lacing the pins at right angles to the edge. The folded
edges or selvages are placed together, the right side of the goods
being in. Do not use a knot to begin sewing, but leave the knot end of
the thread and sew it in with the first stitches, carrying the thread on
top of the seam. To finish off the seam, overhand back over the last few
stitches.

[Sidenote: Position in Overhanding]

In sewing this seam, the goods should be held between the thumb and
first finger of the left hand parallel with the chest, not over the end
of finger. Point the needle towards the left shoulder, thus giving a
slanting stitch. Care should be taken not to pucker or draw the seam.
When the seam is finished, it should be opened and pressed flat.

[Sidenote: Overcasting]

(7) Overcasting is a slanting stitch used to keep raw edges from
ravelling. This stitch, like oversewing, may be worked from right to
left or from left to right.

The hem stitch and blind or slip stitch will be considered under hems.

ORNAMENTAL STITCHES

Never use a knot in any embroidery, but start by running a few stitches
along the line which is to be covered.

[Sidenote: Outline Stitch]

(1) The outline stitch is the simplest of all embroidery stitches. Take
a long stitch on the surface, with the needle pointing towards the chest
in the line to be covered, and a short back stitch on the under side of
the material. The effect of the under or wrong side of the material is
exactly that of an ordinary back stitch. The beauty of this stitch
depends upon its regularity and in always keeping the thread on the
same side of the needle.

[Illustration: ORNAMENTAL STITCHES

_a_--Outline; _b_--Chain; _c_--Cat; _c'_--Catch; _d_--Single Feather;
_e_--Double Feather; _f_--Tripple Feather; _g_--Modified Feather;
_h_--Double Feather with Knots; _i_--French Knots and Outline;
_j_--Herring Bone; _k_--Fancy Feather; _l_--Cat Stitch with French
Knots.]

[Sidenote: Chain Stitch]

(2) The chain stitch when perfectly done should look like the stitch
made by a single-thread machine. This stitch is made by taking the
thread toward the worker, and before the needle is drawn out of the
cloth the thread is held by the thumb under the point of the needle, as
in a buttonhole, making a loop. The needle is inserted in the last loop
for the next stitch. The chain stitch is used in modern embroidery as an
outline and for darning, but in old embroidery, the outline and chain
stitches