t the size of a pea, cut in it. This you move along as
you go, working only at the part of the pattern which is visible through
the hole, keeping all the rest carefully covered up and sewing paper
over each part as soon as it is finished; this should not be removed
until you are ready to join all the separate parts together with bars or
latticed ground and work the buttonhole edges.

All the different lace stitches that are used as fillings must be begun
and fastened off at the outline threads, which you must be careful not
to drag out of their place.

We again remark, for the benefit of those of our readers who may not
have read the preceding chapter attentively, that in working all the
finer lace stitches, the needle should be held with the eye towards the
worker and the point turned outwards. All the inside portions of the
pattern have to be worked in separately; (for a choice of stitches to
serve as fillings see figs. 720 to 762) until all the spaces are filled,
as represented in figs. 825 and 826. The stitches should be selected as
far as possible, to suit the style of the design. Flowers look best
worked in an open or lattice stitch, leaves on the other hand in a thick
close stitch.

When all the insides are done, the edges and outlines have to be closely
buttonholed.

The old Venetian laces are bordered with scallops in high relief, worked
over a thick pad of laid threads, as described on p. 83, fig. 191,
relating to Venetian embroidery.

[Illustration: Fig. 829. VENETIAN LACE WITH NET GROUND.

MATERIALS--For the open stitches: Fil a dentelle D.M.C Nos. 100 to
200.--For the outlining: Coton surfin D.M.C Nos. 120 to 150.]

VENETIAN LACE WITH NET GROUND (fig. 829).--The outlining of the
figures with several strands of Coton surfin D.M.C, should, in the case
of detached pieces of lace, be done at once, but where the figures are
connected by bars or by a net ground as in fig. 825, the buttonholed
outlines should be done last. Thus in making the lace, fig. 829, you
should begin by working all the insides of the flowers and foliage, then
the net ground which may be replaced by bars with picots and then only
proceed to the outside buttonholing and the scallops.

As all this kind of lace-work is very laborious and takes a long time to
do, we advise our readers to use thread that is slightly tinted; in the
first place it does not turn yellow as white thread is liable to do and
secondly, being softer and less twis