Quand la première rangée est finie, il se trouve une grande maille et une petite sur deux. L'on fait ensuite les mailles égales à la manière accoutumée. La troisième rangée est semblable à la première, et la quatrième à la seconde, et ainsi de suite jusqu'à la fin du filet. Trois sortes de carrés différents, de grands et de petits, de parfaits et de longs, se sucsèdent alternativement dans ce tricotage, et lui donnent une fort belle apparence.

FILET ROND.

Le filet rond se tricote comme à l'ordinaire, avec cette différence, qu'au lieu de passer la navette dans une maille, de bas en haut, on la passe de haut en bas. De cette manière, les mailles deviennent rondes, et le tissu reçoit beaucoup d'élasticité. Partout le fil a l'air d'être tors.

NETTED MITTENS WITH SILK AND WOOL.

First round-net on a foundation of one hundred and twelve stitches with black netting silk, No. 13 mesh.

Second round-plain netting with blue wool, over an ivory mesh half an inch deep.

Third round-with silk,-netting two stitches in one, with the first mesh.

Fourth round- -same as second.

Fifth and sixth rounds-with black silk.

Seventh round-blue wool, with ivory mesh. An India-rubber band, or a ribbon passes through this row, to secure the mitten at the wrist.

Eighth and ninth rounds-black silk.

Tenth round-blue wool, on ivory mesh,-one quarter of an inch in width.

Repeat alternately two of black, and one of blue, for eight rounds.

The nineteenth round-will be two of black silk,-when fifteen stitches are to be united to form the thumb, which is netted in alternate rounds of silk and wool, until of sufficient length. Continue the other part in the same manner, and finish with three or four rounds of black silk.

NETTED CUFF WITH SILK AND WOOL.

First and second rows-net on a foundation of ninety-six stitches, and net one plain row with middle blue floss silk, and a mesh No. 11.

Third row-with an ivory mesh half-an-inch wide, with buff German wool.

Fourth row-with small mesh, net two stitches in one with wool.

Net fourteen rows alternately with the large and small meshes for the inside half of the cuff.

Nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first rows-in dark brown

wool.

Net two rows with the small mesh on blue silk, alternately with seven rows of wool, in shades from brown to light buff, and finish with an edge as at the commencement.

This cuff is to be sewn up at the side, or it may be worked in rounds.

The fancy stitches in netting are best calculated for scarfs, D'Oyleys, curtains, etc. It is easy to apply any of the above directions, by merely using the cottons, wools, and meshes, of the size best adapted for the various purposes.

CHAPTER XIX.

Braiding and Appliqué.

"Show me the piece of needlework you wrought."
BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER.

RAIDING, although the most simple kind of ornamental needlework, is nevertheless capable of great beauty and perfection. The costly works in gold and silver, executed by the Turks and the inhabitants of the Greek islands, are princi

pally of this description. Braid may be worked upon velvet, cloth, satin, silk, or leather: either is equally suitable, according, as it may be adapted to the article the work is designed for; but braiding on velvet intermixed with gold, is the most elegant and recherché. The pattern (the lines of which should be kept curved as much as possible), must be drawn on the material.

The principal art in

working, consists in keeping the braid or cord exactly in a line

with the drawing, taking care that the various scrolls are well rounded and even, and the corners sharply turned. Much of the beauty of the work depends on making the sharp turns flat and pointed,-which must be done by properly sewing the braid at their extreme points; the stitches should be regular, and of an equal length. Every separate piece of braid or cord must be commenced and finished, by passing its end through, and under the material, with a braid needle. Where gold cord is intended to be sewn on by the side of the braid, the line of the drawing should be carefully preserved above that of the braid; and care must always be taken to keep the braid, in every part, either within or without the line of the pattern, which, if not attended to, will completely destroy the effect of the design.

Groups of flowers are sometimes worked in different coloured braids; but this description of work is very tedious, and unless beautifully arranged, it has a common appearance; nevertheless most beautiful specimens are occasionally to be seen.

The prettiest kind of braiding is that where a silk braid is accompanied, on one or both sides, with a fine gold cord,-a species of work adapted for bags, folios, sachets, boxes, note cases, &c. By a skilful admixture of different coloured braids with gold braid and gold cord, a splendid effect may be produced. Gold or union cord, in a vermicelli pattern, may be tastefully introduced ; and where braid alone is used, it can be varied by the addition of épiné with gold passing, or silk.

It is preferable to use the silk of the braid itself for sewing it on, as, from its thus matching exactly in colour, the stitches cannot so well be detected. This may be done by cutting off a piece of braid the length of a needleful of silk, and drawing out each thread as required. All braid work, except that on velvet, when finished, should be passed under a roller, the face of the work

being covered with tissue paper: this flattens the braid, and adds much to the beauty of its appearance.

APPLIQUÉ is the laying of one material over another,—as cloth, for instance, where one or more pieces of different shapes and colours, in the form of flowers or other figures, are placed on the surface of another piece which forms the ground, and are afterwards secured at their edges with braids or cord. This style of work has been practised in some instances with so much taste and ingenuity, that it has rivalled embroidery, and for many Turkish designs seems almost preferable to any other kind.

Appliqué may be composed of pieces of cloth, velvet, satin, silk, or leather, cut into the shape of flowers, scrolls, or other designs. The pattern should be drawn upon the material intended for the appliqué, and a corresponding one upon that forming the ground, which latter may also consist of either of the above materials. If velvet, satin, or silk, be used, it will be necessary to have a thin paper pasted at the back, before the appliqué is cut out, which renders them firmer, and prevents their unraveling. These pieces are to be carefully tacked down on the material, and the edges worked with braid or cord, the colours of which may be varied according to taste; but where flowers are intended to be represented, a braid, the colour of the flower or leaf, is to be preferred. The leaves may be veined with braid or cord, or with twisted silk; and the centres of some flowers may be worked in French knots. (See page 122.) Vine leaves are peculiarly adapted to this description of work, the tendrils of which may be formed of union cord.

For bags and folios, a very pretty kind of appliqué may be made, by using various coloured silks on a ground of cachemir or Velvet appliqué, edged with gold cord, on satin, or

merino.