il. On a dark material one must use Chinese white, to which it
is well to add, not only a little gum (arabic), but a trace of ox-gall,
to make it work easily. One gets by this method naturally rather a
rotten line upon the ground-stuff, but it is enough for all practical
purposes.

[Sidenote: KEEPING CLEAN.]

Delicate work is easily rubbed and soiled in the working. It is only
reasonable precaution to protect it by a veil or covering of thin, soft,
white glazed lining, tacked round the edges on to the stuff. On this you
mark the four lines inclosing the actual embroidery, and, cutting
through three of them, you have a flap of lining, which you raise and
turn back when you are at work. If the work is very delicate, you may
make instead of one flap a succession of little ones; but you see then
only a portion of your work at a time, and cannot so well judge its
effect.

[Sidenote: STARTING AND FINISHING.]

In starting work, do not begin by making a knot in your thread; run a
few stitches (presently to be worked over) on the right side of the
stuff. In finishing, you run them at the back of the stuff; for greater
security still, one may end with a buttonhole-stitch.

[Sidenote: PUCKERING.]

There is less danger of puckering the stuff if you hold it over two
fingers (at least), keeping it taut and the thread loose.

Working without a frame, it often comes handiest to hold the stuff
askew, and there is a natural inclination to pull it in that direction.
This temptation must be resisted, or puckering is sure to result.

[Sidenote: DOUBLE THREAD.]

In working with double silk or wool, it is better not to double back a
single thread, but to pass two separate threads through the eye of the
needle. The four threads (where these are turned back near the eye) make
way through the stuff for the double thread, which passes easily;
moreover, the thread by this means is not pulled too tight, and the
effect is richer.

The stitch wants always adaptation to the work it has to do. In working
a curved line, for example, say in herring-bone-stitch, one is bound
always to take up a larger piece of stuff on its outside than on its
inner edge.

When a thread runs short, it is better not to go on working with it, but
to take another; and in finishing off, remember to run the thread in the
direction opposite to that from which you are going to run the new one.
In starting the new stitch, you naturally bring your needle out as if it