--The half
finished flower, represented here, was copied from a handsome piece of
ecclesiastical embroidery enriched with ornament of this kind. The three
foregoing stitches and a fourth, are employed in its composition. The
finished portions on the left hand side, are executed in silver and gold
purl, whilst the egg-shaped heart of the flower is formed of transverse
threads, carried over the first padding, and secured by a stitch between
the two cords. In the subsequent row, the catching stitch is set between
the cords, over which the first gold threads were carried.

[Illustration: FIG. 251. CONVENTIONAL FLOWER WORKED ON A CORD
FOUNDATION. MATERIALS.--For padding: Cordonnet 6 fils D.M.C Nos. 1 to 5
or Fil a pointer D.M.C No. 10.--For sewing on the gold thread and purl:
Soie de coton D.M.C No. 50 or 70, Fil a dentelle D.M.C on reels Nos. 25
to 50.[A]]

The heavier the design is, the thicker your padding should be, and cords
a good deal thicker than those which are represented in the drawing
should be used, as the more light and shade you can introduce into
embroidery of this kind, the greater will be its beauty and value.

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.

[Illustration: INSERTION IN CROSS STITCH, ALIKE ON BOTH SIDES, THE
PATTERN LEFT BLANK.]

Tapestry and Linen Embroidery.

Tapestry is one of the oldest kinds of needlework and one which has
always been popular every where.

There are two distinct sorts of canvas in use for tapestry, called
respectively, 'plain (single thread) canvas', and 'Penelope (double
thread) canvas'. The latter is generally preferred, because it is easier
to count the stitches upon it, but both make an equally good foundation
for the embroidery, as the following examples will show.

Besides canvas, other fabrics bearing a close resemblance to it, are
often used, especially Java linen, the close texture of which renders
grounding unnecessary.

Cloth, velvet or plush can also be overlaid with canvas, the threads of
which are pulled away after the pattern is finished. For work of this
kind, we however prefer a material with less dressing, such as a twisted
tammy, or Colbert linen, because the pulling out of the harsh rough
threads of the canvas is very apt to injure the material beneath.

Stitches, worked upon two stuffs, must be drawn very tight, or they wi