Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
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How to Work Kensington
Stitch

TOW that color embroidery is
nj coming back into favor, after
somewhat long interval of all
white effects, it may be of interest to
say a few words on the working of
the Kensington stitch.
With this stitch more really artistic
work can be done than with any
other known to embroiderers, since
well done, it makes possible that won
derful blending of colors which ma
ture shows. 1t is used almost entire
ly for embroidering flowers. combined,
of course, with the over-and-oyer
stitch for overlapping petals.
Kensington stitch, which is some
times called Feather STITCH" because
it's overlapping stitches somewhat re-
semble birds plumage, is nothing
more nor less than a series of long
and short stitches, blending into one
another. 1t is always worked from
the outer edge in. This makes the
first row even on the outside and long
and short on the inner side. All the
filling-in rows are long and short on
both edges. These must overlap, so
there is no distinct break of shading
between the different colors, but all
the tones are softly blended.
The chief beauty of this embroidery
lies as much in the proper stitch di-
rection as in the shading itself.
good way to get this is to remember
that all stitches should slant toward
the center of the flower. Too many
beginners are apt to make the mis-
take of working each petal with little
or no regard to the whole flower.
Another important thing in Kensing-
ton embroidery is, that the work is not
dead or fiat looking. This look can be
largely overcome by shading, so as to
bring out the overlapping petals but it
can also be helped by slightly padding
the outer edge of each petal with a
chain or runr;-~ stitch, and then work
ing over it. This will give raised edge
and much more natural look to the
whole flower.
In embroidering a flower of a compli-
Gated design, always work those parts
in the foreground rirst and then work
up to them IN those behind. Remem-
Der to bring out all turned-over and
overlapping edges by means of dark
shadow underneath. Sometimes, when
a flower or leaf is entirely finished it
looks fiat. In such case. add few
dark stitches, or high lights, whichever
seems most necessary.
Leaves, as rule, shade darker from
the tip to the base. and those in the
foreground are lighter than those in the
back. This same rule applies to stems,
which are generally worked in parallel
rows of outline stitch.
The amateur, in attempting shading,
should begin on flowers of the simplest
forms, such as the violet, buttercup or
wild rose. Study the flowers themselves,
noting the effect of light and shade upon
them, then try to reproduce the effect
with the needle. At first, the tempta-
ton is to stiffness, different tones are
put in with absolute regularity and all
flowers are shaded alike, but it is sur
prising how quickly practice enables
the embroiderer to give artistic variety
to each blossom and bud.
The salient point to remember, how
ever, is the proper stitch direction
namelv slanting every stitch toward the
heart of the blossom, or to the point
where the flower joins the stem. This
principle conquered, correct shading
soon becomes instructive.