Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 Volume 6 Number 8 1965 Article 9 1-1-1965 Royal Show needlework O Evans Scott Follow this and additional works at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4 Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, and the Leisure Studies Commons Recommended Citation Evans Scott, O (1965) "Royal Show needlework," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 6 : No. 8 , Article 9. Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol6/iss8/9 This article is brought to you for free and open access by Research Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 by an authorized administrator of Research Library. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ROYAL SHOW NEEDLEWORK By O. EVANS SCOTT WOMEN are stealing the "man" out of craftsmanship. Some of the best craftsmanship in this highly mechanised age is the work of women who can feel proud that their creative skill with the needle continues while factory production has largely replaced the craftsmanship once devoted to timber, leather and metal. There is deep satisfaction in creating previously in that show is eligible again an original piece of work in any material before entering something you entered and the fine needlework displayed at the last year. Royal and country shows merits the admiration it draws. Presentation of Work It also deserves greater attention to Work should be clean. It is an insult preparation and presentation than is to the judges and the show society to given in some cases. The points made in enter a grubby, worn garment or soiled this article could help raise the standard and creased work. Keep work clean by of Show entries. holding it over a clean wrapping cloth, and folding it loosely when putting away. The Schedule Wash hands frequently when sewing— Firstly, study the schedule, to make whenever the needle starts to feel "sticky" sure you know the conditions of entry. —and use only a little talcum as too much Work must not have been laundered, nor dulls the sheen of fabrics and threads. should it carry any identification label or If the threads become fluffy and grubby, mark except the Society's entry number use shorter lengths. Avoid rusty needles, slip. Read the classes carefully—you risk and take needles out when leaving aside disqualification if you do not have the for any length of time. Keep crochet correct type, or number of pieces, or cotton in a screwtop jar, with the thread include a machine sewn article in a coming through a smooth hole in the lid handwork section, and so on. Sometimes This will prevent soiling through the the judges and stewards may transfer an cotton rolling on the floor. incorrectly entered article to another Work should be well pressed for exhibit­ class, or they may just disqualify it. Find ing. Press plain linen on the right side, out whether work that has won a prize then the embroidery and lace or crochet 496 Journal of Agriculture, Vol 6 No 8 1965 on the wrong side over a soft pad, so Fastenings should also suit the size and that it stands out. Linen and cotton need style of garment and type of fabric. Use a hot iron over a slightly, evenly-damped dainty press studs or buttons and narrow pressing cloth. ribbon on lingerie fabric and baby wear; Small articles should be mounted—pin and more sturdy, larger fastenings on or tack doyleys, duchesse sets, on to a thicker fabrics, play-clothes and bigger piece of cardboard or firm paper. Besides garments. making the stewards job of displaying Choose practical designs too. Long work much easier, the work looks more loops of single chain crochet on an edging, effective. This is especially so with cut or large areas of open drawn thread work work, drawn thread work, and other types which will catch and tear during use and of "holey" embroidery, also small crochet laundering, are best avoided. Avoid and tatted articles. Try different colours putting a synthetic fibre lace or insertion behind your cut work pieces and choose on a garment that needs ironing— the most attractive and effective. similarly don't use a cotton lace which needs ironing on a non-iron fabric gar­ Practical Considerations ment. Do not buy a small doyley in thick Always keep in mind that your time is linen—choose fine linen for small articles valuable, and if a thing is worth doing at and use the thicker fabric for tablecloths all it is worth doing well. But we must and so on. be practical about this—in this day and Embroidery is the art of enriching a age it is doubtful economy to spend many fabric. It depends on— hours making by hand an item which can • regular stitches, be bought very cheaply. Good hand sew­ • good colour schemes, and ing is better than machining, but if you've • pleasing designs. not the time nor patience to do good hand work, use the machine, particularly on large articles. Quality of Stitches Some stitches are more effective and of Consider the intended use or wear of better quality than others. All should be the article or garment, and the "wash- regular in size unless for special effect. ability" of the fabric and the hand work. A line stitch, to be effective, must be It would not be worthwhile doing good finely done, though not too tightly as it embroidery on cheap, shoddy material—if can cause puckering or curves. If a very it is worth your time and good work, it narrow line is required, use back stitch. is worth a good quality fabric. Similarly, A slightly thicker line is obtained by do not de-value a good quality fabric with using stem stitch, or cording. For a wide poor sewing. Also, do not de-value a good line use either a sloping satin stitch or linen and embroidery with a hurried, filling stitch. (The latter gives scope for poorly done edging. Always choose good shading in coloured work, too). In all of quality embroidery threads, and for these the stitches should be the same coloured work see that they are boil-fast. size. Such articles as cushion covers, shop­ ping bags, kitchen aprons and so on need Avoid single straight stitches (called to be made in a firmly woven, washable spoke or stroke stitch), also simple and material. The embroidery and crochet, if whipped running stitch in good quality any, would be done in thicker gauge embroidery. Avoid "lazy daisy," too. Use threads or more strands than for fine instead two or three bullion stitches articles like baby's pillowcase, babywear, (commonly called "grub" stitch) or satin handkerchiefs, and so on. Any ties, laces, stitch. If you must use "lazy daisy" keep bindings and trimmings should all be in the stitch fairly short, and do two or keeping with the size, type and use of the three, one inside the other. These will article, and the quality of the material. wear better than the single loop, and will (Articles such as aprons should be com­ be more effective, as well as giving scope plete—that is straps sewn on; cushion for colour shading. cover with backing and opening; floor Surface threads on both sides should rug with webbing or backing). not be so long that they can be caught 497 Journal of Agriculture, Vol 6 No 8 1965 and broken with normal use and launder­ effective colours. Baby wear and other ing. If the area is too wide for satin small, dainty things should be worked in stitch, divide it with vein lines, or use pale colours—either three or four pastel one of the filling stitches, either the shades, or a toning of two colours, or Indian filling stitch which completely even a monotone. Pram sets, handker­ covers the fabric, or a scattering of small chiefs, and throwovers should have pale stitches like seed stitch, or small dots, colours. Keep the bright colours for darning stitches, and so on. cushions, quilts, kitchen aprons, pictures Stitching should never be so tight that and so on. work puckers and is prevented from Natural floral designs and landscapes sitting flat. Watch this particularly with should be embroidered in natural colours. satin and filling stitch, blanket stitch The more stylised or conventional designs and the line stitches, and any open or can be done in more conventional or even punchwork. unnatural colours—the further away from Never use a knot to secure a thread— nature the design, the further can be the darn it in and cover it with subsequent colours! stitching, also hide all ends of threads Keep to traditional colours for special under the back of embroidery. It is better embroideries — Richelieu, Renaissance to end off and start again than to "jump" should be white, cream or ecru; Spanish across to another piece of the design, black work is always done in black or leaving a loose thread on the back. (These white; peasant work in bright colours remarks on quality of stitches do not with primary colours separated by their apply to needlework pictures or needle- secondary colours; Assissi work in only painting, in which the sewing is for effect one dark and one light colour. Study only and the work enclosed, as in a framed colours carefully, and choose a few used and protected tray, screen or picture). to good effect rather than many colours Raised stitching is more effective than used haphazardly.