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TRIMMINGS AND TRIMMERS.
special attraction about Sadler's Wells Theatre to buttouers ; for they will save and save to treat themselves to its allurements three or four times, at least in the winter season : though hard, indeed, they have to work for their pleasure, for button work is very fatiguing to the hands, and not so well paid as some other branches of the manufacture. The wooden moulds are carefully covered with silk by machinery, guided by boys, and on this fine slight tissue the patterns are worked with a needle and silk, or twist, the hard under ground rendering strong hands indispensable to a first-rate buttoner. After they are completed they are neatly carded on smart, gilt-edged pasteboards, in grosses, half grosses, or dozens, according to their size, and are then ready to be packed for sale. But see, the last worker has disappeared, and the crocheters come dropping in with their work, neatly tied up in dozens. Mrs. Ellis carefully examines each packet of medallions, leaves, &c, cutting the string of any suspicious-looking one, to see if the leaves correspond in size ; and after weighing them (for all material is weighed out to the hands, and when it is returned), sends them up to the carders, for most firms prefer carding crochet in the house. A laconic dialogue takes place between Mrs. Ellis and a worker. " Don't let the rings show so next time ! " cries the first. " It's I shall too the have fine—put gimp's to fault miss more ! some " replies stitches." then, theand second. spoil the pattern. Give me good gimp, and I'll give you good work." "Stand on one side, and I'll see if we have any," and the poor crocheter composes herself, it may be, for an hour's waiting. With every order a pattern is given, from which, without any other aid, the copy is produced, the worker reading her pattern just as easily as a musician does a score of music : " crotchets," " quavers," " semiquavers," and " demisemiquavers," are not more distinct to his sight than •' singles," " plains," "trebles," "long stitches," and " double Russian," are to her. This last, generally termed " back-stitch," is the torment of all the first-class crocheters. To work from right to left is sometimes troublesome enough, but from left to right is more than the patience of the best constituted worker can bear. These round medallions are for the headings of tassels ; silk will be " knotted " through the loops, and the mantle Whattassel makes is complete. these headings so firm is, they have a metal ring for foundation, which ring must not be permitted to show through the silk, or gimp. Buttons and elastic will be sewn on those large leaves before "carding," and the cloakfastening is ready prepared for sale. The crocheters are quite a distinct class from the buttoners. They are principally the daughters of small traders, retired or otherwise, dotted here and there with those of whom the best description is given by saying " they have seen better days." As a rule, they are a far more comfortable-looking class of workers than the buttoners, and their work pays better for the time it lasts.
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A crape hand now thrusts her bag of trimming8 through the trap. This is the best paid work ™ all, but it is necessary to serve an apprenticeship to it. The bugled crape is inferior to the crochet and buttons. The bugled lace-work is, again, inferior to this, although the labour is lighter. With a smile of satisfaction, Mrs. Ellis welcomes the last arrival, and " have you brought all in—for we can't finish a shipping order without them, and to-morrow would be too late?" "All," is the quick reply : and Mrs. Ellis sends a message to Mr. Smith, that her part of the order will be ready in two hours. An immense quantity of crochet is exported. The almond-eyed beauties of Malta are extensive purchasers ; so are the proud dames of Corunna. Crochet, it would appear, is of Grecian origin ; and we have a shrewd suspicion that Penelope's wide-world-famed piece of work was nothing more nor less than a crochet-fastening for Ulysses' mantle, or whatever description of out-door gar ment that gentleman delighted in. Why, are not our best crochet-hooks called Penelopes to this day ? All hail, then, to the Queen of Crochet ! But hark ! the buzz of the steam-engine ceases ; and for half a minute there is a deep silence. Then, from every part of the rumbling building is heard the rush of feet and clang of voices ; and down the break-neck narrow staircases, laughing, joking, chattering, chasing each other at full speed, we see the in-door hands rushing to their dinners. In five minutes all is so still that you wonder if the busy tide of happy humanity has really hurried past ; happy, at least, in the prospect of an hour's repose and refreshment. At two o'clock precisely, the loud " whirring" of the engine signals all hands to work ; and, as the last worker clatters past us, two minutes after time, we leave the great firm to its afternoon toil, and turn into the public streets. In-door hands are employed principally on fringes, braids, &c, and as finishers of out-door work, and are more certain of constant employ ment than the out-door ones—having the pre ference given them in the slack season. They are paid by the piece, so merit has its due reward ; and at Pettitoes', as well as several firms we could name, are well looked after and kindly treated. At one on Saturdays, work ceases at Pettitoes' for the day ; and at two, the in-door hands assemble to be paid ; the out-door having received their wages before noon, This not very short transaction at length completed, everything is cleared up, and Pettitoes and their satellites leave the " house " to the care of watchmen and police till Monday morning. (Jowers, of Paul's Chain, are more particularly noted for silk work of various kinds : they also do a good deal of " finger gimp," a species of work very trying to the eyes and hands. The gimp is laid down on some light fabric, in winding pat terns, and sewn with a needle and thread to the groundwork. "Table gimp" also is very hard work, and consists of a thread of that material for foundation, on which patterns are worked with
bugles and beads, by means of stout thread and