are brought into use for padding purposes. One
of the simplest and most durable is a running of thread as illustrated
in fig. 101. The thread can be arranged so as to be thicker in the
centre than at the edges by laying some extra stitches over that part.
If a quite flat padding is required, the shape, cut out in cloth, felt,
or parchment, is attached by stitches to the material as shown in fig.
102; the surface stitching would be taken across it. Cardboard,
sometimes pasted on to the ground, is used for this purpose, but it is
unsatisfactory in several ways; for instance, cardboard letters are
procurable for embroidering initials upon linen, but they are not at all
practical for anything that goes through the wash; moreover, the letters
are sometimes of bad design. Cotton wool is used as a stuffing, its
surface being usually covered over with muslin, but this again would
not stand much wear of any kind, and so could only be used under certain
conditions.

[Illustration: Fig. 103.]

Another good method is to couch down a hank of threads of fine cotton or
perhaps wool as illustrated in fig. 103. For raised lines there is a
special kind of string procurable that can be couched to the ground
material at the required places. The padding, whatever it may be
composed of, should be as nearly as possible of the same colour as the
surface layer, in view of any after wear and tear misplacing the
threads.

[Illustration: Fig. 104.]

The top layer of underlay must lie in direction contrary to the surface
embroidery stitching, which is very often some form of satin stitch
taken from side to side over the padding. Instead of going through the
material it can be fixed on each side with a couching stitch, as in
fig. 104. A stronger way than these would be that shown in fig. 129.
Buttonhole is a good stitch for working over a padding; it would be
worked solidly in the manner described and illustrated on page 117, but
taken, as there shown, over a padding instead of over a flat surface.

DARNING

There is a most practical sound about darning; it can, however, be made
good use of in embroidery as well as in plain needlework. There are two
rather different kinds in use; in both the stitch is a running one and
done in much the same way that a thin place would be darned in mending.

One kind of darning is rather popular at the present moment, and
examples of it may be familiar; it is a large, bold kind of work, often
carried out w