LIBRARY ^fsSSACHc,,^^ 1895 .1-^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries sJlttp://^yyw.archive.org/details/dictionaryofneed01caul <^ ' jii'P-^^'^'^^'' THE DICTIONARY OF NEEDLEWORK. GERMAN CROSS STITCH PATTERN. RUSSIAN CROSS STITCH PATTERN. ITALIAN CROSS STITCH PATTERN. DEDICATED TO H.R.H. PRINCESS LOUISE, MARCHIONESS OF LORNE. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OE ARTISTIC, PLAIN, AND EANCY NEEDLEWORK, DEALING FULLY WITH THE DETAILS OP ALL THE STITCHES EMPLOYED, THE METHOD OP WORKING, THE MATERIALS USED, THE MEANING OF TECHNICAL TERMS, AND, WHERE NECESSARY, TRACING THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OP THE VARIOUS WORKS DESCRIBED. ILLUSTRATED WITH UPWARDS OF 1200 WOOD ENGRAVINGS, AND COLOURED PLATES. PLAIN SEWING, TEXTILES, DRESSMAKING, APPLIANCES, AND TERMS, By S. E. a. CAULEEILD, Author of "Side Nursing at Home," ^*Dc6Hiond," "Avcncle," and Faper6- on Needlework in ^'Thc Queen" "Girl's Omi Paper,' "Cassell's Domestic Dictionary" tOc. CHURCH EMBKOIDERY, LACE, AND ORNAMENTAL NEEDLEWORK, By BLANCHE C. SAWARD, Author of "Church Festival Decoration-'^" and Papers on Fa/ncy and Art Work in "The Bazaar," "Artistic Amusements," "Girl's Own Paper,'^ <Cr. SECOND EDITION. LONDON: A. W. COWAN, 30 AND 31, NEW BRIDGE STREET, LUDGATE CIRCUS. LONDON : PBINTED BY A. BRADLEY. 170, STRAND. ^^.c^^yj- C7 TO HER EOTAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCESS LOUISE, MARCHIONESS OE LORNE, THIS BOOK IS, BY HER SPECIAL PERMISSION, DEDICATED, In Acknowledgment of the Great Services which, by Means of Hee Cultivated Taste and Cordial Patronage, She has Rendered to the Arts of Plain Sewing and Embroidery. PREFACE TO FIRST EDITIOI. JOHN TAYLOR, in Queen Elizabeth's time, wrote a poem entirely in praise of Needlework; we, in a less romantic age, do not publish a poem, but a Dictionary, not in praise, but in practice, of the Art. It is true that many books dealing with distinct varieties of both plain and fancy work have been published from time to time, but there has not been any that has dealt exhaustively with both subjects, and combined in one volume not only descriptions of ancient and modern Laces, plain and fancy stitches and work, and the manner of working, but also particulars of the various stuffs and materials used for the same. It has been our object to produce such a comprehensive work—to bring within the compass of a single volume full instructions in working any and every kind of plain and fancy Needlework, to give information concerning the various materials and implements used, to explain the meaning of the terms and technical phrases which are now so generally employed in describing Needlework operations, and, in short, to make The Dictionary of Needlewoek so complete in all respects that anyone may be certain of finding in its pages information on evei-y point connected with Needlework. To many who are not workers, the Lace portion of the Dictionary will, it is hoped, be especially interesting, as there will be found full particulars and numerous engravings of the various makes, both ancient and modern, and in very many instances the most minute instructions for working them—for even some of the most prized of old laces can be successfully copied by all who have patience, leisure, and eyesight. It is not in the scheme of the present book to include other woi'k than that done wholly, or in part, by the aid of the needle, and the materials used; and mere patterns of fancy work are also necessarily excluded—except so far as they may be required as examples— as they are already multitudinous, and are being added to day by day, for they change with the fashion of the hour. Besides, anyone with The Dictionary of Needlework at hand can readily master the principles and details of a given work, and can then at vfill apply that knowledge to any suitable design which may be possessed, or which may be given in the pages of the various journals which devote space to such matters. But beyond these two exceptions, we have endeavoured to follow out Lord Brougham's maxim, that a good index can hardly be too prolix, and have introduced every possible stitch, work, and material ; feeling with John Taylor of old, that All these are good, and these we must allow ; And these are everywhere in practice now. London, S. F. A. C. J%me, 1882. B. 0. S. " MARKS AND SIGNS. In Crocliet, Knitting, and Tatting patterns, tlie same stitclies are frequently repeated in the same round of the -work. To save the recapitulation thus necessary, the following signs are adopted to indicate where the stitches already given are to be repeated or in any way used again. The Asterisk or *.