he various larger and bolder types of
design.

DRAWN THREAD WORK

In drawn work the question is how to treat the remaining warp threads
after the weft has been withdrawn. They can be clustered in bunches in
different ways with ornamental stitches added, or be entirely covered
over with darning or overcast stitches in such a way as to form a
pattern.

The beginning of most drawn thread work is hem stitching, the two edges
marking the limit of the withdrawn threads have usually to be hem
stitched before any pattern can be carried out. One method of doing this
is in progress in fig. 115. In order to work it, draw out three or four
threads of the warp and tack the hem down to the top edge of the line
thus made. The diagram explains the remainder of the working.

[Illustration: Fig. 115.]

Fig. 116 shows in the first example clusters of four threads drawn
together at each edge by hem stitching in such a way as to form a
ladder-like pattern. This and the one below are the ornamentations of a
plain hem that are most commonly seen. The variation in pattern in the
lower one is obtained by drawing together on the lower edge two threads
from two consecutive bunches in the upper row instead of just repeating
over again the same divisioning as before. These two examples are drawn
to show the reverse, not the working side.

[Illustration: Fig. 116.]

Another way of disposing of the undrawn threads is to cover them with a
kind of darning stitch, as illustrated in fig. 117. This kind of work is
more solid than the other, and is for that reason very durable. This
example is commenced at the right-hand corner, where the threads are
drawn loosely in order to explain the working. The needle, which should
have a blunt point, takes the thread to and fro alternately over and
under two clusters of warp thread, drawing them together a little
during the process; half-way down, the needle leaves the first set of
threads and continues working with the second and a new set (see needle
in diagram). When this is worked down to the base the needle takes the
thread invisibly up the centre of the worked part to the point where it
is required for the continuation of the pattern. The working of this
simple pattern explains the principle upon which all kinds of pretty and
more complicated designs can be carried out. The darning thread may be
coloured; in a more intricate design two or three different colours
might be introduced.

[Illustration