the exquisite stitchery
gradually gave place to the easier achievement of solid fillings, and
the requisite relief was secured by light sprays filling up the ground
between the larger leaves, jasmine, cherries, harebells, potato
flowers, honeysuckle, shamrock or trefoil and acorns took the lead.

It is an almost impossible task to describe the large leaves, since they
bear no resemblance to anything natural, they are, however, rarely
angular in outline, rejoicing rather in sweeping curves, and drooping
points, curled over to display the under side of the leaf, a device that
gave opening for much ingenuity in the arrangement of the stitches. The
variety in these was so great that on reading the enumeration made by
Taylor, the Water Poet, one becomes quite breathless. The predominating
ones, however, are--_Outline or Stem Stitch_, used for all but the
largest stems, and veining and outlining leaves and flowers.

_Shading Stitch_, sometimes called long and short, used for large
branches and leaves, _Basket_ and _Double Back Stitch_ are also used for
these stems.

_Satin Stitch_, for all kinds of flowers and small foliage, or for the
definite flat shading, that is like block shading without the ridge
caused by the carrying back of the wool into the past row of stitches.

_Buttonhole_, also much used for leaves, especially those having light
fillings and broad outlines.

_Rope Stitch_, _Coral_, _Cable_ and _Chain_, also for outlines, the last
named being also used for fillings.

The fancy fillings such as darning, French knots, etc., are demonstrated
and described in the following pages, and the colour plates endeavour to
give the idea of the correct colourings. In this connection, a few
observations, based on the study of genuine originals, may not be amiss.

As I have before mentioned, a certain brilliancy characterised the work
at one period, but this cannot be regarded as the best type to imitate.
The most harmonious were carried out in two schemes. One had all the
leaves worked in Mandarin blues, shading from darkest indigo to softest
blue-grey. These were placed in juxtaposition, with tender mignonette
and silvery greens, a strong accent being _occasionally_ introduced by a
flower or filling carried out in true rose leaf shade or by veinings of
bronze greens and browns.

The other scheme, and this is more rarely met with, was in bronze greens
throughout, intermixed with yellow and about three shades of the dul