_APPLIED WORK WITH EMBROIDERY._
Appliqué, as it is usually called, is the most simple kind of
decorative needlework, being nothing more than a pattern cut out of
one material and transferred on another. It must, of course, like
all fancy-work, be neatly done, with no rough edges or mis-matching
figures, and embroidery of some kind is used as a finish; but the same
amount of skill and practice is not required as in other artistic work.
When properly done, it is very rich and effective; and it recommends
itself by the charming results produced with comparatively little
labor. The materials may be of almost any kind; but it is necessary
that the ornamental part should harmonize with the foundation. One
would not think, for instance, of applying velvet on cotton, or
linen--while on satin, it makes the richest kind of applied work.
Appliqué may be fine or coarse according to the purpose for which it is
intended; if fine, it is safer to put it in a frame before beginning
the work. If the groundwork is velvet, satin, or silk, holland should
be stretched in a frame, and the design drawn upon it and upon the
velvet or other material; they should then be pasted together, and cut
out with a sharp pair of scissors. Cloth and commoner materials do
not require this “backing,” as it is called; but may be cut after the
pattern is traced, and pasted directly on the groundwork.
The gum, or paste, used for this purpose should be as thick and dry as
possible, for fear of its coming through and staining the material; and
before pasting on cloth or velvet, it will be well to lay the pieces
down where they are to be fastened, and view them from various points
to see that the pile always goes the same way--or a different shade of
color will be the result.
When the material is particularly delicate, isinglass is used instead
of paste; and the piece applied should be very carefully smoothed
before it is left to dry--as a curved or cross-cut piece is apt to get
out of its proper curves or to stretch too much.
With a complicated design, the pattern should be traced on the
material, and the duplicate parts numbered that they may fit perfectly
together. One way of fastening the edges down is to button-hole them
with a lighter or darker shade of silk than the material applied. The
veins of leaves are defined by long stitches, also of a lighter or
darker shade.
In the commoner kinds of appliqué, cloth, for instance, on duck, or
Turkish towelling, or on cloth of another color, basting will generally
answer the purpose of keeping the pattern securely in its place.
Magnificent work is done in appliqué; curtains of gold-colored satin
with garnet velvet leaves--the edges defined with a white cord, in
which a little blue was mingled; cushions of Moorish arabesques,
scarlet velvet on white satin--the velvet edged with gold braid;
mantel-lambrequins of brown velvet figures on a groundwork of
dead-gold; these suggest endless variations, which a little taste and
some eye for color may make beautiful in the extreme.
[Illustration: Fig. 51.--BORDER IN APPLIQUÉ.]
Ivy leaves are especially satisfactory in this kind of work; and so is
any large, clearly-defined figure. The accompanying illustration will
be found useful for a bordering. The leaves and flowers are made of
crimson cloth--the stems and veinings of black embroidery silk. This
would be very effective on a gray ground; but any color both of cloth
and silk may be used. It would be particularly pretty for a basket or a
table-cover.
Our next illustration is
A LAMBREQUIN IN APPLIQUÉ.
Beautiful combinations may be made with white, scarlet, and blue
cloth, embroidered with black, gold-colored, and maroon silks, in
feather-stitch and point-russe--which are the principal stitches used
in this kind of work. For small lambrequins, to decorate baskets and
brackets, such combinations are very effective; and the illustration
shows a particularly pretty one.
[Illustration: Fig. 52.]
[Illustration: Fig. 53.]
The upper part of the lambrequin is of white cloth cut in points,
and pinked in a small pointed pattern; the under part, of which the
points are larger and pinked in scallops, is of garnet color. On
the white points are star-like flowers with buds of blue cloth; and
on the claret-colored ones, the same in pink cloth--ornamented with
point-russe stitches of silk to match. The middle of each flower is
a round piece of yellow cloth fastened with point-russe stitches of
red silk. The stems and sprays are done in stalk, chain, and feather
stitches of light green silk.
[Illustration: Fig. 54.]
The dark points have, near the pinking, a line of twisted button-hole
stitches in maize-colored silk--and the light points have a similar
line of red silk. Both are also ornamented with steel beads.
A handsome tobacco pouch may be made from the illustrations, which
represent the two patterns used--each side being duplicated.
Four such pieces are cut out of crimson or scarlet cloth, and worked
in appliqué. In the first one, the chain-stitch border (not the outer
edge) is worked with green silk. The knot from which the different
articles are suspended is done with black silk; the cigar-case is of
yellow cloth; the cigars worked in satin-stitch with brown silk. The
case has two bands of chain-stitch in blue silk, and is edged all round
with button-hole stitch in the same color. The pipes are of white
cloth shaded with long stitches of gray silk, and edged with yellow.
