Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/789

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NEEDLEWORK This section of Every Woman's Encyclopaedia will form a practical and lucid guide to the many oranches of needlework. It will be fully illustrated by diagrams and photographs, and, as in other sections of this book, the directions given are put to a practical test before they are printed. Among the subjects dealt with will be : • Embroidery Knitting Darning with a Sewing Embroidered Collars and Crochet Machine Blouses Braiding What can be done with Lace Work Art Patchwork Ribbon Drawn Thread Work Plain Needlework German Applique Work Tatting Presents Monogram Designs^ Netting Sewing Machines etc., etc. towards picotees and carnations, roses, dahlias, and other flowers whose frilly leaves lend themselves most readily to this style of decoration. Oiant Ribbon Work The giant ribbon, measuring about half an inch, whether in plain or shaded effects, costs about i^d. per yard. The best result is generally obtained by running the thread through the darkest shade, so that the pale THE REVIVAL OF RIBBOM WORli By Mrs. F. NEVILL JACKSON An Ancient Art Revived— Giant Ribbon Work— Miniature Ribbon Work— Practical Suggestions for Doing the Work •yHE old saying that there is nothing new under the sun was never more true that when applied to needlework. Sometimes the old types reappear with new names, as when the tent stitch of the Assyrians comes to us as satin stitch; or the punto a gvoppo of the sixteenth century Sicilian workers masquerades as macrame ; another example of this tendency towards re-christening is the hroderie Anglaise of the present day, which we recognise with such pleasure as our old friend cut work, perhaps the earliest form of open-work ornamenta- tion. Ribbon work retains its old descriptive title, and is as dainty in its revival as it ever was in the days of le roi Soliel, when swags of fruit and garlands of flowers wrought in ribbon helped to enrich the dress of both men and women, and added another touch of exquisite realism to a thousand decorative trifles. The chief characteristic of all ribbon work, whether it be of the miniature or giant de- scription, is its high relief ; naturally the wider the ribbon the bolder may be the design and the more raised the effect obtainable. For this reason giant ribbon decoration should only be used for those purposes where a bold form of ornament is suitable and its out- standing surface will not interfere with the utility of the object. Considerable skill is required to achieve a satisfactory result, and the most successful efforts will be directed Violets in ribbon embroidery on pale green satin sachet 2 E