esque, and all conventional designs.

[Illustration: No. 1.--STEM STITCH.]

It may be best described as a long stitch forward on the surface, and
a shorter one backward on the under side of the fabric, the stitches
following each other almost in line from left to right. The effect on
the wrong side is exactly that of an irregular back-stitching used by
dressmakers, as distinguished from regular stitching. A leaf worked in
outline should be begun at the lower or stalk end, and worked round
the right side to the top, taking care that the needle is to the left
of the thread as it is drawn out. When the point of the leaf is
reached, it is best to reverse the operation in working down the left
side towards the stalk again, so as to keep the needle to the right of
the thread instead of to the left, as in going up.

[Illustration: No. 2.]

The reason of this will be easily understood: we will suppose the leaf
to have a slightly serrated edge (and there is no leaf in nature with
an absolutely smooth one). It will be found that in order to give this
ragged appearance, it is necessary to have the points at which the
insertions of the needle occur on the outside of the leaf: whereas if
the stem stitch were continued down the left side, exactly in the same
manner as in ascending the right, we should have the ugly anomaly of a
leaf outlined thus:--

[Illustration: No. 3.]

If the leaf is to be worked "solidly," another row of stem stitching
must be taken up the centre of it (unless it be a very narrow leaf),
to the top. The two halves of the leaf must then be filled in,
separately, with close, even rows of stem stitch, worked in the
ordinary way, with the needle to the left of the thread. This will
prevent the ugly ridge which remains in the centre, if it is worked
round and round the inside of the outline. Stem stitch must be varied
according to the work in hand. If a perfectly even line is required,
care must be taken that the direction of the needle when inserted is
in a straight line with the preceding stitch. If a slight serrature is
required, each stitch must be sloped a little by inserting the needle
at a slight angle, as shown in the illustration. The length of the
surface stitches must vary to suit the style of each piece of
embroidery.

* * * * *

_Split Stitch_ is worked like ordinary "stem," except that the needle
is always brought up _through_ the crewel or silk, which it splits,