The upper part of the pouch is of blue cloth, with a white silk edging
and yellow dots; the under part of brown cloth, with black edging and
a pattern worked in chain-stitch with white; the three tassels are
embroidered with black and yellow silk.
In the second pattern, the outer border is yellow, the knots black;
the small pattern at the top is of blue cloth edged with yellow; the
pipes of white cloth edged with blue and shaded with gray. The bundle
of cigars is of brown cloth shaded with black stitches, and fastened on
with double rows of chain-stitch in yellow silk. The cigar-case is of
light green cloth edged with white; the Grecian pattern and dots are
embroidered over it with white silk also.
To make the pouch up, join the four pieces together by seams--which are
concealed by gold braid; cut out also and join four similar pieces of
white kid for the lining; fasten this to the outside at the top only.
Sew small brass rings around the top, and run a double piece of crimson
silk cord through them. Put silk tassels of various colors at the
bottom of the pouch and at each of its four corners.
Appropriate devices for needlebooks, work-baskets, toilet-boxes, etc.,
may be made from these suggestions; and there is no reason why the
small articles in daily use should not be as complete and artistic in
their way as more pretentious undertakings. Many who cannot attempt
large pieces of work will appreciate these small patterns.
Figure 55 gives a quarter of a very handsome lamp-mat in application
and embroidery.
The foundation is a square piece of olive-green cloth, on which is
applied a rim of pale-blue cloth two inches wide. The edge is bordered
with a thread of dark-blue and light-brown double zephyr worsted, which
is overcast on the foundation with fawn-colored silk floss.
Having transferred the outlines of the design to the rim and to the
olive-green cloth foundation, as shown in the illustration, work the
buds in the centre of the foundation with pale pink and light yellow
bourette worsted--and the calyxes with réséda worsted, in two shades,
in diagonal button-hole stitch; the loops of which meet in the middle
of each leaf, forming the vein. The vines are worked in herring-bone
stitch with old gold-colored filling silk. Chain stitches of similar
silk define the stems.
On the blue cloth, the flowers are worked with pink and yellow bourette
worsted in two shades; and the leaves and calyxes with olive and réséda
worsted, in several shades, in diagonal button-hole stitch. The vines
and stems are worked in chain-stitch with yellowish-brown filling
silk in three shades. The calyxes are defined with satin-stitches of
light-yellow filling silk, which are edged with chain-stitches of
dark-yellow silk.
[Illustration: Fig. 55.--DESIGN FOR LAMP
MATS.--APPLICATION EMBROIDERY.]
The rim is embroidered in point-russe with light-brown double zephyr
worsted in the manner shown in the illustration. For the trimming on
the outer edge of the mat, overcast a thread of yellow-brown and a
thread of light yellow double zephyr worsted in double rows with dark
and light yellow silk floss on the foundation in scallops--fill the
interval with knotted stitches of pale pink worsted, and border the
scallops alternately with a long and a short button-hole stitch of
old-gold-colored filling silk. Trim the pinked edge of the foundation
with tassels of worsted in the colors of the embroidery.
[Illustration: Fig. 56.--APPLICATION BORDER.]
These pretty borders may also be used as strips for afghans and
chair-covers.
For Figure 56, a strip of blue cloth an inch and a quarter wide is
placed on a foundation of écru linen; and through the middle is run a
white braid with horizontal stitches of green, vertical stitches of
yellow-brown, and cross-stitches of pink worsted. The blue strip is
bordered on both sides with dark-green worsted braid, sewed on with
a cross-stitch of light-green worsted, which is wound with maroon
worsted. Diagonal stitches of light and dark red worsted, crossed with
horizontal stitches of dark-blue worsted, border the braid on the
outside.
The border in Figure 57 is made also of écru linen, on which
claret-colored braid three-quarters of an inch wide is basted. On the
latter, dark-green braid a quarter of an inch wide is fastened with a
cross seam of white split filling silk, caught down with black. The
crossed stitches on the inner edge of the maroon braid are in blue and
gold--the point-russe stitches beyond in scarlet and black.
In the middle of the border, apply round pieces of white cloth with
point-russe stitches of green silk; and connect them with vertical
stitches of maroon, which are fastened on the foundation at the middle
with cross stitches of the same color.
KEY-BAG IN APPLIQUÉ AND EMBROIDERY.
Both sides of this handsome key-bag are given in Figures 58 and 59. It
is made of gray kid and lined with gray silk.
