commenced in the centre
of the cheek and worked round and round--gradually letting the lines
fall into outer circles of ordinary feather stitch.

Having thus prepared an elastic surface, they proceeded to model the
forms and make lights and shadows by pressing the work into hollows,
with small heated metal balls, the work being probably damped as a
preparation for this process. So skilfully did they carry out their
intention, that the effect is still the same after the lapse of five
centuries. We must unwillingly add that, though much appreciated in
the thirteenth century, the effect is rather curious and quaint than
beautiful.

The Syon cope in the Kensington Museum, of the thirteenth century, is
a fine specimen of this attempt to give the effect of bas-relief to
the sacred subjects depicted. The whole cope shows how various were
the stitches worked at that period. On examination with a microscope,
the flesh stitch appears to be merely a fine split stitch worked
spirally, as we now work fruit.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] See Dr. Rock's preface to his "Descriptive Catalogue of TEXTILE
FABRICS" in the Kensington Museum.

[Decoration]

CUT WORK OR APPLIQUE.

Decorative cut work is of infinite variety, but may be divided into
two groups, "inlaid applique" and "onlaid applique."

* * * * *

"_Inlaid_" applique consists in tracing the same pattern on two
different fabrics, say a gold cloth and a crimson velvet; then cutting
both out carefully, and inlaying the gold flowers into the crimson
velvet ground, and the crimson flowers into the gold ground.

This kind of work may be seen constantly in Italian rooms of the
seventeenth century, and the alternate breadths of crimson and gold
give a very fine effect as of pilasters, and in general are enriched
by a valance applied at the top, and a plain border at the bottom.

The _inlaid_ part is sewn down with thread, and covered with cord or
couchings of floss silk. Sometimes narrow ribbons or fine strips of
cut silk are stitched over the edges to keep them down flat.

* * * * *

"_Onlaid_ applique" is done by cutting out the pattern in one or many
coloured materials, and laying it down on an intact ground of another
material. Parts are often shaded with a brush, high lights and details
worked in with stitches of silk, and sometimes whole flowers or
figures are embroidered, cut out, and couched down. This sort of