The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-13
EMBRO|DER|NG
 AS 4 PROFESSION Massachusetts Woman Makes
 S50OO a Year HER ORIGINAL CAPITAL Love of the Work and Business Train ing-supplies Work to Many
 Women-Field for
 Others.


 'For the last seven years l have made more than S5000 year by hand embroid- cry"
 The speaker was a woman who began her career as a girl of all work in a mil hhery store in small town in Massa- chusetts. Today she owns and occupies one or the handsomest homes in the place She IS reputed to draw an income from upward of 50000 shrewdly invested dol. lars Every cent of it was made by hand embroidery, and in 25 years.
 Tn a measure at least I attribute my success to applying business methods 10 the production of art" the Massachu- setts woman went on when asked to talk about her work. T have done compara- lively little of the embroidery with my own fingers. but 1 have made the de- signs and seen that the work was well done.
 My prices are high, perhaps should say very high, but it is no more than perfect embroidery is worth Every ar tleie sent out is perfectly done but not one piece is ever worked entirely by the same person. It is to the careful ob- servanee of that rule that I attribute much of my success.
 rev people can work equally well at every style of embroidery So far as my experience goes, never knew a woman who could embroider leaves to perfection that didn't fail to a certain extent when she attempted to work the blossoms that went with the leaves.
 Keep careful watch over my workers and have them registered in a card cata losue stating in what particular branch eaeh one excels. Now, say my design is roses in colored silks on linen. The stems are the first item to be worked [ refer to my catalogue under stems find out who works the most natural silk stems on linen and send out the stamped design with the silks according to the record on my list
 When it returns with the stems per- 1ectly worked I refer to my catalogue agaln and finding out who does the best rose leaves 1 ship it off again. If if is not perfectly worked? Well. as a rule I rip the work out and return it to be done over. II, however, it is so badly done that think the woman quite hopeless. I send It to another in whose work I have more faith. l pay fair prices to my work women and promptly This is a great polht With women who earn small in- comes, They are generally quite willing .o pc prompt if they feel that their check Will come with equal promptness.
 These workwomen, whom I keen cata- logued much as a librarian does books. are scattered about the country There is not single state that has not it's repre- sentative on my list
 Are my designs original? In a meas- ure, yes Ever since I was able to scrane together $500 for my first trip I have been going abroad at least once each year. For the last five years I have been making two trips annually one to Europe. usually to the continent, the other to the Orient.
 Tn Europe I poke about among the cathedrals, convents and such places keeping my eyes open for any bit of old needlework that may be copied or some times even bought In the Orient I am more on the lookout for hints in color ing.
 q take my sketch book with me al- ways Not the sketch book of the artist but simply a few loose sheets of writ Ing paper and an ordinary pencil. I sell dom attempt making sketch until after leaving the article I wish to remember for the simple reason that it might be objected to-
 Some of the most expensive pieces have ever turned out are mosaics re- produced in needlework. I have copied with my needle some of the finest bits of fresco to be found in Italy. The bulk of this variety of needlework I do to or der only. It is usually done under the direction of the architect, sometimes the
  called on to supply.
 During the last 12 months I have em- | broidered the upholstering of five as 1 handsome homes there are in the coun- | try. Two are new houses I might bet | ter say palaces here in New York, one Is in Boston, one in Pttsburg and the last | in Chicago. Every particle of needle work in those five houses was done ac- cordng to my designs and by women working under my direction
 "In four instances the orders came from the architects. who called on me to carry out their ideas. In the fifth instance the order came from the mother of the young man whose home it is to be. l had on several occasions done work for her. The first was a couple of sofa pillows some ten years ago. Then I did the hangings and cushions for her music room
 "The next season she called~on me to refurnish so far as needleworlS is con cerned, all the bedrooms in her country house. Each season since then has brought me some order from her. She knows my work and I know her taste
 "When her son became engaged and she determined to present the newly mar ried pair with a home she sent for me. She laid her plans before me and stated what price she was willing to pay. It was good round sum, fortune to the majority of persons.
 "rhere was no hurry about it so | packed my bag and went abroad. It took me some time, but on my return l had the idea ready for her and after few weeks I submitted my designs. She glanced them over and was so well pleased that she told me I might carry them out even if they cost twice the amount she had already named. If live to be 100 and work all the time I never expect to do piece of work that will please me any more than my work in that house does.
 "Yes, I do large amount of work on linen and on silk and velvet that is not to order. I have something over 800 women scattered over the country whom like to keep busy. When l haven't any orders to fill I send out lot of what I call staple articles.
 '"These are articles which experience has taught me will find ready sale. Be- cause of the quality of the work and the designs they bring better prices than the same articles offered in stores. My work is never sold in shops.
 ''When I have sufficient collection saleswomen take it to the most fash ;apolla rarorts opd offar if privatelV tO