stem stitch veins, edged
buttonhole stitch and were filled in with big knots. The smaller petals
were partially filled in with buttonhole stitch and darning. The dark
petal on left was done in Cretan[3] stitch edged stem stitch.

[3] A variation of herring bone stitch.

[Illustration: PLATE 4]

PLATE 5

No. 1. Contour in stem stitch, filled in lightly with buttonhole stitch,
and darning and long-and-short stitch.

No. 2. Ditto, with the addition of herring-bone stitch on two upper
petals.

No. 3. (Stalk) herring-bone stem stitch with loops between.

[Illustration: PLATE 5]

PLATE 6

No. 1. Stem-stitch, buttonhole stitch and darning.

No. 2. Ditto.

No. 3. Stem stitch, buttonhole stitch, French knots and darning.

No. 4. Stem stitch, buttonhole stitch and darning.

All have herring-bone stitch stalks.

Sketched from a piece of work in blue crewels on white linen,
belonged to the late Lady Maria Ponsonby.

[Illustration: PLATE 6]

PLATE 7

Most of the stitchery shown here is similar to that on the preceding
plates, but has the addition of the plait stitch[4] edged with
buttonhole stitch in the veins of the big leaf, and the close knots on
the sheaf of the foxgloves, while the sheaf of the convolvulus has veins
of stem stitch and small French knots.

In all this piece of work there is to be noted a great deal of
buttonholing and darning.

[4] A variation of herring-bone stitch.

[Illustration: PLATE 7]

Op. IV

PLATE 8

Shows many uses to which stem stitch can be put, which is the only
stitch employed in the work illustrated here, if we except the little
arrow-heads used to edge the vine leaf.

[Illustration: PLATE 8]

The following sketches were taken from a most beautiful and elaborate
strip of work, forming part of some bed-hangings, dated A.D. 1696,
worked in hard twisted crewels in blue, mignonette, and green colourings
only.

PLATE 9

treats of button-holeing stitch done in a variety of ways.

No. 1 has groups of three button-hole stitches and crosses in centre,
and is edged by chain stitch and arrow-heads.

No. 2. Button-hole stitch centre and edge.

No. 3. Button-hole stitch with stalks in stem stitch.

[Illustration: PLATE 9]

PLATE 10

In this sketch are three principal stitches, viz.: Chain stitch filling
in spaces Nos. 1-2 (on left of sketch) and forming the contour of the
whole leaf; button-hole stitch filling spaces Nos. 3-4; and a la