ting to help him out. But there is danger
in calling in auxiliaries. It is best to design with a view to the
method of work to be employed, and to keep within its limits. To worry
the surface of applied, inlaid, or cut stuff with finnikin stitchery, is
practically to confess either the inadequacy of the design or the
fidgetiness of the worker. It should need, as a rule, no such
enrichment.

EMBROIDERY IN RELIEF.

Embroidery being work _upon_ a stuff, it is inevitably raised, however
imperceptibly, above the surface of it. But there is a charm in the
unevenness of surface and texture thus produced; and the aim has
consequently often been to make the difference of level between
ground-stuff and embroidery more appreciable by UNDERLAY or padding of
some kind. The abuse of this kind of thing need not blind us to the
advantages it offers.

There are various ways of raising embroidery, the principal of which are
illustrated on the sampler overleaf.

[Sidenote: TO WORK A (66).]

In sprig A the underlay is of closely-woven cloth, darker in colour than
would be advisable except for the purpose of showing what it is: it is
as well in the ordinary way to choose a cloth more or less of the colour
the embroidery is to be. The cloth is cut with sharp scissors carefully
to shape, but a little within the outline, and pasted on to the linen.
When perfectly dry, it is worked over with thick corded silk couched in
the ordinary way.

[Sidenote: TO WORK B.]

The raised line at B reveals the way the stem in Illustration 86 was
worked. Two cords of smooth string (macrame, for example) are twisted
and tacked in place. Over this floss is worked in close satin-stitch.

[Sidenote: TO WORK C.]

In sprig C the underlay is of parchment, lightly stitched in place. The
use of a double underlay in parts gives additional relief. The
embroidery upon this (in slightly twisted silk) is in satin-stitch.

[Sidenote: TO WORK D.]

The leaf shapes at D are padded with cotton wool, cut out as nearly as
possible to the shape required, and tacked down with fine cotton. They
are then worked over with floss in satin-stitch. The stalks are not
padded with cotton wool, but first worked with crewel wool, which, being
soft and elastic, forms an excellent ground for working over in floss
silk.

[Sidenote: TO WORK E.]

In working a stalk like that at E, you first lay down a double layer of
soft, thick cotton, and then work over it with flatter co