led cord from the commencement, the looped end being
used as the working end: the knot will then finish off with a loop at
one end, which can be used as a loop or cut if required.

[Illustration: Fig. 164.]

Fig. 164 is an example of a pretty piece of interlacing strap work
attached to a fastening.

The weavers' knot (fig. 165) is useful for practical purposes in both
weaving and embroidery; this knot is universally employed by the cotton
weavers when the warp breaks. It is made as follows--Place the two ends
that are to be knotted together between the thumb and first finger of
the left hand in such a way that they cross each other at right angles,
the end that points towards the left passing under the one pointing
towards the right. Pass the long end of thread that hangs down towards
the right, and which is the newly attaching piece, over the thumb, round
the back of the end pointing to the left in front of the other end, and
let it hang down again towards the right, holding the loop thus made
between the thumb and finger; then pass the end pointing towards the
right down through this loop and out on the opposite side. To draw the
knot tight, pull the end which hangs down towards the right, which will
tighten the loop and so complete the knot.

[Illustration: Fig. 165.]

The reef knot (fig. 166) is another useful one, and it has this
advantage over the weaver's knot, that both short ends return parallel
to the long ones instead of going off at an angle; this makes it neater
for some purposes.

[Illustration: Fig. 166.]

FOOTNOTE:

[14] This will be found described in detail in Chapter II. There is an
interesting drawing of a neat little machine, similar to this, but
worked by cogwheels, in _L'Art du Brodeur_, by Germain de St. Aubin
(1770).

CHAPTER XIV

PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS

Transferring Patterns--Paste for Embroidery Purposes--Protection and
Preservation of Work--Washing Embroidery--Prevention and Cure of
Puckered Work--Points about the Thread--Dressing the Frame.

The best method of getting the pattern on to the material is to draw it
on directly with a brush; since this, however, is not always possible,
other ways of doing it can be employed.

The pattern can be transferred to the background by a process called
pouncing. To do this fix some tracing-paper over the design and
carefully take the outline; a good margin of plain paper should be left
round the outside in order to prevent a