stration: STRIPE IN FLAT AND RAISED SATIN STITCH, AND MADEIRA
EMBROIDERY.]

White Embroidery.

We have retained the familiar term, white embroidery, for this kind of
needlework, for convenience sake, in spite of its inaccuracy, now that
coloured materials are quite as much used for it as white.

It is executed, either on a backing of oil-cloth, or in an embroidery
frame, called "tambour-frame". Only skilful workers can dispense with
these, for an untrained hand can hardly avoid puckering. If you work
without a foundation, the material must be held, quite smoothly over the
forefinger, so that the threads lie perfectly straight, otherwise, the
pattern is very apt to get pulled out of shape in the working. With your
three other fingers you hold the material fast, the thumb resting on the
work itself, beyond the outline of the pattern, which must be turned
towards the worker. It is always the outside line of a pattern that is
drawn in double lines, that should be turned towards the palm of the
hand.

TRACING PATTERNS.--Patterns are generally to be had ready traced, but
as it is often necessary to repeat, enlarge, or reduce them,
descriptions of several modes of doing so, will be found at the end of
the concluding chapter.

MATERIALS.--A loose, soft make of cotton, the looser the better, and
very little twisted, is the best material for embroidery. We recommend
for white embroidery in general, Coton a broder D.M.C Nos. 16 to 150;
for monograms on cambric, Coton a broder surfin D.M.C Nos. 100, 120,
150;[A] and for English or Madeira embroidery, Coton Madeira D.M.C Nos.
40, 50, 60;[A] for padding, or raising the embroidery, all the
different kinds of Coton a repriser D.M.C[A] can be used.

OUTLINING AND PADDING.--The outlining of a pattern is a very important
preliminary. A want of precision in the ultimate effect is often due,
merely to careless outlining. This part of the work should be done with
rather a coarser cotton than the embroidery itself. Fasten in the thread
by a few running stitches, never with a knot, a rule to be observed also
in embroidering, except in very rare cases. Finish off your thread by
drawing it through the tracing stitches, or through some part of the
pattern that is already finished. Fill in the spaces between the lines
with a padding of run threads, run loosely, and so that they lie thickly
and solidly in the centre, and shade off on both sides. The fullness,
and roundness of embroid