—Where an asterisk is put twice, with instructions between, they indicate that the part of the pattern enclosed between them is to be repeated from whei-e the first asterisk is inserted, thus : 3 Chain, * 1 Double Crochet, 5 Chain, 2 Double Crochet, repeat from * twice. This, if written at full length, would read .5 1 as follows : 3 Chain, 1 Double Crochet, Chain, 2 Double Crochet, Double Crochet, 5 Chain, 2 Double Crochet, 1 Double Crochet, 5 Chain, 2 Double Crochet. The Square Cross or -!- is used in Knitting and Crochet to indicate the place to which a row is worked and then repeated backwards. For example: 1 Double Crochet, 5 Chain, 3 Treble Crochet, +; if wi-itten at full- length this would be—1 Double Crochet, 5 Chain, 6 Treble Crochet, 5 Chain, 1 Double Crochet. The letters A and follows B sometimes take the place of the cross, as : A, 1 Double Crochet, 5 Chain, 3 Treble Crochet, B. The St. Andrew's Cross or X is used in instructions to help a worker in a difficult pattern by enclosing a particulai- part of a design within two of these crosses, thus : 4 Chain, 5 Treble, x 12 Chain, 1 Purl, 12 Chain, 5 Double Crochet, 6 Treble, x 4 Chain. The Long Cross or Dagger (t) is used in conjunction with the asterisk in instructions when a repetition * within a repetition has to be made, as for example : 1 Chain, f 4 Double Crochet, 5 Chain, 3 Chain, 5 Treble Crochet, 1 Purl, repeat from * twice, 4 Chain, 3 Double Crochet, repeat from f; if written out fully would be— 1 Chain, 4 Double Crochet, 8 Chain, 5 Treble Crochet, 1 Purl, 3 Chain, 5 Treble Crochet, 1 Purl, 3 Chain, 5 Treble Crochet, 1 Purl, 4 Chain, 3 Double Crochet, 4 Double Ci-ochet, 8 Chain, 5 Treble Crochet, 1 Purl, 3 Chain, 5 Treble Crochet, 1 Purl, 3 Chain, 5 Treble Crochet, 1 Purl, 4 Chain, 3 Double Crochet. Words in Small Capital Iietters.—In the explanations of the manner of working the various Embroideries, we have endeavoured to facilitate the references by printing in small capital letters the designation of any stitch or movement when first mentioned that is of sufficient importance as to require a separate heading. The worker will understand from this that she can, if necessary, refer to a fuller explanation of the stitch or movement than is supplied in that particular place. The same stitches being used in totally different bi-anches of Needlework, a description of them under one heading, once for all, does away with the necessity of continual repetitions. When a stitch or movement is only required in the particular work where it occurs, it is only referred to in the main part of the Dictionary, and is described in a separate paragraph under the heading of the work it is used in. ERRATA. " American Patchwork, described on page 6, is more properly known as Canadian Patchwork (see Patchwork). Art Embroidery on ITeedlework should be "Art Embroidery, or Needlework." : THE DlCTIOP^Y OF I^EEDLEKIOR^. E practical lEnc^clopaebia* ABACA. — Tte native name for the Manilla hemp, Aida Canvas.—This material, introduced under the produced by one of the Banana tribe. This fibre was French name Toile Colbert, is a description of linen cloth. introduced into Prance for the manufacture of dress It is also called " Aida Cloth," and Java Canvas (which " materials, as well as of tapestry and articles of uphol- see), as well as Fancy Oatmeal." It is made in widths in stery. In India it is made into the finest muslins and varying from 18 inches to 64 inches, and can be had also pro- linen cloth. For these delicate stuffs, only the inner white, cream, grey, and gold colour; and is fibre of the leaf-stalk is employed; while canvas, as well duced in a woollen coloured material. A cotton cloth of as cordage, is produced from the coarser kind outside. the same make is known by different names, those most The Abaca plant is a native of the East Indian Islands; employed being Basket Cloth and Connaitght. and the well-known Manilla straw hats are plaited from Aigrette. — A French term employed in millinery, its coarser fibres. denoting an upright tuft of filaments, grapes, or feathers as a decoration to the headdress, hat, or bonnet. Aljb. — From the Anglo-Saxon ab-oh. The yai-n of which the warp of any textile is composed, of whatever Aiguille.—The French for needle. material it may be. Thus the term "Abb-wool," as Aiguillette. — A trimming of cords terminating in employed by weavers, signifies the wool of which the tags of gimp, silk, gold, silver, or black metal. warp of any stuff may be woven. Alaska Seal Pur.—A comparatively inexpensive de- A Bout.—A phrase denoting one complete round made scription of Seal-skin. It is of a pale brown or fawn in knitting.