On one side is embroidered a key formed of poppies, with their leaves
and stems and at the top of the key is perched an owl. The poppies are
worked with five shades of blue-green silk; the plumage of the owl with
four shades of brown silk--the shades all blending almost imperceptibly
together. The owl’s eyes are worked in scarlet and white silk.
The other side of the bag has appliqué figures of steel-colored silk
in the form of a Gothic lock. They may be edged either with gold cord
or with fine gray silk cord. The screens are done in satin-stitch with
silver-gray silk.
After lining each side, the two parts of the bag are joined with
a border of gray ribbon, continued around the whole as in the
illustrations. It is stitched on with fine gray silk. The bag is
fastened with a steel button and a silk loop.
[Illustration: Fig 57.--APPLICATION BORDER.]
Figures 60 and 61 are rich border patterns suitable for table-covers,
mats, and brackets. The embroidery is in button-hole, point-russe
stitches and knots; the veinings of the leaves in Figure 60 in
stalk-stitch and long embroidery stitch. The colors can be arranged to
suit the taste of the worker.
SILK APPLIQUÉ WORK.
This is principally used for flowers and leaves; and when care is taken
in shading, the effect is almost if not quite equal to embroidery.
The pansy is one of the easiest flowers to imitate in this way--the two
upper petals being made of purple silk, and the lower ones of violet,
or yellow; with the edges button-holed round, and a few long stitches
put in by way of veining.
[Illustration: Fig. 58.]
Rose petals may he beautifully done by selecting silk of the prevailing
hue of the petal, and shading with fine embroidery or split filling
silk. Stalks and tendrils, and leaf-veinings are worked with embroidery
silk.
[Illustration: Fig. 59.]
A cluster of apple-blossoms is very pretty in this kind of work; and
may be done on a ground of pale-blue, gray, or olive. Satin or velvet
would make a very handsome foundation. So delicate a piece of work
should be done with great care; and besides the edging in button-hole
and the long stitches in embroidery-silk, delicate shading is done with
filling silk.
The main steins and tendrils are worked in stalk-stitch with green
and brown embroidery-silk; where the stems join flower or bud,
and for other little finishing touches, satin-stitch is used. The
centres of the blossoms are of yellow silk in knot-stitch and common
embroidery-stitch.
[Illustration: Fig. 60.--BORDER IN APPLIQUÉ.]
Silk is sometimes applied on lace with good effect; and the finest
specimen known of this work is the beautiful shawl made for the
Empress Eugénie, and for some time past on exhibition at Stewart’s.
Seen through its glass-case, it is a marvel of coloring and truth to
nature; the roses almost perfume the air, and the graceful droop of the
wisteria in the centre is perfect. This piece of art-needlework fully
deserves its name, and is valued at $100,000; but it is a question if
all that weary labor with those minute pieces of silk (so joined on
the under side that the points of meeting can be seen only through a
magnifying-glass), to say nothing of the cobweb-lace foundation (also
hand-made), could possibly be remunerated with money.
CRETONNE-WORK.
The subject of appliqué could not be exhausted without some reference
to this popular branch of it--which, when new, was considered the most
bewitching fancy-work ever invented.
The most desirable flowers and figures for cretonne-work are to be
found in the fine, soft, French cretonne; and the most tiresome part of
the work is that which has to be done first--the careful cutting out
of these figures with a sharp pair of scissors. They are then to be
gummed, or fastened with a few stitches done with fine cotton on the
foundation. Much basting is not desirable, as it pulls the material and
frays the applied work.
Black satin is a very effective foundation for cretonne-work, as it
throws out all the bright and delicate colors; and farmer’s-satin
answers very nicely. Soft gray and blue silesia are often very
satisfactory for this purpose; and a work-basket, made by the writer,
of gray silesia, with pink rosebuds and leaves in cretonne-work on each
panel, and lined with blue silesia, quite exceeded her expectations.
[Illustration: Fig. 61.--BORDER IN APPLIQUÉ.]
Workers differ about the best methods of doing cretonne application;
some suggesting for the edge a loose button-hole of rather fine silk,
on the plea that this prevents raggedness and answers the purpose of
making the work subservient to the application. But the most approved
method is to treat the cretonne merely as a design and a guide to
color--covering the flowers and leaves almost entirely with split floss
and embroidery silk. A thick outline in satin stitch secures the edges;
and the leaves besides being veined are frequently ornamented with
small French knots, or short back-stitches. Flower-centres are done in
French knots.
