Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-22
&c peoAY OF pLAIN sEWlNo.


Following IL the wake ~ Embroidery,
which wont out Of Fashion Age. Ago.
Embroidery. like other elegant arts, sur
fered decay during the Dark Ages, and,
like literature. took refuge 80 the cloirters.
Books containing patterns Tor nccdlaw1rk
and directions Tor their use were intro.
ducrd Ia England toward the close u the
Sixteenth century. Each book had poems
prcGxcd. cshoriing ladies 90 industry aud
10 exalted ncc,ilcwork sublime
The iifa 0f sccluslon and partly of cap
tivity That Queen Elizabeth was compelled
10 lead during her girlhoOd was hoguilcd
hy this feminine art, aud although shn
laid aside the needle when she took up the
sceptcr. the great quantity 81 her cinbroid-
tfy made this art fashionable among the
English nobility, aud much labor was be-
slowed upon house decoration also, stools
and chairs were ornlmcntod With the nee
die, stately beds wcv adorned with cur.
taina aud couutorpnucs enriched with cin-
br1idcry. Every article of dress was Load.
ed with costly nrcdlcwork. When the
queen died she had 300 embroidered suits
IN her warlr0lsi--to such excess was the
passion FOR drrss carried IN the sixteenth
century. Indeed the queen houch NJ.
trihuted tho decay Of ancient Hospitality
70 the vast sums Of money lnvished ON e.
male apparel.
IN france and other Continental couu.
tries they were equally cKtmvngant W. this
stylo ~ ornament. A lndy no the court Of
Henry " of France displayed a hanlker.
chief that cost 100 crowns. Truly, with
such specimens of taste and skill. 0rnn.
mental ncrdlcwork was entitled to place
among the fine arts. The French retain
their ancient reputation for beautiful cm.
tir0dcfy, their ncodlowork on linen being
preferred TO that NJ an other countries.
Il would take volume to contain the
names Of the Distinguished women who
were fond NJ the agreeable occupation NJ
sowing. In IT, useful ~ well ne graceful
and elegant forms. Adclicia, second wife
Of Henry I " England, Joan d'Albret,
mother of the great Henry of France. and
Anne Of brittany. whose court WINS % school
Tor the children Of the nobility, arc we'll
known Instances The beautiful and un.
fortunate Marie Antoincttc, In her ndver
sity assisted In making and mcndine the
clothes NJ thcimprisnncd royal family; and
Mary Queen of Scots with her needle,
solaccd many weary hour Of her long
captivity.
In this century the learned Mrs. somrr
vile could work an Intricate pattern 10
embroidery rs we'll as mathematical
problem, AMI use the needle with ~ much
drxtgrity as tho telescope There Is Ia my
possession onc-half " handbag worked
In chain stitch by the fair hands Of Caro-.
line BOnaparc, queen u Naples. The
ovenncss aud regularity Of the stitches aru
wonder to all who see II.
II Is much to be- regretted that the 10.
ycntiOn Of the sewing mac hine has caused
what Is known ns plain sewing 20 have
become almost a lost ant. Few girls arr
being taught 60 sew with their hands, be-.
cause the machine can do all the sewing
No machine stitching eau equal 10 dura.
bllity or beauty the work done by the hu.
man hand.
Artists note tho difference between hand
carving and that done by machinery. The
famous cashmere shawls, made on hand
looms In India, cannot be equalcd IN
Europe. DO not understand me ~ deprs
chatting sewing anchinc- they nfr grand
invention, but | beg that hand sewing b.
not neglected. The mother who does not
teach her daughter 90 sew well enough TO
darn stockings neatly aud mend under
well has sgnally failed In hci
duty.
The utilltarianlsm Of the Nineteenth
century had banishcl ornamental needle.
work from woman's accomplishments un.
I'll the krnsington School Of Art Needle.
work, Ia London, some years back, again
mnde embroidery fashionable; our ladie.
can now display as beautiful work ~ even
came from the quecnly hands Of Katherin,
Howard or Anne Bolcyn, and ncedlcwork
may again be- classcd among the elegant
Arts.-Woman's Work.