THE TOUCH THAT TELLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22901, 2 December 1937, Page 4

THE TOUCH THAT TELLS

W* 1 • V ' | DECORATIVE EMBROIDERY

;• A woollen dressing-gown, whether of. flannel or of ripple cloth, whether made at home or bought off the peg, can be entirely transformed by a little gay embroidery. Here, in answer to a request for something very simple and easy to copy, is a scheme which, carried out in three-ply wools in deep orange, tawny gold, and two shades of jadegreen, made a world of difference to the appearance of a bluo flannel gown. As the line of darning in gold that was worked at the bottom of the sleeves, round the long roll-collar, and across the top of the pockets and the inner line of blanket-stitching in the darker jade (see Diagram No. 1) were broken into by the small groups of flower and leaf forms, the position of the latter had first to be decided upon. The group given full size in the first diagram was worked on each pocket and sleeve, while the rather larger group (see Diagram No. 3) was carried out on the a little way above the place where it crosses over from right to left. The flower forms can be marked on the material by pencilling round a coin of suitable size, the leaves either

being drawn direct, or pencilled round one cut out of thick paper. The flower form at the bottom left in Diagram No. 1 was worked as follows: —Make a star of stroke-stitches with the gold wool, adding an orange French knot in the centre, then work a ring of open buttonhole-stitch in the orange. The other flower' form consists of a small orange star in the centre and an outline of coral-stitch in gold. This, by the way, is a useful stitch for many purposes. In case it is unfamiliar, the method of working is shown in Diagram No. 2. ■\\ j Begin at the right-hand end, lay the thread along the line, and pick up a tiny bit of the, material as the needle is doing in the sketch. If the thread is in the correct position a series of neat little knots along the line, close together or farther apart, just as preferred, will result. Work the leaves in satin-stitch and the tendril in outlinestitch or feather-stitch.