the appearance of gold lace.

A good example of outline (single thread) in gold is given in
Illustration 59, part of an Italian housing, which reminds one both in
effect and in design of damascening, to which it is in some respects
equivalent; only, instead of gold and silver wire beaten into black iron
or steel, we have gold and silver thread sewn on to dark velvet. The
design recalls also the French bookbindings of the period of Henri II.,
in which the tooled ornament was precisely of this character. The
resemblance is none the less that an occasional detail is worked more
solidly; but, in the main, this is outline work, and a beautiful example
of it. The art in work of that kind is, of course, largely in the
design. Gold thread work in spiral forms has very much the effect of
filagree in gold wire.

The next step is where the cords of gold enclose little touches of
embroidery in coloured floss, as in Illustration 91. These have the
value of so many jewels or bits of bright enamel. In fact, just as
outline work in simple gold thread resembles damascening or filagree, so
this outlining of little spaces of coloured silk suggests enamel. The
cord of the embroiderer answers to the cloisons of the enameller, the
surfaces of shining floss to the films of vitreous enamel.

[Illustration: 59. COUCHED OUTLINE WORK.]

Applique embroidery is constantly edged with gold or silver thread. An
effective, if rather rude, example of this, the thread here again
double, is given in Illustration 60.

In couching more than one thread at a time there is a difficulty in
turning the angles. The threads give, of necessity, only gently rounded
forms. To get anything like a sharp point, you must stop short with the
inner thread before reaching the extreme turning point, and take it up
again on your way back. What applies to two threads, applies of course
still more forcibly to three.

The colour with which gold thread is sewn is a question of considerable
importance. If the stitches are close enough together to make solid
work, they give a flush of colour to the gold. Advantage is commonly
taken of this both in mediaeval and Oriental work to warm the tint by
sewing it down with red. The Chinese will even work with a deeper and a
paler red to get two coppery shades. White stitching pales the gold,
yellow modifies it least, green cools it, and blue makes it greener. The
closer the stitches, the deeper the tint, of course.

[Illustration: