Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-01
EMBROIDERY NOTES.
The New Ornamentations.
From the Art Amateur.

uisPo1S. arc utstlugul either Tor their rich
ness or Tor their cheapness. At the extremes are
superb pushes and linen crash. Commonplace
materials, OF which the most conspicuous ex-
| ample Is felt are absolutely unused. On plush
arrssene, silk and tinsel braids are employed:
| on crash, SILK and English crewels. Crash Is
| transformed by the beauty OF drawing. the har-
mony ofthe colors and the skillful execution The
luxuriousness Of plush takes of somewhat from
the effectiveness Of the art displayed i'm its deco
ration, which Is to say that bad art can be better
| afforded upon plush than on homely crash. as
the latter fabric hides none Of the faults OF the
| unskillful workmen.
Mantel lambrequins for the more ornamental
! rooms OF the house are Of plush The prevalent
| shape is a straight band, bordered by a smaller
band, and finished with fringe. which is one of
! the most ornamental parts OF the lambrequin
| The embroidery is done in arrasene almost ex-
clusively although silk or filoselle may be seen
| lavishly varied with tinsel and beads. There is
an affinity. however, between plush and arrasene
| which nothing can well resist.
| straight mante lambreQuin Of dark red
plush has conventional design which deserves
| better description than words can give. Ii is
Towering scroll which in each hollow is met
| by large flower. These flowers proceed from
the top of the scroll and turning backward curl
| an end around the scroll giving the impression
OF counter scroll In this design the lines and
| leaves are in shaded brown arrasenes, ranging
almost to white The flowers are In blue ARA
rene the hues taking an equally wide range.
| The outlines are all In tinsel thread. The lam
brequin, which retains margin of the red plush,
Is finished with heavy red silk fringe in clustered
threads.
shaded blue green plush lambrequin Is cut
turret-shaped into three blocks the one directly
| in the center being wider than the two at the
ends. Each of these blocks is embroidered in
arrasene with golden-rod leaves and flowers.
Golden-rod as q decoration is not q novelty. but
In this case the treatment is novel. The plush
shades from deep green into light, cool
| greens. The color Of the decoration begins with
the deep greens Of the foliage, growing lighter
| as the plush becomes lighter and the flowers
| instead of the fiery yellOws and browns in which
they are usually represented, begin with lighter,
| cooler tints and are led up to greenish white.
The color effect is pretty and makes an agree
able variation Of that much-haekneyed plant.
The autumn introduces several new plans to
| popular favor. The most striking Of these Is
| the milkweed whose bursting pods are familiar
| ly known along the highway. A black willow
easy chair with gilded outlines has cushion
back and seat Of crimson plush, decorated with
the leaves and flowers Of the milkweed The
strength and hues Of the long -tongued leaves
| with the delicacy Of the flowers are among the
| best embroidery effects Of the season. The
work Is In arrasene which gives realistic effect
to the flowers. These ore in the palest pinkish
white, for there is a touch Of color In the white
into which here and there hues a little deeper
are introduced. 1t Is impossible to describe the
| stitches, for in these, as in great deal of the
art embroidery Of the present, everything is held
legitimate which contributes to the effect The
flowers have peculiarly raised silky look due
to the way in which the arrasene Is used
Another new flower is the thistle, whose rich
ness of color and pronounced form are admissi-
bic for much decorative work where the ground
Is well chosen. The flower has been CLOSELY
| studied. The calyX is done in gre en- and olive
crewels In Kensington stitch This is afterward
crossed by diagonal lines in greenish olive silk,
caught down at the crossings of the lines which
| gives that scaly effect seen thistle calyx.
The purple bloom Is in arrasene, mingled with
silk, and lighter silks are used to give the long,
hairy effect of the upper part Of the thistle
flower
The love-n-the-mist, as adapted for embroid-
cry, Is not novelty. but its use Is largely in
creasing. particularly in delicate work I'm which
the slender lines appear with beautiful effect.
1t is chiefly seen on pongee toilet-covers, work
aprons, fine linen dOilies and crash. although a
rose baby blanket. one Of the prettiest yet
shown. is covered with sprays of this flower
done in greens and delicate pink instead of the
blue green Of the natural flower
Scarf table-coEers Of plush with embroidery Of
arrasene. mingled with beads and tinsels are as
much desired as last season. and the designs re-
main much the same. An equally handsome
and more serviceable square tabe-cover appears
with the center Of some Of the rich art stuffs
| which the upholsterer now furnishes instead Of
solid plush, which, though handsome. soon
shows signs OF wear. A beautiful example of
this is relief design In dull olive greens on
gold ground. The border is a large conventional
| design OF the same tnts mingled with art blues
and reds. This Is done with crewes in large,
loose Kensngton stitch. with silks for the high
lights, and finished with fringe
Outline stitch abates nothing in favor Music
portfolios luxuriOusly lined with silk are orna-
mented with suitable designs in outline stitch.
Such Is pOngee portfolio lined with brown
satin and finished with cord On the outside
Is a large harp done with brown silks in outline
| stitch, and intertwined among the stringsin old
| English the legend: ''lf music be the food Of
love, play on" On others may be wrought the
notes OF some favOrite song with the words, or
| a bar of some sonata with the composers name
| or some appropriate sentiment.
The pongee work-apron is the badge of the
amateur workwoman. Noprettier regalia could
be desired A new design divides the decora-
ton into two parts, separated by a straight,
heavy line IN outline stitch Of brown silk. In
the upper part is kitten playing with a ball Of
yarn attached to a half-knit stocking. In the
corner of the lower part are three children
seated on chairs at their work. capital piece of
| drawing, their earnestness being happily shown
| in the execution. On the unoccupied space
is worked the rest of the couplet begun In the
upper part:
"when the day is fitting
| We all take out OR Knitting"
| Another pongee apron has band done in out
line and satin stitch with flowers and leaves in
| INC SuHc III uccp duu hRHt ycLoW puhs,
making with the pongee an unusual but beau
tifui piece of color. Love-in-the-mist and the
thistle are also used on these aprons.
Pineapple cloth is now used for chairbacks or
| Tides. For handsome chairs its transparency is
desirable. In order not to disguise the richness
Of the upholstery, and its delicate richness
makes it much more in keeping than the
thicker linens and crash. The embroidery on
pineapple cloth may be In outline stitch or In
| solid silk embroidery. In either case the execu-
ton should be very neat and sklllful, as it easily
| shows q careless hand
| Skate bags are made Of colored silks and
| satins lined with channels and decorated For
boys and girls who have not yet arrived at the
careful age the outside may be Of brown linen,
which Is not unworthy the most artistic decora-
| ton.