STITCH, BOTH SIDES ALIKE.]

TWO-SIDED MARKING STITCH (figs. 296 and 297). The above mode of
working two-sided cross stitch cannot be applied to letters, or patterns
in broken lines, which both consist chiefly of isolated stitches. Figs.
296 and 297 explain the course of the stitches in embroidery of this
kind.

The working detail A, Fig. 296, indicates the spot for the thread to
enter the stuff, and the position of the needle for the first and second
stitches; B, the first two stitches completed, with an auxiliary stitch
to the right, the thread drawn out on the right, and the position of the
needle for the fifth stitch that completes the cross; G shows the
completion of the stitch begun at B and the position of the needle for a
second stitch to the right; D, one cross stitch completed and another
begun, immediately beneath A. In fig. 297, E shows how to work stitches
to the left; F, an auxiliary stitch to reach an isolated cross stitch on
the right, G, auxiliary stitches between two isolated cross stitches,
and H, a second and last auxiliary stitch to complete the cross.

It requires both practice and care to do this two-sided marking stitch,
so as not to disfigure the stuff by superfluous stitches.

[Illustration: A B C D FIG. 296. TWO-SIDED MARKING STITCH. DIFFERENT
POSITIONS OF THE NEEDLE.]

[Illustration: E F G H FIG. 297. TWO-SIDED MARKING STITCH. DIFFERENT
POSITIONS OF THE NEEDLE.]

CROSS STITCH FORMING A SQUARE AT THE BACK (figs. 298 and 299).--Many
of the alphabets we so admire in old samplers are worked in cross
stitch, that forms a square at the back. Each stitch has to be finished
off before another is begun; if you carefully examine figs. 298 and 299,
which show severally the right and the wrong sides of the stitch, you
will find no difficulty in mastering it. Letter A, fig. 296, shows the
entrance of the thread, the position of the needle for half the cross
stitch on the right side, and the second side of the square at the back,
as shown in fig. 299, A. Letter B, fig. 298, shows the cross stitch
finished, and the position of the needle for the third side of the
square on the wrong side, indicated by the same letter in fig. 299. C,
in both figures, indicates a stitch which is double on the right side,
and on the wrong side forms the fourth side of the square, whilst letter
D, explains how to continue the stitches.

[Illustration: A B C D FIG. 298. RIGHT SIDE OF THE CROSS STITCH, FORMING
A SQUARE AT