ique was in universal use, and not confined
merely to wall hangings, quilts, and bed draperies. It was used to
ornament all kinds of wearing apparel, including caps, gloves, and
shoes. Special designs were made for upholstery, but because of the
hard wear imposed upon stools and chairs but few specimens of this
work have been preserved.

Quilting also came into vogue in the making of bedspreads, of which
great numbers were required during the winter nights in the poorly
heated bedrooms. The quilts intended for service were made of
substantial, well-wearing material. None of these strictly utilitarian
quilts is left, but they were certainly plentiful. The old chroniclers
give us a glimpse of what the women of these days cherished by telling
us that in 1540 Katherine Howard, afterward wife of Henry VIII, was
presented with twenty-three quilts of Sarsenet, closely quilted, from
the Royal Wardrobe.

Tradition says that, during the reign of Henry VIII, the much used and
popular "black work" or "Spanish work" was introduced into England by
his Spanish wife, Catherine of Aragon. It has been found that this
work did not originate in Spain but was taken there probably by the
Moors or by the Crusaders, for it is known to have been perfected at a
very remote period in both Persia and China. The following interesting
description of black work is from Mrs. Lowes' "Chats on Old Lace and
Needlework":

[Illustration: SUNBURST AND WHEEL OF FORTUNE

Comparatively modern quilts. Colours: blue and white]

[Illustration: TREE OF PARADISE

Made in Indiana over 75 years ago. Colours: red and
green]

"The work itself was a marvel of neatness, precision, and elegant
design, but the result cannot be said to have been commensurate with
the labour of its production. More frequently the design was of
scrollwork, worked with a fine black silk back stitching or chain
stitch. Round and round the stitches go, following each other closely.
Bunches of grapes are frequently worked solidly, and even the popular
peascod is worked in outline stitch, and often the petit point period
lace stitches are copied, and roses and birds worked separately and
afterward stitched to the design." There are many examples of this
famous "Spanish work" in the South Kensington Museum in London.
Quilts, hangings, coats, caps, jackets, smocks, are all to be seen,
some with a couched thread of gold and silver following the lines of
the scrolls. This