this case a number of fancy stitches are often employed, not only to conceal the line of junction, but also to emphasize the design or to bring into harmony the two colors of the strip and the real foundation. Several of these stitches are described later on, and many more can be found by carefully noticing borders on embroideries, china, or any other decorative work. Herringbone and coral stitch are both used for this purpose. Mrs. Glaister says concerning these stitches:
"A great deal of the finished effect of all decorative needle-work depends on the apparently unimportant lines and borders with which the patterns are bounded and kept together—often they have to be put in after the work is otherwise finished; a thick line and a thin one, a little zigzag or herringbone between two lines, a row of dots or sloping stitches beside a line, will often make a marvellous difference to the finish and completeness of a pattern which without them gave a vague dissatisfaction. These lines sometimes serve to give a balance of color that was wanting without them. Speaking very generally, middle tints of the ornament will serve for the color, but if, as happens sometimes, the color of flowers is felt to be a little strong in the general effect, a few stitches of their color in the bordering lines between or beside, say the green of the leaves, may greatly improve matters. Lay some threads of the worsted or silk you may be using on the cloth beside the pattern, and you will readily judge the effect."
As I have said at the beginning of this chapter, very many more stitches might be enumerated, but they would add nothing to the practical value of these directions and might serve to embarass. Every worker in decorative needle-work is at liberty to adapt and modify her stitches to suit herself, studying only the result she is aiming to produce.
