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TOILE CIRÉE is only a substitute for
leather, and is not as pleasant to work upon in warm weather.
The needles employed are usually
Messrs. Walker's needles, Nos. 9 and 10. The scissors should be small,
sharp, and pointed, as in illustration No. 425. An ivory thimble may
be safely employed in this light work.
The BRAIDS are of various widths and
kinds. None but pure linen braid should be employed; those with
machine-made edgings are eschewed by many lace-workers, the plain,
loose-woven linen braid of various widths and qualities being alone
acceptable to experienced hands.
But all ladies do not care to be at
the trouble of edging the braid, and will find Nos. 426, 428, 430, and
431 very useful. No. 429 is a plain linen braid with a vandyked edge,
which works out very prettily. No. 431 is an edged braid with open
holes, in imitation of the point lace work of the fifteenth century.
Point lace cords resemble the satin
stitch embroidery in their close, regular smoothness; the price is 1s.
per hank, and they are of various thicknesses, from the size of a
coarse crochet thread up to that of a thick piping cord. These cords
are used to ornament the braid, and are closely sewn on the braid,
following its every outline, and serve as beading to the
edging, being always sewn on the outer edge alone. The finer kinds of
this cord are used in place of braid where very light work is needed,
as in the point lace alphabet which forms the frontispiece of this
work. Directions for laying on the cord when employed as braid are
given on page 500. When used as a finish only, and to impart the
raised appearance of Venice and Spanish lace, it is fixed on the braid
by plain, close sewing. The thread used should be Mecklenburg linen
thread; that of Messrs. Walter Evans and Co. we strongly recommend as
being of pure linen, washing and wearing well; it is pleasant to work
with, from the regularity and evenness of the make. The numbers run
thus:--2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 30, 36, and 40--and
will be found adapted for every kind of lace stitch. No. 2 is the
coarsest, No. 40 the finest, size.
In working point lace the following
directions must be attended to: Begin at the left hand, and work from
left to right, when not otherwise directed, as in reverse rows. Before
cutting off the braid run a few stitches across it to prevent it
widening. Joins should be avoided, but when a join is indispensable,
stitch the braid together, open and turn back the ends, and stitch
each portion down separately. When passing the thread from one part to
another, run along the centre of the braid, allowing the stitches to
show as little as possible. In commencing, make a few stitches,
leaving the end of the thread on the wrong side and cutting it off
afterwards. In fastening off, make a tight button-hole stitch, run on
three stitches, bring the needle out at the back, and cut off.
Having now completed our list of
materials, we can proceed to lay on the braid. |
