sold it for a trifling
sum. Love for the work and perseverance have enabled her to overcome
obstacles that would have discouraged a woman of ordinary energy, and
she has gradually improved upon her earlier methods until modern lace
occupies a front rank among the numerous dainty forms of needle-work of
the day.

One of the finest specimens lately placed on exhibition is a table-cloth
intended for use at elaborate dinners. It is made of the finest table
linen and Royal Battenburg lace. The cloth is, of course, very large,
and the lace, in the form of wide insertion, is let in above the border
and is also arranged to divide the center into three squares. An outside
border of edging to match completes this exquisite production, which has
been two years in course of construction, and is valued at four hundred
and seventy-five dollars. The same style of lace may be made by any one
who studies the art and in any width or form, and it may be produced in
many textures, although really intended for heavy effects. The making of
such lace possesses a great charm for womankind in general, and will
undoubtedly retain favor as long as needlecraft remains a pastime and
employment with the gentler sex.

MATERIALS.

The requirements of modern lace-making are few. The products are classed
as Honiton, Point, Duchesse, Princesse, Royal Battenburg or Old English
Point, etc., etc.; but all are made with various braids arranged in
different patterns and connected by numerous kinds of stitches, many
different stitches often appearing in one variety of lace.

The materials required are neither numerous nor expensive. The following
is a complete list: Tracing cloth, leather or _toile ciree_, lace braids
of various kinds, linen thread, two or three sizes of needles, a good
thimble and a pair of fine sharp scissors.

For each kind of lace there is a special sort of braid in various
patterns, and the selection of the thread depends entirely upon the
variety and quality of lace to be made. This selection should be left to
the decision of the teacher or the skilled maker of laces, as she knows
from experience the proper combinations of materials. Thus, in making
Honiton and point lace, thread in twelve different degrees of fineness
is used; and as the braids also vary in size, the thread must always be
adapted to the braid. For Battenburg lace the thread is in eight sizes,
the finest being used only for "whipping curves" or drawing edges into