A pretty one is of green rep : Take a square and sew in the center a
large piece of Penelope canvas ; darn in this your initial with gold
filling silk. Use eight of the fine squares, and use the triple cross
stitch in order to have the initial large enough ; or, instead of taking
fine canvas, use the very coarse, and then cross the stitches over only
one square, the same as on Java canvas. When the initial is finished,
pull out the canvas, and you will have a beautiful letter on the rep ;
then put two rows of two-inch wide gold and green gimp around the
outside of the initial, and one on the edge of the lining (so as not to
show the lining from the outside); then put two green and gold tassels
on each corner. Any color can be used instead of the green, scarlet
and gold making a very pretty one.
SPECTACLE OR KEY CASE.
Cut a paper pattern shaped like the sole of a shoe, as long as a pair
of spectacles, to that point in the sole which will allow about one-fifth
of the toe to turn over as a flap. From this cut a back of enameled
leather and a front of velvet, satin or silk, embroidering the latter in a
tasteful design with beads or silk embroidery ; lay a thin layer of cot-
ton between this and a lining of silk, both cut of similar shape ; sew
closely together and bind with narrow ribbon of some pretty color ;
suspend by two long wide ribbons, fastened with a bow or rosette at
the top, behind which secure a large hook, fastening an eye to the belt
or waist cord of the dress to receive it. Should this case be desired
for a key bag it may be made rather wider and not quite so long.
TABLE COVERS.
Table cloths of black cashmere, with a broad border of pale blue,
edged on both sides with a gold braid nearly an inch wide, are very
ornamental ; or the cloth of a pale color and the border of black, or
else trimmed with a stripe of vines. These table cloths need no
fringes. The border should be from six to eight inches deep.
Odd bits of cloth maybe used for the border of a table cover by cut-
ting them into a square form, turning the edges down all around, and
TABLE COVERS. 79
hiding the stitches with fine Russian braid of any color preferred.
Then place them diamond wise on the cover : that is, with a point at
the top. Arrange the colors tastefully, and the effect will be good.
A table-cover worked with border entirely in feather-stitch has quite
an oriental appearance. The foundation may be of black cloth, with
several colors of worsted braid feather-stitched on, with contrasting
silk, crossing at the corners, forming a block ; the edge may be simply
pinked or notched. A space must be left outside the border about the
same depth as the border. Small covers may be chairi-stitched in
solid, close work in Grecian patterns or arabesque.
Another way : Take black, red and white flannel ; the black for the
center, the red next to the black, and the white for the border, and join-
ing them by lapping the edge of one a very little way over the other,
proceed to chain-stitch the whole with different colored silks. These
pieces may be straight, or cut diamond shape. A fan may beappliqued
or embroidered in each corner, with a small border of them, one over-
lapping the edge of the other, or two in the corner with the handles
crossed.
Page 69
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A pretty one is of green rep : Take a square and sew in the center a large piece of Penelope canvas ; darn in this your initial with gold filling silk. Use eight of the fine squares, and use the triple cross stitch in order to have the initial large enough ; or, instead of taking fine canvas, use the very coarse, and then cross the stitches over only one square, the same as on Java canvas. When the initial is finished, pull out the canvas, and you will have a beautiful letter on the rep ; then put two rows of two-inch wide gold and green gimp around the outside of the initial, and one on the edge of the lining (so as not to show the lining from the outside); then put two green and gold tassels on each corner. Any color can be used instead of the green, scarlet and gold making a very pretty one.
SPECTACLE OR KEY CASE.
Cut a paper pattern shaped like the sole of a shoe, as long as a pair of spectacles, to that point in the sole which will allow about one-fifth of the toe to turn over as a flap. From this cut a back of enameled leather and a front of velvet, satin or silk, embroidering the latter in a tasteful design with beads or silk embroidery ; lay a thin layer of cotton between this and a lining of silk, both cut of similar shape ; sew closely together and bind with narrow ribbon of some pretty color ; suspend by two long wide ribbons, fastened with a bow or rosette at the top, behind which secure a large hook, fastening an eye to the belt or waist cord of the dress to receive it. Should this case be desired for a key bag it may be made rather wider and not quite so long.
TABLE COVERS.
Table cloths of black cashmere, with a broad border of pale blue, edged on both sides with a gold braid nearly an inch wide, are very ornamental ; or the cloth of a pale color and the border of black, or else trimmed with a stripe of vines. These table cloths need no fringes. The border should be from six to eight inches deep.
Odd bits of cloth maybe used for the border of a table cover by cutting them into a square form, turning the edges down all around, and
TABLE COVERS. 79
hiding the stitches with fine Russian braid of any color preferred. Then place them diamond wise on the cover : that is, with a point at the top. Arrange the colors tastefully, and the effect will be good.
A table-cover worked with border entirely in feather-stitch has quite an oriental appearance. The foundation may be of black cloth, with several colors of worsted braid feather-stitched on, with contrasting silk, crossing at the corners, forming a block ; the edge may be simply pinked or notched. A space must be left outside the border about the same depth as the border. Small covers may be chairi-stitched in solid, close work in Grecian patterns or arabesque.
Another way : Take black, red and white flannel ; the black for the center, the red next to the black, and the white for the border, and joining them by lapping the edge of one a very little way over the other, proceed to chain-stitch the whole with different colored silks. These pieces may be straight, or cut diamond shape. A fan may be appliqued or embroidered in each corner, with a small border of them, one overlapping the edge of the other, or two in the corner with the handles crossed.