads of the braid, must be left long enough to be on a level with the first stitch reaching downwards from the edge.

In the second row, you cover the long loops with three buttonhole stitches and draw the intervening thread quite tight.

The third row is like the first, with the difference, that you put the needle in between the two threads of the buttonhole stitch, instead of through the loops.



THIRTEENTH LACE STITCH (fig. 732).—The stitch here represented, as well as the two next ones are looped from left to right and then again from right to left.

As it is more unusual to make the loops from left to right than the reverse way, the proper position of the needle and the course of the thread are shown in the illustrations.

Fig. 732 requires, in the first place, two buttonhole stitches very close together in the edge of the braid, then a third stitch covering the two first stitches and set quite close to them; the connecting thread between these stitches must be tightly stretched so as to lie almost vertically, that the stitches may form straight lines.



FOURTEENTH LACE STITCH (fig. 733).—This begins, likewise, with two buttonhole stitches, above which you make two buttonhole stitches instead of one, as in fig. 732, producing an open ground with vertical bars.