The Coconino sun., 1901-03-16
POPULAR EMBRo1DER1Es.
voP with the Devotees of Dress,

dresses just now are done on black or ecru lace, though some are on silk or satin; while a good peau de soie seems the favorite make, says fash ion authority. By lace must be un- derstood the very wide valenciennes and other nets turned out by Nor man and Nottingham looms, many of which take the entire length of a skirt and low bodice between the selvedges. They are far too fragile to be stretched in frames, and are simply tackled over the papers on which the designs are traced. These are so elaborate that several women work at once on the same dress. or it would never be finished in time, and they are generally quite independent of the pattern in the net itself. Some lay on straight or sinuous lines of black velvet, and others edge them with gold or silver braid, or with god spangles. or tiny crystal beads, or all three. Vast quantities of fancy lace braids are also used, and delicate chainstitch traceries in the finest gold or silver thread. Many designs are arranged so as to leave vacant medallions, into which most exquisite ly embroidered sprays of silken flowers on gossamer-like gauge are afterwards introduced. All is done by swift yet dainty fingers that never make false or loose stitch. and, as may be imagined such work en- crosses the whole attention. as the least suspicion of drawing the thread or puckering would be fatal.
 Silken robes are cut and scanned in- to shape and stretched in frames. The favorite ornamentation just now is groups of single sprays of roses, both bud and blossom, and just enough fo- liage to give the graceful touch of nature, embroidered in such exquisite shades that they are no doubt often supposed to be painted. The connect ing lines are done in tiny pallettes of many sparkling hues. and the flowers themselves are maryels of ingenuity. Small petals of pink or amber satin are laid on the silx and then covered with puffed morsels of white or pink silk gossamer gauge to form a raised blossom. sometimes centered or caught down with single bead or spangle, but there is no visible stitch.
 Occasionally chintz gauge is em- ployed, and to see it in the piece sug- gests nothing so much as a translu- cent slice cut out of rainbow. In the case of a life-sized spray of rose leaves the underlay is green satin. yelled with white gauge, and so deli cately veined and shaded with silk as to give all the effect of water color.
 Black and white for half mourning is also in great demand. and the dress executed in lace or gauge. with em- pire designs. in sparkling lines of jet. silk and silver. and with motifs in black CT white satin or velvet. much overlaid with white silk and fine che nile, are legion. The materials for these embroideries are got together from all parts of Europe and as care fully collected as curios. or even gems. A beautiful black lace skirt is covered with a design of punches of li'nc and wisteria leaves. all in black paillettes, and very happy combination it is. for the wisteria foliage is graceful. and that of the lilac is heavy.
 Aiguillettes or "dangles" are con- spicuous in the trimmings of the day. and they are made separately or in groups, finished with gold, steel or jet ornaments.
 Arabesque and other designs wrought in the "dented" pearls that so closely resemble real ones are much used, and are so made that they can be cut into complete separate parts. White and biscuit-colored cloths are embroidered in chainstitch with esllx u.>d 4:.al xlu.a.-