Chairs and mantels may be handsomely ornamented by a rich stripe
of cretonne-work in pink or red roses on a black satin ground; and
table-cover borderings may be made in the same way, and attached to
the main body. Sofa-cushions, foot-rests, portfolios, and many other
things, may be decorated in the same way.
The simpler kinds of appliqué-work have been made very common by
the immense number of animals, insects, and figures, such as were
never seen in earth, air, or sea, exposed for sale in all the fancy
shops, and offering easy inducements to amateurs to fasten them in
almost any way upon whatever material their fancy might dictate. The
Turkish-towelling fever raged throughout the length and breadth of
the land; and although a little of this work, when well done, is very
effective, especially in a cottage parlor, it has been carried to such
an excess and much of it so bunglingly done, that there is a very
general pushing of it aside for something newer.
Dragons and Chinamen, the most popular figures for this kind of
work, were never known to infest Turkey; and whatever else we are
in fancy-work, it is desirable to be harmonious. Rich arabesques in
colored cloth of the true Oriental hues, edged with black to give them
greater brilliancy on the pale brown groundwork, would be far more in
character; and the inevitable ruche of scarlet braid should be toned
down to a more quiet red, or whatever color is most suitable as the
key-note.
We may be artistic even with Turkish-towelling and cloth application;
but unless we _are_ this, let us not be ornamental.
CRAPE PICTURES IN APPLIQUÉ.
Among the newest materials for application-work, are those preposterous
representations on a ground of crinkly material known as Chinese
pictures. These are of various sizes, and are found now in most of the
fancy stores; and although they usually defy all the rules of reason
and of color, they are, nevertheless, highly ornamental.
One of these works of art is before us now, divided into four
compartments by bands of bright yellow, and tending generally to
ornithology on original principles. Two skies are pink, one green, and
one yellow; surrounded by the pink sky, a small bird of the sparrow
order, with notoriously short legs and unwebbed feet, is walking at
ease on some lead-colored water, while a small forest of foliage
springs apparently from his back; under the yellow sky, a maize-colored
bird on an inky bough opens his mouth evidently at a mulberry a few
feet below him. Nemesis is upon him, however, in the shape of a
silkworm that is attempting to climb his back. The best that can be
said of the mulberries is that they are deeply, darkly, unmistakably
purple; and we know them for mulberries because they _are_ purple,
and because the green leaf cannot be intended for anything else.
The other divisions are perfectly harmonious; and as an art-study, this
“bit of color” would not be recommended. Skilfully applied, however,
and “touched up” with embroidery, it would be found very ornamental.
Many of these pictures have Chinese or Japanese figures on them; and
the confused coloring is best brought out by a frame-work of black
velvet ribbon. They make pretty tidies sewn on gray Java canvas, with a
bordering of black velvet from two to three inches wide embroidered in
feather-stitch--and beyond that an equal width of the canvas worked in
a sort of mosaic pattern in point-russe with floss-silks--then a fringe
of the canvas, with the different colored silks mixed in, about two
inches deep.
Lace is often used as a trimming for these tidies, but it is very
unsuitable. Long embroidery stitches of silk, as in cretonne-work,
improve these pictures very much; and many of them are so
brightly-colored in themselves, that they are as decorative as Chinese
fans. They may be used for a variety of purposes; and appliquéd on
black velveteen, make handsome hangings for mantels.
LINEN APPLIQUÉ.
Handsome embroidery is sometimes done by working the design on linen,
and then applying it to richer materials. The embroidery, when
finished, is “backed” by paper before taking it from the frame, to give
it firmness; when quite dry, it is taken out and cut carefully round
the figures with a sharp pair of scissors, leaving about a sixteenth of
an inch as a margin. It must then be laid on the material and tacked
down, if the latter is loose--if it is framed, the piece of embroidery
should be fastened on it by small pins thrust perpendicularly through
it. It must then be more fully secured by sewing it over in small
stitches.
The linen edge is covered by a gold or silver cord, fastened down with
fine silk matching the cord in color. It is well to paint the back of
the embroidery with paste, that the ends of silk may be secured.
A great deal of Eastern embroidery has the look of applied work--being
done in the long embroidery-stitch in regular lines from east to west,
or _across_ the shape to be filled, instead of from north to
south; no attempt being made to follow the natural lines of the leaf or
flower.
This style has a rich effect in purely conventional forms, but is not
suitable for floral designs; a line of black or gold around the figures
is nearly always used. We saw some Cretan work lately, that was several
hundred years old, done in this way with silk and a sort of flat gold
thread on coarse linen; and the effect was very gorgeous.